Way up north, North to Alaska
Way up north, North to Alaska
North to Alaska
They’re goin’ north, the rush is on
North to Alaska
They’re goin’ north, the rush is on
Change one of those lines to They’re cruisin’ North, the rush is on and that Johnny Horton hit from 1960 would be relevant today.
Ships from the world’s 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 U.S.
Friends of mine from California are coming for the wildlife, the whales, the glaciers and a chance to take a helicopter over those glaciers and the pristine, rugged wilderness.
And they will have their choice of ships.
Alaskan Dream and Un-Cruise Adventures are two lines representing the small, expedition-style ships. Passengers looking for luxury will find it with Silversea and Regent Seven Seas. Disney’s Wonder will head the “premium to mass market” category in the pilgrimmage 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 Alaska the longest.
While there are many 7-day return cruises to Vancouver, my favourite is the one-week, one-way cruises between Vancouver and Anchorage (Seward and 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 an “on your own” tour to Denali National Park or Fairbanks, a ride on the Alaskan Railroad Wilderness Express offering dome car views of the natural beauty that is the Alaskan interior. Ride a riverboat, be amazed at the speed of the dog sleds and take a plane — if the weather is on your side — to circle or even land on Mount McKinley, the largest mountain in the United States.
Or you can leave all the organizing to the cruise line and take one of the cruisetours that are available at the start if you’re cruising southbound or at the end if you’re cruising north. (I stayed with the water to begin my tour (this time a river) with a trip on a paddlewheel boat.)
Or you can take a tour of Denali National Park. If you leave the tree line at about 2,700 feet, you’re in the Arctic tundra.
The Alaskan Railroad Wilderness Express, with its dome cars, is a great way to see the other side of Alaska. I boarded at Denali and left the train at Talkeetna, a journey of 4½ hours through some amazingly picturesque country.
Remember the TV show Northern Exposure? Think smaller and funkier and you have Talkeetna. Shops, restaurants of all kinds…you might even see a small bush plane parked at the end a side streets or in a back yard. From here, you can fly to Mount McKinley if the weather co-operates.
Alaska Native Heritage Centre is a worthwhile final stop, followed by a last feed of crab in Anchorage before it’s “wheels up” for the flight back to Canada.
Weather is your best and worst friend in Alaska. Even in 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. The cruisetours north complete the Alaska double. Check the websites of the major lines serving the 49th state…or create your own adventure.