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It is also the jumping-off point for a Bering Sea crab fishing tour. Book a fishing trip to try your hand at catching salmon or halibut, or go out crab fishing for a glimpse into that type of work. Look to UnCruise Adventures, Alaskan Dream Cruises, Hurtigruten and Lindblad Expeditions for the best adventure cruises.
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Go back in time to the Klondike Gold Rush on cruises to Skagway, Alaska, once the primary gateway to the goldfields. Take a trip on the scenic railroad and still have time to dine and shop. Stretch out your Alaska cruise vacation with convenient weekend departures. Enjoy a roundtrip Alaska cruise from Seattle on Alaskan Explorer itineraries or from Vancouver on Alaskan Inside Passage itineraries. Cross Alaska’s massive ice shelves, crystal fjords, and fascinating marine wildlife off your bucket list with itineraries that conveniently depart from Seattle and Vancouver.
Our Alaska Seafood Is Certified Sustainable
Because of this, take a look at the main attractions in your embarkation city. You might enjoy shopping at Pike’s Place Market and visiting the Space Needle in Seattle, or enjoying a relaxing stroll through Stanley Park in Vancouver. In addition to airfare, you’ll also want to figure out transportation logistics on land, which can vary from one embarkation city to another.
Best Alaska cruise lines
While not required, bringing items like motion-sickness medication, binoculars, and cabin essentials like outlet adapters are helpful to have handy. If you live in a warm climate or don’t wear winter jackets often, consider purchasing gently-used cold weather gear at a thrift shop or on eBay. There’s really no need to spend hundreds of dollars on new winter gear just for an Alaska cruise, especially if you’re traveling with children who will quickly outgrow clothing. If you’re unsure what to pack for an Alaska cruise, check out our comprehensive packing list.
Use Seattle airport’s port valet service when disembarking in Seattle
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. Glacial ice carved this passageway long ago, and today, cruise ships and fishing vessels thread their way through the islets and channels to see some of the most spectacular natural sights in the world. Nearly every major cruise line has a presence in Alaska from May through mid-September, with some offering sailings as early as April or as late as October. Cold temperatures, icy waters and a long snowy season are not conducive to early spring and late fall cruises. If you want to see landlocked areas, such as Denali National Park, you can tack a cruise line-operated tour onto the beginning or end of your sailing for a seamless land and sea vacation.
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. The population of Haines remains less than 2,000, according to the United States Census Bureau, and it isn't yet as touristy as some of the other Alaskan ports, such as nearby Skagway. It's known for great fishing (salmon, halibut and trout) and an eagle preserve — because eagles know where the best fish can be found. If you want a more active trip in less touristed areas, a great choice would be a small-ship expedition line, including Alaska specialists such as Alaskan Dream Cruises and UnCruise Adventures. Gulf of Alaska sailings — especially those in late August and September — can encounter rough seas in the gulf portion of the voyage. If you book a weeklong Gulf of Alaska voyage, you'll also enjoy exploring parts of the Inside Passage and its ports that could include a mix of Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan, Haines and Icy Strait Point.
Planning a Trip To Alaska: Land vs. Sea Royal Caribbean Cruises
In fact, it's the gateway to the Klondike and Dawson mining district in Canada's Yukon territory, where prospectors searched for gold in the late 1890s. The historic district still has a Wild West feel, though that's been a bit commercialized for the modern era. This port can get crowded in summer when several ships can call on the same day. Alaska's capital city is interesting because no road leads from here to the rest of the state.
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The array of things to try in Alaska can be as tame or as adventurous as you want — it's the joy of discovery that's key. I once kayaked in Ketchikan with a woman on her first solo cruise in Alaska. When our marine biologist guide pulled a sea cucumber from the crystal-clear waters to show us, she squealed with delight when he offered to let her hold it. The photos you'll enjoy most when you look back next year are the ones of your travel partners enjoying the trip.
6 best Alaska cruises for families - The Points Guy
6 best Alaska cruises for families.
Posted: Thu, 19 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Unless you plan on doing some serious trekking in each port, there’s no need to bring hefty hiking boots or rain boots. A pair of sneakers made from a water-resistant material will keep your feet dry and warm under most weather conditions. Just as Alaska’s weather can be unpredictable in terms of rain and snow, you may also encounter surprisingly warm weather, particularly in the peak summer season. This is another reason why layers are so important—you never know when you’ll need that t-shirt over your winter jacket. If your cruise is a one-way itinerary that starts or ends in Seward, Alaska, transportation logistics require more pre-planning. The closest major airport to Seward is Anchorage, which is over two hours away by car.
For all the beer lovers planning an Alaskan cruise vacation, we’ve curated the ultimate zythophile guide to visiting 5 of the best craft breweries in Alaska. As you plan your Alaska vacation, you might be torn between traveling by cruise ship, plane or even car. If you're interested in the Midnight Sun, the longest day of the year is June 21, when you can experience close to 20 or more hours of sunlight in some parts of the state. If you're more interested in the Alaska Northern Lights, the earlier sunset in later summer will allow more contrast and better views of this natural wonder. For instance, ocean-view cabins (cabins with a window) on the Grand Princess sailing from Whittier to Vancouver departing May 13 were listed Tuesday on the Princess website for $599. Balcony cabins on the sailing were listed for $1,132 — more than three times the amount of an interior cabin.
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. Cruise lines typically advertise their fares without port taxes and fees included, then add these costs to final bills at checkout. A new Alaska Seafood Boil will be offered once per cruise in Lido Market for a surcharge. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to be a useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean.
You'll be able to take your pick from a huge variety of deals across cruise lines and ships around the world. Whether you want the amenities and entertainment of Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and Celebrity Cruises, or something more intimate -- like a luxury cruise in the Bahamas -- there's a deal out there for you. Use Cruise Critic's Deal Score to quickly see how good your deal is, no matter where in the world you want to sail. With fare discounts, onboard credits, upgrades, and other discounts all factored into our score, you'll know just how much you're saving on your vacation in Aruba or your bucket-list cruise to the Greek Islands. Because Alaska has such a short season with a limited number of ships and is a dream trip for many, cruises are in high demand and people plan early. For a view of the city and cruise port, take a ride in the sky on the Mount Roberts Tramway.
Alaska is a piece of America that offers great cruising, pure wilderness, fascinating history and a multi-cultural heritage reflected in art, lifestyles and communities throughout the state. To ensure you don’t miss out, consider booking a later dinner time, or simply eat dinner elsewhere on the nights the sailaway overlaps with your dining time. The Windjammer buffet can be an excellent place to enjoy dinner in Alaska, as the buffet has floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the venue, in addition to outdoor seating on select ships. You don't have to stick with ship-sponsored shore excursions in every port in Alaska.
The Alaska cruise season typically begins in late April and lasts until the fall. While a balcony is not a requirement on an Alaska cruise, there’s no denying a balcony cabin is nicer than an interior cabin on such a scenic itinerary. If you booked an interior or oceanview cabin for your 2024 Alaska cruise, consider upgrading to a balcony before your sail date. If your flight doesn’t arrive until 11PM the night before your cruise, it probably isn’t worth it to travel to the city center. Instead, consider a hotel near the airport so you can simply land and head straight to bed. For those arriving earlier in the day, though, it’s worth it to find a hotel downtown for easy access to tourist sites.
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