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If adventure is what you crave on an Alaska cruise, you should seek out the small ships of UnCruise Adventures. All of the line's itineraries boast an active component, but its "Wild, Woolly and Wow" itinerary claims to be "the most active back country itinerary" of UnCruise's 2024 Alaska cruises. When cruise lines send a fleet of ships to Alaska for the summer, the older, smaller ships tend to offer more reduced prices than you'll find on the lines' larger and newer ships.
7 Best Cruises to Alaska, According to Travel Experts - Good Housekeeping
7 Best Cruises to Alaska, According to Travel Experts.
Posted: Fri, 29 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Best value Alaska cruise: Radiance of the Seas
The itinerary’s Scenic Sailings include the 500-mile Inside Passage on Day 2 and glacier-ensconced Yakutat Bay on Day 8. Cruisers will be accompanied by a Viking Resident Historian who will deliver lectures on Pacific Northwest expansion and development, indigenous people, and glaciers. Some of the lowest cost Carnival sailings currently start at $564 per person for an interior stateroom on a 7-night sailing. On most 7-night sailings with UnCruise prices start around $4,000 to $6,000 per person. MS Roald Amundsen carries 530 guests on its 21,000 gross ton frame and is currently the ship sailing to Alaska for the Norwegian owned company. You can also extend your cruise with some land tours with 5 to 6 extra nights in Denali, Talkeetna, and Fairbanks.
Night Alaska Cruise
Many rooms sleep four, but connecting cabins will get you more space and an extra bathroom while still keeping the family together. What’s particularly convenient about this sailing is that it ends in Seward, making it easy to continue your Alaska vacation (a visit to Denali National Park and Preserve, anyone?) by road or rail. With Lindblad Expeditions, passengers will get up close and personal with nature. To discover Alaska’s rich historyYou can’t skip Ketchikan, Juneau or Skagway on an itinerary. Ketchikan once was a major player in the timber industry and has a sordid past steeped in bootlegging and brothels.
Regent Seven Seas Explorer is Inclusive Cruising at its Finest
Grand Princess is a good choice for all passengers – solo, couples and families. There’s plenty to do onboard, and the service is very good, but it’s not a party ship and has quite a relaxed vibe onboard. On Radiance of the Seas, you can enjoy the typical Royal Caribbean experience – one packed with fun activities, great live entertainment, loads of dining options and more. Choose this ship if you want the cruise itself to be just as exciting as the destination. Of the best midsize cruise ships to Alaska, Celebrity Summit comes out on top (no pun intended). Alternatively, Gulf of Alaska cruises are typically seven-night, one-way itineraries between Vancouver and Seward or Whittier, the gateway ports for Anchorage and northern destinations in the state.
Dining Highlights on Radiance of the Seas
For photo enthusiasts, an assortment of wide-angle lenses, x-factor lenses, multipurpose lenses, extra batteries, memory cards, and even a tripod can help you capture that perfect shot. Suppose your family isn't into the big-ship lifestyle and wants a small-ship, off-the-beaten-path experience that's also geared toward families with kids and teens? In that case, the best family cruise to Alaska for you might be the "Kids in Nature" departures of UnCruise Adventures' 86-passenger Wilderness Legacy. It sails round-trip from Seattle and visits Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Victoria, BC, with scenic cruising in Tracy Arm Fjord. Like almost any choice one makes when booking a cruise, it all comes down to personal taste.
Is Seward or Whittier a better port for Anchorage?
As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel. We understand that time is the greatest luxury, which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal, a drink, or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world. Each cruise line has their preferred port—Holland America Line and Princess Cruises berth at Whittier. Norwegian, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas—currently berthing at Seward—will move operations to Whittier upon completion of berths currently under construction.
Seabourn Cruises
One of the most magical ways to explore Alaska’s expansive coastline, stunning snow-capped mountains, mystic fjords, lush rainforests, awe-inspiring glaciers, and protected wildlife is by sea. 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.
For those who want a true Alaskan immersion, Alaskan Dream Cruises could fit the bill. It is a small-ship cruise company that specializes in providing authentic and intimate Alaska experiences. Their five ships, ranging from 12 to 76 passengers, allow them to access remote and off-the-beaten-path destinations that larger cruise ships cannot. Seabourn Odyssey is currently the cruise ship dedicated to Alaska for the line and it offers 7-15 night sailings in the area.
The best time to cruise to Alaska
Both combine a look at the rugged, raw coastlines with time spent on shore in towns with few frills. Weather can often be cold, rainy and windy, but if you want a unique adventure in Alaska, check out the itineraries from Hurtigruten. When voyaging to Alaska with Oceania Cruises, you will sail on the Regatta, which has an occupancy of 670 passengers.
Known for its fleet of smaller ships that provide an intimate experience, voyages to Alaska set sail on the Viking Orion which holds 930 guests. While there are different staterooms to choose from, all cabins have private verandas so you can enjoy the passing views of glaciers and look for humpback whales from the comfort of your own room. Princess Cruises offers a wide variety of Alaska itineraries and this one in particular stands out as one of the best Alaska cruise lines for couples. The Alaska Voyage of the Glaciers Cruise is a one-way, 7-day itinerary from Vancouver to Anchorage that stops in a variety of ports along the way including Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau and Ketchikan.
Traditional excursions are created to fit a specific number of people, all of whom come from the ships and are expected to be in port for a specific time. They provide an overview of Alaska's history, culture, recreation and industry, and don't offer much of a personal touch. Explore Alaska’s most remote coastal areasConsider a luxury midsize (or smaller) cruise to places like Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands or to the northwestern city of Nome.
Royal Princess is known for its fan-favorite Alfredo's pizza, Movies Under the Stars (when the Alaskan weather permits) and snacks and entertainment in the central Piazza. With its special North to Alaska activities, families can cuddle some adorable sled dogs on board the ship and meet Iditarod winners and other notable locals. Kids can become junior rangers with the help of the park rangers who come aboard the ship in Glacier Bay.
The former has a popular Gold Rush tour from Skagway into the Canadian Yukon as well as Fairbanks, Denali, and Anchorage land tour options. If you would like to learn from experts during your voyage to Alaska, the top cruise line for a smaller ship experience is often Viking Ocean Cruises. So, the good news is that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers when booking your next Alaskan cruise adventure. With nearly endless summer days and coastal breezes, you’ll want to make sure to dress with flexibility in mind. During the summer months, especially July and August, temperatures in Southeast Alaska usually fall between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while Southcentral Alaska and the Interior see higher heights into the 70’s and 80’s.
And, if you would like one of the popular balcony cabins (there is a continuous view of stunning scenery on an Alaskan cruise), book those early. If you prefer to get off-the-beaten-track and travel with smaller groups, a wide array of small ship cruise companies offer more intimate cruises catering to adventure and luxury travelers. Cruises are typically offered in three-night, seven-night, and even up to 28-night cruises. On average, a seven-night cruise ranges from $500 to $5,000, depending on the cruise line and state room of your choice.
Unlike the mainstream lines, the QE sails a short season in Alaska, but on longer nine- and ten-night cruises that allow for more in-depth exploration. Among the most popular cruise ships in Alaska, you’ll find a wide range of choices, from mainstream lines to luxury. Price is obviously something you’ll take into consideration when choosing a ship for your Alaska cruise, but what else should you look at? At Cruise Critic, we believe you need facts about dining, staterooms and onboard activities along with where the ship will stop to make the best decision. Between its straight-up Alaska cruises and Alaska Cruisetours, you have over 100 Holland America itineraries and seven ships to choose from. Windstar Cruises is a luxury cruise line that offers mostly one-way itineraries to the area, both northbound and southbound out of Anchorage and Vancouver respectively.
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