You’ll never get me on a cruise. Unless it’s to ALASKA! Recap and New PTR Link! 2/1

[Moira222]

I finally finished your trip, LOVED all the pictures and history and funny stories.

Creek Street -- sort of like a Venice? Did they intentionally build the down over water, or did a creek just finally flood and take over the town?


What luck on finding the jacket!

Our room had been a bit pirated before we’d gotten back, the dogs had dubloons! And had been joined by an Elephant.

SO CUTE!!!

We popped back to the room for a refill and somehow, that inspired Eric to do a pirate dance.

It wore him out

This is what Evan had to say about the whole thing

I was laughing out loud when I read this. You are all clearly having a great time and I love the Pirate Dance!

Personally, I liked the big pirate. You can tell he had another rum and coke with dinner.

Yes, but every good pirate should have a few mugs o rum when hanging with his mates & wench!

Our last day, how could it be!

Coffee in hand we wandered into Treasure Ketch. I’d been eying something the whole cruise and needed to make a decision.

My purchase in hand, we split up.

Continued in next post

I love those Fab 5 Totems!!! They have something similar at WLR but not as big or as awesome.

and I had to wait till the very end to see what you bought

Actually, you are the first person who asked

And no, I didn't tell.

A bunch still to come on that last day, it was a long and full day!
!

way to keep people waiting and reading

And open our last bottle of wine

And then, enjoy our last sunset on our verandah!



I may have gotten carried away with sunset photos…

Continued in next post

Now THAT is the way to spend your last day on a cruise!! I loved all the sunset pictures.

Your final day and your trip recap are awesome. I had to stop quoting pictures. but the one where you are all wearing the napkin goofy hats is awesome

You SO make me want to do an Alaskan Cruise even more. If only it was not so much $ for the whole deal, cross country flight and all. Sounds like a 30th anniversary trip,right?

 

[eandesmom]

I finally finished your trip, LOVED all the pictures and history and funny stories.

Creek Street -- sort of like a Venice? Did they intentionally build the down over water, or did a creek just finally flood and take over the town?

no, not at all. It's not even really the main downtown, just a cute artsy sort of area. Some fun info on it. we walked Married Man's trail and the bridge they reference is across from the coffee shop and where we saw the guy catch the salmon!


Creek Street is built along the shores of Ketchikan Creek. It was built over the water because it was simply too difficult to blast away the rocky hills surrounding the creek. This is a common theme with Ketchikan as you will notice a large percentage of the town was quite literally built over the water.

The History of Creek Street can be summed up by fishermen, bootleggers, & prostitutes, oh my! Creek Street is known as Ketchikan’s old red-light district. In the mid 1920’s there were over 20 bawdy houses on Creek Street alone! In fact, Creek Street was once home to Ketchikan’s #1 industry – prostitution. The prostitutes or ‘working women’ were frequented by men looking for a little company and some liquor.

During prohibition, Creek Street was the place to go for a drink as bootleggers would smuggle in Canadian whiskey to supply the houses of prostitution and backroom saloons. Creek Street Ketchikan is built over the water and the bootleggers would simply wait until high tide and would row their rowboats right up the stream to deliver their goods in the cloak of darkness. Most of the houses had hidden ‘trap doors’ underneath the house just to receive delivery!

If you’re walking along Creek Street, do not miss the chance to check out Married Man’s Trail, a staircase & wooden boardwalk extension of Creek Street that ends at Park Avenue. Married Man’s Trail goes over the river and through the woods....but not to grandma’s house! No, Married Man’s Trail was once just a muddy path along the creek that men would use to discreetly visit the working houses along Creek Street instead of being ‘caught’ walking in the front doors!

At the end of Married Man’s Trail, be sure to stop at the Salmon Ladder and watch the struggling salmon try to jump up the rushing waterfall and continue upstream for spawning. It’s quite a sight! And one of the best places to take photos of jumping salmon!

Creek Street is bordered on one side by the Stedman Bridge. This antique red trestle bridge is not only picturesque, it is also where you’re likely to find fishermen dangling their hooks in the water below hoping to hook onto a salmon or kids climbing up to the top of the bridge & jumping down into the water during hot days!

What luck on finding the jacket!

No kidding, WHEW!

I was laughing out loud when I read this. You are all clearly having a great time and I love the Pirate Dance!

Yes, but every good pirate should have a few mugs o rum when hanging with his mates & wench!

We were having a great time and you are correct on the mug o rum!

I love those Fab 5 Totems!!! They have something similar at WLR but not as big or as awesome.

and I had to wait till the very end to see what you bought

way to keep people waiting and reading


Now THAT is the way to spend your last day on a cruise!! I loved all the sunset pictures.

Your final day and your trip recap are awesome. I had to stop quoting pictures. but the one where you are all wearing the napkin goofy hats is awesome

You SO make me want to do an Alaskan Cruise even more. If only it was not so much $ for the whole deal, cross country flight and all. Sounds like a 30th anniversary trip,right?

Those totems weren't very big at all, probably very similar to the ones at WL size wise.

30th Anniversary sounds perfect to me!!!!

I can't say enough great things about it, we were very lucky not to have to consider flight cost on top of it all, it definitely would have delayed it for us too or had to skip excursions or the verandah or something.

 

[Gina Loves Disney]

Outstanding trip report. So outstanding in fact that I spent two days reading it AT WORK. hahhahaa I'm going to get fired!!!

You made me want to do this cruise for sure. My husband wants to go to Alaska and I have been lukewarm about it. I think WARM when I think vacation. This is something we'll do for sure though, so thank you for that. Someday we'll get there. We live on the East Coast so it will be a splurge but looks well worth the $

Your boys are very lucky to have you and Jeff. I think you made wonderful memories with them.

Off to read "Coffee on the Verandah!"...

 

[Bradleyv1714]

Wow! I can't believe I just read all those pages... I am leaving for a 9 day alaska cruise on the celebrity century.

The excursions that I have planned are:

Sitka: I wanted to go see the Raptor center but I was not willing to pay $44/person to the cruise line as I found out I could basically walk there and it was free to see the raptor center. the other thing I want to do is Hike the Herring cove trail, for this I would take a taxi there and hike it as the cruise charges $97/person to do this excursion with a guide. I would much rather pay a local to take me there, I hike it and then get back again. My ship will be at port from 8-5 which is a long time.

Skagway: I wanted to do the White pass trail as I was recommended this by everyone I have spoken to. I have wanted to do some kind of biking activity so I joined them together and got a white pass train and klondike boat tour. plus doing some walking around town.

Juneau: I already have 2 things planned with a possible of a 3rd; which are Alaskan Canopy expedition at 11:30am and a tour of the alaskan Brewery and bottling company at 3:40pm. I also wanted to go see the mendenhall glacier but not sure if I will be able to go see it and be back in time for the 11:30am zipline adventure. Anyone have any advice? I have heard of many ways to get to the glacier but they all will take some time. I know my ship docks at 7am but the glacier area itself does not open until 8am so I think if I take a taxi there I can do some hiking around and then back to the pier for the zipline expedition.

Icy strait point: I read online that this is THE BEST place to do whale watching, I booked this with a local guide that runs a 27ft catamaran and was $150/person instead of the $274/person that the cruise line was charging for whale watching.

Ketchikan: I will be sea kayaking tatoosh island.

I used tripadvisor to help choose all of the excursions I am doing.

does you have any recommendations on going to see the mendenhall glacier early in the morning hiking around a bit and making it back to the pier in time before 11:30am to do my zipline adventure? or should I just miss out on seeing the mendenhall galcier? I am thinking it's going to be a very busy day. lol!

 

[schmity]

Thank you for posting all that you did. I'm thrilled for our upcoming cruise! I'm super excited about the Alaska themed stuff in the shops. I can't wait to see the different Alaskan outfits the characters wear. Thanks again!

 

[disneydiva16]

This is one AmAzInG trip report!!!! I am soooo excited to see Alaska! This report has helped get me in the mood. I wasnt sure if I was going to enjoy this destination, but after reading all these pages I cant wait!!!

Your pictures were fantastic. Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed report!!!

 

[Jameroo]

Obsessively reading this trip report. I was in the research stage for a Disney cruise to Alaska next summer but I think your report pushed me over the edge and we'll be making our deposit ASAP. There aren't a ton of very detailed TRs for this cruise and I'm so happy to have found yours, so thanks!

 

[sazzifrazz]

Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed, pic heavy, trip report. My family is debating which cruise line to choose for an alaskan cruise and I think your TR was the deciding factor. We can do a carnival cruise for significantly less but Im not sure it will be as great. I also think we need to splurge on a verandah! That wasn't in the budget but I think you proved its value.

 

[sarahhchan]

Hi!

I'd just like to say that this was one of the first trip reports I ever read, and one of my favourites too It was one of the many that inspired me to write my own! I'd just like to say good job & keep it up! ^^~

 

[podsnel]

I am obviously sooo late- I may have even read this before and forgot- LOL! But NOW I am GOING and i am going to absorb every INCH of what you did! SO EXCITED!!!!!!

 

[mwmom]

I, too, am reading much past your posting time, but just booked our first ever cruise for summer 2014, so I have a lot to learn. Your TR gave me some great insight into what to expect, do, and not do! Thanks so much for sharing your adventure!