A queer family cruises through Alaska

Hitting all 50 states has been a longtime goal of mine, and I had hoped to finally check off Alaska before my 50th birthday. COVID got in the way of that, and I had to push the achievement back a bit, but this summer, my husband and I decided to finally visit Alaska on a cruise with our adult sons — 18 and 24 —so we could experience this land of extremes as a family.

Cruising seemed to be the best way to see Alaska for the first time, as so many of the cities are only accessible by air or sea. I’d been on a Celebrity Cruise once previously, and the excellent cuisine on board, as well as the size of the ship and the amenities, were something I wanted my guys to experience.

So, we booked a seven-night cruise on the Celebrity Edge, round-trip out of Seattle. We’d visit Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, as well as Victoria, British Columbia, and some scenic cruising to the Dawes Glacier through the fjord-like Endicott Arm.

Related

Experts reveal the secrets to saving money when booking a cruise
Saving money on a cruise both an art and a science. You definitely have to be a careful, knowledgeable shopper.

Pack your bags, we’re going on an adventure

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for the best LGBTQ+ travel guides, stories, and more.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

The Edge, launched in 2018, is the first ship (and namesake) in the Edge Series of ships. This class of ships is easily recognizable by the Flying Carpet, a bright orange-trimmed bar/restaurant perched off the ship’s starboard side. It actually moves up and down across 13 stories, so you might be having a drink on deck five or later, dinner on deck 14, depending on its position. The effect is mesmerizing, as you seemingly hang out over the sea, with glass sides allowing for amazing views.

Celebrity features four standard restaurants: Cosmopolitan Restaurant for American cuisine, Cyprus for Mediterranean, Normandie for French, and Tuscan for Italian. There are also some restaurants with an upcharge, including Eden and Fine Cut Steakhouse. But our favorite was Luminae at the Retreat, an exclusive restaurant for Suite Class guests. In fact, The Retreat is well worth the upgrade, as we also had access to an exclusive lounge and pool area. Think of an airline’s club lounge, but on steroids. The effect was that we had all the amenities of a larger ship but could also retreat — pun intended — to our private lounge whenever we desired a quieter pace.

The ship organized LGBTQ+ meetups on nights one, two, and six of our cruise. We went to the second and found ourselves the only attendees there! That said, we met a handful of queer couples on board and always felt welcomed everywhere we went. No one batted an eye at the fact that we were a gay (and interracial) couple or that we had kids. We’ve experienced the gamut, traveling as a family over the years, so it was wonderful to simply be treated as totally normal.

Edge has a massive fitness facility with every type of exercise and cardio machine you can imagine, along with extensive free weights. We worked out almost every day to burn off the desserts and cocktails from the night before. And the large theater aboard hosted a full calendar of Broadway-type shows, as well as comedy nights and naturalist talks on glaciers, whales, and wildlife.

One highlight was the scenic cruising through the Endicott Arm, which happened very early one morning. I had seen it in the itinerary but wasn’t sure what to expect. We arose before 6 a.m. to make our way outside to witness breathtaking mountains on either side of this narrow passageway, the water littered with large chunks of ice. Eventually, the ship reached the end of this watery cul-de-sac, the impressive Dawes Glacier at its end. Passengers lined the decks, watching and waiting for the ice to calve. Our captain maneuvered the Edge, so it slowly rotated several times, allowing passengers on each part of the ship a prime view.

Excursions bring adventure

We’ve previously used Viator for tours in Spain, so in Ketchikan, we tried them out for an electric bike excursion combined with a rainforest hike — and loved the result. We were met by a shuttle-van driver as soon as we got off the boat, and he drove us about 20 minutes to a bike and kayak center, where we met our guides. They gave us instructions on the bikes and described the five-mile ride we’d be taking to a trailhead. The kids loved that we were able to go at our own pace — and of course raced ahead!

The rainforest hike was really enjoyable, and the guides were a delight, seemingly experts in everything from trees to salmon to climate. We learned so much! We also did some beach-combing in the middle of the hike at a secluded shoreline, finding crabs, sea stars, and urchins. And while we were a couple of weeks too early for the salmon run there, it was fascinating to hear about their life cycles and how different areas of Alaska — and different species — had different spawning dates.

Whales are a must-see when in Alaska, so we also booked a whale-watching cruise in Juneau through Shore Excursions Group, which specializes in cruise excursions from Africa to the Caribbean to New Zealand. (You can search by location or simply enter your specific cruise line and dates to find available options. I found their site simple to use and thoughtfully designed.)

Once off the boat in Juneau, we walked the 10 minutes into town — they provided a free shuttle, but we were basking in the nearly 80-degree weather, an unexpected surprise! There, we met our shuttle bus driver, who was one of the highlights of the whole trip. He regaled us with local tidbits, such as eagles being so plentiful as to be called “Juneau pigeons,” and pointed out views well before we were upon them to give us time to prepare our cameras. He even stopped at a salmon hatchery and a humpback whale statue, things that were not on the itinerary, but appreciated.

Our boat was called the Raven’s Journey, and it comfortably fit our couple of dozen tourists. There was a covered seating area, as well as areas in the aft and stern where we could stand outside to watch for whales. Our naturalist, Derek, helped explain the humpback’s migratory patterns and behaviors. Everyone took part in sightings, and the captain would expertly guide the ship closer (but not too close) to the last sighting. Once a humpback dives, it stays submerged for 5-7 minutes, so we were glancing at our watches often, looking for the next appearance.

The weather throughout the trip was delightful, mostly in the low 70s, with sunshine many days. And Alaska was memorable, with impressive mountains stretching in every direction and charming port towns. Although the state was my last one to experience, this certainly won’t be my last visit there.

I’m already thinking about our next Alaskan adventure… maybe next summer?

Related

Unleash your wild side: An Anchorage adventure with bears, brews & biking
Into bears? Like the kind that live in the wild and not the bar? Head to Anchorage, Alaska, and beyond for the ultimate outdoor adventure.

Join the GayCities newsletter for weekly updates on the best LGBTQ+ destinations and events—nearby and around the world.