Cruising Alaska in 6-star luxury with Silver Sea

SIX-STAR luxury as you sail past some of the best scenery the planet has to offer is not a bad way to spend 11 days, writes Lisa Mullins.

A black bear catches a salmon at Anan. Picture: Supplied

IT WAS the best of times. It was the worst of times.

We had left the 6-star womb of our luxurious Silversea cruise of Alaska and were planning four nights in Hawaii to ease ourselves back into the real world. After 11 glorious nights of first-class travel, food and service, we knew we were in for a shock. That was before Air Canada had its way with us. We knew we had time to spare when we arrived at Vancouver Airport for our flight to Honolulu. Turns out we were even earlier than we thought, thanks to the airline's decision to cancel our flight. No-one told us - not Air Canada, not our travel agent. There wasn't another flight for two days, and we had a hotel room booked and paid for in Hawaii. Never had the spacious suite on Silversea's Silver Shadow looked so good. The best we could do was a night in Los Angeles - and a midnight arrival at LAX is enough to wipe the post-cruise smile off your face - before starting our beach break a day late. (And memo to the Air Canada ticketing agent who told us her airline did not have a lounge at Vancouver Airport: check out the Maple Leaf Lounge - it's yours!) Sitting for interminable hours in the airport's concourse was the cue to roll through Alaskan memories. What was it we liked best? Was it the 56km jet boat ride along the Stikine River at Wrangell to see bears feast on southeast Alaska's biggest salmon run? Was it our own cross between Annie Oakley and Bear Grylls - our trusty tour guide Brenda - who took us up the river before loading the Remington rifle her dad gave her for her 16th birthday, just in case a bear ran amok? Maybe it was the big brown bear we saw standing at full height on the shore along the way; maybe it was the black bears and their cubs taking their fill of fish; maybe it was the salmon themselves, fighting the full force of the fast-flowing water at Anan Bear Observatory to get up river to spawn, then die. A black bear catches a salmon at Anan. Picture: Supplied Then there was the sheer joy of soaring over Juneau's Mendenhall Glacier in a chopper, before landing on the ice to examine crevasses and take in the view. Then again, watching the majestic blue South Sawyer Glacier after cruising up the Tracy Arm Fjord was right up there - all from the comfort of our ship, with a cocktail in hand. Increasing numbers of bobbing blue ice chunks dotted the water as we headed towards the glacier, with breathtaking scenery on both sides. It could have been the quaint little gold rush town of Skagway and riding the steam train into the Yukon territories. Did you know that one of Donald Trump's ancestors made his fortune in them thar hills? The view from the steam train out of Skagway. Picture: Supplied Perhaps it was the memory of the day we left the Silversea cocoon of pre-booked tours and chanced our arm with Bruce in Sitka, the spectacular sleepy hollow where Sandra Bullock's movie The Proposal was set. For a lazy $US50 each, Bruce proved a charming and knowledgeable host, showing off his town with pride. We saw black and brown residents of the Fortress of the Bear, where the orphaned and injured are given safe haven. Bruce took a detour to show us salmon jumping in the bay, with sea lions in pursuit. He spoke with reverence about the history and culture of the local Tlingit people, and - after a tour which ran longer than the allotted time - he swung by his home to hand out salmon he had caught and smoked. At the end of these amazing, incredible days, there was our luxurious hotel on the water. Whether we were eyeballing bears, or striding across a glacier - feeling adventurous and bold - the glorious Silver Shadow was lurking, beckoning us back for food, drink, and pampering which exceeded our wildest expectations. Silversea isn't cheap, but it is value. We did the maths and concluded 11 nights and 10 days of amazing eating and drinking in Sydney would have cost the equivalent of one of our fares. As well, we had superb accommodation and transport. Instead of that uncomfortable, anxious feeling of knowing you have paid too much, we were wondering: How do they do it for that price? Spending all those hours on our uncomfortable chairs in Vancouver Airport gave us time to reflect on the shipboard dining. As I wiped sticky icing from my mouth (Air Canada drove us to a cinnabon bender) I remembered the moist, chunky lobster ... the salmon ... the halibut ... the light-as-a-feather lasagne. And then there was the sparkling silver, the gleaming glassware, the impeccably-dressed staff anticipating our every need. Adding to the pleasure is the fact it's a cashless world on board - all is included (except purchases at the boutique) and there is no requirement to tip. And boy, did we miss Ray, our delightful butler. Like a lot of Aussies, the word "butler" evoked a gentle discomfort. It felt better to imagine him as a host, and what a host he was. Would we like Ferragamo or Bvlgari products in our bathroom? Would we like him to make a dinner reservation? Which drinks would we like in our minibar? What time would we like him to deliver breakfast, complete with silver and linen? As we collected our bags at LAX, and searched in vain for the Air Canada-affiliated agent we had been assured would be waiting for us, with a hotel voucher in hand, we looked at each other in despair. "Where's Ray?" my husband asked plaintively. "He'd have this sorted in no time." GO2 - SILVERSEAS Silversea cruises can be booked through your travel agent or by phoning 1300 306 872. Fares are from $A3550 a person for a seven-night voyage in the Mediterranean up to $A58,322 a person for the 113-night world cruise. An 11-night Vancouver-Vancouver Alaskan cruise departing June 19 next year, 2014, on the Silver Shadow, costs from $A6350 a person. "Like" Escape.com.au on Facebook Follow @Escape_team on Twitter