So, a little explanation before I begin.
My dad loved to travel, and always dreamed of going to Alaska. We were quite poor growing up on a farm with a large family, but he planned to drive us all there there someday (from Rhode Island). Sadly a brain tumor took his life before he could fulfill that dream. My mom lived the next 36 years as his widow, but even as she struggled through the cruelties of Alzheimer's, she often talked about Dad and his dreams.
Mom was reunited with Dad a year and a half ago, and much to our surprise, when we finished all the legal mumbo-jumbo that you go through after a death in the family, we found that Dad had done some shrewd investing with what little money they had, and each of my 4 brothers, 2 sisters and I inherited a respectful amount of money. My immediate thought was how ironic that he never got to reap the rewards of this, and I began to do a little research, but in my heart I knew we needed to go to Alaska.
I found a great deal on an Alaskan land and sea cruise, but knew I needed time to plan and prepare so in March of 2016 I booked the trip for my husband and me for August of 2017, figuring that would give me plenty of time to learn all I needed to know, and it would be kind of the climax of a laid-back summer. Little did I know at the time that by the time we finally got to fulfill Dad's dream, we would be grandparents of an awesome grandson, and a granddaughter would be due to arrive within a week of our return.
It's been a crazy busy summer, but our big day is now less than a week away, So, here's our general itinerary - I'm so excited for this!
Wednesday, August 9 - travel day
We’ll fly from RI to Seattle, changing planes in Chicago. Hoping to get together with my niece and her family, if time allows
Thursday, 8/10 We’ll travel by train to Vancouver and spend a few hours enjoying the city before calling it an early night.
Friday 8/11 we board the Radiance of the sea to begin our Alaskan adventure! We’ cruise the Inside Passage,the next day (Saturday, 8/12) and arrive at Ketchikan early Sunday morning (8/13) We’ll tour the city and catch the Lumberjack show before departing late that afternoon.
Monday (8/14) we arrive at Icy Straight Point around 9 AM and take a whale and Marine mammals cruise that afternoon. The ship departs at 6 PM and travels to Juneau, where we’ll be doing a float trip by the Mendenhall Glacier that afternoon.
Wednesday we spend the day in Skagway, where we’ll travel through the mountains on the scenic White Pass Railway, and then Thursday, 8/17, we are on the ship all day cruising by the Hubbard Glacier, then travel on to Seward.
The cruise ends there, but our adventure continues for a few more days, as we explore Anchorage, Talkeetna, and Denali.
My dad loved to travel, and always dreamed of going to Alaska. We were quite poor growing up on a farm with a large family, but he planned to drive us all there there someday (from Rhode Island). Sadly a brain tumor took his life before he could fulfill that dream. My mom lived the next 36 years as his widow, but even as she struggled through the cruelties of Alzheimer's, she often talked about Dad and his dreams.
Mom was reunited with Dad a year and a half ago, and much to our surprise, when we finished all the legal mumbo-jumbo that you go through after a death in the family, we found that Dad had done some shrewd investing with what little money they had, and each of my 4 brothers, 2 sisters and I inherited a respectful amount of money. My immediate thought was how ironic that he never got to reap the rewards of this, and I began to do a little research, but in my heart I knew we needed to go to Alaska.
I found a great deal on an Alaskan land and sea cruise, but knew I needed time to plan and prepare so in March of 2016 I booked the trip for my husband and me for August of 2017, figuring that would give me plenty of time to learn all I needed to know, and it would be kind of the climax of a laid-back summer. Little did I know at the time that by the time we finally got to fulfill Dad's dream, we would be grandparents of an awesome grandson, and a granddaughter would be due to arrive within a week of our return.
It's been a crazy busy summer, but our big day is now less than a week away, So, here's our general itinerary - I'm so excited for this!
Wednesday, August 9 - travel day
We’ll fly from RI to Seattle, changing planes in Chicago. Hoping to get together with my niece and her family, if time allows
Thursday, 8/10 We’ll travel by train to Vancouver and spend a few hours enjoying the city before calling it an early night.
Friday 8/11 we board the Radiance of the sea to begin our Alaskan adventure! We’ cruise the Inside Passage,the next day (Saturday, 8/12) and arrive at Ketchikan early Sunday morning (8/13) We’ll tour the city and catch the Lumberjack show before departing late that afternoon.
Monday (8/14) we arrive at Icy Straight Point around 9 AM and take a whale and Marine mammals cruise that afternoon. The ship departs at 6 PM and travels to Juneau, where we’ll be doing a float trip by the Mendenhall Glacier that afternoon.
Wednesday we spend the day in Skagway, where we’ll travel through the mountains on the scenic White Pass Railway, and then Thursday, 8/17, we are on the ship all day cruising by the Hubbard Glacier, then travel on to Seward.
The cruise ends there, but our adventure continues for a few more days, as we explore Anchorage, Talkeetna, and Denali.
