Alaska: The Cruise-Lover's Guide. 3rd ed.

Gordon Turner is the author of Empress of Britain: Canadian Pacific’s
Greatest Ship and the editor of SeaFare, a quarterly newsletter on sea
travel.

Few destinations can compete with Alaska, as far as cruise-ship
passengers are concerned. In the compressed mid-May to late-September
season, hordes of people descend the gangways of cruise ships and set
out to spend a day exploring Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and other
Alaskan ports. For them, Alaska: The Cruise-Lover’s Guide is as useful
a handbook as they are likely to find anywhere.

The authors do not provide a starred list of hotels and restaurants,
nor do they evaluate or even name the many cruise ships that sail
Alaskan waters. Instead, they concentrate on the more permanent aspects
of Alaska, such as its history, topography, wildlife, environmental
concerns, and indigenous peoples. They write knowledgeably about
glaciers and wildflowers, souvenir shopping, and rafting expeditions.
Their book describes coastal towns that play host to the visitors, and
provides details of local attractions ranging from neighborhood walking
tours to sport-fishing expeditions. Some passengers disembark from their
ships and tour Alaska’s vast interior, at times combining their
journey with a visit to the Yukon. For them, the book contains concise
information about what to expect in such places as Fairbanks and Denali
National Park. Most cruises leave from Vancouver, but Seattle is gaining
in popularity as a departure port. The book covers both cities, although
in limited detail.

The guide is thoroughly researched, with well-chosen photographs and
useful maps. Reading it will add considerably to anyone’s enjoyment of
an Alaskan cruise, and the fact that the authors write engagingly is an
added bonus.