<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_RWgcnzGMDI8/SBzfz43JIDI/AAAAAAAAAGA/GNRpRvkGOJY/s1600-h/Eagle+in+Alaska.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_RWgcnzGMDI8/SBzfz43JIDI/AAAAAAAAAGA/GNRpRvkGOJY/s200/Eagle+in+Alaska.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Summer is here and that's Alaska season! Not only do most lines offer great Alaskan packages, competition is such that you can still nab some good deals.</div><div> </div><div>Probably the best cruise for an Alaskan newbie (or veteran) is the so-called Inside Passage. This is a bit of a misnomer, since you're not cruising through the heart of Alaskan territory. Alaska has been graced with a protected expanse of coastline. That's the Inside Passage. Traveling is smoother and safer there. Naturally, it's where the early settlers set up shop, too, so there is plenty to see in terms of both wildlife and Alaskan town life.</div><div> </div><div>Juneau, for example, is an amazing city. It's the only U.S. capital city that cannot be accessed by car. (You can drive there, you just can't drive <strong><em>to </em></strong>there.) You must arrive by ship or plane or foot (I suppose dog sled would work, too). Glaciers are there, but so is a rainforest. That's right, the Alaskan rainforest is real and you can access it from Juneau.</div><div> </div><div>Great Alaskan excursions include classics like whale watching, bear watching, dog sledding, glacier exploration, and "flight-seeing" (touring by plane). New on the roster at Norwegian Cruise Lines are private Hummer tours (you get a chauffeur-driven Hummer) and Floatplane tours in Ketchikan.</div><div> </div><div>A couple of cruise lines are offering Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's tours although you don't go to the Bering Sea. You do get to explore a crab boat vessel and meet veteran crab fishermen who share their adventures. If you've ever seen the Discovery channel's <em>Deadliest Catch,</em> you'll know there is a cult-like following for this.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>