There are trips where you spend most of your time wondering what the ship is going to do next.
And then there are expedition trips where you wake up wondering what Alaska is going to do next.
Our August 2023 journey aboard Seabourn Odyssey was definitely the second kind.
We started in Juneau a couple of days before embarkation, which gave us some time to settle in and explore before trading downtown Juneau for life aboard an expedition ship.
And Juneau wasted no time reminding us that we were in Alaska.
We wandered through the downtown shops, walked along the boardwalk and stopped to see the statue of Tahku, the breaching whale. It felt like a pretty appropriate welcome to a trip that was about to involve quite a few real whales.
Whales, glaciers and one very good day in Juneau
The following day, we headed out for whale watching, and Alaska decided to put on a show.
We watched humpbacks bubble feeding, which is one of those wildlife experiences that looks almost choreographed when you see it from a boat. We also spotted sea lions and eagles along the way.
The weather was a little overcast, so the glacier views from the water weren't cooperating. But that's one of the things I love about Alaska: you don't necessarily get the day you planned. You get the day Alaska gives you.
And eventually, the clouds started to cooperate.
After whale watching, we headed over to Mendenhall Glacier, and later took the Goldbelt Tram up for some spectacular views as the weather cleared. We even managed to get in some hiking around the Alpine Loop before heading back down.
And because every great Alaska adventure should apparently end with crab, we finished the day at Tracy's King Crab Shack.
No complaints there.
What is there to do in Juneau before an Alaska cruise?
Juneau is worth arriving early for. In two days before boarding we went whale watching, saw Mendenhall Glacier, rode the Mount Roberts Tramway and hiked the Alpine Loop at the top, walked the downtown waterfront, and watched the salmon run on the morning we embarked. These are the things we did ourselves:
- Whale watching
- Humpbacks bubble feeding, plus sea lions and eagles. The morning was overcast, and the whales didn't mind.
- Mendenhall Glacier
- We went straight from whale watching, as the weather started to clear.
- Mount Roberts Tramway
- The Goldbelt Tram climbs from the waterfront for views over Juneau. The Alpine Loop trail at the top makes a good short hike.
- The downtown waterfront
- Shops, the boardwalk and the statue of Tahku, the breaching whale.
- The salmon run
- On embarkation morning we walked down to the river to watch salmon heading upstream, then walked from our hotel to the ship.
- Tracy's King Crab Shack
- Where we finished the whale-watching day.
Welcome aboard
The next morning we wandered down toward the river and watched salmon making their way upstream before walking over from our hotel to the ship.
Embarkation day!
Once aboard Seabourn Odyssey, we explored the ship, got fitted for our expedition coats and met the Ventures Team, the people who would soon be getting us off the ship and into the Alaska wilderness.
That distinction matters.
One of the things that makes an expedition cruise different from a traditional cruise is that the ship isn't necessarily the destination. The ship is your comfortable base camp.
And we were about to find out just how much fun it could be to leave that base camp behind.
As we sailed out of Juneau Harbor, we were treated to a beautiful sunset.
Not a bad way to start.
Into Endicott Arm
Our first full day brought us into Endicott Arm, where the day was all about scenic cruising, wildlife and our first real taste of expedition-style exploring.
We attended a lecture about post-glacial pioneers and the invasion of plants, the kind of presentation that gives you a little more context for everything you're seeing outside the windows.
And outside, there was plenty to see.
Harbor seals. Bald eagles. A few humpbacks.
And lots of small icebergs floating through the water.
Then came the highlight: Dawes Glacier.
We boarded our first Zodiac and headed toward the glacier, getting close enough to really appreciate the scale and color of the ice.
The glacier was an incredible deep blue, and we even witnessed active ice calving.
There is something about seeing a glacier calve in person that is difficult to explain until you've experienced it. You can look at photographs all day, but standing there in a Zodiac, surrounded by cold air and floating ice, watching a massive piece of glacier break away...
That's the sort of moment you remember.
Wrangell: petroglyphs, muskeg and unexpected companions
The next day brought us to Wrangell.
We headed out to Petroglyph Beach, where we learned more about the area's history and explored the shoreline looking at the ancient carvings.
Along the way, we had some unexpected wildlife company.
There were eagles everywhere, and a couple of deer actually followed us up the road.
Because apparently they wanted to see what we were doing too.
We also tackled the Volunteer Park Trail, hiking through forest and muskeg before the day wrapped up with one of those ridiculous Alaska sunsets: glowing orange and yellow spreading across the sky.
You know the kind.
The kind where everyone stops talking for a minute.
Misty Fjords: one of my Alaska favorites
Then came one of my favorite places on the entire trip: Misty Fjords.
I've visited this part of Alaska before, and it never seems to get old. There's something about the combination of towering cliffs, deep water, forest and that wonderfully moody Alaska atmosphere.
This time, we got to experience it from a kayak.
We joined the Ventures Team and spent a couple of hours paddling into the fjord. Eventually we made our way toward the end of the fjord and up the river.
And yes, it rained.
But honestly?
That just made it feel even more like Misty Fjords.
As we paddled, we saw eagles and watched salmon moving through the river. It was quiet, wild and exactly the sort of experience I hope for when I think about expedition travel.
You're not just looking at Alaska.
You're in it.
A little Canadian side trip
Our next stop was Prince Rupert, Canada.
We explored the town, wandered around and, naturally, took care of some very important business:
Canadian chocolate bars.
Because expedition travel is about wildlife, glaciers, wilderness and cultural experiences...
...but you still have to have priorities.
When Alaska changes the plan
The following day was scenic cruising through Whale Channel before we reached Alert Bay.
We had been looking forward to kayaking, but the water had other ideas.
The seas were too choppy, so kayaking was cancelled.
And this is another part of expedition travel that I think is important to understand before you go: the itinerary is a plan, not a guarantee.
Weather, sea conditions, wildlife and local circumstances can all change what happens that day.
Instead of kayaking, we went ashore and visited one of the tallest totem poles in the world and the traditional Big House.
It wasn't what we'd originally planned, but it gave us a completely different perspective on the area and its Indigenous culture.
And that's the beauty of an expedition itinerary.
Sometimes the best memories come from the things you didn't expect to do.
From Alaska to Vancouver
After one more day of scenic cruising, our journey came to an end in Vancouver.
We disembarked on August 11, having spent more than a week moving through Southeast Alaska and coastal British Columbia, from whale watching in Juneau to glacier encounters in Endicott Arm, hiking through Wrangell, kayaking Misty Fjords and exploring communities along the way.
What I loved most about this trip was the variety.
One day we were watching humpbacks bubble-feed.
The next we were standing in front of a deep-blue glacier.
Then we were paddling through a fjord in the rain, watching salmon swim beneath us.
And sometimes we were simply standing on deck watching the sunset.
That's Alaska.
You don't really know what the next day is going to bring.
And on an expedition cruise, that's not a problem.
That's the point.
