Family Cruise Advisor

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Selecting an Alaska cruisetour can be daunting for the uninitiated. With more that 50 cruisetours offered by the major players, how do you sift through the options to find an Alaska cruisetour that’s right for you? To find out, we sat down with Paul Allen, vice president of sales for Holland America Line. Continue Reading »

Magda and Larry Slayton (pictured above) say they were “not cruising people originally,” but when Magda’s mom insisted on a cool-weather destination for her 50th wedding anniversary during the dog days of August, an Alaskan cruise seemed to be just the ticket. And so 10 adults and nine children boarded Holland America Line’s Westerdam for a seven-day cruise, roundtrip Seattle. Continue Reading »

From gazing at a lone bald-head eagle perched in a tree in Sitka to sliding and splashing in pools on board ships, cruise vacations create memorable moments that last a lifetime.

Whether we’re on a nature walk in Alaska, doing a belly flop into the pool or spiraling down a waterslide, ships transport us to a place that is far from our busy and chaotic lives back home.

Of course, you might argue that these are characteristics true of any vacation. But when time ashore is mixed with time at sea, a certain magic works its way into our souls.

As the poet e.e. cummings once wrote: For whatever we lose (like a you or a me). It’s always our self we find in the sea.

Before our cruise to Alaska, my son and I pitched camp in Seattle at a couple popular hotels: Inn at the Market, which overlooks Pike Place Market and Puget Sound; and Hotel 1000, with a bathtub that fills from the ceiling.

We visited Underground Seattle, which my loved; Seattle Center, with its exhibits, amusements and rides; Seattle Aquarium, where we spent three hours of our life aquatic; and the Museum of Flight, where Alex took the pilot’s seat in jets he had only seen in books.

We spent one afternoon on bikes, which we rented at Alki Beach and rode along the bike paths. Along the way, we stopped to comb the beach for marine treasures. If you’re cruising with kids, you’ll find Seattle exceptionally kid-friendly.

Awesome Overview
For jaw-dropping views of marine and land-based wildlife and nature’s most dramatic scenery, an Alaskan cruise is hard to beat. But if at all possible, get off the ship and into the interior.

You can make the most of an Alaskan cruise by combining time at sea with a land portion that provides views of the Alaskan interior. Simply put, not all of Alaska can be seen from a ship. While Glacier Bay National Park can be appreciated from the deck of a cruise ship, for example, Denali National Park must be visited on a cruisetour.

All the major cruise lines offer Alaskan itineraries, but for cruisetours, look to Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean. Each of these cruise lines offers family friendly ships and an excellent selection of cruisetours. Continue Reading »

A Kid’s View Of The Great Land: Seeing Alaska through the eyes of my 10-year-old son. Continue Reading »