we are planning to go to alaska next summer. we are debating if to take a cruise or do it ourselves.we've looked at the princess tours and can't make our minds.
appreciate the help.
nitza

When you take a cruise, someone else decides what you see, when you see it, and how long you get to stay there. If you want to spend more time at a place, or less, or none at all; but the cruise person says otherwise, you're out of luck.

When you're on your own, YOU decide what you see, when you see it, and how long you see it.

By reading a few books (for Alaska,
"The MilePost" is necessary and sufficient), making a few phone calls, and travelling during the off season (for maximum flexibility in reservations and accomodations), you can have a trip MUCH more suited to your preferences for a lot less money.

The one advantage to paying someone to make all decisions for you is that you don't have to do any thinking.

By next summer, I hope you mean 2002, not 2001. We started planning and trying to book our trip this coming July last fall and by October, many of the places we wanted to stay were filled and we had to take second and third choices of dates on our stays in a couple of the Wilderness Lodges. Alaska seems geared to the cruise and package tour trade -- I've never had this much trouble booking independent travel all over Europe. So if you are particular about what you see and where you stay, you actually might be wise to use the package tour if you are talking about this summer. If you are talking about 2002, start planning now and booking soon!

paul and patrick,thank you very much for your reply.they were very helpful,paul,i never liked cruising for the same reason,so that reply made me dedice on "do it my way".and patrick,like you, i learned the hard way, if you want to do it right and stay where you want to stay, i better do it at least ayear in advance.
thanks again, ANY PLACES THAT MAYBE A MUST???
nitza.

Nitza, if it is indeed 2002 you're planning, then my recommendation would be to book a cabin on the Alaska State Ferry from Bellingham, WA to Seward, using the ferry system's cross-gulf service. This will get you the same view of the inside passage as the folks on the cruises, except you'll meet more locals and see towns the liners skip, and have plenty of funds left over. No midnight buffets or casinos, though.
From Seward, rent a car and tour around, visiting such places as Denali NP, the Kenai Fjords, the Homer spit and maybe Seldovia, go flightseeing or fly-in fishing on a float plane from Lake Hood in Anchorage, etc. Return home by air. Start with the ferry system's website, http://www.dot.state.ak.us/external/amhs/home.html