Getting up close and personal with Alaska ports, experience, personal, classic

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Getting up close and personal with Alaska

Let the Inside Passage or offbeat ports lure you
The 2012 Alaskan cruise season is set to kick off in earnest in just a few short weeks, as ships reposition from the warmth of the Caribbean to the stunning raw beauty of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Things are looking up for this quintessential cruise destination, and if you've never been before, this is the year to experience all that Alaska has to offer.
Fans of the classic Inside Passage cruise can't go wrong with sailings from Holland America Line (www.hollandamerica.com).
These sleek "dam" ships have been sailing these waters for decades now, and in the interim the line has picked up an uncanny knack for creating nearly-perfect Alaskan sailings.
This year, Volendam and her sister-ship Zaandam return to operate Inside Passage voyages round trip from Vancouver, along with the larger, 2002-built Zuiderdam. The 1992-built Statendam is back on the popular North and Southbound runs between Vancouver and Seward, while Oosterdam and Westerdam operate "Alaskan Explorer" voyages departing from Seattle.
For the cruiser who has "been there, done that", Amsterdam runs a fantastic 14-Day voyage from Seattle that calls on out-of-the-way ports like Homer and Kodiak in addition to favourites like Glacier Bay and Sitka. We just wish it left from Vancouver.
Families looking to experience Alaska this year will want to consider Disney Cruise Line (www.disneycruise.com), which this year heads south to Seattle as the home base for Disney Wonder, though a return to Vancouver is slated for 2013.
Nobody does family cruising quite like The Mouse, with Disney Wonder offering up a great mix of activities that are sure to keep the kids entertained while letting Mom and Dad have some time to enjoy adult features like the expansive Spa or an elegant evening in Palo, Disney Wonder's adults-only dining venue with sweeping views of the Alaskan waters.
If Disney isn't your cup of tea, this year's offerings from Norwegian Cruise Line (www.ncl.com) and Royal Caribbean (www.royalcaribbean.com) are sure to delight cruisers of all ages.
Norwegian shakes things up in the fleet department by bringing the 2005-built Norwegian Jewel to Alaska for the first time, operating round trip sailings out of Seattle.
Royal Caribbean keeps a good thing going by bringing Radiance of the Seas and Rhapsody of the Seas back for another season of cruising from Vancouver and Seattle, respectively. These ships offer stunning public rooms surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows, meaning the spectacular beauty of Alaska is never out of reach.
For the Luxury Cruiser, both Regent (www.rssc.com) and Silversea (www.silversea.com) return to Alaskan waters for another season this year, deploying the popular Seven Seas Navigator and Silver Shadow, respectively.
Both lines base their ships in Vancouver and Seward for the better part of the season, and each offers the ability to get upclose and personal with Alaska in a way that many lines with larger ships simply cannot. There's also good reason to consider a luxury cruise to Alaska this year: both lines are offering some spectacular incentives, like unlimited shore excursions and free economy-class airfare with Regent, or a $1,500 On-board Spending Credit and complimentary economy-class airfare with Silversea. Particularly noteworthy is Silversea's 11-day sailing aboard Silver Shadow departing round trip Vancouver on July 5, 2012 with calls to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Wrangell, Prince Rupert and Victoria.
PAGEBREAKAdventure cruising aficionados will want to take a look at the offerings from Lindblad Expeditions (www.expeditions.com) which operates expedition voyages throughout Alaska aboard the 62-guest National Geographic Sea Bird and National Geographic Sea Lion.
The line's unique partnership with National Geographic gives them a distinct edge over other competitors.
Those who like their expeditions adventurous but five-star will want to get on-board Hamburg-based Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (www.hl-cruises.com) as they send their five-star expedition ship, Hanseatic, to Alaska for two exciting sailings: the 16-day journey from Seward to Vancouver departing July 15, and the return 18-day trip departing July 29 from Vancouver to Nome - a prelude to Hanseatic's transit of the fabled Northwest Passage on August 18, 2012.
Visit www.fromthedeckchair. com for more cruise information.

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While Alaska is a must-see experience, it comes with warnings. Come in the spring and chances are it will be cold. In summer, they sell saddles for riding the mosquitoes. Fall is framed by spectacular colours, but winter is clearly coming. In any season it can rain, and wildlife is easily as unpredictable as the weather.

The M.S. Zuiderdam, a 950-foot-long, 1,848-passenger ship will join in the Inside Passage cruising.

There's something for everyone in the Alaska cruising season - and exploring is just one of them