text: Cruise companies do not need Alaska. I try to take two cruises each and every year. It's the best value for my dollars. I also spend money in the gift shops, restaurants, beverage stands, jewelry shops, clothing stores, art stands, side trips, sightseeing, grocery stores (Gotta have those snacks!), buy sundries, books, local cuisine items (key lime pie on a stick, anyone?), use taxis, perhaps get a haircut, etc. Lately I have trouble walking so I rent a little scooter and use it on the ship and in port. The crew allows me to park outside my cabin door. They put it away for me and return it charged up every morning before I awake. I take it to the dining table, they park it off to the side and return it after I'm finished. Many others also use the service, it's just $138.00 and certainly worth it. The point is a lot more people make an extra dollar or two when I arrive on a ship. You should try it sometime. You also may need to buy a plane ticket and rent a car to get there and back.