My parents are wanting to go on an Alaskan cruise. They need advice on the best one for their style. They are outdoors people that will be spending the first 2 weeks of their vacation at outdoor fishing lodges. They don't dress formally and really don't want to on a cruise. They want to take one to see parts of Alaska they wouldn't be able to see otherwise. They aren't interested in land tours with the cruise. My mom is worried about being sea sick so we are assuming they should book an inside lower cabin-is this right? Thanks!!!

Maybe they'd be interested in one of the smaller ships, like World Explorer crusies, or using the Alaska Marine Highway ferries, which are lots of fun.

I went on Cruise West last year and had a fabulous time. Small ship (<100 people), casual, up-close experience with great wildlife. And crew leaders really gave you valuable insight into the land and the culture. They have a very good website that tells all about it. www.cruisewest.com.

Good luck...

I believe that I may have already responded to your inquiry on the US site. At the risk of being repetitive, I agree that your parents would probably enjoy a small ship cruise. My husband and I just returned from the Yorktown Clipper's 12 day Inside Passage trip from Seattle to Juneau. The Clipper (138 passengers) offers seven day cruises in Alaskan waters this summer and makes its return trip from Juneau to Seattle on September 6th. For more detailed information, check out their website at www.intrav.com/index.asp Our trip along the inside passage was very smooth, no one was sea sick. Just FYI, the restaurant level is usually the most stable one on the ship.

I too would recommend one of the "speciality" cruises, look into, Lindblad, Cruise West, Clipper etc. Expect these to run 3 times the cost of the "regular lines". If the cost is prohibitive, then choose the smallest ship with HAL now probably having them and consider using room service and the lido buffet dining. There can be considerable deals on the major lines, which would offer plenty of money left over for the costly excursions. Don't shimp here!!

I kept seeing expedition.com commercials on TV. I checked the site. Your parents might be interested in this one.