Part 5: Decadence and a little weather
As the pilot boat guided our ship into the harbor, we got ready for a day in Kodiak. What do I mean by “got ready”? Well, after 10 days on the open ocean without the need for a coat, wallet, boots, cell phone, or warm clothes, we had to prepare for not being pampered. We disembarked Riviera, found a friendly cabbie, negotiated a two-hour tour, and began our Kodiak adventure.
The scenery was absolutely beautiful as we toured the island. Our first stop was the Saint Herman Theological Seminary, which included a very picturesque Russian Orthodox chapel and a variety of other unique buildings. Next, we visited a small museum and gift shop, then a marina filled with fishing boats and a few pleasure craft. After several viewpoints to admire and photograph, our final destination was Henry’s Great Alaskan Restaurant and Bar. We enjoyed appetizers, local craft beer, and duck farts all around. On a side note, our gun-toting cabbie on the way back to the ship was a hoot!
The next day we arrived early in Homer, Alaska, and docked at the Homer Spit. The Spit is a huge marina full of fishing, sailing, and other boats. Bob and Jody stayed on the ship, while Deb and I took a shuttle to town. Homer is basically one main street with a small museum, shops, and restaurants. Our visit ended up being a walk down Main Street and back, then the shuttle to the Spit, which had dozens of unique little shops featuring items made of fur, antlers, wood, and semi-precious stones. Every other place seemed to be a pub!
Meanwhile, on the ship, Bob & Jody enjoyed the decadent lifestyle aboard our small adventure cruise ship. Walking the deck, we could see the whole town. The view from the ship was amazing—snow-capped peaks surrounded us. After a few hours of enjoying the scenery, we headed to the Burger Deck for food.
Next stop: Anchorage—well, really Whittier, Alaska, with Anchorage an hour’s bus ride away. Unlike our last two stops, we were one of only two boats in the harbor. The scenery was beautiful, with snow-capped peaks, waterfalls, and a serene coastline. Debbie and I decided to go off on our own and hike a few miles to a glacier. Afterward, we walked along the shoreline and soaked up the fresh Alaskan air and stunning views. Bob & Jody once again stayed aboard, enjoying the decadence of the Oceania Riviera. The gym, steam room, and hot tub had become a daily ritual while at sea, so they stayed aboard, figuring Jeff & Debbie would report back with any excitement. After all, decadence may not be a way of life—but it works for us!
Day 4 brought us to the Hubbard Glacier. There is no docking or anchoring; the boat slowly spins around for a couple of hours in front of the enormous glacier so that all guests have a view from every angle. Ice calving off the glacier, forming icebergs and filling the harbor, was a sight to behold—all from our favorite bar, of course. The wind blowing off the glacier was absolutely freezing, so outdoor picture-taking was quick! However, the camaraderie on deck was great; by now, everyone on board felt like family. One of the advantages of small-ship travel!
Hoonah, our next stop, was an interesting place and quickly became one of my favorites. It’s located at an old salmon canning station. The four of us got off the ship and were delighted to discover we didn’t have to walk—a chair lift carried us through the forest to the main attractions. The local native population formed a partnership, purchased the land, and built a theater with live performances, several food and drink venues, and shops inside the old canning factory. They even offer a chair lift ride up the mountain with a zip line down. We chose not to strap in for that wild ride, but we did find great shops filled with native artwork. There was also a tiny donut shop, no bigger than 8×10, selling micro donuts by the dozen. We downed four dozen in minutes!
We arrived early in the morning at Ketchikan, our last port in Alaska. All four of us got off the ship and, on our walk to town, came across a guy selling airplane tours. He was a real character—and a good salesman. Too good! Jody & I would normally have passed him by, but Jeff & Debbie stopped to listen. Before long, we were in an aviation base, boarding a plane that looked like the Wright Brothers might have been its first pilots. At first, we thought the shiny new plane on the tarmac would be ours—but alas, we were wrong. The good news: our pilot had just bought a sailboat and knew of our old magazine Lats & Atts. Once we were up in the air, he took us to places most folks never see. If you go to Alaska, you have to splurge on the floatplane ride—it’s just amazing and gives you perspective on the beautifully harsh land and how tough it must have been to settle.
Flying through snow-covered peaks and diving into brilliant blue fingers of the ocean, we truly felt like we were in the last frontier. A highlight was when the pilot landed on a lake, and we all got out to walk around—exploring a place untouched by man (or woman!).
After the flight, we visited Ketchikan’s old red-light district—a true look into its history. Walking the back “docks,” you’d swear it was the 1800s. We discovered where the gold miners had spent their hard-earned money.
Just before dark, we re-boarded the ship for the last leg, down through the Canadian Inside Passage. Killer whales, dolphins, and seals were plentiful as we cruised between beautiful islands and the mountainous mainland. Sometimes it was hard to tell which was an island and which was the mainland.
We arrived in Vancouver, and our cruise of a lifetime was coming to an end. Jeff & Debbie had a flight to catch, while Jody & I rented a car to drive back into the U.S., planning to stop and see our old friends Darren & Lisa and their daughter Axel.
To end this silly story, I (this is Bob) will admit—I’ve never done a cruise before. For about 30 years, I sailed the world on my own boat, and we hated when a cruise ship arrived in port. Thousands of people would crowd every store and restaurant, menu prices went up, and the atmosphere became hectic. But those were regular cruise ships with 5,000–6,000 passengers. Our Oceania Riviera carried just 900. It was rare to bump into another passenger in town, and when you did, you probably knew them from Happy Hour or the lounge on board.
We can highly recommend this cruise line to anyone who wants to see how the other half lives. It does not suck!
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