Re: Need help - WP&Y Trip Next Summer

Howdy: There are a number of small cruise lines that work out of Vancouver, BC or Seattle that make the Inside Passage run through British Colombia into the Southeast Panhandle of Alaska. They can be pricey but you will have a more intimate travel experience and go to places that the much larger cruise ships can't access. The other way to try it is book passage on the Alaska Marine Highway System. AMHS ferries depart from Bellingham, Washington and go as far north as Skagway. Intermediate stops are Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Juneau, Haines and Sitka. The State Ferry system is no cruise line but a funky way to travel. You can book passage, get off somewhere, stay a few days and then get on the following ferry. Depending on how you set it up, some of the stops are day stops between ports others are overnight. You can rent a State Room, most come with a bath and shower, some use communal bath and showers. If you want, you can pitch a tent on the back deck too. As I said, traveling on the Ferry is funky but a lot of fun because you can meet a lot of interesting people, both locals and not. The food is usually pretty decent too but you can bring food with you. Just remember, you pay as you go on the Ferry. Check out the AMHS website for more information. Lastly, I think they still run the Day Ferries between Juneau, Haines and Skagway, that is another alternative. Enjoy, Dougwood1954, Anchorage, Alaska