Alaska Cruises 2024-2025 Award-Winning Cruises to Alaska

Table Of Content

• Dining Highlights on Koningsdam
• Dive Into Alaska Traditions on Your Next Cruise Royal Caribbean Cruises
• Best Places to Visit in Alaska
• Save Big With These Alaska Cruise Deals
• Best Dishes to Try on Your Alaska Cruise
• Alaska Souvenirs to Take Home With You So You Never Forget Your Trip Royal Caribbean Cruises

Our award-winning North to Alaska program brings local personalities, culture and cuisine on board and ashore to immerse you in all things Alaska during your cruise to the Great Land. This 30-mile waterway is surrounded by cliffs, valleys and dozens of waterfalls. Icebergs and harbor seals decorate the water below while Dawes Glacier soars into the sky above.

Dining Highlights on Koningsdam

Elias and Kenai Fjords, a world of natural wonders awaits on an Alaska cruise or cruisetour. Valdez is situated in Prince William Sound and serves as the gateway to the interior of Alaska. Often referred to as the "Little Switzerland", Valdez is known for its breathtaking panorama of snow-capped mountains and glaciers. It is also well-known for its role in the transportation of crude oil from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, which ends in Valdez. Explore the charming waterfront area and take in the flavors of Valdez through culinary experiences at restaurants such as the Valdez Brewery and the Fat Mermaid. With no roads connecting it to the rest of Alaska or North America, it is truly a protected destination.

Dive Into Alaska Traditions on Your Next Cruise Royal Caribbean Cruises

Stay up to 3 nights at the McKinley Chalet Resort near Denali National Park. You’ll also see whales; the Inside Passage is a great place to spot humpbacks and orcas. Look out for bald eagles perched in the trees, steller sea lions spread out on rocks, and cute sea otters bobbing in the water. To search for the Big Five—grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, Dall sheep, and moose—extend your vacation with a Cruisetour and a visit to Denali National Park. With spectacular wildlife and dozens of thrilling, kid-friendly activities, Alaska is perfect for families.

Best Places to Visit in Alaska

Don't pass up an opportunity to watch these giants feed and play in the water. The beautiful small coastal town of Seward, which is most known for its picturesque scenic views and many visitors’ attractions, is a perfect addition for your next Alaska cruise. Onboard each sailing you have lectures, demonstrations and tastings as part of a Culture Curriculum. From ice skating rinks to zip lines, if you can think of it, you can find it on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Offering a completely all-inclusive cruise, Regent Seven Seas is known for exquisite service on beautifully designed intimate ships, classic cruising at its best. Amazing food and superb service make Holland America one of the longest running cruise lines.

Save Big With These Alaska Cruise Deals

Smaller ships are full of trip hazards and watertight door jambs and require bending and stepping up or down to access activities like kayaking or skiff rides. Large cruise companies sail Alaska's Inside Passage from Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, and on through the Gulf of Alaska to Seward or Whittier. In between, passengers usually stop in Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, and then sail up College Fjord to see glaciers stretching their icy fingers into the sea.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Alaska Cruises Insider

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. 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.

These vessels may not stop in local ports, instead anchoring at night and offering guests the chance to hike a remote shoreline, whale-watch from a kayak or attend a presentation by indigenous artisans. If any ports are visited, they're likely to be smaller communities like Wrangell, Sitka, Petersburg and Yakutat. Sink into refreshed suites and a new lounge, plus dining and entertainment venues.

They groan, creak and shudder on their march to the sea, punctuated by the booms and crashes of "white thunder" — a sound that echoes across the water when ice calves into the ocean below. On an Alaska cruise, let us show you Glacier Bay National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier. The largest tidewater glacier in North America, Hubbard Glacier has been moving its mass towards the ocean at a rate faster than most of its kind.

Layers, light waterproof jackets, good walking shoes, and a hat and gloves are the essentials; Alaska can be cold as well as warm and sunny. The best time to visit Alaska is during its summer season, between May and September. Sail from Vancouver to North America’s biggest glacier, seven miles wide and the height of a 30-story building. Ports along this Alaska cruise include Ketchikan; Juneau, the perfect spot for whale-watching; and Icy Strait Point, where you can search for bears and eagles. Learn why our ships are uniquely designed for the best glacier experiences.

Take in Alaska’s evergreen fjords and thunderous glaciers on this Vista-class Alaska cruise ship. Our cruisetours combine an ocean cruise with a land tour into Alaska’s interior. Watch northern wilderness views unfold from aboard our glass-domed train, the McKinley Explorer®.

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. The cost of an Alaskan cruise can vary greatly depending on your itinerary, length of trip, cruise line, and a number of other factors.

10 Best Alaska Cruises to Take This Summer, According to Experts - Travel + Leisure

10 Best Alaska Cruises to Take This Summer, According to Experts.

Posted: Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Choose from a variety of Alaska cruise and cruisetour itineraries and connect with loved ones, locals and Alaska's wilderness with Princess®. While all travel has environmental and cultural impacts, cruising leaves its mark to varying degrees on Alaska's fragile ecosystems. The average large cruise ship can have a carbon footprint greater than 12,000 cars and produce up to a ton of trash each day. While there can be a positive economic impact on ports of call, a small community visited by 15,000 people per day during sailing season can intrinsically change. Alaska's impressive southern coastlines contain hordes of island archipelagos, deep fjords and ancient glaciers. Nearly all of the area is roadless, so seafaring vessels, including cruise ships, are a popular way for visitors to experience these pristine areas.

Watch migrating humpback whales from the deck of a catamaran or Native craftsman carve a traditional totem pole, and expand your Alaska cruise experience. Once the gateway to Alaska's Gold Rush, Skagway strikes a dramatic image nestled between the water's edge and mountains. Follow in the footsteps of miners with a ride on a scenic train along the famous White Pass route through coastal mountains. During your Alaska cruise, explore the Yukon's pristine wilderness, pan for gold with professionals or meet sled dog puppies in training. On an Alaska cruise, take your pick of attractions in the port of Sitka.

The good news is there are so many options for travelers that you should be able to find a great trip that fits your budget. As you'll see below, an Alaskan cruise can cost under $500 per person for some week long trips. Don't forget to check out our Alaska cruise deals page to save even more on your next sailing. Go back in time to the Klondike Gold Rush on cruises to Skagway, Alaska, once the primary gateway to the goldfields. Take a trip on the scenic railroad and still have time to dine and shop. Celebrity’s Alaskan cruises range from six to seven nights, but if you extend your voyage into a Cruisetour, the duration is nine to 13 nights.

Cruise Critic is the perfect place to plan your next Alaskan cruise. 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. Explore the best Alaska cruises available with a range of departure ports including Vancouver, Seward, and Seattle, and a choice of thrilling round-trip or one-way itineraries. Sail the Inside Passage, a series of channels and waterways formed by the march of glaciers, on your 7-day roundtrip Alaska cruise from Seattle.