Alaska Cruise Vacation: Getting The Best Deal
An Alaska cruise vacation is one of the best ways to spend your free weeks. Glaciers, untouched frontier, wildlife and natural resources-rich land are just some of the attractions of this area. Whether you're planning for a short visit or a week-long trip, a cruise to this U.S. territory is probably the best way to explore the place. Several cruise companies offer trips to Alaska. To get a better idea on the various deal packages, read on.
One of the cruise lines offering trips to Alaska is Carnival. It has three major itineraries, the Northbound, Southbound and Glacier Bay. The Northbound itinerary departs from Vancouver, Canada aboard the Carnival Spirit ship. It sails along the Lynn Canal, passing through College Fjord, Skagway and Glacier Bay among others. The seven-day Carnival cruise has a starting price of $659. The Southbound itinerary's features are mostly similar to that of the Northbound cruise, but it departs from Anchorage, Alaska. Meanwhile, the Glacier Bay itinerary is just that, a cruise mainly focused on this area of active glaciers. The seven-day cruise departs from Vancouver and rates start at $809. Another company offering packages to Alaska is Norwegian Cruise Line. It has two itineraries, the Sawyer Glacier and the Glacier Bay. The Sawyer deal offers both a seven-day and an 18-day cruise. The cruise for seven days includes a trip to the Inside Passage aboard the Norwegian Star or the Norwegian Sun and a trip to either Seattle or Vancouver, depending on the choice of package. The 18-day cruise, aboard the Norwegian Sun, includes Endicott Arm, San Francisco and the Mexican Riviera on its itinerary. The seven day Glacier Bay itinerary of Norwegian is aboard either the Pearl or the Star vessel. The list of places includes the Inside Passage, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan among others. The trip departs from Seattle or Vancouver. Aside from Carnival and Norwegian, Princess Cruises is another popular choice for Alaska travelers. The cruise line's Gulf of Alaska Cruise includes the Inside Passage, College Fjord and Kenai Peninsula on its itinerary. Various deals are offered under this package aboard the Sapphire Princess, Coral Princess, Diamond Princess or Island Princess. Holland America also offers Alaska cruise packages aboard its vessels Veendam, Zaandam and Volendam. The vessels offer eight-day, seven-night trips departing from Vancouver to Seward. The Holland America deals are said to be one of the best when it comes to Alaska vacations. The experience, according to those who have already tried it, is one of pure sophistication coupled with old world-style ocean travel. Another liner offering cruise deals to Alaska is Celebrity Cruises aboard the Mercury. The seven-day round trip departs from Vancouver and has a starting price of $699 per person. If you prefer luxury accommodations, Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers an eight-day Glacier Northbound Alaska package aboard the Seven Seas Mariner departing from Vancouver. The starting price is $5,350 for a Suite accommodation. Getting the best deal for an Alaska cruise vacation would depend highly on your diligence in sorting out the information provided by the cruise lines and the travel agencies. Just make sure that you read the fine print and ask questions regarding rates and package coverage. |
