Dreaming of a cruise to Alaska? Not sure where to start your planning?
These five tips will help you choose a cruise to Alaska that:
- maximizes vacation days
- secures your preferred sightseeing options
- considers your budget
We’ve seen whales on every one of our trips to Alaska!
Tip #1: Decide how many vacation days you can use
You’ll need at least eight days for an Alaskan cruise:
Day #1: If your Alaska vacation starts with a flight, arrive a day before the cruise departs. The added expense of the overnight hotel is worth it – you’ll alleviate the anxiety of potentially not arriving on time for embarkation. I don’t recommend flying in the day the cruise begins. (more to come on hotel options)
Days #2-8: The shortest itineraries are seven nights.
The eight days include the cruise itself, not any land-based travel by bus or train into the interior of Alaska (called a “cruisetour”) before or after your cruise.
The cruisetour can stretch your trip into a minimum of 12 days.
Most include Denali National Park, one of our favorite sites. (more to come on the amazing sightseeing) Doing a cruisetour? Factor in a travel day to/from your home in the lower 48 to Anchorage or Fairbanks. For those of us in the eastern US, the time zone changes result in an entire day of air travel.
There’s no better feeling than making the most of vacation days! I am ready to cruise to Alaska!
Tip #2: Decide the best month to cruise to Alaska
Most cruiselines run Alaskan cruises May – September (and you may find a smattering of late April or early October offerings). The best time to cruise to Alaska – for you – will vary on your budget and goals. However:
Consider “shoulder season”
“Shoulder season” is the term used to describe the beginning/end of a location’s tourist season.
All three of our cruises were in late May and early June. We chose that time of year to (1) align with our work schedules and (2) enjoy “shoulder season” savings. (Families with school-age kids may experience unavoidable prime-season itinerary prices.) And you can maximize vacation days by traveling over Memorial Day or Labor Day. (Or July 4 if you can’t avoid prime season.)
Investigate the salmon season
Our trip in the first half of June resulted in a salmon fishing excursion (more to come of my hubby’s experience), but the salmon weren’t running adequately during our late May trips. For our next Alaskan cruise, we hope to visit in late August or early September to spy bears snatching river salmon.
Don’t worry too much about the weather
Much like at home, the weather fluctuates within any given month. In early June we had snow flurries in the interior of Denali National Park. But my parents’ June trip saw them facing a heat wave. It was a record-breaking, make-the-national-news heat wave that had tourists scurrying to buy shorts and tanks. I’ll share more later on packing advice that will prepare you for whatever Mother Nature delivers.
Blue skies and sunshine in Skagway – the only time I wore short sleeves that late May trip. I’m glad I packed layers for the summit!
We found snow once we reached the summit of the White Pass & Yukon Railroad out of Skagway.
Tip #3: Explore two cruiselines’ offerings
In terms of options and years of experience with Alaska, the industry leaders are:
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Holland America
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Princess
Holland America deploys six or seven ships to Alaska each summer. We passed the Zaandam while on the Amsterdam.
The Grand Princess is shown here departing from Seattle.
Details on what these two cruiselines offer can be found here. For now, browse their websites. Order a paper brochure and/or download the pdf version. The beautiful photos are sure to get you anticipating your trip!
What else to notice:
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Which itineraries fit the number of vacation days you have available?
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What cities will you be flying to/from to begin/end?
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Which itineraries visit Glacier Bay National Park?
Tip #4: Include Glacier Bay National Park in your itinerary
Glacier Bay National Park is reached by ship; your day will include scenic cruising with glacier viewing and photo opportunities from the comfort of the deck or your balcony. (You won’t disembark; you’re surrounded by icy water.)
Not all itineraries include a trip to Glacier Bay National Park. But unlike alternate glacier visits, Glacier Bay National Park includes commentary from a national park ranger who boards the ship – a value-added feature.
The fine folks from the National Park Service provide a great overview of what your time in Glacier Bay National Park includes:
Cruiselines must secure authorization from the National Park Service to visit Glacier Bay National Park. This controls vessel traffic to maintain the serene environment. As of this writing, only five lines can sail in: Holland America, Princess, Norwegian, Carnival, and Crystal.
Vibrant blues and varied wildlife await in Glacier Bay National Park.
Tip #5: Choose your preferred airport(s)
We’ve cruised once out of Seattle and twice out of Vancouver. For those of us who don’t live in the western US, flights can be a significant expense.
Seattle
pro: Southwest flies to/from Seatac airport = no baggage fees; frequent fliers may have enough Rapid Reward points to cover some or all of the flight(s)
con: roundtrip Seattle itineraries don’t include the cruisetour option
The Space Needle dominates this section of the Seattle skyline.
Vancouver
pro: fun sightseeing in beautiful Vancouver (more to come); itinerary may or may not include a cruisetour
con: Southwest doesn’t fly here; may be more expensive that Seattle flights; like us, you may not have adequate frequent flier points on other carriers
Vancouver’s beautiful Stanley Park is across the harbor from the Canada Place cruise terminal.
Qualifier:
If a cruisetour isn’t an option (vacation days, budget, etc.), fly to/from Seattle for a roundtrip Inside Passage itinerary.
Cruisetours will include other airports:
Northbound: Cruisetours that begin with a cruise out of Vancouver will see the land-based portion conclude in Anchorage or Fairbanks.
Southbound: If you decide to do a cruisetour that starts in the interior and concludes with the cruise disembarking in Vancouver, you’ll be flying into Anchorage or Fairbanks.
Budget considerations:
Southbound is the more popular cruisetour direction, probably because cruise ship travel is a more relaxing conclusion than via train/bus.
By choosing the less popular Northbound route, as we have, you’ll save hundreds per person to see the same locales.
We put these funds towards our preferred excursions.
Southwest does not fly to/from Anchorage or Fairbanks, so factor in baggage fees.
Your Alaskan Cruise Itinerary
To choose the itinerary that is the best fit for you, consider:
- how many vacation days you can use
- which month you can travel
- which itineraries include Glacier Bay National Park
- whether a cruisetour is in your budget (and if it is, see FAQ: Cruisetours in Alaska)
- whether the increased flight costs for a cruisetour arrival/departure are feasible
