# Our Alaskan Cruise



## hartman studio (Feb 14, 2008)

Well, as some of you know my DH and I just returned from our Alaskan Cruise through the Inner Passage. We opted for a small ship (can hold 130 people) and we only had 88 passengers. It was great!! The weather was wonderful for most of the trip. I can highly recommend Cruise West for an intimate experience. We saw whales, both Orcas and humpbacks, lots of eagles, seals, bears, mountain goats, lots of birds,puffins, and the most beautiful scenery imaginable. This is NOT a cruise for kids or people who want lots of entertainment (except wildlife). Our dinner entertainment consisted of whale watching!! No cell phone service,tvs,internet,or organized entertainment. Lots of education from speakers and rangers we picked up in different parks. OK, so I promised some of you photos. I am just starting to go through them-so here are a few. First 3 all taken with the Leica dlux 4


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## hartman studio (Feb 14, 2008)

Here is a picture of our ship. NO, not the large one , but the tiny little one to its right!!!!


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## hartman studio (Feb 14, 2008)

this was my favorite picture of all. We stayed with these 2 brown bears for awhile as they munched on some things by the water. They then walked up the hill and cuddled together and then put their heads together for the camera. I really needed a longer lens- this was maxed out at 300mm and has been cropped further so it is a little fuzzy- but the bears were adorable!!!!


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## hartman studio (Feb 14, 2008)

Later on in Glacier Bay National Park (which is where the bears were,too) we saw some mountain goats. All of a sudden one of the went nuts!!! Jumping and twirling in circles- I think he did it for our entertainment since he knew we were watching. I've dubbed him the dancing goat. Another somewhat couple of fuzzy pics-but he was really fun to watch!!


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

hartman studio said:


> this was my favorite picture of all. We stayed with these 2 brown bears for awhile as they munched on some things by the water. They then walked up the hill and cuddled together and then put their heads together for the camera. I really needed a longer lens- this was maxed out at 300mm and has been cropped further so it is a little fuzzy- but the bears were adorable!!!!


:clap2:I love this shot:clap2:
:jaw:OK now I really want to go to Alaska the way you went 
hoto: Any more?


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## hartman studio (Feb 14, 2008)

Sally- I have TONS!!!!! I'll post more soon-I promise


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## hartman studio (Feb 14, 2008)

OK- a couple more

South Sawyer Glacier- it really is this blue!!


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## Lilly'sMom (Jan 28, 2010)

Great pics! If I were to go on a cruise, it would be to Alaska. Looking forward to more pics.


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## hartman studio (Feb 14, 2008)

and 2 pics of the many seals that posed for us on icebergs


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## ls-indy (Apr 10, 2008)

Your photos are wonderful! DH and I have talked about doing an Alaskan cruise. The other ones we've been on were in the Caribbean and on larger ships. DH had some problems on a rougher sea day. I am wondering if the smaller ship would make one more prone to seasickness..... Anyone know?


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

What a neat experience! I love the bears and the dancing goat! Sounds like a relaxing type cruise. Are you well rested from it?


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## hartman studio (Feb 14, 2008)

Lynda,
We were cruising the inner passage. For the most part the water is very,very calm through there. With that said, there was one evening that the boat did rock a bit. No one I met on the cruise got sea sick, but if I were prone to it I'd bring something with me just in case.

Sheri, it was very relaxing. We were well fed, and the wildlife was enough to keep us all entertained and I have to say it was very nice not having a tv, cell phone, or internet! What tired me out more was the long flight, especially coming back!! Juneau to Seattle, Seattle to Nashville, then Nashville to Raleigh. We left Juneau at 6am and got into Raleigh at close to 11pm-but the trip was so worth it!! I'd go back in a heartbeat!


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## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

Great pix, Jocelyn!


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## Poornima (Jun 29, 2007)

Great pictures!


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## ama0722 (Nov 28, 2006)

Wonderful pics. I love the bears but would have really enjoyed all of it I am sure  I like the idea of the intimate part however did people get more sea sick? I have gotten sick on a day cruise and have not been wililng to try a longer cruise since.


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## SMARTY (Apr 19, 2007)

Beautiful pictures, keep sharing please.


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## hartman studio (Feb 14, 2008)

Amanda, I didn't know anyone that got sick on the cruise. I did see a couple people wearing those patches behind their ears. The Inner Passage is pretty calm and protected water, so I don't think you'd get sick. Also, because we were such a small ship we travelled through Wrangell Narrows and Peril Straits-both were very narrow with perfectly calm water. The boat rocked a little one night,but that was all. I don't think I'd want to be on a small ship on the open sea,but the protected waterways were fine. Because we were small we could get much closer to the glaciers and wildlife than any of the larger ships. We could also linger near whales or other wildlife as we wanted. We watched the other large cruise ships stream past at a fast pace in some of the larger waterways- I don't think they got to see anything that we did.


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## good buddy (Feb 20, 2007)

I bet you had a wonderful time! The goat pics are great! Even if they are fuzzy, they really show how wild and crazy he was getting.


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