Alaska Southbound
with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line!
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's "Vision of the Seas"
has the same sleek lines and floor to ceiling glass venues of
all Royal Caribbean (RCCL) ships. That is one of the many
reasons why this ship is ideal for viewing the magnificent
vistas, Fjords, Glaciers and mountains along this fabulous
cruise route from Anchorage Alaska to Vancouver British
Columbia, Canada.
Alaska/British Columbia 2005
The breathtaking scenery, is truly mesmerizing, from the big-sky
wilderness of Hubbard Glacier, to the hundreds (yes
hundreds) of snow-capped mountain peaks visible all along this
cruise. From the small communities and towns, which range from
old-timey places, like Skagway, where the frontier spirit is
still alive to ultra-sophisticated urban metropolises like
Vancouver, this is a vacation experience you do not want to
miss!
I am writing this only three days after arriving home, and my
only regret is that I did not book a return cruise back to
Anchorage and stayed onboard.
Year after year, Alaska/British Columbia increases in popularity
as a cruise destination, particularly for mass market big ship
lines, which continue to base their newest, largest and
glitziest vessels here during the summer (though ironically, few
luxury lines bother these days, preferring to deploy ships in
Europe and other spots).
This year, figure that some 700,000 cruise passengers will
cruise the region. You'll be relieved to know while some things
change (there are even more jewelry stores opening in Skagway)
others remain the same (the glaciers are still calving).
Among the other things new this year:
More families are cruising, particularly from Seattle, and
Seattle is becoming a magnet for American cruisers who want to
avoid the cross border hassles inherent in cruising the inside
passage from Vancouver.
There are more choices than ever before for folks interested in
activity-oriented shore adventures, with options that, for
instance, take passengers on conveyances like 4x4's and rope
lines.
The development of new ports (an effort to make sure the popular
ports don't feel like Disney World on a school holiday)
continues; British Columbia's Prince Rupert is one of the
newest.
There's a major effort to feature shore excursions that teach
about Native Alaskan culture. (most visitors believe the only
"natives" are the Eskimo, however there are a number
of other native groups indigenous to Alaska).
Want the scuttlebutt on what's new in Alaska this year?
Here's the full scoop:
Seattle Washington, which has gone from home porting just one
ship in 2000 to eight this year, is suddenly the hottest port
for embarking and disembarking. NCL will deploy its Norwegian
Spirit, Norwegian Dream and Norwegian Star there; Princess has
assigned its two biggest ships, the 109,000-ton sisters Diamond
Princess and Sapphire Princess; Holland America is doing the
Seattle route with its Oosterdam and Amsterdam; and Celebrity is
basing its Mercury in the Emerald City for the Alaska season as
well.
And an interesting tidbit is that cruisers from Seattle are
younger than those on other Alaska cruises, with more families.
The fact that there is lots of air service to Seattle (and none
of the hassles of customs and immigration in Vancouver) probably
doesn't hurt the cause, nor does the fact that people seem to
like the idea of spending time in Seattle before or after their
cruise (Space Needle anyone?). The drawback? if you miss a visit
to Vancouver, you miss one of the most scenic cities and harbor
in North America.
What's with Whittier? Princess Cruises last year pioneered a new
northern terminal for its Gulf of Alaska cruises, moving from
Seward Alaska to Whittier, which is on the edge of Prince
William Sound. Whittier is actually closer to the airport at
Anchorage Alaska. But what really tipped the scale in favor of
the move was the new city-built floating dock and
20,000-square-ft. passenger terminal. The refurbishment of the
three-mile Alton Anderson Tunnel for train and motor coach
traffic (making it easier to get passengers to and from
Anchorage) is another major boon.
Now Carnival has moved its Carnival Spirit to Whittier as well
(with Carnival Corp. now owner of Princess, it's all in the
family). Whittier is a weird little place where most of the 300
or so residents live in one 14-story apartment building,
constructed in the 1940's when this was a key military port.
Still, with its access to the Sound and the western glaciers,
it's an up-and-comer. Several companies offer scenic day tours.
Native Alaskan-owned Prince William Sound Cruises and Tours
serves up boat excursions from Whittier with guides who teach
about Alutiiq culture and animal names; for info visit
alaskaheritagetours.com. Korean-owned China Sea, at the east end
of the harbor, is a good lunch spot. But if you're looking to do
a pre-cruise overnight you're best off going to Anchorage.
There's not much to do in Whittier.
Emergence of new ports in British Columbia. There are new ports
of call gaining attention this year, too. At the city of Prince
Rupert in British Columbia, Canada a complex of retail stores is
about to open at the upgraded dock, and NCL is among those lines
that have scheduled visits. New shore excursions this year
include Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Viewing by Boat where you go
to see black bears in their summer habitat in the Khutzeymateen
Valley (binoculars are provided). The Tshimshian Traditional
Canoe Quest & Rainforest Hike includes a scenic cruise in a
31-ft. Native design canoe and exploration of a lush rainforest
and McNickel Creek, a salmon spawning stream.
The Private Island Concept of Icy Strait Point, which is located
between Juneau and Glacier Bay, is a dock and old salmon cannery
and not much else, however it is near some of Alaska's most
pristine wilderness; Royal Caribbean and Celebrity now stop
there. A Tlingit Indian company is developing the locale and
hopes to attract other lines, although will only allow one ship
at a time for environmental reasons. Royal Caribbean and
Celebrity Cruises are introducing, among other activities, an
ATV Expedition from Icy Strait Point where guests jump behind
the wheel of 4x4 Kawasaki Mules to go off-road through bush,
forests and valleys and past mountain scenery. Locals in the
small nearby community of Hoonah Alaska, report not much benefit
to the local economy as the cruise lines are basically building
there own shore sites and excursions and they don't care much
for the corresponding tax increases. Hopefully both lines will
include the locals in their endeavors to entertain cruise
visitors of the future. Having said that, this is a great
natural wilderness area to visit!
Not the Same Old in the Same Old. Of course the main ports --
Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka and Juneau -- are on most itineraries,
with the cruise lines constantly challenged by how to disperse
thousands of passengers arriving at virtually the same time. The
answer: Create ever more innovative shore excursions. Carnival
now has more than 100 shore excursions in its Alaska brochure
and Princess has more than two dozen in Juneau alone. And
Crystal has added 38 adventure excursions on its Alaska
itineraries. Meanwhile, new businesses are opening and new
vendors coming onboard. Across the border in Canada, new options
are popping up in Victoria and Vancouver as well.
Here's a sampling of what's new in ...
Ketchikan
Princess and Norwegian have added the Rain Forest Ropes &
Zip Line Challenge where you swing like Tarzan from a rope high
above the ground and traverse a 175-ft. zip line between the
trees before repelling to the ground.
If you prefer your thrills on the ground, book the Harley
Davidson Motorcycle Tour which combines the beauty of the
Ketchikan surrounds with the exhilaration of a 55-mile Harley
ride along the scenic waterfront highway.
As part of its Celebrity Xpeditions exotic itineraries,
Celebrity has added out of Ketchikan a Coastal Wilderness and
Bear Trek where you take a narrated boat tour to remote sites in
search of bears and other wildlife, hop a seaplane for a
one-hour flight to the prime bear-viewing area of Anan Creek and
walk a trail to an observation platform where you can watch the
bears from a safe distance. Breakfast or lunch is included.
For independent travelers, private operator Allen Marine Tours
is offering new cruises from Ketchikan to Misty Fjords National
Monument on a high-speed catamaran built at the company's own
boatyard in Sitka. A 4.5-hour tour is $139 for adults, $89 for
children 3-12. Call 888-747-8101 or log on to
mistyfjordswildlifequest.com.
A word of caution when you visit Ketchikan. On
our most recent cruise on RCCL's Vision of the Seas in July
2005, we noted that almost 90% of the passengers going ashore
from 4 different cruise ships, did not get as far as "Creek
Street", which has always been a highlight of visiting
Ketchikan for us. If you go, make sure you walk beyond the
cruise line shops (yes all the new shops belong to the various
cruise lines and they crowd the docks of embarkation) and walk
to Creek Street. It is the place where you get a true feel for
the Ketchikan of old, and if you are there in late July or early
August, you will be amazed at the number of various species of
salmon that gather to swim upstream in this little creek. It is
a treat that may not be there in the decades to come.
Juneau
Photographically inclined passengers on Princess' ships can
exclusively snap away with the help of a professional
photographer on a Photo Safari by Land & Sea. Or, try the
new Taste of Juneau, where you visit the Mendenhall Glacier, the
Alaskan Brewing Company and the Taku Smokehouse (you get to
taste ales, beers and smoked salmon products).
Royal Caribbean has added in Alaska's capital city a tour that
combines whale watching, Mendenhall Glacier and Orca Point
Lodge. It's great for those who can't decide between the
individual offerings.
If you want to get away from your fellow passengers and head off
on your own, a new boat tour has been created by Auk Nu Tours
from Juneau to Ford's Terror fjord (60 miles southeast of
Juneau) and Endicott Arm (home of Dawes glacier). Advance
reservations for the full-day excursion are suggested; call
907-586-8787.
Other independent options include the new Gastineau Guiding
Company's kayaking tours to Admiralty Island, with a fast boat
taking travelers from Juneau to a base on remote Colt Island.
Visit stepintoalaska.com.
Another new operation, Harv & Marv Outback Alaska, takes up
to six passengers on private, three-hour whale-watching
excursions. The trips are aboard 26-ft. Alaska Sea Runners.
Visit harvandmarvoutbackalaska.net.
New restaurants in Juneau include Doc Waters Pub (located in The
Wharf in downtown Juneau), open for three meals a day, and
featuring both views and a big-screen TV in the bar.
Skagway
In addition to new jewelry stores (yes, there are more), there's
a new Red Light Delight shore excursion offered by Princess that
combines gold-panning and an afternoon of entertainment with the
"madams" at the Red Onion Saloon and Brothel Museum.
Luxury operator Crystal Cruises is inviting passengers to
explore their "inner adventurer" with a new rock
climbing and rappelling adventure. NCL meanwhile is appealing to
family travelers with a new Family Gold Rush Adventure where a
friendly miner meets you at the pier and takes you through the
historic streets and then to Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp for
a scavenger hunt through the woods and a campfire marshmallow
roast.
Victoria
Princess has added an evening stargazing excursion that visits
the Dominion Observatory, home of a massive 45-ton Plaskett
telescope. This was the first telescope to map the Milky Way,
and is still used by scientists to scan the sky for asteroids
and other celestial objects.
Sitka
Holland America is taking avid bird lovers to the fields for
a new Bird Watching & Nature Walk (Alaska has some 445
documented species). Crystal has added birding too.
NCL's new Captain's Choice Wildlife Quest & Beach Trek
transports passengers by a 12-person catamaran to a remote
island where you can appreciate Sitka Sound's pristine
environment and spot wildlife that may include whales, sea
otters, puffins and brown bear.
Vancouver
Visitors to the popular Capilano Suspension Bridge in North
Vancouver can now enjoy a Treetops Adventure where you walk
across 650 feet of cable bridges suspended between towering
evergreens (included in the bridge admission price; visit
capbridge.com.
In the city, A Wok Around Chinatown, helps visitors explore a
colorful and flavorful neighborhood; visit awokaround.com.
Right near the cruise ship terminal, Storyeum: A Magical Mystery
Tour, relives British Columbia's past with a 72-minute show that
includes live performances and storytelling. Visit storyeum.com.
And last but by no means least, The Pan Pacific Vancouver Hotel
boasts the new and luxurious $4 million Spa Utopia and Salon, a
Roman inspired sanctuary with towering pillars and cascading
waterfalls. We can't think of a better place to recover from jet
lag (or end-of-cruise malaise); visit vancouver.panpacific.com.
--By Fran Wenograd Golden. Boston-based Golden, whose
contributions to Cruise Critic include features, ship reviews
and destination-oriented port profiles, is the travel editor of
The Boston Herald and also co-author of Cruise Vacations for
Dummies.
Note: if you embark from Vancouver and you have an over night before
you join your cruise, do yourself a huge favor. Make
reservations for the restaurant at the top of Grouse
Mountain (Vancouver's very own Ski slope) Make your reservations
for 1 hour before sunset then enjoy a great meal, in a fine
restaurant as you watch the lights come on all over Vancouver.
Wow!!
H. Pelham ForTravel.net
