North To Alaska Part 2

When people talk to us about booking their “Alaskan Experience” we are often asked about the different ports of call. This time I thought I would highlight favorites from my customers and myself.

With the 50th anniversary of Alaskan statehood next year I fully suspect that all the ports of call will be rolling out the red carpet. After all, each time a cruise ship docks there is the potential of 1,800 to 2,500 people coming ashore. .

My two particular favorite cites were Juneau, the capital and Skagway. Both are easy to navigate and offer a variety of on shore activities. There are of course some tourist traps along the way but in general the shore excursions are a decent value

In Juneau we opted to use the Mt. Roberts Tramway, located adjacent to the docks. This takes you 1,800’ above the harbor to the Nature center. There are ample viewing locations for a spectacular view of the harbor. The Nature Center has a gift shop, wild life sanctuary, restaurant, and a short historical movie amd there are also many hiking trails on Mt. Roberts. There is a fee of course to use the tramway but the pass is good for all day. While we were there we also took advantage of the replica trolley tour of the city, the driver was knowledgeable and you can get on and off the trolley at your leisure. Many of our customers have taken the Mendenhall Glacier excursion, quite impressive in size at over 1.5 miles wide and six miles long.

Skagway is a “Gold Town.” When the Klondike Strike of 1896 happened, it was gripped by “Gold Fever, now the only prospecting is by visitors hoping to find a souvenir nugget or two. I highly recommend the White Pass and Yukon Railroad. This narrow gauge line follows trails that first were used by pack animals supplying the miners. The approximate 3-½ hour round trip is narrated and the scenery is spectacular. Also along the way you will see several waterfalls, and abundant wild life. I found the tour guide on the train to be very knowledgeable and entertaining. You are allowed to step out on the platform of the cars to take pictures. For the more adventuresome you might wish to take a Helicopter trip to one of the glaciers.

Other ports of call you will find interesting are Sitka once part of the Russian Empire, Ketchikan, the Salmon Capital of the world, Icy Point Strait home of the Tlingit Indians, and a great whale watching location, and Seward, the gateway to the Kenai Fjords wilderness.

Depending on your particular itinerary you may also have ports of call in Vancouver, BC and Victoria, both are lovely cities and afford a lot of sightseeing possibilities. Also popular with our Alaskan adventurers is the Cruise/Tour package that can include Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna, and Anchorage. The land portion of the cruise tour can be added as either a pre or post cruise experience and range between 3 and 7 nights.

Now is a great time to plan your Alaskan Adventure for 2009. Plenty of good travel dates are still available and a good selection of cabins can be found on all the cruise lines. Ship size varies from the smaller ships operated by Cruise West and Princess, to the larger ships of Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Princess, and N.C.L. Regardless of your choice of ship and excursion, or land based vacation, a trip to Alaska is one to remember.

If you don’t want to cruise there are also several different companies that have land packages, rail tours, and even R.V. rentals. Stop in and we will be happy to offer suggestions.

OVERHEARD FROM A CRUISE LINE CALL CENTER: The caller asked IF the crew stayed on board at night when they were off duty.