UnCruising and Unwinding in Alaska
By Jennifer Merrick, worldtraveler.travel
The stress of selling our home had taken its toll. Bags appeared on top of bags under our eyes from the preparation, staging, showings, open houses and uncertainty. Sleepless nights were the norm as we feverishly wished for somebody, anybody, to buy our home. But finally, it sold.
Three days after the successful sale, still shell-shocked, we flew to Juneau, Alaska, to embark on an UnCruise. This Seattle-based company differentiates itself from other cruise lines with its small ships (its biggest vessel has a maximum passenger capacity of 90), inclusive expedition-styled itineraries and its focus on nature, wildlife and culture.
Our ship, the aptly named Wilderness Explorer, sailed a section of Alaska’s Inside Passage, a route that weaved through countless islands along the Pacific coast. We boarded tense and tired, and disembarked, seven days later, relaxed and filled with awe by the expansiveness and staggering beauty of the Alaskan landscape.