Making Plans
how to cruise alaska
Pick a route : ships cruise the Gulf of alaska , Bering sea and inside Passage . the latter route sees ships weave through the islands of alaska ’ s southern coast , with ports including Juneau , sitka and ketchikan .
Pick a cruise style : one-way northbound or southbound , round trip or a cruisetour .
Pick a season : late spring and early summer are best . the weather is at its warmest and most days the morning fog dissipates fairly quickly . But always plan for significant temperature variance . and don ’ t forget , alaska ’ s southern panhandle is largely a temperate rainforest , so bring wet-weather apparel too !
Pick your coVeraGe : out-ofcountry hospital and emergency services aren ’ t covered by your alberta healthcare plan . Get a free quote for travel medical insurance at aMatravel . ca / travelinsurance
A field of blooming fireweed overlooks Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau , Alaska
before or after the cruise portion of your trip .
Many travellers do extensive cruisetours with itineraries that include such iconic sites as Glacier Bay , Kenai Fjords , Wrangell-St . Elias and Denali national parks . They search for Denali ’ s “ Big Five ”— grizzly bears , caribou , moose , gray wolves and Dall sheep — learn to dogsled , fly fish and much more . Some tours even head for points farther east in the Yukon to explore historic gold rush sites . Whether you ’ re a nature enthusiast , hardcore hiker or even a foodie , you ’ re sure to find something that fascinates .
Travelling by bus and enjoying the convenience of pre-booked restaurants and hotels — and having your luggage managed for you — makes cruisetour packages a great choice for everyone from young families to older solo travellers . They ’ re a particularly great solution for those who travel long distances to get to Alaska and want to ensure they do a thorough job of exploring the “ last frontier .”
Our own cruisetour is loaded with
Mihael Blikshteyn / stocksy united
46 Spring 2017
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