Glacier Bay National Park

Glacier Bay National Park

Join the Golden Princess for the Alaska Cruise through the a Inside Passage via
the Glacier Bay National Park.

"So many of us come to Glacier Bay to be overwhelmed by mountains, to be dazzled by glaciers, to be thrilled by animals. We want wilderness with a capital W. Instead of sitting quietly and looking carefully, we tend to tally everything we see. What is yo be gained in tracking the number of tidewater glaciers admired, the count of eagles sighted, the sum of bears photographed? To mistake enumeration for enlightenment is to have seen nothing at all. In a place calibrated by epic measurements of time- in ice ages, glacial retreats, forest growth- we sometimes ignore the quiet moments unfolding around us. There is grandeur here, but there is also simple grace in the way an oystercatcher turns a crimson-eyed gaze our way. There are natural melodramas throughout the bay, but what could be more astounding than knowing that the feathery bloom of dryas plants on bare ground is really a prophecy of forests to come? And where is the power of crashing ice falls without the vibrating silence afterward?"
- Sherry Simpson

I enjoyed the scenic cruising of the Glacier Bay National Park by Golden Princess. At about 6 am in that morning, our Ship picked up the Park Ranger from the Visitor's Centre, and later in the morning, we had the opportunity to listen to the live commentaries as we approached Margerie Glacier as well as the Lamplugh Glacier.

The Cruise ship crossed the Icy Strait before it entered this wild and pristine national park area. This is the last wilderness area within Alaska. There had been some explorations by John Muir by kayak into this part of the remote world. A lot of passengers had gathered on the Observation Deck on Deck 14. It was icy cold, as I felt the chilly winds sweeping across my face. There were some others who chose to see next to the windows in the Horizon Court dining area, while they enjoyed their buffet breakfast. Lots of greens in the salad, with tasty muffins, different kinds of freshly baked bread, smoked salmon, tender chicken meat, soup and etc.

As the ship slowly approached the Margerie Glacier, many of us could see the huge chunk of ice, like the massive tongue , stretching out into the water! The eternal ice reflected the light shining on it. The commentary continued, as there were names being mentioned of the Johns Hopkins Inlet , as well as Muir Inlet which we had sailed past. We were all wrapped in our windbreaker, and shawl, as we admired the grandeur sight right in front of us, marveling at the wonders crafted by the Mother Nature.

For those adventurous, they have to take the floatplanes to be unloaded at the Muir Inlet before they could embark on their solitude journey, within this wilderness area. When you get a chance to disembark at Skagway, there are local companies which organize flights over this magnificent Glacier Bay, and then you can take in the sheer beauty of this immense space of ice, glacier, mountains, and the thick forests beyond. It must be an awe-inspiring aerial view from above! Yes, pay some money and go for this unforgettable experience in the air ! For me, I had chosen to go on a helicopter ride up to the glaciers, and I had the opportunity to walk on the Icefield from Skagway. So, you will soon realize a short trip by cruise to the Alaska area is not good enough, as there are so many activities that you could go for, and time always Never seem to be enough.

Slowly, the Cruise ship started to make their turn , so that those who remained in their stateroom with balcony, could admire at the beauty of these giant glaciers.

In another hour's time, we slowly sailed towards the Lamplugh Glacier. And we saw many little sheets of ice floating on the water.. More ice, sheer white massive spaces...

Alaska Cruise Deals

31Aug - 16Sep
17D Canadian Rockies & ALASKA Cruise (Princess Golden)

I am back from my trip. And I believe a number of you know that I lead tour groups from Singapore. We were lucky as we were blessed with wonderful weather both in Canada, and the Alaska. There were beautiful sunny days except in Ketchikan.

Our itinerary by EU HOLIDAYS (Singapore) covers Banff, and the Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies. I am sorry, I couldn't upload my pictures today, as I am experiencing some issues with my laptop (in fact both of my laptops!)

Canadian Rockies


Below is the route of our travel.

Vancouver - Kelowna - Revelstoke
Revelstoke - Banff
Banff - Kamloops - Golden

For those who always love more time to explore, I would strongly recommend at least 2 nights stay in Banff, as it is such a lovely little place, and there are many beautiful scenic spots nearby. If you love trekking or hiking, there are many wonderful trails around.

When I get to upload my pictures later (soon, I hope), you will get to see pictures of the following places:
Emerald Lake
Gondola ride up to Sulphur Mountain
Bow's Falls
Peyto Lake
Moraine Lake
Columbia Icefield by Snow Coach & Athabasca Glacier
Lake Louis (jewel of the Canadian Rockies)

If you enjoy nature, and want to have more time, you could opt to go for a self drive as there are many campsites in the Canadian Rockies. Enjoy your picnic, go for canoeing on the placid lakes, and go on the many walking trails. I will need sometime to write more about each of these places for you.

The cruise that we took was on Golden Princess, and it took us through the INSIDE PASSAGE, via the Glacier Bay National Park, and it lasted for 8 days and 7 nights. We thoroughly enjoyed the cruise, as there were so many activities to keep us occupied with Zumba/yoga fitness classes, trivia challenges, nightly performances, presentation by the Naturalist on topics about the Alaska Region, wine tasting session, and etc. By the time we finished our cruise, it didn't feel like we actually spent eight long days out at Sea. There are lots of shore excursions for the passengers to get to see or enjoy more out of their Alaska  Cruise holidays.

This is our Cruise Schedule on GOLDEN PRINCESS
Day 1 Seattle (Sat departure)
Day 2 Out at Sea
Day 3 Juneau
Day 4 Skagway
Day 5 Glacier Bay Scenic Cruising
Day 6 Ketchikan
Day 7 Victoria
Day 8 Seattle (Disembarkation)

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Have a great day ahead...

Olevia Cheong