Small ships take in big sights

There’s more to Seattle cruising than heading to Alaska on big ships. Smaller ships sail to and within Alaska, and Pacific Northwest cruises also are offered.

Here’s a sampling (fares don’t include tax and fees):

Big ship, local sights

•For a big-ship experience on a short, local itinerary, Celebrity Cruises offers a half-dozen three- and four-night cruises in late September and early October round trip from Seattle with stops at Victoria and Nanaimo, B.C. Fares begin at $349 a person. (www.celebritycruises.com)

•Holland America offers some short cruises in fall from Vancouver, B.C., to California ports as the ships leave Alaska after the summer season. From Seattle, there’s a three-night Northwest cruise Sept. 27 that loops from Seattle to Victoria, B.C., Astoria, Ore., and ends in Vancouver, B.C. Or for a very short voyage, there’s a one-night cruise in mid-May from Vancouver to Seattle and another in the fall, with fares beginning at around $193 per person. (www.hollandamerica.com)

•In fall, Princess Cruises ships sail from Vancouver to Los Angeles on repositioning cruises as they leave Alaska for the season, as do other major lines’ ships. It’s often a more economical way to cruise. (www.princesscruises.com)

Small ships, local sights

•The 130-foot MV Island Spirit offers six-night summertime cruises around the San Juan Islands and the B.C. coast (www.sanjuanislandcruises.com).

•Lindblad Expeditions has an “Islands and Wildlife of the Northwest” six-night cruise in September. (www.expeditions.com)

•Little, classic boats run by Alaska on the Home Shore (www.homeshore.com) and Pacific Catalyst (www.pacificcatalyst.com) carry about a dozen people or fewer on coastal journeys that focus on kayaking and the wilderness.

•The bigger ships of Majestic America Line cruise in Alaska or along the Columbia River from Portland, including the 223-passenger Empress of the North, a reproduction of a classic paddle-wheeler. (www.majesticamericaline.com)

•Find more small-cruise companies at www.smallshipcruises.com (search for the “U.S. West” destination).

Day cruises, ferries

•Short on money and/or time? Clipper Navigation offers day trips on its high-speed passenger ferries or overnight packages with hotel stays from Seattle to Victoria, B.C., and the San Juan Islands. (www.clippervacations.com)

•Or for a no-frills coastal voyage, take the Alaska ferry (www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/) from Bellingham to Southeast Alaska. Or take B.C. Ferries’ (www.bcferries.com) long and scenic day trip from Port Hardy on northern Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert, B.C., then ferry-hop to Southeast Alaska.

Cruise West

•Seattle-based Cruise West offers a seven-night round-trip cruise from Seattle, through the San Juan Islands to Victoria, Vancouver and beyond in the Strait of Georgia. Cruises are offered in spring and fall and start at around $2,800 per person.

•Cruise West also offers Alaska cruises and along the Columbia/Snake Rivers (and overseas). Its small ships carry approximately 80 to 140 passengers. (www.cruisewest.com)