North to Alaska
They鈥檙e goin鈥� north, the rush is on
North to Alaska
They鈥檙e goin鈥� north, the rush is on.
听
Change one of those lines to, They鈥檙e cruisin鈥� North, the rush is on, and that Johnny Horton hit from 1960 would be relevant today.
Ships from the world鈥檚 cruise fleet will soon be crossing the Pacific and heading north from the Panama Canal to Vancouver and Seattle for the May-to-September Alaska cruise season. Passengers will come from around the world but the majority, as always, will be from the United States.
Friends of mine from California are coming for the wildlife, the whales, the glaciers and a chance to take a helicopter ride over those glaciers and the pristine, rugged wilderness.
And they will have their choice of ships.
Alaska Dream and Un-Cruises are two lines representing the small, expedition-style ships. Passengers looking for luxury will find it with Silversea and Regent Seven Seas. Disney鈥檚 Wonder will head the 鈥減remium to mass market鈥� category in the pilgrimage north.
However, despite the big-ticket cruise lines, the dominant players will still be Princess Cruises and Holland America, the two lines that have been cruising to Alaska the longest.
While there are many seven-day return cruises to Vancouver, my favourite is听the one-week, one-way cruises between Vancouver and Anchorage (Seward and听Whittier), either northbound or southbound.
Why?
The best part is the opportunity to see a whole other side of Alaska. From Anchorage you can plan your tour to Denali National Park or Fairbanks or a ride on the Alaskan Railroad Wilderness Express offering dome car views of the natural beauty that is the Alaskan interior. Ride a听riverboat, be amazed at the speed of the dog sleds and take a plane to circle or even land on Mount McKinley, the largest mountain in the U.S.
Or you can leave all the organizing to the cruise line and take one of the Cruise Tours that are available at the start if you鈥檙e cruising southbound or at the end if you鈥檙e cruising north. I听stayed with the water to听begin my tour (this time a river) with a trip on a paddlewheel boat.
Or you can take a tour of听Denali National Park. If听you leave the tree line at听about 2,700 feet, you鈥檙e in听the Arctic tundra.
The Alaskan Railroad Wilderness Express, with its dome cars, is a great way to take in Alaska鈥檚 natural beauty. I boarded at听Denali and left the train at听Talkeetna, a journey of听four hours through some听amazingly picturesque country.
Remember the TV show Northern Exposure? Think smaller and funkier and you听have Talkeetna. Shops, restaurants of all kinds. You might even see a small bush plane parked at the end of a side street or in a听backyard. From here, you can fly to Mount McKinley if the weather co-operates.
The Alaska Native Heritage Centre is a worthwhile final stop, followed by a last feed of crab in Anchorage before it鈥檚 鈥渨heels up鈥� for the flight back to sa国际传媒.
Weather is your best and worst friend in Alaska. Even at the height of summer, you could be bundled up (I wore a parka in Denali in June) or walking around in shorts. Pair bug spray with suntan lotion, and bring the binoculars.
Alaska cruises are a great coastal experience. Check the websites of the major lines serving the 49th听state.
