Linda Brandt joined the team at CruiseExperts.com in November 2011. She has been working with the ma

Alaska is a unique destination with its own unique terminology. If your planning a trip or cruise vacation to the Great Land, you ll need to understand its special travel lingo. Here s some terms to help you get started:
One of the five major  circles of latitude  that mark maps of the Earth. cheap disneyland park tickets It is the parallel of latitude that runs 66° 33′ 44″ (or 66.5622°) north of the Equator This vast polar region encircles the top of Canada, Alaska, cheap disneyland park tickets Russia, Greenland, cheap disneyland park tickets Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland and includes the ice-covered Arctic Ocean.
When taking a cruisetour, Cruise First is the option of taking the cruise cheap disneyland park tickets portion of the vacation first, while Land First means the land portion of your vacation is first. Northbound cruises begin in the U.S. or Vancouver and go one way north to Anchorage or Seward, while Southbound cruises start in Anchorage or Seward and travel to Vancouver cheap disneyland park tickets or the U.S.
A cruisetour (Holland America officially calls them Land+Sea cheap disneyland park tickets Journeys) is a cruise and land vacation package combined. One portion of your vacation is a cruise, cheap disneyland park tickets and the other includes hotel stays on land in destinations cheap disneyland park tickets you want to spend more time exploring.
A floatplane is the same thing as a seaplane. Both types of airplanes have floats and are able to take off and land on water. If you re taking a flightseeing excursion by plane, it will most likely take off and land on the water.
Glass-domed traincars are double-deckers with panoramic domed windows on the upper level. The lower level features a dining room and an open-air viewing platform. Each traincar is independently operated by cruise lines. For example, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity call their traincars the Wilderness Express. Holland America calls theirs the McKinley Explorer.
Iditarod dogs are the husky sled dogs that compete in the Iditarod race held every year in March. The race begins in downtown Anchorage and runs for 1,049 miles. The Iditarod dogs train year-round for this annual event, so you will be able to visit with the pups during the cruise season.
The  Inside Passage  is a coastal route for oceangoing vessels along a network of passages which weave through the islands cheap disneyland park tickets on the  Pacific cheap disneyland park tickets coast of North America . The inside passage along the British Columbia coast is sheltered by large islands and runs along Vancouver Island and the western Canadian coastline. The other inside passage is called the Alaska Inside Passage which runs between Ketchikan and Skagway, and encompasses 1,000 islands, 15,000 mile of shoreline and thousands of coves and bays.
The discovery of gold brought in over 100,000 prospectors who migrated to the Klondike region of the Yukon in north-western Canada between 1896 and 1899. The journey to this remote cheap disneyland park tickets wilderness was hard and only 30,000 to 40,000 actually arrived. And then, only 4,000 prospectors actually struck gold. The largest boomtown, Dawson City, emerged as a result of the gold rush. However, once the gold was mined out and gold was discovered in Nome, the town was abandoned.
This highway is the original route created by the stampeders during the gold rush. It runs from Skagway to Yukon's Dawson City. The Klondike Highway's official names are the Yukon Highway 2 in Canada and Alaska Route 98 in Alaska.
The motorcoach is a luxury bus used to transport cheap disneyland park tickets passengers to and from their ship on selected shore excursion, cruisetours, and vacation packages. The motorcoaches are roomy and comfortable. cheap disneyland park tickets Beverages and snacks are available as well.
The Aurora Borealis, aka  Northern Lights , are best seen at night in the northern regions of Alaska. On an Alaskan cruise, your best chances cheap disneyland park tickets to see them would be during  late September when there are more night hours.
A port and ports of call are destinations where the ship stops and allows passengers to disembark. The embarkation port is where you board your ship for the first time, while the disembarkation port is where your cruise ends. On a round trip cruise, they are one and the same.
The term scenic cruising may appear on your cruise itinerary. It means that the cruise cheap disneyland park tickets ship will be in motion to its next destination and traveling through, most commonly, the inside passage, a bay or fjord. You can expect to see amazing views of glaciers, cliffs, mountains and marine life from the ship. It s a good time to relax on your private balcony or one of the viewing cheap disneyland park tickets lounges on board the ship.
A shore, or optional, excursion can be booked with your cruise or added on any time, including once on board your ship. Depending on the activity you've chosen, each shore excursion usually includes guides, transportation and fees associated with the activity. Popular shore excursion sell out first, so it is encouraged to secure your reservation in advance.
A tram is most commonly referring to a gondola ride up the side of a mountain. During the winter, it is used to transport skiers. However, during the summer tourists cheap disneyland park tickets can take the tram for spectacular views.
A transfer can come in the form of a luxurious motorcoach or van depending on the size of the group. If a tour states it includes cheap disneyland park tickets a transfer, then it generally means the cost is included in the price of the tour. For a reasonable fee, you can add a transfer from the airport to your cruise ship on your cruise package to ensure you get to your ship on time.
This railway was created during the Klondike Gold rush, but it is now used for tourists since the building of the Klondike Highway. It s one of the most popular shore excursions because people of all ages enjoy riding this heritage railway from Skagway to Whitehorse.
A zip line is a stainless steel rope which is mounted on an incline for a suspended, hanging, free-flowing ride across forests, canyons or rivers. The ZipRider at Icy Strait Point holds the record for the longest zip line stretching one mile long with a 1,150 foot vertical drop. The six side-by-side cables allow entire groups to fly at the same time. The SuperFly in Whistler is Canada s newest long course, almost one mile long, with six tandem lines as well.
Now is the time to book your  2014 Alaskan cruise plus land tour . Don't delay—the most popular shore excursions and cruisetours sell out first. cheap disneyland park tickets Alaskan cheap disneyland park tickets cruising season runs from May to September, and we can help you find the time that s right for you. Perhaps you d prefer something more exotic, like a European river cruise . Whatever your dream destination, we can help you plan your vacation from start to finish. Contact CruiseExperts.com   by calling 1-888-804-CRUIse(2784) or by visiting our website  www.CruiseExperts.com .
Linda Brandt joined cheap disneyland park tickets the team at CruiseExperts.com in November 2011. She has been working with the marketing team in many capacities. Her new role is to pass on the expertise of the agency to help travelers understand the world of cruising through cheap disneyland park tickets blogging. She studied journalism and writing cheap disneyland park tickets in college and was a writer for The Campus newspaper for two years at the College of the Sequoias. She is also currently cheap disneyland park tickets working on her Bachelor's degree.