Lifestyle Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News. Thick fog consumes a wave of green hills along Alaska ’s southern shoreline.
Occasionally, a hemlock or spruce (I can’t tell which) pushes through, determined to greet passengers aboard the approaching Regent Seven Seas Cruises ’ ship. We slice through glassy water as we head into each port on our seven-night voyage. From my balcony, I stare at the forest, searching for details through the fog, the vast size and wildness of America’s 49th state brilliantly obvious.
This is the Alaska people dream of, and there’s no doubt in my mind that a cruise is the best introduction. DAY 1 Drizzle greets my friend and me as we arrive in the tiny fishing village of Seward after travelling via rail from Anchorage. We’re relaxed, having watched dense trees, empty lakes and quiet towns zip past the train’s rain-splattered windows for almost five hours.
Our mood matches that of Seward – a little lethargic – but excitement builds when we see Seven Seas Explorer glowing in Resurrection Bay. The 373-suite ship is a bright lighthouse promising warmth and comfort on a grey day, and we’re welcomed inside by a white-gloved concierge, signalling the start of a very luxurious week. We stop at the impressive Hubbard Glacier in Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve.
DAY 2 A day at sea allows me to get my bearings, and my first port of call is the ship’s gym. With two rooms .