Our 49th state, one of the most popular tourism destinations within the United States is a must-see destination on most everyone’s bucket list. That’s why you are reading this here, right? Heard great things about Alaska from friends and family who have traveled to Alaska? Seen media coverage or shows that impressed and intrigued you? Whatever your reason, planning a visit to this remote and vast state can seem difficult and be daunting to you. Best to take a cruise, land via train, or motor coach?
Well, no more worries, read on to learn more!!
The famed Inside Passage is a well-protected typically calm waterway that is ideal for cruising, with many cruise lines and styles of ships operating mostly 7 night cruises that stop at 3 or so port of call, along with slowly cruising along glacier strewn mountains. While cruising between ports one sees an abundance of glorious nature along the way; mountains covered in forests and glaciers, wildlife ranging from whales alongside your ship and dolphins playing in the bow waves of ships in the distance, to an occasional Moose or Bear and beautiful sunrises & sunsets. If you aren’t a fan of cruising, the protected waterways of the Inside Passage offer a much different experience than the typical ocean cruise. Being protected by massive islands most of the time, you don’t get that same rolling motion. Also, looking just a short distance you see land close by, beautiful land, mountains, forests and glaciers. This not only adds visual pleasure, it provides a point of reference for your sight as opposed to looking at an endless ocean when you are rolling in the swells of an ocean cruise. If you have never cruised and a bit hesitant, cruising the calm Inside Passage is ideal for a first cruise!
Cruises along the Inside Passage are typically 7 nights, and are operated by so many different cruise lines. No matter what your style and budget is, there will be many great choices for you. They would either go “one-way”, starting down south typically in Vancouver and going north up to a different port in the Anchorage area (either Seward or Whittier as the cruise port nearest to Anchorage). Or, in reverse going southbound. There are also 7 night cruises that go in and out of the same port, typically from Seattle, or Vancouver. These cruises are referred to as “round-trip”. A round-trip cruise goes up into the Inside Passage and meanders about, stopping at the same ports of call that the one-way cruises do, and then heads back to the same port that you started at.
Differences, pros & con’s you ask? The primary difference is that on a round-trip cruise, you end up in Seattle (typically) or Vancouver, far away from the state of Alaska. The stops at the ports of call on a round-trip cruise are usually just a bit shorter than the one-way cruise, as they have to go a longer distance back to their “home port”. These round-trip cruises are fine if you are time restricted, with 7 nights being the absolute maximum time you can spend.
If you could spend just a few more days and take time to enjoy the interior of Alaska, it is WELL worth it! If you don’t live in the Northwest you spent a lot of time and money on flights getting to Alaska and back, you should maximize the value of that by spending a few more days. So, which parts of Alaska should you think about?
There is well-traveled “corridor” with fantastic attractions and cities which range from Alaska’s second largest city (Fairbanks) at the north end to the cruise ports of Seward / Whittier at the south end. Between the two you have beautiful scenery which includes the stunning Denali National Park and the Chugach State Park, along with the Anchorage and Fairbanks. A railroad system along with a well-maintained super-highway whisks excited travelers along in comfort and ease.
See the map and table of distances below:
When cruising northbound, you end the cruise in either Seward (usually) or Whittier and then it’s a few hours north to Anchorage. Due to time spent disembarking, it is typical to stay overnight in Anchorage, which makes sense. A vibrant, sprawling city with gorgeous mountains and views of the Gulf of Alaska. A great place to overnight and have some day time to visit. Next, a lovely journey either a few hours north to tiny town of Talkeetna, or a half day journey past Talkeetna up to the main entrance of Denali National Park. Mt. Denali at just over 20,000 high, with a base at only around 3,000 is highly visible for many miles along this journey, and from Talkeetna if you stay there overnight.
So, one night in Anchorage as is needed logistically after disembarking, and as it should be visited! A night, or better yet, 2 in Denali / Talkeetna Area. Lastly, Fairbanks is a few hours north of Denali. If taking the train from Denali, you would arrive mid-evening and need to stay overnight and leave the next day, or take a red-eye flight out. Or, you can choose to travel back to Anchorage and fly from there, instead of Fairbanks, the only other feasible option for flights back home.
You can opt to do this in reverse, tour the land portion first and then cruise southward down to Vancouver. The logistics and timing can be tricky to set up independently on your own, as well as individual reservations for accommodations, train and motor coach travel. The travel infrastructure is such that there are numerous “pre-bundled” packages for you to choose from, with everything planned out properly, perfectly timed. You would just pay one price! Most include meals. Cruise lines have a wonderful selection of these packages that you can simply add-on to your cruise, with everything seamlessly integrated and handled, with tour director escorting and narrating, and luggage handling taken care of throughout.
Contact your Alaskan travel specialist today to arrange your Alaskan adventure!!
Well, no more worries, read on to learn more!!
 |
| Courtesy of Skagway Visitors Bureau - Photo by Andrew Cremata |
The famed Inside Passage is a well-protected typically calm waterway that is ideal for cruising, with many cruise lines and styles of ships operating mostly 7 night cruises that stop at 3 or so port of call, along with slowly cruising along glacier strewn mountains. While cruising between ports one sees an abundance of glorious nature along the way; mountains covered in forests and glaciers, wildlife ranging from whales alongside your ship and dolphins playing in the bow waves of ships in the distance, to an occasional Moose or Bear and beautiful sunrises & sunsets. If you aren’t a fan of cruising, the protected waterways of the Inside Passage offer a much different experience than the typical ocean cruise. Being protected by massive islands most of the time, you don’t get that same rolling motion. Also, looking just a short distance you see land close by, beautiful land, mountains, forests and glaciers. This not only adds visual pleasure, it provides a point of reference for your sight as opposed to looking at an endless ocean when you are rolling in the swells of an ocean cruise. If you have never cruised and a bit hesitant, cruising the calm Inside Passage is ideal for a first cruise!
Cruises along the Inside Passage are typically 7 nights, and are operated by so many different cruise lines. No matter what your style and budget is, there will be many great choices for you. They would either go “one-way”, starting down south typically in Vancouver and going north up to a different port in the Anchorage area (either Seward or Whittier as the cruise port nearest to Anchorage). Or, in reverse going southbound. There are also 7 night cruises that go in and out of the same port, typically from Seattle, or Vancouver. These cruises are referred to as “round-trip”. A round-trip cruise goes up into the Inside Passage and meanders about, stopping at the same ports of call that the one-way cruises do, and then heads back to the same port that you started at.
Differences, pros & con’s you ask? The primary difference is that on a round-trip cruise, you end up in Seattle (typically) or Vancouver, far away from the state of Alaska. The stops at the ports of call on a round-trip cruise are usually just a bit shorter than the one-way cruise, as they have to go a longer distance back to their “home port”. These round-trip cruises are fine if you are time restricted, with 7 nights being the absolute maximum time you can spend.
If you could spend just a few more days and take time to enjoy the interior of Alaska, it is WELL worth it! If you don’t live in the Northwest you spent a lot of time and money on flights getting to Alaska and back, you should maximize the value of that by spending a few more days. So, which parts of Alaska should you think about?
There is well-traveled “corridor” with fantastic attractions and cities which range from Alaska’s second largest city (Fairbanks) at the north end to the cruise ports of Seward / Whittier at the south end. Between the two you have beautiful scenery which includes the stunning Denali National Park and the Chugach State Park, along with the Anchorage and Fairbanks. A railroad system along with a well-maintained super-highway whisks excited travelers along in comfort and ease.
See the map and table of distances below:
 |
| Map by Google - Courtesy of Alaskan Tourism Bureau |
When cruising northbound, you end the cruise in either Seward (usually) or Whittier and then it’s a few hours north to Anchorage. Due to time spent disembarking, it is typical to stay overnight in Anchorage, which makes sense. A vibrant, sprawling city with gorgeous mountains and views of the Gulf of Alaska. A great place to overnight and have some day time to visit. Next, a lovely journey either a few hours north to tiny town of Talkeetna, or a half day journey past Talkeetna up to the main entrance of Denali National Park. Mt. Denali at just over 20,000 high, with a base at only around 3,000 is highly visible for many miles along this journey, and from Talkeetna if you stay there overnight.
So, one night in Anchorage as is needed logistically after disembarking, and as it should be visited! A night, or better yet, 2 in Denali / Talkeetna Area. Lastly, Fairbanks is a few hours north of Denali. If taking the train from Denali, you would arrive mid-evening and need to stay overnight and leave the next day, or take a red-eye flight out. Or, you can choose to travel back to Anchorage and fly from there, instead of Fairbanks, the only other feasible option for flights back home.
You can opt to do this in reverse, tour the land portion first and then cruise southward down to Vancouver. The logistics and timing can be tricky to set up independently on your own, as well as individual reservations for accommodations, train and motor coach travel. The travel infrastructure is such that there are numerous “pre-bundled” packages for you to choose from, with everything planned out properly, perfectly timed. You would just pay one price! Most include meals. Cruise lines have a wonderful selection of these packages that you can simply add-on to your cruise, with everything seamlessly integrated and handled, with tour director escorting and narrating, and luggage handling taken care of throughout.
Contact your Alaskan travel specialist today to arrange your Alaskan adventure!!