Being in the travel game, I have come to know (and actively envy) a few single mothers who make traveling with their kids look effortless. They post Facebook photos looking breezy in, oh — I don’t know – Goa, with a smiling child, compliant as a piece of designer hand luggage.
As the sole owner of an actual human three-year-old, I sometimes suspect that these photo-ops are staged. Of course, there is also the possibility that these parents know something I don’t. My job often takes me places it would just be too difficult to take her — and I get lonely for my best pal. Recently, I found myself wanting an adventure — preferably with seaplanes and dramatic landscapes and wildlife sightings. I wanted Alaska. With my kid. I wanted to be That Mom.
My mother wasn’t so sure.
“You’d better get a leash,” she mused.
Really, the obvious choice for nearly any traveler to Alaska — particularly first-timers — is a cruise. But on this trip, I had specific needs: exciting excursions we’d both enjoy, flexible dining, and great kids’ program for Mama’s occasional sanity breaks. Still, an Alaska trip without a fallback baby-wrangler, and wildcards like possible adverse reactions to float planes and wildlife seemed intimidating.
I bought the leash (in the form of a more socially acceptable pink backpack with tether rope). And I picked the famously kid-friendly Royal Caribbean line to take us there. Specifically, Rhapsody of the Seas, fresh out of dry dock with a $54 million makeover.
Like the entire Royal Caribbean fleet, Rhapsody has now been Oasis-ized. In other words, all the things people love about the newer, mega-sized Oasis-class ships (that can accommodate a mind-boggling 5,400 passengers), such as the terrific Chops Grille and Izumi Asian restaurant; family suites; the new Viking Crown Lounge Nightclub and R Bar are now available on the much smaller Rhapsody. We took the seven-night round-trip itinerary from Seattle, with stops in Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria, BC.
Onboard, we found updated rooms with flat-screen TVs, wireless internet and sleeker furnishings. The “Centrum” lobby has been smartly made over, too, hosting events you’d miss in a larger ship, like chef demonstrations, dance lessons and an art auction. The new interactive digital way-finding systems on each floor help with directions, the daily schedule, and even menus.
I found that three years old is about the perfect starting age for a single parent to take a kid to Alaska. First, they’re old enough to actually enjoy the excursions. But more importantly, kids under three or who aren’t fully trained aren’t allowed in the kids’ program, Adventure Ocean. And you want access to that club, not only because it’s fun (after various visits, Emily emerged, excited, dressed as a caped avenger and a scarf-clad pirate), but also because it’s free — from 9am to 10pm. And I found that when I stayed later than 10pm at a restaurant, the “Late Night Party Zone” kicked in — with supervision for only $6 an hour up to 2am (no, I did not leave her there that late). Bring a baby younger than three and you’ll still have the excellent Royal Tots nursery (for 6 months to 36 months), with its drop-off sessions, diaper-changing staff, and toy-borrowing program, but you’ll pay extra.
After long excursion days, we usually ordered room service (no extra charge), but great options for parents include My Time family dining, which allows you to book the early dinner seating at 6pm, and ask the Adventure Ocean staff to collect your angel right from the dining room at 6:40. And if you’re itching for one of the incredible steaks at Chops, but your kid can’t handle a formal dining room experience, you can order them right in the main dining room (for an additional fee). If you just need a break for an evening, Adventure Ocean will even take kids to the buffet before it opens to the other guests, leaving you some time to decompress.
For excursions, the biggest hit with both Emily and me was the half-hour seaplane ride over glaciers and ice fields to Taku Glacier Lodge, with an incredible lunch of grilled salmon and a wilderness walk. A train ride aboard the White Pass and Yukon Railway from Skagway to Fraser, British Columbia yielded a black bear sighting, and my little princess had high tea in Victoria’s stunning Butchart Gardens. It was the perfect combo of excitement for both of us and downtime for me — and you know I posted some photos looking relaxed, and dare I even say — breezy. For one brief, shining week, I got to be That Mom. And though she probably won’t remember much about the trip, I sure will.
Bennett is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Coo Boutique (cooboutique.com).