Alaska Cruise Ports – The Lowdown….

Cruising the beautiful state of Alaska is something that not enough of us Brits end up actually going and doing.  Many  people associate Alaska with bitterly cold weather, which, in summer at least, just isn’t the case.  Yes, you might get a bit of rain in May or September, but pay a little more to go in the ‘high’ season of June, July and August, and you’ll probably have more consistently warm and sunny weather than the typical UK summer.

Vancouver is still the departure point of choice for most, as it is the most convenient for direct UK flights, and is also closer in proximity to Alaska than the other choices; Seattle and Tacoma.  San Francisco is another possible start point, but you’ll need to have an extra couple of cruising days to spare in order to make up the extra nautical miles needed.

So what about the ports?  All the same kind of stuff, right?  Wrong!  Here’s the lowdown….

Ketchikan – home to the salmon farming industry, and has great American-Indian heritage.

Juneau – new state capital, and jumping-off point for whale watching and the Mendenhall Glacier.  Also has the Mt Roberts tramway.

Skagway – the ‘goldrush’ town, like the old wild west.  Also has the ‘White Pass’ scenic railway.

Sitka – the old Russian Capital.  Whale-watching and trails, such as the Mount Verstovia trail, for athletic hikers.

Seward – ‘land of the midnight sun’ in summer.  Stunning scenery, and quaint town with aquarium.

Victoria –  old British colonial city with welcoming ‘small town’ feel.  Base for whale watching trips too.

Want to extend your 7-night cruise?  Try a land-tour to Denali national park, or the Rocky Mountaineer train?  Or maybe a city stopover in Toronto or New York en-route?

I’m lucky enough to have been on many Alaska cruises, and it’s still one of those destinations I’d love to visit again!  So what are you waiting for?……