Frommer's Alaska Cruises and Ports of Call 2002

by Golden, Fran Wenograd; Brown, Jerry

• ISBN13: 9780764565571
• ISBN10: 0764565575
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-02-01
• Publisher: Frommer

Summary

Cruising is the perfect way to see America2s last frontier--wildlife and wilderness abound along the state2s breathtaking coastline, and are easily seen from the comfort of a deck chair or observation lounge. Thoroughly updated every year (unlike the rest of the competition), Frommer2s Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call is a compact guide that2s on top of all the latest developments and offerings in the rapidly changing cruise industry. Our authors, both leading cruise journalists with years of experience, have compiled candid, first-hand reviews of each cruise line and each ship. The easy-to-use ratings, detailed drawings of each ship, and honest evaluations make it easy for you to find the cruise that suits your budget and your personal style, whether you want a luxury liner with fine dining or a small-ship cruise led by serious naturalists. You2ll also find a nature guide that helps you understand what you2re seeing, complete with illustrations of glaciers and the various types of whales. We2ll show you how to get the best deals and how to maximize your time in the ports of call--all in one concise, pocket-sized volume.

Table of Contents

What's New in Alaska Cruising	1	(3)
Crusing the Great Land: An Introduction	4	(10)
Considering the Environment	8	(1)
The Best of Cruising Alaska	9	(1)
Personal Reminiscence	10	(4)
Alaska 101: A Cruise-Goer's Companion	14	(13)
An Introduction to Southeast Alaska's Native Culture	14	(3)
From Gold Rush to Oil Boom: A Short History	17	(1)
Whale-Watching 101	18	(3)
Alaska Wildlife	21	(4)
Glaciers: An Intro to the Ice	25	(2)
Choosing Your Ideal Cruise	27	(14)
The Alaska Cruise Season	27	(1)
The Inside Passage or the Gulf of Alaska?	27	(2)
Shore Excursions: The What, When & Why	28	(1)
Big Ship or Small Ship?	29	(4)
Cruisetours: The Best of Land & Sea	33	(3)
Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Cruise	36	(5)
Booking Your Cruise & Getting the Best Price	41	(14)
Booking a Cruise: The Short Explanation	41	(1)
Booking Through a Travel Agent	42	(2)
Cruising on the Web	44	(1)
Cruise Costs	45	(1)
Money-Saving Strategies	46	(1)
Airfares, Cruisetours & Hotel Offerings	47	(2)
Choosing Your Cabin	49	(1)
Choosing Your Dining Options	50	(1)
Deposits & Cancellation Policies	51	(1)
Travel Insurance	52	(3)
Fast Facts: Alaska	52	(3)
The Cruise Lines, Part 1: The Big Ships	55	(51)
Carnival Cruise Lines	57	(4)
Celebrity Cruises	61	(5)
Crystal Cruises	66	(4)
Holland America Line	70	(7)
Norwegian Cruise Line	77	(4)
Princess Cruises	81	(8)
Radisson Seven Seas Cruises	89	(2)
Royal Caribbean International	91	(6)
Seabourn Cruise Line	97	(4)
World Explorer Cruises	101	(5)
The Cruise Lines, Part 2: The Small Ships	106	(24)
American Safari Cruises	107	(3)
Clipper Cruise Line	110	(5)
Cruise West	115	(7)
Like a Road Trip, but by Boat	116	(6)
Glacier Bay Cruiseline	122	(5)
Lindblad Expeditions	127	(3)
The Cruise Experience	130	(12)
Preparing for the Weather	130	(2)
Money Matters	132	(1)
Your Very Important Papers	133	(1)
Getting to the Ship & Checking in	134	(2)
Some Vital Statistics of the Typical Cruise Experience	136	(1)
Visiting the Ports of Call	137	(2)
Tipping, Packing & Other End-of-Cruise Concerns	139	(3)
The Ports of Embarkation	142	(19)
Anchorage	142	(7)
Seward	149	(4)
Vancouver	153	(6)
Juneau	159	(2)
Ports & Wilderness Areas Along the Inside Passage	161	(30)
Victoria, British Columbia	161	(4)
Canada's Inside Passage	165	(1)
Shopping for Native Art	166	(1)
Ketchikan	166	(4)
Misty Fjords National Monument	170	(1)
Admiralty Island National Monument	171	(1)
Tracy Arm & Endicott Arm	171	(1)
Baranof Island	171	(1)
Sitka	172	(4)
Juneau	176	(5)
Icy Strait, Point Adolphus & Gustavus	181	(1)
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve	181	(1)
Haines	182	(3)
Skagway	185	(6)
Ports & Wilderness Areas Along the Gulf Route	191	(5)
Hubbard Glacier	191	(1)
Prince William Sound	191	(2)
Valdez	193	(2)
College Fjord	195	(1)
Seward	195	(1)
Cruisetour Destinations	196	(4)
Denali National Park & Preserve	196	(1)
Fairbanks	196	(1)
Prudhoe Bay	197	(1)
Nome & Kotzebue	197	(1)
The Kenai Peninsula	198	(1)
The Yukon Territory	198	(1)
The Canadian Rockies	198	(2)
Appendix: Alaska in Depth	200	(16)
1 Natural History: Rough Drafts & Erasures	201	(6)
2 Politics & History: Living a Frontier Myth	207	(9)
Dateline	207	(5)
An Alaska Glossary	212	(4)
Index	216