- A cruise ship in Alaska.cruise ship in alaska image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
The city of Seattle, Washington is a major U.S. tourist destination. King county, Seattle's home, played host to over 9.34 million visitors in 2008. Seattle is also a gateway port for cruise ship vacations to Alaska. Six major cruise lines host round trip sailings from Seattle from May through September. These cruise vacations highlight ports of call with excursions to glaciers, wildlife and national parks in Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. - The port of Seattle, Washington.seattle image by Silke Wolff from Fotolia.com
The Holland America cruise line has the predominant large ship presence in Alaska with four ships devoted to sailings from Seattle. The Amsterdam and Oosterdam both feature four ports of call: three in Alaska and one in Canada. The Amsterdam, built in 2000, features a shipboard culinary arts center. The Oosterdam, added to the fleet in 2003, hosts an expanded spa with 11 different treatment rooms.
The Zaandam also includes four ports but adds a fifth stop to visit Glacier Bay, Alaska. Built in 2000, it also boasts a culinary arts center and a reservation-only dining room featuring food from the Pacific Northwest.
The Rotterdam VI features five ports stops, the fifth being Hubbard Glacier, Alaska. This is the flagship of Holland America's fleet, featuring a casino and show lounge with Las Vegas style productions.
Holland America Cruise Line
300 Elliott Ave. W
Seattle, WA 98119
877-932-4259
hollandamerica.com - Cruise past a glacier in AlaskaGlacier in Glacier Bay National Park image by Don Lewis from Fotolia.com
The Golden Princess, Sapphire Princess and Royal Princess are all devoted to Alaska sailings from Seattle. Golden and Sapphire each offer seven-day round trip cruises with five ports of call including Juneau, Alaska and Victoria, BC. The Golden Princess, built in 2001, was refurbished in 2009 with the addition of a golf simulator and virtual reality area. The Sapphire Princess, added to the fleet in 2004, was also refurbished in 2009, updating the Skywalker disco to add an al-fresco balcony and night club.
The Royal Princess is a smaller ship with a passenger capacity of less than 700. This ship offers a longer 14-day itinerary with nine ports of call. This ship's intimate size allows for adventures to ports that larger ships cannot reach. The small size does not reduce the on board activities, including lectures and specialty dining.
Princess Cruise Line
24844 Avenue Rockefeller
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
800-421-0522
princess.com - Sail past a forest in Juneau, Alaska.Alaska landscape image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
Norwegian cruise lines devotes two ships, the Pearl and the Star, to sailings departing from Seattle. The Star offers a seven-day cruise with four ports, three in Alaska and one in Prince Rupert, BC. Refurbished in 2004, this ship has 12 different restaurants, each featuring a different type of cuisine. The Star is designed for families and includes a recreation center, arcade and special dining areas for children and teens.
The Pearl sails for seven days with five ports of call, adding a stop in Juneau, Alaska. This ship was brought into the fleet in 2006 and features a bowling alley and rock climbing wall.
Norwegian Cruise Line
7665 Corporate Center Dr.
Miami, Florida 33126
866-234-7350
ncl.com - Kayak during shore excursions in Alaska.kayakers in alaska image by MAXFX from Fotolia.com
Other major cruise lines, each with one ship in departing round trip from Seattle to Alaska, include Carnival's Spirit, a seven-day cruise with five ports of call; Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas, featuring a seven-day sailing with four ports of call; and the Celebrity Infinity, which hosts a seven-day sailing with five ports of call.
Carnival Cruise Line
3655 NW 87th Ave.
Miami, FL 33178
888-227-6482
carnival.com
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami FL 33132
866-562-7625
royalcaribbean.com
Celebrity Cruise Line
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, Fl 33132
800-647-2251
celebritycruises.com
Holland America
Princess Cruises
Norwegian
Other Cruise Lines
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