Alaska is a unique destination brimming with history, adventure, and natural beauty. Whether you’re traveling there for the first time or the tenth, consider exploring the magnificent coastline and the splendid interior – all on a single vacation. This is easier than you may think because several cruise lines – including Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean – offer Alaskan “cruisetours” that combine a cruise and a land tour in one convenient, memorable vacation package.
Most
cruisetours include a seven-day cruise of Alaska’s Inside Passage, calling on
popular ports like Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka. All have interesting
history and culture, gorgeous surroundings, and lots of options for fun and
thrilling excursions on shore. To see icebergs being calved from glaciers of
glowing blue-green ice, look for itineraries that also call on Glacier Bay
National Park or Hubbard Glacier. These rugged areas are generally not
accessible by road, so cruising is the best way to see and appreciate them.
As
for the land portion of a cruisetour, the length can range from three to 10
days or more. The focus is often on Denali National Park, one of Alaska’s
scenic treasures. Stunning views of the Alaska Range include Denali, the
highest mountain peak in North America. The park’s pristine landscape is also home
to wildlife like bears, moose, Dall sheep, caribou, snowshoe hares, and a
variety of hawks, eagles, and falcons.
As
an alternative or in addition to Denali, some land tours visit Wrangell-Elias National
Park or the Kenai Peninsula. Some will even take you to the Canadian Rockies, including
famously photogenic spots like Banff National Park and Lake Louise.
Your
land travel land will use some combination of luxury rail cars and motorcoaches,
always accompanied by a professional guide. Most of the accommodations are charmingly
rustic lodges in serene natural settings, with simple but comfortable
furnishings.
The
Alaska cruisetour season begins as early as mid-April and extends into October.
High season, with the warmest daytime temperatures and long hours of sunlight,
is June through August. If your schedule makes it possible to enjoy a
cruisetour in April or May, you can see the wonder of emerging spring in
Alaska; in September or October, you can view beautiful fall colors as winter
approaches.
Talk
with Anita, your professional travel advisor, to discuss the details of Alaska
cruisetours and select a cruise line and itinerary that appeal to you.
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