Alaska Cruise Ship Travel –
Small Ship Or A Big One

By Teri Champigny

If your idea of a cruise ship travel is with a giant ship with more than 2000 passengers and 7 to 8 stories with shopping malls, cinema houses, casinos etc, you are only partially right. There are cruise ships, which are like the above-mentioned ships.

However, there are other smaller ships that can be easy on your pocket as well as offer a memorable experience. It all depends on how much you are willing to spend. If you are one of the guys with loads to spend, you can go for the first type, if not then go for the second one. Browse through the differences in the services that both offer as well.

The Smaller ships:

Smaller vessels or ships will offer you a much personalized experience. You can get much closer to the shore; experience the wildlife at first hand and also dock at much smaller docks, which do not allow bigger ships to dock. Smaller ships even include on shore excursions in their basic charge itself. Of course, you will not have the big casinos, hotels and shopping malls in the small ships. However, if you are looking for a romantic vacation, there are many small ships that offer pretty good services on your cruise ship travel.

The Big ships:

Big ships will obviously make you spend big as well. You will not get an opportunity to get very close to the wildlife. The best you can see is some Bald eagles and maybe a humpback whale. The onshore excursions are not included in the package and you will have to pay for every thing extra. You might not notice this until the final bill comes. Then you will see that even the small things that you did have ballooned up the expenses.

They have bigger amenities and are a much grander affair. Ballrooms, casinos, discos, cinema halls, shopping malls, health clubs, massage facilities, your own private deck, private lounges, swimming pools and formal nights are just some of the basic things. Your kids will also have a great time with escorted tours, magic shows etc. However, there will be 2000 people getting down on a beach as compared to a small ship where you will have only 100 on the beach.

On your cruise ship travel, with smaller ships you can visit some of the places that you can only dream of visiting in a big ship. Get real close to some of the aboriginal art. Smaller ships fill up real fast so make sure you book well in advance.

An Alaska cruise is the experience of a lifetime. With the fresh, natural landscapes and wildlife, Alaska cruises continue to grow in popularity. In fact, Alaska is one of the most popular cruise destinations of all the cruise lines worldwide. So what exactly is an Alaskan cruise tour like?

For one thing, there are so many natural wonders to behold in the Alaskan frontier. You’ll be able to witness wildlife in their natural habitats, as well as the wilderness itself. There are staggering mountains and huge glaciers you can walk on top of.

Many Alaska cruises offer inland excursions to offer an even more in depth perspective of the largest American state. An Alaskan land tour offers a view into the interior wilderness and natural wonders of Alaska. Between the two; Alaska land tours and Alaska cruises, you’ll be able to see marine and land wildlife, as well as shoreline, forests, glaciers and so much more.

It’s worth it to take both land and sea tours of Alaska. On the land tour you will probably be able to ride the Alaska Railroad and stay in some of the most beautiful national park lodges. With so many options to choose from, you have the control you need to make your vacation exactly how you’d like it to be.

One of the things I enjoyed most about the Alaskan cruise and land tour that I went on last year was the option to spend time at either Vancouver or Seattle at the end of the trip. I chose to take in Vancouver and liked it so much I ended up staying there an entire week after the two weeks I spent in Alaska.

If you’ve never been to the Pacific Northwest, an Alaskan cruise is just the thing for you. Not only can you spend time in one or two of the areas largest, most happening cities, but you can balance it with the most striking natural beauty of Alaska.