Cruising to Alaska

The sight of the first cruise ship of the season, from my house in Vancouver, is a sign that summer is just around the corner. The Alaska cruise ship season is short - early May to late September - although there are some smaller boats that extend the season. We have seen as many as four boats go by in a single evening but now we’ll see fewer as several cruise ship companies have moved their base to Seattle.

Alaskan cruises appeal to a wide spectrum of people: from families to older folks, from nature lovers to party goers. They all have different reasons for heading north and so might you. Some of the highlights you’re likely to experience on an Alaskan cruise include:

• The famous Inside Passage
• Amazing vistas of forests, glaciers, mountains, ocean and isolated villages

• Wildlife: whales, dolphins and seals, many types of birds including bald eagles and probably even some bears.
• Glaciers and fjords especially in Glacier Bay National Park
• A chance to visit the Klondike gold rush era town of Skagway, Alaska
• The narrow gauge White Pass and Yukon Railway into Canada from Skagway and the train ride from Anchorage to Denali
• Land of the midnight sun and long days especially in June and July
• A visit to the pretty town of Juneau and to Sitka enriched by Russian architecture
• Denali National Park

Picking the right boat for your Alaska cruise is very important. First consider the size of the ship. The biggest ships hold over 2000 passengers and their focus is as much on shipboard activities as it is on the Alaskan – Canadian landscape. There are plenty of ships in the 800-1500 passenger range and a few small ships with only about 200 people which are typically more nature oriented.

Each cruise line also has its own niche so to make the most of your cruising experience it’s important to match your interests with what the cruise ship offers. What are you looking for?

• Pampering and spa experiences
• Ship board cuisine
• Onboard activities; look for courses in cooking, photography, computing, pottery…
• Some ships cater to families. If you’re single that isn’t going to be a good fit.
• A luxurious, high end experience from start to finish or you can find some cruise deals that fit your budget. There are many great discount cruises to Alaska available.
• What sorts of shore excursions are offered? Expensive options include flight seeing and helicopter tours perhaps even combined with dog sled rides on a glacier. Some offer a chance to stretch your body by biking or kayaking. The bike ride out of Skagway is particularly good for the fit and restless. Intimate whale watching can be an option.
• Are there optional land packages offered? A train trip to Denali is one of the most popular add-ons.
• Do you want a 7 day or a 10 day cruise? What towns do you want to visit? Skagway? Juneau? Ketchikan? Sitka?

There’s more to consider than people realize but whatever cruise you pick it’s bound to make your summer memorable.

Leigh McAdam

HikeBikeTravel

Photo Credit: Sitka, Alaska

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