Alaska Family Reunion Cruise

Family reunion cruises are one of my specialities and it was a lot of fun to plan one for my own family.  We did a seven day Alaska Cruise with Princess.  

Ketchikan:

In Ketchikan I went canoeing on Lake Harriet Hunt with my youngest daughter through an independent tour operator. Honestly, in all my travels, it was one of the most well done shore excursions I have ever taken. The lake was gorgeous—like a perfect mirror reflecting the surrounding landscape. After rowing around the lake with a very informative guide we stopped for a short hike in the rainforest. Afterwards they had a campfire with some authentic Alaska snacks—clam chowder, salmon spread, wild berry jam, coffee and hot chocolate. It was just a wonderful day to spend with my daughter.

Meanwhile my husband took our two teenagers off on a hike. They borrowed a GPS emergency locating device from the visitor’s center and took a cab to the Deer Mountain Trailhead. After a strenuous hike they were rewarded with incredible views of the surrounding area. After hiking down they stopped at the salmon hatchery and salmon ladder on their way back to the ship.

My eldest son and his wife enjoyed a kayaking excursions through Princess—they saw tons of wildlife and really enjoyed themselves. Others in our party went to the Lumberjack Show and Totem Bight Park.

Juneau:

In Juneau we rented a van and went off on our own to visit the St. Therese Shrine. It was beautiful and so peaceful—one of those places to which I would love to return. They have cabins you can rent to spend some time exploring the surrounding area. We then stopped at Mendenhall Glacier and did some hiking. Along the way we also stopped at a salmon hatchery. I know it sounds odd, but really the salmon were amazing. I never knew how remarkable these fish are and they are mesmerizing to watch.

Skagway:

In Skagway my husband and I went with our son and daughter in law on the White Pass downhill bike tour. It was fun, but honestly not that great. While the equipment was good and the guides were wonderful, the actual ride was just not as spectacular as I would have hoped.

The rest of our group went panning for gold and LOVED it. They said it was really hokey, but so much fun and they just had a great time. They also got to hold sled dog puppies and that was really a highlight for the kids in the group.

The seven days went way too fast and we are all looking forward to planning our next family reunion cruise.