Dec 18th, 2007
Alaska Cruises
There are many ways to see Alaska by sea. Dozens of big oceanliners ply the waters between Seattle and Alaska’s Inside Passage. Several ships continue across the Gulf of Alaska to make landfall in Whittier and Seward. But there are many day cruises which give folks the chance to get “up close and personal” in the nooks and crannies along Alaska’s giant coastline. Here are some of my favorites:
a. Renown Tours. These folks offer day-long cruises into Kenai Fjords National Park. Watch for whales, sea lions, puffins, eagles, oyster-catchers and whales. Oh, did I mention Big Ice. Lots of glaciers. These cruises depart Seward each day beginning in March (for gray whale watches) through early October.
b. Prince William Sound Cruises. These day cruises leave Whittier each morning during the summer for a cruise in College Fjord and around Prince William Sound. Lots of glaciers. Lots of wildlife. Lots of fun.
c. Homer Ocean Charters. The port of Homer is beautiful. And Kachemak Bay is even more beautiful from the water. Let the folks at Homer Ocean Charters take you across the bay to Otter Cove. On the way, watch for whales, porpoise, eagles and all sorts of other critters.
d. Stan Stephens Cruises. Stan’s Columbia Glacier cruise from Valdez is one of the top attractions in this area. Stan and his family have been showing off Columbia Glacier since 1971–and they also offer other cruises to far-flung locations on the far side of Prince William Sound.
e. Alaska’s Marine Highway. Alaska’s ferry system offers a great way to travel! In Southcentral Alaska, you can sail from Whittier to Cordova, Kodiak or out on the Aleutian Chain. A couple of times each month there is a trans-gulf sailing which connects to the Southeast Alaska network in Juneau. Lots of folks board the ferry in Bellingham, WA or Prince Rupert, BC for the cruise north to Alaska. Ferry communities include Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Haines…among others.
