Alaska Travel Guide - Know about Alaska Cruises

Q: Casual or Formal Dress Codes 

Outside: The key word for dressing for an Alaska Cruise is "Layering." Casual sportswear including windbreakers, pants and jogging suits are well suited at both sea and ashore in Alaska. Remember to bring a sweater or jacket for cool evenings. The weather is unpredictable and you should plan on bringing a rain resistant jacket for shore side activities. Light gloves, a hat or visor and sunglasses are also recommended. You’ll also want comfortable walking shoes and sandals with a rubber sole as you explore the shores of Alaska. Inside: Alaska Cruises tend to be more casual than other destination. However, many of the contemporary cruise lines still observe formal nights and resort-casual nights Alaska cruises. Smart Casual is similar to what you would wear at home going out to dine at nice restaurant and can include skirts/dresses, slacks, sweaters and blouses for ladies and pants and open neck shirts for men. A jacket and tie are optional. In the dining area, items such as cutoff t-shirts, halter-tops and torn jeans are not permitted. Evenings: In the evening, ships vary as to dress. As on shore, attire is dictated by occasion. For the Captain's Gala, for example, you'll probably want to wear something more formal, such as a dark suit, or cocktail dress; perhaps even a dinner jacket or gown. Our 7-Day cruises feature 1-2 formal evenings during the cruise. Note: it is possible to rent formal attire on some cruise ships.

This is one of the most common questions ask of our agents. While we can understand that one may think that the right side of the ship (starboard side) is better for scenery on a Northbound cruise and the left side (port side) better on a Southbound cruise but this isn't true. When cruising the Inside Passage, there is scenery on both sides of the ship and when you are entering the fjords in Alaska, the viewing will be equally good from both sides of the ship over the duration of your cruise vacation. In other words, during your cruise, you'll see scenery from both sides of the vessel.

These cruise guests would rather watch for whales than spend the afternoon in a casino. They linger outside on deck and observing the wildlife, rather than watching a video. On a small ship, the focus is outside where nature provides the entertainment. You are not just a visitor - you are participating in adventures such as kayaking off a remote wilderness island, hiking in a rainforest or enjoying spectacular glacier viewing. Each small-ship cruise is an engaging experience for all your senses. The casual style on board all our vessels encourages relaxation and congenial interaction between guests and crew alike. And the experience is personally enriching, through on-board narrative and lectures, special local guests from a wide variety of backgrounds, and the library provided on each vessel. In many of the remote waterways visited, small ships are the only way to explore the area. We leave the wider shipping lanes for the large ocean liner and we use channels just a few hundred feet wide, tieing up to inner piers in tiny villages, and share waterways with local fishermen and perhaps a few private yachts. Some of their ships have bow ladders for shore access. Many carry inflatable excursion craft to take you to where the action is.

 

During your cruise, you will meet many members of our staff in a variety of locations as they provide you with excellent service. Additionally, many more crew behind the scenes are supporting those who serve you directly. For your convenience a Hotel and Dining charge of $10.00 per passenger per day (including children) will be automatically added to your shipboard account on a daily basis. The Hotel and Dining charge will be shared amongst those staff who help provide and support your cruise experience, including the wait staff, stateroom stewards and accommodations staff, buffet stewards, galley staff, laundry staff and others. Please note: This is a discretionary charge and should you wish to remove or make any adjustments, you may do so by contacting the Purser's Reception desk onboard. Casino dealers and Spa personnel do not share in the Hotel and Dining charge as not all passengers utilize these services. A 15% service charge is automatically added to your bar charges and dining room wine account. This is shared amongst the beverage staff and their support staff, including cleaners and utility staff.

Canadian and U.S. Citizens must show proper proof of citizenship to Canada Border Services Agency officers (valid for all departures from/to Vancouver), including but not limited to: Passport, or Government-issued photo ID and original copy of birth certificate. All Other Overseas Passengers must show a valid passport and, if required, other documents such as a Visa etc. For more information, please refer to the Canada Border Services Agency or to the US Customs sites. The requirement to possess a valid Passport for all U.S. citizens who travel by sea or land to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America, Canada and Mexico has been extended to June 1, 2009. However, the government can accelerate this date based on meeting certain standards. All US Citizen traveling by air must possess a valid passport from January 08.2007 onwards. We urge these passengers to visit the U.S. Department of State’s website to read about these issues.

We provide scheduled Motorcoach and Van Transfer Service, Alaska Railroad Transportation, Rental Cars or Private Transfers for individuals and groups from Anchorage to the terminals in Whittier (appr. 40 Miles South of Anchorage) and Seward (appr. 120 Miles South of Anchorage). Please calculate with at least 2 hours of transfer time for all Whittier departures and about 4 hours for all Seward departures. Rates are ranging from $25.00 – $70.00 per person. Please Note: we do not offer any transfer services for clients cruise passages booked through other agencies.

Anytime between May and September is a good time to go to Alaska, but there are better times in the season to travel if you have a specific interest or motivation. For example, if you're interested in saving money, then the shoulder seasons of May and September are the best times to go. If you are traveling with children, you may be limited to mid-June through mid-August. Spring is a great time to see the wildflowers in full bloom and Alaska's Fall foliage is a sight to see as well. Your warmest and longest days will be in June and July and will offer you plenty of opportunities to enjoy active, calving glaciers. Each month has its benefits. You should plan to travel when it best meets your schedule and budget.

A proposed Alaska cruise-passenger head tax has qualified for a ballot. The proposal calls for a $50 head tax on all cruise ship passengers, and a 33 percent cruise gaming tax. The petition was filed with reportedly 29,000 signatures, more than the 23,285 required for the state to consider such a petition. The cruise lines currently serving Alaska are expected to vigorously lobby against the proposal, as they have done in the past via their North West Cruiseship Ass, which sees higher cruise fares and fewer Alaska cruisers negatively impacting Alaska's tourism-focused businesses. Cruise industry analyst Robin Farley of UBS Warburg ... questions the validity of the gaming requirement; since cruise ship gaming occurs only in international waters, Farley believes there are problems with legally enforcing any approved gaming tax.  

A variety of boutiques are offering fragrances, cosmetics, jewelery, gifts, apparel, accessories and liquor. In addition you may expect Library, Internet café, Tour Office (please compare our rates prior to making a reservation), Spa, Golf Simulator, Dining Rooms, Theatre, Cinema, Pool, Sauna, Steam Bath, Weight and Aerobic Rooms, Massage Therapy and more…Evening entertainment consists of: nightly shows, cocktail hours, casino exitement, discothek etc.

Each ship has at least 2 self-service launderettes located on the stateroom decks.  There are two or three washers and dryers, and one iron and ironing board in each launderette. The cost is approx $2.00 per washer load and approx. $2.00 per dryer load. Vending machines dispense small boxes of detergent and water softener at approx. $1.00 per box. Note: Due to local environmental requirements, the washing machines in the guest' launderette will be closed in port, per each ports specific requirements; the dryers and irons will be available for guest use. Dry cleaning service is readily available at a nominal charge.

1.) Food - 3 Meals or more per day plus Room Service
2.) Regular Drinks such as Coffee, Tea, Juice, Lemonade
3.) Entertainment
4.) Use of the Cruise Ship Facilities
5.) Accommodation of your choice.

For your convenience most cruise ships set-up a stateroom account when you check-in. Similar to a hotel, everything you purchase onboard will be charged to this account and at the end of your cruise the account can be settled by credit card, travelers cheque's or cash.

Express checkout features are available on every vessel. Please provide a credit card upon check in and you have to sign only your final bill for any incidential charges on the last evening of the journey. The crew provides you with disembarkation letter and luggage tags. Please pack your bags on the last evening and place them outside your stateroom door to facilitate custom clearance and disembarkation. Passengers may not leave the ship until the entire luggage is off-loaded.

We always recommend reserving a large stateroom with a balcony/verandah or even a suite.  (If your travel budget permits it) When you travel along the Inside Passage you have a ever changing view of mountains, glaciers, remote waterfront communities and wildlife. Balconies are providing also a great opportunity to get away from the crowds and you enjoy great views from the privacy of your own deck. Another advantage are the floor-to-ceiling windows which makes a stateroom even bigger looking.

You will have plenty of opportunities to fish for a variety of Salmon & Halibut. Great fishing spots are around Ketchikan and Juneau, or you may decide to take a floatplane to a remote lake or river to fish. Cost of excursions vary. Please refer to our sightseeing sections.

Entry into the disco is limited to passengers 18 years and older. Be sure to check with the child and teen centers, however, for special disco events designed just for kids. Children under the age of 18 are welcome in the gymnasium, spa and jacuzzi; and also in the evening entertainment show lounges when accompanied by a parent or guardian. In line with domestic age limits the casino is reserved for passengers 21 years and older. Additionally, only those passengers 21 years and older will be allowed to purchase or consume alcohol. For those whose age is questionable, picture identification may be requested.

Please check also our other online information resources and compare different cruise line features, view onboard images, staterooms and more.