Alaska cruises can take you places where rails and roads can’t – around the Inside Passage, with its beautiful scenery and exotic night sky. There are no sandy beaches, and the sun may only shine for a few hours every day, but travelers do get the opportunity to see amazing sights.
Alaska cruises have become one of the most popular ways to visit Alaska. The scenery has no equal, but many travelers back away from the idea of an airplane flight to Alaska and the cold. These cruises feature glaciers, wildlife, fascinating tours, interesting ports of call — and you only have to unpack once! Whale sightings, the glacier-filled Gulf of Alaska, historic old towns, deep blue fjords, and colorful night skies are among the experiences travelers enjoy.
Many cruise lines offer Alaska cruises. Princess Cruises offers Gulf of Alaska cruises that are highly popular and recommended by many travel agencies. Usually one week long, they travel northbound or southbound between Seward and Vancouver, British Columbia. Highlights include: Glacier Bay National Park, College Fjord in Prince William Sound, and interesting port towns such as Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. Shore excursions are offered in each port, and are definitely worth the little extra money that may be necessary to go. Travelers can visit historic railroads, old mining sites, or land on a glacier by helicopter. Cruises on the Princess line can be found for $550 for a two person stateroom (ocean view rooms can run as high as $1,000).
The cruise ships used are often called “floating cities,” and they feature many of the same attractions as cities on land. Features like numerous restaurants, Broadway style entertainment, casinos, health clubs, movie theaters and libraries allow travelers to experiment with different options or enjoy a little home comfort.
Another popular option is on the Holland America Alaska cruise. Holland Alaska cruises feature the sophistication of old-world style cruising, from the pioneer of the market. Holland Alaska cruises start at $579 for a seven day trip up to $1,200 for an 11-day trip.
The cruises are popular with older travelers who do not want to go on a cruise to a warm destination. Obviously, because of the cold temperature, snorkeling, sailing and many of the sports popular with younger travelers are not offered, which also contributes to the age concentration. However, the prices listed do not include airfare to the city the cruise ships will be departing from.
Another popular option among travelers is booking a pre or post-travel tour vacation of Alaska. While these excursions are pricey – often costing more than the cruises – most travelers are eager to travel the inside of Alaska.
While passengers on Alaska cruises may not be lying on the deck to catch some rays, crowding the deck in the middle of the night to see a whale break the surface or see the night sky light up is not an uncommon sight.
By Virginia Zignego