Time an Alaska cruise for most comfort, scenery
Q. We are kicking around the idea of going on an Alaska cruise with the thought that we would like to go inland and go on a bus or train tour. Our friends live in North Central Kansas and we live in the Chicago area, so obviously we would not be flying out of the same airport so we would need to hook up where the cruises normally originate. Would that be in Oregon?
Our friends have done some checking and the normal cruises are May through September. They are farmers, so we would have to plan the trip around their harvest time.
Also, what kind of weather would we be in during the cruise and once we got there what would the weather be like? In your column in the Sunday Daily Herald it mentions being out on the deck of the boat and the weather being down in the 40s. I can't imagine it would be that comfortable if it is that cold. I tend to get cold easily and wouldn't be that happy if I was freezing the whole time we are gone. Of course, we would like to be there when the whales are active and the animals are out romping around.
We appreciate your column and have learned a lot from you.
A. At last count, some 18 cruise ships owned by seven major cruise lines regularly ply Alaska's Inside Passage, one of the major destinations in the cruising industry. Consequently, your choices are many, so just Google "cruise ships" to get the names. You can cruise and fly home; you can do a round-trip cruise; and you can do a combination cruise/land tour.
On the cruise/land tour option, you have the choice of flying to Alaska and touring on land by rail and bus, sightseeing and sleeping at various lodges along the way; then boarding your ship in Anchorage and returning to the Lower 48, relaxing as you whale watch from your cabin's balcony or the deck. Or you can do it the other way around -- voyage first, land last. I prefer land first as you're more active on this portion of the trip. Once aboard your ship, you can take to a deck chair or your cabin to veg out or you can participate in the shore excursions at the various ports of call for short trips, sightseeing and souvenir hunting.
As for meeting up with your Kansas friends, you can do that in Seattle, Wash., or Vancouver, British Columbia -- that's a decision you will make when you settle on a cruise line. Then each of you (Kansas and Chicago) can make individual flight arrangements. Some folks book their own transportation to the point of embarkation using frequent-flier miles, credit card perks or bargain air fares. Others prefer an all-inclusive package: air, hotel stays before and after sailing, airport transfers and baggage handling -- again your choice.
As for the weather, Alaska average early fall temperatures run from the lows 40s to the mid-50s, give or take a few degrees. My advice: Dress in layers. You can peel off or add on. That way you'll always be snug and warm. You'll be seeing some of the most magnificent scenery in the world -- enjoy every minute of it (inside or out).
Send your questions at least sixweeks prior to travel to MadelynMerwin in care ofTravel,Daily Herald, P.O.Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006, or e-maildpmerwin@sbcglobal.net.