We took a Princess cruise and land tour several years ago. It was wonderful. We got a room with a balcony on the top deck so we could sit out there and look at all the sights without standing on deck being cold. We went in early May and the weather was not all that bad.....in fact, no mosquitos and very little rain. It was great to wrap up in blankets and call room service for coffee. We loved staying at one of the Princess Hotels in Denali and took the bus trip. Excellent! The train ride to Denali was OK but we took the bus back to Anchorage and enjoyed it much more. Our very favorite side trip was outside Skagway on the bus tour to the Yukon. There was also a train trip but the bus ride was a great experience. We got to stop along the way if there was something interesting to see.....like a big wolf near the side of the road. The guide was really a lot of fun and knew the history of the Yukon gold rush. We also stopped for lunch at a museum/gift shop. I bought the book Alaska by James Michener there and re read it. I would suggest you read it on your trip. We opted not to have scheduled meal times and that worked out very well. We met some people who were from a tiny town here in California where my maternal grandmother was born. Small world. We took the trip to Mendenhall Glacier outside of Juneau. Take lots of pictures and keep a journal so you can share your experiences with us when you return. Have a wonderful trip!

Sabbath, our overnight ferry was Silja Lines. My recollection was that it was nice. I would think that Viking ought to be very nice! Here are the things that I remember: It was mid-July and it never really got dark. At one point in the later part of the evening, we could see the sun nearly setting on one side of the ship and the moon rising on the other side. It was mid-July and it was cold! DH and I thought it would be great to have coffee on the deck before breakfast. We opened the door, got slammed by a cold wind, and went back inside. The speed of the ship combined with the water temperature made it very chilly. It was a smooth trip. Although you cross the Baltic Sea, you are never really out in wide-open water like the Atlantic or Pacific. I had no trouble sleeping. The funniest part of that trip, which has no bearing on your trip, was my daughter hitting DH up for money for the video machines. We were at dinner. She finished and wanted to go play the video machines. DH would give her a bit of money and soon she’d be back for more. He’d give her a little more. This went on for a while until she turned up with money to give him! Unbeknownst to us, she was playing the slot machines and finally hit a small winner! She was 11! Bon Voyage!

Oh yes, the towel animals were one of the best parts of our cruise too! Our cabin steward, Alf, left one every night after turning down our bed and tidying up. I put them on our window sill where I had a zoo going and Alf would leave them there until there were too many to fit and then he'd take them away. I was very disappointed that Alf didn't leave a towel animal on the last night of our cruise. About an hour later, hubby pointed at one of the upper cabinets and said, "Look!" I couldn't believe that it took so long for one of us to notice it!

Our next port of call is Lahaina on the island of Maui. Arrival was at 8:00 and we were due to sail away at 6:00. Lahaina does not have a pier for cruise ships, the ships tenders are used to shuttle passengers back and forth. There were many people on our ship who used walkers and those folks managed to get ashore without too much of a problem. However, those in battery operated scooters just would not be able to make it. Rather than just turn loose all those who want to go ashore, there are tickets given out shortly after dropping anchor. The numbers on those tickets will determine when you go ashore. They also are working with passengers who have paid the ship for an official excursion (tour) and those get priority. Once again we rented a car. I headed for the small town of Makawao using as many side roads as possible. We went to Maui Hands, where we, once again, spent money. We ventured into a couple of other stores that offered art from local folks. Then, again, using side roads, we headed to the famed Hana Highway. We did not go to Hana, but aimed back toward the small town of Paia, where we went to the Maui Crafts Guild store. More local art. Lunch was at Thai Spice there in town. However, if you ever get to Paia, you must consider the Paia Fish Market restaurant! Communal dining with fresh, fresh fish! We took our time driving back to Lahaina to return the car. Free shuttle back to the ship was convenient. If you are ever on Maui, consider going to their aquarium, the Maui Ocean Center. A great place with two restaurants. Also on Maui is the shield volcano, Haleakala, a long drive away, but wonderful views and some good hiking to the top. That is a US National Park and some folks like to get there for sunrise (reservations recommended for that). There are some great stores in Lahaina, so if shopping is your thing, spend your money there. Back on the ship, Adagio performed in the Explorers Lounge (always called Adagio with different violist/pianist). The Ocean Quarter had the evening off, but Johnny held forth in the piano bar. The Lion King was shown a couple of times in the theater. In the Mainstage, Hyperion Knight (billed as a virtuoso pianist) had shows at 7:30 and 9:30. Since there was no live music in the Ocean Bar, at 8:30 and fun time was with Majority Rules Game, what a blast that one is. There were promotions throughout the ship for Rudi’s Sel de Mer dinner. Very French, with a menu of mostly fresh fish, inspired by Master Chef Rudi Sodamin. This is in the Pinnacle Grill and there is a $49 charge for this special event. Reservations required.