Our day started a bit earlier than usual with a 12:45 a.m. wake-up call to view the aurora borealis. Fighting the chill of the night air, our guests crowded the bow of the ship to view the green and purple streaks of the Northern Lights; they remained until the sun began to rise sometime after 1:00 a.m. Later, after a bit more sleep, we enjoyed breakfast as the ship came into dock. A day in Petersburg gives our guests the opportunity to hike, view a muskeg, ride bikes, and take in the local culture. By a stroke of luck, we happened to arrive while the town was in the full swing of its Little Norway Festival. There was a sweater modeling competition, celebratory exhibits displaying local art in all the shops, and Vikings dancing with townspeople in a parade. By the way, there was also a black bear in full view during lunch!
6/14/2025
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National Geographic Quest
Southeast Alaska
On the last full day of our voyage, we woke in Endicott Arm near the Dawes Glacier. We spent the morning enjoying Zodiac tours to the face of Dawes Glacier and watched multiple calving events. We were also able to spot several harbor seals, waterfalls, and a couple harbor porpoises on the way. After lunch we had the opportunity to participate in a polar plunge. Forty people decided to brave the frigid water for a short swim. Those of us not eager to jump into glacier water were able to watch from the bow. After the polar plunge, we warmed up on board as we started transiting towards Juneau. On the way, we stopped at a beautiful waterfall to once again admire the amazing natural beauty of Alaska. During our farewell recap, we were treated to a quick visit by a humpback whale. We ended our day with a slideshow made up of our favorite photos and memories of an amazing week on board National Geographic Quest .