“The beauty of Alaska cannot be put into words.” Ester McNeil, Middlebury
You have to see it!
Last year I took a group on the train from Anchorage to Denali National Park. This just added 3 days to our one week cruise and it was well worth it. Several of us went rafting and all of us took the Tundra Wilderness tour. This is an all-day trip (too long) in an enhanced school bus; our next trip here will be the shorter 4 hr. excursion! The national park has several hotel accommodations to choose from. We stayed at the Denali Bluffs Hotel, a 112-room moderately priced mountainside property located within walking distance to a couple of shops, restaurants, and outdoor travel offices where you can easily book rafting and hiking excursions.
We returned to Anchorage on a beautiful day via motor coach and stopped at several places along the way to photograph Mt. McKinley on a clear day! One of the highlights for the group was a visit to the Happy Trails Kennel, owned by four-time Iditarod champion, Martin Buser.
The following day we boarded Celebrity’s cruise ship the Summit. Other popular cruise ships cruising the Alaskan waters are Princess, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival, and luxury cruise ships the Regent and the Silverseas.
How do you choose which ship is the right one for you?
Which one will depend on the length of time you have for the vacation, how adventurous you would like to be, budget and the size of the ship. Also you will need to decide if you are interested in cruising only or if you want a combination of cruise and land.
Inside Passage cruises usually begin and end at the same port of call. These Alaska cruises are typically 7 nights and depart from Seattle or Vancouver.
Cruise-tours give you the opportunity to combine an Alaska Cruise with a scenic land tour that takes you deep into the heart of Alaska. Trips will vary, usually extending your one week vacation to 10-14 days. Additional costs are added because of hotels, meals, train, etc.
Each Alaska cruise Line has its own personality and there can be a remarkable difference between their itineraries and amenities; therefore it’s important to do your research and ask questions before making your deposit. Check with your local travel agent, log onto www.Alaska.com, www.fodors.com, and check out your libraries travel books.
The Alaska cruise season runs between the months of May and September, with cruise prices being most favorable in early May and mid-September and weather more favorable during July and August.