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On an Alaska cruisetour, you will not just see
Alaska, you will experience it. Wilderness lodges
feature a wide array of opportunities to get out and
explore each unique region. The enrichment goes further
than optional tours - some lodges feature daily lectures
from National Park Rangers featuring the geology,
wildlife and native culture pertaining to the area.
Optional Tours and Excursions
Each of our riverside lodges features a tour desk
where all varieties of excursion are available. Our
Alaskan Outfitters - experts on optional excursions -
can tailor your experience to be what you want it to be.
You can walk on a glacier, fly around Mt. McKinley, ride
horses in the backcountry or just go for a leisurely
walk around the grounds of the lodge.
The level activity varies by excursion. Our most
active options require a moderate level of activity such
as walking for moderate distances over relatively a
variety of levels of terrain. Activities such as
canoeing, hiking, biking or kayaking are examples.
Participant should by physically fit.
We also offer a wide variety of excursions that
require more moderate levels of activity. Each excursion
is rated and indicates the level of mobility and fitness
required to enjoy the tour.
Princess also offers a number of optional tours for
guests with limited mobility, including wheelchair
users. Most tour operators require that wheelchairs are
collapsible. Your outfitter can assist you in making a
decision as to what type of trip is best suited for you.
Alaskan cruises have so much to
offer you onboard - casinos, fine dining,
entertainment, and other typical outdoor cruise
adventures. However, shore excursions are an
important part of all cruises. With the diversity of
Alaska, there are many beautiful shore excursions
that you can take. Depending on where your cruise
goes in Alaska, you may be able to do all or most of
these on one single cruise.
1. Alaska Glaciers
Visiting glaciers from one or more of the stops on
your Alaskan cruise can be a breathtaking and
beautiful experience. You can see the glaciers up
close, and hike to them or take tours. Going on
tours of glaciers, and learning about the diverse
plant and animal life found in and around them can
be one of the best experiences of your Alaskan
cruise.
2. Alaskan Flightseeing
Flightseeing is something that comes standard with
just about any Alaskan cruise shore excursion
destination. Flightseeing is sightseeing by plane,
and it came about because of the overwhelming and
breathtaking beauty of the Alaska, but the
inaccessibility to see much of this state in an
afternoon. Each time you’re off the boat, you’ll
probably have a chance to do some flightseeing,
whether you’re taken to glaciers, national parks or
monuments, or simply for a look at the actual land
that you’ve been cruising around.
3. Fishing
Alaska’s coast is known for its fishing - and its
seafood. At just about every stop, you’ll have the
chance to do a shore excursion that includes
fishing. You can do so from land, from docks, or
even from smaller fishing boats. Most of the time,
you’ll also be able to sample what you’ve caught as
well!
4. Mining Tours
Much of current Alaskan history is based around the
mining industry. Many ports’ shore excursions
include a chance to tour a mine or learn about the
history of that particular mine. You’ll be able to
see them first hand as well as purchase mining
memorabilia. Some towns even have fairs to celebrate
their mining history, so you might be lucky enough
to visit during that time of the year for a special
treat.
5. Museums
Every town has a history, but in Alaska, the cities
seem to seep with history. You can take a historical
tour of cities or small towns in Alaska on most
shore excursions. Most cities also have historical
museums that you can visit, and some even offer
guided tours.
6. Historical Village Tours
This kind of excursion includes tours of small
villages, which can be very different from tours of
large cities. You can see the way that ancient
people lived and worked in Alaska, and also learn
about the American history that is found in all of
these places as well. Village tours are very popular
when it comes to shore excursions on Alaskan
cruises, because the small villages of Alaska are
places where the history is still living.
7. Monument Tours
Monument tours are exciting off ship excursions as
well. There are lots of monuments that you can visit
while in Alaska, and you can often see these by bus,
boat, or plane. Many times, you’ll be as excited by
the scenery surrounding the monuments as by the
monuments themselves.
8. Rain Forest Tours
A rain forest in Alaska? Who knew! Alaska’s rain
forest can be found in several stops along your
Alaskan cruise. You can take rainforest tours or
helicopter or flightseeing tours of these areas. You
can learn even more about the area and the
rainforests as well, on your shore excursions.
9. Hiking or Biking
You can get out into the beauty of Alaska and take
hiking or biking tours of the surrounding areas on
your on shore excursions. You can experience the
beauty first hand, by being a part of it. Usually
cruise lines will have bikes to rent or hiking
trails to suggest to you.
10. Dog Sledding
Lastly, dog sledding is an important sport in
Alaska, and you can witness it first hand during any
time of the year, by visiting dog kennels, learning
about the sport, or even trying it out for yourself.
Make sure you include this activity and some of
those listed above on your next Alaskan cruise!
Explore a National Park
Fully one-half of all United States' national park
land is in Alaska. Considering that, you begin to
understand the scope and diversity of this vast expanse.
Stretching 13.2 million acres, Wrangell-St. Elias
National Park and Preserve is the largest National Park
in America. The Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge
is only a few short miles from the Wrangell-St. Elias
National Park visitor center and Princess provides free
shuttles to the center.
Denali National Park is located 240 miles north of
Anchorage, and encompasses 6 million acres of forests,
tundra, glaciers and mountains - that's larger than the
entire state of Massachusetts. Yet only 90 miles of main
road traverses the park, leaving the moose, caribou,
sheep and bears free to roam a wide area of land
untouched by man. The Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge
is only one mile from the lone park entrance and tours
into the park are arranged by our outfitters.
Kenai Fjords National Park lies on the jagged
southern edge of the Kenai Peninsula south of the Kenai
Princess Wilderness lodge. This ice-sculpted land known
as "Alaska's playground" just begs to be explored - and
there's a variety of ways to do it from our lodge.
Each of these lodges features interpretive
experiences provided by the NPS Park Rangers.
Enjoy the unique cuisine of Alaska
One of the best ways to experiences Alaska's unique
lifestyle is through its cuisine. Princess Alaska lodges
feature cuisine carefully chosen to reflect the distinct
regional flare of Alaskan food. We call it our signature
Alaskan Cuisine.
Salmon is king in Alaska and there is no shortage of
it around Princess lodges. Each location features salmon
prepared in unique ways - from smoked BBQ salmon bakes
to poached salmon steaks smothered in fennel sauce. We
also feature thick steaks of fresh-caught halibut and
luscious Alaska king crab legs. You can top it off with
one of the features northwest regional wine or a locally
brewed Alaskan Ale.
These are just a few ideas to help you plan your
ultimate Alaskan vacation.
Alaska is land worthy of many superlatives. Here we
provide you with an interesting collection of some of
Alaska's vital statistics that may help satisfy your
curiosity and whet your appetite.
ALASKA FUN FACTS
Name Origin: The name of Alaska
comes from the Aleut work Alyeska, meaning The Great
Land.
Nick Names: The last frontier, Land
of the Midnight Sun
Motto: North to the Future
Flower: Forget-me-not
Capital: Juneau is the only capital
in the United States accessible only by boat or plane.
Statehood: The US purchased Alaska
from Russia in 1867 for $7,200,00 (about 2 cents an
acre) and made it the union's 49th state on January 3,
1959.
Land Area Size: Alaska is the
largest state in the union, covering 570,373 square
miles, approximately one fifth of the entire United
States. Alaska is so large that the state of Rhode
Island could fit into Alaska 425 times.
Population: The population of Alaska
is only 670,053 and compared to the population of bears
in Alaska, there is 1 bear for every 21 people.
Tallest Mt. in North America: Mt.
McKinley stands at 20,320 feet. Alaska is also home to
16 of the 20 highest mountains in the U.S.
Greatest concentration of glaciers in North
America: There are more active glaciers and ice
fields in Alaska than in the rest of the inhabited
world. The largest glacier is Malaspina at 805 square
miles.
State Symbols and emblems:
- State Bird: Alaska Willow Ptarmigan
- State Tree: Sitka Spruce
- State Marine Mammal: Bowhead Whale
- State Fish: King Salmon, also known as the
Chinook Salmon
- State Sport: Dog Mushing
- State Gem: Jade
- State Mineral: Gold
- State Insect: Four spot skimmer dragonfly
Light vs. Dark: The Arctic Circle is
an imaginary circle around the globe where on December
21 the sun never rises for twenty-four hours and on June
21 for twenty-four hours it never sets.
Gardening: Giant vegetables are
common in Alaska due to the extremely long days in
summer which account for a record cabbage weighing in at
94 pounds.
Alaska Fun Facts
What is the largest state in the
union known for most? Why is Alaska
known as "The Great Land?" From
national parks to giant vegetables,
here are just some of the
characteristics that make Alaska
such a unique place.
The Land
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The
name of Alaska comes from the
Aleut word Alyeska, meaning The
Great Land.
Alaska is the largest state in the union, covering 570,373 square miles,
approximately one fifth of the
entire United States.
The U.S. purchased Alaska form Russia in 1867 for $7,200,000 (about 2
cents an acre) and made it the
union's 49th state on January 3,
1959.
Alaska is so large that the state of Rhode Island could fit into Alaska
425 times.
Alaska is home to North America's tallest peak, Mt. McKinley (20,230 ft),
as well as another 16 of the 20
highest mountains in the U.S.
Alaska contains 40% of the nation's fresh water.
Alaska has the most coastline in the country with 3 million lakes and
thousands of miles of rivers.
There are over three million lakes in Alaska. The largest, Lake Iliamna,
is the size of Connecticut.
Nearly one-third of Alaska lies within the Arctic Circle.
The state of Alaska has no plants poisonous to the touch such as poison
ivy or poison oak which are
found in all other states.
Alaska is more than twice the size of Texas and it has no counties.
Whereas Texas has 254.
Astronauts say they can see the Trans-Alaska Pipeline from space. The
pipeline carries oil 800 miles
from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez where
crude oil is loaded onto oil
tankers. Along the way the oil
crosses 834 rivers and streams,
three major mountain ranges and
an earthquake fault line.
There are more active glaciers and ice fields in Alaska than in the rest
of the inhabited world? The
largest glacier is Malaspina at
805 square miles.
The coastline of Alaska is longer than the coastline of the entire United
States.
Less than 1% of the land in Alaska is privately owned.
College Fjord is home to 16 glaciers named for the Ivy League colleges
that sponsored the Harriman
Expedition in 1899.
The People
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Alaska
has the lowest population
density in the U.S. with 1
person per square mile rather
than 71.2 in the rest of the
nation.
With men making up 52% of Alaska's population, it has the highest ratio of
men to women of any U.S. state.
The term Alaska native refers to Alaska's original inhabitants including
Aleut, Eskimo and Indian groups.
In the first year of the Alaskan Gold Rush in the 1890's, twenty to thirty
thousand gold seekers spent
three months trekking across the
country to the gold fields.
Alaskans say they have only three seasons: winter, breakup and road
construction.
Alaska's state sport is dog mushing. Every year the Alaskans host the
1,200 mile-long Iditarod Trail
Sled Dog Race from Anchorage to
Nome, often called the "Last
great race on Earth."
Alaska Day, Oct.18th is Alaska's state holiday and it's the anniversary of
the formal transfer of the
territory and the raising of the
US. flag at Sitka on October 18,
1867.
The population of Alaska is only 650,000 and compared to the population of
bears there is 1 bear for every
21 people.
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Cities
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Juneau
is the only capital city in the
United States accessible only by
boat or plane.
For the people of the Alaskan town of Barrow, located just 800 miles from
the North Pole, a day can last
three months.
Barrow, Alaska also boasts the farthest north supermarket in the country.
The store is constructed on
stilts to prevent the central
heating from melting the
permafrost.
The world's largest and busiest seaplane base is Anchorage's Lake Hood and
it accommodates more than 800
takeoffs and landings on a peak
summer day.
Alaska's capital is Juneau and its state motto is North to the Future.
Animals
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The
largest Salmon ever caught was
at the Kenai River, Alaska,
weighing in at 97.5 pounds.
The largest seal colony is located at Pribilof Island, Alaska home to
about 1 million seals.
The largest eagle population is located at the Chilkat River where 3,000
eagles gather to fish.
The largest Halibut to be caught in the world was caught in Alaska. The
fish weighed 459 pounds,
measuring 6 feet and 5 inches
long.
Alaska is known for having the highest concentration of bears (Grizzly,
Black and Polar), numbering at
100,000.
Grizzly Bears have been on the "threatened" species list since 1975 in the
Lower 48 states. Alaska however
has a population of over 30,000
Grizzlies.
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Weather
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Because
of the tilt of the earth, a
summer's day in Alaska can last
as long as 20 hours.
Giant vegetables are common in Alaska due to the extremely long days in
summer which account for a
record cabbage weighing in at 94
pounds.
The record amount of snow fall in Alaska over a period of 24 hours was 62
inches in December 1955.
The highest recorded temperature for the state is 100 degrees Fahrenheit
at Fort Yukon in June 1915.
The Arctic Circle is an imaginary circle around the globe where on
December 21 the sun never rises
for twenty-four hours and on
June 21 for twenty-four hours it
never sets.
Alaska is unique in every way - it even has its own
vocabulary. We offer you a guide to some of the words
and phrases, ancient and recent, known only to those who
inhabit Alaska. Study these terms and you just might
convince the locals that you are a true sourdough.
Outside: Anywhere outside Alaska but
generally means the continental 48 states. When a local
goes on vacation, they are headed "outside".
Eskimo Ice Cream: The fat of a Seal
or Caribou is whipped to a creamy texture and mixed with
chopped meat or berries. Yummy.
Muktuk: An Eskimo delicacy
consisting of the skin and attached layer of whale
blubber. It can be eaten dried or cooked, but usually
prepared raw.
Muskeg: Swamp or bog composed of
layers of decomposing plant life. Often found in tundra
regions.
Termination Dust: The construction
workers during the building boom in the 1940's called
the snowfall each year termination dust because it meant
the end of their jobs would be terminated for the
season. Now, it is used to refer to the first snowfall
signaling the end of the summer season.
Cheechako: The Alaskan term for
someone who is new to the country. A "tenderfoot" "green
horn".
Denali: Literally, means the "High
One" or the "Great One" , Denali is the name given to
the massive peak also known as Mt. McKinley, by the
Athabascan Native People. Congress officially changed
the name of Mt. McKinley National Park to Denali
National Park in the Alaskan Lands Act in 1980.
Sourdough: The name originally came
from the Gold Rush of 1898 era when prospectors and
other wanderers carried a lump of fermented starter
dough for making bread in pouch around their neck. The
fermented dough was kept close the body, to stay warm. A
sourdough pouch hanging around a miner's neck was a
clear sign of experience in survival. So, the term came
to be associated with an old timer or someone who has
been in the north country a long time.
Lower 48: Alaskans refer to the
continental United States as the lower 48.
Combat Fishing: Alaska features the
most salmon rich fishing streams in the world. Opening
day is so eagerly anticipated that hundreds of Anglers
will line the banks of the river, shoulder to shoulder,
casting for fish. The trick is to actually hook a salmon
and not a fellow salmon fisherman.
Tundra: The word comes from the
Finnish word meaning barren or treeless land. Most of
the Tundra exist on the planet exist in the Northern
Hemisphere in a belt along the Arctic Ocean.
Mukluks: Mukluks are a soft boot
made of caribou or sealskin and typically worn by the
Eskimo.
Noseeums: Tiny winged insects (a
form of small gnat) that is nearly invisible. The bug
packs a nasty bite slightly less bothersome than a bear
chewing your leg off.
Bunny Boots: Also known as Mukluks,
a soft boot made of reindeer or sealskin.
Iditarod: Known as the "The Last
Great Race on Earth". From Anchorage, in south central
Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast, each
team of 12 to 16 dogs and their musher cover over 1150
miles in 10 to 17 days.
Ice fog: Is what occurs when water
vapor meets bitter cold air that can't hold any more
water in 10 seconds or less. Water cooled that fast
forms tiny ice particles. Collectively, millions of
these particles take form as ice fog, the cotton
candy-like clouds that hang over our roads.
Break up: The spring melting season
is a season unto itself. The rivers thaw and begin to
flow again, carrying huge chunks of ice down river.
Breakup is followed by days of celebration as Alaskan's
emerge from long, long winter nights.
Aurora Borealis: The official term
for northern lights, which are visible for more than
half the year in the far north. The University of Alaska
Fairbanks houses a research center dedicated to studying
the phenomenon which is caused by magnetic particles
from the sun as they hit the earth's atmosphere.
Permanent Fund: A state savings
account created by constitutional amendment that
requires at least 25% of Alaska's royalties from oil to
be set aside, with only the interest earnings available
for spending. Permanent residents receive a yearly
dividend check.
Mushing: Is the game of sled dog
racing.
Cache: A small shed-like building on
stilts where furriers and hunters kept their goods.
Alcan: The Alaska Highway, also
"Alaska-Canadian Highway", "Al-Can Highway", runs form
Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Fairbanks, Alaska via
Whitehorse, Yukon. It is 1,523 miles or 2,451 kilometers
long.
Blanket toss: The blanket toss is
now conducted as entertainment, but it didn't originate
that way. The Inupiaq hunter would be tossed in the air,
enabling them to see across the horizon to hunt game.
Now thirty or more Inupiaq gather in a circle, holding
the edges of a large skin made from walrus hides, and
toss someone into the air as high as possible. The
person being tossed throws gifts into the crowd and
loses their turn when they lose their balance. The
object: to maintain balance and return to the blanket
without falling over. This is one of many games played
during the course of a 10-day celebration.
Totems: Totem poles are known as
silent storytellers, depicting figures that were
relevant to a specific Native tribe.
Ulu: The native people of northern
Alaska invented this knife centuries ago. It is used for
hunting, fishing, skinning, filleting and every other
imaginable domestic cutting need by the Inuit (Eskimo)
people. Nowadays, replicas can be purchased at any
souvenir shop in Alaska.
Ice worms: Ice worms are real. They
live in pools of water and crawl around between ice
crystals near the glacier surface. Ice worms have been
observed to move around in the ice at depths near two
meters. Even in the Alaska Range, the glacial ice at
that depth can remain near freezing and so can provide
at least a marginal ice worm habitat.
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DENALI
NATIONAL PARK
Some unique things you can choose to do in
and around the park...
 Tundra
Wilderness Tour
Natural
History Tour
Take
a helicopter ride to view breathtaking
Mt. McKinley's from the air!
Kayak,
raft or jet boat down crystal clear
lakes and rivers!
Drive
a team of Alaskan sled dogs!
Charter
a boat or a float plane for a once in
a life time fly-in fishing trip. |
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Question Of The Week:
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How can I see Mt. McKinley?
Mt. McKinley, at over 20,000 feet, is North
America's largest mountain. Located in Denali
National Park, between Anchorage and Fairbanks.
National Park Service sightseeing in Denali
National Park is featured on most Alaska
Cruisetour itineraries. The breathtaking view
you see in the brochure and picture postcards of
Mt. McKinley is never guaranteed, as Mt.
McKinley creates its own weather, so cloud cover
may obscure your view. However, when the weather
cooperates viewing North America’s highest peak
is spectacular. |
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Money-Saving Tips
Form a Group. Save and sail to Alaska!
Did you know the
most overlooked way to stretch your dollar is to form your own
Alaska cruise group. Traveling with family or friends, can
lower costs enough so you can travel even when the economies not
that good. Of course, most of us don't have the time - or
inclination - to make the calls and do the research for an
entire group.
.jpg) It's
a big job. However booking a group
cruise is easy for a professional travel agent. Your agent can
create a package that works for you, while your group will
realize across-the-board savings from group discounts that your
agent discovers.
Get All The Details |
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.jpg) Exclusive
Mini-Group Rates.
2 Couples or more extra
savings. Families of 4 or more. Save
even more!
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Notes From The Great Outdoors
"We just finished another
incredible 14 day cruisetour itinerary. Now I'm
getting ready to help a couple decide which one of 68 cruisetours we offer. I've already heard exciting chatter
about our guests seeing more of Alaska and really getting
off the beaten path. And believe me, between glacier
trekking, biking through Denali National park, and a rail
tour on the Wilderness Express, these folks are going to be
impressed."
Bob Andrews,
Explorations Coordinator
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Chicago Tribune
"Book Alaska cruises early,
ships are crowded"
Read
the article
More "In
The News" |
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Plan Ahead:
Alaska Cruises and Cruisetours are now on sale
Reserve the best staterooms, balcony views and tours now. Get
your best savings by booking early!
Timing Is
Everything: The wide array of cruise lines and Alaska
cruisetours that are available create an equally large variety
of prices. The lowest fares tend to fall during the months of
May, and September, while prices rise substantially in June,
July & August. If you are flexible, you can save money by
sailing during May and September.
Good Deals Go
Fast: There are Alaska
cruises in May as low as $649 per person for 7 days! Offered on
the ships of Princess and Holland America. Of course, they are
for an inside stateroom, but at these prices they will go fast.
The Layered
Look:
The weather in
Alaska is unpredictable, so dress like an onion! Go with the
“layered” look so you can peel. Standing in front of a Glacier
is much like standing in front of your freezer with the door
open. Tuck a pair of light gloves in your pocket!
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Sample Savings
Cruisetours (
cruise and land tour )
| Inside
staterooms |
from: |
$1375 |
| Brochure
fare |
from: |
$2749 |
| You
Save..... |
50%! |
|
Cruise Only (
7 days - North or Southbound )
| Inside
staterooms |
from: |
$499 |
| Brochure
fare |
from: |
$1399 |
| You
Save..... |
64%! |
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Canadian Prices Available