Where Whales Dance and Eagles Flirt: An Alaska Cruise Beyond the Ordinary with Regent Seven Seas Explorer

THE ULTIMATE BEAUTY OF CRUISING Alaska with Regent Seven Seas Cruise’s Seven Seas Explorer is that the ship is a destination as much as the land itself. Whether you prefer lounging on deck to inhale the pine-scented freshness of coastal forests to kayaking among glacial ice floes or searching for wildlife on whale-watching ship expeditions, the ship combines phenomenal experiences with superlative hospitality and cuisine.

No matter how rugged your Alaskan adventure – from rainforest trek to glacier hike – you return from the wild to the sublime comfort of Seven Seas Explorer and your cushy suite, a hallmark of Regent, which prides itself on being “the world’s leading ultra-luxury cruise line.”

Splendor Explore Lounge

Designed with elegant accoutrements from the 2,500-piece art collection – including works by Picasso, Miro and Chagall – to the dazzling chandelier illuminating the grand double staircase swirling to the lobby, the all-suite 750-guest ship exudes residential luxury throughout. Even the smallest suite features a marble bathroom with twin sinks, shower and tub, plus an in-suite bar stocked with choice liquors and wine.

The Constellation Theatre spans two decks and combines modern, state‑of‑the-art staging with refined finishes and an intimate performance hall feel.

A multitude of dining experiences include complimentary wines in all restaurants, from Compass Rose to the ship’s excellent specialty restaurants: French Chartreuse, pan-Asian Pacific Rim and Prime 7 steakhouse. La Veranda serves abundant buffets for breakfast and lunch and transitions to Sette Mari Italian trattoria in evenings.

Cruising north from Vancouver through the Inside Passage, I stay on deck for the mesmerizing scenery dotted with coastal villages and fat bears plunging into the water to catch fish. But not for long: with Regent’s all-inclusiveness including unlimited shore excursions, I may even venture out twice in a day.

Wildlife Encounters: From Eagles to Whales

Ketchikan is often described as Alaska’s most approachable introduction to the Inside Passage, a compact coastal town where wilderness and culture intersect almost immediately upon arrival. Set against a backdrop of dense temperate rainforest, it is known for its deep-rooted fishing heritage, Indigenous traditions and extraordinary access to wildlife.

The first port, Ketchikan, offers a fishing expedition and wilderness feast, a historic walk through Creek Street, cultural visits to totem poles and Saxman Native Village, a jaunt to view bears and a boat-ride through Misty Fjords where I spotted wild birds and rocks clustered with seals, their playful babies splashing in water.

Courtesy of RSSC

On a flight-seeing excursion over the cliff-lined fjords, I came face to face with an American Bald Eagle who seemed to be flirting mid-air with the whirring helicopter. Separated by the glass bubble, I saw the yellow ring of his eyes, his slick white head and pointy beak, before he elevated his vast wings and swooped toward the trees.

Juneau brims with excitement on many levels, from exploring the historic hub or panning for gold, to canoeing through tranquil waters to the face of Mendenhall Glacier to dogsledding with a team of huskies. My Alaska thrill came on a whale-watching expedition when five Humpback whales emerged, swimming nose to tail in a giant circle. They moved as if in synchronized dance. Flipping tails high, they dove down, leaving a ring of bubbles in their wake.

“You’re witnessing a rare site of Humpbacks who communicated to create a bubble net to corral small fish and krill to the surface so they can feed,”

Courtesy of RSSC

“You’re witnessing a rare site of Humpbacks who communicated to create a bubble net to corral small fish and krill to the surface so they can feed,” the naturalist guide tells us. Minutes later, the whales breached the surface, jostling in a feeding frenzy, their mouths gaping as they inhaled their catch. So close, I could see their baleen plates filtering the food and the barnacles on their backs. The whales submerged, then reappeared farther away in a circular dance. Minutes later, I spotted a trail of fins slicing the sea, the first signs of black-and-white Orcas who then arced through the air in unison, choreographed by nature.

Alaskan Adventure in Icy Strait & Skagway

At the town of Skagway, I boarded the historic narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Railway. Climbing more than 900 metres to the scenic mountain, the ride gave stunning views of the terrain as it changed from dense forests to bare tundra.

Constructed in 1898 at the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, this narrow-gauge railway is recognized as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, a testament to both ingenuity and adventure. Photo courtesy of Alaska.org

The pristine Alaska frontier of Icy Strait, aka Hoonah, delighted us with unique experiences. Indigenous Tlingit tribe members showcased their cultural heritage through song, dance, totem carving and tastes of their culinary treats. Some drove to an observation lookout for grizzly bears. Others went whale-watching, kayaking or joined an ATV safari through Tongass National Forest. Extreme thrill-seekers rode the gondola to the 400-metre-high crest of Hoonah Mountain to experience the world’s largest ZipRider for the mile-long course above the treetops, zooming at speeds up to 100 kms before plummeting to a sandy beach. My birdwatching expedition took me on an enchanting route through the misty rainforest.

The Grand Finale: Hubbard Glacier

Hubbard Glacier, one of Alaska’s largest and most dynamic glaciers, towers over the water with brilliant blue ice, offering a dramatic display of nature’s power and beauty.

Comparing experiences over cocktails at the end of the journey, most of us onboard agreed a major highlight was seeing Hubbard Glacier, its craggy face striated with incredible blue hues, and hearing the thunderous roars as mammoth chunks of ice calved to the sea. They loved it – and the indulgent comforts of feeling coddled on Seven Seas Explorer amid Alaska’s rugged beauty.