Q: I’m taking an Alaskan cruise—either an Inside Passage or a glacier cruise—and I get motion sickness very easily. I have heard the cruise is not rocky and I don't have to worry, but I am very leery of taking the train and most certainly the Denali Park bus. Any comments or suggestions? --Deb
A: Deb, you’re smart to plan ahead—doing so can seriously help you avoid those queasy moments (or even full days).
When it comes to cruises, choosing the waters you’ll travel through is more important than the ship itself. If you’re still picking your itinerary, I’d recommend a roundtrip Vancouver Inside Passage trip over all others. The Vancouver sailings stay behind Vancouver Island in more protected (and scenic) waters, which means a generally calmer ride. The itineraries that sail the Inside Passage from Seattle, meanwhile, travel two full days on the open Pacific Ocean, which can get rough.
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Q: We are planning a cruise to Alaska, and our timeframe is pretty open. Some of the guys would like to fish halibut while we’re there. When is fishing for halibut the best? --Liz
A: Liz, the prime halibut season coincides nicely with Alaska’s peak travel season: June, July, and August. Halibut fishing is most popular in the Cook Inlet region of Alaska, a region which encompasses Anchorage, Homer, Seward, Whittier and other towns you’ll probably want to visit anyways, due to their proximity to Kenai Fjords National Park and Denali National Park. Kodiak Island is also a prime halibut fishing location. By fall, the halibut head back out to sea to spawn.
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Q: Hi Bob—I would like to get some good close-up photos of your giant brown bears! How would I go about doing this? --Daniel
A: Daniel, get ready for some big bears. Alaskan brown bears can top 1,400 pounds among males. You won’t see these bears along the roads of Alaska, the way you might see moose or other wildlife. One possible exception: in Denali, you might have some casual sightings, but likely from far away. To get up close you have two solid options:
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