ALASKA CRUISES


Ultimate Guide to A


laska is America’s last wilderness – a place where snow-capped mountains tower over vast


glaciers that snake down to the sea, where bears roam, whales come to feed and there are so few roads that a cruise is by far the best way to get around. It’s the US, but not as we know it. Towns have a charming backwater feel, there are saucy saloons and the only traffic jams occur when excursion buses pick up or drop off visitors. Humans arrived in Alaska thousands of years ago and called it Alaxsxaq or Alyeska, from the Aleut word meaning ‘great land’ – an apt name given it is seven times larger than the UK, twice the size of Texas and one-fifth that of the Lower 48 combined, as the contiguous US is called. In the 1700s, the Russians arrived via the Bering Strait and hunted the sea otter population to extinction, thereby killing off the lucrative fur trade that had brought them there. They were left with a vast, barren land that was expensive to maintain. Russia was already struggling after the Crimea War, so when the US offered to buy the territory in 1867 for a bargain $7.2 million (around $150 million today), they were happy to sell. What a mistake. Alaska is pure gold – and not just because of the shiny nuggets miners found in neighbouring Yukon in the 1890s. Every summer, when the state emerges from its winter slumbers, a flotilla of cruise ships arrives from Vancouver or Seattle bringing millions in search of wildlife and adventure. They are not disappointed. Passengers enjoy ziplining, hiking and kayaking trips, husky farms, bear spotting, whale watching, searching for sea otters and even panning for gold. Itineraries include scenic cruising close to calving glaciers and through the Inside Passage. Most ships visit the ‘golden triangle’ of Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, but there are lots of other ports to explore. No wonder the number of Brits cruising to Alaska is growing fast – from 25,000 in 2022 to 31,000 in 2023, according to Clia – and the state came second in the list of sought-after ‘coolcation’ holidays in a Cruise.co.uk survey.


46 23 JANUARY 2025


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SELLING TIPS


2 Alaska’s cruise season runs from the end of April until October. Go in April and May to see the remnants of snow and ice, or in summer for warmer weather, though it’s still chilly at sea so advise clients to pack layers.


2 Target cruise-tours and longer voyages packaged with pre or post-cruise stays at clients in their late 50s or older who have time, money and an adventurous spirit.


2 Alaska holidays on family-friendly ships are brilliant for youngsters. They’ll learn about wildlife and different cultures while having fun with new friends on board.


2 An Alaska cruise is very special and often ticks the ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ box that can entice clients to splash out. Suggest it to those celebrating a wedding anniversary, retirement or big birthday.


2 Whether booked on board or ashore with a private company, excursions are expensive – anything from $70 a head for Ketchikan’s lumberjack show to $500 or more for seaplane trips – but they are an important part of the adventure in this wild country.


2 Encourage clients to make the most of their long-haul flight by adding a pre or post-cruise city break in Seattle or Vancouver.


travelweekly.co.uk


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