What I Wore on My Alaskan Cruise

I like to pack carry-on only, but when packing for a cold weather cruise, I needed some extra suitcase space. I used a carry-on suitcase for me and shared some space in my husband's suitcase, which he checked.

I also used the Kipling Alvy 2-in-1 Convertible Tote Bag as my carry-on personal item.  I like it because I can carry it by the handles as a tote bag or use the backpack straps and carry it on my back, leaving my hands free.

I packed 5 different colors of the LL Bean Pima Cotton Short-sleeve shirts.

They are dressier than a regular t-shirt, layers well with other clothes, and holds it shape after washing in a sink and hang drying.  I used wrinkle release spray to remove the wrinkles.  I wore each shirt 1-2 times during the cruise.  

I wore a Downeast Essential tee as a warmth layer under my LL Bean shirts when I was on deck viewing glaciers and on shore excursions.

I also wore the black LL Bean Pima Cotton V-Neck as a less dressy option for layering:

I wore jeans on the ship during the day and on the shore excursions.  The only time they weren't warm enough to wear alone was while viewing glaciers on the ship.  I wore a pair of leggings under my jeans when I was on deck.

For evening dinners, I wore the Lands' End Starfish Mid Rise Straight Leg knit pants and the LL Bean Pima black knit cardigan.

I like to accessorize my evening outfits with simple, inexpensive jewelry.  I found this black freshwater pearl necklace on Ebay for $5 and the earrings for $2.  If they get lost, stolen, or broken, I'm not out a lot of money.

Comfortable walking shoes are very important, especially waterproof ones for Alaska!  I have ones similar to these Skechers Go Walk Joy that are water repellent.  Skechers no longer sells the shoe I wore.

On the cruise ship I wore Skechers Faithful Slip-on Sneakers:

For evening dinners I wore Crocs Sanrah Metal Slide sandals:

On the cruise there were two "dress-up" nights, so I wore a black LL Bean Pima Cotton short sleeve shirt with the Lands' End black knit maxi skirt and the Lularoe Black lace 

I wear the Crocs Sanrah sandals pictured above and I accessorize the outfit with an inexpensive pearl necklace and earrings set like this one I found on Ebay for $5.

I don't believe in packing my expensive jewelry for a trip.  Inexpensive pieces work just fine for me.

We went to Alaska at the beginning of June and it was either raining and/or cold.  I wore a packable down jacket and a packable rain jacket, both from 32 Degrees.

If it was raining and cold, I wore the rain jacket over the down jacket.  

To carry everything we needed for our shore excursions, we used the Oricsson 33L Lightweight Water Resistant Durable packable backpack.  It was large enough that I could put my rain jacket and/or down jacket in it as well as water bottles, snacks, camera, etc.

Ketchikan, Alaska

Tongass and Cape Fox Tlingits were some of the first settlers of Ketchikan.  They named it "kitsch-khin" which means "thundering wings of an eagle."  White settlers arrived in the 1880s and built a salmon saltery at the mouth of Ketchikan Creek.  By 1936, Ketchikan was one of the largest exporters of salmon in the world.

Ketchikan is also famous for its totem poles, San Franciso-steep streets, and rain.  The city put up a Liquid Sunshine Gauge to mark the rainfall day by day.  The average annual rainfall is about 160 inches, often topping 200 inches in really rainy years.  

Creek Street was once the red-light district.  During Prohibition, there were many speakeasies and more than thirty houses of prostitution.

The buildings on Creek Street are built on pilings over the stream in which salmon swim up during spawning season.  

At least one of the buildings is a residential home, one has been converted into a museum, and the rest have been restored as shops.

Totem Bight State Historical Park is located on the former site of a native campground called Mud Village or Mud Bight Village.  In addition to fourteen totem poles on display, there is a replica of a traditional chieftain's house, or clan house, in the park.

Sitka, Alaska

The Kiksadi clan of the Tlingit people lived in Shee-Atika for centuries before the arrival of the Russians.  The Russians settled Old Sitka in 1799.  Alexander Baranov, manager of the Russian-American Company, became governor of New Archangel, the Russian name for Sitka.

Mount Edgecumbe, a dormant volcano on Kruzof Island, seen in the background

In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia.  The sale took place on Castle Hill on October 18, 1867.  Panoramic views of Sitka and Sitka Sound are found at the top.  The above photo was taken on Castle Hill.  

In 1804, the Russians and Tlingits fought a battle at the site that is now Sitka National Historical Park.  The totem pole in the above picture is the K'alyaan Pole, a memorial to the Kiksadi who lost their lives in the battle.  The pole is named after K'alyaan, the Kiksadi leader.  

The top figure on the totem pole is a raven, which represents the Raven clan.  Below the raven are other clan figures:  woodworm, sockeye salmon, dog salmon, beaver, and frog.  The bottom figure represents the helmet worn by K'alyaan during the battle.

There is a totem-pole trail that you can follow in the park.

Between 1903 and 1904, Governor Brady was concerned that native traditional art was disappearing as Alaskan coastal villages were becoming sparsely populated due to disease.

He collected totem poles from around Alaska and brought them to a place where they could be preserved.  Having the poles in one location would also allow them to be viewed.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

In 1794, Captain George Vancouver described the small five-mile inlet of Glacier Bay as "a sheet of ice as far as the eye could distinguish."  The glacial wall of ice was more than 20 miles wide and in some places more than 4,000 feet deep.

John Muir visited Glacier Bay in 1879 with a group of the native Tglingit, the ice had retreated 40 miles up the bay.  

Each ship that enters Glacier Bay takes aboard a park ranger.  The ranger provides commentary throughout the day about glaciers, wildlife, and the bay's history.  

Glacier Bay has 16 major tidewater glaciers and 30 valley or alpine glaciers.  

Grand Pacific Glacier 

Lamplugh Glacier

Margerie Glacier

Juneau, Alaska

Juneau is the state capital, the third largest city, and cannot be accessed by road.

Mendenhall Glacier is the most visited glacier in the world and is the easiest glacier to get to.  It is located twelve miles from downtown Juneau.

Like other glaciers in Alaska, it is retreating, losing more than 100 feet a year.  Large chunks of ice calve into Mendenhall Lake.  

Copenhagen, Denmark (Day 2)

Today we took the local train to Hillerod to visit Frederiksborg Castle.

Frederiksborg Castle

Frederiksborg Castle was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV between 1602 to 1620.  The current castle replaced another castle that was built by Frederick II.  Frederiksborg Castle is the largest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia.  It is located on three small islands in Slotsoen (Palace Lake).

Today the castle is the Museum of National History and houses a collection of historical paintings and portraits. 

The King's Prayer Chamber or Oratory contains paintings of the life of Christ by Danish artist Carl Bloch.  

Another view of Frederiksborg Castle

King Frederik VII was living in the palace when a fire broke out on December 16, 1859 and it destroyed a large part of the palace's interior.  The interior of the castle was reconstructed after the fire.

We wanted to take the train to Helsingor to see Elsinore Castle.  We missed the train by one minute.  The next one wasn't until an hour later.  We decided to go to Dragor instead.

Dragor is a quaint little fishing village just outside Copenhagen.  After wandering around the town for a while, we got back on the bus to the train station, and headed back to Copenhagen.

Copenhagen, Denmark

We arrived in Copenhagen, Denmark this morning.

We disembarked the ship and headed by taxi to our hotel.  We're staying in the Hotel Bethel in the historic Nyhavn district.

Hotel Bethel

After checking in, we walked down the Stroget, a pedestrian lane.  Then we visited the Cathedral of Our Lady.  The nave is lined with statues of the Twelve Apostle (all clad in Roman togas).  They were sculpted by Danish artist Bertel Thorvaldsen.  At the front of the church is the statue of Christ, also clad in a Roman toga and sculpted by Thorvaldsen.

We came across this statue of Hans Christian Anderson as we continued our walking tour...

Then we took a canal boat tour, which departed from Nyhavn.

Nyhavn (across the street from our hotel)

Taken on the canal cruise.

Also taken on the canal cruise.  Notice the church steeple is made up of crocodile tales that have been twisted together.

 Another view on the canal cruise...