Charting a course for Alaska waters: Alaska's cruise industry plans 2008 itineraries.

The Norwegian Pearl will call at Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan and Victoria, British Columbia. The Norwegian Star calls at Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Prince Rupert, British Columbia. Finally, the Norwegian Sun will stop only at the Alaska ports of Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. The cruise line offers its passengers 130 shore excursions, ranging from options such as a ride aboard the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad to an interpretive visit to the Cape Fox Rainforest Preserve.

SELLING FUN--CARNIVAL

Carnival cruise line offers three itineraries for its Alaska season: Glacier Bay and north- and southbound Alaska packages. The seven-day Glacier Bay itinerary includes stops in Vancouver, British Columbia; Juneau; Skagway; Ketchikan; and cruising along the Inside Passage and Glacier Bay. The line's seven-day northbound Alaska itinerary departs from Vancouver, and includes among its ports of call: Ketchikan, Juneau, Lynn Canal, Skagway, Sitka, Anchorage and general cruising along the Inside Passage coastline, College Fjord and Prince William Sound. The seven-day southbound Alaska itinerary departs Anchorage and includes among its stops and cruising sites: College Fjord, Prince William Sound, Sitka, Juneau, Lynn Canal, Skagway, Ketchikan and Vancouver. Alaska shore excursions include motorcycle tours, a visit to the rainforest canopy, and railway ride.

SAILING THE SEVEN SEAS

Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC), formerly Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, sails to more than 300 ports on six continents, including stops in Alaska. The company touts its ambiance as "upscale, but not uptight," according to the company Web site. Although the company offers such exotic offerings as an 82-night, five-continent odyssey, its 2008 Alaska season takes smaller bites.

"Our 2008 program presents an enticing blend of exotic ports and emerging destinations as well as 'must see' cultural capitals on every continent," said Mark Conroy, Regent's president. "Innovative itineraries are our trademark, but Regent guests will also delight in our lavish accommodations, fine dining, entertainment and innovative enrichment programs."

The company's 700-passenger, all-suite, all-balcony ship--Seven Seas Mariner--will sail Gulf of Alaska waters, offering a season of seven-day Alaska cruises before commencing a "Grand Asia Pacific" cruise at the end of the season.

QUICK SILVER

The Silversea cruise line will sail its ship Silver Shadow (388 guests) to Alaska for a season starting in late May through early September. Itineraries depart from Vancouver, British Columbia, San Francisco, Seward and Los Angeles and include port calls in the Alaska towns of Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway and Wrangell.

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Celebrity Infinity will bookend her Alaska season with "Ultimate Alaska" itineraries. The first is an 11-night itinerary northbound from San Francisco, Calif., April 28, 2008, arriving in Vancouver, British Columbia, May 9. The second is southbound out of Vancouver on Sept. 19, 2008, with a 14-night itinerary that arrives in San Francisco Oct. 3. According to the company, both sailings feature several cities and sights in Alaska (Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, and others); the southbound trip also includes Washington and Oregon stops.

Celebrity Millennium kicks off the 2008 Alaska season with a 14-night "Ultimate Alaska" itinerary, sailing roundtrip from San Francisco May 5. On May 19, Celebrity Millennium will sail an 11-night West Coast and Alaska cruise from San Francisco to Vancouver. The Celebrity Millennium ends its Alaska season with another 14-night "Ultimate Alaska" sailing Sept. 22 from Vancouver to San Diego, Calif.

Celebrity Mercury sails a 14-night "Golden Gate to Alaska" cruise from San Francisco to Vancouver April 27. Between May and September, Celebrity Infinity will sail a series of seven-night Hubbard Glacier itineraries round-trip from Seattle, Wash. Celebrity Millennium will alternate between seven-night northbound and southbound sailings between Seward and Vancouver. During the same months, Celebrity Mercury will sail a series of seven-night Hubbard Glacier itineraries round-trip from Vancouver before an eight-night trip from Vancouver to Seattle on Sept. 14. Celebrity Millennium's May 30 northbound sailing will be the vessel's first sailing of the season that offers the line's Alaska cruise-tour packages. Beginning May 11, cruise-tour packages are available for all of Celebrity Mercury's 2008 sailings roundtrip from Vancouver.

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