Ria Marshall
Ria Marshall
Alaska to Australia Adventure Specialist
I'm originally from the Pacific Northwest; In my mid 20's I made a huge leap of faith and took a job in Alaska working for Princess Cruise Tours. When I took off from the airport on an early May morning the sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, the beginning of a new life for me!
A little under 4 hours later I landed in Anchorage. The sky was overcast and once we were on the road to Denali I thought "OMG you made a huge mistake!" everything was brown as winter was still hanging on with the temperatures hovering in the mid 40's.
When the motor coach taking us to our final destination came around a bend, I realized that I had jumped to the wrong conclusion; there was a beautiful pond with the mountains standing tall and snow-capped in the background. In the middle of the pond was a large bull moose with water and grass dripping off its antlers. Right then and there I knew that I loved Alaska! Once summer rolled around, the fireweed was blooming, adventures did truly abound, and Alaska was forever cemented into my heart.
I spent two years working for Princess Cruise Tours in Denali and one year working for Alaska Coach Tours in Juneau. I walked on glaciers, saw wildlife from both land & sea, and was even one of the lucky 20% that saw Denali completely out without a cloud in the sky to block the view.
I was lucky enough to see the northern lights during a lunar eclipse and enjoy the meteor showers in a sky that was so dark you could see the milky way and almost think you could touch it.
Did I get to see a bear in my first season? Nope. But I can help you increase your odds of seeing one with a perfectly crafted vacation with suggested activities and the correct ports of call on your cruise.
Is fishing for salmon or halibut on your bucket list? Whale watching? Do you want to learn about Alaska's Native Cultures or the Alaskan Gold Rush? Would you prefer to take an off-the-beaten-path adventure and visit a small Catholic church at the end of the road? Whatever your vision of Alaska may be, I can help you make that vision a reality!