Alaska 2026

The Kaufman Family Adventure

Eddie and Danielle

July 13-20, 2026

MSC Poesia

Seattle → Ketchikan → Icy Strait Point → Tracy Arm → Juneau → Victoria → Seattle

Flights

Alaska Airlines · Confirmation on file
Outbound — Mon, July 13

AS 495 · Boeing 737-900

SAT 7:00 AM → SEA 9:26 AM

San Antonio → Seattle

Danielle + Tony: 6D · Eddie: 6E (Premium)

Return — Mon, July 20

AS 494 · Boeing 737-900

SEA 12:29 PM → SAT 6:38 PM

Seattle → San Antonio

Danielle + Tony: 6B · Eddie: 6C (Premium)

$883.16 · Alaska Airlines Visa ****1689

Day 1: Seattle

Monday, July 13 · Depart 4:00 PM

Board the ship, find our cabin, explore the MSC Poesia. Sail away dinner as we head north through Puget Sound.

Day 2: At Sea

Tuesday, July 14 · Full day cruising

First sea day. Get Tony registered at the kids club, explore the ship, find our favorite spots. Watch for the Alaska coastline appearing on the horizon.

Day 3: Ketchikan

Wednesday, July 15 · ~6 hours in port
"Salmon Capital of the World" — Totem poles, Creek Street boardwalk, lush rainforest. First port of call and our first taste of Alaska.
✓ BOOKED — Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show

1.5 hours · All 3 of us · $45/person · Code: KET02

Couples Excursions

Misty Fjords Floatplane (no landing) Kawanti/SeaWind · seawindaviation.com
$309-359/person
1 hour
Misty Fjords Floatplane (with water landing) SeaWind Aviation · seawindaviation.com
$389/person
1.5 hours
Bear Viewing Floatplane — Traitor's Cove SeaWind Aviation · seawindaviation.com
$489/person
3 hours

Family Options

Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary Nature walk, totem carving, possible wildlife
2.5 hours

Bars & Eats

Arctic Bar
Ketchikan's oldest bar (1937). Through the tunnel from the docks. No food but Burger Queen delivers. Where you meet real Alaskans. · yelp
Potlatch Bar
Claims to be the oldest, still in original 1930s building. Gritty, authentic drinking man's hangout.
Annabelle's at the Gilmore Hotel
1927 hotel, 2 minutes from cruise berths. Good for ship-side snacks and drinks. · gilmorehotel.com
Fat Stan's Sports Bar
Great beer selection. Get fish & chips delivered from Alaska Fish House next door.

Day 4: Icy Strait Point

Thursday, July 16 · ~6 hours in port
World's Largest Zipline! — Remote Tlingit village of Hoonah. Whale watching, pristine wilderness, and the famous ZipRider.

Family Must-Do

Gondola + Nature Trails — Take Tony! Scenic mountain ride, easy hiking, Glacier Bay views · book here
~$15/person
Flexible · Family
ZipRider — World's Largest Zipline 5,330 ft long, 1,300 ft drop, 60+ mph · book here
$199/person walk-up
1-2 hours · 75-275 lbs
Whale Watching Point Adolphus — premier whale area, guaranteed sightings · book here
2.5 hours

Couples Option

Whale & Bear Search Combo Whales + coastal brown bears in one tour · book here
5-6 hours

Day 5: Tracy Arm Fjord

Friday, July 17 · Morning scenic cruising
No port stop — view from the ship. John Muir called it "one of the most dramatically stunning fjords of Southeast Alaska."

30 miles of ice-carved fjord. 4,000-foot cliffs. Waterfalls plunging into jade-colored sea. The Sawyer Glaciers at the end, with seals and pups lazing on icebergs. Watch for calving ice.

Grab a spot on deck early. Coffee in hand. Camera ready. This is the Alaska you came for.

Day 6: Juneau

Friday, July 17 · 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM (8 hours)
Alaska's Capital — The big day. Mendenhall Glacier, world-class whale watching, helicopter tours. Accessible only by air or sea.
💭 CONSIDERING — Harv & Marv's Private Whale Watch

4.25 hours · Private boat (up to 6 people) · $1,100 total

Whales + glacier photo stop · Need to find others to split the boat!

📞 (907) 209-7288 · harvandmarvs-juneau-whale-watching.com

Other Options

Glacier Helicopter Walk Coastal Helicopters · Land on glacier, guided ice walk · coastalhelicopters.com
$429/person
2.5 hours

Family Options (with Tony)

Whale Watch + Mendenhall Glacier Alaska Shore Excursions · 2 hr whales (guaranteed) + glacier · alaskashoreexcursions.com
$239/adult, $199/child
4.5 hours
Whale Watch & Salmon Bake Whales + all-you-can-eat salmon, gold panning for Tony
5 hours
Mt. Roberts Tramway 1,800 ft up, panoramic views, restaurant, trails · mountrobertstramway.com
~$45/person
Flexible

Bars & Late Night

Red Dog Saloon
Sawdust floors, stuffed animals on walls, live country music, waitresses in saloon dresses. Famous for the "duck fart" shot. Tourist trap but worth it once. · reddogsaloon.com
The Narrows
Food Network's "Best Cocktail in Alaska." Open until 1am (3am Fri/Sat). Craft cocktails, live music. · thenarrowsjuneau.com
Hangar on the Wharf
Historic Merchants Wharf. Fresh Alaskan seafood, 125+ beers, 25 taps of local brews. Closes 9:30pm. · hangaronthewharf.com
Tracy's King Crab Shack
The spot for king crab. Near the dock and on Whittier Street. Casual, no-frills, buckets of crab legs. · kingcrabshack.com
Griz Bar
Nightcap with views over Marine Park. Watch Juneau quiet down after ships leave. Table fires, local beers. Closes 10pm.

Day 7: Victoria, BC

Sunday, July 19 · 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM (4 hours, evening)
Evening only. Parliament Buildings lit by 3,000+ lights. Inner Harbour, the Empress Hotel. Perfect for a walk and late dinner.
⏰ REMINDER — Book Il Terrazzo by June 19

Reservations only open 30 days out — books up fast!

📞 250-361-0028 (call after 2:30pm if no online availability)

🌐 ilterrazzo.com

Option A: Il Terrazzo — Upscale Italian, 30+ years in Victoria

Beautiful courtyard with greenery. Locals consider it the romantic spot. Max party size 6. $$$

Option B: Casual on the Harbour — Skip the fancy, eat on the water

1. Steamship Grill & Bar — 1924 heritage building right on Inner Harbour. West coast dishes, great views, historic vibe. $$ · steamshipgrill.com

2. LURE Restaurant — Delta hotel waterfront patio. Craft beers, BC wines, live music Fridays. Casual upbeat. $$ · lurevictoria.com

3. Spinnakers Brewpub — Canada's oldest gastropub (1984). Craft beer, sharable plates, waterfront deck. $-$$ · spinnakers.com

Shuttle from cruise port to downtown is about $15 round trip. Sunset isn't until after 9pm in July, so you'll catch the Parliament lights turning on.

Victoria Inner Harbour at sunset
Walk the Inner Harbour

Parliament lit up by 3,000+ lights, the iconic Empress Hotel, street performers, Fisherman's Wharf float homes. July sunset around 9pm — perfect timing for the lights.

Free · 2-3 hours

The Plan

Il Terrazzo Dinner Book by June 19 · ilterrazzo.com · 250-361-0028
$$$
Upscale Italian

Late Night Victoria

Clive's Classic Lounge
#15 on Canada's Top 50 Best Bars 2024. Refined classics, expert cocktails. · clivesclassiclounge.com
Little Jumbo
Hidden speakeasy down a lane. Meticulous craft cocktails, moody atmosphere. · littlejumbo.ca
Wind Cries Mary
Bastion Square. Dimly lit, seasonally changing menu, late-night dining. · windcriesmary.ca
Citrus & Cane
#29 Canada's Top 50 Bars. Rum-forward, mid-century tiki vibes. · citrusandcane.com
Canoe Brewpub
On the water. Local brews, pub food, good for a casual pint. · canoebrewpub.com

Day 8: Seattle

Monday, July 20 · Arrive 7:00 AM

Pack the night before. Breakfast on the ship. Disembark and head home with a week of Alaska memories.

MSC Kids Club — I Dinosauri

Deck 14 · Tony goes to Mini Club (ages 3-6)

Port Days
9am - 11pm FREE
Sea Days
9am-1pm, 2:30-5pm, 6-11pm FREE
Late Night (11pm-2am)
$6 first hour / $10 full night
Pre-register
msccruises.com before trip

Staff can take Tony to buffet for meals during our excursions. Bring printed form + cruise cards on embarkation day.

Couples Time

Juneau — Friday, July 17

Ship: 2pm-10pm

  • Drop Tony at kids club around 2pm (free)
  • Harv & Marv's Private Whale Watch (4.25 hrs)
  • Staff feeds Tony dinner at the buffet
  • Pick up before 10pm departure

Childcare: $0

Victoria — Sunday, July 19

Ship: 8pm-midnight

  • Drop Tony at kids club around 8pm (free until 11pm)
  • Walk Inner Harbour, Parliament lights
  • Dinner & cocktails at one of the bars
  • Pick up before midnight

Childcare: $0-6

Book These

Harv & Marv's
(907) 209-7288
harvandmarvs-juneau-whale-watching.com
Private whale watch, Juneau
SeaWind Aviation
(907) 225-1206
seawindaviation.com
Floatplanes, Ketchikan
Coastal Helicopters
(907) 789-5610
coastalhelicopters.com
Glacier tours, Juneau
TEMSCO Helicopters
(907) 789-9501
temscoair.com
Dog sledding, Juneau
Kawanti Adventures
(907) 225-8400
kawanti.com
Zipline/Misty Fjords, Ketchikan
Icy Strait Point
icystraitpoint.com
ZipRider, whale tours

Notes