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Alaska.
Walls of ice stretch 5,000 feet to shake hands with
the sky. The murmur of prospectors haunt old-world shops
and saloons. Totem poles scowl over temperate rain forests
while salmon jump through crisp mountain streams.
The sight and sound of one of Alaska's vast glacial masses falling from the cliff, or suddenly appearing from the submarine ice-foot, is something which once witnessed, is not to be soon forgotten. It is grand and impressive beyond description.
Today there are over 200 separate, smaller glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park, to the delight of Park visitors who view them from cruise ships, private boats, and kayaks. A pod of whales appearing as if out of nowhere? A glacier so blue you'd swear it couldn't be real? A bear watching you from the water's edge -- just as curiously as you're watching him? Alaska is all of this -- and more. And there's no better way to experience it than aboard a ship.
You can slip through narrow passages and get right up close to the whales, glaciers, and all the other natural wonders we encounter. We can take you to rarely seen glacial wonderlands. You hear the cries of the eagles, the crackling of the glacier ice, the playful splashes of humpback whales. Unforgettable moments like this are everyday -- but not ordinary! -- highlights aboard a cruise ship.
Inside Passage. This is one of the most famously beautiful cruise ship passages in all the world. It features virtually everything you came to Alaska hoping to see, including rain forests, glaciers, fjords and white-capped peaks. All of which create a setting that's perfect for viewing whales and sea lions. Not to mention the birds and land mammals that inhabit the skies and forests. Sea kayakers love the Inside Passage with it's archipelago of small islands and coves. Sea kayakers often find themselves paddling with a variety of marine mammals and eagles. The crystal clear water allows paddlers to view the colorful array of inter-tidal life just beneath surface.
Ketchikan is the southernmost major city along the Inside Passage. Five hundred miles north of Seattle, Ketchikan was originally the center of the Alaska fishing industry and by 1886 settlers had opened dozens of canneries - in what was soon to be the "salmon capital of the world." Runs of salmon migrate from the ocean, around the outer islands, like Prince of Wales, and into the protected waters of Ketchikan and the Inside Passage. This area also yields halibut, snapper, ling cod, and rock cod. Whales, especially humpbacks, thrive in the lush, cold waters of Southeast. Whale-watching tours are available in many towns, and marine biologists come from around the world to study cetaceans and their habitats near Petersburg and Sitka.
Alaska - Port City - Anchorage
Located at the upper end of Cook Inlet in the Gulf of Alaska, Anchorage is Alaska's largest community. This popular tourist destination and crossroads for global air travel is only minutes away from the recreational areas bordering the Gulf of Alaska.
Alaska - Port City - Fairbanks
Fairbanks, population 32,650, is a hunkered-down town between the Arctic Circle and Mt. McKinley. That puts it right in the middle—the interior, as it is called—of the country's largest and, some would say, most inaccessible state. Fairbanks offers an abundance of shopping experiences ranging from modern shopping malls to exclusive gift, jewelry and clothing stores. Shoppers will find furs, gold jewelry and Alaskan souvenirs. There is also a wide variety of locally made arts and crafts with Yup'ik motifs. The "Handcrafted in Alaska" Silver Palm logo identifies items as a genuine Native handicraft.
There are old mining operations in the surrounding hills, and the Alaska Pipeline runs right by town on its 800-mile path from Prudhoe Bay on Alaska's North Slope to Valdez in Prince William Sound. In Interior Alaska, the El Dorado is an historic mine in the district where the rush started back in 1902. Today the rush continues with visitors who want an authentic experience learning to extract gold from the earth. Ride the Tanana Valley Railroad for an adventure into the gold fields of the Interior. Phone: (907) 479-7613 For information write: 1975 Discovery Drive Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
Alaska - Port City - Haines
Haines is located on a peninsula in the northeast section of Alaska's Panhandle, overlooking Portage Cove and the Coastal Mountain Range. Lying along the fjordlike Lynn Canal, it is surrounded by some of the region's most stunning landscapes, complete with snow-topped mountains, sparkling lakes and fast-running streams.
Alaska - Port City - Juneau
Get a taste of both cosmopolitan and frontier styles when you tour the capital of Alaska. Nature walks, sport fishing and scenic bike rides await you in this stunning city. Meander through original shops or marvel at Mendenhall Glacier, just outside of town.
Considered
by many the most beautiful capital in the nation, Juneau
is geographically the largest city--3,108 square miles--in
the United States. The city's terrain is hilly, and
its winding, narrow streets are full of charm. However,
Juneau's small-town quaintness is mixed with cosmopolitan
flair; here you'll find interesting museums, sophisticated
shops and fine restaurants. Alaska's
Award Winning Pearson's Pond Juneau's Luxury Bed and
Breakfast Inn & Garden Spa. This is a perfect place
for quiet creativity or joyous camaraderie in summer
with other guests. Bear viewing and birding. Bike, hike
or tram or walk to scenic trails & glacier. Fish world-class
salmon & halibut. Kayak, raft, canoe, beach BBQ, glacier
trek.
Alaska
- Port City - Ketchikan
Ketchikan is the ancestral home of Alaska's Tlingit Indians. The largest collection of totem poles in the world is on display here. Nature buffs will appreciate the lush rain forests and the Misty Fjords National Monument.
Ketchikan is blessed with a surprisingly gentle climate and extraordinary natural beauty. Located on Revillagigedo Island, it is Alaska's fourth-largest city. Its calm waters offer fantastic sportfishing, along with a wide variety of other marine activities. It is also rich in Native American culture, with the largest concentration of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people in the state, along with the world's largest collection of totem poles and museums and cultural centers that feature Native dance, carving and artifact exhibits. Ketchikan is known as the First City of Alaska, which refers to its geographic position: it is the southernmost major city along the Inside Passage.
Alaska - Port City - Seward
Named for President Lincoln's U.S. Secretary of State William Seward, who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, this tiny fishing village is encircled by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, the Chugach National Forest and Kenai Fjords National Park. Otters, seabirds, black bears and moose are just a few of the area's inhabitants.
Seward
and its surroundings comprise a land of memorable beauty--saltwater
bays, blue glaciers, majestic mountains and alpine valleys.
Located on the Kenai Peninsula at the head of Resurrection
Bay, the city is one of Alaska's oldest communities,
and also one of the most scenic. Quarterdeck
Charters offers chartered river fishing for King Salmon,
Red Salmon, Silver Salmon and Fall Rainbow Trout. The
Mercer family welcome you aboard for a memorable day
of fishing the waters of the Gulf of Alaska and the
Kenai Fjords Wilderness .Quarterdeck Charters offers
custom fishing charters or Salmon, Halibut, Rockfish
and Ling Cod.
Kenai Magic Lodge features fantastic opportunities to embrace the majestic Kenai Peninsula.
Alaska - Port City - Sitka
Whether you're sampling fresh salmon, studying the symbolic artistry of Tlingit totem poles or taking a picture in front of the onion-domed cathedral, you'll find that Sitka has its own special beauty and charm. Once the capital of Russian America, you'll see relics from a czarist past in historic parks and museums.
There is no other word that describes Sitka better than "spectacular." Besides the natural beauty that surrounds Sitka Sound, the city boasts a fascinating history, a unique totem park and an attractive city center. Mount Edgecumbe and its dormant volcano stand guard over the pretty harbor. Sitka is the only major city on Baranof Island. Throughout the area, you'll find relics from the three cultures that have most influenced Sitka: Tlingit, Russian and American.
Baranof Wilderness Lodge at Warm Springs Bay. Many photographic and hiking opportunities are available at the lodge. Whale watching and other wildlife viewing opportunities exist around every corner. You can also explore the protected waters of the bay by kayak or outboard powered skiff. Pull crab pots, dig clams, and comb miles of our remote beaches and lively tidal pools.
Alaska - Port City - Skagway
Prospectors and gold are the trademarks of Skagway. You'll have the opportunity to become part of a world long forgotten as you pan for gold, or take a sight-seeing journey on the Yukon Railroad.
As your ship approaches Skagway, you'll see the town resting peacefully at the base of a river valley bordered by the Coast Mountains. The mountains, ranging from 5,000 to 7,000 feet in height, seem to rise straight up from the saltwater fjord. Once on land, the streets of Skagway draw you back almost 100 years, when this idyllic Native fishing village was overrun by hordes of prospectors. Today, wooden sidewalks, old-fashioned saloons, quaint gift shops and horse-drawn carriages serve as reminders of the "Days of '98."
Alaska - Port City - Valdez
Known
as the "Switzerland of Alaska" because of its alpine
meadows and lofty, snow-capped peaks, Valdez hugs the
shore of beautiful Prince William Sound. For a bird's
eye view of the magnificent scenery around Valdez, special
aerial tours include flightseeing excursions over the
Columbia glacier -- 29-miles long and more than 3,000-feet
thick.
More Alaskan
Destinations
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