Alaska Cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam ~ Ketchikan and the towel creatures!

Colourful houses dot the shoreline in Ketchikan Alaska.

The sign welcoming us to town claims that Ketchikan 

is the "Salmon Capital of the World."

We arrived in port greeted by a misty rain.

We wandered the streets and stopped for a delicious bowl of crab bisque.

There are many historic buildings.

 Murals refer to rich history of Japanese and Filipino cultures.

The red light district of heritage houses built on stilts in a creek 

are now occupied by shops.

The town was very busy as there were 5 large cruise ships in port.

I had heard about the towels creatures that the stewards would be making for us.

Crab

Octopus

Elephant 

Dog

Monkey

There was a towel folding class on one of the sea days!

We did not attend.

So many options to consider when on board 

especially on Sea Days.

Mah Jong, Bridge, Bingo, Casino, Live theatre, Music venue, Computer classes, 

Pools, Spa, America's Test Kitchen, Movies, Lectures, and more.

The last cruise post is on the blog now...

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Alaska Cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam Skagway and Glacier Bay

Helicopters and seaplanes were waiting to take people up for tours.

There was a 8 hour train trip to The Yukon which was super popular.

We opted to walk around Skagway, visit the museums and explore the old town.

Vintage Train with snow removal equipment on the front.

The Gold Rush played a major role in the formation of these towns.

We stopped here for a cocktail...

there were tours of "the red light rooms" upstairs!

I love the driftwood on this building.

First Nations mask

Corrington Private Museum pieces

Trading beads

Love the signage.

After Skagway we made our way to Glacier Bay.

The glaciers were my favourite part of the cruise.

The water was turquoise...

these next photos speak for themselves.

We saw a few pleasure boats on our way to the Glaciers.

Permits are required to enter this area as it is a protected UNESCO park.

I will be back soon with more of the cruise highlights so watch for the next post.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~

Alaska Cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam...Vancouver to Juneau.

We loved our week long cruise to Alaska aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam.

The weather was amazing, the seas calm, and we were able to gaze at the gorgeous natural scenery from our balcony.

Canada Place at the Vancouver Cruise Ship Terminal.

Large arrangements of fresh flowers were strategically placed in the public areas of the ship.

One of the many dining rooms...

we dined here for most of our meals during the cruise.

Cozy chairs and lounges which invited relaxation during the voyage.

The Atrium

We opted for room service the first morning...

we really enjoyed sitting on our balcony.

There was so much to see and do on the ship.

One could be busy and engaged all day long.

We were travelling with my husband's family 

so we wanted to interact with them as much as possible. 

We did not attend many of the entertainment options.

We walked many laps around the deck.

With so much delicious food on offer we needed to be mindful!!

Cocktails

Gala dinner

Let's start with some escargots.

a tossed green salad

Succulent lamb chops

Chocolate souffle

You can eat like this every evening if you desire.

There are casual venues where they make burgers, hot dogs, and pizza.

The Lido Market was buffet style

offering 

various salads, pastas, sandwiches, soups, and a variety of daily specials.

There are also some higher end dining options where you pay extra to dine.

We dined at the Italian themed Canaletto and Tamarind which served Asian Fusion cuisine.

The Tamarind was my favourite meal of the trip.

Juneau Alaska

We were travelling with other cruise ships.

About 4 or 5 ships were in each port 

the small towns were inundated with tourists.

The Holland America Line was recommended to us

in particular the refurbished ship Nieuw Amsterdam

 we were suitably impressed.

A popular spot to sample Alaska King and Dungeness Crab.

Mr HB loves crab!

Heritage buildings in Juneau

I was surprised by how many jewelry shops dotted the streets.

Apparently many people buy jewelry as a souvenir when they go on a cruise.

I'll be back with more on the cruise soon so please stay tuned!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~