5 Alaska Cruise Must Dos | 五樣阿拉斯加郵輪必做的事
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七月時到阿拉斯加玩（又是一篇遲遲沒寫完的旅遊文）。紐約到西雅圖的飛機因天氣關係取消，感謝聯合航空努力把我和UN擠進下一班飛機，我們才能趕上搭阿拉斯加郵輪。但機場大亂，我們的行李沒順利抵達西雅圖。告訴郵輪公司我們的情況後，服務人員立刻給我們盥洗用品、免費送洗衣服、給我們正式場合服裝、還提供好多我們需要的物品。看到我沒外套，直接送我長袖上衣先防冷。也幫我們和航空公司聯絡，讓我們出發第一站就拿到行李。郵輪一向有服務周到的名聲，但Holland America的服務好到讓我們感動！
UN以前搭過阿拉斯加郵輪，所以有些經驗，加上朋友推薦，我們選擇Holland America。這五點是我們覺得搭阿拉斯加郵輪必做才不會後悔的事：
住陽台套房：在旅遊業工作的朋友推薦這路線要住陽台套房。沿途能看到野生動物和超美風景！船開進冰山時，能在自己房間看風景。還能每天早上坐在陽台看書賞景吃早餐。
冰川路線圖：為了保護環境，一天只有兩艘船能進冰山看景。那山景美到我無法形容，根本是地理頻道現場版。大自然太美了，照片完全無法詮釋眼前壯觀美景。住陽台套房能在房間看景，我們房間直接正對一片冰川，還能聽到冰川崩裂轟聲。
直升機遊覽：搭直昇機到雪山裡拉雪橇，至少一生一次一定要體會！根本是國家地理頻道的畫面，完全比我想像還要壯觀的景象。從一片綠地到一轉彎一片雪山，真的只有直升機能給你這片景！
狗拉雪橇：怕狗又愛狗的我實在太愛這行程！阿拉斯加哈士奇身形細長，和我們認識的哈士奇體型比較不同。牠們食量驚人，一天約六千卡路里，也擅於長跑。坐完雪橇後能和狗狗團隊互動（天啊太可愛了），工作人員很有耐心也很了解每隻狗的個性。UN說這些狗牙齒都超健康，表示營區提供的飼料非常好。
望遠鏡：讓你從房間裡能清楚看到有熊出沒，坐直升機時能看到山羊，在爬山時能看到老鷹，船在大海裡能清楚看到鯨魚，進冰川時能看到海獅！
如果岸上團體活動有體力或預算有限制，我們很喜歡在Sitka坐船出海看動物（一人約美金180元）。野生海洋世界，我們親眼看到鯨魚媽媽和小孩從水裡跳出來呼吸再進去水底下潛水！約每五分鐘就能見到鯨魚們出現，為什麼那畫面好感人（沒錯我看到哭！）
A delayed post of our Alaska trip in July. Our original flight from New York to Seattle got canceled due to weather. Thankfully United Airlines found us two seats in the next flight out to Seattle so we could catch our cruise. But the many cancellations led to our checked in luggage not making it onto our new flight. After we informed Holland America, our cruise company, the staff immediately provided us with toiletries, clothes, free laundry services, formal wear rental and much more to accommodate our daily needs. They even gave me a long sleeve shirt seeing that I didn’t have any jacket on. They also coordinated with UA to receive our luggage at our first port of call. Cruise ships are well known for their excellent customer service, but Holland America took it up a notch, we were so touched by their staff.
UN has been on an Alaskan cruise before, his experience plus the recommendation from friends led us to selected Holland America. On this trip, here are the five must-do’s:
Balcony stateroom: this is a must for a scenic cruise like this one. You can see wildlife and beautiful scenery! When the cruise ship enters glacier bay park, you can enjoy the view from your own room. The best part is having breakfast on your balcony every morning.
Glacier Bay Route: to protect the natural phenomenon of glacier, only two cruise ships are allowed into glacier bay every day. Words can’t describe how beautiful glacier bay was. It was like watching the discovery channel. We could view glacier straight from our balcony, and can even hear the thunderous roar when glacier advances.
Helicopter tour: take a helicopter ride onto the glacier and ride a dog sled, a once of a lifetime experience. It was a scene straight out of National Geographic. That transition from green mountain top to white glacier can only be seen from the helicopter.
Dogsledding: for someone like me who has a love-fear relationship with dogs, I absolutely LOVE this part of our itinerary! Alaska huskies are skinny and long, different than the American huskies that we are more familiar with. They have a huge appetite! They each consume 6000 Cal a day to fuel their running. After dogsledding you can meet and greet each member of the team. The trainer knows each dog’s personality very well and takes really good care of them. UN noticed that the dogs’ teeth are very healthy, which means they get really healthy foods and are well cared for by the trainers.
Binoculars: they let you see bears clearly from your stateroom, mountain goats from the helicopter ride, eagles on your hike, whales in the ocean, and seal lions in glacier bay!
For those with limited budget or physical limitations, I really recommend the “Otters, Raptors, and Bears: Oh My!” excursion package at Sitka (costs $180 pp). This is sea world in the wild, we saw whale mom and baby whale breached the water surface and dove back down! Wait about five minutes and they would breach again! It was a sight that would bring tears to your eyes (yes I cried!)
