Alaska Cruise - Day 5 - Skagway

In Skagway, several of our group did an independent shore excursion with the Husky Sled rides. Holland America offers the same tour in Juneau, but we had other plans in Juneau so we found a vendor that provided a similar tour to the one in Juneau, but was an hour longer and for the same price. i didn't go on the tour but heard it was well received.

I took our youngest and walked into town with another member of our group to go to SE Alaska's greatest playground - I think I can boast that after seeing playgrounds in Juneau and Ketchikan. The Mollie Walsh Park and playground on 6th Ave, just east of Broadway has a whimsical forest theme as well as soft recycled tire bits for a ground cover. This just makes kids bounce up much quicker when they fall, but a lot less tears. There are also very nice restrooms next to the playground.

A few blocks south is the Skagway Brewing Company who's claim to fame is Spruce Tip Blonde. Don't expect a life changing experirence, the beer is good but not leaps and bounds better than most other blondes I have come across. The brewery is in a very large building and has a good sized beer and food menu, game room, and outdoor patio (didn't make it to that). Service is good and overall its a busy place. They know their summertime clientele comes in the form of tourists from outside Skagway. I would have liked to check out Klondike brewing company but never made it over there so I'll save for the next Alaska trip.

After finishing up our beer tasting, we met up with the rest of the group and walked back to the ship. Being the last ship in port that morning, we were the first one out and the view was impressive leaving Skagway especially from the aft decks of the Amsterdam and the dining room. I had forgot just how spectacular the scenery is on this leg of the 7 day RT Seattle Alaska itinerary, and what Skagway may fall short in culture compared to Sitka, it makes up for sheer scenery. In the past, I have hike to Lower and Upper Dewey Lake in Skagway which are spectacular, yet difficult hikes, but with the weather being threataning rain I didn' attempt that today. The sailway more than made up for it however and I'll be sure make it a priority to park my self on the aft decks next time I sail from Skagway.

A few thoughts about the ship.  For being nearly 20 years old, this is a very well taken care of ship and the crew takes a tremndous amount of pride in that fact.

• The tile grout in the bathroom is nearly immaculate
• Public bathrooms are large and kept clean, and are some of the most luxurious I have seen on a mainstream cruise ship.
• They vacuum the ceiling "carpet" - no joke.
• The deck chairs on the lower promenade deck are older wooden ones with metal fixtures - we didn't come across one that wasn't in good working order or had broken slats. I'm sure they get replaced from time to time, but you couldn't tell.
• Finding rust spots bigger than a coin is nearly impossible, and those spots we could find are isolated.

So I've got some pictures below, but I also found a very old Holland America travel video that, while dated, I think accurtely describes just how special the Amsterdam is - and how it was designed for passengers looking for a "more".