Cruising Alaska
 
Although the Alaska cruise season typically runs from April through October, if you haven’t already planned your 2006 escape to the "Great Land," I strongly encourage you to call me – your Cruise Holidays expert – immediately.

 

"The 2005 Alaska season was a veritable sellout," said Terry Dale, CLIA’s president and CEO. "Our member travel agents reported that those travelers who attempted to book in mid-season last year were left with very few choices," Dale said.

 

Booking now assures that you won’t miss out on any of the wonder or excitement of Alaska. Since this is typically a once-in-a-lifetime trip, I’ll work with you to make sure it is as memorable as can be. An Alaskan cruise should be much more than simply seeing the Inside Passage. To fully experience Alaska, I recommend booking shore excursions and cruise at the same time, especially since they sell out quickly.

 

Those experiences range from helicopter flightseeing across Juneau’s Ice Field to kayaking Alaskan waterways. Also, many extended pre- and post- cruise tours take you deeper into Alaska via rail, featuring stays at wilderness lodges and sightseeing in Denali National Park.

 

This season, Royal Caribbean International will deploy the Radiance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas and Vision of the Seas all with 7-night itineraries.

 

Depending on your selected itinerary, RCCL cruise excursions allow you to:

 

• Take a scenic arctic adventure on White Pass & Yukon, the "scenic railway of the world."
• Hike through glacial waterfalls and rainforests outside Juneau.
• Take wildlife cruises onboard high-speed catamarans.
• Explore the Inside Passage of Ketchikan on guided mountain bike tours.
• Race across glaciers via dogsled rides.

 

For the more seasoned cruiser, you might want to consider Radisson Seven Seas Cruises’ exotic 14-night sailing from Whittier to Tokyo – departing Sept. 20 – featuring RSSC’s famous spotlight theme with special Le cordon Bleu workshops and the sounds of the Fine Arts Quartet. Ports of call include Kodiak, Dutch Island and Russia’s Petropavlovsk/Kamchatka Peninsula.

 

So, whatever strikes your fancy, whether it be the adventure of a dogsled ride or the allure of watching the wildlife from the comfort of your deck chair, the time to book is now. And remember, we're here to help make your trip of a lifetime a reality.