One of the primary attractions of an Alaska cruise is the unspoiled beautiful scenery. The glaciers and arctic tundra is enough to take anyone’s breath away. What many people don’t know much about is the excursions, or port trips that one can take on these scenic trips. Alaska cruise excursions are completely different from what you’re used to if you’re a carribean cruise frequenter.

What are Alaska cruise excursions like then?

Alaska cruise excursions are for the outdoor, nature-oriented crowd. The towns themselves provide little entertainment; there is only minimal sightseeing to be done. This does not mean, however, that you have to be bored on your Alaska cruise excursions. If you enjoy hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities, then you’ll find yourself at home on these port day trips.

So what exactly is there to do on Alaska cruise excursions?

Nearly every Alaskan cruise will stop at these four ports. After that where you’ll stop depends on what cruise line you’re on and what route they decide to take.

Juneau: This port has many scenic offerings including trekking, fishing, and even jet boat rides across the shore water. Perhaps the most well known excursion at this port is their unparalleled rainforest. Walk through this gorgeous landscape to see wildlife and spectacular waterfalls.

Ketchikan: Home of the beautiful Orea beach, where you can walk by the coastal forest and witness marine wildlife.

Sitka: Here you can take a walk through the  open bird habitats, get a pass to visit the Sitka national historic park, or even walk across glaciers!

Wrangell: Similar to Juneau, this Alaska port excursion centers on their beautiful rainforest walk which culminates in a 100 foot waterfall that’s absolutely breathtaking.

In addition to the Alaska cruise excursions you’ll find at these four ports, nearly every port will have access to hiking, fishing, and, of course, whale watching at the home of the notorious humpback whale.

Where do I find discount Alaska adventure cruises?

I’ve traditionally found Priceline to be a great resource for cheap Alaska adventure cruises. Browse their site; they have an extensive array of option.

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Tags: Alaska cruise general

Why an Alaska wedding cruise?

Alaska wedding cruises are notorious for their stunning beauty and tranquility. While Alaska isn’t necessarily the first place one would think of when looking for a wedding or a honeymoon, the couples who try it have nothing but good things to say and never regret it. If you’re looking for a unique and gorgeous setting to exchange your vows, however, an Alaska wedding cruise is at the top of the list.

Tips on planning your alaska wedding cruise

Before getting so excited you go out and buy two tickets for an Alaska wedding cruise there are several things you need to consider. First you need to consider where the actual wedding ceremony will take place. There are three main options:

• Get married on board the ship: Most cruise lines are more than happy to accommodate couples and provide them with an intimate marriage setting on board the ship.
• Get married on a port excursion: Set up a marriage ceremony ahead of time at one of the ports your cruise will be stopping. There are some truly stunning places in Alaska that would be perfect for your Alaska wedding.
• Get married before or after the Alaska wedding cruise: in this case the cruise serves as your honeymoon and you would perform the actual ceremony outside of the cruise.

Who’s going to perform our ceremony

Now who’s going to perform the ceremony and get you hitched? One of the great things about Alaska is that ANYONE ANYWHERE can marry you as long as they apply for a one-day wedding license. That means your drinking buddy Joe from the cruise can wed you to your beloved (as long as he doesn’t slur the words of course).

Sounds wonderful…but can I afford an Alaska wedding cruise

But how much is your scenic Alaska wedding cruise going to cost? While Alaska cruises certainly aren’t cheap, if you plan on bringing a large group to partake in your wedding cruise, there are great discounts to be had!

So where do I book my Alaska wedding cruise?

We’ve found that Priceline, as usual, has by far the best deals. They also have the ‘name your own price’ function where you choose how much you’re willing to pay and they’ll find you the best package for that money.

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Why an Alaska boat cruise?

Surprisingly, Alaska is at the top of the list for most popular cruise destinations across the globe, and many cruise enthusiasts consider it the height of the cruise experience.

Alaska boat cruises have the benefit of one of some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. The unspoiled nature of the forests and the majestic glaciers are a must-see for all nature-lovers.

Alaska boat cruises also have the benefit of some of the best shore excursions. While the cities themselves aren’t terribly exciting, the outdoor adventures at each port are truly unique. Alaska boat cruise port excursions often include: hiking through the beautiful Alaskan landscape, sport fishing in Alaska’s famous fishing waters, whale watching in the home of the renowned humpback whales, and even jet boat rides on Alaskan shore waters.

So what is there to do on an Alaskan boat cruise?

Just because you’re going on an adventure cruise to the wilderness of Alaska doesn’t mean you have to rough it out. Your cruise will, in all likelihood, have heated indoor swimming pools, a gym, a casino, exercise classes every day, and great dining!

Alright, but can i afford an Alaska boat cruise?

While many carribean cruise start for under one thousand dollars, an Alaska boat cruise rarely starts for under 900 dollars for a seven day trip. While this may at first seem expensive, think about it this way. Hotel prices alone for one person on a seven day trip are usually over 900 dollars. An Alaskan boat cruise includes both room and board, so it’s actually quite a deal.

Unfortunately there are other costs associated with Alaska boat cruises. First in the airfare to get there (usually departing from Seatte) which can be a few hundred per person, and second is the port excursions which can be as expensive as you want. All in all, I’d say a reasonable budget per person for a seven day Alaska cruise is 1500$, which is only slightly over 200 dollars a night, not that unreasonable

So what’s prime time for Alaska boat cruises?

Alaska boat cruises only run from May to September and demand is extremely high so make sure to book your tickets way ahead of time.

Where can i find the best deals on Alaska boat cruises?

I’ve traditionally found Priceline to be a great resource for cheap Alaska adventure cruises. Browse their site; they have an extensive array of option.

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Tags: Alaska cruise general

Why an Alaska adventure cruise is a great family vacation:

Many of us still have the stereotype that cruises are tame vacations for the elderly playing bridge and checkers. Over the past couple decades, however, cruise lines have completely changed their image. Cruise lines now cater to families and the younger generations; in particular, they over great action-packed adventure cruises. One of the best of this new generation of cruises is an Alaska adventure cruise.

Alaska adventure cruises offer a variety of great shore excursions including nature walks, glacier treks, white water rafting, wildlife tours, kayaking, fishing, and even panning for gold! Here is a list of some of the excursions to be had at popular destinations on Alaska adventure cruises.

Popular adventure excursion destinations:

Juneau: At this popular Alaska adventure cruise destination you’ll find rainforest tours, where you can spend hours hiking through beautiful wildlife witnessing marine life and towering spruces.

Ketchikan: Nearly every Alaska adventure cruise ship will stop at this must-see destination. Ketchikan offers tours of the beautiful Orea beach through unspoiled coastal forest.

Sitka: Here you can tour open bird habitat’s, visit the Sitka national historic park, go on beautiful nature walks, and even trek across glaciers!

Wrangell: Another gorgeous rainforest walk can be found here that takes you up to a famous 100 foot waterfall; the view is spectacular!

Other popular Alaska adventure cruise excursions:

At nearly every port you can find scenic biking and trekking; Alaska is known for its beautiful landscape and is one of its primary attractions

You can also partake in sport fishing at nearly every port. Alaska is renowned for its abundant supply of fish. Alongside this you can also get involved in the popular whale watching community in Alaska. Alaska is home to some of the largest humpback whales in the world, and cruises are a perfect location to keep an eye out for these majestic cruises

Get out there and book your Alaska adventure cruise

Now you know what great attractions an Alaska adventure cruise can offer. It’s the perfect vacation for families and people of all ages; there are activities for everyone!

Where do I find discount Alaska adventure cruises?

I’ve traditionally found Priceline to be a great resource for cheap Alaska adventure cruises. Browse their site; they have an extensive array of option.

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Tags: Alaska cruise general

The reason we created this blog in the first place is because we firmly believe that the alska cruise experience is one of the most exciting and fulfilling vacations a person can take. With this amazing opportunity however, comes some difficulty in planning such as appropriate clothing, transportation, what items to bring, what to do at port stops, and where to stay before and after the cruise. In order to help you plan your stay and make it a smooth and stress-free experience we’ve compiled a list of 10 essential tips for Alaska cruise.

Alaska cruise tip one:

Perhaps the most important item that needs discussing – weather. The weather on Alaska cruises varies incredibly; it’s a cruise of extremes. Sometimes we’ve been on a cruise with an entire week of sunshine (literally all week since the sun sets so late that far north during the summer) and we’ve also experienced freezing rain. Our number 1 Alaska cruise tip is to plan for all types of weather. Bring rain gear, heavy warm clothing, light summer gear, and, most importantly, remember to wear layers so you can change easily!

Alaska cruise tip two:

Our second essential Alaska cruise tip is to remember all your miscellaneous items! Some of these may not seem intuitive, but as experienced cruise goers we can tell you that you’ll need them!

• Sunscreen, bug repellent, a good pair of snow boots, camera, umbrellas, formal wear (2 outfits will do), and bathing suit

Alaska cruise tip three:

Our third Alaska cruise tip is about one of the most exciting parts of cruises:  Port adventures! One of the sad things about the ports that Alaska cruise ships stop at is that there isn’t much to see at the cities themselves. Instead you’ll spend most of your time hiking through beautiful arctic tundra, going on jet boat rides, and enjoying the breathtaking scenery. Because of this we would advise you to bring lots of outdoor clothing, good hiking shoes, and money for your port adventures.

Alaska cruise tip four:

Where to stay before and after. Since none of you who wish to go on this cruise actually LIVE in Alaska, you’ll need place to stay the day(s) before and after the cruise before you head back. Check your cruise’s website because they often have recommendations and pre/post cruise packages.  Seattle is a beautiful town that is near the starting location of most of these cruises, we highly recommend spending a night there!

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Tags: Alaska cruise general