don512

Which is better, the round trip inside passage cruise from Vancouver or the one-way cruise from Vancouver to Seward? Do you see much moe on the one-way trip?

RickT

I don't see the benefit of the one way cruise unless you want to spend time in Seaward or Anchorage. If you look at the ports of call they are almost identical to the inside passage and it's usually cheaper and easier to cruise out of Vancover or Seattle.

JimM

I think you have to ask yourself, &quot;What's the purpose of your trip...a beautiful cruise or the chance to see Alaska. The inside passage is a great trip. But it's not Alaska...anymore than the panhandles of Texas, Oklahoma or Forida will give you a view of those staes.<BR> <BR>Have you ever seen a sunset at 11:30 PM? Have you ever seen mountains rise 15 - 18,000 feet out of the sea? Looked at a coastline and seen no roads, no telephone poles, no condos...only wild glaciers of every size, shape, and description? Have you ever looked out a hotel window to see a mountain range over 200 miles away by car...like seeing the skyline of NEw York from your Boston hotel room?<BR><BR>Personally, as much as I love Texas, I can't wait to go back to Alaska again...and again...and again.

don512

JimM, I'm a bit confusedas to what you are saying. The Vancouver to Seward Cruise does the inside passage also, then from Skagway to Seward out in the Ocean. Are you saying that it is this part of the cruise that you see the things you enjoy most?

JimM

My real favorite is Seward to Vancouver. This generally gives you more daylight time coming down pasr BC and Vancouver Island. But that's not what you asked.<BR><BR>An inside passage trip that does Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Glacier Bay is a great trip I'm sure. I've never limited my trip to just the Alaskan panhandle and doubt that I ever will.<BR><BR>IMHO, the trip out to sea, up to Prince William Sound and College Fjord adds immeasureably to the trip. Then there's Seward and Anchorage. Ideally you'll have the time to spend a few days seeing more of Alaska out of Anchorage. You can make trips on your own for much less than what the cruise lines charge.<BR><BR>To expand on what I said before, you can go to Amarillo, TX...see the largest stockyards...go 35 miles South the 2nd largest canyon in the US...see what remains of the largest ranch in the country. But you'll barely scratch the surface of Texas.<BR><BR>So what's your goal...a great cruise...or a great cruise to see something of Alaska?<BR>

tapper

I agree with JimM. The Vancouver to Seward trip is outstanding. The scenery from Seward to the Inside Passage is awesome and you just don't want to miss it. At Seward, there are some very good small boat trip excursions that take you to the Glaciers and they are great. You see whales, sea otters, puffins, etc. We truly enjoyed it. As you travel through the Inside Passage you will also probably go to Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Juneau. Each of those offer off-ship excursions which are very nice.