Alaska cruising in 2006 will feature voyages aboard no fewer than 47 mega-sized, medium-sized and smaller cruiseships, dispatched by 16 didifferent cruiselines. Alaska's state-owned ferries and British Columbia's provencial ferries are also covered. Ports of departure, sights and sites along the way, best areas for glacier-gazing, and -- most important -- a direct link to each cruiselines are included as well.
16 Cruiselines, 47 Ships
Among voyaging choices: No fewer than 16 cruiselines will dispatch a total of 47 big and little vessels on literally hundreds of sailings this spring, summer, and fall. And that doesn't include Alaska's 11 wide-ranging state-owned passenger and vehicle ferries, most with staterooms and food service. You can board a couple of these ships as far south as Bellingham, Washington. Some of the major vessels in the cruiseliner fleet -- floating grand resorts actually, with swimming pools, fitness centers, Vegas-style shows, casinos, movie theaters, and lounges -- will accommodate more than 2,000 passengers per sailing. In contrast, some of the smallest ships will pamper only a dozen or so.
Ports of Departure
Cruiseship ports of departure include Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Prince Rupert, plus a number Alaska coastal communities - among them Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau, Cordova, Whittier, and Seward. Cruise lengths vary. You can book a short cruise of three nights/four days in Prince William Sound or you can sign up for a traditional seven-night/eight-day roundtrip "Inside Passage" voyage from Seattle or Vancouver to Southeast Alaska and return (longer from San Francisco). Or you can book a seven-night/eight-day one-way "Gulf and Glaciers" cruise between Vancouver and Seward or Whittier. If you have the time (and budget) you may opt for an "expedition" sailing. Longest is 24 nights/25 days and includes the Bering Sea and even Russian ports and cruising areas.
Glaciers
Of course, an Alaska cruise would hardly be an Alaska cruise without a day or more at major glacier viewing sites, among them: Glacier Bay National Park north of Juneau; Hubbard Glacier, which "flows" off Wrangell-St.
Elias National Park into Disenchantment Bay and Russell Fjord north of Yakutat; twin Sawyer glaciers within the U.
S. Forest Service's Tracy Arm-Ford's Terror Wilderness Area between Juneau and Petersburg; and Southcentral Alaska's Prince William Sound with College Fjord and other glacier-rich sites.
Cruisetours
If you want more than sea travel you can book the increasingly popular option of a "cruisetour." That is, before or after your cruise you can experience the likes of a tour to Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay (on the shores of the Arctic Ocean), Canada's Yukon Territory, or other popular land destinations. For cruiseline-by-cruiseline itineraries and options, following are the names, phone contacts, and websites of the 16 companies cruising Alaska in 2006.
Large-ship Cruiselines, 1,000 to 2,672 passengers
Carnival Cruise Lines, 1-800-CARNIVAL (http://www.carnival.com)
Celebrity Cruises, 1-800-437-3111 (http://www.celebrity.com)
Holland America Line, 1-800-637-5029 (http://www.hollandamerica.com)
Norwegian Cruise Line, 1-800-327-7030 (http://www.ncl.com)
Princess Cruises, 1-800-PRINCESS (http://www.princess.com)
Royal Caribbean International, 1-800-722-5045 (http://www.royalcaribbean.com)
Companies With Mid-Size Vessels, 300 to 999 Guests
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, 1-866-314-3213 (http://www.rssc.com)
Silversea Cruises, 1-800-722-9955 (http://www.silverseacruises.com)
Smallship Lines, Serving a Dozen Guests to 299 American Safari Cruises, 1-888-862-8881 (http://www.americansafaricruises.com)
American West Steamboat Co., 1-800-434-1232 (http://www.americanweststeamboat.com)
The Boat Company, 1-360-697-4242(http://www.theboatcompany.com)
Clipper Cruise Line, 1-800-325-0010(http://www.clippercruise.com)
Cruise West, 1-800-888-9378 (http://www.cruisewest.com)
Discovery Voyages, 1-800-324-7602 (http://www.discoveryvoyages.com)
Lindblad Expeditions, 1-800-EXPEDITION (http://www.expeditions.com)
Maple Leaf Adventures, 1-888-599-5323 (http://www.mapleleafadventures.com)
FerriesAlaska Marine Highway System, 1-800-642-0066 (http://www.
FerryAlaska.com)
BC Ferries, 1-250-386-3431 (http://www.bcferries.com)
Copyright © 2006 by Mike Miller. All rights reserved.
2007 Alaska Cruise Preview; Another Blockbuster Year i the Making
Fifteen cruiselines will dispatch 45 cruise vessels to Alaska in 2007. Here's a preview of what you can expect on a cruise to America's "Last Frontier" state.
Alaska’s New Fast Ferries Offer New Routes, 30 Percent Discounts in ‘06
For do-it-yourself cruisers, the Alaska Marine Highway System of state ferries offer a unique Alaska cruise option aboard its 10-vessel fleet of modern comfortable ferry vessels. Newest of these ships are two high-speed, twin-hulled catamaran ferries named the M/V Fairweather and the M/V Chenega. For the spring-summer-fall 2006 season these vessels profide speedy access to a handfull of the state's most popular visitor destinations – at substantial discounts.
Cruising Alaska by Ferry
For the do-it-yourself, independent traveler who is looking for a saltwater cruise with world-class scenery, authentic wildlife, varied ports and wide-ranging excursions --- without the pomp and circumstance of a traditional cruise – Alaska’s “marine highway” route of modern ferries is well worth considering. Here’s a brief overview of where the ships go and what you’ll see.
