Sunday 17 April 2016

Alaska cruise

Alaskan cruise are more in demand than cruises to the Caribbean or the Bahamas. People prefer cruising in Alaska due to its cool climate. In the summer months, Alaska is comfortably warm and the sun is up most of the time. Cruisers in Alaska see beautiful scenery wherever they go. During the peak cruising season in Alaska, which is from May to September, all major cruise ships are booked well in advance. Alaskan cruise are also a bit steeper than other cruises a seven-day cruise may cost $800 to $1,000 per head. Several famous ships conduct regular Alaskan cruise in the peak season. Some of these ships are the Dawn Princess, the Sun Princess, the Statendam, the Volendam and the Norwegian Star. The pioneer ship for Alaska cruises is the Royal Caribbean Radiance.

Cruise ships have their own itineraries there are special ships for inland cruising and marine cruising. There are also small ships that can accommodate less than a hundred people.Alaskan cruises can be for a week or nine to ten days. There are several activities that can be performed onboard. Whale watching is one of the most popular activities. Cruise ships have their own bands, which play music especially jazz and folk music for the cruisers. There are dance programs with live or recorded musical accompaniment. Other forms of onboard entertainment are Broadway shows, comedy performances, and dances. Food is of local varieties and is served by uniformed waiters and attendants. An Alaskan cruise is not just an onboard sailing experience; there are several shore activities provided. People can go whitewater rafting and boating. Canoeing and kayaking are other popular features of cruises. Ketchikan is a popular kayaking hub.

One more important attraction is underwater sightseeing, which may be provided in a submersible submarine or with snorkeling or scuba equipment. Such cruises are also known as adventure cruises.Visiting Alaska is more expensive than going to Europe from America. Cruise ships leave from two destinations Seattle and Vancouver and end in Seward. Rails, cruise ships or vehicles cannot access interior places of Alaska. Floatplanes are used as transport to access these places. The charm of Alaskan cruises is the climate. Since Alaska is snow-ridden and inaccessible for the major part of the year, the cruising season is the summer. This period is full of activities and natural beauty. Due to the short period of accessibility, the demand for Alaskan cruise is high.Alaska Cruise SpecialsIn the wake of tremendous competition among various cruise lines, each has been offering several special offers. Special offers may be discounts on packaged vacation cruises, or the customization of cruises according to passengers wishes. The cruise lines advertise and provide various novel features to attract more cruisers to their ships.The biggest cruise special is, of course, the discount offered on the package. For bulk or off-season bookings, cruise lines may provide as much as 25 to 50% off their regular rates. The same applies for rerouting cruises, i.e., when the ships are returning to warmer southern seas. Discount schemes are also provided to cruisers for forthcoming tours, which can be availed of by either themselves or their families and friends.

Certain cruise lines, like the Princess, allow passengers to make their own itineraries. These are then incorporated with the cruise lines planned itineraries to the maximum possible extent. Cruisers can select which ports they would like to halt at, which hotels to lodge in and how many days to spend exploring the glacier and whale watching, etc. Besides this, they may also have the chance to select their choice of music and food on board. Customized cruises are the current trend, though they are more costly than other cruises.Oceania Cruise Line provides a unique feature. They organize a lecture series onboard the ships called Your World. Passengers are invited to attend these lectures and deliberate on issues. Besides this, there are several shops which sell artifacts and trinkets on board, which can be taken home as souvenirs of the cruise.

While Oceania focuses on intelligent activities, Royal Caribbean caters to the more adventurous palate, by providing helicopter flying and snorkeling activities.Almost all cruise lines have a variety of entertainment options on their ships. Features like shopping malls, swimming pools, water spas and saunas, have today become mandatory on cruise ships. There are also Las Vegas-style casinos and cyber cafs for people to remain connected with family, friends and the rest of the world. Some Alaskan cruise lines also have Broadway theaters and movie halls to enthrall the audience. Today, by virtue of all the specials offered on cruises, they are no longer considered just another activity. Cruising today is considered to be a blend of adventurous and cerebral activities.

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