Travel Diary: Vancouver BC to Skagway AK
We are taking a cruise to Alaska on the Disney Wonder. Alaska is the 49th American state I've visited. I just need to get to Rhode Island, which I'm not convinced actually exists, to get to 50 states visited.
This is our second cruise on this ship. The first was back when the kids were still living with us and we cruised to the Caribbean. It was hot. This cruise to Alaska promises to be cooler. One might actually say cold.
Of course, the Walt Disney has a lot to answer for, not least for screwing up American copyright law. On the other hand, there is a case to be made that Disney has been a fairly progressive corporation as these things go (not that they tend to go very far). But, Disney's stance on LGBTQ+ issues is "good". The right-wing bigots really hate Disney so Disney is doing something right. That was then, this is now.
Michele has always been fascinated by Disney, not the movies so much, although those too, but Disneyworld. She’s an organizational scholar and the efficiency of the place, its ability to move great numbers of people swiftly, the design of the place, and the consistency of service is, well, a wonder. The Disney cruise line is very similar. Efficient, friendly, clean. And, of course, any giant multinational corporation that pisses of the American right is doing something right.
We got on the ship on Monday and had a buffet lunch. Then we mustered to the lifeboats to find out what to do if the ship hits an iceberg or if a giant tsunami flips it upside down. I guess giant corporate enterprises go, Disney is not too bad.s that kind of thing happens all the time. according to a couple documentaries I saw.
After a nap, we went to one of the many lounges on board and listened to a lovely duo play some bluesy-folksy music. There weren’t a lot of people there, some folks listed attentively, some were in conversation, some were just passing through on their way to someplace else. It didn’t matter, the music was great and we loved it. Having had a modest amount of experience in playing music in such situations, I think there is no wrong way to experience it. Let it be background to a conversation or listen attentively, it is all good. The duo gets to play music professionally. That is amazing! There was a time in the world when to be a musician, you didn’t have to fill a concert hall or arena. You just played or sang and people shared as they wished. Even if it was just the two of them in the lounge, they got to experience the music themselves. Music really is one of the things people do right. There’s no wrong way to do it.
The food is excellent. That is one thing about the cruise experience, it is not skimpy on the food. I don’t eat seafood because fish all tastes like fish and fish is a taste I do not enjoy. If I was born a shark, I’d starve to death. I’ve had pasta bolognese, Chateaubriand, all kinds of fancy grownup food. Probably get out of dinner every night right around 3000 calories.
Unsurprisingly, there are lots of kids on a Disney cruise. Now, I really like kids. I love their energy, I love their fearlessness, I love their shyness, they are generally great entertainment value. If I can get a toddler to wave at me from across the room, my day is made. One of the best things about other people’s kids is that they are other peoples’ kids. Oh, is the kid tired or cranky? That isn’t my problem, take it away.
One night, we sat next to a table of six or so. A young father was in charge of a pre-verbal child by the name of “Gigi.” With the endless patience of a good parent, Dad tried to get Gigi whatever she was clearly signaling she needed, “I can’t cut the fruit up any smaller, Gigi, you should just eat what I’ve already cut.” “Do you want more bread? How about more bread?” The rest of the adults at the table, knowing Gigi had her own concierge, pretty much ignored them. At the end of the meal, the other adults inquired about Gigi’s meal. “Well,” said Dad, ”She ate all my salmon. I didn’t get any.” So everything worked out in the end for Gigi.
One day we spent parked (is that the right word for a ship?) by a glacier. It was beautiful but also melancholy. There probably aren’t many years left for glacier-viewing, given the warming of the climate. The promised icebergs were really small, still beautiful but mere ghosts of their former selves.
There is a fitness center on board. Our first morning here I managed to make it to the “Morning stretch class” at 7am, which was basically a beginner yoga class. It did my body good. But, I haven’t made it back there because of sleep, I’ve spent 7am nestled in the arms of Morpheus since then. Nonetheless, I’ve made it up the fitness center a couple times in vain attempt to work off the 10,000 calories I’m eating every day.
Our first shore stop was at Skagway, Alaska. A town of 900 people who get 700,000 visitors every season. Ours was one of three cruise ships parked (?) at the docks and by far the smallest. Skagway is about three blocks long, filled with shops where the tourists can buy any manner of things imprinted with “Alaska!” on them. We had lunch at a place called “Kajun Spice” which is a little Cajun restaurant run by a Louisiana caterer who spends summers here in Skagway and winters back in Louisiana. We heard her whole life story when she came to our table to tell it to us. The food was excellent: gumbo and jambalaya, just like we were in the Mississippi Delta.
Among the T-shirt shops and places selling beer cozies are a number of art galleries selling artwork produced by Native artists in traditional native styles. We bought some very nice pieces that are quite striking indeed. We’d already run into this style of artwork in Vancouver and I’m spending time on a coloring book of drum heads produced by Native artists.
We are now anchored (that’s the word!) in Juneau, Alaska state capital. We are debating whether or not we want to go ashore at all here. All this luxury is wearing on a body, you know. Michele has been here before so it isn’t quite the draw for her as someplace new might be. You’ll have to come back and see if we make it ashore here. “Always leave them wanting more!” That’s my motto.
jpj stories by John Jackson is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
