Our eldest grandson just graduated from grade 8, and we wanted to do something special to celebrate that accomplishment, as well as his 13th birthday (which was actually last fall), so at the end of June we’re taking him on his first ocean cruise.

On his birthday, his “gift” was a toque with Alaska embroidered on it, and the brochure that I created (below) which we printed in colour and tri-folded just like a “real” travel brochure.

ALASKA, HERE WE COME!

DAY 1 – JULY 1, 2024 – SET SAIL!

Arrive at the Canada Cruise Ship Centre in Vancouver and board the Grand Princess. Drop your suitcase in Stateroom D322 on the Dolphin Deck (DECK 9) and head all the way up to Deck 14 for the sail away. Don’t forget to wave to your family watching from the port!

Soon it will be time for your first dinner on board as we sail out to the Pacific Ocean.

DAY 2 – JULY 2 – IN THE PACIFIC

It’s our first sea day!  Spend the day exploring the ship, swimming in one of the pools, discovering the Beach House Teens Club on Deck 15, or playing basketball on the sports deck. When you’re hungry, check out the huge buffet, or grab pizza at Slice, a burger at the Salty Dog Grill, ice cream at Coffee & Cones, or have a custom-made smoothie. If you want, you can even just sit on your balcony and watch for whales. After dinner with Gramma and Gramps, go to a live show in the theatre or watch a movie under the stars on the pool deck. 

DAY 3 – JULY 3 – JUNEAU

Today we reach Alaska! You’ll have time to sleep in if you want, because we don’t get into port in Juneau until 2:00 o’clock. Once docked, we head right off the ship and into a gold mine!

In 1880, it was slow going for Joe Juneau and Richard Harris as they searched for gold with the help of Native guides. After climbing mountains, forging streams and facing countless difficulties, they found nuggets “as large as beans.”

From their discovery came three of the largest gold mines in the world. By the end of World War II, more than $150 million in gold had been mined. Eventually the mines closed, but the town Joe Juneau founded became the capital of Alaska and the business of gold was replaced by the business of government.

Some 30,000 people live in Juneau today. Its total area makes it one of the biggest towns, in size, in the world. Only Kiruna, Sweden, and Sitka, Alaska, exceed Juneau’s 3,248 square miles.

Today Juneau is famous not only for gold and government but also for its breathtakingly beautiful glaciers and stunning views of both water and mountains

Here’s our chance to relive some of Juneau’s rich gold mining history. A small-group guided tour will take us to the Alaska Gastineau Mill. We’ll depart our ship for the short ride to the mill’s historic site. It’s then time to put on our hard hats and venture underground. We’ll need to dress warmly, as the mine tunnel averages 0°C ! Inside, experienced miners will show us how they get the gold out of the hard rock, and give us a feel for the mining lifestyle. By now, we should have “gold fever” of our own. After a brief demonstration, we’ll pan for gold, with “pay dirt” guaranteed. Before going back to the ship we can wander among displays, the assayer’s office, the old mill ruins and the gift shop.

DAY 4 – JULY 4 – SKAGWAY

Our ship docks at 7:00 a.m. and we’re here all day.

Skagway was the gateway to the gold fields for the thousands who flocked to Alaska and the Yukon with the hope of striking it rich. Skagway may have boasted the shortest route to the Klondike, but it wasn’t the easiest.

Over 100 years ago, the White Pass route through the Coast Mountains and the shorter but steeper Chilkoot Trail were used by countless stampeders. Many a would-be miner perished on the treacherous Chilkoot Trail.

The gold rush was a boon and by 1898, Skagway was Alaska’s largest town with a population of about 20,000. Hotels, saloons, dance halls and gambling houses prospered. But when the gold yield dwindled in 1900, so did the population as miners quickly shifted to new finds in Nome. Today, Skagway has less than 1,000 residents, but still retains the flavor of the gold rush era. 

You’ll need to choose an on-shore activity for the day. You might pick a train ride, suspension bridge, ziplining, a speedboat, or even dog-sledding!

DAY 5 – JULY 5 – ENDICOTT ARM AND DAWES GLACIER

We’ll be cruising all day today, so you can do – and eat – whatever and whenever you want, but remember to meet Gramma and Gramps for dinner and an evening activity. This will be the best day to go out on deck and see the beautiful Alaskan glaciers.

DAY 6 – JULY 6 – KETCHIKAN

Ketchikan is known as Alaska’s “First City” because it’s the first major community travelers come to as they journey north. Located on an island, Ketchikan began life as an Indian fishing camp. The name Ketchikan comes from a Tlingit phrase that means “eagle with spread-out wings,” a reference to a waterfall near town.

In the early 1900s, when gold was Alaska’s claim to fame, fishing and timber industries were established in Ketchikan. The growth of these industries helped make this Inside Passage port Alaska’s fourth-largest city.

Visitors to Ketchikan will be intrigued by its rich Native heritage, which includes the world’s oldest collection of totem poles at Totem Heritage Center. The Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian are all a part of the city’s colorful history. Ketchikan, with its abundance of salmon, is also a sportfishing paradise. Sightseers will be impressed with both the scenic town and its surroundings, especially Misty Fjords National Monument.

We’re here all day, so you need to pick an activity. There are lots of options, from lumberjack shows and axe throwing, to ziplines, totem pole walks, indigenous dance demonstrations, and rainforest hikes.

DAY 7 – JULY 7 – CRUISING THE INSIDE PASSAGE

You’ve been in these waters before, on the ferry from Vancouver to Nanaimo, but it’s a different experience on a big ship. Today is another day when you can choose from all the activities on the ship- or maybe just spend all day in the pool! Before we return to Vancouver, take a chance to visit the ship’s shops and pick up a souvenir of your first ocean cruise.

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So that was the “pitch”.

Then the poor kid had to wait 6 months for the actual cruise… but in a couple of days the waiting is over.

I think after reading the “brochure” he was a little bit worried that he’d be doing a lot on his own, in a ship full of strangers. Far from it; we’re going to be stuck on him like glue, because Ted and I are really looking forward to getting to spend quality time getting to know our young man better.

Given that our itinerary is the same as our previous Alaska cruise, I won’t be keeping my usual diary for our week, opting instead to concentrate on grandson #1, and just posting (in order to save them for myself) a bunch of our best photo memories once the trip is over.