Alaska Cruise Vacation?
Is cruising to Alaska a good vacation? I have been to the caribbean several times now and am looking for something different. What cruise line would you recommend? I have a 14 year old daughter that MUST NOT get bored 
I have been to Alaska twice, once on business for 2 weeks with some weekend sightseeing and a cruise on a small ship, and then on a Princess cruise-tour. I enjoyed the cruise and would do it again. But Alaska cruises are not party cruises like the Bahamas, Mexico, and Caribbean. You can enjoy the pools and hot tubs and gym on the ship but the activities off the ship are for the most part scenic and cultural. In my opinion the best cruise for you would be a cruise-tour. The cruise tour allows you to see more of Alaska by land (bus and/or train) either before or after the cruise. They typically afford an opportunity to stay a night or two in/at Denali National Park, Anchorage, Talkeetna, or Fairbanks, Alaska.
There are four cruise lines that use the train to transport you from/to the cruise point to/from the park and Fairbanks. The train ride is magnificent and when you do the cruise tour you will have the best opportunity to see wildlife like bears, caribou, moose, fox, wolf, and a few others. These cruise-tours can be from 12 to 15 days or more while normal cruises are 7 days.
There are several ways to have a cruise to Alaska. You can cruise north from San Francisco, Seattle, or Vancouver Canada or cruise south from Anchorage (Whittier or Seward). Cruises typically cruise the “inside passage” which is a waterway much like a river where you can in most places see land on both sides of the ship. It provides a very smooth ride on that part of the cruise. Cruises typically go to Juneau (the capitol), and Ketchikan, Skagway, and stop at one or more glaciers like Glacier Bay National Park and College Fjord. Some cruises do other port stops. So you need to pay attention to which itinerary (port stops) the cruises will have.
The 4 cruise lines which offer the cruise-tours and all would be good; Princess Cruise line, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Holland America.
We did our cruise tour with Princess and it was very good. We did the cruise part first and then had a day and night in Anchorage, a great train ride from Anchorage to Denali National Park, and after a night at a lodge owned by Princess We took the train the next day to Fairbanks for a night there. My recommendation is to do the tour part first and do fly to the start point a day early so you don’t get caught in a flight delay.
All four of the cruise lines that I have mentioned use the train for the land tour. But Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Celebrity have special domed train cars that provide great visibility. Not all tour segments are the same so you really have to pay attention to how the land tour is organized and whether it uses the train or buses.
The best time to go on an Alaska cruise is when you can get the best price. The Alaska cruise season is from May to Sept. So right now you are at the end of the Alaska cruise season. The best prices for next year will be in May and Sept but you will see the same things as other times. The weather is generally warmer in June, July and Aug, but it can also be pleasant in May and Sept. When we went a few years ago in May it was shirt sleeve weather (70′s) in Anchorage and Fairbanks.
You will do well to book your cruise now for next year because all of the cruise lines give the best prices for very early bookings.
These are the luxury high priced cruise lines that do Alaska cruises:
Regent Seven Seas: http://www.rssc.com/
SILVER SEAS: http://www.silversea.com/
These are the other cruise lines that most people go on:
HOLLAND AMERICA
http://www.hollandamerica.com/
CELEBRITY:
http://www.celebritycruises.com/home .
ROYAL CARIBBEAN:
http://www.royalcaribbean.com/gohome.d…..
NORWEGIAN:
http://www.ncl.com/
PRINCESS:
http://www.princess.com/index.html
CARNIVAL:
http://www.carnivalcruiselines.com/
I recommend Celebrity, Princess, and Royal Caribbean, all cruise lines I have been on and enjoyed.
Disney Wonder Alaskan Cruise: Family Vacation Critic Blog Day 2
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Alaska’ Inside Passage $8.84 Alaska’s Inside Passage takes you on an incredible journey through Southeast Alaska. It;s all here! Thunderous calving glaciers, leaping humpback whales, fascinating ports of call. Includes 4 bounusvideos with over 40 minutes of extra footage including the National Park Service film Glacier Bay: The Grand Design… |
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The Small Ship Cruising Experience: A Video Travelogue $2.97 Come discover the true nature of small ship cruising. Our idea of the perfect vacation is one where natural wonders, wildlife, and spectacular scenery provide the entertainment. And comfortable, casual, and friendly perfectly describe the atmosphere. If this sounds like your idea of the perfect vacation, then join us as our video travelogue takes us on a unique cruise experience to: 1) The nat… |
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Kayaking – 24W x 16H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
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Two Large Cruise Ships Docked in Skagway Alaska – 24W x 16H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
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Alaskan Cruise Ship – 24W x 16H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
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Alaska Cruise, Totem Pole $14.99 Alaska Cruise, Totem Pole – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Seldovia, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Seldovia, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Cordova, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Cordova, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Sitka, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Sitka, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Petersburg, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Petersburg, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Wrangell, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Wrangell, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Juneau, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Juneau, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Skagway, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Skagway, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins Watching a Cruise Ship, Alaska $19.99 Puffins Watching a Cruise Ship, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Seward, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Seward, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Douglas, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Douglas, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Puffins & Cruise Ship, Ketchikan, Alaska $19.99 Puffins & Cruise Ship, Ketchikan, Alaska – Premium Poster |
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Deck of a Cruise Ship, Alaska, USA $129.99 Panoramic Images Deck of a Cruise Ship, Alaska, USA – Wall Decal |
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Riverboat Discovery Cruise in Fairbanks, Alaska $39.99 Michael Melford Riverboat Discovery Cruise in Fairbanks, Alaska – Photographic Print |
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Alaska by Cruise Ship By Vipond, Anne $24.4 Author: Vipond, Anne Series Title: Alaska by Cruise Ship Subtitle: The Complete Guide to Cruising Alaska Publication Date: 2011/11/01 Number of Pages: 352 Binding Type: Paperback Language: English Depth: 0.75 Width: 5.25 Height: 8.50 |