Hotmail
Dutch treat for teens in Alaska
The Greenhouse Spa and Salon offers an abundant menu of spa treatments along with an appealing hydrotherapy pool and lounge area; it’s a perfect place to de-stress from a day of hard of Alaskan sightseeing with the family. Those wishing to keep fit will appreciate the well-equipped gym and exercise classes. Athletic teens are welcome to use the equipment; however, a parent must accompany them.
Heading to the outside decks, the mid-ship pool area on the Lido deck offers a retractable roof, a great option when sailing Alaska’s cool climate. For guests wanting to get in touch with their inner polar bear there is an additional pool at the stern, where the pool and deck chairs are privy to the open sea and the ship’s wake.
Club HAL offers bright play areas for kids ages 3 to 12 with dedicated youth coordinators that run full days of events for each age group. Teens like to be with their own kind so Holland America created The Loft area. Akin to an artist’s loft in New York City with a comfy living-room setting it comes equipped with TV, video games, dance floor, juice bar, jukebox and karaoke, along with computers that have Internet access. Typical activities throughout a cruise may include a special dinner in the main dining room, a free night in the video arcade, attending a show, movie or dancing in the disco.
Excursions without the bore
Teens have a low threshold for boredom so it’s important to find excursions that are high energy. When planning the Alaska excursions I let my daughters pick the tours – it was the smartest thing I could have done.
In Sitka we kayaked along the shore while bald eagles rode the winds above and sea lions popped their heads quizzically out of the water. In Victoria we took an evening Orca whale watch tour where we watched several pods of whales feed on salmon. As great as those tours were, two flightseeing tours ended up being the most memorable.
 |
Anita Dunham-Potter Kayaking in Sitka, Alaska |
In Juneau the kids chose the Taku Lodge floatplane tour. The historic lodge originated as a hunting and fishing camp in 1923. The three-hour tour included 50 minutes of flying time that included amazing views of five glaciers and a salmon bake at the lodge. During our lodge tour we had the added bonus of a lengthy visit by three black bears who came to lick the grill after the salmon bake.
Another highlight was the flight tour of Misty Fjords National Monument from Ketchikan. This 2.3 million-acre area is home to some of Alaska’s most dramatic scenery with sheer granite cliffs, waterfalls, river valleys and lakes. The 90-minute flight buzzed around the mountains and fjords and landed in a gorgeous lake where we stepped out onto the pontoons to take in the sights and smells of this gorgeous place.
Months after the cruise my teens are still talking about their Alaska experience. Getting close to the whales, bald eagles, bears, and majestic glaciers was an amazing family experience. Add to that the convenience of doing it all from a cruise ship, which afforded great amenities along with activities that forged new friendships. The cruise may be over but the memories will linger on.
Sound off! Do you have a comment, an idea, a complaint or a problem for Anita to solve? Send her an e-mail and you might find yourself in her next column. And check out her blog, ExpertCruiser.com.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM CRUISING |
 Cruising Section Front |
| Add Cruising headlines to your news reader: |
Resource guide