Cruise Journal

Day 1 — San Francisco, California Day 2 — At Sea Day 3 — At Sea Day 4 — Ketchikan, Alaska Day 5 — Haines, Alaska Day 6 — Juneau, Alaska Day 7 — Glacier Bay National Park Day 8 — At Sea Day 9 — Victoria, Canada Day 10 — At Sea Day 11 — At Sea Day 12 — San Francisco, California

Day 1 — San Francisco, California

This is a place to share our thoughts, photos, and memories from our recent cruise to Glacier Bay, Alaska aboard the Ruby Princess. Come aboard and set a course for adventure — we’re expecting you!

Warning: I had several goals for this trip. As much as possible I wanted to document everything we ate and I wanted every cocktail to be different. The purpose of this website is not art. It's about documenting our journey. Photographs won't be especially interesting, they were mostly taken with smartphones, and there will be too many of them. I don't generally photograph people, and I decided not to worry about taking pictures of wildlife with my phone. If you are curious about the A to Z experience of a cruise, this might be interesting, but probably not. You have been warned.

We sailed aboard the Ruby Princess, a Crown-class ship operated by Princess Cruises. The ship offers multiple dining venues, several pools and hot tubs, a theater, a casino, and an adults-only retreat called the Sanctuary. Public areas include open-air decks, lounges, and panoramic observation points. Onboard services include daily activities, evening entertainment, and organized shore excursions. Our itinerary included both sea days and port visits in Alaska and Canada.

Ruby Princess Specs:

Operator: Princess Cruises
Launched: 2008
Length: 951 feet (290 m)
Gross Tonnage: 113,561
Passenger Capacity: 3,080 (double occupancy)
Crew: ~1,200
Registry: Bermuda
Top Speed: 22 knots

07/20/2025 12:01 PM

A GPS plot of our route. San Francisco - Ketchikan - Haines - Juneau - Glaicer Bay - Victoria, BC - San Francisco. Copyright © 2025 TheCruiseMaps.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 12:02 PM

Our first close up look at the ship. (We did see it from a distance on the bridge heading into downtown.) Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 12:11 PM

The first order of business after boarding the ship is tequila shots with little slices of pineapple at Crooners Bar. Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 12:39 PM

07/20/2025 12:55 PM

Looking out from Crooners Bar back at the bridge we took into San Francisco. Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 01:12 PM

07/20/2025 01:34 PM

We had heard about an orange souffle that was only available on the first day. It wasn't very good. It tasted like under-cooked egg. Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 02:01 PM

07/20/2025 02:02 PM

07/20/2025 02:04 PM

07/20/2025 02:35 PM

07/20/2025 03:22 PM

07/20/2025 03:48 PM

We head up to the Lido deck (deck 15) because we'll be going under the Golden Gate bridge very soon. Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 03:49 PM

07/20/2025 03:56 PM

07/20/2025 03:57 PM

07/20/2025 04:12 PM

07/20/2025 04:30 PM

07/20/2025 04:47 PM

We were watching from the starboard side of the ship as we approached the Golden Gate bridge. Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 04:48 PM

07/20/2025 04:49 PM

07/20/2025 04:53 PM

07/20/2025 05:24 PM

I took a vow to try as many different cocktails as possible. This is a mint julep during our first dinner on the ship. It didn't quite hit the mark. Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 05:39 PM

07/20/2025 06:03 PM

Asparagus risotto. My wife was unhappy it had more peas and broccoli than asparagus. Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 06:03 PM

07/20/2025 06:33 PM

07/20/2025 06:34 PM

07/20/2025 06:57 PM

07/20/2025 07:30 PM

07/20/2025 07:35 PM

I saw chocolate syrup sitting on the bar. I asked, “What do you use that for?” Something called a Dirty Banana. “Mmm,” I replied. “That sounds good. I’ll have that.” Not a bad cocktail. I had several during the voyage, mostly to keep the scurvy away. According to the internet, ingredients are: dark rum, Kahlua, cafe liqueur, heavy cream, chocolate syrup, banana, whipped cream, and cocoa powder. Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 07:36 PM

07/20/2025 07:44 PM

07/20/2025 08:14 PM

We found a place called the Sanctuary. It was closed, but offered this view of the front of the ship. Copyright © 2025 Timothy B. Burleson under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License.

07/20/2025 08:29 PM

07/20/2025 08:42 PM

07/20/2025 08:47 PM