Alaska and the Yukon
As a Vacation Planner, my personal experience can make the difference between the trip of your dreams or your worst nightmare! 
Early in September 1999 I travelled to this fascinating part of North America on a Holland America Cruise/Tour educational trip for travel agents. This gave us an opportunity to experience the region and the travel products so that we could better advise our clients. 
We arrived in Whitehorse on the now defunct Canada 3000 airline in the late afternoon. After a short bus ride we checked into the hotel and headed out for the evening’s entertainment: The Frantic Follies. http://www.galenfrysinger.com/whitehorse_follies.htm This was a light-hearted comedy imitating the styles and antics from the Gold Rush era. The following day consisted of a coach tour from Whitehorse to Carcross Junction, passing the endless evergreen forests , sparkling waterfalls and emerald waters of the region’s lakes. http://www.galenfrysinger.com/carcross_yukon.htm
Carcross Junction is a town with many souvenirs from its early days as a supply post on the Gold Rush Trail.
http://www.galenfrysinger.com/carcross_yukon.htm
Just outside the town, we boarded the White Pass and Yukon Railway 
for a breathtaking journey to Skagway. This narrow guage railway uses antique passenger cars (with a modern diesel engine) to transit a torturous route through the mountains to the sea. Crossing several elevated trestles with nothing on either side but a thousand feet of air, the passengers gaze down at the thread-like trail of the Yukon Gold Rush Trail used a century ago by prospectors seeking their fortunes. The guide on the train relates details of the difficult journey undertaken by man and beast . Thousands died along the trail and train passengers wonder that any of them survived the trek at all.
Awaiting us in the port at Skagway were several enormous cruise ships, as this is a port of call on most “Alaska Cruise” itineraries. We boarded Holland America’s MS Maasdam for the next leg of our tour. 
Time was short so we immediately headed back into the townsite to explore. Skagway retains the charm and character of a frontier port, with wide streets and mostly wood buildings, including hotels and pubs which appear to have been there since the early days. 
The ship was beautiful, spacious and spared no luxury, but that will be detailed in a different report.Awesome, spectacular, and breathtaking are just a few words to describe the beauty of the glaciers. Tiny floating chunks , hazardous icebergs, or immense blue walls of solid ice literally take away your breath with their natural beauty. 
Even someone who sees the Rockies and the Glaciers in Alberta frequently will be impressed with the sight.
Our next stop was Juneau. This bustling city is the capital of Alaska, and offers activities and attractions for everyone. Hiking, kayaking, sightseeing, shopping, visiting glaciers by helicopter – the list is endless. Rain gear is necessary. Juneau enjoys more days of rain than many cities in the world, but that does not detract from the experience. One highlight was a trip to the Totem pole park.
Whether this is your first or twenty-first view of a totem pole, you will be impressed. The craftsmanship is exquisite and the stories enthralling. Definitely a Must-Do on the list of activities in Juneau! Our journey continued aboard the ship while we sailed through the famed “Inside Passage” toward Vancouver. The weather was unseasonably warm so we enjoyed the breathtaking scenery from our poolside loungers. Towering evergreens lined the shores of the calm, seemingly bottomless green water. Orca whales were spotted off the bow and performed a graceful routine to entertain us . What a
highlight! The sunny weather and blue skies continued until we docked in Vancouver. The white “sails” of Canada Place were perfectly highlighted against the sky for the last photograph of the roll, signifying the end of a journey which was filled with incredible scenery and history. It’s a cliché, but being able to say “Been there, done that” improves my effectiveness when advising clients. Nothing better prepares a travel advisor than personal experience!
Janet McKelvie, CTC, Vacation Planner since January 1994