A Cruise to Alaska May be Just the Summer Getaway Your Family Needs!

by Jill Weinlein

With the steady production of new cruise ships, the cost of cabins can be a bargain for families this summer. Alaska is an ideal summer vacation destination. Kids enjoy viewing wildlife and exploring a variety of historic ports, and parents enjoy the hassle-free travel of a cruise. Some of the more popular family cruise lines are:

Princess Cruises (www.princess.com.- 800-Princess) Holland America Line (www.hollandamerica.com. - 877-Sail-Hal) Royal Caribbean International (www.royalcaribbean.com. - 866-562-7625) Carnival Cruise Line (www.carnivalcruises.com. - 800-Carnival)

For a one week cruise, prices start as low as $649 per person for an inside stateroom. Children sharing a cabin with their parents are, many times, half the price. Once in port, cruise lines offer excursions including a historic train ride on the White Pass & Yukon, hiking through glacial waterfalls and rain forests, viewing ice fields from a helicopter, or racing across a glacier in a dogsled. Call your travel agent or cruise specialist to find the best summer deals.