Alaska Ports of call

I want to take an Alaskan cruise next summer, either June or July. I know absolutely NOTHING about Alaska.

We want to whale watch and do a dog-sled excusion. Which ports of call should I look for when shopping for a cruise that will offer those things?

Whatelse might be fun for 2 teen daughters and a single dad?

Oh boy. Take some time and read through this board, head to your library and get Alaska By Cruiseship. Whale watching is for 100% sightings of humpbacks, out of Juneau and Hoonah. A dog sled cart ride is available out of Juneau and Skagway. A glacier dog sledding, fly in is also available from these same two ports.

first decide if you want to go all the way up to anchorage/whittier or do a round trip up too juneau, ketchican, skagway and a canadian port like victoria. then you can better decide what tours to do in your ports. in juneau i go whale watching with capt.larry and go out too mendanhall glacier on the blue bus or you can take a taxi. skagway it great for dog-sledding either on the wheels or go up too the glacier and do a real dogsled ride. but it will be very expensive when you figure in the helicoptor ride too get there. as budget queen said ( and she is the queen of alaska ;) ) do alot of research here on this thread, the library or net searching. it all depends on what ports you want to go too and how much time you are in them. and how much money you want to spend. it is alot of ''' fun ''' work to learn all the things that go into having a great cruise, but boy is it worth it. and you will be so glad you choose to go too alaska. have a great cruise.

I was in your shoes about a year and a half ago. We booked in May 2008 for August 2009. As Budget Queen says, whale watching is definitely for Hoonah (Icy strait Point). Radiance of the seas goes there - it was fabulous. Which ever cruise line you choose, you will have to do a LOT of research - especially on these boards. It was a great way to while away a snowy winter here in Buffalo - planning for Alaska. Have a blast - the planning is half the fun!