Cruises & Beyond

I know it has been a little while since my last blog. This one is going to be long. I mentioned in my last entry about Yosemite that my next destination was going to be Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Well, I just returned from there in fact.

It’s amazing to reflect on how far cruising has come in the past 50 years. The shift in focus from transportation to destination cruising in the 1950s and 60s during the age of booming air travel symbolized the first major evolution. The second evolution came when cruise ships seemingly doubled in size every 10 years while packing even more amenities on board. And now it appears the industry is entering it’s third evolution.

Alaska is a very popular travel destination for families and explorers alike for obvious reasons. The Alaskan landscape is largely untouched and offers epic, fantasy-world vistas nearly unmatched in the world. Big cruise lines sail up to the Alaskan frontier every year when the snow melts and continue through the beginning of fall. One of the most exciting aspects of Alaska is watching the wildlife interact with its natural surroundings. While you may be able to catch glimpses of Alaskan wildlife on big cruise lines, whether from your cabin balcony or a shore excursion at an extra cost, it’s quite rare you’ll actually get an up close look. But there is one way you can.