Because of the limited number of roads and extended winter season, the best way to explore Alaska is via cruise ship. The cruise ship season begins in May and ends in September. In fact, the only way to see many of the glaciers is from a ship that is traveling the inside passage. It doesn’t matter if your cabin is on the starboard or port side, in the important spots the captain will turn the ship so that everyone gets a chance to view the impressive vistas.
Glacier Bay National Park
When the early explorers and pioneers of the 18th century sailed this way, Glacier Bay was hidden under a huge sheet of solid ice, more than 4,000ft thick and up to 20 miles wide. Today, a limited number of cruise ships can enter the bay each day and must be accompanied by a park ranger.
Denali National Park and Preserve
Famous for its spectacular mountain vistas, abundant wildlife, glaciers, vast expanses of sub-arctic tundra, and North America’s highest mountain, Mount McKinley, Denali National Park and Preserve is a real wilderness area that attracts millions of visitors a year. More than six million acres are home to grizzly bears, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, wolves and numerous species of birds. A visit to Denali can be accomplished by adding a land tour to the end of your cruise (called a “cruisetour”).
Hubbard Glacier
There is surely no more spectacular experience on the planet than to witness the calving of a titanic glacier. A stopover to watch nature’s incredible marvel, the Hubbard Glacier, in action as the high wall of ice thickens and advances towards the Gulf of Alaska is one of the unforgettable moments that makes thousands of holidaymakers opt for an Alaskan cruise every year.
Mendenhall Glacier
The most popular attraction in Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier, located just 12 miles from the downtown area. The Mendenhall Glacier is 1.5 miles wide, and calves into its own lake. Visitors have several options for seeing the Mendenhall Glacier. It can be viewed from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, which includes a recreation area good for viewing black bears; or you can hike to the glacier via the Mendenhall Glacier West Glacier Trail, which takes roughly five hours both ways.
Nearly all cruises leave from the ports of Seattle or Vancouver and take 7-10 days. If not taking a cruisetour, your ship will typically travel as far north as Skagway and then return. If taking one of the popular cruisetours, your ship will travel farther north to Anchorage. There you will disembark and take either a train or coach inland to Denali. Cruisetour options vary depending on how long you are able to travel after your cruise is over.
Bucket list advice: Alaska is BIG! When planning your trip, allow enough time for the areas you want to see and the things you want to do. All you need to do is determine what type of activities and adventures top your bucket list and choose the cruise line and shore excursions that offer those experiences.
David Anderson
gramps_travel@yahoo.com
