Alaska is a rugged state that’s home to stunning natural beauty and exciting wildlife. There are glaciers, mountains, rivers, bears, eagles, otters, and a few small towns sprinkled amongst it all. While adventurous souls can travel through the “last frontier” independently, cruise ships are the more popular way to see Alaska. Floating past glaciers and sweeping landscapes as you travel from town to town with comfy rooms and a never ending buffet is a pretty great vacation, after all.
I spent the past 3 weeks on one of said cruise ships sailing with Jeremy, and it was the first part of my 7 week “welcome to retirement” adventure. (For the 411 on my retirement click HERE. To learn more about the adventure ahead click HERE.)
Here is my rundown of the highlights as well as the final bill. Read to the end to see if I stuck to my $400 budget…..
Where Did the Ship Go?
The Noordam itinerary went as follows:
Vancouver (embark)
Sea Day
Ketchikan
Juneau
Skagway
Glacier Bay
Sea Day
Whittier (debark)
Then it did the exact thing in reverse, then back along the same path once more.
The 3 weeks were packed full of fun hikes, relaxing afternoons on the balcony (I got hooked up with a sweet suite!), dinners and drinks in the evenings, and plenty of quality time with Jeremy. Perhaps week to week updates would have been fun for my Frugal Foodie’s readers, but hey, you can only ask a retiree to do so much.
The highlights of the last 21 days:
An epic hike to Upper Dewey Lake in Skagway.
The brutal 5 mile out and back trail ascends 3,000 ft up a mountain. You have to navigate mud, snow, waterfalls, and shifty rocks, but the reward is a stunning view of the mountain lake. We went early enough in the season that the lake was still covered in ice—a truly beautiful sight to be had.
(Skagway is a hiker’s paradise. While Jeremy was working, I also did Upper Reid Falls, Smuggler’s Cove, and Pet Cemetery—all beautiful! For food… you need to get a piece of Fry Bread from Klondike Doughboy. Thank me later. Another fun Skagway adventure was an excursion to see a sled dog camp with puppies!)
Food and Drinks in Juneau:
Juneau is the capital of Alaska, and home to a thriving food scene. There is a food truck park with tasty tacos and crepes, a stellar gin distillery, an A+ brewery with pizza and beers, and an intimate Italian spot called In Bocca Al Lupo with pizzas that deserve a “Mamma Mia!” chef’s kiss.
Each Juneau involved some sort of outdoor adventure (we did Perseverance Trail, Mendenhall Glacier (above photo was taken near Mendenhall at Nugget Falls), and Mt. Roberts) followed by a culinary adventure. The perfect combo for a nature loving foodie like myself.
Nature Watching in Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay covers 3.3 million acres of land, making it is one of the world’s largest protected areas. The only way to see it is via boat and plane, and it is a sight to be had. Green dense coast line, tall snow-capped mountains, and large glaciers creaking, cracking, and sometimes even calving (what happens when a piece of the glacier falls off.) There is also an abundance of wildlife on land and in the water. I saw brown bears, seas otters, sea lions, and plenty of humpback whales. I even saw a humpback whale breach, which was breathtaking.
Local rangers come onboard for Glacier Bay and provide scenic cruising commentary. I was glued to the bow and my balcony with my binoculars taking in the beauty.
Bopping Around the Ship and Hanging Out With Jeremy
After working onboard ships for so long, it was an odd feeling being a passenger– walking around in sweatpants, no name tag, no obligation to tell Harold where the coffee shop is, no need to worry about the latest dramas. I enjoyed evening cocktails in the Ocean Bar, dinners at the specialty restaurants, and watching the shows. I did plenty of crosswords, loads of reading, and spent time with Jeremy while making new friends too.
Pangs of nostalgia and sadness were sprinkled into the mix. Even though I’m completely content and at peace with my dance career being over, I still miss it. Cruise ships were a huge part of my life, and being back in the environment was a petri dish for my thoughts. Perhaps more to come, perhaps these thoughts will be left for my journal.
Now…. How Much Did This All Cost?
The goal budget for 3 weeks in Alaska was $400USD… spoiler alert… I went over:
Transportation to LaGaurdia and the Ship: $75.52
Onboard Spending (Internet, Dinners, Drinks, Tips): $319.48
(The crew internet is $20/week and I tipped my room steward $20/week– a big chunk of the total onboard spending)
In Port Spending: $270.90
Base Level Cost of Living: $124
Total: $789.90
I WAS OVER BUDGET FOR MY 21 DAYS IN ALASKA!!!!!
But wait don’t panic!!!!!!
I over estimated my budget, but I also underestimated my earnings.
With income from my online SEO job, The Frugal Foodies, and other online projects, I made $1558.37 pre-tax , which will be conservatively $1,150 post tax.
Income minus expenses, I was $360.1 in the green for my 3 weeks in Alaska.
Saving money while being on vacation is pretty good, if you ask me!
The first 3 weeks of my adventure is down, with 4 more to go. Stay tuned for the journeys ahead!
