Alaska Cruisetours Alaska Cruise & Land Tour
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These cruise lines, especially on their newer ships, offer something for everyone — as well as a higher caliber of onboard dining than on the cheapest cruises. On a flightseeing tour, soar by the impressive Mt. Edgecombe and fly up among the mountains and glaciers. For a more immersive adventure, visit nearby hot springs —like Baranof Warm Springs, where you’ll find a public bath and natural hot springs accessible by a short hike.
Skagway: White Pass Scenic Railway
The road drops about 3,000 feet in 10 miles—it’s an exhilarating ride. On this tour, you’ll travel to the Juneau Icefield by helicopter, don your crampons, learn to use your ice axe, go for a walk in this beautiful, surreal environment. There are different activity levels depending on how active you want to be. If you're an avid fisherman and your cruise itinerary also includes Sitka, fish there too! Sitka faces the open Pacific Ocean, so there's often a wider variety of species, including king salmon and halibut.
Glacier View Sea Kayak
It's just 12 miles from the cruise ship docks and reachable by bus or taxi. The bus will set you back an astounding $45 per person, round-trip, which I find an intolerable gouge (but … it is what it is). If you have a few people, you're probably better off with a taxi, which runs around $35 each way. For two or three people traveling together, it's not all that pricey a trip. The array of things to try in Alaska can be as tame or as adventurous as you want — it's the joy of discovery that's key.
Juneau
Others include no excursions, which helps keep the initial cost of the cruise low, but you may find your onboard charging slipping higher than you expected. Still other cruise lines offer a hybrid option, where the basic tours are included and there is an upcharge for the higher-priced options. Choosing the right time to cruise to Alaska is crucial for an optimal experience. The season runs from May to September, with each month offering its unique charm.
A Seward Glacier Cruise: Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise and Alaska SeaLife Center
At certain points, you are 300 feet above the forest floor and might also catch views of Port Frederick, Icy Strait and your cruise ship. The White Pass Scenic Railway is one of the most popular Skagway shore excursions, especially on a clear day. It’s a historic narrow gauge railway that was built into amazingly rugged and beautiful terrain some 120 years ago.
Alaska Cruisetours
The 11 Best Alaska Cruise Excursions in 2024, From Whale Watching to Glacier Tours Condé Nast Traveler - Condé Nast Traveler
The 11 Best Alaska Cruise Excursions in 2024, From Whale Watching to Glacier Tours Condé Nast Traveler.
Posted: Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Coming back to the question of the authenticity of that Native Alaskan cultural experience, I think we should always assume that if an experience is being offered for visitors, it is inherently not authentic. It is, instead, an opportunity to learn in a way that respects the significance of those traditions; we are not members of the tribal group, and are not entitled to “authentic” access. Mendenhall Glacier is the top excursion for your Alaska cruise’s Juneau stop. You can choose from a large variety of tours, and many providers have handicap-accessible options. They vary in time and price, meaning there’s a glacier tour option for everyone. The best time to book an Alaska cruise is when a cruise line first opens bookings on that sailing, often more than a year in advance.
The Top Things to Do Onboard Brilliance of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruises
With some of the most stunning wilderness in existence and famous wildlife, it’s part of the definitive experience of traveling to the Great Land’s wild interior. With Princess, you won’t just explore Alaska’s landscapes, you’ll live amidst them in our custom-built wilderness lodges. Located riverside next to some of the most renowned national parks, these warm and welcoming lodges are the perfect spot to bask in Alaska’s best attractions.
Deluxe Misty Fjords National Monument Tour - Ketchikan
Another way to go is to book directly with a tour operator in one of the ports. Many of the tour operators you'll find in Alaskan ports are the same tour operators that operate the ship-sponsored excursions. Often, the tours that the local tour operators will sell you are the same tours that the cruise lines are selling you, at the same price.
RELATED PORTS
Once you reach the lake, you’ll discover that the surrounding mountain peaks and forest trees are perfectly reflected in the water. These locations provide different opportunities to admire beautifully carved totem poles and discover the fascinating world of Native American art and culture. To learn about the indigenous culture, take an excursion to Saxman Native Village, Totem Heritage Center, or Totem Bight State Park. The region has a fascinating history tied to the fishing and timber industries.
Today, with over 20 cruise lines and small ships sailing Alaska’s waterways, there are plenty of options for travelers to choose from during the Alaska cruise season, which runs every year from April through October. If you’re planning a bucket list trip, we’ve selected the best Alaska cruises for every type of travel style in 2024, from the adventure-focused to the super luxurious. A trip to Alaska is at the top of many travelers’ bucket lists, and for good reason. They want to admire its rugged beauty, seek out wildlife (such as eagles, bears and whales) and learn about its Native cultures and gold rush history.
Once there, you'll board an all-terrain vehicle called a Unimog, which will take you up a rugged mountain road to where the mushers keep their dogs. For those seeking a more active way to see the White Pass, we highly recommend you book the White Pass Train & Bike Tour. You take the train up the Pass and then get off at Fraser (which is in British Columbia, Canada -- so bring your passports) for an additional 15-minute van ride to the White Pass summit. You'll then bike 15 miles down the Klondike Highway on a guided summit-to-sea tour back to Skagway. Along the way, you stop at waterfalls and other spectacular overlooks.
It follows the same Trail of '98 route taken in the late-19th century by a steady stream of gold prospectors looking for Yukon gold. Those prospectors did it on foot and often, in wet, muddy conditions or frigid temperatures. From the comfort of a vintage rail car, you'll get stunning views of mountains, gorges, glacial rivers and waterfalls as you climb nearly 3,000 feet to the summit of White Pass — the headwaters to the mighty Yukon River. Unfortunately, as you can see from the above, many of the most spectacular excursions in Alaskan ports are expensive. Alaska is a place where you may want to budget almost as much per person for your shore excursions as you do for your cabin.
The tour concludes with a historic train ride through Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point, and Dead Horse Gulch. This is a great tour for everyone in the family and requires only mild exertion. Disney offers the 5-Glacier Seaplane Exploration that explores the Juneau icefield and five of its glaciers. Your seaplane journey takes you over the Tongass National Forest before you soar over Norris, Hole-In-The-Wall, Taku, and the East and West Twin glaciers. Wildlife spotting is very likely; keep on the lookout for eagles, bears, and moose.
In general, waiting until the last minute is not the best idea, unless you live in Seattle or Vancouver and don't need to book flights. Top scenic cruising destinations in Alaska include Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm (Twin Sawyer Glaciers), Dawes Glacier at Endicott Arm and College Fjord. When you want to go will depend on which activities you want to do, how you feel about cool weather and rain, and the price. Cruises at the beginning (April and May) and end (September and October) of Alaska's cruise season are generally a bit cheaper than those in June, July and August. Restaurant prices in Alaska can be high, but a cruise bundles meals, accommodations and transportation into one price that, with sales, can be cheaper than you'd think.
You'll have up to two days of scenic cruising, in addition to sailing the Inside Passage. Because Gulf of Alaska cruises sail farther north, scenic destinations might include College Fjord, in addition to Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier. One nice thing about the Inside Passage is how calm the water is because you're sailing between land masses. If you worry about seasickness, an Inside Passage trip is the best Alaska cruise itinerary versus a sailing where your ship transits rougher, open waters. Many people trek to Alaska to commune with nature, but there's also history here that you shouldn't overlook. If you want to see landlocked areas, such as Denali National Park, you can tack a cruise line-operated tour onto the beginning or end of your sailing for a seamless land and sea vacation.
Holland America Line has offered Alaska cruises for 75 years and is clearly a market leader. The line tops the list in terms of cruises, as well as cruise tours, which combine time sailing with overnight stays on land. The company operates its own lodges, rail cars and motorcoaches for exploration of Alaska's interior and beyond. Some travelers demand luxury Alaska cruises, while others don't mind going less fancy if it means close encounters with bears and other creatures in the wilderness. Some look for romance, while others want to introduce the kids or grandkids to glaciers and eagles, gold panning and sled dogs. Ketchikan not only showcases its rich native heritage but also offers unique cruise excursions that highlight the city’s natural beauty.
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