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.

 

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.

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Denali on Sale - Princess Cruisetours

Now up to 50% off Alaska vacations!

Savings on select 2010 Alaska cruisetours

If you could only go on one cruise in your lifetime, where would you go?

For many people, the answer to that question would be Alaska. They would also want to spend as much time there as possible, so they'd tell you they actually wanted to do a cruisetour so that they could explore the interior of Alaska.

Why Alaska?

The Last Frontier: Alaska, admitted as the 49th state to the union is thought of as "America's Last Frontier" because of its distance from the lower 48 states and because of its rugged landscape and climate. Only 33% of the state has been organized into political units called boroughs.

Land of the Midnight Sun: During the summer, the sun never completely dips below the horizon in Alaska's northern locations. The sun is visible at midnight. Parts of Alaska are bathed in 24 hours of daylight.

Wild and Free: Have you ever seen a bald eagle in flight or perched high above in a tree watching for its next meal to swim by? Have you seen a whale wave its tail fin as it dives deep into the sea? What about a mama bear and her new born cub coming down the mountain side?

Alaska has five Regions: An Alaskan cruisetour will typically take you to at least two of these regions, the Inside Passage and the Interior. During your visit to the Inside Passage you'll see cities like Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka and you'll most likely visit one of the popular glacier attractions such as Glacier Bay or Hubbard Bay. In the Interior you'll see North America's largest peak, 20,320-foot Denali (Mount McKinley) during your stay within Denali National Park. Read more about Alaska Regions.

Princess Cruises Announced Cruisetour Savings

For a limited time, select cruisetours during the months of May and June, 2010, are on sale at up to 50% savings. Princess cruisetours range from 10- to 15-nights, including roundtrip options from Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle. You’ll spend four to eight days exploring the Alaskan wilderness, seven days sailing its pristine waterways, and every itinerary includes Alaska’s top two attractions – Denali and Glacier Bay National Parks. So you get to see the best of Alaska in one vacation! Fares start as low as $999 for a 10-night vacation!

Princess Alaska Cruisetour Savings

Hurry - Offer Ends February 28th - Contact Me for Complete Details

Princess Cruises Information & Itineraries