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

To accommodate the burgeoning growth in cruise arrivals, Alaska's port communities are looking toward the future. In Juneau, the waterfront can presently accommodate four ships at two city-owned berths and two private docks. A pair of tender landings allow for two more ships anchored in the harbor. Ketchikan can accommodate two or three ships tied up on Front Street, with another one or two anchored offshore. Both communities are in the process of developing multi-million-dollar redevelopment projects for expanding their docking facilities in the near future.

Juneau and Ketchikan offer a multitude of shore excursions that show off their history, ecology, heritage, and culture. In Ketchikan, you can hop in a '55 Chevy, ride a Harley-Davidson, or board an amphibious DUCK (part bus and part boat) for tours of the city and its environs. In Juneau, the latest trend is to mix-and-match the capital's various sights, so passengers may sample two attractions in one outing. For example, they may combine the Mendenhall Glacier, located 13 miles from downtown, with a salmon bake or a brewery tour. Exact combinations vary by cruise line.

Not far behind Juneau and Ketchikan (in terms of passenger arrivals) is Skagway, which offers the legacy of the Klondike Gold Rush and unique shore excursions like the White Pass & Yukon Route narrow-gauge railway, which has been blowing its steam whistle since the days of '98. More adventuresome types can try their skill at rock-climbing, which isn't as extreme as it may seem. "We've had people in their 70s. We've had kids that were eight years old climb with us," reports Darsie Culbeck, director of Alaska Mountain Guides & Climbing School, which runs the tour. "There are areas that are really easy, and a first-time grandma can make it up." On the other hand, those looking for a genuine challenge will find it. "People who are physically fit and who have climbed before, we can put them to the limit," he says, "so we have a whole range."

In Sitka, the only major Alaskan port without a dock for big ships, passengers will find a distinctively different ambiance: Here they can sign up for a variety of excursions focusing on the region's native and Russian heritage. Another unusual opportunity is to voyage beneath the sea aboard a semi-submersible sightseeing boat, which always is a crowd-pleaser, says Deborah Rear, manager of Sea Life Discovery Tours. "It's so different--it's not what people expect--and that's why it's going over so well. They get onboard and say: Wow, that's really interesting."

As mentioned above, Icy Strait Point, Alaska's first (and only) master-planned cruise destination, continues to draw interest from the major cruise lines. Callers in 2006 include Celebrity, RCI, Princess, and HAL--which has 18 calls scheduled on Gulf of Alaska cruises aboard the Statendam.

Passengers looking for more than just a cruise have the option of extending their travels with a land tour, either before or after their shipboard journey. Destinations include Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska's two largest cities. In between lies Denali National Park, home to Mt. McKinley--at 20,320 feet, the tallest peak in North America. Within sight of the mountain are two rustic-style yet luxurious lodges, designed just for the sake of visiting cruise passengers. The closer of the two, the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, has unobstructed views of "The High One," just 40 miles away. Another good choice is the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, which offers equally spectacular panoramas from a distance of 62 miles.