Are you getting ready to set sail to Alaska this summer? If you are looking for a cruise tour of Alaska then let this article give you the basic information on how you can choose the right cruise tour for you.
There are basically three different ways you can go about touring this great state after, or before your inside passage cruise.
Each of them have their advantages and disadvantages, but they all will give you the full Alaskan experience you are looking for.
The first way is for your knowledge of what the cruise lines have to offer, the second way renting a car or RV and setting out on the state yourself, third, joining up with a non cruise affiliated tour company, and joining them on an established tour.
If you are like most people who visit Alaska on a cruise, you will most likely opt for just taking one of the cruise tours offered by the cruise company.
This has many advantages due in-part to the fact that these companies run tours in central Alaska every week.
Typically, when these tours are bought at the same time as your cruise they have much lower price than if you try to see this great state on your own.
However, there are huge differences in how each cruise company runs its operation in Alaska, so it is important to understand what you want out of your cruise tour.
There are four major cruise companies providing cruise tours in Alaska as of now.
Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity cruises are the major companies providing all around cruise tours to passengers.
If you are looking for more of an adventurous way to see the last frontier I would suggest renting an RV, before or after your inside passage cruise.
This gives you much more of an advantage going where you want to go when you want to go.
But with this choice you will be paying a bit more than just going on a cruise tour from the ships.
The logistics behind this type of do it yourself tour will make it a bit harder getting to and from your cruise ship.
This is mainly due to the fact that the best place to rent an RV is in Anchorage, which is about an hour and a half drive from any cruise ship port.
Needless to say, once you get the RV you will be free to go anywhere you desire, and see whatever sights you might want to see.
Parking your camper overnight in most destinations can get costly but again it's the freedom you will get from this type of adventure.
Choosing your third option, and joining a third party tour company can be of a great advantage to you on your Alaskan holiday as well.
These are traditionally a bit more expensive, but if you are looking to get away from the cookie cutter type of tours and see something different than what the cruise companies are providing then you might want to look in to this option.
There is a growing number of tour companies like this in Alaska, but the best private tour company I have come across in this state is called Premier Alaskan tours.
They also operate the Park Connection, which is a bus service that takes travelers to and from locations from Seward and various places along the Parks Highway all the way up to Denali National Park.
Cruise tours in Alaska are all wonderful.
If you want to get the most out of your cruise tour its important to know what they all consists of.
Every company runs their tours differently to many locations so keep that in mind when you book your Alaskan tour.