Endicott Arm Alaska

 Today we are cruising Endicott Arm Alaska and it did not disappoint. 

This narrow fjord is located approximately 50 miles southeast of Juneau and is part of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness area. Breathtaking Endicott Arm extends over 30 miles long, with nearly one-fifth of its area covered in ice. At the head of the fjord, tidewater glaciers, such as the Dawes Glacier, regularly expel enormous chunks of ice into the waters below in a magnificent process known as calving. During the summer when Princess ships visit, icebergs float along the surface of the glistening water in an array of sizes, from just a few inches up to three stories wide.

Tonight’s dinner theme was 50s diner, and it was a total blast! The dancers came in swinging—literally—decked out in fun 50s-style clothes, and the whole place was decorated like we’d stepped back in time. This was clearly the hot spot for the night because there was a line to get in. We ended up sharing a table with some new friends because it was packed.

Now, let’s talk about the ship’s version of a lobster roll... not quite what I was expecting. I’m usually super easy to please, but this? It was more like a roll with a tiny lobster mixture on top. Even the person next to me was like, “This is not a real lobster roll.” East Coast purists, beware! But no worries—there’s always plenty of other delicious stuff to eat, so I definitely didn’t go hungry.

Tonight was the comedian Phil Tag who looks like Bing /Matthew Perry from friends and he was hilarious. He just came off another cruise lie and hoppe on ours. I think it's funny when they make fun of cruise passengers. 

Juneau Alaska

This is our third trip to Juneau, and hands down, they’ve got the best excursions! We’ve done everything from whale watching (with whales swimming right under our boat!) to the “Bike and Brew” tour, where we biked to Mendenhall Glacier and topped it off with beer tasting. This time, I’d heard about the Glacier Gardens and decided to go DIY.

We walked a few blocks from the pier to the bus station and hopped on Bus 3. FYI, Buses 3, 4, and 8 will all take you there, and it’s only $2 versus a $35 taxi ride. Sure, you might have to wait a bit for the bus, and it’s a little off the beaten path with a few extra stops along the way, but hey, we’re doing it like the locals! We asked the bus driver to let us know when to hop off, and he even announced it for us. After that, it was just a short 50-foot walk up the driveway to Glacier Gardens.

No reservations? No problem. We just signed up on the spot for about $30 and waited for them to call our name for the tram. Oh, and while we were waiting, we spotted a porcupine trying to hide in a tree stump—though I never got a good look at its face.

And now, let me tell you about these beautiful gardens...

 The gardens are the creation of Steve and Cindy Bowhay a guide tell you the unforgettable tale of the Flower Towers, named America's Most Interesting Landmark in 2012 Reader's Digest. Bright floral arrangements and elegant landscapes complement the natural beauty of the rainforest and the cascading waterfalls nearby. At the 580 ft level you will find an amazing panoramic viewpoint of Juneau, and the Chilkat Mountains. You return to the lower gardens in the Visitor's Center atrium and hanging flower gardens !

We snagged seats in the back rows since we were heading up a super steep incline, but on the way down, we got to move to the front. Our guide? A hilarious local with a ton of knowledge and plenty of jokes to keep us entertained. When we reached the top, we were rewarded with jaw-dropping views of Juneau and tons of bald eagles soaring around. It was the kind of scenic, peaceful beauty you just want to soak in forever.

At the end of the tour, a couple of passengers decided to follow us back by bus instead of splurging on a pricey taxi ride. So, with our new friends in tow, we led them to the bus stop for the ride back. They were from Ovation of the Seas, which is about five times the size of our ship!

Once back in town, we popped into the famous "Red Dog Saloon" for—you guessed it—the legendary Duck Fart shot. I watched the girl ahead of me down hers and couldn’t wait for her reaction. She loved it, so it was my turn!

It’s a fun mix of Kahlua, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and a Crown Royal topper. Honestly, it was a blast to try and way smoother than tequila—no throat burn!

We had plans to hit up the famous Tracy's Crab Shack for some epic seafood, but the lines were crazy long. Our brilliant idea? Head back to the ship for a quick break and then return. Spoiler alert: that never happened. The whole tendering in and out thing was enough to keep us on board. Oh well, next time!

Icy Strait Point

 

ABOUT HOONAH (TLINGIT: XUNAA, GAAW YAT’AḴ AAN)

Nestled against the base of White Alice Mountain, Hoonah is the largest Tlingit village in Alaska. The town is located on Chichagof Island, about 30 miles west of Juneau along Icy Strait in the Inside Passage. The Huna, a Tlingit tribe, have lived in the Icy Strait area for thousands of years. In 1912, the Hoonah Packing Co. built a large salmon cannery north of town. The cannery operated on and off under different ownership until the early 1950s, and it sat shuttered for decades until the local Alaska Native corporation, Huna Totem Corp., purchased and rehabilitated the facility to create the private cruise port now called Icy Strait Point.

After Inian Islands this was our second stop of the day. The sun came out and we were the only ship in this small port. You can take the tram up to the top of the mountain for $50 where they have shopping I think and the Worlds Longest Zipline, which we didn't do. We walked through the forest to the Cannery. You can take a free Transporter over there but we went for the forest walk. 

I meant to take the 1.5 mile walk to Hoonah but never did figure out how to get there. I thought that from the landing we would find the walk, so we ended up just going through the cannery museum, ordering a beer and making new friends from our cruise. 

There was a very small graveyard where the burial spots were adorned with coins. 

A coin left on a headstone lets the deceased soldier's family know that somebody stopped by to pay their respect. A penny means you visited. A nickel means you and the deceased veteran trained at boot camp together. A dime means you and the deceased veteran served together in some capacity.

Inian Islands Alaska

A view from our expedition as we head out. 

Today we're headed to Icy Strait Point, but first, we’re anchoring at the Inian Islands for a few hours. We signed up for an Expedition tour on a Zodiac to check out the sea life and wildlife. Fun fact: Inian Islands is one of the most biologically rich places on Earth, so you're pretty much guaranteed to spot something cool!

We were on the second expedition of the day in a Zodiac that fits about 10 people. First stop? Checking out the kelp! Our guide even pulled some out of the water and cut off pieces for us to sample—salty, crunchy, and surprisingly tasty.

Now, here’s where the adventure really kicks in: when our guide tried to start the motor, it stalled. He worked on it for a solid 10 minutes before calling another guide to tow us back. Naturally, once the tow arrived, our motor decided to come back to life. So, we were back in action, though we lost about 30 minutes and sadly, no extra time was added on. Still, quite the unexpected twist!

Onward to the Stellar Lions. And here is why they are Stellar. 

Adult males may be up to 11 feet long and can weigh up to 2,500 pounds. Adult females are 7.5 to 9.5 feet long and weigh up to 800 pounds. 

A few playful Sea otters played around in the water as we were crusing by.