Monday, April 1, 2024

The 8 Best Alaska Cruises to Take in 2024

alska cruise

The line’s Door-to-Door All-Inclusive fares cover private airport transfers, economy flights, business-class upgrades or air credits, and shore excursions. We’ve been sharing the wonders of Alaska longer than any other cruise line. See the best of the Great Land’s glaciers, coastal towns and wildlife on board perfectly sized ships offering superior service and exclusive programming. 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®. Stay up to 3 nights at the McKinley Chalet Resort near Denali National Park.

ALASKAN CUISINE WILD IS THE WAY

And come summer, they are joined by more than 160 species of migratory birds. Complete your adventure with the best Alaska tours before or after your cruise. Make a point of trying the local cuisine in Alaska, which is famous for its seafood. Black cod and halibut are delicious and often served with fries; fish and chips is a popular dish in Alaska. You’ll also find seasonal berries on every menu, locally roasted coffee, and a wide assortment of craft beers. When you’re packing for an Alaska cruise, you’ll want to plan for any kind of weather, from hot sun to ethereal mist and rain showers—often in the same day.

alska cruise

Gulf of Alaska

Note that the ship is departing the cruise line after its Alaska season, so this is your last chance to sail on the elegant cruise ship. 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. Or, you might enjoy a bit of scenic cruising by LeConte Glacier (where the big ships don't go) then continue the fun with hiking and biking the trails of Ideal Cove. Guided skiff tours will take guests in search of Alaskan wildlife in remote bays and secret coves. Viking Ocean Cruises recently nabbed a 2023 World’s Best Award in the midsize-ship ocean cruise lines category, coming in at first place for the second year in a row. The line’s identical ocean ships offer a sleek Scandinavian design, which only enhances the tranquil atmosphere on board.

Alaska Cruise Ports of Call

At first glance many mistake Victoria for an English coastal city or northern European town. Full of greenery, pubs and Victorian architecture, it's difficult to believe that this was a tent city full of rough and tumble miners just 150 years ago. On a cruise to Alaska, explore the Butchart Gardens, tour the pub scene and taste some of the local brews or sail the bay for a whale-watching adventure. 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.

Sail 500 miles deeper into the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound on our top-rated Voyage of the Glaciers Alaska cruise vacation. Spend seven days traveling from Anchorage (Whittier) to Vancouver, B.C., stopping in historic port cities like Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. Along the way, enjoy two glacier-viewing experiences on every itinerary – including Glacier Bay National Park, and Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord.

alska cruise

Best Alaska cruises to book

Experience Alaska’s premier attractions glaciers and wildlife, from two very different vantage points, by land and by sea.... We know the destinations you'll be visiting and what there is to see, do and experience. We offer you a variety of excursions to choose from, in every port you'll visit. Pay airfare for one guest, and you'll automatically lock-in roundtrip flights for two.

Night Alaska CruiseDetails

Towering walls of ice like the Hubbard Glacier, Endicott Arm Dawes and the twin Sawyer Glaciers thunder as they calve massive icebergs. Some shore excursions allow up close interaction with these natural wonders. Depending on the cruise ship company, premium meals may be included or cost extra. While most cruises include all-you-can-eat and drink in the cruise price, alcoholic beverages generally cost extra.

What to Pack for An Alaskan Cruise: A Complete Checklist - Travel + Leisure

What to Pack for An Alaskan Cruise: A Complete Checklist.

Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 21:11:15 GMT [source]

A Beginner’s Guide to Traveling on Points and Miles

Whether you're curious about Alaska native culture or other Alaska traditions, here's how to make these an integral part of your trip up north. After traveling somewhere new, you want to bring something back with you to remember all of your fun adventures. In some parts of the state, dog sledding is still the primary mode of transportation through the winter months. Visit Alaska and get the experience for yourself at the Skagway Yukon Discovery and Dog Sled Tour. Impact on your credit may vary, as credit scores are independently determined by credit bureaus based on a number of factors including the financial decisions you make with other financial services organizations. Kids can hang out in the youth lounges while parents hit the spa or try a wine-tasting class.

Cruises around the summer solstice may enjoy around 20 hours of sunshine since the days are so long. Your experience on an Alaskan cruise will vary based on the time of year you travel. The scenery, wildlife and foliage change by season, so many travelers return at different times of the year to experience it all.

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. 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. You could also consider extending your vacation with a night or two in either Vancouver or Seattle, depending on which itinerary you have chosen. Most of Celebrity’s Alaska cruises sail round-trip from either Vancouver or Seattle.

Another itinerary that focuses on lesser-visited ports is French line Ponant’s 13-day trip starting in Seward, a fishing port town two hours from Anchorage. As the boat pulls out of the harbor, guests are invited to bring their binoculars to the deck to check the landscape for whales, which come to the food-rich waterways each summer to bulk up for their winter calving season. The first full day on the water is spent sailing around Prince William Sound where islets and icebergs are abundant, followed by a day at Tsaa Fjord in the captivating (and appropriately named) Icy Bay for glaciers. Next it’s off to Sitka, a former Russian colony that now has one of the largest totem pole collections in the world. From there it’s the little-visited Elfin Cove and Point Adolphus, two dreamy locations known for their rugged coasts and wildlife spotting opportunities.

Come aboard Norwegian Cruise Line to Alaska and feel what it's like when you let the outside in. Browse through our Alaskan cruises and find the best cruise deals designed to make your cruise experience unforgettable. With 7 cruise ships sailing from 6 departure ports, including land and sea packages on our Alaska Cruisetours, there's something for everyone to enjoy. From action-packed wilderness adventures and extraordinary sightseeing on our shore excursions, to an extended sailing season, there are plenty of opportunities to find the perfect Alaska cruise vacation designed for you. With ships custom-built to help you see nature at its most majestic, you can witness whales breaching the surface, marvel at spectacular glaciers, and experience everything Alaska has to offer.

If you’re planning a bucket list trip, we’ve selected the best Alaska cruises for every type of travel style in 2024, from the adventure-focused to the super luxurious. Holland America Line (HAL) — which recently snapped up a 2023 World’s Best Award in the large-ship ocean cruise line category — has been cruising Alaska for over 75 years. HAL prides itself on having more permits for Glacier Bay National Park visits than any other cruise line. The cruise line also offers beloved live music programming, which I got to experience firsthand on a summer 2023 Alaska sailing. King's Blues Club, Billboard Onboard (a dueling piano bar), Lincoln Center Stage, and Rolling Stone Rock Room. After our shore excursions, we’d hop back on board the ship for drinks, dinner, and a nightcap at the dueling piano bar to jam out to hits from Billy Joel and Elton John.

Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Cabins are designed with families in mind and include split bathrooms (one with a toilet and sink, the other with a shower/tub combo and sink), as well as sofabeds and bunks to sleep four in a cabin. Disney-themed restaurants and attentive wait staff take the stress out of family mealtimes. Read our helpful frequently asked questions or check out our CruiseTour brochure. Experience the authentic interior of Alaska in supreme comfort, with luxury transportation. Enjoy travelling on the Wilderness Express®, a luxurious, glass-domed train cars, through the interior of Alaska.

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. These cruise lines, especially on their newer ships, offer something for everyone — as well as a higher caliber of onboard dining than on the cheapest cruises. One nice thing about the Inside Passage is how calm the water is because you're sailing between land masses. If you worry about seasickness, an Inside Passage trip is the best Alaska cruise itinerary versus a sailing where your ship transits rougher, open waters.

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