Previous bear-watching trips to Alaska and British Columbia had been unbearable. Along the lines of “there were loads here yesterday” and finding fresh evidence that bears do indeed do what they are reputed to do in the woods – but no actual bear.
Peak bareness of bears was revealed in a text from a friend too jetlagged to go on a bear-spotting forest bike ride in Whistler, saying they were ambling round the hotel grounds practically posing for photos.
Obviously us bear-seeking cyclists remained a bear-free zone.
So it was with more hope than expectation that I joined Princess Cruises ’ new 3,660-passenger Discovery Princess in Seattle for a seven-night sailing to Alaska...
Day 1 Medallion man
Princess prides itself on its OceanMedallion technology, a 10p-sized disc that acts as your ID for getting on and off the ship, a keyless entry for your cabin and a payment system – with app support via the ship wi-fi.
Does it work? Much better than I expected. The security aspect is a doddle and I loved the way it recognises you as you approach your cabin and unlocks the door – handy if, for example, you are carrying food or drinks.
Fully Medallioned up and raring to go, I was on board with luggage delivered to my cabin in an hour, introduced to friendly steward Reyjiel – all the crew were superb– and safety briefing completed.
So time for an aperitif at the Salty Dog Gastropub and dinner at the Italian fine dining Sabatini’s (extra fee $25). Jetlag did not prevent me from devouring prosciutto-wrapped pork tenderloin and a decadent chocolate dessert.
Day 2 Seas the moment
Mooching about a cruise ship on a sea day is my specialist subject and I explored the 145,000 gross tonnage Discovery extensively, booking time in the Enclave thermal suite and a spa treatment, sorting more restaurant reservations and excursions and generally sharpening up mooching skills for another sea day.
After lunch in the World Fresh Marketplace buffet, I checked out the swanky Sanctuary area on Deck 18 (too chilly in the North Pacific for such things, sadly), had a nap, read my book and grabbed a coffee at the International Cafe. Honestly, where does the time go?!
Those aperitifs don’t drink themselves, so to Bellini’s bar en route to the Bistro Sur La Mer ($29) where I had the poshest fish and chips imaginable and another fancy chocolate dessert. The Medallion ordered it for me, definitely.
Day 3 Karts and courtesans
Discovery is at historic Ketchikan – a former Alaskan salmon fishing port and now a major cruise ship stop. I’d signed up for an off-road karting trip in the Tongass rainforest (three times the size of Wales, should it ever crop up if you are on The Chase).
Zipping along muddy forest trails in a Tomcar (limited to about 40mph, wisely, I passed a crashed one) was great fun with stops for snapping views and learning about the flora and fauna with the guides.
Ketchikan has a boisterous past and, besides being Salmon Capital of the World, it was also the place where “men and salmon came upstream to spawn”. Oo-er!
On colourful Creek Street – a boardwalk on stilts – you’ll find the legendary Dolly’s House, a working brothel up to 1954, with tours available.
Filthy mind sated, I headed back to the ship for a good dinner at the Juneau main (included) dining room and a vibrant music show in the theatre.
Day 4 Ice, ice baby
Captain John Smith (more of him later) had recommended a stupid o’clock start for watching the sailing into the Endicott Arm fjord to the Dawes Glacier, so 4.30am it was on deck 16’s stern to see the dawn sun dappling icebergs – some a mesmerising sapphire – drifting down from the glacier.
A local naturalist was on board to offer commentary and up went the cry: “Bear spotted!” I almost dropped my coffee in the scramble to get to the starboard side to see this bruin through my binoculars.
There it was, foraging for its breakfast (not the furthest thought from my mind, either). My first wild bear after years of failure. Wow. Though having been told the bear was spotted, I was mildly disappointed to see it was just plain black.
Discovery could not go too close to the Dawes because of the size of the ’bergs, so I joined a tour on a catamaran which zoomed to within 400 yards of the face, where I saw – and heard – calving ice and gawped in joy and awe at the near-mile wide, 600ft-high sight.
The ice at the face is 3,000 years old (a fourth recycle from the last Ice Age 12,000 years ago) and a shimmering light blue. Sadly, global warming means the Dawes is expected to split into two smaller faces.
You cannot have enough glaciers in one day, so on arrival in Juneau that afternoon I joined a helicopter tour to land on the Mendenhall Glacier.
Standing on 300ft thick blue ice (glaciers can be blue because of absorbed red light long wavelengths) that was a mere 200 years old was a joyous experience, boosted by the fact I saw TWO black bears as bus from the dock to the heliport passed fields on the edge of town.
I toasted my amazing day with a swift one at the fabled Red Dog Saloon in town and tasty bites at the Salty Dog ($18, beef short rib poutine is my new go-to).
That night I dreamed of a black bear standing on a Fox’s Glacier Mint*.
Day 5 Railroaded
After the Best Day Ever with bears and glaciers, sunny Skagway had a lot to live up to. Boy, did it.
Opened just after the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897, the White Pass and Yukon Route railway now runs scenic trips up to the 2,864ft summit, briefly looping into British Columbia and taking in snowmelt rivers, waterfalls, vast gullies, tunnels and wooden trestle bridges.
Even better, the vintage carriages have open-air viewing platforms and, at the White Pass where there were still 12ft drifts in June, I saw nature in the raw with splashes of ‘pink’ snow where mountain predators had caught their prey.
This was one of the best cruise excursions I’ve done, and I’ve done a few.
I returned to the Juneau for dinner, but it wasn’t as good as the previous visit, despite the serving staff’s best efforts.
Day 6 Seas the moment, again
Another sea day, more mooching. But I did make time for the Q&A in the theatre with Captain Smith, from Cheltenham, and Croatian Chief Engineer Tomislav Ljoka.
Do not miss this, it’s genuinely informative and highly entertaining with some top jokes from a very droll master of the vessel.
Fully shipshape on how Discovery’s toilet waste is processed in an eco-friendly way and the Captain’s grim experience on a merchant ship in a Cat 5 hurricane, time for a session in the lush Enclave with its hydrotherapy pool, heated stone beds, hammam (hot, steamy; not bad), caldarium (hot, steamy, aromatic herbs; the best) and laconium (dry heat; bit boring).
The Crown Grill ($29) beckoned that evening, with perhaps one of the best fillet steaks I’ve ever had.
Day 7 Whale meet again
It was Canada next, with a whale-watching boat trip booked for the port at Victoria, on Vancouver Island. But first a men’s Energising Facial in the spa with Irina from Poland and her healing hands.
Not normally a fan of spa treatments, I loved every soothing second.
As Discovery neared Victoria, I heard cries of “whales’’ from the promenade deck below my cabin and legged it to the balcony with my binoculars.
Like with the Endicott bear, this was magical as I watched a passing pod of orca, with one breaching, and several humpbacks.
Grabbing a pizza at included Gigi’s, I joined the boat trip where we saw more humpbacks in the bracing dusk.
Day 8 Off you go
Back in Seattle, I was in the group timed to disembark the ship at 9.30am. The crew finally found me at 11.45am hiding under the bed trying to stow away for the next voyage**.
*Possibly journalistic licence.
**Ditto.
Why Alaska?
It’s a vast, inspiring land of towering snowcapped peaks, seemingly endless trees, fjord-like sea inlets, shimmering blue glaciers, interesting towns, a compelling history of the Gold Rush and more, and friendly, nature loving locals.
It’s called The Last Frontier; I suggest making it your First Frontier. Best seen via a cruise, and pack for all four seasons in a day. Your spirits will soar in this epic destination.
Book the holiday: Princess Cruises offer a seven-night round trip Alaska cruise on Discovery Princess departing Seattle, Washington State, on September 11. Calls at Ketchikan, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier (scenic cruising), Skagway and Victoria; all-inclusive from £1,129 per person with wi-fi, drinks plus package and tips. Find out more at princess.com.
Get there: British Airways fly from Heathrow to Seattle in September from £644 return with 23kg baggage. Find out more at britishairways.com/seattle.
More info: Head to travelalaska.com, hellobc.com and visitseattle.org.
