Wilderness Discoverer MEGA Review
Tom Ogg
Tom@TomOgg.com
Age: Various
Number of Cruises: Seasoned cruisers
Occupation: Travel Professionals
Cruise Line: Glacier Bay Cruises
Ship: Wilderness Discoverer
Sailing Date: September 3rd, 2001
Itinerary: Juneau to Sitka, Alaska
About This Review
We were a small group of 7 travel professionals on the Glacier Bay Cruises Wilderness Discoverer near the tail end of the Alaska season. All of us were seasoned cruisers, and most had limited small ship cruising experience. Right off, I will tell you that everyone loved this cruise experience and would look forward to going back again. This, in spite of horrible weather, itinerary change after itinerary change only to be capped off by the events of September 11th, 2001 and the insurmountable task of trying to get home (I left on the 10th to get home, but everyone else stayed over until the 11th.)
This review is broken into 3 distinct areas; The Ship , a look at the Wilderness Discoverer, The Cruise , a day by day look at the ports, activities, shore excursions and cruise, and finally, FAQ about the Wilderness Discoverer . Note that all of the shore excursions were included in the price of the cruise so there is not a discussion of the optional shore excursions in this review.
Getting to the Ship:
I left San Diego on Alaska Airlines connecting through
Seattle and arrived in Juneau, Alaska right on time to be met by a wonderful young woman from
Glacier Bay Cruises in the terminal. After gathering up our luggage we boarded a passenger van and
made our way
to the hotel Glacier Bay Cruises uses to house its passengers prior to departure on the cruise, the
Goldbelt Hotel in Juneau. The hotel is located right
across from the ferry terminal and is also the dock that the ship uses to board and disembark
passengers. Right off, you get a feel that you are
somehow a “local” rather than just another passenger from one of the cruise ships in port that
day.
The Goldbelt is just steps from Juneau’s Old Town shopping center and
great shopping is just a three minute walk from the hotel’s entrance.
It amazes me how the Caribbean shopping giants have migrated to Alaska.
Juneau’s main shopping street (Franklin Street) is lined with shops like Little
Switzerland, Diamonds International and a wealth of quality stores selling jewelry, furs, Russian
collectibles, books, clothes and just about every other conceivable trinket, collectable and
souvenir one can imagine. Juneau’s growth since the
first time I visited the then quaint city, is phenomenal.
Throughout the summer there are at least three ships docked right
downtown so that their passengers may get off the ship and be buying within 30 seconds.
Mendenhall glacier is one of Juneau’s main attractions and I would suggest that folks on
this itinerary come into Juneau a day early to enjoy Juneau shopping, Mendenhall Glacier, take a
city tour and basically enjoy Juneau’s uniqueness.
Day One, Juneau, Alaska
After arriving at the hotel I changed my clothes into something a little
more “Alaskan”. It was raining with a moderate
south wind and I could easily tell that it was going to be raining for a while.
I wanted to get a shot of the hotel for this review so I went across the street and got a
good shot with the Juneau’s spectacular mountains behind it.
I walked along the wharf in front of Juneau’s waterfront “mall” and heard someone
pounding on the window. It was a couple that I knew was
going to be with our group and so I joined them for a late lunch.
They had been in Juneau for a day and had found this restaurant and liked it quite a bit.
The Hanger Restaurant in the mall across the street from the hotel is
excellent! I had eaten there a couple of years ago and received so-so food and service.
Apparently new owners had taken the restaurant over and drastically improved the quality of food and
service and lowered prices at the same time. We came to
find out that this was the favorite restaurant with the Juneau residents because of this fact.
After a wonderful lunch of fish and some Alaskan Amber, we agreed to meet again for dinner at
the restaurant. I left to make my way into town just as
the rain turned into a downpour. I scurried from
storefront to storefront trying to stay dry but did not succeed.
HINT:
Juneau is located in a rain forest as is much o South East Alaska.
Bring hooded rain gear because you will pay a premium for it in Alaska.
I decided to head back to the hotel and wait out the rain and ended up
taking a two-hour nap. When I awoke the rain had
subsided and I once again made my way into town. By now the town had emptied out and virtually
everyone was back on their respective ships (Holland America, Celebrity and Princess were all in
port) leaving the streets and shops of Juneau vacant. I
made my way south towards the other end of town when the rain started pouring with a vengeance.
Since I am from San Diego where it rarely rains (we tease that when it does rain they close the
government buildings and the schools) I just didn’t have the right clothes for the trip.
I finally found a store that offered rain gear and outfitted myself with a bright yellow
hooded raincoat…. OK, bring it on!
We met for dinner at the Hanger at 8pm and enjoyed another great meal of
fish and wine. The restaurant was loaded with locals
and we mingled with some finding out their perspective on Juneau and Alaska in general.
It was a fun evening. I was bushed so I made my
way back to my room and went to sleep.
Day Two, Juneau, Alaska
I awoke early and decided to take a long walk into town and look for
some coffee. I walked and walked (in my new rain coat) and thoroughly enjoyed the beauty and
peacefulness of early morning in Juneau’s great surroundings.
The mountains behind Juneau sport many waterfalls and breathtaking vistas from every angle. While I had visited Juneau a number of times on ships, I had never had a personal
experience with Juneau without several thousand other passengers going this way and that.
I had discovered why people like Alaska so much. After a satisfying breakfast at my hotel I
went to my room to start repacking to have my bags ready for Glacier Bay Tours and Cruises at 10 am.
Our group was to meet in the lobby of the hotel for our first excursion of the trip….a
rafting trip down the river spawned by Mendenhall glacier. We left via motor coach and made our
way up to the rafting staging station where the entire group downed rubber “farmer Johns”, a
long rubber raincoat and rubber shoe covers that went over your entire shoe to protect all parts of
your body from the freezing cold glacial runoff. We
then went another 5 miles or so to the lake at the foot of Mendenhall Glacier where we boarded rafts
and paddled our way across the lake to the very start of the river on the lake’s downhill side.
The beauty of the glacier, the mountains surrounding the glacier and the peaceful waters on
the lake were very comforting and soothing.
Once at the entrance to the river’s beginnings one could hear the roar
of
the coming rapids and promise of adventure. We were
not disappointed. The river runs some 7 miles from this
point to the ocean and we enjoyed several miles of it and got to run through some exciting level 2
rapids. About ¾ of the way down the river we stopped
on a small island where the guides prepared snacks of salmon spread on crackers, dried fruits and
cut up vegetables and
some drinks (hot chocolate, water and fruit punch.) After our short stop we continued down the
river to the haul out point and also the place where we had dawned our rain gear.
It was a fun way to start the trip and certainly a nice introduction to what was coming.
NOTE: It is important to note that the hotel stay, river rafting excursion and tram ride all are
included in the price of the cruise as is all shore excursions and activities.
From the river rafting staging area we went by motor coach to the Mt.
Roberts tramway where we rode the tram to the very top of the mountain overlooking Juneau.
Three of us decided to enjoy the “Mountain House” by simply
enjoying a glass of chardonnay and the very pleasant surroundings.
The tram ride is pleasant albeit extremely crowded and the top of Mt. Roberts promises miles
of trails and many things to see. Of course, there is a
large shop full of souvenirs and collectables. Our ship was to begin boarding at 4:30 sharp and since it was 4:40 when we looked
at our watches we decided to make a b-line to the ship. We
quickly walked the length of Juneau in about 15 minutes and found our way to the Glacier Bay Tours
and Cruises check in area and quickly boarded our ship.
The Ship
We got to the M/V Wilderness Discoverer and boarded her immediately At 169 feet in length with a
beam of 38 feet she is dwarfed by the large ships at anchor in the Juneau basin and her three decks
seem quite small in comparison.
The cabin:
I went directly to my cabin (#303), which was small and compact.
It featured a queen-sized bed with a small space for storage at the foot of the bed, a wash
basin with a mirrored, 3-shelf medicine cabinet, a small closet with two storage bins and one shelf
as well as, a hanging bar about 2 feet long. The cabin also featured a small chair and round table
next to a window that I could open at will. The door
does not have locks and I gained entrance from the outside of deck 3. The view I enjoyed while in my
cabin working
was world-class and I would certainly recommend these cabins because of the views.
The shower is very much like those on a long-range fishing boat.
The bathroom is a shower/toilet combination so that every square inch is maximized…as one
of our group members explained “you can use the restroom and shower at the very same time.”
There is a curtain that can be pulled to protect the toilet and towel storage area when you
are showering and it works quite effectively. Actually,
the shower is much larger than a typical cruise line shower when the curtain is pulled and the
bathroom is actually quite large when it is stowed. There
are two 110-volt outlets and the cabin is well lighted. One
of the best things about the cabin is that each has its own heat and air conditioning unit that
works quite well. Alaska in September can get somewhat
cool and having the ability to control one’s environment is a welcomed feature.
All in all, the cabin was adequate for me but would have been crowded if two were traveling
in it. However, no passengers that I talked with found the
cabins to be a deterrent to the cruise once they were settled..
The ship also has 4 “suites” that were made available for those that
wanted to upgrade their cabins upon check-in and they were snatched up immediately. The suites were generous in size and would have been quite comfortable.
The two forward suites had picture windows facing forward that would have allowed their
guests to relax in their cabin while taking in the breathtaking sites that the ship was enjoying. I
would suggest one consider one of these two suites at the time of booking as they would have been
more than comfortable and worth the extra money they would have cost.
The Dining Area:
The Wilderness Discoverer offers three meals a day at scheduled times
in
a family-dining environment. There are no seat assignments and one is free to sit wherever they like.
It is a very friendly environment with lots of discussions going on throughout the meals.
There are several booths with seating for 6 and also several round tables with seating for 6
or 8. As a single on this cruise I had no problem
gaining an extra seat at any table I wanted, as the crew was very accommodating.
The Lounge and Bar Area:
Adjoining and forward of
the dining area is a lounge area and small bar. The bar
is open from 11am in the morning until 11pm in the evening. Drinks
are reasonably priced and served in ample portions. Wine is available by the bottle or by the glass and a reasonable variety is
offered. While the ship does not allow you to bring
liquor on board they will stock your favorite beverage if you give them enough notice.
The lounge area also makes up the main sightseeing venue during cold and
inclement weather. There are field glasses by every
window for general use and many folks prefer the warmth and camaraderie of the lounge area to the
Discoverer’s outside viewing areas.
The area is also home to each day’s “happy hour” where appetizers
are served before dinner. The first evening shrimp
cocktail and Cajon shrimp were offered followed a different choice every night.
There is a coffee/tea station open during all waking hours so that one can grab a warm drink
to sooth their chills from prolonged exposure to the outside temperatures. The ship’s announcements and meetings are usually done in this area as well.
Deck Three and Four Forward:
These are the main viewing areas on the ship and are very popular during glacier
viewing and when animals are being spotted. My cabin
(303) was adjacent to the viewing area on deck three and I was able to get some good shots that I
would have been unable to get had I not been able to jump out of my cabin in a hurry. 
Deck Four, Aft:
This is a large deck space that serves two purposes.
First it is a sun deck where folks can enjoy being outside is somewhat protected area.
There are tables and chairs and this is a great place to watch the Alaskan terrain go by
while enjoying a cup of tea. Secondly, it is the
storage area for the ship’s kayaks and zodiac.
Deck Three, Aft:
This is the activities staging area where the appropriate paraphernalia
is put on for the activity being accomplished. Kayak
skirts, life jackets, and other items are put on and checked here before going down to the boarding
area on deck two.
Deck Two, Aft:
This is the unique boarding area of the ship. The ship travels with a
22’ aluminum skiff, a zodiac and at least 30 two-person kayaks.
There is a large floating rubber mat that is attached to the rear of the ship where four
kayaks at a time can be loaded and launched without their inhabitants getting even so much as a drop
of water on them. Conversely, returning to the ship is just as easy.
One paddles up to the mat where one of the ship’s crew members hauls you up onto the
launching pad and you can simply step out of the kayak without getting wet.
It is very well thought out. The skiff and
zodiac are loaded in a similar manner so that getting on and off the ship’s various vehicles is
easy for anyone. We even had an 85-year old lady that
one of the naturalists took out for a kayak ride (she loved it) without incident.
The Food: As a health nut, I found the food good but not great. However, I have to say that everyone else was raving about the food and I could easily see why. For me, there were not enough vegetarian or low-fat choices. There was just enough fruit in the morning to satisfy me but never was I “fat and happy.” Lunch and dinner were a challenge for me as they were usually heavy with sauces and breading and rarely offered lean choices. In all fairness, the chef offered to accommodate any (and all) special diets during he cruise...I just chose to experience the normal food on the ship as I know I would have loved his vegetarian dishes. One evening I dined with Jesse (the Purser) and she was a vegetarian. She was served the most awesome eggplant parmesan I have ever seen.
That said, everyone else found the menu fabulous.
The chef’s creations were innovative and the presentation absolutely wonderful and the
portions were huge! Everyone raved about the gourmet soups and entrees. Many passengers had heard
that the average weight gain on the cruise was 10 pounds….I suspect that is the truth.
Here is what was offered
Breakfast:
Usually served buffet style and offered a mix of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash, potatoes, pancakes,
French toast (with innovative toppings like hot blueberries in some sort of sauce) There was always
cut up fruit (melons and citrus), yogurt, bread and muffins.
Lunch:
Usually served family style with gourmet soups, salad and gourmet sandwiches (very creative
combinations) or a family style dish like Cajon chicken and sausage with red beans and rice. No one
ever finished the food on the table at any lunch because the servings were so large.
Afternoon:
Fresh baked cookies at 4 pm every afternoon like huge coconut macaroons dipped in pure dark
chocolate or huge macadamia nut cookies. They were
always served hot from the oven and later in the cruise you would find the passengers standing by
the kitchen door waiting for the cookies to come out
Happy Hour:
Every evening at 6 pm there was a one-hour happy hour with a drink of the day special and fresh
appetizers. The appetizers ran the gamut from shrimp
cocktail to chicken wings, to Swedish meatballs to mussels in the half shell.
Dinner:
Usually served family style dinner was an event every evening.
There was always meat and a seafood entree choice accompanied by salad, rolls, vegetables.
A huge dessert always followed dinner. The
serving portions were huge and I was never able to finish anything but my entrée (with the
exception of the evening we had buffet style boiled Dungeness crab and I went back for three
servings.) Everyone found dinners exceptional.
The Crew: In a word, exceptional. The Wilderness Discoverer has done an excellent job assembling and motivating their crew of primarily young adventurer types. The crew is American and made up of free souls and travelers. They do an excellent job of mingling with the passengers who develop relationships with the crewmembers. The three naturalists on board are wonderful and the way they handle the passengers is excellent. I thought that the Purser was an exceptionally capable crewmember as she was able to keep her staff motivated and happy and it showed through in every instance.
At the end of the cruise every crew members lined up at the bottom of
the gangway to say good-bye. It was like old friends parting for most of the passengers.
The Passengers:
The passengers were made up of middle-income blue and white-collar
workers in their early sixties on up. For many it was
their first cruise and few had ever cruised on large ships before.
Many found information about this particular cruise on the Internet.
Some were on an extended vacation and were heading north at the termination of the cruise.
One couple had left their car and trailer in Juneau for the cruise and was going to fly back
to Juneau, claim their trailer and continue on their two-month trip in Canada and Alaska.
All of the passengers bonded quite well and exchanged addresses and e-mail and promised to
stay in touch.
One of the most wonderful things about small ship cruising is the relationships that are created during the cruise and this cruise was no exception.
The Cruise
I boarded the Wilderness Discoverer and immediately went to my cabin for
unpack. While the group was on the rafting trip and the
Mt. Roberts tram ride, the crew of the Wilderness Discoverer had boarded our luggage and placed it
into our cabins so that it as waiting for us after we boarded the ship.
I unpacked and then attended the ship’s orientation and safety drill. The first thing I really liked about the experience was the apparent lack of
structure and rules. The Captain and his staff were
very accommodating and not at all concerned with the issue of conformance to the itinerary or
timing. Their objective was to explore our itinerary
and exploit whatever opportunities came along for the passengers.
I really liked the attitude.
After the orientation, those that wanted to kayak were invited to an
orientation about their procedures and equipment. Once again the accommodating attitude prevailed
and I was starting to enjoy the experience and appreciate the ship’s approach to the cruise.
I went to my cabin to finish unpacking and took a shower to get ready
for dinner. I went to the lounge area and enjoyed a glass of Chardonnay and some fresh shrimp
with cocktail sauce before going into dinner. I had
selected the fresh salmon for dinner (they have a board that you select your dinner entrée from a
choice of fish or meat) and it was truly excellent. The
portions were quite large and the salmon was served with steamed vegetables and black beans.
It was very good. There was no salad and dessert
was reasonable (I don’t eat desserts, but many folks did not finish theirs) After dinner, there
was a meeting in the lounge to go over the itinerary that I attended and then went to my cabin to
turn in for the night. I slept like a newborn baby as I love being on the ocean and the Wilderness
Discoverer is small enough to feel the ocean beneath you.
Day Three, Tracy Arm fjord and Sawyer Glacier
I awoke to the pleasant voice of the ship’s wake up call for
breakfast, got up, showered, dressed and went to breakfast. Breakfast
was served buffet style and there were choices of pancakes, bacon, fruit, rolls, cold cereal, juice,
yogurt and coffee. I would have liked to seen more
emphasis put on healthy choices but there was enough to satisfy my appetite and certainly an
excellent breakfast for traditional eaters that enjoy meats and other breakfast choices.
We made our way up the Tracy Arm Fjord with its magnificent (and
numerous) waterfalls and ever increasing number of icebergs in the water.
There were numerous harbor seals that have their pups here in the summer months, lying on top
of the icebergs floating by. Also, a good number of sea
birds were evident. As we stared to near the face of Sawyer Glacier one heard the cracking and
rumbling sounds associated with the glaciers as they calve. Having
been to Alaska numerous times and viewing calving glaciers I was familiar with the experience.
While I had never been up Tracy Arm before (it is too shallow at the entrance for large
ships) it looked like a familiar experience.
We witnessed huge falls of ice as the glacier calved and it was truly spectacular. However the
Wilderness Explorer did not stop its advance on the face of the glacier and keep getting closer and
closer. At one time the entire face of one side of the
glacier gave way resulting in a huge explosion of noise and ice hitting the water far below its once
prominent perch. The resulting implosion of ice into
the water cause a huge wave that spread away from the glacier directly towards us.
We were no more than a quarter of a mile away as the swells lifted the Wilderness Explorer up
and down as they passed on their way down the narrow fjord. It
was truly exciting and an experience that I had never had before.
The Wilderness Discoverer kept its advance on the face of Sawyer glacier until we seemed to
be right on top of it as the calving proceeded. It was
truly a wonderful experience and dwarfed my many past experiences in glacier viewing on larger
ships.
Just as I wrote this paragraph I took a break and stepped outside my
cabin door onto the deck and took the four or five steps to the front of the deck three viewing area
and watched as waterfalls made their way down the steep sides of the fjord into the ocean along side
the Wilderness Explorer. I was the only person there
taking in the beauty of the experience. I had just made
my decision about small ship cruising in Alaska….it is the way to go.
About an hour later one of the naturalist spotted a pod of Orca working
their way down the channel we were in and the captain was able to work his way over to get quite
close to them. There was one large male, several
females and even more pups. We stayed with them for
over an hour watching their antics in the water. Two of
the Orcas came quite close to the ship and I was able to see them swimming under water about fifteen
feet off our starboard bow. I had never seen wild Orcas
that close-up before and it was exciting to have the experience.
Farther up the channel the ship ran into another pod of smaller Okra playing on the surface.
They would surface, jump, roll and generally just play around with one another.
It was a real treat to witness.
The Orcas spotting delayed our arrival to Sanford Cove where we were to enjoy kayaking and taking in
the beauty of the area. Our late arrival and inclement weather resulted in the cancellation of the
kayaking however the ship did launch skiffs so folks could go wildlife viewing and enter some of the
streams that emptied into Sanford Cove. Folks without
rain gear were soaked when they returned to the ship but everyone had a wonderful time.
During happy hour someone spotted a black bear walking along the
shoreline. Everyone watched as the bear ambled along the shore stopped to investigate as he
searched for whatever he was looking for and then eventually entered the tall grass that was
adjacent to the shoreline and disappeared. Dinner
started shortly thereafter and I enjoyed a wonderful salad, a large piece of Rockfish and
vegetables. Raspberry cheesecake was offered for desert
and I have to admit to eating a good portion of the piece presented to me.
It was delicious. After dinner there was a talk on the process of re-vegetation after glacial
retreat. I decided to go to bed for a long night’s
sleep.
Day Four, Skagway, Alaska
The following morning I awoke early as we made our way up Lynn Canal on
our way up to Skagway. I could simply open my door and watch the beauty of Alaska as we slowly crept
up the canal. I have always loved the scenery of Lynn
Canal and think it is some of the most beautiful in Alaska (different from Tracy Arm, but just a
beautiful in its own right.) We crawled up Lynn Canal at a slow pace enjoying the beauty of it a
slowly went by the town of Haines where you could see the entire town through the field glasses that
were provided for the guest’s use.
We finally arrived in Skagway where the ship was met by three old motor vehicles that took us on a
tour of Skagway’s main streets and attractions. We were then dropped off at the White Pass and Yukon railroad station where we
boarded a train to make our way up the 22-mile trek to the White Pass into the Yukon.
It is truly a beautiful ride and can’t help but spark your imagination.
The narrow gauge railroad was literally carved out of stone as climbs from sea level to over
2,800 feet to the pass. At times the track
is seems suspended in thin air as it winds its way higher and higher.
Once you pass into Canada’s Yukon the train comes to a stop and the engines travel down a
sidetrack to reconnect to the rear of the train on the way back down. The seat backs lift up and set
themselves on the other side of the seat to face forward on the back down the same track.
However the views and experience are totally different than on the way up. HINT: Sit next to
the window on the left side of the train on the way up for the best views and experience and try to
find a car that is not crowded as they will request that you change seats with those sitting on the
right side for the return trip. Those sitting on the
right side cannot see much of anything.
After the three-hour round trip trek up to the pass we finally returned to Skagway where some of us
continued into town to enjoy an Alaskan Ale at the Red Onion Saloon (famous Skagway watering hole)
One of the gentlemen had heard of the Skagway Brewing Company so we made our way up to this micro
brewery about a block and one half further up the main street.
It offered a great environment and lots of different beers with the names that were unique to
the area.
We made it back to the ship with about four minutes to spare and were in
time for the ship’s happy hour and another wonderful dinner.
I had the crab cakes smothered in scallops and shrimp…it was wonderful!
I was bushed and went right to bed after dinner.
Day Five, Glacier Bay, Alaska
While the itinerary called for a day of kayaking, hiking, skiffing and
generally exploring some of Alaska’s glacial fingers and coves there was word of a weather front
moving in and the effects were already noticeable. There
was a stiff south wind and moderate swells early in the morning and the captain made the decision to
abandon the plans and head directly for Glacier Bay Lodge to seek shelter and see what could be done
with the itinerary given the likelihood of heavy weather. We
arrived at Glacier Bay Lodge at about 8am and I was anxious to get off the ship and explore the area’s
trails and the lodge itself.
The lodge was very quaint with a large fireplace blazing away and a few
people enjoying the peace and quiet of the area. From
the lodge I took the forest loop trail to take in some of the scenery of the area’s forest.
It is a well defined trail and leads through heavily wooded forest with moss and ferns
covering the forest floor and everything crowing from it. It
is quite clear that this forest receives a substantial amount of rain each year, as it is verdant
and plush. The moss along the trail is deep and soft
and gives the forest a surreal look. It is growing on
the rocks and even the trees themselves. I came upon a
small lake that was filled with water plants and downed trees and also some water lilies.
I was surprised to see lilies in the wild this far north, as I would think there would be
such a short growing season that they would not prosper. After
a couple of hours of exploring, I made my way back to the ship.
The weather was turning worse and the captain had decided to make his
way to a protected cove (North Sandy Cove) inside Glacier Bay in hopes that it would be protected
enough to allow for the launch of the kayaks and the skiff for some afternoon exploring.
The winds continued to pick up on the way up the channel and after several humpback whale
spottings we arrived at the cove. The wind was now
howling and there was no hope of kayaking. However the
offer was made to go exploring via skiff for those that wanted to go.
I boarded he first trip out and the wind was spraying water all over the group on the skiff. We stayed out for 30-minutes or so before making our way back to the ship where
everyone was soaked to the skin, but laughing about the fun of the experience.
The captain learned that the swells were now 5 to 7 feet back at the
Lodge where we had come from and made the decision to wait out the storm in the protection of the
cove. We spent the afternoon and evening at anchor and frankly, I loved the raw energy of nature
that was unfolding before us. We had a fabulous dinner
of Dungeness crab and several excellent supporting dishes served buffet “all you can eat” style
and I have to admit to indulging myself with the crab. After
dinner it was off to bed and a good night’s sleep.
Day Six, Glacier Bay, Alaska
Morning found that the storm had passed and the ocean was a silky calm
and tranquil vision.
Once again, the captain decided to take advantage of the calm ocean surface to do some
kayaking. I was in the second group to launch at 8:30
am and thoroughly enjoyed the hour and one half paddle along the shoreline of the various islands
that made up the cove. While preparing for the kayaking journey a bear was spotted on the adjoining
shoreline and after we were back on the ship another bear was spotted walking along the shoreline.
There were many gulls working the lagoon and every now and then a bald eagle was spotted
amongst the trees.
After lunch, we pulled the anchor up and headed up the main channel
towards The inlet and the Grand Pacific and Marjorie Glaciers.
Cruising up the channel was a never-ending discovery of wild life.
Highlight of the trip was the spotting of a large Alaskan Brown Bear feasting on a salmon
carcass. It ripped the salmon open into a large fillet and consumed it forthright.
After resting for a moment it went to the stream and began its hunt for another salmon to
feast on. It splashed about and made its way towards
the thicket that gave the stream birth as it ran into the ocean.
The bear suddenly turned and splashed as it ran back towards the edge of the ocean.
It stopped and jumped a couple of times and came up with a large salmon in its month.
Even though I had seen this on TV there was a certain amount of excitement at seeing it first
hand in the wild. The bear must have sensed the ship
was nearby and took the salmon into the brush to feed on it. After
a bit our ship again began its way up to the glaciers.
This seems to be the epitome of the difference between large and small
ship cruising in Alaska. I have been on dozens of large
ships in Alaska and never seen the variety of wildlife as we have seen on this trip.
The captain of the Wilderness Discoverer maximizes every opportunity given him to enjoy the
variety of things there are to see and do. Large ships
cannot simply change their itinerary to suit the weather or game viewing opportunities and certainly
would not stop mid channel to watch a brown bear’s life unfold for thirty-minutes.
We finally made our way up to the glaciers at about 6 pm. Grand
Pacific Glacier is quite full of debris and not at all attractive as it shows its dirty brown face
to the world. Adjacent to it is Margerie Glacier that
offers a pristine pure white face rising some 200 feet from the ocean’s surface. The naturalist explained that Grand Pacific glacier is fed by numerous tributary
glaciers all depositing rock and sediment into the main artery of Grand Pacific glacier which cause
the brown dirty effect while Margerie glacier is from a single snowfield some miles inland and
rarely picks up any debris.
The captain eased the Wilderness Discoverer closer and closer to the
glaciers first cruising
the Grand Pacific and then moving over to the Margerie. We approached the face of Margerie and I would estimate we were about 200 yards
from it. The face loomed over us as it popped, cracked
and snarled under the tremendous pressure of it slowly moving forward. The was a small amount of
calving taking place but one could hear the increasing level of activity somewhere behind the face
of the glacier. After 15-minutes or so of constant
snapping, popping, grinding and otherwise frightening sounds a massive portion of
the face of the glacier began to fall. It was awesome! The noise was deafening and the explosion was huge once it hit
the ocean below. The entire ship stood in awe as the calving process continued. I had never seen
such an event in my life. During all of the other
calving events on this cruise people would oooohh and aaaahh and generally show their emotions by
making some sort of appreciative sounds or jokes.
No one whispered so much as a breath.
The captain immediately put the vessel into reverse and brought the bow
around to face the
glacier and the oncoming 10 to 12 foot swells that had been born by the event. The boat rode over
the swells that arrived in rapid succession and continued on their way on to their final
destination. Even the harbor seals that were lounging on the icebergs found their way into the water
out of surprise from the event. We stayed in the area for another hour or so but everyone had
realized that we had been treated to a rare event not soon to be outdone. We eventually left heading back down the channel that had brought us to this
spectacular setting.
Tonight’s dinner featured fresh Alaskan Halibut and it was delicious.
By now the entire group of passengers had come together into one large family.
After dinner, the announcement was made that in order to make a certain pass into Sitka we
would have to arrive at slack tide, which would be at 3 pm in the afternoon.
This meant that we would spend the entire day cruising to make the pass in time.
All the passengers cheered their approval. In spite of bad weather, delays, itinerary changes
and events that would have caused the population on a large ship to start demanding refunds or
another free cruise, this group had made the best of it and were having the time of their lives. I
truly admire the captain’s and the crew’s flexibility and ability to maximize positives and
minimize negatives. Much is to be learned from the management style exhibited on this ship.
Day 7, Cruising at Sea, Alaska
I awoke early after a good night’s sleep to the sound of the
Wilderness Explorer motoring down the inside passage making her way to Sitka. On
the way we spotted eagles, Sitka deer, otters, seals, whales and assorted other wildlife. There were
numerous fishing boats trolling for salmon and the weather was magnificent.
About midday we stopped to investigate a cove where many people have died eating the mussels
that have a high concentration of poison and can cause death. Further
down the passage we came to the narrow at the proper time and carefully navigated it without
incident. There were several boats waiting to navigate it in both directions and there have
apparently been several wrecks on the rocks that are dangerously exposed.
Once through the pass we continued exploring another arm that led to a large bay.
We finally arrived close to Sitka and anchored up in a bay that was absolutely gorgeous.
The captain launched the skiff and we spent the early evening taking
skiff rides throughout the bay. Since this was our
final dinner aboard the Wilderness Discoverer, the captain joined us in a toast to one another and
recapped the week thanking his employees and the passengers for their patience during the inclement
weather. Everyone enjoyed the final dinner of prime rib, asparagus, mashed potatoes with cheese,
salad and crème brulet with blueberries for dessert. After dinner I went to my cabin to pack for
debarkation first thing in the morning.
Day Eight, Sitka, Alaska
Since I had been to Sitka a number of times and wanted to touch base
with my office and
email after being out of touch for so many days I passed on the tours and events that were included
and made my way into downtown Sitka to find a telephone and Internet Café.
After an hour or
so of touching base and cleaning up some email I decided to take a brisk walk through Sitka.
I made my way up to Swan Lake and walked its parameter. I then walked to the Raptor Center
and was surprised to find it under construction but was able to enter the park from a trail to the
north where a temporary ranger’s kiosk was set up. It
was right in the middle of the salmon run and the river that runs
through the raptor center was inundated with salmon making their way upstream.
There were dead fish all over and thousands of gulls feasting on them. The gull’s incessant
squawking was deafening. At one time a bald eagle
approached the area and hundreds of seagulls took to the air in fear.
I hadn’t realized that eagles must prey on seagulls, but that would have been the only
explanation. The Raptor center is a “don’t miss”
in Sitka and is within easy walking distance from downtown. I returned to the main part of town and
visited the Russian church that resides in the center of town and is the other main attraction in
Sitka. I
made a few more telephone calls and then made my way to the Community Building that is where the
transfers to the airport were to be located. After waiting ten minutes or so, I grabbed the
transfer, got to the airport, picked up my bags that arrived right on time and checked in for my
flight on Alaska Airlines back to San Diego.
What should I pack?
Layers. Raingear including coat, pants and waterproof boots or rubber
rain boots. I did not pack correctly for the trip and took way too few “grubby” (jeans, flannel
shirts, long underwear, etc.) and too many “nice” clothes. There is never a time where jeans and
a flannel shirt are not appropriate during this cruise. In
fact, I wore casual shoes, cotton slacks and a cotton shirt in the evening and was way over dressed.
So take lots of tee shirts, cotton long-sleeve shirts, long underwear, water resistant
parkas, sweaters and the like and be prepared to pile them on if it gets cold and take them off if
it gets warm. On our last day in Sitka (September 9th)
I was warm in a short sleeve cotton shirt.
How physical are the activities?
When they say “soft” adventure, they should really say "soft,
soft" adventure. The hikes are easy, the kayaking is really easy and if you have any trouble
whatsoever one of the crew will take you and the skiffing is simple.
Yet, everyone was exhilarated with the experiences they had.
One 85 year-old lady who was recovering from surgery went on every activity (including
rafting the Mendenhall River and Kayaking) and had no problem whatsoever.
The vast majority of folks on this cruise were out of shape and over weight….they
thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
OK, you said the cabins
were small, how small are they?
The cabins are small. However,
no one on this cruise demanded an upgrade or made a serious complaint about them. The measurements are found in the Glacier Bay Tours and Cruises brochure so no
one should be surprised. I would strongly suggest that
you reserve one of the suites or the deluxe cabins if size is of a major concern to you. I was in a
deluxe cabin and after the initial shock of the cabin size I found it quite adequate.
Folks that have cruised on larger ships should be prepared for a shock.
I also like to fish the long-range tuna boats in San Diego that go down Baja in search for
fish and I found the cabins on the Wilderness Discoverer to be similar to the most deluxe long-range
fishing boats.
There are several things you can do to maximize your enjoyment in the cabin however. Following are some tips.
Take
luggage that can also serve as “under the bed” storage.
Take a CD player with speakers and
lots of CDs.
Take self-adhesive hooks for
hanging wet clothes on.
Take a hand mirror
Take biodegradable detergent and
clothesline for socks and underwear
Take your notebook computer (if it
has a DVD) and some DVD movies along for entertainment.
Binoculars, camera (with a
telephoto lens) lots of film, bug repellent, sun screen, and any possible medication you might
need.
There have been future Glacier Bay Cruisers to read this review