Personal Travel Managers Experience Alaska in Cunard Style
Featured photo: The dining experience aboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth exceeded the expectations of the famil group, which included (L-R) TravelManagers’ Jennifer Jones, Julie Painter, Michelle Smith and (2nd from right) Vikki Southern.
The four personal travel managers (PTMs) who represented TravelManagers on a recent Alaskan cruise famil with Cunard Line were treated to an experience fit for royalty aboard the Queen Elizabeth: dining on freshly-caught local salmon, getting up close to Alaskan coastal brown bears and whale-watching from the balcony of their stateroom.
The group embarked in Vancouver aboard Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth and spent nine incredible days enjoying as many experiences as possible both onboard and ashore as they sailed to Sitka, Juneau and Ketchikan.
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- (L-R) PTMs Julie Painter, Vikki Southern and Jennifer Jones at the Alaska Raptor Centre during their time ashore in Sitka
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- Al fresco dining, Alaskan style: (L-R) PTMs Julie Painter, Vikki Southern, Michelle Smith and Jennifer Jones enjoying fish tacos in Sitka.
Vikki Southern, who is based in Mount Pleasant WA, described the experience as “an absolute marvel.”
“To board a ship and travel to one of the remotest places in the world is an experience like no other, from the sheer beauty of the Alaskan forests, mountains and glaciers to the rich history and incredible wildlife.”
Life onboard the Queen Elizabeth proved to be something of a revelation to Southern, who says she had expected to find an older passenger demographic.
“There was a surprising number of young couples, a few families and plenty of fit older people – we had a lot of fun,” she reports. “There was plenty to keep us entertained on sea days, from live entertainment to dance lessons, spotting wildlife from the deck of the ship and attending lectures by professionals on all things Alaska.”
Having sampled a little of what Alaska has to offer, Southern says she intends to return for more in the future. In the meantime, she intends to share her experiences with clients and colleagues. “Alaska is so huge and there is so much more I want to see: more wildlife, more time on land and yes… more cruising!”
