Taking a grandchild on an Alaska adventure
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
- Mark Twain
HUBBARD GLACIER, ALASKA - As the ship glided along Yakutat Bay, passengers huddled on deck, marveling at the majestic walls of crystalline-blue ice that engulfed us, dwarfing our ship.
"Grandma, I can't see," Brandon said. "My eyelashes keep getting in the way of these binoculars."
Before my wife, Jill, could react, our attention was diverted to a deep, rumbling roar emanating from an eerie ice formation cantilevered atop one of the lofty peaks. The sound intensified, followed by creaking strains of cracking ice. Suddenly, a thunderous explosion brought a massive 40-story-tall mound of ice crashing into the bay. The spectacle rendered all of us momentarily mute, even 10-year-old chatterbox Brandon.
Filtered through the curious eyes and emotions of a young boy, the panoramic display was but one of a series of thrills the three of us shared on our first trip together: a weeklong adventure through Alaska's Inside Passage aboard Holland America's Oosterdam.
Leaving his family behind in Gilbert, Ariz., Brandon joined us with high expectations, and a little apprehension. He returned with a treasure trove of memories. Logged along the way were tidbits of learning spotlighting geology, glaciology and local lore not gleaned from school books or the Internet, but experienced firsthand with all the fascination and wonder only nature in real time can provide.
"Disney World," I remarked to Jill, "will never be the same."
Gateway to Alaska
Our grand odyssey started in Seattle, a major gateway for cruise ships to Alaska. Though draped in an early morning fog, "the Emerald City" glistened. Despite Seattle's great expanse, we managed to squeeze in a variety of kid-friendly and adult attractions during our brief pre-cruise visit.
The landmark, 100-year-old Pike Place Market provided a kaleidoscope of vibrant sights and sounds with its flower displays, fruit and vegetable stands and a lively fish market. It was here an agreeable Brandon found himself the center of attention in an impromptu flying fish show pitched by talented fishmongers, to the delight of a gathering crowd.
Catching the nearby monorail, we shuttled to Seattle Center and the Space Needle, the 605-foot-high, tripod-shaped centerpiece of the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. Ignoring the siren call of his Play Station Portable for a record-breaking 29.5 hours since leaving home, Brandon finally succumbed during our long wait for the elevator.
All aboard
Sporting a classic V-shaped bow and marine-blue hull, the 82,000-ton Oosterdam gleamed in the late afternoon sun. Brandon scurried up the gangplank, leading the way.
The Oosterdam's signature Waterford crystal globe suspended in a three-story atrium-lobby replete with marble, brass and inlaid woods, created a warm welcome for the 1,848 passengers. Inside our spacious stateroom, Brandon performed a full inspection. He checked out the balcony and furnishings, bounced on the beds, even looked over the bathroom amenities.
The next morning after breakfast together in the Lido Grill, soon to become Brandon's favorite eating place, he took off on his own for Club HAL, Holland America's well-run children's program. Age-appropriate games, crafts, parties, on-deck sports events and cooking classes for pint-size chefs kept Brandon and his newfound 'tween friends (ages 8 to 12) actively engaged during at-sea days and pre- and post-visits ashore.
The state capital and frontier town of Juneau, Alaska, is a land of abundant breathing space under wide-open skies. On the Mount Roberts Tramway, one of the city's top attractions, we ascended 1,800 feet to the observation station where sweeping views of the Douglas and Admiralty Islands, Gastineau Channel and surrounding mountains offered visual understanding of the area's engrossing glacial history.
Juneau was also the site of Alaska's first big gold strike in 1880. Now it was our turn.
Dressed head to toe in rain gear against a steady downpour, looking like a couple of old-time prospectors, Brandon and I sloshed alongside Juneau's Gold Creek seeking the elusive treasure. Dipping our pans in murky water, we separated golden specks from mud and gravel. Best of all, we got to keep all the gold we found. Though not enough to cover even a meager tip for our guide, it provided priceless memories we'll both cherish for a lifetime.
Showtime on board
That evening at dinner, Brandon recounted the day's adventures to our Indonesian serving staff, who buzzed about him at mealtimes like bees around a honey pot. Waiters Asep and Koko, and head waiter Yono, all eager to answer Brandon's questions about their native culture, taught him practical Indonesian phrases he then used to address them each day: apa kabar ("How are you?"), kabar baile ("I'm fine"), terima kasih ("Thank you") and kembali ("You're welcome"). The dining room manager, Agus, also took a special shine to his young guest, inviting Brandon to participate in the Indonesian Crew Show the next night.
When his "American Idol" moment arrived, Brandon hopped on stage and, like an old pro, played the Angklung, a bamboo rattle-like instrument. He later recorded the experience as another high note of our voyage on a postcard back home:
Dear Mom and Dad:
Last night I was in the Indonesian show.
I got to play an instrument.
Also, we struck GOLD!!!
Love, Brandon
Finishing the Passage
A shaft of sunlight broke through the scattered clouds to greet our arrival at Sitka. After meeting our guide, Dave, I remarked, "Sunshine, at last."
"Not so fast," said Dave. "Here, we call it the 'sucker hole.' Five minutes from now it could be raining cats and dogs." But it turned out to be a perfect blue-sky day.
With a population of 9,000 hearty souls and situated along the outer coast of the Inside Passage, Sitka is accessible only by sea or air. At the town's Alaska Raptor Center, a full-service avian hospital, Brandon met Volta, one of the facility's resident bald eagles and star of the center's educational show. "Awesome," said Brandon. "Can Volta come visit my school?"
As we strolled through Sitka National Historical Park, known by the locals as "Totem Park," Brandon clicked away with his pocket-size digital camera, not the least bit daunted by the totem's massive height. "I wonder how they get these things to stand up?" he puzzled.
Against a backdrop of deep green giant cedars, Dave recounted some of the area's colorful history.
Established in 1910, the park commemorates the Battle of Sitka, fought between the area's Russian occupants and the native Tlingit Indian clans. The victorious Russian community was dissolved in 1867 when Czar Alexander II sold Russian America to the U.S. Later, back on board ship, Brandon recounted Dave's narrative about the conflict in infinite detail.
Despite a foggy mist, the rugged island town of Ketchikan gave us a warm, plaid-shirt welcome as big and natural as all outdoors. The hit of the day: the "Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show" featuring world-champion lumberjacks in fast-action, competitive speed-tree-climbing, chopping, log rolling and other daring feats.
On our flight back to Arizona, we asked Brandon what he liked best about the trip.
First on his top 10 list: "Club HAL and meeting new friends." Also making the list were the Indonesian people and their language and seeing a black bear for the first time. And gratifying for us: Being with Grandpa and Grandma. But No. 10 summed it up for all three of us: Having fun.
Jill and I came away with a new appreciation for why travel with grandchildren - especially for long-distance grandparents like us - is a trend that's growing nearly as fast as the little weeds themselves. And why one of the most popular choices is an Alaska cruise, with its endless array of onboard and onshore activities, balanced with plenty of solo time for kids to spread their wings while Grandpa and Grandma chill out in their deck chairs.
Jack and Jill McGuire reside in Wheaton.
Multi-generation Alaska cruise
Go: For a unique opportunity to share nature's wonders with your grandchildren
No: If you prefer the firm footing of a more traditional resort setting with the kids
Need to know: Cruise Line International Association, www.cruising.org
Tips for a grand cruise:
First, get an OK from your grandchild's parents. Agree on travel dates, trip length and destinations. Alaska, Hawaii and the Caribbean are kid favorites. And a seven-day sailing is ideal for first-timers.
Obtain a signed, notarized consent form from parents, authorizing you to travel with and make medical decisions for your grandchild. Bring along a copy of the child's insurance card.
You and you grandchild might need a passport. Check with the cruise line to make sure you have the appropriate travel documents for the ports of call on your itinerary.
Check out the ship's children's program and make sure it's in full swing on the dates you plan to sail.
Kids can get bored by long bus rides and lots of sightseeing. Avoid both when selecting shore excursions.
Establish ground rules for shipboard behavior, but be flexible. It's a vacation, not boot camp.
Bring a list of names and addresses so the kids can send postcards to friends and family back home or in other states.
Have your grandchild keep a journal.
Take plenty of pictures and collect tons of memorabilia for that Memory Book.
Choosing a cruise: Cruise ships of every description ply the waters of Alaska - large, midsized and small - departing from ports of call including Seattle, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, in a variety of lengths, itineraries and price categories. Be sure to ask about reduced third and fourth fares for guests sharing a stateroom.
Holland America: (877) 724-5425, 512340Nature enthusiasts explore Mount Roberts' well-marked trails with interpretive signs along the way.Courtesy of Jill McGuire and Brandon Yamamoto 512340The Oosterdam sits in Sitka Sound in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Edgecumbe.Courtesy of Jill McGuire and Brandon Yamamoto 512340The lighthouse in Sitka Sound and the breathtaking wilderness of Tongass National Forest can be seen from the sea.Courtesy of Jill McGuire and Brandon Yamamoto 512340A grand cruise to Alaska is 10-year-old Brandon's dream come true.Courtesy of Jill McGuire and Brandon Yamamoto 512340Passengers line the decks for a bird's-eye view of Hubbard Glacier's six-mile-wide calving face.Courtesy of Jill McGuire and Brandon Yamamoto 340512"How do they get these things to stand up, anyway?" Brandon puzzled.Courtesy of Jill McGuire and Brandon Yamamoto