The World Famous Alaska Cruise

If it's an Alaska cruise you'd like, you're not alone. Alaska cruises leave many breathless with the beauty of the mountains and glaciers, with the hope you will spot some whales along the way. It's a long drive to Alaska from the state of Washington, as you travel through Canada's scenic province of British Columbia before you get there.

Taking a cruise has become the most popular way to see Alaska. Cruises leave from Vancouver, British Columbia, just over the border from Blaine, Washington, and highlights include Glacier Bay National Park, College Fjord, and the rustic port towns of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. Princess Cruises has four ships on its Alaskan cruises and Holland America has three. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Carnival also ply the waters of British Columbia and Alaska. If you want to get a better sense of the most northerly state in the United States, Alaska land tours can also be arranged, starting in Anchorage or Fairbanks

French Riviera Cruise
France has a number of ports along the French Riviera, including Nice, Cannes and St. Tropez. French Riviera cruises often continue on to Monaco and the Italian ports of Genoa and Portofina. There is lots of variety, ranging from a short day cruise to many days.

If you're thinking of an Australia or New Zealand cruise but are daunted by the cost of such a long trip, check out www.vacationstogo.com for discount cruises and last-minute cruise prices. Although Australia and New Zealand are about as far away from the United States as you can get, you will feel at home as you hear English being spoken, albeit with an accent you're not accustomed to. The website offers discount prices on other long voyages as well, such as to Norway or Hong Kong.

Spend Time on the Internet
When you're shopping for the cruise of your dreams it pays to spend some time on the Internet so you know you're comparing apples to apples when checking prices. Make sure the onboard accommodation you are comparing is similar, so you're not disappointed to find you have an inside cabin with no view of the water. Or, that may not bother you at all, because you don't plan to spend any time in your cabin, except to sleep.

All cruise lines have their own websites and many contain reviews from previous passengers. A quick way to find reviews is to Google the cruise location and add the word "reviews."

Whether you want to visit the most northerly state on an Alaska cruise, or go half-way around the world with New Zealand cruises, do your homework first so you pick the voyage that suits your interests, your pocketbook, time available and the climate you enjoy.