It's shaping up to be another exciting season of Alaska cruising. Why not make 2010 the year you discover the Great Land?

New Itineraries

• ms Amsterdam sails a new 14-day itinerary round-trip from Seattle, May 17 to September 6, 2010. The Alaskan Adventurer cruise includes three Glacier viewing days at Tracy Arm for the Sawyer Glaciers, Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay. Rare port calls include Anchorage, Homer and Kodiak along with the popular Inside Passage ports of Skagway, Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, Alaska plus Victoria, BC.
• Celebrity Infinity will sail new, seven-night Alaska Tracy Arm fjord cruises round-trip from Seattle, May 21 through September 17, 2010. Infinity will sail the spectacular Tracy Arm Fjord with its steep walls to reach the Sawyer Glaciers. Port calls include Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, Alaska plus Victoria, BC. Departing Fridays from May 21 through September 17, 2010.

Excursions

• Regent Seven Seas Cruises now includes shore excursions in the cruise fare with the Free Unlimited Shore Excursion program. A selection of optional Regent Choice tours is also available at reduced prices.
• You might be interested to know the winners of Princess Cruises' 10th annual C.R.U.I.S.E. service awards for best shore excursion experiences in Alaska based on passenger feedback. Winners included:
  • Juneau: Helicopter Glacier Walkabout; Rainforest Canopy & Zipline Expedition; Whale Watching & Wildlife Quest.
  • Ketchikan: Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour; Misty Fjords Seaplane Exploration; Rainforest Canopy & Zipline Expedition.
  • Skagway: Chilkoot Trail Hike & Float Adventure; Glacier Discovery by Helicopter; Klondike Rock Climbing & Rappelling.

Cruisetours

• Holland America Line's new Expedition Cruisetours provide more off the beaten track experiences. Three itineraries are available in the Kenai Peninsula, Denali Park and the Yukon in conjunction with one-week Alaska cruises.
• Princess Cruises' new Family Fun Cruisetour is a 12-night adventure that gives families the chance to travel on a jetboat, pan for gold, take an interactive tour of Denali National Park and experience what Alaska is like in the winter. It includes a seven-night voyage of the Glaciers cruise plus a five-night land tour with one night at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, two nights at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and two nights at Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge.
• Princess Cruises has also simplified its cruisetour lineup for 2010 by creating three categories:
  • Direct to the Wilderness, featuring direct rail service between Whittier cruise terminal and Denali Park. Itineraries range from three to eight nights.
  • Explorer which combine Denali with either the Kenai Peninsula, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park or the Arctic Circle and Prudhoe Bay.
  • Deluxe Escorted, three cruisetour options which include most meals and the services of a professional tour director.
• Those wanting to fly to Seattle instead of Vancouver and still take a one-way Gulf of Alaska cruise will find this handy. Princess has a new Seattle Air Advantage package with motorcoach transportation to Vancouver where you board your ship, airfare between Alaska and Seattle after the cruise plus an overnight stay in a Seattle-area hotel.

Theme Cruises & On Board Enrichment

• Regent Seven Seas: 14-night Food and Wine cruise, May 26, 2010, San Francisco to Vancouver via Alaska. Culinary and wine experts will be on board for classes and demonstrations aboard Seven Seas Navigator.
• Holland America Line: Enjoy the tastes of Alaska's ports with special guest chefs leading cooking demonstrations in the Culinary Arts Centre. May 16 to August 4 on various sailings.
• Silversea: "For the Nature Lover" cruises from July 28 through August 27. Destination specialist Niki Sepsas will be on board to lead the enrichment program.

Changes at Regent Seven Seas Cruises

The all-suite Seven Seas Navigator will feature Regent's recent changes in Alaska next season. In addition to the complimentary excursions mentioned above:

• Evening dress code is elegant casual throughout cruises under 16 nights in length.
• World famous Canyon Ranch® now operates the spa, beauty salon, wellness and fitness facilities on board.
• Online dining reservations for the specialty restaurants are available 30 days prior to sailing.

Copyright © Susan Milne, 2010