Best Travel Options for Alaska Cruise Vacations

Cruising Glacier Bay Preserve in Alaska

Traveling to Alaska is an unforgettable, impactful, life- altering experience that will leave you breathless and enrich your soul. 

Top Reasons Visitors Travel to Alaska: For: 
- Mountains – Tallest Mountains in North America​

• - Glaciers – Largest number of Active Glaciers in the World
• - Wildlife – Roaming in natural habitats with no enclosures
• - Activities – From dog sledding, helicopter rides, zip-lining and gold panning, there     is something for everyone

Planning an Alaska vacation can be challenging as territory is HUGE (twice the size of Texas), and the distances are vast.   The scale of the scenery, landscapes, vistas and unique experiences are all super-sized and will take your breath away.    

Since many of Alaska's top sites can only be seen by air or sea we recommend an Alaska Cruise Vacation for first time visitors.  An Alaska cruise vacation is perfect to share with family and friends of all ages and will fully bond everyone with unforgettable experiences that engage all your senses and enrich your souls.

As Certified Alaska Travel Experts, we've listed below the various Alaska Cruise Vacation Options ranked in order...   

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First, a little background on Alaska may be helpful

• - Alaska is the 49th state and popular nicknames include; “The Last Frontier,”  “The Great Land” and “The Land of the Midnight Sun”
• - Alaska has more coastline (46, 600 miles) than all the 48 lower states combined
• - Alaska Cruise Season runs from May to early September annually with best pricing usually for early or late cruising
• - Visitors can expect up to 18 hours of daylight in peak summer so will have full days to see a lot
• - Most Alaska cruise itineraries include sailing through the famous and protected “Inner Passage” that stretches 500 miles along the Pacific Ocean and boasts wildlife-filled fjords, tidewater glaciers and lush island scenery
• - Alaska's Big 5 Land Wildlife are: Moose, Bear, Dall Sheep, Wolf and Caribou
• - If flying from Anchorage back to the East Coast of the USA it is usually an overnight flight
• - Cruise guests will need a valid passport as all Alaska cruises do port at least once in Canada to comply with US maritime laws

​Best Cruise Vacation Experiences Ranked:

Glacier Viewing

​1)  ALASKA GOOD = Round-Trip Cruise

• 7-12 night roundtrip itineraries from Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco or Los Angeles cruising North to Alaska’s Inner Passage and returning back to same port

 
​Comments: Convenient and less-expensive round-trip flights and embarkation ports from USA.  Good if have limited time and budget but does not include any visits to interior of Alaska.  

Anchorage Skyline and Anchorage Bay

2)  ALASKA BETTER – One- Way Cruise

• 7-12 night one-way cruise North or Southbound between Anchorage and Vancouver cruising the Inside Passage and Gulf of Alaska

 
​Comments:  Access to more wildlife, glaciers and interior of Alaska. Opportunity to see and explore the vibrant cities and surrounding areas of Vancouver and Anchorage  

Alaska Cruisetour by ship, rail and motorcoach

​3)  ALASKA BEST – 7-night One-Way Cruise combined with a 3-10 Day Pre or Post Land Vacation

• ​A seamless Land and Sea Vacation also known as a “Cruisetour”.  Itineraries vary but usually include a visit to Alaska’s top National Park – Denali (home of Mt. McKinley, North America’s tallest mountain @ 20, 322 ft) and a transfer on the Iconic and Scenic Alaska Railroad   

 
Comments: Best immersive experience to more of Alaska by rail, motorcoach and ship.  Some cruise lines own their own lodges, motorcoaches, and rail cars to make this a seamless and easy travel experience.    

Summary and Advice:

Work with Certified Alaska Travel Expert

Best time to book Alaska cruises for the best pricing and availability is from September to January for the upcoming season. 
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There are many different Alaska cruise and vacation options to consider and ships, cruise lines, ports of call and itineraries all vary so can be overwhelming.  We recommend working with a certified Alaska Travel Expert from the start of your vacation planning to share your vacation goals, experiences and desires so they can customize a personalized vacation that checks all your boxes and maximizes your time and budget.  
 

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 Additional Information and Resources:

- Visit our dedicated Alaska Cruise Webpage
- Alaska Cruisetour Video
- Sample Alaska Cruisetour Vacation Itinerary
- Travel Alaska Website