From the serene Inside Passage to colossal glaciers and magnificent mountain ranges, Alaska cruises provide a vacation filled with adventure, beauty, and excitement. Even if you’ve experienced an Alaska cruise in the past, you may want to consider a return visit this year to experience one of the many new options available in 2010.

Holland America Line is introducing new 14-day Alaskan Adventurer cruises on its flagship ms Amsterdam, which will sail roundtrip from Seattle and include a call at Anchorage for the first time. The 1,380-guest Amsterdam will be the first cruise ship of a major cruise line to call regularly in Anchorage, providing guests with a full day and evening in Alaska’s major city. The Amsterdam will also call at Homer and Kodiak, two new and less frequented ports for guests to discover.

Princess Cruises’ 2010 Alaska program will offer the most diverse array of opportunities to experience the “Great Land,” with a number of cruisetour (cruise + land) options, more sailings that include Glacier Bay National Park, and a new “Seattle Air Advantage” package that turns every cruisetour into a convenient roundtrip journey.

This coming summer, Princess will offer a total of 112 Alaska sailings aboard seven ships offering four itinerary options during the May to September season. The Diamond Princess, Coral Princess, and Island Princess will travel on the line’s popular “Voyage of the Glaciers” route through the scenic Gulf of Alaska. Golden Princess, Sapphire Princess, and Sea Princess will sail the Inside Passage from Seattle and San Francisco, and the 700-passenger Royal Princess offers the line’s small ship experience on an extended 14-day voyage to some of the state’s less-visited ports.

With Princess’ new Seattle Air Advantage, any Princess cruisetour can become a convenient roundtrip vacation from Seattle. This package includes motorcoach transportation between Seattle and Vancouver, airfare between Alaska and Seattle, and an overnight stay in a Seattle-area hotel. All passengers will need to do is make arrangements to get themselves to and from Seattle.

For the first time ever, Carnival Cruise Lines will operate a schedule of seven day Alaskan cruises roundtrip from Seattle. Carnival Spirit will sail seventeen week-long Alaska cruises from the Port of Seattle from May 11 to August 31. Port calls on these voyages include the popular Alaskan destinations of Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan, as well as British Columbia and scenic cruising through Tracy Arm Fjord. A wide range of shore excursions from helicopter flightseeing and kayaking expeditions are available in conjunction with all cruises.

Because of the array of options available, it’s helpful to consult an Alaska cruise expert to help you plan your Great Land experience. We invite you to contact us today and take advantage of our experience and expertise in planning Alaska vacations.