السبت، 13 ديسمبر 2008

Cruising Alaska and the Inside Passage

Cruising Alaska and the Inside Passage

Find out just why so many people just rave about cruising Alaska and the Inside Passage.
Cruising Alaska is a positively unforgettable experience. You might have spoken to friends or relatives who have taken Alaska cruises, and the odds are they raved about the experience. Having been to Alaska myself, I can truly say that it is the most amazing place I have ever visited.

So just what is it that makes a cruise in Alaska such a special experience? Well, in the first place, the scenery is really, truly spectacular. The glaciers are amazing – huge bodies of ice that continually break off into huge chunks, which plunge into the waters below.

If you have the chance, I highly recommend taking an aerial tour of glaciers, as it affords you a simply amazing view of these vast rivers of ice that you simply cannot get from the ground. Of course, you will also see glaciers up close from your Alaskan cruise ship, and this vantage point is equally memorable.

Next, there are the breathtaking mountain ranges, which range up to 20,000 feet, some within just miles of the coastline, making for a truly spectacular sight. The mountains in Alaska seem almost otherworldly, rising up to unbelievable heights, serving as an amazing backdrop to the already spectacular fjords, bays, islands, and rivers.

Of course, what brings many people to Alaska is the simply amazing and abundant wildlife, from grizzly bears and black bears to Kodiaks and Polar bears, Alaska has an amazing variety of wildlife.

Now, the chances are you will not be running into a polar bear on an Alaska cruise (unless you add on a side trip to the Arctic circle), but there's a very good likelihood you'll encounter grizzlies and bald eagles – especially if you book one of the many shore excursions available during your cruise. In fact, the bald eagles are one of the most amazing things about Alaska, as there are simply so many of them and they are absolutely majestic to behold. Watching them swoop down from trees and dive for fish in the pristine waters of the Alaskan rivers and bays is a truly memorable experience.

The sea life is incredibly abundant too. It is quite common to see whales from the deck of a cruise ship or even from the shoreline along the cruise route. Whale watching excursions are available in each of the major ports and are an incredible way to see the enormous mammals up close. Dolphins and Orca (otherwise known as killer whales) are also found in large quantities in Alaska, as are the five varieties of Pacific salmon: king, coho, sockeye, chum, and pink.

If your cruise is scheduled for late summer or early fall, you will also be treated to the salmon run, during which the salmon fill the rivers and streams as they attempt to return to their home waters to spawn. It's truly an unforgettable sight, as the salmon can get so tightly packed in the streams that you could literally step from one to another.

But the best part of all about Alaska cruises is the incredible range of shore trips available, both during stops and before or after your cruise. You can do everything from dog sled on top of glaciers to rafting down glacier-fed rivers. For people seeking a more laid back or sedate experience, there are amazing train rides into Yukon Gold Rush country and day trips into a bald eagle preserve. The options are almost limitless and range from inexpensive to quite pricey.

So there are really plenty of reasons a cruise to Alaska is the vacation of a lifetime. No matter which cruise you choose, you are bound to have an incredibly memorable time.

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