Boston Herald
February 1, 2002
Infinity, Alaska

Southeast Alaska is a gorgeous place to cruise, if you don't mind
a little company. A thousand cameras click in unison at the sight
of Hubbard, Mendenhall, and Muir glaciers, massive rivers of bluish
ice squeezed between cracks in the fjords, and mobs of passengers
run to the railings every time the spray of a humpback whale is
spotted or a huggable seal snoozing on an ice flow floats by.

Misty port towns with their woody saloons and gold rush-era-style
storefronts are rustic reminders of small town life, though on many
days, the thousands of cruise passengers pouring through their streets
in search of t-shirts and trinkets somehow turns the experience
of rugged Alaska on its head. Southeast Alaska is one of the few
places in the world where you can be in the middle of nowhere with
8,000 others. There will be more ships in Alaska this summer than
ever --- 40 plus. Many cruise lines have moved ships to Alaska this
summer that were originally slated, pre 9/11, to spend the summer
in Europe. Holland America will have a record seven ships in Alaska
this summer, while Princess will have six, and Royal Caribbean and
Celebrity three a piece.

While it might be more of a challenge than ever, it's not impossible
to enjoy Alaska with a little solitude. Choosing a cabin with a
private balcony is a good place to start, most ships have them.
Celebrity's gorgeous 1,950-passenger Infinity, which debuted in
Alaska last summer and will return again in May, has 590 balcony
cabins so you can pretend the glaciers and whales are your own private
entertainment. Besides its expansive outside decks, there are plenty
of public areas with great views and cozy nooks, from the quiet
Conservatory topiary garden-cum-flower shop, to the clusters of
seats in the Rendez Vous Lounge and in the enormous Constellation
observation lounge.

While spotting a brown bear on a distant shoreline or witnessing
the dramatic crash of a calving glacier is thrilling, the interior
of the Infinity is pretty spectacular too. From her wide backlit
alabaster staircase in the elegant atrium to the murals, elegant
wood-frame chairs and undulating banquettes of the rich Cova Cafe;
damask fabrics and rich leather furniture of Michael's cigar club;
pinky terra cotta and butterscotch color scheme of the roomy cabins;
and the compelling modern art collection, the Infinity is a classy
lady. She's a masterpiece of rich velours and suedes, golden brocades,
burled woods, and ornate topiaries.

She also harbors one of the three best rest restaurants at sea (her
sisters Millennium and Summit boast the other two). The Infinity's
intimate SS United States restaurant offers the truest five-star
dining experience you can get on a cruise ship today (move over
Silversea and Seabourn). The highly professional staff tends to
each well-dressed table like it was the only one in the place, tossing
salads, drizzling sauce on asparagus spears, carving Long Island
duckling with the grace of a concert pianist, and whipping up zabaglione.
The exquisite cheese selection alone justifies the $25 per person
cover charge in the 134-seat venue.

In port, the only way to avoid the crowds is to choose the right
shore excursion. While flightseeing excursions, motor coach tours,
salmon bakes and train rides are great for those who want to take
it easy, some of the best tours in Alaska are active excursions
with small groups. They may involve a little sweat and effort, but
they promise an unforgettable hands-on taste of Alaska, far far
away from the t-shirt shops.

Tiny Skagway, a one-horse town at the end of Lynn Canal, is surrounded
by gorgeous towering snow-topped mountains, and though you could
spend the better part of day shuffling the through the many souvenir
stores and having a couple of pints in the Red Onion Saloon, there
are several great excursions to get you out into the surrounding
unspoiled landscape. The Dyea Bicycling tour ($79 per person) takes
a small group by van about 20 minutes inland to the middle of nowhere,
where the guide leads the bicyclers through a gorgeous field of
wild irises and into a forest of spruce trees to examine the ruins
of a gold mining village. Another bicycle tour starts at the top
of White Pass, for a 15-mile down hill ride along the scenic Klondike
Road, stopping for photo ops and commentary from the guide along
the way ($80).

In Juneau, you can't go wrong with a ride on the Mount Roberts Tramway,
just steps away from the dock. Jumbo cable cars carry people nearly
2,000 feet above the city for spectacular views of the snowy Chilkat
mountain range and the arteries of the Inside Passage ($19.75 per
person for the roundtrip ticket). At the top are several trails
through alpine meadows, with even more opportunities for panoramic
views. Another worthwhile excursion is kayaking in nearby Auke Bay.
Several guides are on hand to lead the group across the open bay,
framed by the Mendenhall Mountains and Glacier in the distance;
if you're lucky you'll spot seals and eagles ($86). If you've got
$379 to burn, the combination flightseeing and dog sled trip is
one to write home about (it's offered from Skagway too). After flying
over Norris Glacier in a helicopter and than landing on it at an
altitude of about 3,500 feet, guests hop onto dogsleds for an Iditarod-like
ride through the snow.

In Ketchikan, the crowds can be overwhelming, but the minute you
climb into your kayak to cross the Tongass Narrows, the same waterway
your ship just came through, you'll forget the mayhem on shore ($79).
Against a backdrop of thick green forests, you'll paddle in two-person
kayaks to nearby Pennock Island to learn about the rain forest and
with luck spot some eagles, and sea stars and urchins along the
island's shoreline. A great mountain biking excursion follows a
dirt road that borders George Inlet, on the outskirts of Ketchikan,
affording great views of the sea, islands, waterfalls and forests
that surround you ($77).