The 8 Best Alaska Cruises For Every Travel Style 2024

Table Of Content

• Best cruise lines for adventure-seekers
• Best Alaska cruise ports
• Spend the Day on Shore
• Why Cruise Our Mid-Sized Ships
• Early Booking Bonus on Alaska Cruisetours
• Dawson City, Yukon

With its roaring glaciers, rugged mountains and deep fjords, Glacier Bay National Park feels like a dream. With 3.3 million acres to explore, cruise to this world-renowned landmark — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and let the landscapes inspire your next adventure. Princess Cruises is an authorized concessioner of Glacier Bay National Park. Alaska cruise ports such as Juneau and Ketchikan are small cities with their own personalities. When planning a trip to Alaska, many travelers wonder if it's better to explore the state by land or by sea. Sail into the Last Frontier from Seward or Vancouver onboard Radiance of the Seas®.

Best cruise lines for adventure-seekers

With over three acres of windows and glass exterior viewing elevators, you can watch for whales along Alaska’s Inside Passage when you aren’t wandering wilderness paths from Ketchikan to Juneau. And for the ultimate outdoor adventure, take a CruiseTour into Alaska’s interior where you can hang with huskies in Denali, and scale glaciers in Alyeska. Experts onboard these sailings include naturalists, biologists and other scientists who are members of the expedition team. They lead the outdoor activities and provide passengers with a deeper insight into Alaska. Once guests finish communing with nature, they can indulge in gourmet cuisine in multiple restaurants, enjoy a complimentary cocktail or relax in an upscale spa. The two-year-old Discovery Princess sails round trip to Alaska from Seattle, a convenient U.S. home port for families to fly or drive to.

Best Alaska cruise ports

Elevate your Alaska cruise to the next level at The Retreat®, with sumptuous suite accommodation, access to a tranquil lounge, and dining at the exclusive Luminae at The Retreat. Sail one-way between Vancouver and Seward or Vancouver and Seattle, and you’ll see a stretch of Alaska’s forested coastline against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains and lichen-draped forests. Conveniently located an hour and a half from Anchorage, Whittier is a small town on the shore of the glacier-filled Prince William Sound. Visit its most popular attractions, such as the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. Named for the Northern compass point, Noordam is fitting for a cruise to Alaska. Museum-quality art outfits this ship, from oils to photographs of music legends.

Spend the Day on Shore

With a Cruise Plus Hotel Package, a Princess representative meets you at the airport and pier, transporting you to and from your hotel. The package includes the cost of your hotel stay, transportation, luggage handling and the services of the representative. Whether you're interested in hiking through a forest, trekking to glaciers or a shopping spree downtown, the towns along Alaska's inside passage provide a variety of adventurous activities. Ports such as Juneau and Ketchikan are each small cities with their own personalities. Anchorage is the state's largest city and a gateway to the rest of the state.

With an abundance of landmarks and wildlife, take in the sights and sounds of the Inside Passage from the comfort of your ship or on a thrilling excursion ashore. Explore fjords, glaciers and Gold Rush-era towns on weekend voyages out of Seattle. These cruises offer the benefits of a wider range of itineraries, shore excursions, departure dates, and availability and take you to all of the must-see stops along the way. They feature a wide range of amenities including multiple dining options, on-board entertainment, fitness centers, pools, different room types to choose from, and plenty of room to spread out and explore.

Early Booking Bonus on Alaska Cruisetours

Holland America Line Touts 'Glacier Day' Perks on Alaska Voyages - Cruise Hive

Holland America Line Touts 'Glacier Day' Perks on Alaska Voyages.

Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:29:21 GMT [source]

The best Alaska cruise tours will take you in the finest lodges available with the personal attention and expertise of a dedicated Adventure Specialist, so you'll explore the wild lands of the Last Frontier your way. From North America's tallest peak, Denali, to the stunning coastal route of the Inside Passage, Alaska is one of the most breathtaking natural landscapes on Earth. In this untouched wilderness, you’ll find ancient glacial valleys, majestic river canyons and misty emerald forests.

One of the biggest reasons people visit

Lindblad has special permits to bring passengers into the wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and the Tongass National Forest, beyond what the big ships can offer. A hike on Chichagof Island is the perfect opportunity to spot bald eagles in the wild. Holland America Line has offered Alaska cruises for 75 years and is clearly a market leader. The line tops the list in terms of cruises, as well as cruise tours, which combine time sailing with overnight stays on land.

Dawson City, Yukon

Discover the top tips for planning a cruise to Alaska and uncover the best times of the year to spot Alaskas wildlife, locate must-see attractions, find Alaskan cruise deals and more. We’ve curated the ultimate guide to visiting some of the most romantic destinations to vacation for couples. Find the most Instagrammable places for your next vacation cruise to Alaska.

Best Inside Passage Alaska Cruise: Hurtigruten Expeditions, MS Roald Amundsen

We offer an array of Alaska cruisetours and a mix of both iconic ports and seldom-seen gems. Check out one of our round-trip Alaska cruise tours that depart from and arrive at an Alaskan port. Spend more time sightseeing and less time getting there with our prime Alaska docking locations. Weekend departures give you the option to stretch your vacation and explore the Emerald City.

With no roads connecting it to the rest of Alaska or North America, it is truly a protected destination. Founded as a gold mining town and now the state’s capital, Juneau has one foot in history and one in the future. Embark on a whale watching tour, or sail past Mendenhall Glacier on an Alaska cruise. Feed your hunger for adventure on a roundtrip Alaska cruise from Vancouver, B.C. Wind your way through fjords, by bright-green forests and through quaint Gold Rush-era towns on your way to the wonders of Glacier Bay National Park. In Alaska, ancient rivers of ice wind between mountains and grind out of valleys.

These lodges and hotels allow for easy access both to the great outdoors and the communities where you can get a taste of local life. Complete your adventure with the best Alaska tours before or after your cruise. Dawn Gabree is a travel advisor who specializes in Alaska cruises at Travels by Danielle. Ashton Palmer is a Seattle-based T+L A-List travel advisor who specializes in expedition cruises. You can visit Alaska without a passport on a closed-loop sailing (one that begins and ends in the same U.S. port). Be sure to bring your passport if you plan on crossing the border from Skagway into Canada's Yukon Territory -- or exploring any Canadian port of call.

Icy Strait Point is notable among Alaska cruise ports because the area and its attractions are all native Alaskan owned. Most port and tour staff hail from Hoonah, Alaska's largest Tlingit village. The port is set on Chichagoff Island, which is known for its large bear population. Wildlife lovers have plenty of opportunities to search for whales and eagles here; adventure-seekers won't want to miss the ZipRider, with its course of six zip lines.

If you're traveling with young kids in Alaska and want an activity- and entertainment-packed experience, make a beeline for Disney Cruise Line and its Alaska-based Disney Wonder. The ship has an extensive children's program, high-quality entertainment, and such activities as water slides and play areas. Top scenic cruising destinations in Alaska include Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm (Twin Sawyer Glaciers), Dawes Glacier at Endicott Arm and College Fjord. The population of Haines remains less than 2,000, according to the United Status Census Bureau, and it isn't yet as touristy as some of the other Alaskan ports, such as nearby Skagway.

Alaska cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do

Table Of Content

• The Complete Guide to Alaska Glacier Viewing
• Cruises for families
• Best cruise lines for adventure-seekers
• Ships on this itinerary

If you're more interested in the Alaska Northern Lights, the earlier sunset in later summer will allow more contrast and better views of this natural wonder. Sail into the Last Frontier from Seward or Vancouver onboard Radiance of the Seas®. With over three acres of windows and glass exterior viewing elevators, you can watch for whales along Alaska’s Inside Passage when you aren’t wandering wilderness paths from Ketchikan to Juneau. And for the ultimate outdoor adventure, take a CruiseTour into Alaska’s interior where you can hang with huskies in Denali, and scale glaciers in Alyeska. In Alaska, ancient rivers of ice wind between mountains and grind out of valleys. Towering walls of ice like the Hubbard Glacier, Endicott Arm Dawes and the twin Sawyer Glaciers thunder as they calve massive icebergs.

How to Make your Alaska Cruise Travel Easier: Tips - Royal Caribbean Blog

How to Make your Alaska Cruise Travel Easier: Tips.

Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:23:24 GMT [source]

The Complete Guide to Alaska Glacier Viewing

Instead of taking a long and expensive flight to Anchorage or Fairbanks, you can choose a cruise that sails round-trip from Seattle or Vancouver (note, you won't be able to tack on a post-cruise land trip to Denali if you do this). Restaurant prices in Alaska can be high, but a cruise bundles meals, accommodations and transportation into one price that, with sales, can be cheaper than you'd think. On the banks of the Chena River lies the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge®.

Cruises for families

Listen to Margerie Glacier’s signature crack and boom rumble across the waves. Bring binoculars and scan both the shore and the waves for wildlife like brown bears and migrating whales while Park Rangers teach you the history and geology of the park. Whether you're interested in hiking through a forest, trekking to glaciers or a shopping spree downtown, the towns along Alaska's inside passage provide a variety of adventurous activities.

Best cruise lines for adventure-seekers

Embark on a thrilling journey with young explorers through breathtaking landscapes. There's nothing like seeing these behemoths hurl themselves out of the water, to splash back into the sea. Don't pass up an opportunity to watch these giants feed and play in the water. In some parts of the state, dog sledding is still the primary mode of transportation through the winter months. Visit Alaska and get the experience for yourself at the Skagway Yukon Discovery and Dog Sled Tour.

Holland America Line Touts 'Glacier Day' Perks on Alaska Voyages - Cruise Hive

Holland America Line Touts 'Glacier Day' Perks on Alaska Voyages.

Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:29:21 GMT [source]

The ship offers nine- to 14-night cruise tours that head into the Canadian Yukon, following the route of the Klondike Gold Rush from Alaska to northwestern Canada. Holland America Line has offered Alaska cruises for 75 years and is clearly a market leader. The line tops the list in terms of cruises, as well as cruise tours, which combine time sailing with overnight stays on land.

Ovation of the Seas sails round-trip from Seattle on seven-night cruises, but the exact itinerary varies by week. The ship cruises Endicott Arm for scenic views of Dawes Glacier and typically visits three Alaska ports and Victoria. Those craving a luxury Alaska cruise need not look further than Silversea, says Goldring. The line’s Door-to-Door All-Inclusive fares cover private airport transfers, economy flights, business-class upgrades or air credits, and shore excursions. This World’s Best Award-winning cruise line combines the best of expedition-style and luxury cruising, making it a popular pick amongst well-heeled, adventure-seeking travelers.

We’ve been sharing the wonders of Alaska longer than any other cruise line. See the best of the Great Land’s glaciers, coastal towns and wildlife on board perfectly sized ships offering superior service and exclusive programming. There's a reason why the best way to cruise Alaska is with Norwegian – we've got something for every type of traveler. The newly revitalized Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Spirit bring that and more with beautifully renovated spaces and staterooms.

Seattle

This is also the trip for a camera with good telephoto lenses and binoculars. For more on what to bring on an Alaska cruise, check out our Alaska cruise packing list. Ketchikan is where folks go to see the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, with athletes wielding axes and saws in traditional lumbering activities. Kids can hang out in the youth lounges while parents hit the spa or try a wine-tasting class.

Knowledgeable expedition leaders serve as personal guides on every voyage, sharing their expertise in biology, geography and ecology, as well as sharing about the lifestyles and legends of Southeast Alaska’s local cultures. Life aboard Alaskan Dream Cruises’ five ships is casual and relaxed, meals feature fresh Alaskan fare, and everyone strives to provide opportunities for guests to make personal connections to the region’s places and people. Below you can compare cruise itineraries for all ships sailing to Alaska for the next few years.

Most itineraries are seven nights, but you'll find a handful that are longer. One nice thing about the Inside Passage is how calm the water is because you're sailing between land masses. If you worry about seasickness, an Inside Passage trip is the best Alaska cruise itinerary versus a sailing where your ship transits rougher, open waters.

When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. Go back in time to the Klondike Gold Rush on cruises to Skagway, Alaska, once the primary gateway to the goldfields. Stretch out your Alaska cruise vacation with convenient weekend departures.

You can discover even more magnificence during your Alaska cruisetour at Wrangell-St. Elias and Kenai Fjords National Parks, where one of the four largest ice caps in the world invites guests to explore its terrain. With Princess, you won’t just explore Alaska’s landscapes, you’ll live amidst them in our custom-built wilderness lodges. Located riverside next to some of the most renowned national parks, these warm and welcoming lodges are the perfect spot to bask in Alaska’s best attractions. As a part of your Alaska cruisetour, explore and unwind with comforting amenities and breathtaking scenery.

Enjoy two glacier-viewing experiences on every itinerary — including Glacier Bay National Park, and Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord. No vacation in the world delivers once-in-a-lifetime adventure like Alaska. Mark this as your year to cross this bucket-busting destination off your list once and for all. Take off by dogsled across thousand-year-old ice as you soak in otherworldly sights.