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Make the most of your cruise by keeping an eye out for pop-up sales that can save you even more money—you can even use those savings to indulge in a pre- or post-cruise tour. 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.
Alaska Inside Passage Cruises: Calmer Waters and Big-Ticket Destinations
Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas has some sailings for as little as $320 per person for an interior cabin (without taxes and fees), and Norwegian Jewel and Spirit are currently $399 at the low range. While the time of year plays a large role in how much your cruise will cost, take a cruise on an older ship to save even more money. Instead of a pirate-themed deck party you will notice a “Frozen” theme on an Alaskan journey. Menus will be slightly different from Caribbean cruises as well, and will include local cuisine like salmon and venison.
Longer sailings from the West Coast
You can get a taste of the Gold Rush life by trying your hand at panning for gold, attending a salmon bake or visiting a dogsled camp. 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. Hop a bus, kayak, boat or plane to look for bears, eagles, whales, sea otters and other wildlife. Note that moose don't regularly show up in the Inside Passage; you'll need to head farther north to find them. If you want a more active trip in less touristed areas, a great choice would be a small-ship expedition line, including Alaska specialists such as Alaskan Dream Cruises and UnCruise Adventures.
About Susan B. Barnes, Your Alaska Cruise Guide
The 11 Best Alaska Cruise Excursions in 2024, From Whale Watching to Glacier Tours Condé Nast Traveler - Condé Nast Traveler
The 11 Best Alaska Cruise Excursions in 2024, From Whale Watching to Glacier Tours Condé Nast Traveler.
Posted: Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
When it comes to experiencing the splendor of Alaska, your cruise is only as good as the direct access it offers to this region’s beauty—and Windstar Cruises delivers access like no other. Because of its dainty size, guests are treated to unique experiences, like anchoring right in Misty Fjords and Kenai Fjords, which is something you’d have to do on a shore excursion if you were on a larger ship with another cruise line. For an even closer look at Mother Nature’s impressive work, from icebergs to whales, book a kayak or Zodiac Signature Expedition with their incredibly knowledgeable guides. A trip with UnCruise Adventures is truly more of an adventure than anything else, so the name says it all. UnCruise provides an immersive experience that lets you reach remote areas in ways that are respectful to the region.
If you want that small-ship, luxury cruise experience for your Alaska trip, this is absolutely one of the better ships to choose. While she may have scored lower than her competitor cruise lines’ ships, this is still a high average score. This is also an ultra-luxury cruise ship, renowned for the outstanding service offered onboard – and the fact it scores so highly with customers shows that this isn’t just an empty promise. Choose Seabourn Quest if you want fine dining, opulent accommodations, and an all-inclusive fare as you explore. Still, you can get a variation on a luxury cruise experience on a voyage to Alaska from Seattle on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Encore.
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. 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. When sailing to Alaska, these ships also offer other kid-friendly events, such as Puppies on Princess, when dog mushers and their newest sled dogs come on board for meet-and-greets (and photos!). In partnership with the Discovery Channel and Glacier Bay National Park, the line also adds such kid-friendly fun during Alaska sailings as a Junior Ranger Program, totem pole decorating and a "Deadliest Catch-"themed crab sorting challenge. Why did we pick Norwegian Encore over Norwegian Bliss as the ship offering the best Alaska cruises from Seattle for luxury lovers?
The ship sails round-trip from Juneau on "Glaciers & Wildlife" itineraries. A trip to Alaska is at the top of many travelers’ bucket lists, and for good reason. 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. A day aboard the 86-passenger Wilderness Legacy might start out with a hike to a glacial lake followed by an early-evening kayak adventure in Thomas Bay.
Spend the Day on Shore
The 2,700 capacity Disney Wonder is the current ship sailing on Alaskan itineraries. It sails round-trip out of Vancouver, Canada and offers 5 and 7 night itineraries with an 8-day and 9-day as well. Royal Caribbean International is known for innovation in cruise ships that are built with families in mind.
Onboard naturalists generally narrate what you're seeing, so head to the observation lounge (or tune to a broadcast on your in-room television) to learn about some of the top sights featured on scenic cruising days. Active travelers can explore Alaska by sea kayak or canoe, hike on glaciers and through rainforests, zip line, bike, ride an ATV and even snorkel (you'll need a dry suit). If you want to cruise Alaska but also see some of the interior and enjoy a stay in a lodge or hotel, go for a cruisetour package from either Holland America or Princess Cruises. Both have fantastic itineraries that take passengers not only to the Inside Passage, but also Anchorage, Denali National Park, the Yukon, Kenai Peninsula, Talkeetna and Fairbanks. Ships in all price ranges sail a variety of itineraries, so don't let budget stop you from visiting. If luxury is what you're after, you can find lines that will go overboard pampering you on your journey north.
With less than 1,000 passengers (adults only), small does not translate to lacking of amenities. Spas, distinctive design elements, and even bathrooms with heated floors are included on a Viking cruise. There are ships with all the bells and whistles bedecked with glitz and glam, and others offer just the basics with a surprise (see our insider tip in the Final Note below!).
And that’s precisely why so many people who visit Alaska do so via a cruise. Plus, it’s the best way to experience the iconic Inside Passage, the most popular route for cruise ships departing from Seattle and Vancouver from May through September. The key to planning the perfect adventure is finding the right cruise for your personality, budget, and preferences.
Cicero added, "Disney has the best kids' and teen clubs of any cruise line. They're enormous, filled with epic activities like superhero training and are a great place for kids and teens to make friends." A top candidate for this kind of family vacation is a seven-night cruise on Princess Cruises' Royal Princess sailing between Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska. The ship stops in Ketchikan, Juneau and either Skagway or Sitka, with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and either College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier, depending on the itinerary. Seven-night Alaska cruises sail round-trip from the easily accessible port of Seattle and visit Sitka, Skagway and Juneau, Alaska; as well as Victoria, British Columbia.
National Geographic (Lindblad Expeditions) also offers some fantastic expedition ships to Alaska and these itineraries can begin in Seattle, Juneau, Sitka, or Ketchikan. An 18-night Alaskan sailing with the line will take you to off-the beaten-path places like Wrangell, Kodiak, Chignik, Unga Island, St Paul Island, St Matthew Island and Nome. At $10,000 to $13,000 per person for ocean-view cabins on an 18-night sailing it might be out of the reach of some, but if you truly want an expedition to Alaska, Hurtigruten is among the best. Not only will you get to spend a ton of time on land, but a Hurtigruten ship will take you to ports and villages that are so remote that most other cruise line have no access to them.
Return visitors who still want that big ship experience might try a different category of cruise line. The major operators—Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, are all premium-tier cruise lines, but the luxury cruise lines have also deployed ships to Alaskan waters. It’s worth noting that shoreside transportation outside of cruise line-operated transfers can be more limited in Whittier, so passengers embarking there may wish to ensure they include transfers from Anchorage in their cruise package.
For adventure, go on a rafting/hiking adventure on the Chilkoot Trail, rappel and rock climb up a mountain, or go on a self-guided Jeep adventure. If physical activity isn’t your thing, there are various cultural events you can attend, go sport fishing, do a Bike and Brew with a glacier view, or enjoy a salmon bake in Skagway. There are many activities that families can engage in and at various physical activity levels. Guests can view the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show and then feast on crab and drinks to round out the evening. Discover breathtaking glaciers by helicopter, go dog sledding, or ride in a mountaintop gondola.
There are several options when it comes to the larger cruise lines, with departures from major west coast homeports in British Columbia, Washington State, and California. As the major cruise lines operate many vessels in Alaska on a seasonal basis, there are also options for repositioning sailings, often including the Panama Canal or a transpacific crossing. Here are the current cruise ports sailing on Alaskan itineraries over the next couple seasons and which cruise lines sail from them. The number next to each cruise line indicates how many sailings they offer from that port. Viking Ocean offers many one-way 10-night sailings that allow passengers to spend more time in ports.
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