Explore the amazing sights and sounds of Alaska

Alaska is truly a land of awe-inspiring beauty and amazing adventures. Adelman’s Becky Blackwell recently had the opportunity to soak in the spectacular sights and sounds of Alaska on a Holland America cruise along the famed Inside Passage.

While some might think that an Alaskan cruise might be more of a passive experience, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Becky’s trip was one adventure after another. Among the many highlights was Becky’s helicopter ride, which departed from their stop in Juneau and flew over several different glaciers. According to Becky, “We spotted a brown bear and really got an appreciation for these fabulous glaciers from the air. We then dropped down on to one of the glaciers for a hike. It was without a doubt one of the top 5 best things I have ever done!” 

Becky experienced the famous Hubbard Glacier from the water. “It was amazing. As the ship slowly pulled close to the glacier, we realized just how small we were!” The ship’s captain explained that the Hubbard Glacier is as tall as the height of two Space Needles and is 76 miles long. “We were confused for a minute thinking it was thundering outside until we realized that the booming sound we heard was actually the Glacier calving. If Hubbard Glacier isn’t on your bucket list, it should be, as it is truly beautiful and magical,” Becky notes. 

The next adventure on Becky’s itinerary came during her stop in the quaint fishing town of Sitka, which is home to abundant wildlife, friendly people, and all the salmon one could ever catch. Becky adds, “They even have a bay named Million Dollar Bay due to the fact that they can pull out millions of dollars’ worth of salmon a day.”  From Sitka, Becky embarked on a kayaking adventure. “We paddled 7 miles through the bays of this beautiful place. We saw bald eagles, sea otters, sea lions, and…..WHALES right next to us. We had a whale breach 10 yards from us…once in a lifetime stuff!” Becky exclaims.

In Ketchikan, Becky set out on yet another adventure, this time on a Bearing Sea Crab Fisherman’s Tour. “What an experience aboard the Aleutian Ballard. We learned just how those crab boats work and then yep, ate. We also fed bald eagles as they swarmed us like the pigeons here in Missouri,” Becky notes. She even got to meet Captain Derrick, who was made famous on Season 2 of Deadliest Catch.

Even when not out adventuring, Becky said her experience on Holland America’s Oosterdam was fabulous. She appreciated the fact that the ship was smaller in size but still provided many great onboard activities. “Sea days and spare time was so relaxing. Simply sitting in the chair while watching the mountains go by was dreamy,” Becky recalls. “We never felt the need to rush, but we also enjoyed many activities with EXC Talks on Alaskan History in the theatre daily and wildlife watching with the Nature Host… how about the 50 whales we counted one morning. How do you top that!” Becky exclaims. Another favorite onboard experience was Test Kitchen, which Becky said made her feel like she was on the Paula Dean Show.

When asked if she would go to Alaska again, Becky says, “You bet. I would go tomorrow. And how would I go? Without a doubt with Holland America, no questions asked!”  Overall, Becky says, “Alaska is like no other place that I have been. Peaceful, friendly, and welcoming are all words I would use to describe Alaska, and the funny thing is I would use these same words to describe Holland America as well. They sure know how to do Alaska!”

If you would like more information on planning a special cruise to Alaska, please contact Becky or one of our other experienced Vacation advisors at 800-749-7116 or visit our website at www.adelmanvacations.com.