Is an Alaskan Cruise right for you? If so, which one?

There are many ways to visit Alaska and there's no wrong way to do it. You can visit by rail, by road, and by cruise ship. Although all of these methods are great, I am going to talk about cruising to Alaska today--I think it's the most popular way to see the state.

First let's explore some cruise lingo. As far as Alaska goes, there are three types of cruises--North Bound, South Bound, and Closed Loop. A closed loop cruise embarks and disembarks in the same port. A North Bound would start in a southern port (most likely Vancouver, BC) and end in a northern port (often Whittier, AK). Obviously, your flights will be different on a North bound and South bound--you'll need two one-way tickets. You can get a roundtrip ticket on a closed loop cruise. So, what is the advantage of a North or South bound vs a closed loop? The primary reason you would opt NOT to do a closed loop is a cruise tour either before or after your cruise. A cruise tour is simply a land portion (a popular one includes Denali National Park).

What is the best way to choose a cruise line? There are many factors that contribute to this choice. Some considerations are:

• Family vs. Adult Only

• Small Ship vs. Larger Ship

• Excursion Options

• Cruise Tour Availability

• Itineraries

• Budget

All of these must be taken into account and it's always best to plan ahead. The Alaskan cruise season is short (May-September), so there are only so many staterooms available for the season. To get your preferred cruise line, dates, and stateroom category you need to act sooner rather than later. Is Alaska on your bucket list?