Travel advisor Michelle Fortner returns from a Holland America Symposium at Sea through Alaska with a fresh perspective, insider tips, and a love for the Last Frontier that she simply cannot stop talking about.
At a Glance
Alaska's weather shifts dramatically within a single day, requiring layered clothing and flexible packing strategies. Contrary to the stereotype that Alaskan cruises appeal only to retirees, the experience attracts multigenerational travellers of all fitness levels, from young children to active middle-aged adults, with diverse activities including whale watching and glacier hikes.
There are destinations that inspire admiration, and then there are destinations that inspire a kind of longing that lingers long after you've unpacked. For travel advisor Michelle Fortner, Alaska is firmly in the second category. After sailing the iconic waterways of America's northernmost state aboard a Holland America Line Symposium at Sea, Fortner came home not just with photographs and memories, but with a renewed conviction about what makes a truly transformative journey.
The trip was a professional development experience, a Symposium at Sea hosted through Travel Only, but Fortner made it a family affair. Her husband and mother joined her on the voyage, giving the experience an emotional texture that went beyond the professional. It was, by her own account, exactly the kind of trip that reminds you why you fell in love with travel in the first place.
The Scenery That Stays With You
Ask Fortner what stood out most about the trip, and she barely knows where to begin. "With Alaska, there's so much to tell," she says. "It's just so beautiful. The scenery, the wildlife, just everything. I could go back to Alaska. I could go and live in Alaska. I just, we love it so much." That enthusiasm is not performance. It is the kind of genuine, unguarded feeling that only comes from a place that has genuinely gotten under your skin. The glaciers, the wildlife sightings, the sheer scale of the landscape, these are things that photographs approximate but never quite capture.
Fortner is no stranger to Alaska. She has made the journey before, which means her praise carries the weight of comparison. This was not the wide-eyed wonder of a first-time visitor. This was the considered appreciation of someone who knew what she was returning to and found it just as magnificent the second time around.
The Weather Keeps You Honest
One of the most practical lessons Fortner brings back for her clients concerns something deceptively simple: what to pack. Alaska's weather, she explains, is famously unpredictable, and newcomers are often caught off guard by just how dramatically conditions can shift within a single day. "In the morning you could be wearing shorts, in the afternoon you're wearing a parka and a toque," Fortner notes, adding that even seasoned visitors need to stay flexible. A warm, sunny morning can give way to rain and cold by evening, all on the same day. Her advice is straightforward: layer everything, and never leave the ship without options.
For clients who have never experienced subarctic coastal weather, this kind of first-hand insight is invaluable. It is the difference between being caught shivering on a glacier excursion and being the most comfortable person on the tour.
Busting the "Old People" Myth
Perhaps the most important thing Fortner wants her clients to know is that Alaska cruising is not what its reputation suggests. There is a persistent misconception, she acknowledges, that an Alaskan cruise is a bucket-list trip reserved for retirees. She saw it differently on the water. "People always say that going to Alaska is for old people," she explains, "but this was definitely people around the same age as me, middle-aged, and there were lots of kids, lots of ranges of ages. So it wasn't just old people in wheelchairs." The reality she encountered was a vibrant, multigenerational mix of travellers, all drawn by the same extraordinary landscape.
Fortner is emphatic that Alaska by cruise is, in fact, a trip for almost anyone. "I personally think cruising and Alaska is for everybody," she says. "There's a lot to do, for all fitness levels, for all ages. You're just doing so much and learning so much." From whale watching to glacier hikes to onboard enrichment programming, the range of experiences on offer means that whether you are travelling with young children, ageing parents, or a group of adventurous friends, there is something deeply rewarding waiting for you.
The Pan Pacific Secret
No conversation with a seasoned travel advisor would be complete without at least one genuinely useful insider tip, and Fortner delivers. For travellers embarking or disembarking in Vancouver, she strongly recommends staying at the Pan Pacific Hotel, which is directly connected to Canada Place cruise terminal. The logistics alone make it worth it. Porters collect your luggage in the morning and deliver it directly to the ship, meaning you travel light and stress-free right from the start.
The hotel's usefulness does not end at departure. For those disembarking early but facing a long wait before an evening flight home, the Pan Pacific offers luggage storage for a modest fee of five to ten dollars per bag. "It's well worth it so that you can explore the city of Vancouver without dragging a gigantic suitcase with you everywhere," Fortner says. And to save even more, she points out that the Vancouver airport's Metro system connects directly to the hotel, eliminating the need for expensive taxis or car services entirely.
A Philosophy for Every Journey
When pressed for the broader lesson she takes away from this experience, Fortner keeps it refreshingly simple. "The lesson here is just going with an open mind, go enjoy yourself and have fun, just live in the moment," she reflects. It is a philosophy that sounds easy but requires genuine intention, especially for travellers who tend to over-plan or approach new destinations with fixed expectations.
For Fortner, that open-minded approach now directly shapes how she advises her clients. Having sailed with both Holland America and Princess Cruises to Alaska, she has a nuanced understanding of what each line offers and which type of traveller each one suits best. She considers the full picture for every client, whether that means pointing a family toward Disney Cruise Line or steering a younger, adventure-seeking couple toward Virgin Voyages. The goal is always the same: get the right person on the right ship.
What Comes Next
Fortner is already looking ahead. A winter sailing on Carnival's Mardi Gras is in the works, and she is exploring the possibility of joining her mother on an Emerald Cruises voyage through Greece in September of next year. A summer road trip through Canada may also find its way onto the calendar. For a travel advisor who brings this level of personal investment to every destination she recommends, the next chapter of her journey promises to be just as rich with stories worth telling.
