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Alaska 2006: cruise lines add more ways than ever to explore the last frontier

Cruise Travel, Sept-Oct, 2005 by M.T. Schwartzman

A couple I know went to Alaska aboard the Sapphire Princess. They liked it so much, they booked a return trip for the following year. Such is the lure of Alaska: The call of the wild beckons you to come back again and again.

Alaska cruising is on a roll, and the numbers tell a story of growth as big its "The Great Land" itself. Before the start of the 2004 season. the Juneau Convention & Visitors Bureau projected an estimated passenger count of 850,000, By the end of September, the actual figure was more than 880,000. The growth rate for the season was 14 percent, the bureau reported--the highest it had been since 1998. This year that number should easily exceed 900,000--and given the industry's average growth rate, arrivals could hit one million by the close of the 2006 season.

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Much of that growth is being fueled by the addition of more and ever bigger ships. Leading the way is Holland America Line, which brings eight ships to Alaska for the first time ever, including two Vista Class ships making their first appearance in Alaska, the Westerdam and Zuiderdam. Also new for 2006 is a revamped lineup from Princess Cruises, which deploys its biggest Alaska vessels, the Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess, on the "Voyage Of The Glaciers," thereby increasing capacity on the Gulf of Alaska route that has become the company's signature itinerary. Royal Caribbean International is the latest fine to homeport a ship in Seattle, bringing to nine the number of vessels sailing out of the Emerald City. And Silversea Cruises returns for what has turned into a biennial series of voyages to Alaska.

On the shore side, Celebrity Cruises has introduced its Xpeditions series of shore excursions to Alaska with a new "fire and ice" helicopter-and-Zodiac tour to Mt. Garibaldi and Howe Sound; other Xpeditions feature backcountry treks through the Alaska wilderness in search of black bears. Elsewhere, both HAL and Princess are adding accommodations to their Denali-area properties for 2006. Princess plans 228 rooms for its wilderness lodges, while HAL intends to build a new 135-room wing onto the McKinley Chalet Resort.

At the same time, a longtime Alaska favorite will be retired: Crystal Cruises is saying sayonara to the Crystal Harmony, which sailed from San Francisco, as the ship is being re-assigned to the company's Japanese parent, NYK Cruises. However, San Francisco-originating passengers can still cruise aboard Celebrity's Infinity or the Regal Princess. The latter returns to Alaska one more time before her scheduled transfer to sister line U.K.-based P&O Cruises, and her July 5 sailing marks Princess's maiden call at Icy Strait Point.

Small-ship cruise lines are offering new choices too. Cruise West has an expanded roster of itineraries, ranging from three days to three weeks. In recent seasons, the company has added stops in Elfin Cove, Hyder, Metlakatla, and Savoonga to its lineup of remote destinations. Altogether, the company now calls at 24 ports in Alaska and the Russian Far East. "We're always striving to improve and find new programs," says Cruise West chairman and CEO Dick West. "We keep trying new things to make it interesting," he adds, but always in keeping with the fine's philosophy of "up-close and personal." For 2006, the line has "more Glacier Bay permits than any other cruise fine," according to a company official, and will use them in part to operate new three- and four-night cruises roundtrip from Juneau, which spend one full day in the park.

Another small-ship operator, Glacier Bay Cruiseline, brought back the speedy 49-passenger catamaran Executive Explorer for the 2005 season, re-introducing one of Alaska's more unusual passenger vessels. Lindblad Expeditions may have lengthened versions of its cozy Sea Bird and Sea Lion ready for the 2006 season; while on the expedition front, Clipper Cruise Line adds a new 14-day "Islands Of The Russian Far East" to its program of Bering Sea adventures aboard the Clipper Odyssey. American Safari Cruises has received permission from the National Park Service to offer its own new itinerary featuring two full days in Glacier Bay.

While cruise lines are expanding their choice of itineraries, they also are enhancing the onboard experience to make it more "Alaskan." In the past, programs have been added to provide enrichment through naturalist lectures, artist-in-residence programs, junior ranger activities, and local performers. Most recently, HAL introduced its "Going Wild For Salmon" promotion, an extension of the line's fleetwide culinary arts program. Alaskan salmon is now the focal point of special events, cooking demonstrations, and seminars. In addition, each cruise features an extensive menu rotation of salmon dishes. "Our guests can experience Alaska with their eyes, their ears, and their palates," notes Rick Meadows, HAL's senior vice president of marketing and sales.

Alaska 2006: cruise lines add more ways than ever to explore the last frontier

Cruise Travel, Sept-Oct, 2005 by M.T. Schwartzman

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