Deaf Alaska Land & Cruise Tour
June 8-21, 2019

We flew in to Fairbanks where most of us were dazzled by the long summer nights and the midnight sun. After getting settled into our hotel in Fairbanks and a good night sleep, we discovered Alaska's second largest city via a city tour including the Museum of the North. The museum has a marvelous display explaining the history, culture and wildlife of Alaska. We enjoyed a riverboat cruise on the Discovery Sternwheeler in the afternoon, allowing us to experience how the rivers were the state's highway system in the past.	Museum of the North, Fairbanks
The next day, everybody was excitedly looking forward to the morning train ride to Denali. We boarded the Wilderness Express train for our journey south. CLICK HERE to come aborad.
Our car had a restaurant on the lower level and an upstairs sitting area with a glass-domed roof. We started our voyage with a breakfast while passing the beautiful scenery. Back on the upper level of the car, we appreciated our tour guides commentary regarding Alaska's history, nature, and culture.
At lunch time, we disembarked the train.
We had free time in the afternoon and evening in Denali. Most of us decided to go to Husky Homestead, home of Iditarod Champion Jeff King. We were greeted by cuddly puppies and we enjoyed a very educational lecture about the training of the dogs. Jeff King's compelling stories about the Iditarod allowed us to share an intimate view of the Alaskan Husky. CLICK HERE for more.
The entire next day was reserved for the Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali National Park. We traveled via bus and were very lucky to see wildlife.
Denali National Park
Most guests in our group joined the evening event attending a 'Cabin Night' Cabaret.
The 'Cabin Night' evening was special for all of us because the actors decided to invite Doug on the stage to become part of the play. It was hilarious when Doug became the star actor with his own performance. Thank you Doug! It was great entertainment.
The next day, we re-embarked the Wilderness Express train just in time for lunch. While enjoying the delicious lunch, we marveled at the snow covered mountains. Later, we enjoyed a narrated presentation about the area that we passed. Talkeetna was our final destination for this day. We stayed at the Talkeetna Alaska Lodge for one night. CLICK HERE for more.
Ready for the train to go from Denali to Talkeetna.
... and here comes the train
Lunch time on the train
Beautiful vistas from the onboard train restaurant.
The Panorama Deck is the right place to enjoy the landscape and to take great pictures.
Having a great time on the Panorama Deck of the train.
Our beautiful lodge in Talkeetna where we were lucky to see Mt. Denali. CLICK HERE to see more of Mount Denali.
While we were waiting in Talkeetna for the train to go to Anchorage, our tour guide entertained us with stories about life in the wilderness. CLICK HERE and board the train with us.
Dinner time on the train. Back on the Panorama deck, we celebrated Suzanne's birthday.
A visit at the Alaska Native Heritage Center located just outside of Anchorage.
We embarked our ship, the Millennium in Seward. We were invited to an Engine Control Room visit. During the Cocktail Party, we celebrated Doug & Shelley's wedding anniversary.
Hubbard Glacier is a "Must See" in Alaska. After getting to the closest point to the glacier, the ship stopped and we had many opportunities to take pictures.
At Mendenhall Glacier	Our first port of call was Juneau, Alaska's capital. Some of us went whale watching, others took a helicopter tour to a glacier, and some joined the tour to Mendenhall Glacier. After the termination of the tours, there was still time to discover the town that was founded during the gold rush in the late 1800s. The city is the home of the Patsy Ann dog statue that was erected at the waterfront in 1992. Patsy Ann was a deaf dog who could tell when ships were on the way to Juneau before they even sounded their horns. She loved to meet the ships at the docks and soon became known as the "Official Boat Greeter of Juneau".
Our next port was Skagway, a town that reminds visitors of the Klondike Gold Rush era. It is a place that offers visitors a nice variety of activities and entertainment. Our group embarked the White Pass Scenic Railway at the Skagway train depot and traveled up the mountains to the White Pass. After arriving back in town, an enjoyable stroll through Main Street offered many opportunities for shopping or for learning about the history of the town. During the course of the years, shop fronts and other buildings have been restored. Thus, the visitor has the impression as if they were walking through the boomtown of the late 1890s.	White Pass Railway - "A Must Do"
Our ship in Icy Strait Point	Some of us joined a Whale and Marine Mammals Cruise in Icy Strait Point. Luckily, we saw quite a few whales. Icy Strait is one of Alaska's premier humpback whale-watching destinations. During the trip, a onboard naturalist described the biology and behavior of the diverse species that gather here every summer to indulge in the nutrient-rich waters. Guests who prefer to stay on land have great oportunities for shopping or visit the exhibition to learn about the Native Tlingit Culture.
Our waiters in the dining room were very lovely and surprised us with their napkin folding skills. Dorothea was lucky to receive a "napkin rose". Another piece of art were the two swans.
Ketchikan, the 'Salmon Capital of the World' was our next port of call. The town is also known for the world's largest collection of standing totem poles. Maureen, our deaf guide showed us the town and shared interesting stories with us while we were walking through the area of Ketchikan Creek.
We were invited to the Captain's Bridge.
Group Picture

Thank You Note

Thank You Note

Thank You Note

Thank You Note

Thank You Note

Thank You Note

Thank You Note

A handmade gift from Natalie

Contact Kerstin's Deaf Travel to book your next cruise by sending an e-mail to kerstin@kerstinstravel.com