Thursday, October 18, 2018

Time to Explore Alaska by Land and Sea



Experience first-hand the majesty of Alaska and meet the people. Alaska comprises 591,004 square miles of some of the most diverse and spectacular landscapes in the world. It is a vast territory, almost a fifth the size of mainland USA, or to put it in a worldly perspective, it is as large as the combined areas of England, France, Spain, and Italy.

Nature has painted this landscape with broad strokes, majestic mountains, awe inspiring fjords, massive glaciers, dense forests, and open tundra. Here you will find 17 of the 20 highest peaks in North America, with Denali (Mt. McKinley) towering to 20,306 feet. Over 100,000 glaciers cover 28,000 miles of territory.

Alaska is home to the largest population of brown and black bears in the United States. It is also home to moose, caribou, musk ox, Dall sheep, black tail deer, wolves, and fox as well as a variety of small mammals. Over 90% of all bald eagles in the United States call Alaska their home.


Welcome to Alaska - the last frontier




Alaska Cruise Season 
May - September


There are four types of Alaska Cruise Vacations:

Alaska - Roundtrip: These are cruises that begin and end in the same port city. They are very popular because they are often 7 days long and leave from either Seattle or Vancouver which both offer a number of affordable flight schedules for the cruise passenger.

Alaska - Northbound: These are one-way Glacier Intensive cruises. They begin in Seattle or Vancouver and cruise North to Anchorage/Seward.

Alaska - Southbound: These are also one-way Glacier Intensive cruises. They begin in Anchorage/Seward and cruise South to Vancouver or Seattle.

Alaska - Cruise and Land: This is the most popular way to see Alaska. These cruise/tours give you the opportunity to combine an Alaska Cruise with a scenic land tour that takes you into the Interior of Alaska. These are the packages that often include the domed cars of the Alaska Railroad to Denali National Park and Mt. McKinley. Click for Featured Alaska Cruises

 Alaska Cruise Season
May - September




Click to Enlarge
Vancouver
Vancouver Photo Album


Alaska cruises often begin / end in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The largest metropolitan center in western Canada and the country's third largest city, Vancouver is the Canadian jewel of Puget Sound.  It was the host city for the 2010 Winter Olympic games.

Allow some time before or after your cruise to see the bustling center of Vancouver, Chinatown, Gastown, Stanley Park, and experience the treetop adventure at the Capilano Suspension Bridge.

 Seattle
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Many Alaskan cruises begin and / or end in Seattle, Washington. Visitors to the Emerald City find a fusion of American, Asian and Native American cultures, set against a backdrop of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.

Sample the freshest seafood to be found along the Pacific Rim, as well as a cup of Seattle's famous coffee. Also tour Seattle's famous Underground, including the world famous Pike Place Market, and ascend to the top of the Space Needle to view the entire city.


Ketchikan
Ketchikan Album


Near the southernmost tip of Alaska's panhandle sits a sleepy little town with a very dramatic title. Squeezed between mountain and sea, it is hard to imagine how the town got the Tlingit Indian name which means "Thundering Wings of an Eagle".

Ketchikan is the salmon capital of the world and home to the world's largest collections of totem poles. This small town's main street skirts a waterfront built on pilings over the seas. A few blocks from the downtown area you will find Creek Street, a former red-light district popular during the mining days.





Hubbard Glacier 
Cruising Hubbard Glacier


Stretching over 90 miles from the core of the 12 million acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park to the head of the Yakutat Bay, the mighty Hubbard is one of Alaska's largest and most unpredictable glaciers.

This is one of the highlights of your cruise as the ship enters Disenchantment Bay and carefully navigates through icebergs to get as close to the glacier as possible.

Those who purchased balcony cabins will be glad that they did during this part of the cruise.

Millions of tons of ice, gravel, and broken rock slide down the mountain carving a path to the sea.


Juneau


Nestled deep within the norther reaches of the Inside Passage is Alaska's first truly American city. Founded 13 years after the purchase of Alaska, it was Juneau, and more importantly its gold, that captured the imagination of the American public.

Here we highly recommend Orca Enterprises Whale Watching boat tour. Captain Larry guarantees you will see whales, eagles, and other sea mammals during this tour.

Sitka
Sitka Photo Album


Almost every city or town in the United States can trace its formation back to an European immigration or conquest. English, Spanish, French, and German are common heritages, but few can claim Russian roots. However, Sitka is one of those rare exceptions, with Russians first arriving in 1741.


This town can easily be explored on foot. It will be your last chance for Alaskan souvenirs and your only chance for Russian souvenirs during the cruise.

Victoria
Butchart Gardens Album


Situated on the sunny southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria basks in one of Canada's mildest climates. This intimate, sophisticated seaside city with its English charm, gentle weather, and dramatic scenery draws close to two million visitors every year - earning it the title of the most visited vacation spot in Western Canada.


Victoria is known as the "City of Gardens". A short drive north of the city will bring you to the 130 acre Butchart Gardens where you can walk among some of the most gorgeous flower gardens in the world.






National Plan A Cruise Month Promotions 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

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