Alaska Cruise - tips by travel authority Howard Hillman

Alaska Cruise

travel wonder in America

Why the

Alaska Cruise

is special

An Alaska Cruise sails through pristine fjords lined with glaciers and snow-capped jagged peaks - and stops at several scenic ports of call.

The two most
popular cruise routes

For locations, see Alaska map below.

1 - Inland Passage

The Inland Passage is a coastal area of fjords, channels and other waterways protected from the wrath of the open ocean by islands and other land masses.

Most tourists choose the Inland Passage cruise. This normally entails making a 7-day round trip out of Vancouver, B.C. (or Seattle, Washington) to the Inland Passage to see its fjords, glaciers and towns. Highlights include:

Glacier Bay National Park

Noted for its expansive glaciers and interesting wildlife, including whales.

College Fjord

Bordered by a host of photogenic blue-tinged glaciers.

Skagway

Picturesque, well-preserved town was the gateway to the Klondike during the Alaska gold rush in the 1890s.

2 - Gulf of Alaska

This is also called the Glacier Route. It includes Inland Passage attractions plus glaciers farther north, including those in Hubbard Bay. The cruise consists of a 7-day northbound journey (Vancouver, B.C. to Seward, Alaska) and a 7-day southbound one (the reverse). Few people take it both ways. Most fly the north or south portion.

A big advantage of being in Seward is you can conveniently tack on a 4 to 7 day land tour extension to visit inland places such as Anchorage and Denali National Park (the home of Mt. McKinley, North America's tallest peak).

Alaska Cruise
tips & insights

The Alaskan Cruise season is short, from May to September, due to climate.

May and September cruises are generally less expensive and have better availability. On the other hand, it is warmer from June to August.

The closer your cruise is to June 22nd, the more daylight hour you will have for onboard and land excursion sightseeing.

Land excursions are an integral part of Alaska Cruises, but they are extras. They range from about $50 to $500, with $150 the medium. You can buy them when you get your tickets or when you are on the ship.

True, you can usually save some money by buying the excursions when you go shore, but the big risk is they may be sold out even before you disembark. This is particularly true with the "hot" excursions such as dog sledding and glacier helicopter tours.

Alaska cruise ships vary in size from small (under 100 passengers) to megaliner (2000 plus). The first generally offer more personalized service and can sail in narrower passages. The second offers a greater variety of onboard activities.

Alaska stems from the Aleutian term Alyesky, meaning "great land".

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