Four Tips to Make an Alaskan Cruise Affordable

A cruise to Alaska is on many a bucket list. But it isn’t cheap. Beyond the cost of booking the cruise itself, additional expenses include:

• flights to/from your embarkation and/or debarkation port(s)
• excursions
• on-board spending (drinks, etc.)
• possible cruisetour days

A cruise to Alaska will probably cost you more than a cruise to the Caribbean. This is especially true if, like me, you live in the eastern US.

Here are four tips to save money when booking your cruise to Alaska:

Tip #1: Consider When to Book an Alaskan Cruise

I don’t pay full price for clothing or shoes, so I’m certainly not doing so for a big-ticket item like a cruise. I’m willing to wait to book a cruise until a sale comes along. If you are a member of a cruiseline’s loyalty program, you may be able to get better rates through that line. But compare other lines’ sales to be sure.

Cruise sales might include money-saving offers such as

• prepaid gratuities
• reduced rates for third or fourth guests in a stateroom
• free drinks package
• free internet minutes
• on-board credit

Booking an Alaskan Cruise in the Fall or Winter Prior to Sailing

You may be able to nab a sale nearly a year in advance. For example, Holland America usually runs an Explore Four sale in the fall. Autumn is not too early to start thinking about booking a cruise to Alaska for next summer. You can get your choice of stateroom – both the type and the location – by booking early.

If you’re not ready to book in autumn, fear not! Wave Season – when cruises are generally on sale – starts in January. And I’ve seen some Wave Season offerings as early as December.

Booking an Alaskan Cruise in the Spring Prior to Sailing

If your choice of stateroom isn’t a priority for you, you may want to gamble on booking in early spring. That’s when cruiselines may reduce their prices to fill any empty cabins.

My hubby isn’t willing to stay in an interior cabin, but if you are, you may grab even better rates. (To me, a good rate on any cruise is $100/night per person or less. This is not easy to find on an Alaskan cruise. We’ve always paid more due to my husband’s preference for a balcony room.)

Watch the cruiselines’ websites. These reduced rates might not be part of a particular well-advertised sale full of perks but still may give you the best value. For example, if you wouldn’t use a drink package, Holland America’s Explore Four sale might not be for you. You might be able to find a better rate by waiting.

If you are fortunate to live within driving distance of an embarkation port, such as Seattle, you don’t have to book flights in advance. You may be able to grab a late-season cruise (August or September sailings) later in the spring or early summer. But if, like many of us, you have to fly to/from the embarkation and debarkation ports, flights can be a major expense. And waiting too long to book flights can result in increased prices.

Tip #2: Your Itinerary Choice Impacts your Flight Costs

I write about this in detail at Five Tips to Choose an Alaskan Cruise Itinerary, but here’s a quick recap: If you’re looking for an Alaskan cruise that has the cheapest flight option, a cruise that roundtrips Seattle is your best bet. Plus, if you book through Southwest, your bags fly free.

Tip #3: Your Itinerary Direction Impacts your Cruise Cost

Alaskan cruises either run roundtrip from one port or travel between two ports.

Roundtrip Itineraries

Cruises that sail roundtrip to/from Seattle will generally be the cheapest itinerary. These cruises don’t include cruisetour days. If you won’t be doing a cruisetour anyway, this will be your best option. It gives you both the cheaper itinerary and cheaper flights.

And there’s no hassle of going through customs at the Seattle airport, as can be the case for itineraries that roundtrip from Vancouver. (I have to add, in all fairness to the Vancouver airport, that it’s one of the prettiest I’ve visited. It’s light-filled and spacious with friendly employees – just what’s needed after a long flight.)

One-way Itineraries

Other Inside Passage itineraries are either northbound or southbound. For example, they run north from Vancouver to Seward. Or they run south from Seward to Vancouver.

The reason to book one of these cruises is that you can attach cruisetour days on land to your cruise days at sea. (If you’re not booking a cruisetour, it will be less expensive to choose a roundtrip itinerary – from Seattle or from Vancouver – than a northbound or southbound itinerary.)

Both northbound and southbound itineraries provide the same ports, lodges, and experiences. I detail this here, but, in short, to save money, choose the northbound itinerary.

Tip #4: Consider Value-Added Features

Study your itinerary to see what’s included. There may be some hidden gems.

Value-Added Features at Sea

A cruise that sails through Glacier Bay National Park includes the value-added feature of ship-broadcasted narration by a National Park Ranger who boards the ship.

Sailing on Princess? Keep an eye out for “Puppies in the Piazza” – when future sled dogs come aboard for some snuggling.

Cruisetour Goodness: Value-Added Features on Land

There are value-added features to be found on land too. For example, when in Fairbanks, you may find that you don’t have to pay for an excursion because it is provided as part of the cruisetour. And many cruisetours include the cost of the Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali National Park.

We find that we don’t need to purchase excursions during our cruisetours. Between those provided by the cruiseline and laid-back hours spent walking, exploring, and/or shopping, our days are full.

As a fun surprise, our bus trip from the debarkation port (Seward) north to Denali National Park included a stop at the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters. You can see here why I say of cruisetours:

Cruisetours are a money-saving package deal of travel goodness.

If there aren’t any value-added features to a particular itinerary, you may want to reject it. Consider which line is going to get you where you want to go for the cheapest price – but also with the best features. But after that, there aren’t too many differences.

Money Well Spent

Most itineraries, if not all, include Ketchikan and Juneau; many include Skagway. If you’re looking for a solid Inside Passage experience, you can’t go wrong with an itinerary that includes these ports. I’m partial to itineraries that include Glacier Bay National Park. But other itineraries will showcase glaciers such as the Hubbard Glacier or a cruise to the end of Tracy Arm.

We love cruising to Alaska because it provides a vacation focused on wildlife, nature, and being outdoors. I hope you’ll find it is affordable for you to cruise to one of our favorite destinations.

Saving Money on an Alaskan Cruise

Now you’ve got a four-step plan to book a cheap(er) Alaskan cruise:

• consider when to book
• your itinerary choice impacts your flight costs
• your itinerary direction impacts your cruise cost
• consider value-added features

I hope you’ll use my four tips above to make a cruise to Alaska an item you can check off your bucket list.

Let’s make the most of our vacation days!

Have you found a great deal on an Alaskan cruise?

Please share your experience below.