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Back on the vessel, after a gourmet meal and drinks, evening entertainment is viewing the deep fjords, glaciers, and abundant whales that make Alaska so magical. There’s also complimentary Pilates and yoga, a gym, jogging track, spa, observation library, and a slew of bars and restaurants. If we were to pick one mega-ship operator to see Alaska on, it would be Norwegian Cruise Line. If your idea of a good time includes loads of onboard amenities (like over-the-top spas, nightly theater productions, go-kart tracks, and a water park), this is the sailing for you. It’s also one of the more family-friendly lines sailing in Alaska, with kids clubs and programming specifically geared at youngsters. Both the National Geographic Quest and National Geographic Venture make the sailing.
Scenic cruising
As such, hydrophones are used onboard Zodiacs to listen to the voices of Alaska’s whales in real-time. Guests will also learn about and participate in whale tracking through fluke identification by uploading their own photos from the vessel to a scientific database following their seasonal movements. Regardless of the ship, passengers can expect a wide range of entertainment offerings, an abundance of bars, restaurants, and lounges, and a handful of accommodation options. The ship sails seven-night cruises from Seattle, visiting Dawes Glacier, Sitka and Icy Strait Point, as well as Juneau, Ketchikan and Victoria, British Columbia. The 450-passenger Seabourn Odyssey throws a dash of adventure into its luxurious surroundings. If you envision sipping Champagne as you watch a glacier thunderously calve into the sea, consider booking an all-inclusive luxury cruise on a Seabourn ship.
What to Look For When Finding the Best Cruise Ships to Alaska
The tradeoff between lots of fun activities is sharing them with nearly 5,000 other people. This can commonly be found at the beginning and end of the cruise season during April, May and September. The summer months make it more expensive due to higher demand since kids are out of school. While excursions from the ship are the best way to get out and explore (it’s not as easy to stroll on your own atop a glacier, after all), some cruise lines are more invested in the state. You’ll find stunning ships like Seabourn Odyssey with only 229 suite cabins, guaranteeing a small-ship experience with big-time amenities. Everyone can have the chance to get out and explore on Zodiac boats or other water sports equipment.
Winner: Royal Caribbean
No one does seafood quite like Alaska—which is why we brought the best of the Great Land on board, so you can experience it all with Princess. By understanding what different types of cruises are available, you can more easily discover the best Alaskan cruise line to fit your needs. • Book with your card to get automatic travel insurance coverage for your cruise.
The line also launched a new Alaskan-themed brunch menu offered once per cruise. They also frequented the Encore’s Observation Lounge, where they were able to cozy up and spend hours searching for marine life from floor-to-ceiling windows. Activities and entertainment, like go-karting, slides and laser tag, are abundant. The Encore's most luxurious accommodations feature spacious rooms — the bathrooms are nearly double the size of those in standard staterooms — a private sundeck and a concierge. In 2024, Majestic Princess and Discovery Princess, the line's newest Alaska ship, will both sail roundtrip from Seattle.
Itineraries combine excursions in Alaska towns and native villages with glacial bay and fjord sailings. Regardless of which ship you choose, Royal Caribbean’s Alaska expeditions promise “warm impressions of the wilderness,” meaning shore excursions and glacier viewings that prioritize comfort. Royal Caribbean also puts an emphasis on hearty, locally sourced food like wild-caught salmon, satisfying sourdough, and fresh-picked Alaska berries galore. Sail 500 miles deeper into the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound on our back-to-back Voyage of the Glaciers Alaska cruise. Spend 14 days roundtrip from Vancouver, B.C., stopping in historic port cities like Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. Enjoy three glacier-viewing experiences on every itinerary — including Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord.
It's a trip worth taking the time to plan and doing right — because who knows if or when you'll make it back to the Last Frontier. 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. Sitka's Russian heritage also sets it apart from other Alaskan ports on your cruise itinerary. See St. Michael's Orthodox Cathedral with its onion dome and the Russian Bishop's House. For a view of the city and cruise port, take a ride in the sky on the Mount Roberts Tramway.
GLACIERS WILL MOVE YOU
Guided skiff tours will take guests in search of Alaskan wildlife in remote bays and secret coves. There may be other ships for these cruise lines that visit Alaska and have a better average review score – but that score might be based on cruises to other destinations. The fairest method was to stick to the ships sailing to Alaska most frequently. Carnival Cruise Line's Alaska cruises aboard the 2,124-guest Carnival Spirit might not be the cheapest sailings the line offers, but you get a lot for your money. Families will appreciate not having to pay extra for kid-friendly eats at the onboard pizzeria, Mexican outlet, Guy Fieri's burger joint and all-day soft serve ice cream station.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Take an Inside Passage cruise and gaze upward at the sky that is as blue as the lakes below. Hop on the Alaskan Railroad near Anchorage and see the spruce-lined, mountainous landscape whir by from a new perspective. You can learn about their history and culture at the Sitka National Historical Park and Sheldon Jackson Museum of Native Alaskan art. Wildlife enthusiasts might want to visit the Alaska Raptor Center, or go bird- and bear-watching.
And these go beyond onboard spas and exciting entertainment shows or live performers. Here you’ll find remote islands dappled with stately spruce trees, dreamy fields of pink fireweed, and long stretches of undisturbed, rocky beaches. But if you motor a bit further, there’s a good chance you’ll be greeted by electric-blue icebergs, dizzying fjords, and dramatic, millennia-old glaciers.
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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. Some travelers demand luxury Alaska cruises, while others don't mind going less fancy if it means close encounters with bears and other creatures in the wilderness. Some look for romance, while others want to introduce the kids or grandkids to glaciers and eagles, gold panning and sled dogs.
Closer afield, but no less secluded is the Prince William Sound Explorer from Uncruise, where guests will depart Whittier and wake up among the glaciers of little-visited Icy Bay on the Kenai Peninsula. Much of the itinerary is “Captain’s choice” based on conditions and sealife movements, but the massive Columbia and Meares glaciers and the Sound communities of Cordova and Valdez—also off the big ship routes—hold prized spots on the itinerary. 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. Alaska cruise ports such as Juneau and Ketchikan are small cities with their own personalities. Anchorage is the state's largest city and a gateway to the rest of the state. Denali National Park takes you out of the city altogether, into a wilderness full of spruce forests and snow-capped mountain peaks.
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