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On the downside, cruise ships tend to be booked to capacity, and Alaskan cruise prices are at their highest. On a cruise to Alaska, live a nature lover's dream in the land where guests can catch postcard-worthy sights. Known for its timber, Ketchikan hosts the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, where athletes throw, race and chop their way to victory. Explore one of the world’s oldest collection of totem poles at the Totem Pole Heritage Center, or stroll along Creek Street. As the salmon capital of the world, Ketchikan’s waters make for incredible fishing.
Unique Alaska Cruise Experiences
What a DIY cruise through Alaska's Inside passage is like - Lonely Planet Travel News
What a DIY cruise through Alaska's Inside passage is like.
Posted: Fri, 12 Jun 2020 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Alaskan Dream Cruises was more of a wild card, as we’d never heard of them. But we liked the fact that the family that owns the parent company, Allen Marine, are all Alaska natives. They were also the very first company ever to offer an Alaska Inside Passage cruise, and had numerous options available.
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There are so many things to do in Glacier Bay National Park, we were delighted to spend two days exploring the 65-mile fjord. It was especially cool having a park ranger narrating this part of the cruise, as well as a native Huna Tlingit naturalist who told us all about the tribe’s history in the area. So our trip through the Inside Passage really boiled down to a choice between two small Alaska cruise companies, Alaskan Dream Cruises and UnCruise Adventures. Each of these companies offered quite a few different Alaska cruise routes to choose from.
What to Pack for an Alaska Cruise
"Welcome to Alaska Charters and Adventures, your gateway to the pristine wilderness of the Inside Passage, Alaska. We specialize in bear viewing... Discover Southeast Alaska’s natural wonders aboard a chartered sailboat with Sailing Alaska. Customize your private expedition with experienced captain John Joeright and enjoy all-inclusive meals, comfortable accommodations, and endless adventures on the 46-foot S/V Shamrock. Watch whales, hike, fish, visit local communities, and more — all at your own pace. Pack waterproof jackets and strive for layers—you need to be ready for a sunny day and a chilly one, as the summertime high is usually only between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. As a common Scandinavian saying goes, "There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing." The better you prepare and the more meticulous you pack, the more comfortable you’ll be.
How to Get from Anchorage to Your Cruise Ship
Our award-winning North to Alaska program brings local personalities, culture and cuisine on board and ashore to immerse you in all things Alaska during your cruise to the Great Land. As you’re booking your dream Alaskan cruise to the Inside Passage, consider what comforts, food and adventures you're seeking. Each cruise line offers unique programs and amenities, and some will be better suited for your budget and level of comfort. Inside Passage cruisers can choose from mass-market lines with massive ships, including Royal Caribbean and Carnival. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. Experience the Alaskan wilderness; get up close to a glacier and marvel at the wildlife.
In Haines, a seaside hamlet on the Alaska Inside Passage, there are more eagles than people. However, even Alaska cruises that depart early in the season can offer surprising wildlife sightings. Once you’re at sea, keep your eyes peeled for the penguin-like Common Murre, Pelagic Cormorants (which nest on coastal cliffs), and four different types of Gulls. And you shouldn’t have any trouble spotting the popular puffins, including the Horned Puffins and Tufted Puffins. Located near the northeast coast of Baranof Island, the Lake Eva trail leads 1.5 miles, from picturesque Hanus Bay to the south end of the lake. There’s also an unmaintained section of the trail, which adds an additional 1.4 miles to the trek and takes you to the remote Lake Eva cabin.
Alaska Cruises from Seattle
We are grateful to live, work, and play on the traditional lands of our Alaska Native neighbors. It's important to us to pay our respects while offering to build mutual understanding across cultures. Explore five distinct regions and varied travel routes and modes of transportation as you plan your Alaska getaway.
WILDLIFE ON A CRUISE OF THE INSIDE PASSAGE
Inside Passage cruises sail along the state's southeastern coast, from the cannery town of Ketchikan to Glacier Bay National Park. Alaska cruise tours, meanwhile, skim the coastline as well as explore the state's vast interior. Common targets for these vacations are Denali National Park, about 150 miles north of Anchorage, and Fairbanks, a former Gold Rush town some 200 miles northeast of Denali. Some cruise tours even cross the border into Canada, making stops as far east as Calgary, Jasper and Lake Louise, all popular points in the province of Alberta.
Dive deeper into what makes the Great Land special on your cruise to Alaska. When you cruise to Alaska from Seattle, encounter unique ports of call that are rich in history, culture and natural beauty. Feel the pioneer spirit of Alaska, from First Nations tribes to early Russian settlers to Gold Rush prospectors. These waters are also home to a huge population of whales, sea lions, seals, porpoises and puffins. Bald eagles and seabirds often fly overhead— and Admiralty Island is the best spot for glimpsing bears. With exclusive access to some of the most famous glaciers — including Glacier Bay National Park — Princess offers a close-up, undisturbed view to spectacular scenery and adored wildlife.
The last of our cruise excursions before making our way to the port in Sitka was a hike to Lake Eva, which is part of the Tongass National Forest. Still, the simple knowledge that these 40+ rock etchings (which are only visible during low tide) date back around 8,000 years is fascinating. Especially when you consider that these images of salmon, whales, birds, human faces, and circular patterns represent the oldest native art in southeast Alaska. While we were in Juneau we were fortunate to get an opportunity to explore the exceptional Sealaska Heritage Institute, which is arguably the finest indigenous art museum I’ve visited. The Endicott Arm and the Tracy Arm are both over 30 miles long and bordered by sheer mountains dotted with sproce and hemlock forests.
About 20% of this rugged wilderness is covered in ice, and the most distinctive characteristic of the Endicott Arm was the massive icebergs floating within. The best part for me, as someone who loves traditional indigenous cultures, was hiking through the forest in Bartlett Cove to a remarkably ornate Tlingit tribal house. The native interpreters there gave us an excellent overview of Tlingit culture, which we’ll talk about in more depth in a future post. While cruising the Inside Passage, you’ll be forgiven if you see so many spectacular glaciers, you start having trouble telling them apart. The glacier was named for Thomas Mendenhall, who led the National Geodetic Survey from 1889 to 1894, but never actually visited the area. Stretching 13.6 miles long, the gorgeous glacier is part of the Juneau Icefield, the fifth largest icefield in North America.
Cruise ship travelers enjoy tour options for all interests and activity levels including Alaska Native cultural tours, hiking, fishing, kayaking, flightseeing, history tours, dog sledding, food tours, and so much more. Ever since the 1890’s visitors have come to Alaska because of wondrous reports about Glacier Bay—stories of towering glaciers which calve icebergs into the sea and scenic beauty beyond belief. When the famous naturalist John Muir explored Glacier Bay, much of the bay we have today did not yet exist. Ever changing, Glacier Bay National Park is still one of Alaska’s most popular coastal attractions and most visited national parks. The coastal mountain ranges and islands offer wildlife viewing and opportunities for boating, fishing, kayaking, camping and hiking.
Taking an Alaska cruise in late August or September may give you a chance to see the world-renowned Northern Lights. I’ve been dreaming of taking an Alaska Inside Passage cruise ever since my first visit to the state in 1999. During that trip I took a half-day Kenai Fjords National Park cruise, saw all sorts of glaciers and wildlife, and vowed to myself that I’d return one day to explore more of America’s last frontier.
Juneau, the misty, laid-back capital, is known for outdoor recreation. When you cruise to Juneau, you can hike a glacier and eat fresh-caught fish while sitting seaside. Brave Mount Roberts for panoramic views or go on a whale-watching excursion from Auke Bay. When cruising fjords, look for chubby otters and seals laying out on ice floes. You may see humpback whales, those baleen behemoths known for their frequent and photogenic breaching. Stay alert for crafty orcas who feed on salmon in the Alaska Inside Passage.
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