Recommended Alaska tour books?

[kmpjdd]

Can anyone recommend some good Alaska tour books that you have found helpful? (I am going on a NB Princess cruise from Vancouver (2 days prior in Vancouver), 3 days in Anchorage/Denali area on my own at end of cruise)

 

Also, I seem to remember reading about a book that you can use from the boat to know what glaciers, mountains etc you are sailing by, but I can't find it using the search function on these boards. It was available for sale on Princess ships maybe?

 

Thanks for your help!

[mapleleaves]

Can't you go to the bookstore to see what's available? I went to Barnes & Noble and looked thru the Alaska travel books until I found the right one for ME. I'm a visual person so I like books with lots of photos.

There are a few books specifically for Alaska cruises. (Ann Vipond has 'Alaska by cruiseship' and Frommers, are 2 of them.)

You can get free Visitor Guides from most of the towns by sending for them. Google the town's name followed by visitor information or chamber of commerce to find the town's web site. There you will usually find an order form for the guide.

ie google Skagway visitor information and you'll find skagway.com

http://skagway.com/publications.html

Even Denali has a chamber of commerce site.

[HRPro]

I think the one you're thinking about is The Alaska Cruise Handbook by Joe Upton. We got it before out first Alaska cruise, and it's fantastic. I think we ordered it online, but they do have it for sail on the ship. It literally gives you a mile by mike guide of the sights you're seeing plus more details on all the ports. I highly recommend it!

[Alaskanb]

I think the one you're thinking about is The Alaska Cruise Handbook by Joe Upton. We got it before out first Alaska cruise, and it's fantastic. I think we ordered it online, but they do have it for sail on the ship. It literally gives you a mile by mike guide of the sights you're seeing plus more details on all the ports. I highly recommend it!

I found my Joe Upton book in a second-hand book store. It's a super book. I also like the Eyewitness Alaska.

[mapleleaves]

if you don't have a used book store nearby you can buy a used edition of the Upton book on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_18?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=the+alaska+cruise+companion+a+mile+by+mile+guide&sprefix=the+alaska+cruise+

[Keith1010]

Or Half Price Books.

 

http://www.hpbmarketplace.com/booksearch?qwork=10273626&matches=31&keyword=Alaska+by+Upton&cm_sp=works*listing*title

 

Keith

[dmwnc1959]

The maps I bought are very highly recommended and are still available for purchase through other book stores and/or guide-based websites. There was another beautiful full color topographic map of the Inside Passage just of the area from Juneau to Glacier Bay which I can't find it anymore but will keep looking. The companion book I believe is the same one linked in the Cruise Critic review posted below.

 

I linked two of the maps I had below that I could find in case you are intersted in purchasing them for a cruise to Alaska:

 

http://www.coastalcruiseguides.com/insidepassage.html

 

http://www.longitudebooks.com/find/p/72768/mcms.html

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=387

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0979491517/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/189-3367038-0673363

 

http://www.mountainexperience.com/Shops/Maps/glacier_bay.html

[cole]

There is a more recent edition (2008) and the title is The Alaska Cruise Handbook. Great resource. Also available on Amazon.

B. Cole

[JoRoy218]

Totally agree with above posters -- I bought both the Joe Upton book and the Frommer's Alaska. The Upton book was very good for historical background, but I used the Frommer's ALOT! It provides objective lists of things to do, offbeat non-touristy spots and mentions place to eat, etc. Thought this was a valuable resource.

[Smokeyham]

The maps I bought are very highly recommended and are still available for purchase through other book stores and/or guide-based websites. There was another beautiful full color topographic map of the Inside Passage just of the area from Juneau to Glacier Bay which I can't find it anymore but will keep looking. The companion book I believe is the same one linked in the Cruise Critic review posted below.

 

I linked two of the maps I had below that I could find in case you are intersted in purchasing them for a cruise to Alaska:

 

http://www.coastalcruiseguides.com/insidepassage.html

 

http://www.longitudebooks.com/find/p/72768/mcms.html

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=387

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0979491517/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/189-3367038-0673363

 

http://www.mountainexperience.com/Shops/Maps/glacier_bay.html

 

 

Thanks to the OP for asking this question! I am looking for exactly the same information, and it is great to have recommendations from others as to what worked for you.

 

Thanks also for this posting, and especially for the links to the maps. The topographic map looks great.

 

I am reading "The Alaska Cruise Handbook" now, before our cruise. My two-cents is that I would not wait till you get on board to buy/read this. Once on board, you'll probably be really busy, and reading it in advance will give you an idea of things which you will want to look out for!

[CMcG]

If you are looking more for information than for keepsakes don't forget to look at used books (I bought 4 books for about $30 - half books & half shipping) and check your local library.

 

I was looking for hikes in port and my local bookstore only had Frommers & Fodor (and similar) - all good books but not what I needed. My local library wasn't much better. But I'm in FL so didn't expect to find much on Alaska locally.:D

 

Still working my way through them all but the Inside Passage Activity Guide looks to be a pretty nice general guide. Here's the list of what I got:

 

Inside Passage Walking Tours - Julianne Chase

Inside Passage Activity Guide - Nancy Thalia Reynolds

Walking Southeast Alaska - Andromeda Romano-Lax

Hiking Alaska - Dean Littlepage

 

I may tuck them in my carryon & leave them for the ship's library since I don't anticipate much future use for them.

[2little time]

Can anyone recommend some good Alaska tour books that you have found helpful? (I am going on a NB Princess cruise from Vancouver (2 days prior in Vancouver), 3 days in Anchorage/Denali area on my own at end of cruise)

 

Also, I seem to remember reading about a book that you can use from the boat to know what glaciers, mountains etc you are sailing by, but I can't find it using the search function on these boards. It was available for sale on Princess ships maybe?

 

Thanks for your help!

Three days is not a lot of time to get adventurous in Alaska. You can jump the train in Whittier and take it to Denali. The scenery is lovely and you really get a taste of Alaska. Then spend the night at the Denali Princess, do the Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali and take the train back to Anchorage on the 3rd day. That would be my suggestion if nature and wildlife are of interest to you.