Tag: alaska cruises
Canada has been said to hold the World’s greatest outdoor show
by admin on Jul.25, 2009, under Uncategorized
Let’s start by giving you the best description for what the Calgary actually is. One of the ways this Canadian show has been described is as the best outdoor show on the planet. And guess what, it will be running this year for ten days starting on the 3rd of July and finishing on the 12th.
Starting in 1912 the Calgary Stampede has become world renowned for its original and world famous events. This once a year show brings the whole world a great array of different performers and original events. These events were not really created in Canada, but they have been made even bigger thanks to the Calgary Stampede. The quickest way to explain what a Chuckwagon is, it’s a cart attached to several horses. Just like any other circular race, first one to the end, wins, the only difference is this can be quite dangerous.
The Grandstand at this event is amazing as well. The Calgary has so much to offer in way of professional dancers, singers, and world famous performers born in Canada. Famous figures like William Shatner have even made an appearance at the Calgary Stampede. Canadian holidays have become even more popular because of this event.
This place is anything but Dull, especially when you look through the brochure to find a show on the Grandstand stage called the “Wheel Of Death”. When you hear this, you know you have to pay them a visit. Basically the Wheel Of Death is comprised of two or more equally sized wheels at different ends on a pivot. It is quite something really, the wheels spin round and the acrobats perform tricks inside them and around them.
So visit Canada and embark on an adventure, try an Alaska cruise and sail through Canada into Alaska.
Cruising Alaska and the Inside Passage
by admin on Nov.21, 2008, under Vacations
So just what is it that makes a cruise in Alaska such a special experience? Well, in the first place, the scenery is really, truly spectacular. The glaciers are amazing – huge bodies of ice that continually break off into huge chunks, which plunge into the waters below.
If you have the chance, I highly recommend taking an aerial tour of glaciers, as it affords you a simply amazing view of these vast rivers of ice that you simply cannot get from the ground. Of course, you will also see glaciers up close from your Alaskan cruise ship, and this vantage point is equally memorable.
Next, there are the breathtaking mountain ranges, which range up to 20,000 feet, some within just miles of the coastline, making for a truly spectacular sight. The mountains in Alaska seem almost otherworldly, rising up to unbelievable heights, serving as an amazing backdrop to the already spectacular fjords, bays, islands, and rivers.
Of course, what brings many people to Alaska is the simply amazing and abundant wildlife, from grizzly bears and black bears to Kodiaks and Polar bears, Alaska has an amazing variety of wildlife.
Now, the chances are you will not be running into a polar bear on an Alaska cruise (unless you add on a side trip to the Arctic circle), but there’s a very good likelihood you’ll encounter grizzlies and bald eagles – especially if you book one of the many shore excursions available during your cruise. In fact, the bald eagles are one of the most amazing things about Alaska, as there are simply so many of them and they are absolutely majestic to behold. Watching them swoop down from trees and dive for fish in the pristine waters of the Alaskan rivers and bays is a truly memorable experience.
The sea life is incredibly abundant too. It is quite common to see whales from the deck of a cruise ship or even from the shoreline along the cruise route. Whale watching excursions are available in each of the major ports and are an incredible way to see the enormous mammals up close. Dolphins and Orca (otherwise known as killer whales) are also found in large quantities in Alaska, as are the five varieties of Pacific salmon: king, coho, sockeye, chum, and pink.
If your cruise is scheduled for late summer or early fall, you will also be treated to the salmon run, during which the salmon fill the rivers and streams as they attempt to return to their home waters to spawn. It’s truly an unforgettable sight, as the salmon can get so tightly packed in the streams that you could literally step from one to another.
But the best part of all about Alaska cruises is the incredible range of shore trips available, both during stops and before or after your cruise. You can do everything from dog sled on top of glaciers to rafting down glacier-fed rivers. For people seeking a more laid back or sedate experience, there are amazing train rides into Yukon Gold Rush country and day trips into a bald eagle preserve. The options are almost limitless and range from inexpensive to quite pricey.
So there are really plenty of reasons a cruise to Alaska is the vacation of a lifetime. No matter which cruise you choose, you are bound to have an incredibly memorable time.
