Alaskan Cruises Are a No-Fail Option

Whether you are saving for Disney World or planning a family vacation with "something for everyone," it can be quite a feat. However, Alaskan cruises are a no-fail option. Kids as young as pre-schoolers are entertained by the White Pass & Yukon train ride in Skagway, panning for gold and other ship activities aboard Holland America or Carnival cruise lines. Grammar school aged children and teenagers enjoy the more active adventure trips like hiking, dog sledding and glacier viewing. Seniors are never disappointed with the delicious Alaskan king crab and salmon dinners, gorgeous scenery and shows right on the ship. In seven days, you will see so much and experience a lifetime's worth of memories for a reasonable price.

"People go to Alaska to see wildlife for a reason, but you see it in many ways and in many circumstances," said Erik Elvejord, spokesman for Holland America Line. "Don't expect a lineup of bears when you hit the pier, or pods of whales everywhere the ship goes." Seeing wildlife in Alaska while on a cruise is all about careful planning, Alaskans say. While animals won't be flocking toward the ship, you can visit one of the port stop towns for guaranteed sightings. Carnival Cruise Lines recommends the Sea Otter Quest in Sitka, for example, because there's a 100% guarantee you'll see these playful creatures. Holland America recommends the Whale Watching and Wildlife Quest in Auke Bay because humpback and orca feeding grounds are located right amid the Alaskan cruise route. Bears can be a little more hit-or-miss, wildlife experts say. You can take a $100 "Bear Search" at 7am in Icy Strait Point, although there's no guarantee you'll spot one. Or you can take a $300 - $1,600 fly-in adventure to Pack Creek on Admiralty Island, Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park or the McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, where bears reliably come to feed on salmon.

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New in 2008, Holland America is offering more authentic Alaskan cruises, with the addition of expert travel guides on all Glacier Bay-bound ships. The guides will provide native Alaskan narration and recant some of their personal experiences of "local culture, history, art and flora and fauna." There will be unique presentations throughout the week, educating passengers on Alaska's wildlife, the gold rush, volcanoes, glaciers, early explorers and the native Huna people. National Wildlife Preserve guides will take visitors through the parks, offering up their expertise at no additional charge, for a more meaningful and enlightening experience.

If you're looking to book Alaskan cruises, then you can choose a mega-ship like Holland America, Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises or Royal Caribbean. Or you may want a mid-size vessel like Regent Seven-Seas Cruises or Silversea Cruises. Smaller vessels include American Safari Cruises (36 passengers), Cruise West (120), Discovery Voyages (20), Majestic America (220), Maple Leaf Adventures, Lindblad Expeditions or The Boat Company.