Should we visit Alaska by water (cruise) or land? -

Every year we do a family vacation. Typically, this means packing the tent in the SUV, and hitting the road to discover some new part of the Western US, where we live. Every 5th year, however, we splurge on a big vacation, and 2010 is our splurge year.This year, we are planning on going to AK! We are debating between taking a cruise or flying into Anchorage and exploring via rental car/RV. We love exploring nature, seeing wildlife, camping, and hiking, and love to get away from the crowds and enjoy our vacations on our own terms... spontaneously, with a flexibly-planned agenda. That said, we think that a land-based vacation in Southern AK would be our best bet.However, we are also strongly considering a cruise for the following reasons: 1) None of us have ever been on a cruise 2) We love the ocean and sailing on boats 3) Airfare, hotel, vehicle rental + food may cost MORE than a cruise 4) We live in Seattle, so we could drive to Seattle and/or Vancouver for the cruise ship, limiting/eliminating airfare altogether 5) For seeing the inside passage, the logistics of a cruise ship make total sense (BTW, we ve also priced out the ferry system, and it seems pretty pricey too!) 6) It is totally different than our non-splurge vacations where we spend so much time in the car, so the kids would probably love the change of pace/scenery.For those who may be saying, why not do both? I couldn t agree more! What could be better than taking a cruise from Seattle to Seward, and then renting a car to explore Southern AK, staying in hotels along the way, and then flying home to Seattle? This would be awesome, if the cost weren t prohibitive!So, if you were in our shoes, what would you do and why?

Suggestion. Save your cruise money. Get a camper or RV. Drive into Canada (Prince Rupert) and catch a north bound Alaska Ferry. You ll spend about 3-4 nights aboard (not exactly comfort of a cruise ship, but not Hotel Baghdad either) . Get off in Haines and take the cut off north and join the Alcan Highway and drive into Alaska. Drive to Fairbanks, Tok, Anchorage, to Seward, Homer, Valdez at your leisure. Then drive the Alcan back home. You will see the same ports as on the cruise ships (but not in them for long) and much of the same sights.

Pitch a tent in the back yard. Run a power cable to it. Plug in a TV and tune into Discovery Channel along with a few DVD s. You won t get sea sick or eaten by any bears or the bugs. Plus look at all the money you will save. l

I live in AK, and I think I would personally would take the cruise up to Seward. Just because the inside passage is so interesting! Then start your land tour there. Be sure to take the Alaska Railroad at least from Seward to Anchorage. Its their most scenic route and is beautiful. Plus I heard that car rentals are more in Seward than they are in Anchorage. But if you want to ditch the car, you can take the train as far north as Fairbanks. Feel free to email me with questions!

I have been on a cruise that started in Washington and went to Juno, two other Alaskan cities, and Victoria Canada. It was beautiful... by far the best vacation I have even been on. The cruise line will help you find all the cool things to do in each city. In Juno, my family and I took a helicopter ride to the top of a glacier and got to ride on the sleds with sled-dogs. Also, the cruise may be safer than driving in Alaska.

Land. You get to see so much more. there are quite a few sites that you can search that will likely show you great hotels at the best prices available. check out the website BookMe and you will be able to compare prices on all the reputable travel sites in just a couple minutes. it s very convenient and will save you a bunch of time and money. Also, make sure you buy them online... otherwise they charge much higher fees for phone orders. good luck.