By Carol Eannarino

If you haven’t started to think about selling Alaska, now is the time. Smart Home Based agents are already booking for the 2007 season for the best selection of cruises and cruise/tours.

The 2006 season was solid, according to reports from Alaska product suppliers.
In fact, when Carnival Corp. announced its third-quarter results in September, strong performances in the Alaska and Europe market were among the factors credited for the boost of net income — up 4.2% over 2005, to $1.86 billion.
Moreover, Alaska is an easy sell. Its beautiful unspoiled wilderness and bountiful wildlife can be explored up close on a tour or cruise/tour. Experiencing the dramatic sights and sounds from one’s cruise ship balcony of glaciers calving is an experience not to be missed. Recreational possibilities — from kayaking to biking and hiking and more — abound.
For first-time visitors, Alaska is a revelation that whets the appetite for more — so much so that clients return again and again, often adding more national parks, historic sites and thrilling cruise/tour excursions to their itineraries.
That’s where you come in. Hopefully, you’ve had the opportunity to take a fam to Alaska so that your genuine enthusiasm and knowledge is conveyed to your clients. (If you haven’t been to the Great Land, plan to visit soon).
A wonderful introduction to Alaska for a first-time visitor is a cruise of the Inside Passage, offered by many cruise lines. This could also be combined with a stay at Denali National Park or other land tour extensions. Here’s a sampling of some of the places that your clients may visit along the way (ports vary according to the cruise line).

Ketchikan
Most of the northern Inside Passage cruises start in Ketchikan. This lively city is packed with things to do, from a visit to the Totem Heritage Center, with a collection of over 30 totems, the largest in the state, to a stroll through the city center, including a stop at Dolly’s House, formerly the parlor (now a museum) of the city’s most famous madam, Dolly Arthur. Hiking, kayak trips, flightseeing tours and rainforest adventures (Ketchikan is the rainiest spot in Alaska, so bring along your raingear) are among the many recreational possibilities available.

Juneau
Downtown Juneau, built on the sides of Mt. Juneau and Mt. Roberts, is a delightful mix of Victorian homes, old storefronts and modern architecture. A stroll through Juneau, the state capital, reveals a number of attractions, including the octagon-shaped St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, built in 1897, making it the oldest church built in the Inside Passage.
Known as the “Gateway to the Glaciers,” Juneau has 42 glaciers within a 1,500 square mile radius. Mendenhall Glacier, called Alaska’s “drive-in” glacier because of its accessibility, is 13 miles from the city center. A University of Alaska glaciologist has predicted that the glacier could come out of the lake in the next few years or less. Its constant retreat is attracting curious visitors from around the world, according to federal tourism officials. Trails lead visitors to excellent vantage points. The visitor’s center has interesting displays and provides breathtaking views of the glacier.
Near Juneau is the Admiralty Island National Monument, home of the largest brown bear population in Southeast Alaska. Clients also have the option to flightsee over the Juneau ice field or to take a scenic boat ride to Tracy Arm Fjord to view birds, seals and whales.

Skagway
This is a Gold Rush town: in 1898 thousands of prospectors passed through in search of Klondike gold. The colorful history of that era has been preserved in a seven-block corriidor along Broadway featuring restored buildings, false fronts and wooden sidewalks. The Arctic Brotherhood Hall, built in 1899, has 20,000 pieces of driftwood tacked to the front, making it the most photographed building in town. Among the other possibilities: a visit to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park or a scenic excursion on the vintage railcars of the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route.

Haines
This small town offers plenty to see and do. One possibilitity is a visit to the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. If your clients visit during the spring, they surely will spot eagles even if they don’t visit the Preserve. During April’s mating season, they can be spotted overhead doing a mating dance. Haines is also home to the Hammer Museum, which has 1,200 hammers on display.

Sitka
This pleasant town was the Russian capital of Alaska from 1808 to 1867. Advise your clients to catch a lively performance by the New Archangel Dancers, women volunteers who keep the Russian spirit alive through their folk dances and brightly colored costumes. St. Michael’s Cathedral, with its onion-shaped domes, was rebuilt after the original church burned down in 1966 and is definitely worth a visit, particularly for its precious icons and religious artifacts saved by parishioners who created a human chain during the fire.
The 107-acre Sitka National Historical Park was established in 1910 to commemorate the 1804 Russian and Tlingit Battle, in which the native Alaskans were defeated. There’s an excellent collection of indoor and outdoor totem poles.