Report from Alaska

I (Rachel) was lucky enough to go on a mind-bending cruise to Alaska earlier this month with my good friend and travel partner, Michelle.

Itinerary: Anchorage to Vancouver - 7 nights, about 800 passengers.

Cruise Line: Regent

Following are some of the more design-related photos and thoughts from this fabulous trip. Stop by or drop a note if you’d like more details.

We flew PWM to Minneapolis, then Minneapolis to Anchorage (6+ hours). This was the view out the plane window when I opened it upon descending into Anchorage. We both gasped! And, this was about 10pm local time - sun won’t set until 11:45.

Our first and second nights were outside Anchorage, at the Alyeska resort. Beautiful, sprawling resort with a tram that went up to the top of the mountain, an unbelievable hydrotherapy spa, and a very international crowd.

The scale of everything was massive – the mountains, the bays, the hotel rooms, everything. It truly felt like a world away.

Rachel and Michelle

We boarded the ship in Whittier (everyone must go through a one-way tunnel to get in or out! the whole town lives in one single apartment building!). On the way there we stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center where we got to see a whole bunch of big Alaskan wildlife. It was thrilling and unbelievable and allowed us to feel like we “bagged” a ton of wildlife on Day 2, although with an asterisk as they were not in the wild. We learned so much from our driver who was also a naturalist tour guide.

The boat - Seven Seas Explorer - was super luxe. I only have one other cruise to compare this to, but overall felt there was so much more room on board: you could get a table at pretty much any buffet or restaurant or beside the pool whenever you wanted; you could jump on the pickle ball court, or mini-golf or into one of many hot tubs without worrying about people waiting…. So fun – you’re never hungry or thirsty or cold or hot or annoyed. And the views on both sides!

Decor on the boat was quite tasteful and definitely interesting. It’s all sort of over-the-top, but why shouldn’t it be? It’s a freakin’ ocean liner!  The on-board restaurants were all regal and nicely appointed. For sure every single tiny detail had been thoroughly thought through and it showed.

I had zero complaints about my stateroom, honestly felt like I was some kind of queen. The sliders to the balcony were dressed with a double treatment on ceiling-mount tracks:  sheers on the inside for daytime privacy, then super heavy drapes on the outside which were essential thanks to the midnight sun (so strange!). I swear every single time I opened those drapes I gasped at what was out MY window.  

Service throughout the boat was exceptional. Note the box at the end of the bed — that’s my valet laundry, returned in less than 24 hours, folded and tissue- papered!