Let's make the most of our vacation days!
We always save our whale watching excursion for Juneau. But what if you find you’re in port all day and looking for activities before or after your whale watch? Right near the docks, Juneau features hiking and a great seafood meal. Read more
I’m saving for some future trips. I hope these recommendations can help you boost your own travel savings account. Read more
Flying out of Las Vegas on Southwest — we’ll be back someday!
On my trip to Bradenton in May, my outbound flight on Southwest was delayed for four hours. Luckily, I live close enough to the airport that I could just stay home (extra snuggles with the dogs) before heading to the airport. Read more
During our three previous Alaska cruises, we had booked only one of our Juneau whale watching excursions through the cruise ship. On that excursion, yes, we saw lots of whales.
But we didn’t enjoy being on a boat with so many others (about 40 people). They rushed to the railings and windows and held up their tablets and cameras, blocking the views of those of us trying to see around them.
Humanity. UGH!
For not much more money per person, we’ve had great nearly private excursions by booking our whale watch excursions with a local company. Read more
Unless you purchase a pricey excursion to the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks is as far north as you’ll travel on most cruisetours in Alaska.
Visiting Fairbanks gave me a whole new appreciation of how cold their winters are. Example: Our busdriver-guide pointed out the grocery store parking lots’ charging stations that keep folks’ car engines warm while they shop.
Otherwise, I found the city itself to be unremarkable (and admittedly, we saw little, so feel free to comment with your Fairbanks favorites).
Instead, the highlight was the value-added free excursion provided by the cruiseline. Read more
Most one-way cruises begin or end in Seward or Whittier, which are 2-4 hours from Anchorage. If you are taking a one-way cruise, you may be flying into or out of Anchorage. The good news is that Anchorage provides plenty of opportunities for dining, shopping, and walking.
Here’s a heads-up: your experience in Anchorage may be impacted by whether it is at the beginning or end of your cruise tour. Read on for our experiences, dining recommendations, and considerations.
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What is a cruisetour?
Where will I visit on a cruisetour?
Where will I board the ship?
Can’t I just drive around Alaska in a rental car?
Can’t I just buy my own train ticket to Denali?
What’s included in the cruisetour price?
What’s not included in the cruisetour price?
Most major cruiselines offer cruises (and/our cruisetours) to Alaska. Only five have permission from the National Park Service to enter Glacier Bay National Park: Holland America, Princess, Carnival, Norwegian, and Crystal.
To narrow your choices further:
Holland America and Princess have the longest history and most experience in Alaska.
I enjoy the trip planning as much as the trip taking. I look forward to sharing my travel knowledge and experience with you!
Several of you have let me know that you are planning a trip to one of my favorite destinations – Alaska! We’ve done three Alaskan cruises (two included land-based cruisetours) and are planning a return trip. So I’ll be starting with helpful Alaskan cruise advice.
Enjoying the glacier viewing at Glacier Bay National Park