Peter Greenberg: Alaskan Cruises
By: Peter Greenberg | Source: AARP.org | 2009-03-23
Appearing at Orlando@50+
See Peter Greenberg at the AARP Orlando@50+ National Event & Expo Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2010. Register today!
We are planning a two-week trip to the Pacific Northwest in mid-July '09 (we live in Hilton Head, S.C.). We will be flying into Portland and then driving up the coast to Seattle. We would like to take 2, 3, or 4 days and cruise to Alaska—do you know of any cruise companies that offer such trips that the locals may recommend?
–Karen
Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Hi Karen,
Good news and bad news. The good news is that there are lots of Alaskan cruises in July that depart from Seattle, but the bad news is that none of them are for fewer than seven days. Celebrity offers seven-night cruises to Alaska departing on multiple dates in July from about $849. Norwegian Cruise Lines offers similar, seven-night cruises starting at $599.
If you are dead-set on a shorter cruise, you’d have to fly or drive a few extra miles to Juneau or Anchorage, Alaska, and take advantage of the four-day trips offered by Cruise West, although these tend to book up well in advance.
Three- and four-day cruises from Seattle are generally only available in spring and fall. They go either to Alaska or around the waters off the Pacific Northwest.
Check out Web sites such as Cruise Critic or Cruise Brothers to access complete lists of cruises by departure port, destination, and duration.
preview