Discover Alaska

               Explore the Unspoiled Nature of the Last Frontier

From action-packed wilderness adventures to extraordinary

sightseeing, a journey to Alaska is an unforgettable experience.

There are three vacation options for experiencing the natural splendor of Alaska: Inside Passage, Northbound or Southbound cruise, and Guided Tours which
can be added to a cruise or completed on their own.

With the completion of our Inside Passage cruise from Seattle on Discovery Princess (May 8-15, 2022) we have now experienced all three options. We'd love to share our experiences with you.

We will start our exploration with our most recent voyage.

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 Click to Enlarge 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 Juneau Photos 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.

 

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Step Into the Past in Ketchikan

Free-Standing Giants

During an Alaska Inside Passage cruise, you will most likely have a stop in Ketchikan.  If you are wondering what you might do there, then continue reading.

Ketchikan has the world's largest collection of standing totem poles, found throughout the city and at four major locations: Saxman Totem Park, Totem Bight State Park, Potlatch Park, and the Totem Heritage Center. Most of the totems at the two parks are replicas of older poles.


Since totem poles were typically carved from red cedar tree trunks, which are subject to decay over the years, there are few examples of pre-1900 in existence today. 

Totem Bight 
State Historical Park

During the Roosevelt era, through the efforts of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and skilled native carvers, several totem poles were repaired or duplicated at a sight which is known today as Totem Bight State Historical Park. Here you can see 14 totem poles and a Clan House.

A visit to Totem Bight is very educational since there are signs posted which explain the art, the culture, and history of native tribes who would have carved these tall poles. You can learn even more by clicking on the links above.

Clan House

 A clan house, or community house, could house 30-50 people inside this one-room dwelling.  The clan house at Totem Bight is representative of the type in many Indian villages built in the early 19th century.

Several families would have lived inside this house, with each having their own space, while sharing a common fireplace.

Unexpected Dry Dock Ends Alaska Sailing Season Early

Celebrity Millennium

2013 Alaska Season

Over in Ketchikan

Celebrity Millennium has been experiencing mechanical problems since early August, resulting in the early termination of its latest cruise and cancellation of 4 sailings ending the Alaska sailing season early for the vessel.

During the August 2nd sailing, the ship was delayed coming into port at the end of the cruise.   The ship made news as it was stranded in Seward during the August 9th sailing for emergency repairs. The ship bypassed all ports, sailing directly to Vancouver.

The final straw was on the August 16th sailing when the ship was stranded in Ketchikan in need of additional repairs.  Celebrity then decided to cancel the four remaining cruises and transition the ship to Freeport, Bahamas where it can undergo maintenance at the dry dock facility.

Celebrity Cruises provided charted air transportation for all passengers as well as compensation for the cancelled cruises.   

This is not the first time this year that Celebrity Millennium has had propulsion problems.   Itineraries were impacted in April (see Celebrity Millennium Itinerary Change).

 Propulsion: 2 × 19 MW Rolls-Royce/Alstom Mermaid azimuth thrusters

The Celebrity Millennium-class were the first of the larger class ships to be introduced to the Celebrity fleet later being  joined by the modern and popular Solstice-class ships.   Propulsion problems have often occurred with the azipod system, which improves maneuverability of the vessel.  In many of the previous cases, problems could be repaired by the onboard mechanics.   When they can't be resolved, unexpected dry docks, like the current one, result.

Hopefully the impacted passengers will be able to return to Alaska another time.  We are certain that Celebrity Cruises made the decision to cancel the remaining cruises after exhausting all other options.

Crystal Cruises Returns to Alaska

Cruising Alaska                     Photos: Courtesy Crystal Cruises

2011 Alaska

Book by September 30, 2010

2-for-1 fares

$1,000 per couple  “All-Inclusive. As You Wish.” spending credits

FREE air.

Crystal Cruises returns to Alaska for the first time since 2005. Choose from nine 12-day sailings on Crystal Symphony, all conveniently beginning and ending in San Francisco.   If you book by September 30th this year, you'll enjoy special pricing, spending credits, and free air.

Award-winning Crystal Symphony

The 922-guest, 50,000-ton ultra-luxury ship boasts redesigned Penthouses (including its uber-plush Crystal Penthouses), pool areas, Prego Italian restaurant, Lido Café as well as guest elevators and numerous other behind-the-scenes upgrades.  The ship underwent a $25+ million makeover about a year ago.

Awe-inspiring Alaska

The highlight of  eight sailings will undoubtedly be cruising in Glacier Bay National Park.   Here you'll see calving glaciers as you ship gently sails through ice floating in the waters.    Your captain will be sure that everyone gets a view during the visit.  

From the charming Gold Rush towns of Skagway and Ketchikan to the cosmopolitan yet natural wonderlands of Vancouver and Victoria, Alaska’s final frontier is just waiting to be explored – by you. 

On board, you’ll have plenty of opportunity for personal enrichment including unique Experiences of Discovery^® themes on every Alaska sailing: Mind, Body & Spirit on voyage 1211; Crystal’s Wine & Food Festival on voyage 1219; and on seven sailings – voyages 1212 through 1218 – you’ll stand up and cheer the rising stars showcased in our Emerging Artists theme.  

Don’t miss your chance to explore the natural beauty of Alaska with the cruise line consistently voted World’s Best more than any other in history.

Click on the Images Below for Itinerary Information

May. 9 - 21, 2011 (Days 12) Theme: Mind, Body & Spirit	May. 21 - Jun. 2, 2011 (Days 12) Theme: Emerging Artists	Jun. 2 - 14, 2011 (Days 12) Theme: Emerging Artists
Jun. 14 - 26, 2011 (Days 12) Theme: Emerging Artists & Crystal Society	Jun. 26 - Jul. 8, 2011 (Days 12) Theme: Emerging Artists	Jul. 8 - 20, 2011 (Days 12) Theme: Emerging Artists
Jul. 20 - Aug. 1, 2011 (Days 12) Theme: Emerging Artists	Aug. 1 - 13, 2011 (Days 12) Theme: Emerging Artists	Aug. 13 - 25, 2011 (Days 12) Theme: Crystal Wine & Food Festival

A la Carte Princess Alaska Cruisetours

More time at Denali, more flexibility and a great value!

Princess Cruises' new Alaska A la Carte cruisetours allow guests to customize their vacation any way they please. These 10- to 12-night options include at least three days at Denali which is definitely the highlight of any land tour in Alaska.

A la Carte land and sea vacations feature:

• At least three days at Denali at Princess wilderness lodges, offering two perspectives of the park
• Alaska's top two attractions — Denali and Glacier Bay National Parks
• A 7-day cruise, visiting Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway
• Two unforgettable glacier-viewing experiences
• Scenic rail travel through the heart of Alaska via Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service — a Princess exclusive
• No scheduled activities, so you can customize your vacation with a range of optional excursions

Standard cruisetours include some activities, while A la Carte tours offer more free time at Denali — at least one extra day.

Learn more:

Denali on Sale - Princess Cruisetours

The choice is yours - standard cruisetour or custom designed to fit your needs. For a limited time, Denali is on sale. I've had some disappointed guests already - they waited too long and their first choice was sold out. Contact me today to learn more about a Princess Alaska cruise vacation.