Alaska
has long been a favorite cruise destination, consistently ranked among the top five
domestic vacation destinations. The 49th state’s spectacular scenery
– perhaps best seen from a ship – is a consistent draw.
There
are two common Alaska cruise itineraries. One focuses on the Inside Passage, the
waterway that threads between the coastline of the southeast panhandle and a
string of barrier islands. This is a popular choice for a seven- or eight-night,
roundtrip cruise from Seattle or Vancouver. The scenery is breathtaking and the
towns you might visit – Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka, Juneau – are historic and
interesting.
The
second typical itinerary also sails the Inside Passage but takes in some of the
Gulf of Alaska, too, giving you more of the glaciers, mountain peaks and
wildlife that make Alaska so memorable. These are often one-way cruises,
meaning you’ll embark and disembark in different cities. For example, you might
go from Seattle or Vancouver to Seward, the closest port to Anchorage. You can sail
most of these one-way cruises from south to north or north to south.
That
said, two standard paths for Alaska cruising does not mean your choices are limited
– there are lots of cruise lines and itineraries to choose from. Here are just a
few:
Princess
Cruises provides options for its week-long Alaska cruises. One itinerary takes
you roundtrip from Seattle to the lovely city of Victoria, British Columbia,
then on to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Glacier Bay. Another departs from
Vancouver and sails further north, visiting beautiful College Fjord and ending
in Whittier, near Anchorage.
Azamara
Cruises offers a 10-night voyage from Seward with stops at Hubbard Glacier,
where 400-year-old ice calves into Disenchantment Bay. You’ll also visit Sitka,
first occupied by Tlingit and then Russian settlers, plus Juneau, Ketchikan and
Victoria before you disembark in Vancouver.
Windstar
offers an 11-night voyage that takes in the mountains and fjords of the Kenai
Peninsula, as well as Sitka, Tracy Arm, Haines, Juneau, Wrangell and Ketchikan
before arriving in Vancouver.
When
you cruise Alaska, you may want to see some of its inland wonders, too. Several
cruise lines offer a combination of cruise and land tours. Many of these “cruisetours”
take you to majestic Denali National Park, while other destinations in Alaska
and the Yukon are available, too.
Talk
with Ainta, your professional travel advisor, about your options for
discovering Alaska via cruise or cruisetour.
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