All opinions are my own and do not reflect the cruise line’s opinions.
Hello you salty sailors, you! I’m currently writing to you from somewhere between Juneau and Sitka. The day started with glacier viewing (we even saw some seals hanging out on floating pieces of ice!), and there’s talk of whale sightings in the near future!
We’re back doing our 7-day turns through Alaska, but I’m still processing our 28-day long Legendary Voyage, the Alaska Arctic Circle Solstice. I know that if I don’t write this down now, the memories will start to dissolve into brain fog (an even thicker fog than in Nome, but we’ll get that later), so here we go. What is it like to spend a month voyaging into the Arctic and back? Let’s discuss!
What is a Legendary Voyage?
These voyages are longer than standard sailings, lasting anywhere from 25-59 days. With the extended sailing time, they give us the chance to call on more ports (especially lesser-visited ones) and get a deeper understanding of the area. They’re themed, and this one was the Alaska Arctic Circle Solstice. Honestly, I feel so lucky that I got to do a Legendary Voyage on my first contract!
Where did we call during the Legendary Voyage?
Along with crossing the Arctic Circle, we called in
- Ketchikan
- Sitka
- Icy Strait Point
- Valdez
- Dutch Harbor, Unalaska
- Nome
- Anchorage
- Haines
- Juneau
- Wrangell
- Prince Rupert, B.C.
Visiting Uncommon Ports
This was a longer cruise, so we had the chance to go to ports not normally on an Alaskan itinerary. In fact, we got to visit places that I’d be hard-pressed to access otherwise.
Dutch Harbor, Unalaska
Most famous for being a port for boats from The Deadliest Catch, I never expected I would step foot here. Beautifully windswept and remote, Dutch Harbor is part of the Aleutian Islands. More of a fishing town than a tourist town, it’s a mile walk past roadside crab cages and dramatic scenery to even the first attraction. We lucked out with sunny weather, and I spent the afternoon walking the roadside to attractions like the Museum of the Aleutians, Aleutian WWII National Historic Area and Visitors Center, and the Norwegian Rat Saloon. Fun fact: Dutch Harbor is only really the body of water most ships dock in. The place itself is the city/island Unalaska.
Nome
Mention Nome to any child of the 90’s and it will probably conjure up one image: Balto! My knowledge of the Iditarod sled dog race has expanded quite a bit since then (especially since it’s something I speak about on the cruise), but it was cool to see the Iditarod finish line in person. Nome is so far north (and close to the Arctic Circle) that it’s blocked by ice for 7-ish months of the year, so it was a treat to see it up close!
But at some point, it was actually hard to see. Soon after a few tender boats made it ashore to Nome, we were hit by foggy, foggy weather. For awhile, it was questionable if we’d be able to make it back to the ship on time. We made it back in the end, but I’ll always cherish that foggy, quiet day walking the streets of this northern town.
Icy Strait Point
Close to Glacier Bay, Icy Strait Point itself is actually an old cannery site that was converted into a cruise ship port. The town of Hoonah is a 30-minute walk away, and it’s one of the largest Tlingit Native Villages in Alaska. Only one or two ships can call at Icy Strait Point per day, so it was relaxing to walk around without too many crowds. It’s known for having one of the world’s longest ziplines, and for having a lot of bears. Thankfully, I didn’t have any run-ins with the creatures, but I did have a lovely walk around.
Haines
Haines ended up being my favorite port! Many itineraries dock in neighboring Skagway, but Haines–nicknamed “the Real Alaska”–is much more quiet and local. I don’t know why I liked it so much. I just know that as soon as we got off the ship, we were treated to mountain views. After a quiet 15-minute walk into town, most of the main shops and sights were along the same main street. My perfect afternoon in Haines? Pop into the Hammer Museum, then fish and chips at the Bamboo Room, and finally a mead tasting flight at the Three NorthmenTasting Room.
The Fabulous Parties
What do you do when you have plenty of sea days? Party, of course! When I first saw the schedule, I had to pinch myself…you mean it’s my job to dress up and dance around? I love a good themed party. Casino Royale night added a flavor of Bond. Our Masquerade gave me a chance to break out an old favorite dress and the mask I bought at 19 when I visited Venice for the first time (I knew there was a reason to hold onto it for all these years!).
Then, probably my favorite was the Great Gatsby Night. As someone who always tried to convince her friends to do a murder mystery night, this dress-up, interactive Whodunnit night was a dream come true! For an evening, I wasn’t Denae. Oh no, I was Rose, an infamous Madame with shady dealings. I swanned around the whole night in my flapper dress, adopting a dubious accent and trying to prove my innocence (guests were convinced I was guilty, but thankfully, my name was cleared in the end). Oh, what fun!
We finished the itinerary with the Noordam Ball. Officers opened the ball with a waltz and then the floor opened up to dance all night serenaded by the Rolling Stone Band. We stayed until the last song of the last set. We truly got to dance the night away–it was a blast!
Research Opportunities
I love this job so dearly because it makes me feel like I’m in school again. Researching and creating presentations is integral to my role, after all. While I’d been doing the same five ports during our classic Alaska itinerary, the Legendary Voyage gave me the chance to research new cities and towns I had yet to visit.
Another cool thing about this Legendary Voyage with Holland America Line was getting context for all of my research. During our one-week turns, my talks focus on the history and peoples of Southeast Alaska. But this voyage gave me the chance to learn about so many more Native groups firsthand, and to see their lands and histories with my own eyes. In addition to the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples of Southeast Alaska, I was able to learn about the Alutiiq, Sugpiaq, Unangax, and Inupiaq peoples. When else in life would I be able to travel thousands of miles of Alaska’s coast and visit some of the far reaches of this country? It was beautiful to witness.
Legendary Voyage and Looking Ahead
Now that our Alaska Arctic Circle Solstice Legendary Voyage has come to a close, I’ve returned to our 7-day Alaska voyages with a deeper understanding of Alaska as a whole. I am so thankful for this job that allows me to grow in knowledge of and empathy for the world! I’m almost halfway through my contract, and it seems there will be a different Legendary Voyage in my future…let’s see where the sea takes us this time!
Hugs,
Xx Denae
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