Alaska offers unparalleled beauty and unique experiences. Over 1.7 million passengers visited Juneau by cruise in 2023, with 77% intending to return for another alaska adventure. You will find many options, from best luxury voyages to thrilling adventure cruises. This guide provides top alaska cruise recommendations, helping you choose the best cruises to alaska. Consider best cruise lines, your chosen itinerary, time of year, and ship size for your ideal alaska cruise.
Key Takeaways
Choose your cruise line based on what you like. Princess and Holland America are good for classic trips. Celebrity offers luxury. Small ships give you a close-up nature experience.
Pick an itinerary that fits your trip. Roundtrip cruises are easy. One-way trips let you see more of Alaska’s land. The Inside Passage has great views. The Gulf of Alaska has big glaciers.
Think about when you want to go. June to August is best for warm weather and seeing animals. May and September have fewer people. Ship size matters too. Big ships have many things to do. Small ships get you closer to nature.
Plan your budget for more than just the cruise ticket. Shore trips like glacier tours and whale watching cost extra. Pack clothes in layers, a warm jacket, and good walking shoes for your adventure.
Top Alaska Cruise Lines
Choosing the right cruise line is crucial for your Alaska adventure. Different cruise lines offer unique experiences. You will find options catering to various preferences and budgets. Here, you discover some of the best cruise lines for an unforgettable journey.
Princess Cruises: Alaska’s Premier Choice
Princess Cruises stands out as a top choice for an alaska cruise. They offer an extensive Alaska season. You can choose from many ships, departures, and destinations. They even debut the Star Princess. Princess provides Cruisetours. These combine a seven-day cruise with multiple nights at Princess-owned Wilderness Lodges.
These lodges include Denali National Park. Their ‘North to Alaska’ programming is a signature feature onboard. Park Rangers, cultural ambassadors, and Iditarod champions share stories with you. Families enjoy activities like ‘Puppies in the Piazza’ and campfire movies. You will find immersive dining with locally sourced seafood. They offer a ‘Cook My Catch’ program and local craft beverages. Princess is a leading cruise line in Alaska.
They host the most guests. They offer many cruise and cruisetour options. These include visits to Glacier Bay National Park and Denali National Park. Princess owns five wilderness lodges. These are in scenic riverside locations. They also provide exclusive ‘Direct to the Wilderness’ rail service.
This allows for combined cruise, train, and lodge itineraries. Princess Cruises targets ‘the Voyager.’ This group is 50+, down-to-earth global travelers. They seek a carefree yet elevated and lively cruise experience. It focuses on discovery, connection, and enrichment. They also prefer health-conscious dining. This makes them one of the best cruise lines for a comprehensive Alaska experience.
Holland America Line: Classic Alaska Cruises
Holland America Line offers classic Alaska cruises. They have over 75 years of investment in Alaska. You will find the most immersive shore experiences with them. They partner with local experts. They also have exclusive Glacier Bay access. National Park Rangers and local guides join you. Holland America owns the Denali Lodge. They offer extensive Alaska & Yukon Cruisetours.
These range from 9 to 16 days, or even 17+ days. Holland America Line’s campaign is ‘Savour the Journey.’ It targets travelers who appreciate ‘the art of leisurely travel’ and ‘authentic immersion.’ This appeals to those who want to savor every moment of their journey. Both Princess and Holland America Line often appeal to a more mature demographic. These travelers seek in-depth experiences and a relaxed pace on their alaska cruise.
Celebrity Cruises: Premium Alaska Voyages
Celebrity Cruises provides premium Alaska voyages. They offer a modern luxury experience. You will find elevated dining and stylish ships. Their itineraries often include popular Alaska ports.
You also enjoy scenic cruising through stunning landscapes. Celebrity appeals to travelers seeking a sophisticated yet contemporary cruise. They offer a refined atmosphere. This makes them a great choice for a premium alaska cruise.
Small Ship & Expedition Cruises: Intimate Alaska
For an intimate Alaska experience, consider small ship and expedition cruises. These offer a unique way to explore Alaska. You get an intimate experience. Some ships have only 10 staterooms and 19 other people, plus crew. This provides a “smorgasbord of experiential tourism.” You avoid crowds. You also do not pay extra costs for excursions.
These cruises offer daily immersion in the environment. You can go fishing, crabbing, kayaking, hiking, and glacier viewing. Small ships access hidden coves and bays. They get close to glaciers due to unique permits. Many describe these as the “anti-cruise.”
They are for those who dislike large ships and crowds. They offer a more authentic and hands-on experience of southeast Alaska. These expedition-style small ships cater to diverse activity levels. You choose activities that suit you. This includes Zodiac rides for less active guests.
Kayaking is available for active guests. You find unique experiences not on regular cruises. These include paddleboarding, helicoptering, hiking, and even polar diving. Onboard, visiting experts lecture on topics like photography, wildlife, or history. This adds an academic component. These cruises appeal to families and groups of friends. They seek diverse experiences beyond just fishing. They are for individuals who are not “cruisers.”
They “loathe the idea of being stuck on a floating city” with crowds. They want immersive, hands-on experiences in nature. This includes fishing, kayaking, hiking, and wildlife viewing. People who appreciate an intimate setting with a small number of fellow travelers enjoy these.
Active individuals who enjoy kayaking, paddleboarding, and more extreme sports find these appealing. They also attract luxury and premium clients. These clients have experienced other high-end travel. They now look for “bragging points” and unique adventures.
They are interested in “remote and Instagrammable” destinations. These are truly the best small-ship expedition line options. They provide memorable experiences. You unpack once and travel while asleep. This combines typical cruise selling points with expedition advantages.
These are the best small-ship expedition line choices for deep exploration. If you are looking for best luxury expedition travel, these are excellent choices. These cruise lines sailing to alaska offer unparalleled access. For unique alaska cruise recommendations, consider these smaller vessels.
Family-Friendly Alaska Cruise Recommendations
Planning an Alaska family adventure requires choosing the right cruise line. This section highlights options perfect for children and multi-generational groups. You will find cruise lines offering many activities and flexible dining.
Norwegian Cruise Line: Flexible Family Fun
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) offers a fantastic family experience for your Alaska cruise. They provide “Freestyle Dining.” This means you have no fixed dinner times or assigned seating.
You can eat when it suits your family’s schedule. This flexibility is great for families with young children. NCL offers many dining choices. You find complimentary main dining rooms and buffets. Specialty restaurants are also available for an extra charge. Their ‘Free at Sea’ promotion often includes a specialty dining package.
Onboard, NCL ships feature many activities. You can enjoy a race track or amazing shows.
Kids find many kid-friendly activities. You can spot whales from the Observation Lounge. Stroll on The Waterfront, a quarter-mile promenade. On Norwegian Bliss, Horizon Park offers games and lounge chairs. Imagine starlit strolls on the top deck. This cruise line ensures everyone has a memorable adventure.
Royal Caribbean: Adventure for All Ages
Royal Caribbean is another excellent choice for families seeking an Alaska adventure. They are famous for their innovative ships and thrilling activities. You will find something for every age group.
Their ships often feature rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, and surf simulators. Dedicated kids’ clubs offer supervised fun for different age groups. This allows parents to enjoy some adult time. Royal Caribbean focuses on providing an active and engaging cruise experience. This makes them ideal for families who love excitement.
Other Popular Alaska Cruise Lines
While Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean excel for families, other cruise lines also offer family-friendly amenities. Many lines provide kids’ clubs and family-oriented excursions. However, for a wide range of onboard activities and dining flexibility, NCL and Royal Caribbean often stand out as top Alaska cruise recommendations for families.
Choosing the Best Alaska Itinerary
You want to choose the best Alaska itinerary for your adventure. Your chosen route shapes your entire experience.
Alaska offers diverse cruise itineraries. Each one presents unique sights and activities. You should prioritize itineraries that include Glacier Bay National Park and the “true” Inside Passage. These areas offer the quintessential Alaska experience. They provide stunning scenic beauty and abundant wildlife. This guide helps you understand your options.
Roundtrip Sailings: Convenience from Major Ports
Roundtrip sailings offer you great convenience. You start and end your cruise in the same port. These ports are usually Seattle, Washington, or Vancouver, British Columbia. This simplifies your travel planning. You fly into and out of the same airport. Return flights are typically more economical than one-way tickets. This makes roundtrip itineraries a popular choice for many travelers.
However, roundtrip cruise itineraries cover less geographical area. The ship must loop back to its starting point. This means you retrace part of the route. Even if the specific stops differ, you see some areas twice. This type of cruise provides a good overview of the Inside Passage. It is convenient for you if you prefer not to fly into or out of Alaska.
One-Way Voyages: Gateway to Land+Sea Adventures
One-way voyages offer a more in-depth exploration of Alaska. These itineraries typically start in Vancouver, British Columbia, or Seattle, Washington. They end in Anchorage, Alaska (Whittier or Seward), or vice versa. This allows you to combine your cruise with land tours.
You can explore interior Alaska before or after your sailing. These land+sea adventures, or cruisetours, take you to places like Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Dawson City, and Whitehorse.
One-way Alaska cruise itineraries usually include more unique ports. They go further north into Alaska. You often find more than one day of scenic cruising. This allows for detailed exploration of local scenery. You can witness calving glaciers.
These voyages often include Glacier Bay National Park or Hubbard Glacier. They sometimes visit College Fjord or Prince William Sound. However, one-way cruise itineraries can be more expensive. You need one-way flights to or from Alaska. These flights have more limited service and fewer nonstop options. One-way itineraries typically do not include Victoria, British Columbia, as a port of call. This is because they are not required to satisfy the Passenger Vessel Services Act.
Here is a comparison of one-way and roundtrip cruise itineraries:
Feature | One-Way Alaska Cruise | Roundtrip Alaska Cruise |
|---|---|---|
Starting/Ending Points | Starts in Vancouver, BC, or Seattle, WA, and ends in Anchorage (Whittier or Seward), AK, or vice versa. | Starts and ends in the same port, usually Seattle, WA, or Vancouver, BC. |
Ports of Call | Usually includes more unique ports and goes further north into Alaska. Common ports include Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, and sometimes Valdez or Seward. | Focuses on the Inside Passage. Common ports include Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, and sometimes Victoria, BC. |
Glacier Viewing | Often includes Glacier Bay National Park or Hubbard Glacier, and sometimes College Fjord or Prince William Sound. | Often includes Glacier Bay National Park or Tracy Arm Fjord. |
Land Extensions | Highly recommended and easier to combine with pre- or post-cruise land tours to explore interior Alaska (Denali National Park, Fairbanks). | Less common and more logistically challenging to add land extensions to interior Alaska. |
Travel Experience | Offers a more in-depth exploration of Alaska, covering more diverse landscapes and potentially less-visited areas. Ideal for those who want to see as much of Alaska as possible. | Provides a good overview of the Inside Passage, convenient for those who prefer not to fly into or out of Alaska. |
Logistics | Requires flying into one city and out of another, potentially involving more complex travel planning and higher airfare. | Simpler logistics as you fly into and out of the same city. |
Cost | Can be slightly more expensive due to potentially higher airfare and the need for one-way flights. | Generally more budget-friendly due to roundtrip airfare. |
Best For | First-time visitors who want a comprehensive Alaska experience, those interested in Denali, or travelers who prefer not to backtrack. | Travelers looking for convenience, a classic Inside Passage experience, or those with limited time. |
Inside Passage: Scenic Beauty and Wildlife
The Inside Passage is a protected network of waterways. It offers you stunning scenic beauty and abundant wildlife.
Towering fjords, ancient glaciers, and pristine forests create a breathtaking natural tableau. Specific locations include Glacier Bay National Park, with its 16 spectacular glaciers. You can also visit Misty Fjords National Monument. This area is known for deep fjords and lush forests often covered in mist. The expansive Tongass National Forest is another highlight. It is the largest intact temperate rainforest.
You can observe a diverse array of wildlife in the Inside Passage. Marine mammals include orca, humpback, and minke whales. You might also spot Dall’s porpoises, sea lions, and harbor seals.
Land animals like brown (grizzly) bears, black bears, moose, wolves, Sitka blacktail deer, and mountain goats are present. Birdlife is also abundant. You can see bald eagles, hummingbirds, trumpeter swans, herons, puffins, black-legged kittiwakes, and common murres. Admiralty Island has the highest concentration of brown bears globally. South Marble Island is a birder’s paradise. An Inside Passage itinerary provides you with unforgettable wildlife viewing.
Gulf of Alaska: Glaciers and Wilderness
The Gulf of Alaska itinerary takes you further north. It offers unique glacier formations and wilderness experiences.
Hubbard Glacier is a massive ice formation. It often features in Gulf of Alaska cruise itineraries. College Fjord is another unique destination. It boasts over 20 glaciers named after famous colleges. This offers you a panoramic experience. Access to College Fjord is exclusive to certain Gulf of Alaska cruises that venture further north.
You can also experience Columbia Glacier. It is one of the world’s fastest-moving glaciers. It is known for dramatic calving. You can take boat tours or helicopter flightseeing for aerial views of the glacier and Chugach mountains.
Sea kayaking allows you to explore forgotten glaciers, ice formations, and sea caves. Kenai Fjords National Park features fjords carved into the landscape. Glaciers spill from the Harding Icefield. You can get close to Holgate Glacier by kayak or boat. You might navigate ice chunks and witness calving events. The Valdez Wilderness offers unspoiled nature.
You see majestic mountains, tidewater glaciers, and rainforests. Activities include fishing derbies for salmon and halibut. You can observe salmon spawning with sea lions and bears. Hiking trails offer views of waterfalls and wildlife. You might spot eagles, seabirds, bears, seals, sea lions, sea otters, whales, and porpoises. This itinerary provides a deeper dive into Alaska’s rugged wilderness and impressive glaciers.
Essential Factors for Your Alaska Cruise
You plan your Alaska adventure. Many factors influence your trip. Consider these essential elements for a memorable experience.
Best Time to Cruise: Seasons and Wildlife Viewing
You plan your Alaska cruise. The time of year you choose greatly impacts your experience. Different months offer unique opportunities for viewing wildlife.
Month | Bear Viewing | Whale Viewing |
|---|---|---|
April | Bears slowly emerge from hibernation | Migratory whales start appearing |
May | Black bears awaken from hibernation | Whales increasingly active |
June | Excellent for brown bears foraging on coastline | Best time for whale watching (Humpbacks, Orcas, Gray whales, Minkes) |
July | Peak feeding season for grizzly and black bears (salmon run) | Best time for whales (Humpbacks and Gray whales especially abundant) |
August | Bears continue to feed | Whales continue to feed |
September | Bears still foraging and feasting | Opportunities to see whales |
You can see bears best in June, July, August, and September. The salmon run in July and August is a prime time. Whales are most active in June, July, and August. Orcas appear in May and June. Consider these months for your Alaska trip.
Ship Size: Large Resorts vs. Small Explorers
You must choose your ship size. This decision shapes your entire Alaska cruise. Large resort ships and small expedition ships offer very different experiences.
Feature | Large Resort Ships | Small Expedition Ships |
|---|---|---|
Size & Capacity | 2,000-6,000+ passengers, 100,000-250,000+ gross tons | 100-300 passengers, 5,000-10,000 gross tons |
Itinerary & Destinations | Visit major ports, often with limited time in each; focus on popular attractions. | Access remote areas, small coves, and wildlife-rich zones; focus on immersive nature experiences. |
Onboard Experience | Wide range of amenities: multiple dining options, entertainment venues, pools, spas, casinos, kids’ clubs. | Fewer amenities; focus on educational programs, lectures, and observation decks. |
Shore Excursions | Standard excursions, often large group tours; can be crowded. | Expedition-style excursions: Zodiac cruises, kayaking, hiking, wildlife viewing with expert guides. |
Wildlife Viewing | Limited opportunities from ship; best during shore excursions. | Excellent opportunities from ship and during excursions; closer proximity to wildlife. |
Dining | Diverse options, from casual buffets to specialty restaurants; flexible dining times. | More intimate, often open-seating dining; focus on local and fresh ingredients. |
Atmosphere | Lively, bustling, resort-like; caters to a wide range of travelers. | Intimate, educational, adventurous; caters to nature enthusiasts and active travelers. |
Price | Generally lower per day, but additional costs for specialty dining, drinks, and some excursions. | Generally higher per day, often more inclusive of excursions and some drinks. |
Accessibility | Wheelchair accessible cabins and public areas; elevators. | Limited accessibility due to smaller size and expedition nature; some ships may have elevators. |
Best For | Families, first-time cruisers, those seeking diverse entertainment and amenities. | Adventurous travelers, nature lovers, those seeking an immersive and educational experience. |
Large ships offer many amenities. They visit major ports. Small ships access remote areas. They focus on immersive nature experiences. You choose the ship that fits your Alaska trip.
Budgeting for Your Alaska Adventure
You plan your Alaska adventure. Consider all costs for your cruise vacation. The cruise fare is only one part of your budget. Shore excursions add to your total expense. These activities enhance your experience.
You can expect to pay for glacier tours, observing animals, and cultural experiences. For example, a Skagway Glacier Helicopter Tour costs $439.00. A Juneau Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Tour costs $239.00. An Icy Strait Wilderness Island Tour costs $150.00. Budget carefully for these memorable activities.
Must-Do Shore Excursions and Activities
You visit Alaska’s ports. Many exciting shore excursions await you. These activities offer unique ways to experience Alaska.
Ketchikan:
Misty Fjord Floatplane With Landing
Saxman Totem Village with Lumberjack Tour
Snorkel Tours
Fishing Charters
Zodiac Tours
Canoe Adventures (Rainforest Canoe Adventure and Nature Trail Tour, Backcountry Jeep and Canoe Safari)
Juneau:
Dog Sledding with TEMSCO Helicopters
Glacier Trek
Rafting the Mendenhall River
Taku Lodge with Salmon Bake
Skagway:
Yukon Suspension Bridge & Summit Tour
You can also pack smart for your Alaska adventure. Bring layers of clothing. A warm jacket, waterproof rain gear, and comfortable walking shoes are essential. Binoculars help you with viewing wildlife.
Your ideal Alaska cruise depends on your priorities. You might seek a family adventure, a luxurious escape, or an in-depth wilderness expedition. This expedition offers unique experiences. Consider the best cruise lines, your preferred itinerary, budget, and desired experience. Weigh these factors to find your perfect Alaska adventure.
This ensures you choose from the best cruises to alaska for your needs. An Alaska cruise creates unforgettable memories. You will cherish this incredible expedition. The best cruises to alaska offer unique experiences. This expedition will be your next great adventure.
FAQ
What is the best time to cruise Alaska?
You find the best time to cruise Alaska from June through August. These months offer warmer weather and longer daylight hours. You also see peak wildlife activity, including whales and bears. May and September provide fewer crowds and potentially lower prices.
What should I pack for an Alaska cruise?
You should pack layers of clothing. Bring a warm, waterproof jacket and comfortable walking shoes. Include binoculars for wildlife viewing. You will also want a hat, gloves, and sunscreen. Consider a small backpack for shore excursions.
What is the difference between Inside Passage and Gulf of Alaska itineraries?
The Inside Passage offers you protected, scenic waterways. You see many islands and fjords. Gulf of Alaska itineraries travel further north. They provide more open ocean sailing. You often visit larger glaciers like Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord.
What are the main ports of call in Alaska?
You will typically visit several key ports. These include Juneau, Alaska’s capital city. You also stop in Ketchikan, known for its totem poles. Skagway offers Gold Rush history. Icy Strait Point provides unique Tlingit culture and adventure. Sitka has Russian heritage.
