FEATURE CRUISING ALASKA
CRUISING ALASKA Top Selling Tips...
• Describe Alaska's wonderful wildlife... “Your clients could see bears, huskies, bald eagles, black-tailed deer, seals and whales”
Whittier and explore Glacier Bay and the Gulf of Alaska and maximise opportunities for bolt-on land tours of Canada and the Alaskan interior. In all, the line offers 122 Alaska
departures in 2012, with itineraries ranging from seven to 10 nights. Add-on cruise tour options are split
into four categories including the Denali Explorer, which offers stays of up to four nights in Denali National Park, and 'Off The Beaten Path' tours to lesser- known regions like Copper River, the Kenai Peninsular and Prudhoe Bay inside the Arctic Circle. There are also deluxe 'Connoisseur' and 'On Your Own' tours. Celebrity Cruises is another contender for Alaska cruise bookings with three ships – Celebrity Century, Celebrity Infinity and Celebrity Millennium – in the region from May 10, offering a range of itineraries including seven-night round-trip sailings from Vancouver and Seattle. Seattle-based sailings visit Ketchikan,
Sawyer Glacier, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, while cruises out of Vancouver visit Juneau, Ketchikan and
the Hubbard Glacier and include calls at Icy Strait Point, a cruise port owned and operated by local Tlingit Indian tribes. Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Lines and Norwegian Cruise Line also offer Seattle-based itineraries. This port says its cruise tourism generated US$425 million in revenue and created 4,447 jobs in 2010 alone, and expects to go from strength to strength this year.
Luxury Sailings At the luxury end of the cruise market, both Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises have Alaska- based vessels this summer, offering a range of open-jaw itineraries between Anchorage and Vancouver. Options from RSSC include a seven-
night 'Alaska’s Gulf Coast' cruise departing June 5 from Anchorage bound for Seward, Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Vancouver, while Silversea’s Silver Shadow leaves Seward on May 31 on a seven-night sailing to Juneau via the same ports of call.
“There’s never been a better time to get to know Alaska. Capacity is up and commission will be lucrative as pent-up demand combines with a short season”
• Stress its vast tracts... “Virgin forest, crystal clear lakes and spectacular glaciers make Alaska one of the loveliest and most unusual places on earth”
• Discover its history... “Tell your customers they can learn about Native American culture and dramatic goings-on in the atmospheric gold rush towns of the 19th century and see breathtaking views from steam trains on historic mountain railways”
• Advise an excursion... “They can be expensive as many are air-based, but taking a helicopter ride to walk on a million year old glacier, or a float plane trip to land on a sapphire blue glacial lake will provide unforgettable memories”
• A friendly reminder... “Advise on taking an umbrella and comfy shoes for walking, but not to pack too much heavy clothing; summer temperatures can reach the 80s, so layers are best”
All tips by Maria Harding, specialist cruise travel writer
Onboard Insights PAUL LUDLOW
UK Director, Princess Cruises "Alaska is a bucket-list
destination for many, but they’re likely to only travel there once in a lifetime. Add a cruisetour package to give them a sea and land vacation. Princess offers five lovely wilderness lodges and passengers can combine their seven-day cruise with a land package from 3-8 days."
MIKE BONNER General Manager, Silversea "Where else can you get
up close to calving glaciers or watch whales from the comfort of your own private veranda? Alaska has an abundance of wildlife, and guests can go bear watching or dog sledding on a small group tour or create a unique experience with our Silver Shore Concierge."
The Last Word Alaska is a very popular destination for first-time cruisers and can attract people who would normally never set foot on a cruise simply because its glaciers are best seen up close from a ship. Suggest it to clients who enjoy offbeat, upmarket holidays and are keen on nature.
Where To Book It SILVERSEA; 0844 770 9030;
www.silversea.com Seward to Vancouver. Seven days on Silver Shadow from June 20 2013 is from £2,799 including return air and transfers and the train from Anchorage to Seward.
Learn more on cruise...
www.sellinglonghaul.com • May 2012 55
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