Contributed Photo/Courtesy Makaila Curtis: Makaila Curtis stands with the Captain of the Discovery Princess Cruise Ship. Curtis, Associate Travel Advisor at Brando’s Fun N’ Sun Travel & Cruise, 513 W. Main St., Safford recently returned from her first Avoya Travel Conference aboard Princess Cruise Lines’ newest ship the Discovery Princess sailing through Alaska.
Contributed Article By Makaila Curtis/Brando’s Fun N’ Sun Travel & Cruise
Makaila Curtis, a recent addition to the family of Avoya Travel Independent Agents, and the most recent addition to Brando’s Fun N’ Sun Travel & Cruise is Safford Arizona, wishes to say hello to local readers and share a bit about her experience as a travel agent. Makaila will be introduced in this article as well as recounting her personal experiences onboard one of their local businesses’ most popular vacations: a cruise to the majestic environment of Alaska. She sailed this September with Princess Cruise Line on the Discovery Princess, learning first-hand what type of experience her clients could expect aboard this type of sailing. She also spent time meeting with industry leaders from many of the major travel companies, as well as leaders from the Avoya Travel Network, and she attended workshops to learn more about the differences between what each company has to offer. Below is her encounter aboard the cruise ship, as well as a short synopsis of excursions she attended while traveling.
Safford – My journey started, like many others, driving down the long and winding road from Safford to Sky Harbor International Airport. (I’m sure many readers can relate.) The desert scenery never ceases to delight the senses as I tried to imagine what my first visit to “The Last Frontier” would be like. Little did I know that the state nickname was perfectly appropriate, and little could I imagine how beautiful the landscape would truly be. Getting to the cruise ship was made incredibly simple due to having pre-arranged transfers from the airport to the ship, which thrilled me because despite my career, and my love of adventurous travel, I can be quite the nervous traveler. My sister accompanied me on this journey, and we were able to go straight from the baggage claim to a shuttle, and directly to the ship. That evening, we said goodbye to the Space Needle and the distinctive Seattle Skyline from our balcony and headed for the Alaskan coast. Traveling on a route reminiscent of the steamships, which, almost 130 years ago, sailed with holds full of gold miners and their dreams.
After spending the first day at sea, getting acquainted with the ship’s layout, and the many fabulous restaurants, theaters, and hot tubs aboard, we were excited to finally set foot in Alaska. Our first stop was in Ketchikan (though itineraries can vary), and it was possibly my personal favorite stop throughout the trip. There are many types of excursion experiences at every location, but as a person with a strong interest in culture and history, being offered the opportunity to witness traditional song, dance, stories, and food from members of the Tlingit and Haida tribes in Saxman was a real treat. We were shown art and took a walk throughout Totem Pole Park, where guides told stories related to the artifacts and answered questions. Then we spent the rest of the day exploring Ketchikan at our leisure and enjoying the little port town. To my surprise, much of the architecture during our trip was very similar to something we would be used to seeing in Bisbee, Arizona, or even home in Safford on Main Street. I guess when you know one old west mining town you know them all. Either way, it added a familiar feeling to such an unfamiliar environment.
Because the travel conference was intentionally set during the end of the season, we had a little bit more “unfavorable” weather than most other travelers on the same itinerary. By that I mean we had grey skies and a bit of rain and fog on occasion. However, as a born and bred desert rat, it was a refreshing change of pace. And not only because I finally had a reason to bust out my best coats! There’s just something exhilarating about standing on the balcony, smelling the fresh ocean air, and allowing the cold rain to hit you after spending several months at a daily temperature of 100 degrees. This is why my day in Juneau was off to the perfect start when the ship was facing the Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier first thing when we awoke on our third day. We then docked in Juneau and spent the morning keeping our eyes peeled for whales. Despite a little bit of rough water and many of the smaller whale-watching boats canceling, we managed to see two humpback whales while the fantastic crew regaled us with marine biology facts and puns. Thankfully our excursion had been booked on one of the larger vessels or we would have missed our chance to see that classic silhouette of the whale’s tail breaching the water.
Our final day for shore excursions was spent on what will certainly be one of the most memorable moments of our entire trip, The White Pass Train. Truly the cherry on top of the scenic experiences available, the train follows the original route that miners hiked, and then later the railway system was built to follow. The following quote from the White Pass & Yukon Route’s website helps give perspective on just what an accomplishment the railway was and is: “Construction of the White Pass & Yukon began at sea level in the boom town of Skagway during the spring of 1898. On June 15th, work proceeds up the center of Broadway. Within just eight months the rails would reach White Pass Summit, 20.4 miles from Skagway at an elevation of 2,915 feet.” The scenic railway travels comfortably along the mountainside and through tunnels, all while you experience miles of steep ridges and dense vegetation from the comfort of a train car. Traveling high above clouds of fog drifting throughout the coastal temperate rainforest’s spruces, pines, mosses, and towering yellow cedars. All I can say is my phone was filled with photos from the passenger car’s window, and it still wasn’t enough to bring the magic home with me.
While less exciting compared to the fantastic adventures I took ashore, this tale would be incomplete if I forgot to mention just how impressed I was with everything aboard the Princess Discovery. The design, the luxury, the relaxation, and even the decadent food can’t hold a candle to the sheer level of service that each staff member treated each of the guests with. Not just the politeness of a waiter or service desk assistant, but genuine kindness and thoughtfulness. Room stewards cleaned the rooms twice daily, and it was always so perfectly timed; we would just jaunt out to grab a pre-dinner gelato and back, and they would be finished! The Princess ships include medallions you wear that act as a room key, but also allow servers to bring food or drinks to you anywhere on the ship, but not only that… My sister and I were surprised on multiple occasions when the bartender was able to call us by name for our order, as their machines had read our medallion nearby, and they were able to match us to our photos. It also seemed like no matter where we went, we would leave making friends, with customers and staff alike. As we traveled home from the Vancouver Airport, and later on the drive home from our own Sky Harbor; I knew I brought back much more than the photos, books, and other small souvenir trinkets (like the pieces of Jade from a small rock shop in Skagway that would always remind me of the state’s official gem), I knew I would be taking home an experience, and one I would look forward to potentially experiencing again one day.
If you are interested in learning more about traveling to Alaska aboard a Cruise ship or for professional Travel advice please contact Makaila Curtis, or Brando Quinn at Brando’s Fun N’ Sun Travel & Cruise at 513 W. Main St. in Safford located inside the Trophies ‘N Tees building, www.AvoyaTravel.com/IA/MakailaCurtis, Makaila.Curtis@AvoyaNetwork.com, (520) 507-5561.
About Makaila Curtis: Makaila is a Certified Associate Travel Agent through the Travel Institute, is currently enrolled in the Cruise Line International Association (CCC Program), and has obtained certification at Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, and Norwegian Cruises. She has many years of experience with travel prior to entering the industry and spent much of her youth after college traveling the continental United States while working as a benchwork jeweler at Renaissance Festivals/Artisans Markets. Makaila has also become a member of the American Society of Travel Advisors whose goal is to hold up the Travel Industry, and Avoya Travel’s personal standards of service and professionalism.
