Cruise Guides > Alaska Cruises

Alaska Cruises

Each year, more and more travelers are choosing Alaska Cruises as the preferred way to see this rugged yet breathtakingly beautiful state. Cruising provides a great way to get close to Alaska's awesome scenery - on grand ships that sail so close to the glaciers that you'll feel as if you can almost reach out and touch them. Shore excursions add yet more elements of excitement to such a cruise.

Some Alaska cruises travel northbound, departing from such ports as Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia. Others take the southern route, sailing from northern ports like Seward or Whittier, Alaska. Regardless of which direction you choose, you're in for a treat as you pass native Eskimo villages, soaring glaciers, pristine fjords, and quaint fishing towns.

Several of the major cruise lines offer Alaska cruises, including Princess Cruises, with 4 luxury ships embarking on approximately 75 sailings each year; and Holland America, with 50 cruises on three different ships. Holland America was the first to tap the Alaska cruise market. Carnival, Celebrity, NCL, Royal Caribbean and the luxury lines of Crystal Cruises and Radisson Seven Seas also offer Alaska itineraries.

Though ports and attractions vary by cruise line, there are certainly some sights that every Alaska cruise passenger will have the opportunity to view. On a glacier tour, you'll most likely spend some time at Glacier Bay National Park and perhaps you'll even be courageous enough to catch a helicopter to the top of the glacier. If you're on an Inside Passage trip, you may stop at some of Alaska's beautiful fjords and embark upon some scenic cruising via small vessels that let you get close to the shoreline where you can view Alaska's incredible wildlife.

Often, the most charming thing about Alaska cruises are the stops you make in ports of call along the way, giving you an opportunity to explore Alaska's cities and towns and meet the friendly yet hearty people that live there. Many cruises include stops in places like Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, or Haines.

In Skagway, guests can actually play golf on a 9-hole course situated here in the Yukon, go on a dog-sled adventure, or pan for gold. Juneau, one of Alaska's larger cities, provides the opportunity to take a gold mine tour or visit the top of the famed Mendenhall Glacier. Near Ketchikan, visitors can enjoy a rainforest zip line adventure or go fly-fishing in a nearby river valley.

The possibilities for shore excursions are endless and most cruise lines offer several for each port of call. It's best to peruse them and book your excursions before you leave to ensure your participation.

Remember... because of the extreme weather, the window of opportunity for Alaska cruises is narrow, so they fill up fast. Those considering an Alaska cruise for their next vacation should certainly plan ahead.