And Then Theres The Good News
Wouldnt you know it? The Orlando Amtrak station did not let me down, nor did the hords of theme park people who boarded. By the time Pepe dropped me off, the train was a fabulous 25 minutes late. I had time to check my bag and sit and try to decompress. Getting to Alaska from Florida just got a bit easier.
So now Im happily ensconced in my teeny tiny roomette aboard Amtrak Silver Meteor, with a bag of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish, an ice-cold ginger ale and my laptop fully charged. Im waiting for my 7:15pm dinner reservation. When called, Ill carefully make my way two cars forward in this 11-car train and wait to be seated. With whom Ill dine is a total mystery.
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Ive always met interesting, quirky and fellow train enthusiasts in the Amtrak dining car. Wed rather spend days and nights chugging across America, sleep in train cars that are at least 30 years old, than zoom through the skies in a metal tube.
Theres only a short layover at Washington, D.C.s Union Station from the Silver Meteor to the Capitol Limited for Chicago. This beautifully re-done art deco station is the districts major transportation hub, bustling with people hurrying to catch their commuter trains. With a sleeping compartment, you can relax in the Acela Lounge. Simply check in at the desk, stow your luggage in the closet and explore Union Station.
Popular Alaska Cruise Ports
- Anchorage: Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage is known for its culture and trails. Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center to see traditional crafts, dances and replicas of native dwellings, or hike along the more than-100 miles of city paths.
- Alaska’s capital – one of the most beautiful in the nation – is surrounded by Mt. Juneau and Mt. Roberts. Just steps from the port you can find some of Juneau’s main attractions along historic South Franklin Street.
- Sitka: Home to around 9,000 residents, Sitka is a small town brimming with remnants of its Russian heritage, such as the Saint Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral. You can visit the Alaska Raptor Center and Fortress of the Bear to see more incredible wildlife.
Repositioning Cruises To And From Alaska When And Why
- season and destination
- Fall repositioning cruises from Alaska . These are all relocation cruises from Alaska to Hawaii and Australia, Alaska to California ports and Alaska to Florida ports , and rarely to New Orleans LA or Galveston TX passing through Panama Canal. Sometimes are also offered cruises from Alaska to Asia and South America with some of the longest possible itineraries on ships sailing in Alaska.
- Spring repositioning cruises to Alaska . These are cruises to Alaska, basically with the reverse itineraries with relocation cruises from Australia to Hawaii and Alaska, from Florida to California and Alaska , and from South America and Asia to Alaska with Pacific and Transpacific itineraries.
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Find Your Perfect Cruise
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Getting To The Amtrak Station
Racing into the Avis place, doing all I could not to scream at the counter person, my car was checked in and I ended up paying $10 gallon because a trip into WaWa would have put me through the roof. The instant I parked the little white Mazda, I practically jumped into the Uber app and ordered my car.
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Still a wreck because I thought I only had 18 minutes to get to the station. Pepe pulled up, helped me with my luggage and off we went. Despite his driving at a snails pace and reassurance that Id not miss my train, I knew that if I did, this whole getting to Alaska from Florida idea would tumble like dominoes. Fixablebut costly.
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Benefits Of Booking An Alaska Cruise During The Cheapest Months
Booking an Alaska cruise during shoulder season can lead to benefits beyond a cheaper cruise fare.
Cruising to Alaska in the early season of late April and May can come with a lower chance of rain than late summer and fall. In addition, daylight hours are from around 4AM to 10PM in May, giving visitors plenty of time to enjoy Alaskas attractions. Temperatures can be quite comfortable as summer approaches, with highs in the 60s common in mid to late-May.
The early season also brings the chance to spot gray whales, bears, and orcas.
Cruising in September brings the start of fall foliage and snow capped mountain peaks. You may also have the chance to spot the northern lights in late September, although this is not guaranteed.
Alaska Cruise & Land Tours
Some vacations combine a cruise of the spectacular Inside Passage or Gulf of Alaska with a land tour to the interior of Alaska or Canada that typically includes travel by motor coach, a train excursion in domed rail cars and stays in wilderness lodges and hotels. Denali National Park is the most visited destination on land tours of Alaska while the Canadian Rockies are a favorite on Canada tours.The season for Alaska cruise and tour packages generally lasts from May through September, and itineraries are typically 9 to 19 nights in length. Rates tend to be lowest in the off-peak periods of May and September.
Alaska cruise combined with an Alaska tourHere you have the option of sailing a northbound or southbound cruise itinerary. Northbound itineraries typically begin with a 7-night Alaska glacier cruise departing Vancouver and ending in Seward or Whittier, where the land portion of your Alaska vacation begins.
On a southbound itinerary, you will begin your vacation with the land portion followed by a 7-night cruise. You will fly into Anchorage or Fairbanks and visit Alaska’s interior, then travel to Seward for your cruise to Vancouver.
What’s included?Below are guidelines of what is typically included and excluded on a cruise tour. Every cruise tour is unique. Always verify the details of the trip you select with your Vacations To Go cruise counselor.
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When Is The Best Time To Go To Alaska
Alaska’s cruise season begins in May and ends in September. During the rest of the year, weather conditions can be harsh, with cold, wet and short days. The summer months, however, offer comfortable average temperatures between 55 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as glacier views and snow-capped peaks on display year round. Maximizing time is easy during these months: the longest day of the year can have as many as 22 hours of daylight in June!
Royal Caribbean App Key To Onboard Bookings
In addition to packing their passports, COVID-19 vaccination certificates and cruise documents, there is another important necessity cruisers should familiarize themselves with: the Royal Caribbean app.
The app will be key to making onboard dining and entertainment reservations, booking shore excursions, and more. It doesn’t cost anything to use , but it is a good idea to download this to your smartphone at home prior to setting sail.
Passengers will also be able to choose a check-in time via the app. Passengers who arrive earlier than their check-in time will not be accommodated and will have to wait until their designated time. Passengers who miss their designated time slot will need to wait until they can be placed in a later group.
While Royal Caribbean has already sold out its July departures to Alaska, voyages aboard Serenade of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas are still available for booking this August and September.
View the entire list of protocols for Alaska sailings here.
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The Three Most Affordable Cruise Deals
From Alaska to the Caribbean, boarding a cruise ship can be a ticket to fun and excitement for all ages. Cruises may seem expensive because they of …
The Three Most Affordable Cruise Deals
From Alaska to the Caribbean, boarding a cruise ship can be a ticket to fun and excitement for all ages. Cruises may seem expensive because they offer so many amenities, including accommodations, meals, drinks, entertainment, and activities for travelers of all ages. Fortunately, there are many cruises offered by a variety of cruise lines that are affordable. There are a variety of great deals available to allow vacationers to embark on a cruise of a lifetime without breaking the bank! Prices for all cruises include everything the ship has to offer, which is much like a small city. From mall-style shopping to nightclub hopping, there is always something exciting happening on every cruise, no matter the destination. Most cruises offer special programming for children so the adults can enjoy some relaxation time. Alaskan cruises offer activities off the ship that include tours of glaciers and tours of Canada while the Caribbean and Bahama cruise ship guests will enjoy island hopping, plenty of live entertainment, and comedy nights aboard the ship of their choice. The three best places to take a cruise vacation include Alaska, the Caribbean, and the Bahamas. Read on to find out more about three affordable cruise deals to these regions.
Cruises From Florida From $99
Fort Lauderdale:
Fla. Seller of Travel Reg. No. ST42496CST No. 2066521-50
Pricing Terms and Conditions
Pricing Terms and Conditions
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Disney Cruise Line Heads Back To Alaska Europe The Bahamas And Caribbean In Summer 2023
by Melanie Hager, Public Relations Manager, Disney Cruise Line
I dont know about you, but two of my favorite things in life are Disney Cruise Line and summer! If youre also like me and already looking for vacation options for your family next year, I have some great news for you Disney Cruise Line will offer a variety of enchanting vacations in summer 2023, including cruises to Europe, Alaska, the Bahamas and Caribbean.
Thegood news doesnt stop there if you want the rich culture and history ofEurope, your ship has come in! For the first time ever, the Disney Dream willbe heading east to Europe, calling on a wide variety of destinations among themost treasured in the world.
Are flip-flops and white sand beaches more your speed? Head to the sunshine state where three ships, including the all-new Disney Wish, will cruise to the dreamiest tropical destinations. If Alaska fires your adventurous spirit, set sail on the Disney Wonder for a surreal landscape of spectacular glaciers, soaring eagles, breaching whales and towns with a Gold Rush past.
Inaddition to taking your family to exciting destinations, each and every voyagein summer 2023 also includes a healthy dose of Disney magic! No matter whereyou are in the world, your family will also receive Disney Cruise Lines signatureservice, along with Broadway-style shows, themed dining, character encountersand activities for everyone in the family.
DisneyDream Marks Inaugural Season in Europe
Getting To Alaska From Florida Almost Didnt Happen
The first problem was the result of a phone call to the Avis/Budget car rental place. For the last almost-twenty years, the guy who ran the conveniently located Avis place would drive me to the Amtrak station, about one mile away.
Two years ago, the Avis location changed. So did the employees. The new place is in the heart of Winter Park crazytown a horn-honking, aggressive-driver locale sandwiched between Whole Foods, a Regal Cinema and a WaWa.
The woman who answered the phone said, no, she wouldnt/couldnt drive me over. Next, I asked for directions to their new place landmarks to look for so Id know where and when to turn. No such luck.
While the street address was on the main drag, the entrance to the rental place was actually on a side street. Could she tell me simply to pass the WaWa and make a left turn at the light, nooooo. Make a U-turn, she said, after you fill up at the WaWa. Huh? Not once did she mention to turn left AFTER the WaWa, which is exactly what I needed to do.
Two hours allotted for a one-hour drive over to Orlando plus a couple of stops along the way just didnt work. Saturday in Winter Park and everyone and their uncle was out and about. Crazytown at its worst.
After nervously circling the block for 10 precious minutes and yet my third phone call, still no one told me to turn left at the light. I could feel my blood pressure skyrocketing.
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Pcr Testing For Unvaccinated Passengers Mandatory Mask Usage
For unvaccinated passengers between the ages of two and 15, a PCR test will be mandatory at the terminal prior to embarkation. Booked passengers will be notified by email about how this process will take place.
Unvaccinated passengers will also require an antigen test prior to the end of the voyage. Passengers who need an antigen or PCR test in order to re-enter their home countries will be able to receive these onboard, free of charge.
Mask usage and physical distancing will be required onboard, except when actively eating or drinking, when inside their cabins or out on deck.
Florida Still Waits As Cruises To Alaska Get Green Light To Resume Pending Cdc Approval
May 25, 2021 / 6:15 PM / CBS Miami
MIAMI Cruises to Alaska are set to resume sailing this summer with the signing of the Alaska Tourism Restoration Act, a new law signed by President Biden that allows cruise ships to sail to Alaska without needing to stop in Canada. The sailings have been on hold since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Miami-based cruise lines, such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Lines, along with Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Celebrity Cruises have all announced week-long sailings beginning in July. These voyages have already gone on sale and are moving quickly.
However, cruise ships will still need approval to sail from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention due to the Framework for Conditional Sail Order, which remains in effect until November 2021.
That means, despite the major cruise lines announcing sailings to Alaska this summer, there has not been any announcement or confirmation that CDC will actually allow ships to sail.
In Carnival’s announcement, they mentioned deciding to offer cruises again, “based on recent guidance from the CDC and close collaboration with Alaskan officials.”
NCL said its plans were contingent on obtaining a Conditional Sailing Certificate, which it expected to be granted “in the coming days”.
Royal Caribbean made no mention of its negotiations with the CDC during its announcement.
First published on May 25, 2021 / 6:15 PM
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Planning The Perfect Cruise To Alaska
Plan the perfect getaway to Alaska with a cruise! There’s no better way to see the natural wonders of this awesome region than sailing along the Al …
Planning the Perfect Cruise to Alaska
Plan the perfect getaway to Alaska with a cruise! There’s no better way to see the natural wonders of this awesome region than sailing along the Alaska coast on a cruise ship. Leaving from Vancouver and Seattle, Alaska cruise vacations provide opportunities for travelers to enjoy seeing glaciers, explore the wilderness, experience historical port cities, and see a wide range of wildlife, including whale sightings. Adventurous travelers can enjoy shore excursions by train to the Yukon and Denali National Park and stay in exclusive wilderness lodges. The top three Alaska cruises are offered by Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Holland American Cruise Line. Read on to find out more about planning the perfect cruise to Alaska.
Bering History In Mind
Learn about Sitkas Russian influence on a walk to St. Michaels Cathedral, one of the few remaining Russian Orthodox churches in Alaska. Check out the Russian Bishops House and watch New Archangel Dancers perform traditional choreography. Then stand atop Castle Hill, where the first American flag flew over Alaska in 1867.
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