Alaska Cruising 2006-A Quick Overview, With Links to All the Cruiselines
Thinking about an Alaska cruise this summer? You’ve got tons of options along the
sea routes of “the Great Land” in 2006. And few, if any, passengers who make the
trip will return home disappointed in this region of towering mountains, lush
forests, endless acres of untrammeled wilderness, whales in the water and brown
(grizzly) bears on shore. Equally exciting: Alaska Native cultures still vibrant and
living, and “Sourdough” goldrush history still reflected in many structures and sites
connected to the Klondike stampede to the Yukon.
16 Cruiselines, 47 Vessels
Among voyaging choices: No fewer than 16 cruiselines will dispatch a total of 47
big and little vessels on literally hundreds of sailings this spring, summer, and
...work-out facilities. You will also greatly enjoy the daily evening and night programs which would be offered at the pool side, theatre rooms, projector rooms, etc. Another great advantage is that the entertainment is also included in the all-inclusive price ...
And that doesn’t include Alaska’s 11 wide-ranging state-owned passenger and
vehicle ferries, most with staterooms and food service. You can board a couple of
these ships as far south as Bellingham, Washington.
Some of the major vessels in the cruiseliner fleet — floating grand resorts actually,
with swimming pools, fitness centers, Vegas-style shows, casinos, movie theaters,
and lounges — will accommodate more than 2,000 passengers per sailing. In
contrast, some of the smallest ships will pamper only a dozen or so.
Cruiseship ports of departure include Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Prince
Rupert, plus a number Alaska coastal communities - among them Ketchikan,
Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Cordova, Whittier, and Seward.
Cruise lengths: 3 Nights to 24
Cruise lengths
...sun desks, Italian cooking classes, midnight buffets, a romantic piano bar, full-scale dazzling casino, talent show karaoke contests, sophisticated European ambience, spa and fitness center, multiple dining options and an Internet caf . Crystal cruises have verandas attached to most ...
William Sound or you can sign up for a traditional seven-night/eight-day roundtrip
“Inside Passage” voyage from Seattle or Vancouver to Southeast Alaska and return
(longer from San Francisco). Or you can book a seven-night/eight-day one-way
“Gulf and Glaciers” cruise between Vancouver and Seward or Whittier. If you have the
time (and budget) you may opt for an “expedition” sailing. Longest is 24 nights/25
days and includes the Bering Sea and even Russian ports and cruising areas.
Glaciers
Of course, an Alaska cruise would hardly be an Alaska cruise without a day or more
at major glacier viewing sites, among them: Glacier Bay National Park north of
...Celebrity Cruise Line is known for its fleet of large opulent ships like Zenith, Mercury, Infinity, Constellation, Summit, and Millennium. Celebrity has recently launched ships in the Xpedition class, which are made for adventure cruises. Besides the huge cruise lines, ...
Juneau; Hubbard Glacier, which “flows” off Wrangell-St.Elias National Park into
Disenchantment Bay and Russell Fjord north of Yakutat; twin Sawyer glaciers within
the U.S. Forest Service’s Tracy Arm-Ford’s Terror Wilderness Area between Juneau
and Petersburg; and Southcentral Alaska’s Prince William Sound with College Fjord
and other glacier-rich sites.
Cruisetours
If you want more than sea travel you can book the increasingly popular option of a
“cruisetour.” That is, before or after your cruise you can experience the likes of a
tour to Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay (on the shores of the Arctic
Ocean), Canada’s Yukon Territory, or other popular land destinations.
For cruiseline-by-cruiseline itineraries and options, following are the names, phone
contacts, and websites of the 16 companies
...cost of the cruise line ticket. Therefore, you can sit back and enjoy it to the fullest. This is the occasion where you can put a napkin under your chin, and go on a "tasting" spree, since the Norwegian Cruise ...
Large-ship Cruiselines, 1,000 to 2,672 passengers
Carnival Cruise Lines, 1-800-CARNIVAL
(http://www.carnival.com)
Celebrity Cruises, 1-800-437-3111
(http://www.celebrity.com)
Holland America Line, 1-800-637-5029
(http://www.hollandamerica.com)
Norwegian Cruise Line, 1-800-327-7030
(http://www.ncl.com)
Princess Cruises, 1-800-PRINCESS
(http://www.princess.com)
Royal Caribbean International, 1-800-722-5045
(http://www.royalcaribbean.com)
Companies With Mid-Size Vessels, 300 to 999 Guests
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, 1-866-314-3213
(http://www.rssc.com)
Silversea Cruises, 1-800-722-9955
(http://www.silverseacruises.com)
Smallship Lines, Serving a Dozen Guests to 299
American Safari Cruises, 1-888-862-8881
(http://www.americansafaricruises.com)
American West Steamboat Co., 1-800-434-1232
(http://www.americanweststeamboat.com)
The Boat Company, 1-360-697-4242
(http://www.theboatcompany.com)
Clipper Cruise Line, 1-800-325-0010
(http://www.clippercruise.com)
Cruise West, 1-800-888-9378
(http://www.cruisewest.com)
Discovery Voyages, 1-800-324-7602
(http://www.discoveryvoyages.com)
Lindblad Expeditions, 1-800-EXPEDITION
(http://www.expeditions.com)
Maple Leaf Adventures, 1-888-599-5323
(http://www.mapleleafadventures.com)
Ferries
Alaska Marine Highway System, 1-800-642-0066
(http://www.FerryAlaska.com)
BC Ferries, 1-250-386-3431
(http://www.bcferries.com)
Copyright 2006 by Mike Miller. All rights reserved.
Alaskan travel writer
...of excitement you so desire. You ll have at your disposal helicopter flights, fishing opportunities, river rafting, guided tours, shopping expeditions or simply strolling around on a self-guided walking tour. The ports of call, on our Alaska vacation, were relatively ...
what he believes to be the most information-packed website about Alaska cruising and
ferry travel on the web: http://www.AlaskaCruisingReport.com Miller
has authored or
contributed to a number of books (Fodors, Sierra Club Books, Globe Pequot, The
Milepost and others) and contributes to TravelAge West (for travel agents). He
frequently writes for major newspapers and magazines.