As family reunion destinations go, Alaska is one of the best choices because it’s high on everyone’s Must-See List and most of your relatives haven’t been yet. A vast and little known state nearly four times the size of California, Alaska offers spectacular natural scenery, excellent wildlife viewing options, a rich trove of native and historic cultural attractions, and a variety of recreation ranging from snowsports in winter to salmon fishing in summer.

As with any reunion, you’ll have to consider carefully the ages and abilities of all members of your party.  Some relatives may be physically handicapped; teens may be ready for adventure; little ones may not be up to long confining journeys or extreme weather. None of it’s a problem if you select a mainstream cruise, one of the best and most economical options to fulfill this once-in-a-lifetime dream vacation.

A large cruise ship offers options for all ages, plus social activities and camaraderie for only children or cousins of diverse ages. The wide array of shore excursions, ranging from golf to eco-adventures or wildlife viewing, enables every member of your party to fulfill his or her own fantasy of what the ideal Alaska trip should be. You’ll find the roundtable dinners your family shares after a full day of sightseeing to be some of the most enjoyable moments of your reunion.

While we wouldn’t recommend an Alaska cruise to parents of toddlers worried the kids may fall overboard, it is a great journey for almost everyone else. According to Alaska's Resource Development website, 1.63 million visitors went to Alaska between May and September 2006, with cruise ships bringing more than half of Alaska's visitors.

Selecting the Best Cruise Line for Your Family

Of the many cruise lines plying the Inside Passage, Alaska’s most popular sea route, Holland America comes recommended for their premium facilities, attentive service and expanded family facilities; Princess Cruise Lines for their expert naturalists and deluxe accommodations.

Holland America (877/724-5425) has a 7D Glacier Bay Discovery Cruise between Vancouver, BC and Anchorage that’s ideal for first-time visitors to the area, part of 151 sailings to be made in 2007. A few years ago, HAL instituted a series of Alaskan “Just For Kids & Teens Tours” which run if enough children sign up for shore excursions apart from their parents. It’s a special option for teens in your reunion group who aren’t so eager to commune with the whole family during their vacation. Known for its gracious staff, largely of Indonesian origin due to the line’s Dutch ancestry, this 130-year-old company has made a $225 million upgrade with new linens and cabin furnishings, restaurants and a cyber/Starbucks-style café, an expansion of the children’s club to accommodate 3-year-olds and a teens-only outdoor lounge on the top deck to complement an indoor lounge called The Loft. In describing their new programs, a spokesperson told Travel Agent magazine, “We want to broaden our focus [and] hope the grandparents will do the choosing, and the rest of the family has a great time and they come back on their own.” Family Reunion perks for those who book five staterooms or more on a cruise include special group pricing, a soda package, one family photo per stateroom, and a complimentary activity choice -- either dinner in the new Pinnacle Restaurant or, for Caribbean routes, a snorkel gear package or a banana boat ride at their Half Moon Cay stopover.

In 2008, Princess Cruise Lines(800/774-6237) will offer 135 sailings on ten ships throughout Alaska, combining each cruise with their signature two or three-night stays on land. Families with a little more time to enjoy the typical 10 or 14-night tours will really feel as if they’ve “done” Alaska by adding a rigorous program of daytime sightseeing (based out of the cruise line’s own luxury Princess Lodges at Denali, McKinley, Kenai or Copper River) to the relaxing seven-day cruise along the Inside Passage to Glacier Bay. Whether you want to watch grazing moose before or after the breaching whales is your choice. The formerly British cruise line, known for its formal service, spacious balconied rooms, and excellent (some say “dull”) cuisine, is also noted for the skillful naturalists assigned to shore excursions and land tours. When we were there, its sophisticated program of on-board speakers and Alaska experts included park rangers, botanists and Iditarod racers.  The Direct to Denali and Direct to the Wilderness customer transport option allows cruise passengers to disembark at the port of Whittier and step right onto a Princess train bound for Denali National Park, or other private Princess transport to the Kenai peninsula resorts.

Among other major cruise companies, Carnival Cruise Lines(888/227-6482) is said to have welcomed more than 5,000 extended family and reunion groups aboard. This value-for-money brand has 20 ships serving 13 North American ports including Whittier/Anchorage, and has 24 Alaska sailings with the Carnival Spirit scheduled well into 2008.

Royal Caribbean International (866/562-7625) has partnered on development of a new port at Icy Strait Point that emphasizes southeast Alaska’s history and Tlingit culture. Their Royal Reunions program, directed to groups booking eight or more cabins, provides private rock wall climbing sessions, cabin door decorations to identify reunion members, group photos, a reunion trivia challenge and other activities for a nominal per person fee.

And if you still want the intimacy of a small ship experience -- despite the limited facilities and greater cost -- Lindblad Expeditions (800/397-3348) and Cruise West (888/851-8133) provide excellent options in this market.