Rockton is known for delivering quality products, stellar customer service, and helping you work simpler & easier. What you may not know is the care that goes into building a company culture that not only nurtures the professional bottom line, but also nurtures each individual that works here in the Rockton family. Rockton does a number of things to help us connect with each other as a team and grow as individuals, but one of the most beloved things is our company retreats. Twice a year we gather together to work, play, and explore a fun new location together.
This particular retreat was a long time in the making (Thanks, COVID) and it was worth the wait! The Rockton crew were able to check off a pretty spectacular bucket list item when we descended on Seattle and boarded a massive ship for a cruise of Alaska! What made this retreat particularly special, besides the incredible location, was that a number of our families came along for the ride. As a result our team doubled in size and doubled in fun! Not only did we get to share this experience with our loved ones, but we also were able to connect with each other in a way that isn’t usually possible for a remote team. Kids played together, spouses and siblings shared meals, and families bonded over wild Alaskan adventures.
During our weeklong retreat we cruised through the breathtaking Glacier Bay National Park, and visited Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria, B.C. Each port offered an opportunity to set out on foot and explore the town or go on adventures that you can only experience in Alaska. When we would meet for happy hour everyone would share their adventures, which included zip-lining, rafting, kayaking, salmon fishing, playing with sled dogs, and snorkeling! We saw humpback whales, orcas, dolphins, sea otters, seals, bald eagles, bears, spawning salmon, and even a wild porcupine!
We would love to share some of our highlights with you!
Kelli
- Finally getting to go – after rescheduling 3 times! It was so great to hang out with the entire team and create memories together.
- Surprisingly, being disconnected from cell service and wifi was amazingly liberating. It really created the opportunity to be present with one another. (Thank you again to our Customers and Partners for offering us patience with our delayed responses.)
- I loved the Ocean Raft expedition, where we saw numerous eagles and harbor seals. The orange jump suits kept us both warm and were flotation devices. And who doesn’t look great in bright orange?!
Mark
Seeing Glacier Bay is amazing. When I saw a glacier in perspective I could better understand how they are “rivers of ice.” With amazing woodlands and sea animals all around, it’s truly a sight to behold.
Kristyn
Outside of the amazing experience of being on a cruise for my first time and seeing the stunning views Alaska has to offer, my first highlight was being able to spend time with the entire Rockton team and their families. I also had the opportunity to Kayak on lake Chilkoot and be fully immersed in the Alaka wilderness, surrounded by snow-capped mountains, lush forest and crystal-clear water, it was an incredible experience.
Blake
My favorite memories…
Off the boat: Catching a king salmon and hiking up to the top of the Tram in Juneau.
On the boat: Seeing all three of the Beatles cover band shows. They were incredible!
Mandy
I have so many special memories for the Alaska trip!
- Walking miles w Mike and my friend Kim in British Columbia trying to find poutine. It was so different than what we thought it would be, very tomato sauce based. It was so good!
- Feeling so welcome by the Rockton team. Being new to the team I felt so welcome and included.
- Can we take a minute and talk about Tracy’s Crab Shack! Seriously best crab 🦀 I’ve had. Sweet butter deliciousness, I may have been dancing while eating I was so happy! To top it off I was able to connect with several teammates!
Angie
The biggest highlight for me was getting to experience this trip with my daughter. Alaska is breathtaking enough on its own, but getting to see it all through her eyes made it a memory I will cherish for a lifetime. A few favorite moments:
- I will never forget standing side by side on our balcony, binoculars glued to our faces, hoping to see a whale or dolphin. Finally, we got that cliche view of a black tail suspended out of the water, followed by another, and another, and then two dolphins swam right next to the ship. A lot of jumping up and cheering followed that moment 🙂
- Rafting through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve and my bird loving daughter being designated an honorary guide because she was spotting all the bald eagles before anyone else.
- Hiking to the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau and looking over and seeing a very large porcupine about 10 feet away walking along with us.
To say the very least, this was a very special Rockton retreat that we will all remember very fondly. Thank you for letting us relive the experience with you. We are looking forward to our next great adventure together!
