Info on Alaska Cruises wanted

[donna campbell]

Hi all - am looking for some advice, suggestions and general help on how to select an Alaskan cruise - if you've taken one (or perhaps more), I'd really appreciate your ideas especially on the routes and sites that are most worth seeing - of course, I want to see the glaciers before they're all gone but other than that, have no clue...also, if you use online travel sites alot, can you suggest one or ones which seem consistently better than others - might like to cruise up from SF and take the train back from Vancouver but am open to all suggestions...and while I'm at it, would love to find someone to share the trip with as I really can't afford to pay for a full cabin myself and the rates are all based on double occupancy...thanks for any and all ideas...donna

[sd gross]

Hi!

The Alaskan and B.C. ferry systems are infinitely more fun and you'll able to have some flexibility insofar as your itinerary. The big cruise lines are like a beached herring in the moonlight- flashy and glamorous, but when you get close, they don't smell so good. Gloria and I drove/ferried Alaska in '87 (or thereabouts) and again with our big poodle about 7 years ago. If you're a foot passenger, you don't need reservations, you can get off (on Sitka, or Petersburg, or wherever, stay as long as you like and then get on another Alaskan ferry going in the same direction. You'll see more, learn more and meet a better class of people. We visited Juneau, Ketchikan, and several other places, and because we had our van we had to plan in advance, but it was still wonderful. The big B.C. ferry from Port Hardy (No. tip of Vancouver Is. to Prince Rupert ) sank but I'm sure they've replaced it by now. Some ferries offer little sleeping cabins as well as naturalists, lectures and classes.
If you have specific questions, please write me, but get an up=to-date copy of the Milepost and examine your options. Two necessities are binocs and something to deal with little biting insects. Alaska/BC remain a naturalists wonderland and cruise ships aren't as intimate or user-friendly.
hugs and good luck
stephen

[Geni Houston]

I can appreciate sd gross comments on doing it yourself, but if cruise is what you are looking for I recommend the Osterdam - on the inland passage. Smaller ship, great food and we docked in Juneau, Ketchikan, Vancouver, BC and Sitka (I think). We floated in front of a large, well known glacier and watched it for hours, calving peridocally and creaking and cracking.

The ports were fine it you haven't been before, but alittle touristy. You have the ability to book excursions prior to boarding which we recommend as they tend to fill up. But there are hikes, fishing expeditions, garden tours. On Vancouver island, we missed a tour, so simply hired a taxi and drove and walked for 6 hours - beautiful city.

[Juggledude]

I've had good luck with Discount Cruises. Best cruise prices as agents compete at CruiseCompete. for the actual bookings of cruises... and tons of information can be gleaned from the boards at Cruise Reviews, Cruise Deals and Cruises - Cruise Critic ... I love cruising but have not done Alaska yet...

have fun!

Royce

[Juggledude]

Ok, so that's wierd, and has fussed my grammar all up. I typed links, the board software took my links, looked them up, and added their titles in in place of my text. I really don't ramble quite that incoherently...

Royce

I've had good luck with Discount Cruises. Best cruise prices as agents compete at CruiseCompete. for the actual bookings of cruises... and tons of information can be gleaned from the boards at Cruise Reviews, Cruise Deals and Cruises - Cruise Critic ... I love cruising but have not done Alaska yet...

have fun!

Royce