Junior Rangers To Inspire Kids on Crystal's Alaska Cruises

With multi-generational family bookings on the rise, Crystal Cruises is putting a special focus on family-friendliness for its Alaska summer series, with all-ages excursions, an extended Junior Activities programme and an alliance with the National Park Service for a Junior Rangers programme.

When Crystal Symphony (above) sails through Glacier Bay this May to August, park rangers will come on board to lead kid-friendly activities and presentations about the area’s natural history. Through interactive projects and activity books, children and teens can become park Junior Rangers, earning official badges and certificates.

“The adult rangers ask children to pledge to ‘help take care of special places’,” explains Vice President International Sales & Marketing, Philip Ordever. “Such innovative and collaborative education ensures that kids take a greater interest in the beautiful destinations they’re visiting.”

Complementing this programme will be extended hours of stimulating, tiered, on-board activities for children aged 3-17, led by Crystal-staffed Junior Activities Directors. Kids can meet for board games or arts and crafts in Crystal’s Fantasia playroom, for Sony PlayStation® 3, Nintendo Wii™ or Xbox 360TM video games in the Waves arcade, or participate in behind-the-scenes happenings like galley tours, scavenger hunts, sushi-making classes, and backstage costume “dress-up”.

Families can also take advantage of Hollywood Theatre movies, Library DVD and book check-outs, piano lessons, babysitting services or favourite “finicky eater” foods throughout the ship. On land, there are dozens of shore excursions designated as “family friendly”.

Nine 12-night San Francisco round-trips visit Victoria, Vancouver, Sitka, Juneau, Skagway/Haines, Ketchikan and either Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay. Departure dates are May 9 and 21; June 2, 14, 26; July 8 and 20; and August 1 and 13. Fly-cruise prices are from £3,998 per person, including return economy class flights, 12 nights in a deluxe stateroom with picture window with all meals and soft drinks, port taxes and a $500 per person onboard credit.

In addition, Crystal is offerings its guests a choice of two fabulous options – they can choose either a free upgrade to World Traveller Plus or a complimentary three-night pre- or post-cruise land package in San Francisco that includes three nights accommodation at the five-star The Clift, a half-day city tour followed by a trip to Alcatraz Island, a full day wine-tasting tour to Sonoma and Napa Valley, a romantic Champagne dinner and use of an exclusive concierge service.

For more info, visit www.crystalcruises.co.uk or luxury cruise agents The Cruise Line Ltd.

Royal Caribbean's 2012 Alaska Programme

Royal Caribbean’s 2012 Alaska cruises on board Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas will mark the brand’s 23rd consecutive year sailing in the region.

Radiance will sail seven-night north and south-bound itineraries between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seward, Alaska, while Rhapsody will sail a series of seven-night cruises round-trip from Seattle. Royal Caribbean is also introducing a brand-new series of 20 cruise-tours, ranging from 10 to 18 nights.

For 2012, there will be three new Alaska cruise-tours on Radiance, creating 10 to 13-night cruise and land holidays.

All Royal Caribbean tours are escorted by dedicated Adventure Specialists. Included is a 12-night programme geared toward families, featuring a Resurrection Bay & Wildlife cruise, where participants can take in the region’s dramatic cliffs, alpine glaciers, marine life and seabirds, with a trip to scenic Fox Island (a nature lover’s delight); and excursions to the Anchorage Museum & Imaginarium, where families learn and explore art, history and science through play. The cruise-tour also includes an excursion to Denali National Park, complete with experiences designed specifically with families in mind.

A Canadian Rockies six-night cruise-tour will combine the destinations of Calgary, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver and Victoria with an overnight train journey aboard VIA Rail and accommodation at world-renowned Fairmont hotels. An 18-night Ultimate Cruise-Tour couples the Canadian Rockies pre-cruise with a five-night post-cruise Alaska land tour.

Radiance's seven-night northbound cruise schedule, from Vancouver to Seward, will cruise the Inside Passage and call at Alaska’s Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Hubbard Glacier (cruising). The southbound journey will reverse the itinerary. Sailing from Seattle, Rhapsody's seven-night cruises will sail the Inside Passage, calling at Juneau and Skagway, sailing past Tracy Arm Fjord and Sawyer Glacier.

For additional info, visit www.royalcaribbean.co.uk or contact the UK's leading specialist cruise agents, The Cruise Line Ltd.

Spectacular Anchorage

By guest blogger Steve Newman

Well, the Gold Rush may be long over, but there is another stampede starting to happen as more and more dedicated cruisers discover the natural wonders of Alaska.

Imagine standing on your private veranda watching humpbacked whales breaching, eagles soaring above you and then being one of the privileged few on Earth to spend a whole day in Glacier Bay National Park.

All of these - and much more - are now available from Holland America's 2011 Alaska cruise programme. The company have been cruising to Alaska longer than anyone else and also take tours into Canada's Yukon territory.

But it's the way that these comfortable mid-size ships seem dwarfed by snow-capped mountains that literally sit on the shoreline that stays longest in your memory here.

There are a wide range of cruises on offer in this marvellous area of the world, where names like Seattle, Anchorage, British Columbia and Vancouver are all steeped in Northwest history, to become vivid memories along with many of the smaller coastal places such as Kodiak, Skagway and Homer, still clinging to their pioneer heritage.

The scenery on this tour is simply breathtaking, from the stunning glaciers to the sheer beauty of sailing through the Inside Passage - a collection of islands and channels running along the coast (see above).

And, if you want to do your bit for the environment, Holland America have an excellent online check-in system as well to cut out on all that unnecessary paper.

Mickey in Alaska?

It seemed to be the worst-kept secret in cruising, but Disney Cruise Line has finally announced they will be taking one of their ships to Alaska for the first time in 2011.

The House of Mouse has dabbled with the US West Coast a couple of times (in summer 2005 and '08) but a move to an Alaskan programme had been conspicuous by its absence, despite persistent rumours DCL was considering the idea.

Now Mickey and Co have finally charted a course for America's 49th state, with a summer series on Disney Wonder out of Vancouver from May 3 to Sept 6, 2011.

The 7-night cruises will visit the Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, with stops at the latter trio and fares starting at $939/person

The Wonder will sail a total of 18 seven-night cruises in Alaska, and also be equipped with a brand new venue called Outlook Café during a dry dock in October. Located high atop deck 10, the 2,500sq ft, 65-seat Café is a stylish retreat for a beverage or cocktail, with curved glass windows and panoramic views. The design uses contemporary Art Deco inspiration and an elegant spiral staircase will connect it with the existing Cove Café one deck below.

The Alaska programme will be sandwiched by two separate series based in Los Angeles, from Jan 23 to April 27 and Sept 25 to Dec 18, to the Mexican Riviera, starting at $639/person (substantially different to Alaska!).

Disney Magic returns to the Mediterranean for the summer 2011, sailing 10 and 11-night itineraries out of Barcelona, which means the new Disney Dream will be left to run their typical Caribbean and Bahamas cruises that summer.

It is great news for the region of Alaska, which will see a slight downturn in business in 2010 but it will be interesting to see how well positioned Disney can make their cruises in the first season in an area that is notoriously difficult to predict for weather and shore excursions.

With almost two years to prepare, they should provide a neat alternative to the traditional Alaska cruise, as offered by the likes of Princess, Holland America and others, but I remember NCL having a number of teething problems when they started in 1994. Watch this space, as they say!