By Lara Webster
Exploring the beauty of Alaska is a great way to spend a vacation. The wilderness, glaciers and wildlife are just some of the reasons to visit. Taking a cruise to Alaska is a unique way to experience the state, and the prearranged itineraries of cruise lines take the stress of planning out of your hands.
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Royal Caribbean offers several different Alaskan cruise experiences. Seven-day tours include the Alaska Sawyer Glacier Cruise, the Northbound Cruise and Southbound Cruise. All itineraries include a cruise through the Inside Passage, as well as ports of call in Juneau and Skagway.
Northbound and Southbound cruises also include a cruise through the Hubbard Glacier. The 13- and 14-night Alaskan cruises offered by Royal Caribbean include stops in Canada and California. The cruise includes shipboard accommodations, ocean and rail transportation, as well as most meals and entertainment.
Royal Caribbean
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
(866) 562-7625
royalcaribbean.com
Holland America
Holland America's Alaskan cruises last from seven to 14 days. The line boasts a wider selection of Alaskan tours than any other cruise line. One of the seven-day cruises, the Alaskan Explorer, includes ports of call in Seattle, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan and British Columbia.
Guests who want to take a longer cruise might consider the 14-day Alaskan Adventurer; it includes a cruise through the Inside Passage and stops in Anchorage and Homer, Alaska. Holland America is the only cruise line to offer stops at Glacier Bay National Park on all of its major itineraries. The line's fleet of five-star ships have wrap-around teak decks and a crow's nest lounge.
Holland America
300 Elliott Ave. West
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 281-3535
hollandamerica.com
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises has a fleet of seven ships that sail to Alaska. Its Voyage of the Glaciers cruise offers two glacier viewing experiences; cruises traveling north will see Glacier Bay and College Fjord, while southbound cruises include sights of Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier.
The 14-day Connoisseur Voyage cruise takes guests to locations rarely seen on other itineraries. Passengers will visit Kodiak and Seward, Alaska, and the cruise line has added a second glacier viewing in Tracy Arm Fjord.
Princess Cruises promises onboard naturalists for the duration of the cruise to explain Alaskan geology and flora, and the onboard cuisine includes a number of local specialty dishes including Alaskan seafood.
Princess Cruises
24844 Avenue Rockefeller
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
(800) PRINCESS
princess.com
Resources
About the Author:
Lara Webster has been writing professionally since 2009. Her work has been featured on Relationships in the Raw, The Nursery Book, Spark Trust and several travel-related websites. Webster holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Arts in mass communication and media studies, both from San Diego State University.
