By Melody Lee
The best Alaska land and cruise tours combine exciting land-based adventures with scenic cruising for a memorable holiday. Many
cruises travel through massive chunks of ice in Glacier Bay, along Tracy Arm Fjord, past rain forests and waterfalls, and along Frederick Sound, where humpback whales gather. The gold mining towns of Juneau and Skagway, the Norwegian fishing village of Petersburg, and the village of Sitka are popular ports of call on the Alaskan coast. Guests stay at wilderness lodges or hotels during the land-based part of the tour. Excursions range from hiking and kayaking, to flight-seeing and riding a riverboat, to visiting museums or national monuments.
Whales, Wilderness, Kantishna Roadhouse
The Whales and Wilderness Cruise is an eight-day/nine-night cruise offered by CruiseWest that begins and ends in Juneau. Combined with an additional five days and nights at the Kantishna Roadhouse, the trip is a good opportunity to explore the Alaskan wilderness and wildlife up close. The land portion of the trip begins in Fairbanks with a tour of the city, admission to the Museum of the North and a riverboat ride on the Chena River. Guests ride a train to the Kantishna Roadhouse in Denali National Park, where they can hike and view native plants, birds and wildlife. Optional activities at Kantishna include fly fishing, gold panning, dog sledding and flight-seeing. After a train ride to Anchorage and a flight to Juneau, guests board a small ship. The cruise travels through Icy Straight and Glacier Bay to a small village for a taste of traditional Alaskan culture. The next stop is Sitka for a tour of the totem poles and Sitka National Historical Park. After cruising through Frederick Sound and Tracy Arm Fjord, the ship returns to Juneau.
As of 2009, fares begin at $8,099 per person and include taxes, port charges, fees, on-board services and meals, shore excursions listed on the itinerary, and service charges for land-based personnel.
Glacier Bay Adventure
The Glacier Bay Adventure is a seven-day tour offered by AdventureSmith Explorations that includes flight-seeing and kayaking. The trip begins in Juneau, where guests can fly over the Juneau ice field in a helicopter or trek across the ice. The next day, guests take another flight--this time over the inside passage to the Wilderness Lodge in Gustavus. The stay includes a trip to Point Adolphus to watch whales and a kayaking trip to view birds and sea animals. After a cruise through Glacier Bay, the ship returns to Juneau.
Fares begin a $2,945 per person and do not include taxes, port charges, gratuities or alcoholic beverages. The trip may be extended with optional packages, such as saltwater or stream fishing, sea kayaking or riding the longest zip line in the world (5,330 feet). Additional fare is required for optional packages.
Coastal Odyssey
The 16-day Coastal Odyssey from Sunstone Tours & Cruises includes a stay at Denali National Park. The small ship leaves Vancouver, British Columbia, and sails past the Great Bear Rainforest on the Canadian coast. The first stop is at Misty Fjords National Monument, where guests can watch Tsimshian tribal dancers. The next day, folk dancers perform at the Norwegian fishing village of Petersburg. The ship cruises through Tracy Arm Fjord, Frederick Sound and Glacier Bay, with stops at Skagway and Sitka for sightseeing. After crossing the Gulf of Alaska and traveling along Prince William Sound, the cruise ends at Whittier. Guests travel by motorcoach to Anchorage, where they can visit the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, and by railcar to the Denali Hotel for an overnight stay and a bus tour of Denali National Park. The last stage of the trip is a motorcoach ride to a waterfront lodge in Fairbanks. Guests can visit the University of Alaska Museum of the North and ride a stern-wheeler river boat along the Chena River.
Fares begin at $10,099 per person and include taxes, port charges, fees, on-board services, meals as indicated on the itinerary, and shore transportation and excursions as listed on the itinerary.
About the Author:
Melody Lee began working as a reporter and copywriter for the "Jasper News" in 2004 and was promoted to editor in 2005. She also edits magazine articles and books. Lee holds a degree in landscape design, is a Florida Master Gardener, and has more than 25 years of gardening experience.
