In July, 2002, I sailed on a southbound
Gulf of Alaska cruise aboard the Carnival Spirit. It was a lovely ship with a
multi-level dining room, several attractive lounges, 2 theaters, a large casino,
spa and health club, and large pool area. The colorful decor is a Carnival
"trademark."I had previously sailed in Alaska during the month of May a few years ago, and contrary to popular opinion, the weather was more pleasant in May than it was in July. It may have been a few degrees colder in May, but there was not nearly as much precipitation, so it was generally more comfortable. Also, earlier in the season there is more of a feel of being in Alaska, as there is still snow in the forests and on the mountain tops. The wildlife are much friskier as they are just awakening from their winter hibernation. In July they seemed to be deeper into the woods - away from the shorelines and the highways.
The agents here at West University
Travel have always felt that the southbound cruises from Seward (the port for
Anchorage) to Vancouver are easier than the north-bound cruises due to airline
scheduling. If you do a northbound cruise, you end up with a day to kill in
Anchorage and an overnight flight back home. I flew to Anchorage the day the
ship departed, which made for a very long day (23 hours from waking till
bedtime.), so I would recommend that one fly to Anchorage the day before (or
several days before, if you want to do a tour to Denali Park and Mt. McKinley)
in order to enjoy the ride (by either motorcoach or train) from Anchorage to
Seward as well as boarding the ship a bit earlier and learning the layout.The typical stops on a southbound cruise are Skagway, Sitka, Juneau, and Ketchikan. Ample time is allowed for sightseeing in each port - and remember the sun doesn’t set in the summertime in Alaska till 10:00PM. The best shopping is found in Ketchikan - it has evolved into a miniature St. Thomas with many of the same shops such as Diamonds International and Colombian Emeralds.
We were told that there were 300
youngsters under the age of 18 on this sailing, but you never would have known
it. I attribute that to Carnival’s "Camp Carnival" children’s
program. They kept the kids so busy that they didn’t have the time nor the
inclination to race through the corridors nor play with the elevators.Disembarkation in Vancouver is relatively simple, with dozens of shuttle busses to take you to the airport. The Vancouver airport is a very busy place with very tight security. We had not been advised ahead of time that there is a Canadian departure tax (approximately US$7.00) payable at the airport, so set aside some emergency funds for things like that.
If you are considering an Alaska trip for 2003, now is the time to TAKE ACTION. There are early booking discounts to take advantage of if you book and deposit your cruise or cruisetour before the middle of February. Be sure to request a room on the port (left) side of the ship in order to get the best vantage point for the scenery. And try to book a ship which cruises Glacier Bay, which is much more spectacular than Hubbard or Sawyer glaciers.
Just call West University Travel/American Express at 713-665-4767, and we’ll find the cruise which fits you best.