Five ports of call to sample the best of Alaska on a cruise
A short cruise is the easiest way to see some of the breathtaking sights of America’s ‘final frontier’, such as the Margerie Glacier and grizzly bears catching salmon, and some of its quirky outposts
Alaska is three times the size of Texas, and unless you’re British adventurer Bear Grylls or an Arctic explorer with a dog sled, much of the land is inaccessible. A cruise is the most practical option if you want to see more than a tiny corner.
The draw of America’s “final frontier” is its nature and scenic beauty. Mid to late summer is the best time to go – that’s when the salmon run begins and predators including grizzly bears converge for the feast. But the season starts now as the spring thaw begins. Here are five memorable port of calls.
Seward
Round trips originating from Vancouver or Seattle are popular because boarding and disembarking at the same port is convenient flying in from Asia. But if you want to spend as little time on board as possible, opt for a one-way, seven-day voyage down to Vancouver. Anchorage might be Alaska’s largest city with an international airport, but most ships board in the small town of Seward.
