Alaska Cruise or Antartica Cruise
Wanderer
The bigger cruise ships don't/can't put you ashore in the antartic peninsula
region but is this a drawback against Alaska ports.
Is the scenery good, better same as each. All advice appreciated.
John
clint
"Wanderer" <plane...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
news:4683aebd$1...@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com...
Brian K
to view nature. Antarctica is for researchers and pure nature
enthusiasts. At the southern polar region you will see penguins, more
penguins, maybe some sea lions. If lucky / unlucky a great white shark
feeding on seals or a leopard seal feeding on penguins. Orca and
whales don't venture close in to Antarctica. In Alaska the wild life
and flora is more varied. Plus there are the added opportunities for
whale watching, and additional activities like panning for gold, going
on a dog sled ride and the like.
Look at what the various cruises offer as excursions. That will give
you a better idea about what's there to see and do at both destinations.
--
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Brian M. Kochera
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David Gee
"Brian K" <brianB...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:LMZgi.1902$rR....@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> On 6/28/2007 8:51 AM Wanderer exclaimed:
>> Anyone have experience of both and which they prefered.
>> The bigger cruise ships don't/can't put you ashore in the antartic
>> peninsula region but is this a drawback against Alaska ports.
>> Is the scenery good, better same as each. All advice appreciated.
>> John
>>
>>
> Alaska provides ports of call a mixture of people activities and
> options to view nature. Antarctica is for researchers and pure
> nature enthusiasts. At the southern polar region you will see
> penguins, more penguins, maybe some sea lions. If lucky / unlucky a
> great white shark feeding on seals or a leopard seal feeding on
> penguins. Orca and whales don't venture close in to Antarctica. In
> Alaska the wild life and flora is more varied. Plus there are the
> added opportunities for whale watching, and additional activities like
> panning for gold, going on a dog sled ride and the like.
>
highlight was a tiny perfect parade down the main street. Each of the
surrounding villages entered a float on an international theme.
Near the front was "Antarctica", complete with ice and penguins. Five
or six floats behind was "North Pole", complete with ice and penguins.
Both entries got the same loud applause ...
Brian K
me I don't see their choice to name Jerry Lewis a national art treasure
or whatever. =-O
Odysseus
I enjoyed my Antarctica cruise. What I liked best was the camaraderie of the
passengers. Since the ship was small, the passengers and the crew get to know each
other. Virtually everybody was there for the same reason, to experience the white
continent up close and personal. I met married people who were cruising alone
because one spouse wanted to go to Antarctica and the other didn't.
If you go to Antarctica, you have a vacation experience that only a few thousand
people a year have. Alaska is a highly commercialized destination visited by
hundreds of thousands, maybe even more.
I've never been to Alaska. It wouldn't bother me if I don't ever get there. But,
I am glad I went to Antarctica.
My favorite cruises have been
1. Antarctica
2. Amazon
3. Orinoco
Diana Ball
> My favorite cruises have been
>
> 1. Antarctica
> 2. Amazon
> 3. Orinoco
Interesting list. Have you done any other river cruises? I think I would
like to do more. Have done just the Nile. It was fabulous.
Diana Ball
Austin, TX
Odysseus
I've been on a Rhine River cruise and Mississippi River cruise. I didn't
care much for either. I liked Germany but not the cruise.
I like adventure cruises where the whole point of the cruise is an exotic
destination that most people would never even consider going to. As I said
before, on these cruises, a camaraderie develops between the passengers.
Most passengers go to the port lectures. The educational seminars about
the destination are also well attended. For me, sitting at a bar talking
about the wildlife you saw beats talking about the "great bargains" you
got on jewelry.
-hh
Odysseus wrote:
>
> I enjoyed my Antarctica cruise. What I liked best was the camaraderie of the
> passengers. Since the ship was small, the passengers and the crew get to know each
> other.
I tend to believe that this is more an attribute of small ships, as it
reflects what I found with a small ship Alaska cruise.
> Virtually everybody was there for the same reason, to experience the white
> continent up close and personal.
IMO, whoever it was that said "comparing wildlife vs jewelry
bargains" (sic) hit it on the head. I've not yet booked an Antarctica
cruise, but if is definitely for Nature, not glitz. On a cruise with
Dick West last week, I suggested that he might consider that market,
as I think he has the focus right in what they've done in Alaska in
avoiding the glitz.
> If you go to Antarctica, you have a vacation experience that only a few thousand
> people a year have.
If you want nature and relatively affordable exclusivity, you could
do Katavi National Park - they still get under 500 visitors per year.
Would go back in a heartbeat, but the "To Do" travel list still is too
long before considering repeats.
-hh