Cruising Alaska

In a previous blog article, we extolled the greatness of cruising. Let’s get more specific and focus on one of the top cruise destinations … Alaska!

Every July and August, when our central Texas temperatures are flirting with or married to the century mark, what traveler doesn’t picture themselves escaping to the cool weather of an Alaskan cruise?   It’s a reprieve well worth the cost …both for the weather and the breathtaking beauty of the nation’s 49^th state.

Having a nickname of The Last Frontier, one only needs a day or two to recognize Alaska is still a land that God created that hasn’t been polluted and robbed of its natural beauty!

A cruise to Alaska generally starts from either Seattle, Washington; Vancouver, BC, Canada; or the Anchorage, Alaska area.

Most of the Seattle/Vancouver departing cruises are about seven days and focus on the coast and inner passages and port towns, such as Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Sitka. The Anchorage debarkations are usually combined with inland land tours. There are also longer sailings to Alaska that originate in San Francisco or San Diego. 

There are not many travels that present you an opportunity to see bald eagles, whales, sea otters, bears, dolphins, and glaciers on the same trip! An Alaska cruise does just that!

Besides the incredible visual opportunities, Alaskan cruises can differ from a typical Caribbean cruise in a number of other ways.

For example, the food! While you always have options regarding food on a cruise, the seafood options on an Alaskan cruise are limitless!

Also, you don’t head to Alaska with the intention of basking in the sun next to the pool. In fact, the pool might be indoors under a closeable roof. Your time on the deck or on your balcony might involve a sweatshirt instead of tank top! Speaking of time on deck, often it is done with a warm drink in hand, binoculars around your neck, and a continual scouring of the waters for a breeching whale or a school of dolphins.

If you are close enough to land, you might get lucky enough to spot a brown bear roaming the shoreline or an eagle perched high atop a tree standing watch over his designated patrol area. 

And how many people can say they have seen a glacier in real life? Many Alaskan cruise ships will slowly drift close enough to a glacier that you are able to appreciate their breathtaking beauty and colossal size! If you are in the right place at the right time, you might even experience a “calving,” where the glacier will break off at the water and drops large ice chunks into the ocean. Some of the more popular glaciers (Alaska has over 100,000 of them) are the Margerie Glacier that is visible by cruise as you sail through the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, and the Mendenhall Glacier, which is located about 12 miles outside of Juneau and is a popular shore excursion.

We’ve probably all heard stories of Alaska in the winter and how darkness consumes the skies for most of 24 hours. Well, another plus to an Alaskan cruise is the complete opposite of winter darkness … abundant sunlight from long before you wake up in the morning to long after many are retired for the evening!  You can literally sit on your balcony at 11:00 pm and forget that the sunset should have been a couple of hours ago!

The most common ports on an Alaska cruise are full of charm and legend. Most cruises will stop at the “big three” ports of Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway (some now substitute Sitka for Skagway).

Juneau, which is Alaska’s state capital, is known for magnificent views of mountains, along with whale watching and glacier excursions. As you walk near the port area, you notice a constant rotation of sea planes taking off and landing, with some carrying cruise passengers to adventures beyond Juneau (such as a glacier visit or a simple air tour), while others are simply making local deliveries. A wonderful way to spend time is Juneau is the Mount Roberts Tramway.

This tram, located a short walk from the cruise port, transports visitors 1,800 feet up Mount Roberts, where spectacular views and hiking trails await! While strolling downtown, don’t miss the famous Red Dog Saloon, which dates to the Alaska gold rush days.

Ketchikan is a charming community, with a history of salmon canning and a vibrant artistic scene. It is known as Alaska’s “First City” and also as the “Salmon Capital of the World.” Ketchikan is only accessible by air or boat. It has a rich Indigenous heritage and boasts of the largest collection of standing totem poles in the world.

A port stop in Ketchikan should include a visit to and stroll down Creek Street, which was a red-light district in the 1900s but has transformed into unique boutique shops, museums, and places to grab a bite or drink!  Be advised, Ketchikan receives over 150 inches of rain annually, so percentages say you might get wet! With proper rain gear, though, this is still a city worth seeing!

Most Alaskan cruises also include a port stop in Victoria or Vancouver, Canada. These stops tend to be brief but allow for a quick exploration of beautiful gardens or other charming areas of these cities.

Many don’t know that the Canadian stops are due to an old law. Known as the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886, this law requires foreign-flagged vessels transporting passengers between U.S. ports to stop at a foreign port. Most major cruise ships are registered internationally so that they can avoid strict U.S. labor laws, and their foreign registration means they must stop in Canada.

The main cruise lines that service Alaska are Princess, Holland America, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity. Each have reputations for various strengths, but all of them will certainly fulfill the dream of seeing the beauty that is Alaska!

Alaska cruises run May through September, with peak season being mid-June through August. May to early June is an opportunity to beat the crowds and experience drier weather, but be prepared for chilly temperatures. Mid-June to mid-July offers the most daylight and warmest temperature, but crowds will be heavy. Late July to August presents the best wildlife viewing, including migrating whales and bears catching salmon. September is unique for its fall colors and a chance at catching the Northern Lights!

If you are interested in learning more about an Alaskan cruise, Todd & Katy Robison, Dream Vacations stands ready to assist you!  We’ve twice seen firsthand the beauty that is Alaska, and we know the ins and outs of cruising in general.

Our service is free to you! We do the work, you make the memories!

Todd & Katy Robison, Dream Vacations

BookOurNextTrip.com

trobison@dreamvacations.com; krobison@dreamvacations.com