Nicknamed "The Last Frontier," our 49th state has it all. From breathtaking landscapes to unique wildlife and rich history, Alaska is a treasure trove waiting to be explored. Here are a few fascinating facts about Alaska, courtesy of the Gray Line Alaska Blog:
Coastline: Alaska boasts 34,000 miles of coastline, more than the rest of the USA combined.
Water Bodies: It has 3,000 rivers, 3 million lakes, and over 100 volcanoes.
Population Density: With only one person per square mile, Alaska has the lowest population density in the nation.
Forests: Home to the two largest forests in the nation, the Tongass and the Chugach.
Denali: The highest peak in North America, standing tall at 20,320 feet.
Alaska for us is very much about the outdoors: dramatic glaciers; scenic fjords; snow covered mountains; abundant wildlife, including whales, eagles, and bears. It also has endless walking, hiking, boating, and scenic driving opportunities. It is not only a place of spectacular beauty and jaw-dropping scenery, it offers opportunities to connect to native history and culture.
We started our cruising careers with a 7-day Alaska Voyage on a Holland America ship in 1993. Since then, we've returned many times over the 30-plus years since then for 7 or 14-day cruises and land tours, the last time in 2015. We even had a week exploring on our own between cruises and always felt there was never enough time. Now we have the good fortune to be spending 28 exciting days, visiting many places we are anxious to return to after a long absence.
The Unique Voyage Ahead
The voyage we are about to embark on is unique. It is a roundtrip from Seattle, visiting all the popular ports usually included on 7-day cruises. However, we are also going all the way north to Nome to cross the Arctic Circle. We’ll get to some less often visited ports like Valdez, Kodiak, and Dutch Harbor, and we are happy to have an overnight stay in the great city of Anchorage.
We are joined by a group of over 100 Cruise Specialists guests, all very excited for this special and never-before-offered itinerary.
Our ship will be Holland America’s Westerdam, a new vessel for us. She is a twin sister of the Zuiderdam, which we have sailed on, so we expect to feel right at home. We also expect a very full ship which would mean about 1,900 passengers.
We head to Seattle soon, home to Cruise Specialists, giving us an opportunity to visit with our colleagues in the office before we set sail. We hope you will enjoy following along with us on this unforgettable Alaskan journey!
Fondly,
Wendy and Steve
See all blog posts:
Our Adventure Begins! | Discovering Alaska | Seward, Dutch Harbor & Nome | Kodiak & Anchorage | Glacier Bay | Juneau & Misty Fjords | Summary
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