Table Of Content
These ships can also more easily follow aquatic wildlife (within legal limits). Many expedition cruises to Alaska also employ Zodiac rafts and offer kayaks and hiking trips to bring passengers closer to glaciers and creatures. If you’d like a small ship cruise to Alaska, but crave a bit more adventure, expedition cruises might be more your speed. Check out lines like Alaskan Dream Cruises, Lindblad and UnCruise Adventures, which focus on immersive nature and wildlife experiences. The vibe onboard these ships is also more personalized due to their limited capacity. Carnival Spirit will join Carnival Luminosa in Seattle sailing 7-day roundtrip cruises.
Lindblad Expeditions’ Exploring Alaska’s Coastal Wilderness
What a Royal Caribbean Alaska cruise is like in 2023 - Royal Caribbean Blog
What a Royal Caribbean Alaska cruise is like in 2023.
Posted: Fri, 14 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
• Book with your card to get automatic travel protections for your cruise. Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. Like Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess is among the few companies with permission to sail in Glacier Bay. Here are some of the best Alaska cruises based on what interests you most.
Voyage of the Glaciers
As already mentioned, the majority of Alaska cruises are roundtrip, but some are one-way with southbound and northbound routes. These itineraries will venture further north beyond your typical ports in southeast Alaska. The Norwegian Cruise Line is often considered the best overall when it comes to Alaskan cruises. The company claims to have the “youngest fleet” sailing the waters of the Last Frontier, and their ships certainly do seem to be top of the line. You can expect extra fun amenities like laser tag and a race track on the top deck. Plus, you can get a round trip cruise from Seattle making it easier to book your airfare.
Alaska cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do
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.
Enjoy perks such as privileged access to Glacier Bay National Park and prime docking locations that give you a head start on sightseeing. That'll depend on your personal interests and travel style because there are cruises from Seattle that appeal to everyone, including family travelers, budget travelers and retirees. The top decks of Holland America vessels, notably, lack many of the kid-focused attractions found on the top decks of more family-focused ships operated by the likes of Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian. In addition, an onboard Klondike Festival brings added family entertainment, including gold nugget arts and crafts projects, a naturalist exhibition, harmonica music classes and North to Alaska dance performances. That makes these ships more appealing to an older demographic that doesn't necessarily want to be on a vessel that's loaded to the gills with children's fun zones and the younger family travelers drawn to that.
Inside Passage Roundtrip Vancouver
I tried a Holland America cruise to Alaska. Here's what it's like to sail on this cruise line - Cruise Blog
I tried a Holland America cruise to Alaska. Here's what it's like to sail on this cruise line.
Posted: Sat, 10 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Snow-covered mountains dominate the skyline while rivers feed the earth below. Explore your surroundings on a Copper River rafting trip, or fish for Alaska salmon in the mesmerizing waters. 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. To find the best Alaska cruises, we followed expert recommendations and read hundreds of user reviews and ratings. Because I’ve been on several Alaska cruises alone, with my family and with my husband, I also based my choices on my own personal experiences.
Why Cruise Our Mid-Sized Ships
When you return to the Seabourn ship, everything is included, from onboard bubbles to all kinds of drinks. In addition, specialty restaurants, minibars and even gratuities are part of the package. That’s what makes Seabourn perhaps the best Alaskan cruise line for all-inclusive luxury seekers. Only an hour and a half from the cruise port of Whittier lies the largest city in Alaska – Anchorage.
Whether you're a history buff or a nature nut, there are numerous bucket list destinations to experience while traveling on your Alaska cruise vacation. Enjoy an insider’s guide to discovering the best family cruises for your next vacation onboard Brilliance of the Seas. The best time to book an Alaska cruise is when a cruise line first opens bookings on that sailing, often more than a year in advance. You'll have your pick of itineraries and cabins — balcony cabins are popular in this scenic destination — and often the best fares. If you're interested in Alaska's Gold Rush history, Skagway — 90 miles northwest of Juneau — is a port you shouldn't miss.
The largest Silversea ship sailing to Alaska also carries just under 600 guests, allowing for port calls at lesser-visited stops like Wrangell, Haines, and Valdez. Below you can compare cruise itineraries for all ships sailing to Alaska for the next few years. With the Alaskan sailing season only six to seven months long, it’s a good idea to start planning now! Cruisers of all ages will enjoy the scenery, wildlife, and once in a lifetime shore excursions available on many Alaskan cruises. Our Alaska cruises are your ticket to adventure amidst the Great Land’s glaciers, wildlife and national parks.
A hike on the Chilkoot Trail or ride on the White Pass Railway lets you follow in the footsteps of the miners who came to seek their fortunes. Floatplane and helicopter tours take you around scenic areas like Misty Fjords or land you on a glacier, perhaps for a dogsledding or hiking adventure on the ice. If you prefer to stay grounded, you can find informative trolley tours of ports like Skagway. Gulf of Alaska sailings — especially those in late August and September — can encounter rough seas in the gulf portion of the voyage.
A trip to Alaska is at the top of many travelers’ bucket lists, and for good reason. Generally speaking, the larger the ship, the cheaper the initial price tag. Mega-cruises (with cruise lines such Princess, Carnival, Celebrity, Disney, and Holland America) can go for as little as $100 a night (so roughly $600 per person for a six-night sailing). These resorts at sea, however, are often not all-inclusive, so be sure to check the fine print before putting your credit card down. Passengers frequently have to pay extra (and usually at a premium) for things like specialty dining, alcoholic beverages, and off-boat activities.
There’s nothing wrong with those itineraries, but they do tend to focus more on touristy downtowns and less on the great outdoors. From there, guests are flown back to Vancouver, where their itinerary ends. Extend your Alaska cruise vacation, and simplify your travel plans with a hotel stay at the beginning or end of your cruise. With a Cruise Plus Hotel Package, a Princess representative meets you at the airport and pier, transporting you to and from your hotel.
