One of the main attractions of Alaskan cruises is glacier exploration. The northern reaches of the Pacific are well-known for their overabundance of glaciers. Several people book themselves for glacier cruises off the coast of Alaska. Glacier cruises design their itineraries around glacier-rich seas. Alaska Glacier cruises are also referred to as the Gulf of Alaska cruises. They may be either southbound or northbound, but they have one-way itineraries. Unlike the Alaska Inside Passage cruises, they are not bi-directional, as the ships do not take a U-turn and drop passengers at their starting point. Hence, while booking an Alaska cruise, the passengers must make transport arrangements from two different locations one for going and one for returning. Northbound Gulf of Alaska cruises begin from Vancouver. They travel northward and pass through the Inside Passage, stopping at Seward or Whittier. Southbound Gulf of Alaska cruises follow the reverse path; they begin at Seward or Whittier and stop at Vancouver, passing through the Inside Passage. From wherever the disembarking location is, passengers are either flown in or motor coached to Anchorage. A glacier cruiser in the Alaskan does not miss out on anything the Inside Passage cruise offers. In fact, they get to see the mesmerizing College Fjord, which is considered glacier heaven. The ship also takes cruisers to all the ports the Inside Passage cruise offers, such as Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Glacier Bay National Park, Skagway, Hubbard Glacier and Haines. The cruise may last up to 8 to 10 days, or perhaps even to a fortnight. The boom time for glacier watching is March to October in Alaska, since after that the sea becomes too cold. People may sometimes have to book about three months in advance due to the immense popularity of these cruises. Not only vacationers, but also glacier experts and geologists, book these cruises. The extent of glacier exploration during the cruise can be decided in advance. A weekend cruise among Alaskas glaciers may cost about $3,500, depending on the cruise line and the season. |
