‘My maiden voyage to the WILDS OF ALASKA’
Susan Ward Davies thought she hated cruising – until she tried it. So what does stepping on board for the first time feel like and how do you learn the ropes?
I’d never been able to understand why people liked holidaying on huge ships that look like floating theme parks. I imagined endless queues, cramped cabins and port stops with thousands of other passengers. ‘I’m not one of those cruise people,’ I thought.
But, in the spirit of trying anything once, and tempted by Alaskan wildlife adventures, I found myself in Vancouver waiting to board my very first cruise ship, the Koningsdam, one of Holland America Line’s three high-tech Pinnacle class ships. If any cruise can convert me, I’m hoping it will be this one.
After passing through immigration, I see the ship towering ominously over me and my phobia returns. Thankfully, I bump into another first-timer, a fortysomething Miami doctor who shares the same fears. She’s travelling with two girlfriends, one a cruise fan who is confident we’ll all be won over. Spirits lift as we set sail and glide gracefully underneath Vancouver’s majestic Lions Gate Bridge. It’s an impressive departure and I find myself looking forward to the six days ahead. We’ll be sailing along Alaska’s Inside Passage, a scenic route that winds through islands along the North Pacific coast. Unlike open-sea cruising, the water on this route is sheltered by land and much calmer (I cross seasickness off my list of fears).
PANORAMIC VIEWS
On day two, jetlag wakes me at 4.30am, in time to see a beautiful pale, misty dawn. I explore the ship, taking the stairs between the 12 passenger-accessible decks, power-walking the perimeter of the ship and testing its running track. The two pools are busy and good for families, if not for laps. Inside, I ignore the neon-lit casino and find the spa, which, with its ocean-view steam room, horizontal shower and heated ceramic beds, looks very promising. I discover the live music lounges: BB King’s Blues Club, the Rolling Stone Rock Room and the Lincoln Center Stage for classical recitals; but my favourite spot is the Crow’s Nest and Explorations Cafe, with its arty library and panoramic view.
The demographic is more mixed than I’d imagined: young families, millennial and older couples, teens, groups of friends and solo travellers. Passengers are friendly and up for a good time, so I decide to lean in and learn the ropes.
My go-tos for meals become the elegant Dining Room and the more casual Lido Market, both of which are included in the price. I learn that arriving early or late means less queueing and find the strong-willed can choose from a healthy selection of stir-fries, sushi, salads and fresh Alaskan salmon.
On day three, we dock at Juneau, Alaska’s capital, where 19th-century goldmining meets Native American heritage with a frontier-town vibe. The main draws are hiking, whale-watching, and eagle- and bear-spotting. I sign up for the whale-watching and Mendenhall Glacier trip (£184) and am beyond excited. After bouncing over the waves on our small boat for 10 minutes, we spot distant jets of spray erupting into the air as several humpbacks surface to
breathe. I’m mesmerised. Back on shore, we hike through the huge Tongass National Forest to the Mendenhall Glacier, set on the lake it calves into.
I feel the chill of the glacier as we approach, as if a giant freezer door has been opened, before sighting the huge ‘river’ of thick white, streaked with deep blue crevasses, as if magically solidified while flowing into the lake.
EXCELLENT EXCURSIONS
It’s a mood-boosting adventure and I find myself growing fonder of my cleverly designed cabin (a masterclass in storage) and peaceful verandah. I’ve also discovered that room-service coffee is freshly made, so no more breakfast queueing for me.
Day four brings more fun when we dock in Skagway. One of the closest ports to the Klondike goldfields, it showcases its Gold Rush heritage with a narrow-gauge railway, brothel-turned-restaurant the Red Onion Saloon and painted clapboard houses. On the Denver Valley Hike & White Pass Rail trip (£218), we trek through the forest on rocky paths to Denver ‘station’ (no platform, just a signpost) where a vintage steam train picks us up for the precipitous 40-mile loop to the 2,865ft summit.
My last adventure, the Backcountry Jeep & Canoe Safari (£151), at Ketchikan – known for its waterways and stilted houses – involves paddling a 19-seater canoe over a serene lake, before a thrilling off-road four-wheel-drive Jeep circuit on muddy, potholed forest tracks. We then have a day at sea, sailing through the magnificent Glacier Bay National Park, 3.3m acres of wildlife and wonder.
On the last day I realise that not only have I got the hang of cruising, but I actually like a lot of it. It looks as if I am becoming a ‘cruise person’ after all.
GET ON BOARD Holland America Line (hollandamerica.com) offers a seven-night Alaskan Inside Passage cruise on Koningsdam from £1,034pp in May 2023. British Airways direct flights from London Heathrow to Vancouver start from £538pp return (ba.com). Rooms at the beautiful Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver (fairmont.com), opposite the cruise terminal, cost from £271 a night.
It has panoramic sea and mountain views and a rooftop pool.