Okay, what I've been up to.....

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by judy

I would gain at least 10 pounds on a cruise. With food available 24 hours/day, and good food at that, they would be rolling me off the boat.

I had the same reaction though when we landed. I don't remember how long it lasted, but it is a weird thing if you don't expect it.

Judy, There was way too much food, and yes we did indulge. I hurt myself a couple of times. :-)

It's interesting that you got your sea legs, but then had the same result that I did afterward. I'm so glad it's all over. But it was nice not to have to cook!!

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

Gayle, thank you for the info. This sounds like something we would be very interested in. You get to see it all. We loved traveling by train in Europe. Is there a certain tour company or cruise line that put this trip together?

Yes, Holland American is the cruise company. They also own Gray Line tours. You can go to the Holland American web site and the combination cruise/land tours are called Cruise Tours. There are all manner of them with varying time on the cruise and on land. With your problem AFTER you got off the ship, I'd do the cruise last, and the land tour first. You learn so much on the land tour because you've got a tour guide who is telling you the history of everything you are seeing.

Here is a slide show of the first train we took on the land tour. We started in Vancouver, cruised to Skagway and then started the land tour on this train. The other trains that we rode on the 10 day tour were regular sized trains with the glass all around so you can see everything. The scenery on this narrow gauge train was definitely the most spectacular. There wasn't any snow when we were on it, except for very high up beyond the tracks.

http://www.pvmolds.com/WhitePassRR.gif

[DianaB]

Gayle, the scenery was just gorgeous!!!! I bet that that was a trip to remember!!!

[Marilyn]

Wow, Gayle, thank you soooo much for the information. This definitely looks like something we will want to do. I'll check into Holland America. We want to take the kids on a family trip in the next couple of years. This may be the one to do. Definitely a trip of a lifetime!! If we don't do it with the kids, there are some friends that want to do an Alaska cruise we may invite to join us.