The "Inside Passage" voyage departs and returns to the same home port – Vancouver or Seattle – which simplifies the airfare issue. "Gulf of Alaska" is a more challenging itinerary because passengers fly into Anchorage, then take a three-hour bus ride to the port of Seward to begin the cruise. The trip ends in Vancouver (or the reverse). Airfare can be more expensive with this itinerary because travelers are flying into and out of different airports.
Small-ship operators like Cruise West, which had eight of its 100-passenger vessels plying Alaskan waters last summer, have more flexibility because of their smaller size and typically stop at the standard ports, as well as at smaller villages that can't accommodate the bigger ships.
BEYOND THE BASICS: Check into add-on trips into Alaska's interior. While most of the lines offer the option, Princess dominates the infrastructure, owning and operating lodges in Denali National Park, on the Kenai Peninsula and along the Cooper River, among others. These two- to five-day add-ons involve lodge accommodations, meals, a scenic double-decker train ride and transfers to your ship's port of embarkation.
THE SEASON: Cruise season runs from late April to late September, and peak time – when the weather is warmer and less stormy – extends from mid-to-late June through August.
WHAT IT COSTS: Last summer, particularly late in the season, cruise price wars had reached Alaska – with upscale lines like Princess and Holland America selling select cabins on certain voyages for just over $500 per person, based on double occupancy. More typically, plan to pay between $1,200 and $2,000 per person and beyond, depending on stateroom level; that price includes port fees but not airfare. Look for even more competition this year, simply because the lines have more ships – and bigger ones – to fill, since they've pulled some vessels out of the Mediterranean.
My cabinmate and I paid $1,300 each for a tiny cabin with a picture window on Infinity, but we regret that we didn't ante up for a balcony, since so much of our trip was spent running up and down the stairs to the outer decks to check out the wildlife-of-the-moment. We bought our flights separately, paying about $500 round trip from Washington to Vancouver.
Other incidentals:
Tips for on-board staff (cabin stewards, waiters at dinner): about $80 per person.
A la carte expenses on board for such optional features as alternative restaurants.
Hotel stays for the nights before and after your cruise.
Shore excursions. The more unique, the higher the price tag – anything involving helicopters or floatplanes will run you $200 or more. Other adventure-related shore excursions, such as cycling or kayaking, cost in the $75 to $100 range. City tours are the cheapest option (but most cities are so small that all but the most fragile can simply walk around on their own). Plan on saving about 30 percent if you book a shore excursion with a local tour operator.
WHEN TO BOOK: Now's a good time. Cruise lines offer more bargains and freebie upgrades at the beginning of the year. Plus, if you want fast-selling veranda cabins or suites, book as far ahead as possible.
Want a drop-dead bargain? Try for last-minute fares during fringe periods, such as early May and late September. Remember, though, that weather then may prove vexing and could hamper exploration – particularly excursions involving sightseeing by air.
