Alaska cruise

Alaska is America's last great wild frontier, an unspoiled wilderness of glimmering glaciers, magnificent forests, rocky mountains, and rich wildlife. No doubt, a cruise to Alaska offers an adventure vacation even for the most experienced traveler!
Alaskan cruises have become nowadays one of the most popular ways to visit this land. Each cruise to Alaska feature wildlife, glaciers, excellent food, great entertainment, interesting ports and fascinating tours along way. There are a number of different cruise itineraries offered to this destination by the majority of cruise lines.
Passengers on one-week Alaska cruise embark usually at Seattle or Vancouver. Many routes run the length of the Inside Passage and back. One-way passengers often board at Seattle or Vancouver and travel to Seward or Whittier. Once they're back on land, they board a bus, train or car for their further travel and usually fly home from Anchorage or Fairbanks.

Adventure vacation

Ships that visit state Alaska on a seven-day itinerary typically sail along the Inside Passage and visit Glacier Bay National Park or Hubbard Glacier, stopping at a few ports along the way. Most cruise lines also offer a variety of extended tour packages which take passengers deeper into Alaska via train or bus and include land stays at fishing lodges and sightseeing in Denali National Park.
Due to the climate, cruises to Alaska sail strictly during the summer months, from early May to mid-September. June, July and August can be classified as peak season for an adventure vacation in this northern state.
A variety of ships sail to Alaska, including luxury and midsize ships, mostly offering also kid programs for family vacationers. Seattle and Vancouver allow ships to visit the most popular ports during a cruise, including Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.

The major routes

There are two major routes. The first is the seven day Vancouver-to-Vancouver cruise which includes stops at Juneau (the capital city of Alaska), Ketchikan (a colorful fishing port), Glacier Bay National Park, and Sitka, the former Russian frontier outpost. This is a good introduction to the scenic wonders of southeastern Alaska and Glacier Bay.
The other major route is a seven to 10 day itinerary from Vancouver to Seward (or the reverse), which feature more glaciers and more of the Alaskan scenery north of Panhandle. If you plan to make a land tour of Alaska and enjoy better an adventure vacation then this itinerary is the best choice.
Don't go home from your Alaskan cruise without seeing the land side of this great state. After a week spent on the cruise ship, it's advisable to spend a another week exploring Alaska by land. The land tours can be arranged to start in Anchorage or Fairbanks and end in Seward. The natural beauty that a vacationer can see during this tour offers unforgettable memories...