WONDERful Alaska for Gold! 8/11/25-8/18/25

[Geomom]

Saturday 8/16/25: Ketchikan, part 1:
11:15AM-6:45PM

The kids finished off the beignets and brioche for breakfast along with some croissants from Cove Café. Beignets actually tasted better cold the next day after we had them in our beverage cooler. DH and I went to Triton’s for breakfast at 9:20AM.

DH had oatmeal, an apple pastry, and French toast

I had the fruit plate, hashbrowns, bacon, a maple/pecan pastry,

and the pineapple/mango/papaya yogurt parfait.

It was rainy today. I guess we were due. We had amazing weather up to this point, so much better than our first rainy/misty/overcast 2016 Alaska cruise. Pic of Ketchikan from our porthole.

We met at 11:15AM in D Lounge for our tour, ‘Ketchikan Hike and Totem Bight State Park’ (KE80) for $164/adult. It was just the 4 of us, and a family of 3 (mom and 2 girls.) Our tour guide was Austin and he was fantastic. We went for a hike on the Lunch Creek Trail in the northern part of Ketchikan. Austin pointed out the various plants/trees including the Western Red Cedar and various berry bushes—showing us which ones were edible vs. poisonous. I tried a bog blueberry, and 21 and I both tried a red huckleberry.



We walked along the beach for a bit as well and saw a harbor seal in the water diving for abalone.

 

[Geomom]

Saturday 8/16/25: Ketchikan, part 2:

After the hike we drove to Potlatch Totem Park. Austin gave us ‘hardy cookies’. They were locally made macadamia nut, coconut, chocolate chip—really tasty cookies!

We shopped for a bit (a magnet and ornament) and used the facilities, then he walked us through the Potlatch Totem Park.

We started in the carving center.

Then the clan house, then went outside.


Our guide explained various elements, and talked about 'why' there were antique cars there. (I honestly can't remember...DH and Austin chatted about the cars for a long time while everyone else wandered around taking pics in that area of Potlatch Park.)

 

[Geomom]

Saturday 8/16/25: Ketchikan, part 3:
He dropped all of us off at Creek Street in downtown, so we could explore that area before walking back to the ship. It was really raining again, but we still took pics of the harbor seals catching salmon in the creek before going into some shops.


It was ‘stinky’ again near the creek with dead salmon in spots. 21 and I went off on our own and found a nice smelling shop. We bought some Alaskan mustards, jams, chocolates, dip mix, and Alaskan soap (I had 21 carry the huckleberry soap out of the store so they could have a nice scent to cover up the fishy scent while walking).

DH and 25 walked to the other end of Creek St and took a pic of Dolly's House:

Then we stopped at the Diamond International shop for the free charms (and more free tanzanite studs) and 25 bought tanzanite earrings at the discounted Disney price.

Pics of downtown on the way back to the ship.




We got mugs of hot cocoa as we boarded the ship (and warm/moist towelettes if you wanted.) We got out of our wet clothes upon our return. The kids were both starving by now, so I said I’d bring food to the French Quarter Lounge for them (just up 1 deck from our stateroom.) I went up to deck 9 and got Chicken tenders/fries from Pete’s Boiler bites and some Chicken Caesar wraps, and Greek Salad wraps. I noted that the special soft serve flavors were banana and strawberry. In the French Quarter lounge, I got a Hurricane and the free salty snacks.

At 4:15PM, 25 and I did the 18+ ‘Create a Bag’ craft in Crown & Fin.

25 and DH met ‘Alaskan’ Minnie at 5PM

21 and I hung out in the After Hours porthole seats on deck 3, with Ketchikan Harbor as our view:

 

[Geomom]

Saturday 8/16/25: Ketchikan, part 4:
Dinner was in Triton’s with the Captain’s Gala Menu.

I had the Tuxedo to drink

I had the Roast Carrot and Parsnip Salad

25 had the Braised Oxtail Soup

DH had the Aged Prosciutto

DH had the White Onion Soup

25 had the Pan Seared Venison Medallions (and ordered it well done...and it was overcooked. Unfortunately, first time she had this dish it was closer to rare/undercooked and chewy. This was the opposite issue...her own fault.)

I had the Marinated Bulgur Wheat

DH had the Roasted Bering Sea Halibut Filet

21 had the Thai Red Pumpkin and Coconut Curry

 

[Geomom]

Saturday 8/16/25: Ketchikan, part 5:

21 and I had the Apricot Trio

I had the Alaskan Strawberry Romanoff Bread Pudding

25 had the Chocolate Lava Cake

DH had the Captain’s Table Sundae

We split the Raspberry Vanilla Crème Brulee

DH, 25, and 21 went to 2010’s Music Trivia in Azure at 7:30PM

I met ‘Alaskan’ Daisy at 7:45PM

The 8:30PM show in Walt Disney Theater was Marcus Monroe, juggler. He was a lot fun. The show was enjoyable. He did an 18+ show on Juneau night, but we didn’t make it.

We all met ‘Alaskan’ Goofy at 10:30PM.

Clocks went forward 1 hour at bedtime.

Towel Animal: Bunny!