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Alaskans are inviting people who love to share what makes their state unique. Watch lumberjacks in action, learn from Glacier Bay National Park rangers and craft with a Native totem pole carver. Or listen to harrowing Tales from the Deadliest Catch fishermen and climbers who have summited Denali during your Alaska cruise.
Alaska’s Inside Passage: Glaciers, National Forests and Beyond
Get close to massive glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park and wait breathlessly for ice to calve off and plunge into the ocean. Inside Passage waters are as smooth as it gets, while on shore you’ll find endless thrills and chills. Fish for salmon in Ketchikan, helicopter onto Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, or ride the rails along the rugged White Pass Summit in Skagway. Alaska's portion of the Inside Passage extends 500 miles (800 km) from north to south and 100 miles (160 km) from east to west. While the Alexander Archipelago in Alaska provides some protection from the Pacific Ocean weather, much of the area experiences strong semi-diurnal tides. Shaped by the staggering force of massive glaciers millions of years ago, Alaska’s Inside Passage stretches 500 miles along the Pacific Ocean and boasts wildlife-filled fjords, tidewater glaciers, and lush island scenery.
Scenic Cruising The Inside Passage
Enjoy additional days to explore your embarkation or disembarkation city, or see a new destination altogether with a choice of exciting cities.Pre & Post Cruise Extensions vary by itinerary and are subject to change. Located right along the coast of British Columbia, the Inside Passage is the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Watch the water for orcas and humpback whales as you cruise the passage to the historic Alaskan ports of Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan.
Best Small Ship Itineraries
Cruise ship travelers enjoy tour options for all interests and activity levels including Alaska Native cultural tours, hiking, fishing, kayaking, flightseeing, history tours, dog sledding, food tours, and so much more. Ever since the 1890’s visitors have come to Alaska because of wondrous reports about Glacier Bay—stories of towering glaciers which calve icebergs into the sea and scenic beauty beyond belief. When the famous naturalist John Muir explored Glacier Bay, much of the bay we have today did not yet exist. Ever changing, Glacier Bay National Park is still one of Alaska’s most popular coastal attractions and most visited national parks. The coastal mountain ranges and islands offer wildlife viewing and opportunities for boating, fishing, kayaking, camping and hiking.
In Haines, a seaside hamlet on the Alaska Inside Passage, there are more eagles than people. However, even Alaska cruises that depart early in the season can offer surprising wildlife sightings. Once you’re at sea, keep your eyes peeled for the penguin-like Common Murre, Pelagic Cormorants (which nest on coastal cliffs), and four different types of Gulls. And you shouldn’t have any trouble spotting the popular puffins, including the Horned Puffins and Tufted Puffins. Located near the northeast coast of Baranof Island, the Lake Eva trail leads 1.5 miles, from picturesque Hanus Bay to the south end of the lake. There’s also an unmaintained section of the trail, which adds an additional 1.4 miles to the trek and takes you to the remote Lake Eva cabin.
Our award-winning North to Alaska program brings local personalities, culture and cuisine on board and ashore to immerse you in all things Alaska during your cruise to the Great Land. As you’re booking your dream Alaskan cruise to the Inside Passage, consider what comforts, food and adventures you're seeking. Each cruise line offers unique programs and amenities, and some will be better suited for your budget and level of comfort. Inside Passage cruisers can choose from mass-market lines with massive ships, including Royal Caribbean and Carnival. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. Experience the Alaskan wilderness; get up close to a glacier and marvel at the wildlife.
Small-ship cruises are usually confined to localized areas within the Inside Passage and start out from Juneau, Ketchikan or Sitka. The Inside Passage is one of the few routes in the world where large cruise ships requiring relatively deep water can safely sail next to steep mountainsides. It was heavily used by prospectors from the American West Coast during the Klondike Gold Rush. This Inside Passage cruise docks near Vancouver’s biggest attractions, so you can spend more time sightseeing and less time getting from place to place. Air travel is a breeze with a convenient roundtrip and Saturday or Sunday departures.
The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler - The Points Guy
The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler.
Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
As much as I loved these other Alaska cruise shore excursions, my favorite activity from my two Alaksa trips was the one we did right off the back deck of the Admiralty Dream. But the truth is, whether you choose to visit in late spring, peak season, or just before the autumn snows arrive, you’re guaranteed to have your mind blown. For us, the more difficult choice came down to which of the Alaska cruise tours was best suited to our travel style. So here’s our guide to planning the ultimate cruise of Alaska’s Inside Passage. It covers everything from choosing the best time time to go and how to decide between the best cruise lines to the best Alaska cruise excursions and the wondrous array of wildlife you might see along the way.
Local Climate & Weather
Inside Passage cruises sail along the state's southeastern coast, from the cannery town of Ketchikan to Glacier Bay National Park. Alaska cruise tours, meanwhile, skim the coastline as well as explore the state's vast interior. Common targets for these vacations are Denali National Park, about 150 miles north of Anchorage, and Fairbanks, a former Gold Rush town some 200 miles northeast of Denali. Some cruise tours even cross the border into Canada, making stops as far east as Calgary, Jasper and Lake Louise, all popular points in the province of Alberta.
Get more from your tour experience on this small group, fully guided citizen science adventure. Remove the hassle from air travel and give yourself the gift of flexibility, time and a thicker wallet with Princess EZair flights. We negotiate lower rates with the airlines, allow you to modify your flight up to 45 days prior with no penalty and protect you if your flight is late or canceled.
This web of waterways known as Alaska’s Inside Passage runs from Seattle to the southeastern Alaska panhandle. It’s a common network for ships, as it offers protected, smooth-as-glass sailing. It’s one of the few routes in the world with water deep enough for cruise ships to sidle up to cliffs.
The last of our cruise excursions before making our way to the port in Sitka was a hike to Lake Eva, which is part of the Tongass National Forest. Still, the simple knowledge that these 40+ rock etchings (which are only visible during low tide) date back around 8,000 years is fascinating. Especially when you consider that these images of salmon, whales, birds, human faces, and circular patterns represent the oldest native art in southeast Alaska. While we were in Juneau we were fortunate to get an opportunity to explore the exceptional Sealaska Heritage Institute, which is arguably the finest indigenous art museum I’ve visited. The Endicott Arm and the Tracy Arm are both over 30 miles long and bordered by sheer mountains dotted with sproce and hemlock forests.
Victoria, BC, one of the oldest cities on the Pacific coast, puts its British charm on display. Seaside towns nestle beside coastal mountains where thrill seekers whale watch, kayak, dog mush, and even snorkel. Delightful boardwalk shops and restaurants line the harbors while excursions leave regularly for glacier viewing, fishing, black and brown bear spotting, and guided hiking tours. Ketchikan, Alaska embodies the small-town appeal of “Main Street,” with friendly faces and hometown entertainment, while Skagway, Alaska brings the Gold Rush boom back to life. The Inside Passage encompasses islands, coves, bays, national parks, and fjords, and gives you the opportunity to explore remote towns only accessible by boat or plane.
About 20% of this rugged wilderness is covered in ice, and the most distinctive characteristic of the Endicott Arm was the massive icebergs floating within. The best part for me, as someone who loves traditional indigenous cultures, was hiking through the forest in Bartlett Cove to a remarkably ornate Tlingit tribal house. The native interpreters there gave us an excellent overview of Tlingit culture, which we’ll talk about in more depth in a future post. While cruising the Inside Passage, you’ll be forgiven if you see so many spectacular glaciers, you start having trouble telling them apart. The glacier was named for Thomas Mendenhall, who led the National Geodetic Survey from 1889 to 1894, but never actually visited the area. Stretching 13.6 miles long, the gorgeous glacier is part of the Juneau Icefield, the fifth largest icefield in North America.
Dive deeper into what makes the Great Land special on your cruise to Alaska. When you cruise to Alaska from Seattle, encounter unique ports of call that are rich in history, culture and natural beauty. Feel the pioneer spirit of Alaska, from First Nations tribes to early Russian settlers to Gold Rush prospectors. These waters are also home to a huge population of whales, sea lions, seals, porpoises and puffins. Bald eagles and seabirds often fly overhead— and Admiralty Island is the best spot for glimpsing bears. With exclusive access to some of the most famous glaciers — including Glacier Bay National Park — Princess offers a close-up, undisturbed view to spectacular scenery and adored wildlife.
That doesn’t mean overloading your suitcase, it means including enough of the right gear for the weather in Alaska. Sitka, on the west side of Baranof Island, is the largest city-borough in the U.S. and there’s a lot of history to explore here. It was the site of the Alaska purchase transfer ceremony and has both Tlingit and Russian influence.
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