Alaskan Dream Cruises

I realized today as I am sitting at the port in Skagway I have not given you much information about the ship or the company I am traveling with. How did I get here? What are my accommodations like? How about the food, is it yummy? Who is taking care me?

On a rainy day, the first one of the trip, I decided that this is a good time to answer some of these questions.

The company I am traveling with is Alaskan Dream Cruises, located out of Sitka, AK. They are an all-inclusive, small-ship cruise. They offer a mix of excursions into several ports of call and Native Villages, mixed with hiking, kayaking, wild animal and glacier viewing.

Alaskan Dream Cruises have several different size ships. I am aboard the Chichagof. It is a 74 passenger ship. This is their largest ship.  We have 45 on board. They offer a variety of tours – from day tours to 10 day Cruises. The ten day cruise is the one I am on. We started in Sitka and will end in Juneau. In between we have visited a Tlingit village, and traveled into remote areas of southeast AK.

The staff is amazing. They are young and educated and fun. It is such a joy to be around so many people who are so enthusiastic about their job. They have no problem admitting when they don’t know something and they are way more than willing to find out said unknown answer. The crew is from around the world. We learn from them, they learn from us. They blend in well with us and with each other.

Leslie and my room is cozy with two single beds. We both have a window in front of our bed that is large, looking out over the water when we wake in the morning. There is a shower and bathroom. It is a cozy room just right for two friends traveling together. The staff leaves an information sheet regarding the next days itinerary, on the beds each evening, topped off with a chocolate goodie.

The food has been extremely yummy. The chef appears to outdo himself every day of this trip. From breakfast on the good and delicious food flows throughout the day. Here is an examle

• Breakfast-Blueberry Walnut Pancakes. Eggs, your choice on how they are cooked. A different omelet every day. Lighter fare includes yogurt, fruit, hot cereal and more.
• Todays Lunch-features a Smoked Salmon BLT and Beef Stroganoff. It always includes a salad, soup, the most delicious breads and of course dessert, which changes from day to day.
• Dinner-Crabcakes, Salmon, other fish entrees and much, much more.

If you find you are gluten free, dairy free, or vegan the kitchen accommodates those needs. Nothing is too big an issue for them to address.

Sangria

I cheated this is from our Crab Fest

I found my way here because of a good friend, Leslie-she lives in Anchorage. She sent me an email to see if she could entice me to come to Alaska and join the cruise. I sent her an email back immediately with one word in it-“yes”. Then I asked for the weekend to think about it so I could find someone to love Miss Elsie the Cat while I was gone. She is being well loved and so am I.

Today we rode the train to White Horse Pass at the edge of the Yukon. It has quite a history. Many lives, animal and human were lost in the building of this rail. It was completed after the end of the gold rush in1900. The rail did very little to help improve the conditions of the miners looking to strike it rich. It was a lovely and awe struck ride this morning. I still think that the ones who struck it the richest were the people who supplied the miners in the towns such as Skagway.

We have a few more days on board and then, oh sigh, it is back to reality. I will spend a day in Juneau and then return to the lower 48, Miss Elsie the Cat and my little home on wheels. In the meantime…Oh wait they just announced lunch….time to go.