In August 1996, we had saved up enough for our next cruise. This time, Alaska. 7 Days from Anchorage (Seward) to Vancouver. Just in time to celebrate our third Wedding Anniversary!!!

The line was Regency and the ship was Regent Sea. I use the term “was” as about 6 weeks after our cruise ended the line went belly up and left passengers stranded wherever they were. We know this because we knew people that got stuck…

Uneventful flight to Anchorage then we headed towards the bus to take us to Seward. We were really hoping to make that first bus. The driver was taking a head count and said “You, the tall guy with the sunglasses… You’re it”. That would be me and we were the last on the bus. Can you say sardines?

There was a horrible beetle infestation that killed a lot of trees along the Turnagain arm. 125 miles of a “not too scenic” drive. When we finally reached the ship, we noticed it was a smaller ship with 750 staterooms. Similar to our first cruise, lowest possible deck and closest to the anchor.

Stops were Valdez, Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau, a day cruising around Hubbard Glacier and Inside Passage. We did not do any excursions. We just walked around the port areas.

The highlight? I won a dance competition!!! Suzi and I were on the dance floor when they announced a Twist Dance-Off. Now Suzi LOVES to dance, and I really don’t. So who does the cruise director corner? Me. Who makes sure she moves off the dance floor and back to her seat as quickly as humanly possible? Suzi. So they stick me with this random girl… Our turn. I suck at dancing, but it’s the twist, so I decided to through in some extreme moves and added in some jumping jacks… We won!!! Got a bottle of super cheap wine. My dance partner chased us all around wanting her wine…

We disembarked in Vancouver, a place I had not been since 1966 when I was 6 years old. My Mom’s Aunt and Uncle lived right on English Bay and walked around Stanley Park everyday. I’ve always had these flashbacks of Stanley Park, like the totem poles, the zoo, the huge chess set… It was great seeing them as an adult. The apartment building they lived at was long gone but the extreme tides were still there. This trip, we stayed in a hotel on the other side of Granville Island and had a great top floor view of the entire city.

We visited China Town, Gastown and, of course, Stanley Park before flying home.