Alaska Cruises 2024-2025 Award-Winning Cruises to Alaska

Table Of Content

• Ketchikan
• Alaskan Explorer
• Visiting Scenic Restaurants in Alaska
• Our Family Alaska Cruise: A Vacation We'll Never Forget Royal Caribbean Cruises
• Must-Sees for Your Once in a Lifetime Alaska Cruise Vacation
• If you haven’t booked travel arrangements yet, now is the time
• If you haven’t booked shore excursions yet, book them ASAP
• Why You Should Take an Alaska Summer Vacation Cruise

With national parks and four of North America’s tallest mountains, Alaska’s wilderness has been preserved for generations. Denali National Park is larger than Vermont and home to the highest peak on the continent. Meanwhile, Glacier Bay National Park has over 2,000 square miles of glacial coverage.

Ketchikan

Kicking things off for the second straight year is the 4,008-passenger Norwegian Bliss, which docked in rustic Skagway last week. With four mainstream-category ships homeported in either Seattle or Vancouver, Norwegian Cruise Line has nearly 100 more after that. Explore the dynamic glaciers, soaring peaks and captivating history of the 49th state on our award-winning itineraries. Pay airfare for one guest, and you'll automatically lock-in roundtrip flights for two. Secure these savings online by choosing your nearest airport in step one of your cruise booking, and enjoy air-to-sea made easy.

Alaskan Explorer

25 BEST Alaska Cruises 2024 (Prices + Itineraries): Cruises to Alaska on Cruise Critic - CruiseCritic.co.uk

25 BEST Alaska Cruises 2024 (Prices + Itineraries): Cruises to Alaska on Cruise Critic.

Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:08:06 GMT [source]

You’d be surprised by how many activities you can fit into a pre-cruise stay in Seattle or Vancouver. Even if you arrive at 3PM the day before your cruise, you will have around twenty hours in either city before embarkation begins. When scheduling your return flights, don’t book a flight too early on disembarkation day. “This magical corner of the world has so much to offer beyond being a checkmark on people’s bucket lists,” she said. Visit its most popular attractions, such as the Space Needle and Pike Place Market.

Visiting Scenic Restaurants in Alaska

Find Holland America Eurodam Cruises to Alaska (with Prices) - Cruise Critic

Find Holland America Eurodam Cruises to Alaska (with Prices).

Posted: Sat, 20 Apr 2024 16:16:50 GMT [source]

Doing research will help you pack correctly, plan your travel logistics without any issues, and book that once-in-a-lifetime excursion you’ve dreamed about for years. If you made it to the end of this article, chances are you’re already following our final tip on this list, and that is to read as many tips as you can about Alaska cruises before you set sail. Dreading transporting your luggage from the cruise terminal to the airport check-in desk?

Our Family Alaska Cruise: A Vacation We'll Never Forget Royal Caribbean Cruises

Princess Cruises is famous for the vast amount of destinations they visit as well as the amazing facilities their ships have to offer their guests. The beautiful mountain city of Juneau was founded after gold discoveries in 1880 and is now one of the most popular cruise ports in Alaska. Go back in time to the Klondike Gold Rush on cruises to Skagway, Alaska, once the primary gateway to the goldfields.

Must-Sees for Your Once in a Lifetime Alaska Cruise Vacation

Cashmere blankets await you in your suite, so you can stay warm and cozy on your private veranda while taking tail-flipping whale pics. Sourdough is such an important part of Alaskan culture that long-time Alaskans are actually called sourdoughs in local parlance. Discover the top tips for planning a cruise to Alaska and uncover the best times of the year to spot Alaskas wildlife, locate must-see attractions, find Alaskan cruise deals and more. We’ve curated the ultimate guide to visiting some of the most romantic destinations to vacation for couples. Find the most Instagrammable places for your next vacation cruise to Alaska.

Booking reservations for earlier in the week ensures you have wiggle room in case of an unanticipated schedule change. When booking entertainment reservations, we recommend sticking to shows earlier in the week. If, for instance, a show is offered on the second, fifth, and last evening of the cruise, try to book the first day available. In 2022, for example, I booked the cheapest Alaska cruise I could find on Radiance of the Seas. The cruise fare was only $240 for an entire week with $293 in taxes and fees. Having booked the cruise only three months before I sailed, it offered a fantastic value.

The biggest suites come with even more perks, such as a one-night pre-cruise hotel and butler service. Pioneer America’s Last Frontier onboard Ovation of the Seas®, one of the world's most groundbreaking ships and among the boldest ships to ever sail Alaska. Gaze at giant glaciers from the pool deck while you sail through Endicott Arm. Scan the surrounding waters on your way to Juneau for glimpses of wildlife from the North Star®, the tallest viewing deck on a cruise ship. Travel the Inside Passage on 10 or 11-day Alaska cruises from San Francisco and allow the natural landscapes to inspire your day’s adventures.

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. From top-rated cruises that visit Glacier Bay National Park to scenic rail travel and exclusive Princess lodges, you will find a seamless Alaska experience with Princess. Alaska's seafood is famous, and we bring the best to you with locally inspired dishes from the state’s best eateries. With Cook My Catch excursions, catch your own salmon or halibut with the help of a local expert, and in the evening our talented chefs will prepare your haul for your dinner — a Princess exclusive. At first glance many mistake Victoria for an English coastal city or northern European town.

Elias and Kenai Fjords, a world of natural wonders awaits on an Alaska cruise or cruisetour. See how bald eagles and local bird populations receive first-class treatment at the Alaska Raptor Center. Or experience the culture of Russian Alaska on a visit to St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Church, and relive Native history at the Sheldon Jackson Museum. Starting on April 15, 2024, the new approach will launch on Princess voyages departing September 14, 2024 and beyond. To support these changes and the transition to the new system, main dining reservations that already have been made for voyages sailing September 14 and beyond for any ship except Sun Princess will be cancelled. Main dining reservations for guests sailing through September 13 will not be affected.

Zipline over the wilderness, watch a tribal dance or kayak in coastal waters to see the wildlife up close during your Alaska cruise vacation. No one enjoys navigating crowds, but it’s almost inevitable when cruising to Alaska. If you want to avoid the highest crowds, we recommend disembarking your ship early on each port day. In Alaska, on the other hand, you will want to lower your expectations when it comes to weather. It’s challenging to predict whether your cruise will encounter sunny skies and 70 degrees, or seven days of straight rain.

Begin by sailing beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and along the Pacific Coast. As you voyage into the Inside Passage, enjoy one of the best ways to explore the fjords, small towns and natural landmarks with your favorite people. To reach the fjords, you will pass through Revillagigedo Channel and proceed into the Behm Canal, a waterway where orcas, seals and porpoises are often spotted. Occasional stops will be made along the way to view an active bald eagle’s nest, and New Eddystone Rock, an immense volcanic spire that rises above the sea. While cruising through Rudyerd Bay, the naturalist will describe the natural history and point out seabirds that may be nesting in the soaring granite cliffs. You will also have the opportunity to delve into the Tlingit culture by listening to a tribal storyteller-artist or by watching a video presentation.

It takes time for your ship to dock, get cleared by local authorities, and prepare for disembarkation. If all goes to plan, you could start disembarking by 7AM, but unexpected delays could cause a later disembarkation time. The 2024 Alaska cruise season is quickly approaching, and we’re sharing 24 of our most helpful Alaska cruise tips that you need to follow.

This is another reason why layers are so important—you never know when you’ll need that t-shirt over your winter jacket. In addition to airfare, you’ll also want to figure out transportation logistics on land, which can vary from one embarkation city to another. More often than not, flight prices will increase significantly as your travel date approaches. Waiting to see if the price drops almost always results in paying more for your flight, so it’s important to get your flights booked to avoid wasting money. In Sitka, for instance, you can enjoy a leisurely walk through the Sitka National Historic Park, which comes at no extra cost and is within walking distance from the town center. Likewise, you could take a shuttle bus to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau for $45 roundtrip, which is much cheaper than excursions booked through the cruise line.

Museum-quality art outfits this ship, from oils to photographs of music legends. Nieuw Amsterdam's exceptional onboard experience earned "Best Cruise Ship Overall" at the Travvy Awards. With more than 20 animal sanctuaries and sightseeing excursions, we bring you closer to creatures great and small. With over 27,000 glaciers, Alaska is one of the best places to see these majestic pieces of nature up close.

Listen to Margerie Glacier’s signature crack and boom rumble across the waves. Bring binoculars and scan both the shore and the waves for wildlife like brown bears and migrating whales while Park Rangers teach you the history and geology of the park. 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. Revel in the beauty of Mother Nature’s masterpiece and listen closely as the scenery whispers secrets of times long ago during your cruise to Alaska.