Alaska Travel and Cruises

Alaska, also called The Great Land, has a wide variety of travel opportunities, including:
  • bear-viewing by plane and boat
  • bike tours
  • cruises
  • day tours for hikers and fishermen
  • dog sledding with a team of huskies
  • flight-seeing over glaciers, preserved areas and other wilderness
  • gold mining tours
  • horse-drawn wagon rides
  • horseback tours through tundra, mountain ranges and foothills
  • kayaking
  • river-boating
  • seaplane sightseeing
  • whale-watching
  • whitewater rafting.

Alaska Cruises

Alaska cruises begin in May and end in September. Nearly all Alaska cruises depart off the west coast of the United States in a number of different cities, including:
  • San Francisco.
  • Seattle
  • Seward
  • Vancouver
  • Whittier.

Similarly, you can choose between a number of different cruise liners for your Alaskan cruise, including:

  • Carnival Cruises Line
  • Celebrity Cruise Line
  • Holland American Line
  • Princess Cruises
  • Royal Caribbean Cruises.

In general, cruises offer a more planned out vacation option. Food, lodging and entertainment are usually all included in the cost of cruises. Typically, Alaska cruises take travelers along the:

  • Glacier Route Northbound
  • Glacier Route Southbound
  • Inside Passage.

Cost of Alaska Cruises

Tours on Alaska cruises to last seven to 10 days on the Gulf of Alaska. While travel agents or online sites can quote you a more specific price for the cruise in which you are interested, the cost of your trip, which will be at least a few thousand dollars, depends on:
  • departure and arrival locations
  • how many people travel with you
  • if you travel with seniors or children
  • shuttle and/or flight costs
  • the cruise line you chose
  • the package you buy
  • when you go
  • whether or not you require insurance.

Pre-cruise land-based trips can range from $800 to $2,200 during Alaska's travel peak season. Post cruise tours can range from $670 to $2,500. Some of the factors that can affect this cost include:

  • how long you tour
  • the kind of tour you decide on (i.e. self-guided versus escorted)
  • the kind of transportation you require (i.e. bus, train or car)
  • where and when you go
  • your departure and arrival location.

Alaska's Climate

Summer temperatures in Alaska range from 60˚F to 80˚F. Evenings and mornings are cooler, measuring in at about 40˚F to 50˚F in the summer. As fall approaches in September, temperatures drop and daylight decreases. Temperatures will also vary according to which the region you're exploring.

You may, of course, travel to Alaska during every season. However, keep in mind that you will need to pack warmer clothing to be adequately prepared for the cold weather in fall, winter and spring. While these seasons can be especially cold and have minimal sunlight, in contrast, summer is far warmer with long daylight hours, which can be more appealing for those who are especially sensitive to cold weather.

Regions of Alaska

Alaska has five different regions:
  • Far North
  • Inside Passage.
  • Interior
  • Southcentral
  • Southwest.

Alaska's Far North

Visitors to the Far North in Alaska may enjoy visiting:
  • Arctic Circle
  • Arctic Ocean
  • Beaufort Sea
  • Chuckchi Sea
  • Gates of Artic National Park and Preserve
  • Yukon River.

The Inupiat Eskimos reside in Alaska's Far North. Many still live off the land and continue their culture's oral history.

Located in the Western Artic Region of the Far North, Nome is one of the largest cities in this region. Other major areas of attraction in the Far North include St. Lawrence Island, Barrow on the Arctic Coast (Barrow is the northernmost city in the state) and Coldfoot in the Brooks Range to the East.

Alaska's Interior

The Interior is home to:
  • Athabascan Indians
  • city of Fairbanks
  • Denali National Park
  • forests and tundra
  • midnight sun in the summer
  • Northern Lights in the winter
  • the highest mountain in North America, Mt. McKinley.
  • wildlife, such as caribou and grizzly bears.

Southwest Alaska

The southwest region encompasses the Bering Sea, Kodiak Island and the Aleutian Islands, which extend toward Asia for 1,000 miles. The Novarupta Volcano erupted in 1912, creating the stunningly rugged geography of Katmai National Park.

Southcentral Alaska

Southcentral Alaska includes the Gulf of Alaska and the city of Anchorage. Half of the state's population lives in this region, which also draws an international crowd because of its trout and salmon fishing, hiking and other outdoor opportunities.

Inside Passage

Alaska's capital, Juneau, is in the Inside Passage, which extends along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. In terms of scenery, the Inside Passage has a lot to offer, including exclusive access to old Russian churches, wildlife (bald eagles, sea lions, porpoises and whales) and fjords (glacial valleys flooded with seawater).
 
Resources
 
Travel Alaska (2007). Home Page. Retrieved February 12, 2008, from the Travel Alaska Web site.

Alaska Cruise Quotes (2008). Alaska Cruise Quotes. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from Alaskacruisequotes.com Web site.
 
Alaska Tour & Travel: The Travel Alaska Experts (2008). Alaska Tours. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from Alaskatravel.com Web site.
 
Alaska Tour & Travel: The Travel Alaska Experts (2008). Alaska Cruises. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from Alaskatravel.com Web site.
 
Alaska Travel Industry Association (2007). Alaska Weather and Climate: Clothes and Conditions. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from Travelalaska.com Web site.
 
Alaska Travel Industry Association (2007). Explore Alaska's Regions. Retrieved February 12, 2008, from the Travelalaska.com Web site.