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Continued from Cruised: Alaska on the Norwegian Jewel (1/3)
Day 3 Ketchikan
After being on the open ocean for a day, it felt a little funny to go to sleep seeing water and then wake up in port the next morning, but that is the beauty of cruising! I didn’t want to waste any time and wasn’t very hungry, so after I was ready to go I skipped breakfast and got off of the ship right away. I was able to get a better appreciation for the size and beauty of the Jewel from the dock here than I had been able to see in Vancouver. The artwork on the ship is by the London firm SMC Design and I thought it was cute and colorful.
Norwegian docks in Ward Cove, which is 7 miles from Ketchikan, and is located in the historic Ketchikan Pulp Mill. The factory where bales of pulp were once rolled and sorted now serves as the Welcome Center. Inside, there is a theater and museum, activities like ax throwing and gold panning, a restaurant, and a retail shop. You can meet up with shore excursion guides, or take the free shuttle bus into town.
I went directly to the shuttle bus pickup, and I did not have to wait long at all before I was able to board the first double-decker bus I had ever been on. Of course, I opted to sit on the upper level so I could maximize the experience, and it was a lovely short drive into town. The driver was entertaining and engaged the passengers with Alaskan-themed music trivia as he safely brought us to the drop-off location in the parking lot near Berth 4 in Ketchikan. There were other ships in port that day from Royal Caribbean and Princess that were docked along the street. There is a free shuttle bus that you can take from Berth 4 and go further downtown, but I opted to walk instead of waiting for it to arrive.
Across the street from the drop off, is a popular little shop called Jellyfish Donuts, so I popped in for a look. The donut flavors sounded amazing, with classic flavors, specialty ones, and even savory options. I saw salmon on the menu! Unfortunately, I still wasn’t hungry yet, but I was grateful to buy a bottle of water from them and will be sure to return for a taste on my next cruise in May 2024.
The walk along Water Street in "Alaska's First City" was certainly interesting and dotted with souvenir shops, restaurants, and unique bars along the way. I stopped in several and did some shopping. My son had requested an authentic Ulu knife and I found him one made with an elk antler handle and base. I had to check the knife with security upon boarding later that afternoon so they would hold it for me until the end of the cruise. Overall, Ketchikan is a cute place and the weather was beautiful that day, which was lucky since it is known to be very wet. Usually in September, it is more likely to rain than not, and once you consider that Ketchikan is nestled in a rainforest, that makes a lot of sense.
I continued walking along the water only to find myself standing in front of the biggest attraction in the entire state, and since the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show was on my list of things I wanted to do and the show started in just 10 minutes, I didn’t hesitate to get a ticket for myself. Now, it is true that there was a lumberjack standing outside who was nice enough to pose for a picture for me, and I'll admit that he did not have to twist my arm to get me to stay. Just saying.
The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show was so much fun! Our host that day was “Lasagna Joe” and he did a great job as he divided the audience into two sections and encouraged us to cheer for the athletes that were also split into either Team Canada or Team America. I was on Team Canada!
The impressive lumberjacks showed off their skills while the audience cheered (or booed) them on, all the while teaching about the different types of cutting techniques and their applications. There was a great amount of history and an abundance of puns and jokes. It was really fun to be cheesy and laugh along! The men chopped, sawed, climbed, and raced all around, but my favorite part was the water log rolling. The show was very family-friendly and entertaining, so I would recommend it to everyone.
After the show, I was ready for some lunch. I found a nice spot called The Krabby Crab Shack and was seated quickly. I opted for the King crab leg served with corn and drawn butter and a bowl of clam chowder. There are five types of King crab and I believe I was served the Golden King crab because they canceled the Red King crab season. Nevertheless, the crab was salty and firm and I was glad I tried it when I had the opportunity. The corn was typical corn, but the chowder hit the spot and was my favorite part. Overall, I was satisfied with my meal.
I didn’t want to be late to the ship, so although I wanted to go to Creek Street, I decided to save it for next time and get going since I wasn’t sure how long the shuttle back might take. I enjoyed seeing the pretty stained glass signs along the water on the way to the pickup location and caught the shuttle back to Ward Cove and the Jewel.
I ended up in the buffet that night for dinner and they had a big Alaskan-themed cake to celebrate our arrival. I enjoyed the evening with fellow solo passengers hanging out and wandering around the different bars and lounges of the ship. It was a wonderful day and a pleasure to see Alaska for the first time!
Day 4 Juneau
When I was a kid in school, my teacher asked us, “Juneau the capital of Alaska?” as a fun way to memorize the state capitals, and I have always remembered that to this day. I was excited to be seeing Juneau for myself, and although the morning was a rainy one, I grabbed my hooded jacket and wasn’t about to let it ruin my day.
The ship was docked right in town this time, so I walked along the sidewalk to see what there was to see. Walking down the main street I recognized the Red Dog Saloon, although I did not get a famous "Duck Fart" shot this time. I tried ordering one at another less crowded place, but they were out of Crown Royal. Oh well, maybe next time.
One thing that surprised me about Juneau was that almost all the shops going down the street were jewelry stores. I am honestly not exaggerating about the number of jewelry stores that are there, and I counted on Google over 25 stores in less than a quarter mile of road. So, if you are interested in getting some jewels when you cruise on the Jewel, now you know where to go.
I didn’t walk the entire way through the city, but stopped and bought a souvenir shirt and then turned around and went back towards the Goldbelt Tram. As part of Norwegian’s Free at Sea promotion, I was able to get a free ticket to ride the Goldbelt Tram as many times as I wanted throughout the day, but one time was enough for me. I am not a huge fan of heights but I love a great view, so it was exhilarating enough to go once.
The ascent up was neat and I enjoyed the trees and foliage. At the top is a platform where you can look out over the city and a nature trail. I walked around a bit, but it was pretty muddy so I didn’t go all the way down the trail. Instead, I rode the tram back down because I had a stop in mind that was on my must-try list.
If you know me, you know that I LOVE food, so it’s no surprise that world-famous Tracy’s King Crab Shack was on my radar. I have heard it can get super crowded, and it was packed that day, but there was no line when I walked up. Lucky me! You order at the counter and they take your name, and only then do you find a place to sit. They have a system that works well when people follow it. The tables are picnic style so you just sit where you can find a seat and will most likely be sitting with people you don’t know. It was lovely to meet a nice couple from New Zealand while I enjoyed my meal, and I sure did enjoy it! Sweet Dungeness crab, crispy mini crab cakes, soft rolls, and a rich crab bisque that was beyond delicious! Best meal of my trip! My only regret is that I couldn’t finish it all because the portion was huge.
The rest of my evening on the ship was great. I found my solo buddy group and we had a blast. The show that night ended up being my favorite performance of the trip and I was truly in awe of the Duo Sweet Serendipity act. So much so, that I went to the early and late showing! Then more karaoke, more conversation and just a little late-night shameless dancing by myself in the Spinnaker Lounge. It was a fantastic day!
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