As usual when we are on a roadtrip, I am about a week behind on posts. We are currently exploring the Kenai Peninsula in our camper-van, but this is about last week's journey to get from the "lower 48" to Alaska. We traveled on the Kennicott, part of the State's Ferry System.
We loved this way to travel. The spectacular views along the Inside Passage (from Bellingham Washington to Whittier Alaska) were the best part of the journey. We had short amounts of time to spend off the boat at each port of call (just while the crew unloaded and loaded cars and passengers).
We also quite enjoyed just being on the ship. This kind of travel is casual and laid back … perfect for us. Lots of sunny lounges with lovely windows for the view (or to read … some people played cards or did puzzles). There's a walk deck all around the ship as well, with a couple of quieter reading lounges on the upper decks too.
The food on board was good, with way more fresh fruit and vegetables than we expected. Lots of fish, salad bar, soups. The cost of meals is not included in the fare (it's a ferry boat, not a cruise ship) and this actually suited us fine because we could choose what we wanted without the niggling feeling of not getting one's money's worth because everybody else is eating more. A small bar/cocktail lounge was next to the dining room — no liquor was allowed anywhere else on the ship, including in the dining area.
Sleeping arrangements on the ferry were adequate, not luxurious. You are not allowed to sleep in or use your RV or vehicle, but there are two or three time each day when you can go below for fifteen minutes if you need to get something out of it. We had a stateroom with our own (small) bathroom. I appreciated having our own temperature control. Some people just camp out on the upper deck, in tents or they sleep on lounge chairs or the floor (as if they were on a Greyhound bus or a train).
We had less than an hour in the remote fishing village of Yakutat, but were able to climb up a small hill to buy a latte from a shop that pretty much relies on twice weekly ferry visits for income. We also found a (rare) sandy beach. We wished we'd had more time here.
Shortly after we left port, our Captain took a bit of a detour in order to move close to a glacier and ice field near Mt St Elias. A scenic highlight in a trip filled with wonderful scenery!
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