Vancouver to Maui – day 4

Posted on October 12, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 12, 2022 – Day 4 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

Apple and bacon pannenkoek - lunch at the Grand Dutch Cafe — Apple and bacon pannenkoek – lunch at the Grand Dutch Cafe

We are in rain and rough seas this morning, so the Promenade Deck is closed on both sides to passengers. A rainbow appears to the south of us this morning (see banner image above). I have a continental breakfast in my stateroom this morning, adding a cappuccino from the Explorations Cafe. Today’s lunch is an Apple and bacon pannenkoek (pancake) from the Grand Dutch Cafe – delicious!

Hawaiian Connectivity – Naturalist John shares a study of the Hawaiian islands and reefs found northwest of Kaua’i, which he participated in.

Active volcanoes are only on Maui and Big Island (youngest)
New island forming off the Big Island
Birds first to arrive to newly-formed islands
Nene goose (from Canada Goose)
Introduced species
- Introduced birds have largely replaced native Hawaiian birds
- Mongoose to control rats, ended up decimating native birds
- Feral goats
- Green gecko
Papahanaumoku Wakea – Marine protected area – Northwestern Hawaiian Islands – NW of Kaua’i
- Ko Hawai’i Pae ‘Aina
- Small islands and reefs
Species protected and population restoring
- Yellow Tang
- False Killer Whale
- Acropora – hard coral
- Tiger shark
- Red Snapper & Yellow fin tuna (Ahi)
Climate change will cause a 1 meter increase in sea level in Hawai’i by 2100

Captain’s report

689 nm NE of Kahalui
1,709 nm from Vancouver sailing at an average speed of 18.3 kts

I track the ship’s position and speed independently using the MarineTraffic app on my iPhone.

Made in New York – Lincoln Center Stage quartet play selections from:

Dave Brubeck’s Take Five
Billy Joel
Alicia Keys
Other New York artists

Pork ribs, french fries and broccoli in the Lido

I go to the Crow’s Nest for a Martini, and then go to the Lido for a quick dinner of delicious pork ribs, fries and veggies before going to the early show: Step One Dance Company Presents: In Tandem – a fusion of latin dance, blues singer – a full house!

I have a Benedictine liqueur as I watch this very energetic show. I then spend a couple of hours up at the Crow’s Nest working on my photos and videos, and sipping on my second Martini of the day. Such a decadent life…

Step One Dance Company presents: In Tandem - full house in World Stage — Step One Dance Company presents: In Tandem – full house in World Stage

Vancouver to Maui – day 3

Posted on October 11, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 11, 2022 – Day 3 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

The ship changed time zones last night to Hawai’i time – back another hour.

Lox, cream cheese and bagel for breakfast

I couldn’t face the lines to have breakfast in the Lido or the Main Dining Room, so I ordered breakfast last night to have in my stateroom. So this morning I enjoy my favourite bagel, lox and cream cheese, fruit, yogurt and pastries. I ordered breakfast for 9AM, so I have time to pick up a cappuccino from the Explorations Cafe ahead of time. I also get a Perrier sparkling water to take back to my stateroom to put in the fridge for later. So decadent!

I go for a walk on the Upper Promenade Deck after breakfast. It is 21ºC and 82% humidity outside this morning at 10AM as I walk around the ship twice, which gives me 19 minutes of my 30 minute daily target for exercise. The view of the wake from the stern tells me we are getting closer to tropical waters, since the colour is now a lovely blue colour (see banner image above).

The shops are having a 75% off sale today and I need a pair of shorts, but I don’t see any on sale. I talk myself out of going to a free massage sampler in the spa, instead going up to the Explorations Cafe for a second cappuccino. I find a spot in the Captain’s Lounge, which is is a bit quieter, since it’s partitioned from the activities going on in the Crow’s Nest lounge.

Captain’s Noon Report: It is 1,100 nm to Kahalui, and we have sailed 1,200 nm from Vancouver. We need to average 17.3 kts to arrive in Kahalui on time at 4AM on October 14th.

Dutch pea soup and Beenham sandwich - Royal Dutch Cafe — Dutch pea soup and Beenham sandwich – Royal Dutch Cafe

I very much enjoy the Dutch pea soup and Beenham sandwich (ham and mustard on a crusty corn role) for lunch in the Royal Dutch Cafe. This cafe is quickly becoming my favourite for a quick meal or snack, and they are open from 7AM to 8PM, so it’s very convenient when other food venues are busy.

I attend a complementary James Suckling Wine Tasting offered this afternoon in the Main Dining Room for 4 & 5 star Mariners. I’m not a wine connoisseur, however I find the five wines presented to us interesting, and some I even like, despite the high prices (up to US$78) for a bottle. The sommelier relates interesting history for each vintner, gives us the strong points offered by each wine, and what foods go best with each.

Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut NV, Columbia Valley, Washington State – nice bubbly, but too dry for me
Los Vascos Chardonnay 2019, Domains Barons de Rothschild, Colchagua Valley, Chile – not for me
Domaine Ott Rose 2019, Clos Mireille, Cotes de Provence, France – beautiful earthy undertone over dried fruit, but light-tasting. The best of the five wines for me.
Craggy Range Pinot Noir 2015, Martinborough, New Zealand – OK, but not a wine I would buy
Ruffino Modus 2015, Super Tuscan Blend, Tuscany, Italy – a very good, full-bodied red

Hamachi, salmon and scallop ceviche in Nami Sushi/Tamarind

I go to Nami Sushi for dinner this evening, which is part of my favourite Tamarind restaurant, but it is priced a la cart. I have a Tanqueray 10 Martini in the bar, and then I’m seated at the sushi bar. I have Hamachi, salmon and scallop ceviche to start, and Penang chicken curry and Jasmine rice for the main. Both are delicious, and very much worth the US$24 charge to have a civilized dinner instead of doing battle with the crowds at the Lido, or coping with the long lineup at the Main Dining Room.

Seven Worlds One Planet in Concert – 7:30pm – World Stage, 2 & 3 – Breathtaking footage from BBC Earth’s Seven Worlds One Planet with live orchestration performed by the Koningsdam Lincoln Center musicians.

Vancouver to Maui – day 2

Posted on October 10, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 10, 2022 – Day 2 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

We changed time zones last night to Alaska time – back 1 hour. I go down to the Grand Dutch Cafe for breakfast: cappuccino, blueberry muffin and a fruit & yogurt parfait.

Seabirds of the North Pacific – Naturalist John basically takes us through his biology thesis during his 45 minute presentation in World Stage. No doubt it was too deep for most of the audience, but he certainly knows his oceanic species, as my notes reveal.

Cold to warm water – San Francisco to Hawaii
Diving birds close to the North American coastline
- Shearwaters – surface and swim underwater
- Brant’s Cormorant – diver
- Tufted Puffin – skimmers
- Common Murre
- Pigeon Guillemot – red feet, divers
- Brown Pelican – plunge divers very close to shore
- Western Gull – eats anything
Subsurface Predators near Hawai’i
- Humpback whale
- Spotted, Striped & Bottle-nosed dolphin
- Elephant seal
Hawaiian ocean birds
- Black-footed Albatross- dynamic soaring
- Layson Albatross – 7-8′ wingspan
- Leechy
- Hawaiian Petrel
- Wedge-tailed Shearwater – sensitive to artificial lights – collisions
Hawaiian shore birds
- Red-footed, Brown, Masked Booby – diving, plunging
- Frigatebird – stealing food, don’t have webbed feet so they drown if they land on the water
- White, Red-tailed Tropicbird – long tail feathers
- Brown & Black Noddy – plunge divers
- Sooty Tern – most abundant
- White Tern – urban nesters

I attend the Kahului, Maui Port Talk, but I don’t pick up any useful information that I don’t already know. Since there are no lines at 1PM, I have lunch in the Main Dining Room. I’m seated by myself between two server stations, so it’s very noisy. I have a Heineken beer and a rather uninspiring Croque Monsieur.

On Music Walk: La Musica Latina - Lincoln Center Stage quartet — On Music Walk: La Musica Latina – Lincoln Center Stage quartet

On Music Walk: La Musica Latina – the art of the Tango. This performance by the Lincoln Center quartet reminds me of my visit to Argentina and Uruguay in 2020.

Later in the afternoon, I return to the Crow’s Nest to enjoy the Aloha Sunset Music Hour again. I have some good conversation with my fellow Canadians while enjoying two very nicely made Tanqueray 10 Martinis.

I have to wait for over an hour to be seated in the Main Dining Room for dinner, since it is Canadian Thanksgiving today. I find the turkey, stuffing and vegetables are nothing special, but I appreciate the effort by the chefs and enjoy the company of my fellow Canadians while seated at a large table for dinner.

Vancouver to Maui – day 1

Posted on October 9, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 9, 2022 – Day 1 at sea aboard Koningsdam

2022 Hawai’i cruise

I attend a meet-and-greet for the Facebook group for this cruise this morning. There is a good crowd, but of course there are a lot of old folks like me, and mainly Canadians! It’s held in the Captain’s Lounge, a private function area in the Crow’s Nest.

I have lunch on the Lido Pool deck, having a Dive In (Impossible) burger and fries, along with a Heineken beer. The burger tastes very good and the fries are nice and crispy. Since I purchased the Have-It-All (HIA) package, I’m having beer, wine and cocktails at every opportunity, since they are included.

I see a World View Films: Where the Crawdads Sing – a 2-hour love story movie with murder involved. I almost get up and leave the World Stage a couple of times due to disturbing scenes, but manage to sit through the whole movie – a first for me for many years.

Kalehua, Kimo, Lani & Braddah J in the Crow’s Nest Lounge. Aboard Koningsdam, North Pacific Ocean

There are a group of four Hawaiians aboard for our Vancouver to Hawai’i segment. They entertain everyone during Happy Hour in the Crow’s Nest with their Aloha Sunset Music Hour, a combination of Hawaiian music and hula dance.

It is Dressy Night aboard ship, so after having drinks and conversation with a couple from the mid-west and another couple from Kelowna, B.C., we decide to have dinner together in the Main Dining room. I stop in my stateroom to put on dressier clothes before meeting them downstairs.

The ship’s Step One Dance Company performs: Humanity in the Main Stage this evening, a great performance with a South Beach vibe which I enjoyed while sipping a Benedictine & Brandy liqueur.

Departure from Vancouver

Posted on October 8, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 8, 2022 – Departing Vancouver aboard the Koningsdam – heading for Hawai’i

2022 Hawai’i cruise

I have a coffee in my hotel room this morning before I repack my big bag and check out of the Metropolitan Hotel, walking 10 minutes downhill to the nearby Canada Place cruise ship terminal, arriving at 10:30AM. I pre-clear US Customs and Immigration, and then wind my way through the various Holland America check-in procedures. This is the first time I’ve used Priority Boarding, since I’m now a 4-star Mariner, but we end up waiting in the terminal for almost an hour before boarding commences. I must have missed the bag drop earlier, so I wheel my big bag up the gangway, all the way onto the ship and to my stateroom, arriving at Noon.

After a quick lunch in the Lido, I wander around the various venues, since the Koningsdam is my first Pinnacle-class ship. I have a martini in the Crow’s Nest Lounge, hanging out there for awhile admiring the view of beautiful Vancouver harbour on a sunny afternoon. Later this afternoon, I meet some friends on the Sun Deck 11 as we watch our departure from Vancouver. I have my GoPro action camera fastened to my verandah rail shooting a time lapse video of the ship’s beautiful evening departure, while I’m elsewhere on the ship observing and photographing our departure using my Canon R5 mirrorless camera.

Once we are clear of Vancouver, heading south through Georgia Strait, I finish unpacking and get dressed for dinner. I head for the Main Dining Room by 6:15PM, but is very busy on this first evening of the cruise, with huge lines of people waiting. I decide to have dinner at Canaletto (an Italian specialty restaurant), where I drop-in. There’s hardly anyone up there this evening, and I’m fine with paying the US$12.92 charge (discounted from the regular $18 since I’m a 4* Mariner) in order to have a quiet place to eat with excellent service. The food is very tasty: Canaletto salad to start (green salad with candied pecans and vinaigrette), Grilled prawns with rice pilaf as the main, and I have an Affogado for desert and a cappuccino to finish.

BC Pilot leaving the Koningsdam offshore from Victoria

I attend this evening’s presentation in the Main Stage – The Origin Story: Holland America Line. Jayme the Cruise Director tells the 300-year story of Holland America Line, which is quite interesting and a well-done multimedia presentation. He even mentions more recent history, where in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, Holland America worked hard to get their guests home, and to later repatriate all their crew to their home countries.

The Koningsdam is offshore from my home town of Victoria, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island around 9:30PM, where the BC pilot leaves the ship. My stateroom is right above where he transfers to the boat to take him ashore, so I get a great view of the action.

Victoria to Vancouver

Posted on October 7, 2022 by JoeTourist

Oct 7, 2022 – Fly from Victoria to Vancouver & stay overnight

2022 Hawai’i cruise

After lunch at home, we drive to Victoria airport, where I take a Pacific Coastal Airways flight to Vancouver South Terminal (YVR), flying over the Strait of Georgia looking SE on a smokey afternoon. I take the shuttle from the South Terminal to the main terminal, and get off at the first stop (International and USA departures), walk across to the Skytrain terminal, and take the Canada Line to City Centre Station at Pacific Centre – about a half hour trip costing CA$9. The Skytrain is quite scenic as it crosses the Fraser River.

I’m staying at the Metropolitan Hotel (a Marriott), which is a half block walk from the Skytrain station. For nostalgia’s sake, I walk back to the intersection of Georgia and Granville Streets to take a few photos, and then do some last minute shopping at the London Drugs store on the corner where Birk’s Jewellers used to be when I lived here in the 1970s. The Birk’s clock is still there, but is now buried in the high-rises. After returning to the hotel, I have dinner at the hotel’s Gala bar and restaurant – a chicken clubhouse & Granville Island Pale Ale, before retiring for the night. I board the ship tomorrow.

Panorama of Georgia at Granville – Hudson’s Bay, London Drugs, Pacific Centre

Inside Passage

Posted on June 4, 2022 by JoeTourist

June 4, 2022 – the Inside Passage between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia, Canada

2022 Yukon & Double Denali Alaska land/cruise

Map of my photos taken between Ketchikan, Alaska and Vancouver, British Columbia, including the Inside Passage

I have breakfast in the main dining room, but they don’t have a group to seat me with, so I eat alone. The Nieuw Amsterdam emerged last night from protected waters after leaving Ketchikan into Hecate Strait, and is proceeding down the Canadian Inside Passage: Queen Charlotte Strait, Johnston Strait and Georgia Strait. The ship will wait overnight in the strait before arriving in Vancouver harbour the following morning around 7AM.

I take some photos of the rain and fog outside as I sip my morning cappuccino in the Crows Nest Explorations Cafe. I’m eventually driven out of there by the noise and crowds playing some game with a host, so I wander around the ship at loose ends. Since the shipboard Internet hasn’t worked for me for the last several days, I complain to Customer Service. They can’t get my connection working either, despite insisting it is working for others, so they give me a 2-day credit.

Baristas working hard at the Explorations Cafe

I meet friends on the Lido pool deck for lunch, which is protected today with a closed canopy. I have a Beyond Meat version of The High Dive burger and fries, along with a beer. My friends tell me the crew have said are only around 700 passengers aboard, but there are 1,700 passengers boarding in Vancouver tomorrow. I believe the ship holds about 2,100 passengers, so currently they are only one-third of capacity. Having so few passengers aboard but with a full complement of crew means we have been spoiled on this voyage with excellent service. Although some of the crew are new, and they are operating under new protocols like having to wear masks the whole time they are on duty, they have all done very well. I know the passengers have appreciated their work…I certainly have!

I go to my favourite premium restaurant this evening at 6PM. Tamarind is an Asian Fusion restaurant which I find offers superb service, very creative and tasty food, and it is located mid-ship on the top deck, offering wonderful views while dining. There is a dedicated sushi chef and eating area for those who go for that cuisine. Personally, I like my seafood cooked and served in a traditional way, so I stick to their main dining area. They also offer a lovely bar, which offers a nice, quiet area during the day, since Tamarind only operates in the evening.

People enjoying the quiet in the Tamarind Bar lounge before it opens

I have a Classic Martini to start, made with Tanqueray 10 gin. Some Shrimp Chips with soy sauce & sweet and spicy sauces goes well with my cocktail as I take in the view of northern Vancouver Island sliding by as we sail south through Queen Charlotte Strait. My starter is Lobster and Shrimp Potstickers, served with smoked shoyu and pickled ginger. I have a couple of glasses of Le Grand Courtage Brut Rose French wine with my main course: very tasty and tender Mongolian Barbecue Lamb Chops, with baby bok choy, toasted sesame seeds, mirin plum sauce, with Dungeness Crab fried rice. I finish off with a dessert called Mango Posset – coconut macaroon, passion fruit jelly, mango sorbet. I leave a glowing review – JoeTourist recommended!

Mongolian barbeque lamb chops with bok choy and mirin plum sauce with Dungeness crab fried rice

I go to see the Step One Dance Company: Presents Off The Charts in the main stage at 9PM. It is a pretty good song and dance show, flashing back to the 1960s, 70s and 80s performing artists. There is also a singer from the BB King venue adding her wonderful voice to the blues review part of the performance.

I walk around the Promenade Deck to get some exercise and fresh air before returning to my stateroom. It’s time to pack and put my bag out for pickup this evening, in preparation for disembarkation in Vancouver tomorrow.

Inside Passage

6 photos

Ketchikan

Posted on June 3, 2022 by JoeTourist

June 3, 2022 – Ketchikan, Alaska, USA

2022 Yukon & Double Denali Alaska land/cruise

Ketchikan is our last port-of-call before our cruise ends in Vancouver the day after tomorrow. This morning after having breakfast in the main dining room before going on a photo safari tour excursion, which gets me out of the city. The historic Creek district of the city is our first stop. We visit the outside of the Totem Heritage Center next, mainly to see the Fog Woman totem pole. We then go to the library for a scenic view before driving to the Totem Bight State Historical Parknorth of the city. This is a recreation of an aboriginal village, featuring a clan house, totems, and other decorated buildings, along with a gift shop. The excursion was fine, but it was certainly the most underwhelming of any of the activities I’ve experienced on this trip.

After I return to the ship, I post my White Pass and Yukon railway videos from a couple of days ago since I now have sufficient bandwidth with the roaming mobile service I’m using today. I get dressed for a 7pm Italian dinner at the Canaletto restaurant up on the Lido deck. While I’m enjoying a pre-dinner martini in the Ocean Bar, I dictate my journal for today using speech recognition on my iPhone. I enjoy a Calamari starter, Veal Florentine Cannelloni main course, and Tiramisu for dessert. I’m finding it so decadent to indulge in such gourmet food accompanied with cocktails and wine!

I attend BBC Earth Presents : Planet Earth II with the Lincoln Center Stage performers on the Main Stage this evening. The performance is well done, with the live performers doing a great job of syncing with the media being played, adding a welcome dimension to the work. I also stop in to enjoy the evening entertainers at the BB King’s Blues Club.

BBC Earth Presents : Planet Earth II with Lincoln Center Stage performers at the Main Stage

It has been a relaxing cruise, but the land portion was more active and stressful, mainly from the required COVID-19 testing, since failing a test would mean quarantine, the end of the planned travel, disruption and extra expense. Now that I have an ArriveCAN receipt, I’m clear to enter Canada in Vancouver without further testing. Travelling without a smartphone and connectivity would prove to be very awkward, since using apps and online form filling are required to travel right now during the pandemic.

As is usual with cruises, the older people are hacking and coughing in the common areas of the ship. I am hopeful that they do not have the COVID-19 virus. It was a cloudy day today but we had some sunny periods and no rain, which was much better than the forecast indicated.

Ketchikan

24 photos

Juneau

Posted on June 2, 2022 by JoeTourist

June 2, 2022 – Juneau, Alaska, USA

2022 Yukon & Double Denali Alaska land/cruise

The ship arrives in Juneau at 8AM and my floatplane excursion doesn’t leave until Noon, so I have plenty of time to have breakfast and look around the city. Juneau is the state capital of Alaska, so in addition to tourism, the city has the government and some industry to base their economy on. There are nice plazas, a developed waterfront, the shops are plentiful and appear to be prospering. Before returning to the ship, I check out where Wings Airways dispatches their seaplanes from, which is only a 5-minute walk from where the ship is docked.

Five Glacier Seaplane Exploration

The pilot selects me to sit in the co-pilot’s seat, so that’s a real bonus, allowing me to see out the front of the aircraft as well as having a side window. We soar over the lush wilderness of the Tongass National Forest, catching our first glimpse of five distinctly different and majestic glaciers making up a section of the 1,500-square-mile Juneau Ice Field. We fly over the deep crevasses and azure blue meltwater pools of the Norris, Hole-In-The-Wall, East and West Twin Glaciers and lake, plus the impressive five-mile-wide Taku Glacier. Of the 36 named glaciers comprising the Juneau Ice Field, the Taku Glacier is the largest. The Annex Creek power station is visible as we fly along the Taku Inlet. There is a verdant valley between the foot of Norris and Taku glaciers and Taku Inlet.

We end the flight by overflying the harbour and city before landing on a southerly heading, returning to the dock. I buy a souvenir t-shirt and ball cap combo from the seaplane office before returning to the ship. I have lots of photos and video taken with my iPhone 13 Pro on this spectacular flight in clear and sunny weather – well worth the expense for this excursion.

I have a pizza and a beer from NY Pizza aboard the ship, sitting in the shade beside the Sea View pool on the stern, overlooking the city and harbour. It’s a lovely warm and sunny day. In fact, Juneau breaks a record today set back in 1946 for the hottest day: 28ºC (82ºF). Our Belgian cruise director complains about getting a bit of a sunburn today!

Since I have the drinks package, I’m making a point of ordering cappuccino and alcoholic drinks anytime I want one. Today I had two cappuccinos with breakfast, the beer with lunch. I also have another cappuccino in the late afternoon at the Explorations Cafe, where Maria, the young barista thanks me for leaving a complimentary comment using the Navigator app a couple of days ago.

I skip dinner or even a snack this evening, since the personal-sized pizza I had this afternoon was 6 slices, which filled me up. I attend the 7pm Step One Dance Company Presents: Humanity and send a comment through Navigator app: “This is my first MainStage show viewed on this voyage, which I thoroughly enjoyed! Please pass on my congratulations to the performers. I know it must be tough to play to a mostly empty house, but their enthusiasm and professionalism shone through.”

I spot my first small Humpback whale at 9:30PM this evening from my verandah as we pass through Frederick Sound. The ship is making 20 knots to Ketchikan, so there is only time to grab binoculars, not my camera.

Juneau

34 photos

Skagway

Posted on June 1, 2022 by JoeTourist

June 1, 2022 – the White Pass & Yukon Railway – Skagway, Alaska, USA

2022 Yukon & Double Denali Alaska land/cruise

I have a leisurely breakfast in the main dining room this morning: vegetable scramble (eggs) with a cappuccino. There is no rush, since my excursion doesn’t leave until 12:10PM. I have lots of time to wander around Skagway, which looks a lot like Dawson City, since the storefronts are all historic looking, but mostly modern buildings inside. The first few blocks of State Street (the main street) has all the tourist shops and services, but walk further up the street a few blocks, or divert a block or two either side, and the real town reveals itself. Dominating the town are the deep sea docks for cruise ships, which once were also used for ore loading, and the multiple railway tracks of the White Pass and Yukon railway, which run from the docks along the eastern side of town.

I tick off a long-standing bucket list item today: riding on the White Pass and Yukon railway from Skagway to the White Pass Summit. The breathtaking scenery is a counterpoint to realizing the Klondike gold miners had to struggle up this steep mountain pass mainly on foot. When they got to the top, they had to go back down and up multiple times to haul their one ton stake to the summit before the North West Mounted Police would let them into Canada to seek their fortune in Dawson City, some 500 miles further! I think the excursion description is a great summary of my experience:

“Experience an unforgettable journey along the eastern side of White Pass aboard the world-famous narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, built more than 100 years ago. You’ll pass through some of the North’s most rugged terrain on board a comfortable rail car as you retrace the original route through breathtaking scenery to the summit of White Pass at 2,865 feet. Relax on the 40-mile roundtrip journey along steep grades and cliff-hanging turns as your train agent shares stories from the past.

Back in Skagway, board a motor coach and travel the historic streets of downtown Skagway, part of the Klondike National Historical Park. Visit The Lookout, a photographer’s delight offering a panoramic view of the Skagway Valley, glacier-clad mountains, Lynn Canal and your cruise ship.

Stop at historic Liarsville, a gold rush trail camp nestled beside a waterfall at the foot of White Pass. Liarsville is named for the journalists sent here to report on the Klondike Gold Rush, whose articles included tall tales of the prospectors’ exploits. Browse the authentic camp exhibits, including antiques and garments left behind by the prospectors and those who profited from them. A cast of ‘sourdoughs’ and dance hall girls will entertain you with a hilarious melodrama and a poem by Robert Service, the Bard of the North.

You’ll also have a chance to try your hand at the art of gold panning in the Liarsville gold fields, where you are guaranteed to find some gold to keep. Enjoy a snack, shop for souvenirs or have your photo taken with a dance hall girl.”

White Pass & Yukon Railway – Skagway to White Pass Summit route map

Would-be gold miners had a choice of two routes: the shorter but steeper Chilkoot Trail, or the White Pass trail, which promised a less steep but longer route. Both were punishing routes which lead to the interior lake region where the stampeders could begin their 550 mile journey to the promised gold to be found in the creeks and rivers of Dawson City. The White Pass and Yukon railway was built a few years later by an Irish-Canadian named “Big” Mike Henry, who built the 110 mile route over just 26 months for $15 million. He is quoted “give me enough dynamite, and snoose, and I’ll build you a railroad to hell.”

In 1982 world metal prices plummeted, so the ore from the mines the railway transported to ships dried up. The railway suspended operations until 1988, when they reinvented themselves as a narrow guage tourist excursion train between Skagway and the White Pass Summit. The active line was later extended to Bennett Lake (1990s) and Carcross, Yukon (2007). Due to pandemic border restrictions, currently only trips to White Pass Summit are offered.

After returning to the ship, I have dinner in the main dining room with a couple from south Texas. I start with crabmeat corn fritters, panko-crusted hake for the main course, and strawberry pavlova for dessert. The hake is really nice – a new fish for me. I see the Belt of Venus and the Earth’s shadow in front of us after sunset, as the ship makes its way slowly south down the Lynn Canal to tomorrow’s port of call, Juneau.

Skagway

52 photos