I just returned from attending the CruiseOne National Conference aboard Celebrity Cruise Line's "Mercury". Although this ship has been in their fleet for awhile, it is still in very nice shape. All areas of the ship were clean and bright.
Although we only did the inside passage of Alaska going as far north as the Hubbard glacier, we saw spectacular scenery and wild life. The inside passage presents a good introduction to Alaska at a more reasonable cost compared to a one-way cruise or cruise tour which has higher airfares and increased costs due to the land portion of the trip. Granted, there is much of Alaska that you don't get to see doing only the inside passage. However, it will expose you to the state and probably help you decide if you want to go further and see more the next time you visit.
Whale watching out of Juneau was probably the highlight of the trip. I tend to be a little skeptical about these types of shore excursions. However, this adventure through Orca Whale Watching, Inc. was a gem. I never realized that whales were such creatures of habit. they took us right to the area where they were feeding and provided many opportunities for viewing including one that actually breached. This is one of those must do shore excursions.
There are many opportunities and itineraries to cruise in Alaska. You can cruise for 7 days or be gone for almost a month depending on how much you'd like to see and spend. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.
Although we only did the inside passage of Alaska going as far north as the Hubbard glacier, we saw spectacular scenery and wild life. The inside passage presents a good introduction to Alaska at a more reasonable cost compared to a one-way cruise or cruise tour which has higher airfares and increased costs due to the land portion of the trip. Granted, there is much of Alaska that you don't get to see doing only the inside passage. However, it will expose you to the state and probably help you decide if you want to go further and see more the next time you visit.
Whale watching out of Juneau was probably the highlight of the trip. I tend to be a little skeptical about these types of shore excursions. However, this adventure through Orca Whale Watching, Inc. was a gem. I never realized that whales were such creatures of habit. they took us right to the area where they were feeding and provided many opportunities for viewing including one that actually breached. This is one of those must do shore excursions.
There are many opportunities and itineraries to cruise in Alaska. You can cruise for 7 days or be gone for almost a month depending on how much you'd like to see and spend. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me.
