THE MUTSCHER & FORET FAMILIES
THE MUTSCHER & FORET FAMILIES
One-week Alaska Cruise Star Princess
Q: How did you decide on Alaska?
A: Alaska captured our imagination because of its wildlife. We really wanted to see bald eagles, whales, bears and anything else we could spot. And, we’ d heard that the ports are right in the heart of town, so we could walk off the ship directly into the day’ s activity.
Q: What did your travel advisor do for you?
A: Our advisor gave us some great advice on selecting balcony cabins. She had cruised Alaska with her family and knew that we would have the opportunity to see a lot of animal life from the comfort of our private deck chairs. Drinking our roomservice-delivered coffee and eating freshly baked croissants while watching bald eagles soar overhead was just one wonderful morning among many.
She gave us a great tip about booking the morning helicopter and dog sledding excursion rather than the afternoon time slot due to fog that frequently rolls in after lunch. With only a single day in each port, she wanted to ensure that our excursions happened as planned. It was our first time
48 · CONNECTIONS 2026 riding in a helicopter, hiking on a glacier( they provided boots) and sledding behind huskies— a day we’ ll remember forever.
Q: What did the kids like about the cruise?
A: They liked playing basketball on the sports court on the uppermost deck of the ship— what a view! According to my younger son, the best thing was the autonomy to roam freely. They used binoculars to watch seals sunbathing on rocky islets off the side of the ship, and one morning the captain stopped the ship so that passengers could watch bears prowling along the shore looking for crabs to eat. Every night after dinner, we’ d gather for a movie screening on the pool deck to watch family films under the stars while snuggled in cozy plaid flannel blankets on chaise lounges.
Q: What excursions work best for kids?
A: While anchored in Juneau, you can walk to the state capital building of Alaska and look for a totem pole and the statue of William Seward, who arranged for the U. S. purchase of Alaska
from Russia in 1867 for $ 7 million. Mendenhall Glacier has short and easy hikes for kids with pint-sized stamina. Take the well-groomed trail to Nugget Falls for scenic views of both the glacier and the waterfall.
A good option in Ketchikan is the lumberjack show, which illustrates logging history with axe-throwing, tree-climbing and log-rolling events. Ketchikan is the Salmon Capital of the World, so you could spend the morning fishing, followed by a gourmet lunch of your catch prepared especially for your group on a deserted island outpost.
Skagway visitors can tour the pristine Yukon wilderness with a great view of Davidson Glacier and visit the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Visitor Center, a museum that tells the story of prospectors who flocked to Canada and Alaska seeking their fortune.