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Carnival Cruise Line's Alaska cruises aboard the 2,124-guest Carnival Spirit might not be the cheapest sailings the line offers, but you get a lot for your money. Families will appreciate not having to pay extra for kid-friendly eats at the onboard pizzeria, Mexican outlet, Guy Fieri's burger joint and all-day soft serve ice cream station. Comedy shows (both family-friendly and adults-only), an onboard water park, mini-golf and kid, tween and teen clubs are also included in the fare. Holland America Line’s Koningsdam offers everything long-time cruisers appreciate, from a comfortable size and price point to onboard activities and numerous dining options.
Cruises
12 best Alaska cruises for an awe-inspiring trip - The Times
12 best Alaska cruises for an awe-inspiring trip.
Posted: Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
In addition to more than 140 shore experiences that immerse guests into this magical destination, Cunard invites explorers, travel writers and locals onboard to share their passions and knowledge. The cruise line takes inspiration from Alaska with special local dishes served in its onboard restaurants, and the return of the Ice White Ball, a formal gala affair with a glacial twist. Look to the traditional, all-inclusive luxury cruise lines that sail in Alaska during the summer months for these popular sailings. Most Alaska itineraries include some "scenic cruising," where your ship sails past incredible natural sights. Alaska cruises offer a wide range of activities in port, with options for active travelers, wildlife lovers, history buffs and shoppers.
The 8 Best Alaska Cruises For Every Travel Style
Your cruise ship will spend 9-10 hours in Glacier Bay, during which a park ranger will be onboard to offer insights and answer question along the way. Holland America Line and Princess Cruises make up a large part of cruise itineraries sailing to Glacier Bay. An advantage to this itinerary is that you get to see more ports of call, including the inside passage, and have more time in ports as well. However, this also means you will have to take care of some of the flight logistics as you will have to fly from a different airport than you flew into. Cruise lines offer enticing deals for the summer during “wave" season from January through March.
Best Large Ship Cruise
In 2022, the cruise line was the first to receive Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) certification, meaning its Alaska-bound ships serve only fresh, certified sustainable and traceable wild Alaska seafood. The 7-Day Glacier Discovery itinerary is offered both northbound and southbound, both of which include cruising the Inside Passage and Glacier Bay, and calling upon Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. This can commonly be found at the beginning and end of the cruise season during April, May and September. The summer months make it more expensive due to higher demand since kids are out of school. The best time to book an Alaska cruise is when a cruise line first opens bookings on that sailing, often more than a year in advance.
While pulling into port one day, I remember digging into a hearty lunch of fish and chips featuring fresh-caught Alaskan halibut. (HAL is the first cruise line to serve fresh, certified-sustainable Alaskan seafood.) As of September, acclaimed chef Masaharu Morimoto is the Fresh Fish Ambassador as part of the line’s Global Fresh Fish Program. Alternatively, Gulf of Alaska cruises are typically seven-night, one-way itineraries between Vancouver and Seward or Whittier, the gateway ports for Anchorage and northern destinations in the state. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S.
• Get American Express Cruise Privileges Program benefits when you book at least five nights with eligible cruise lines. Many of the most popular travel cards on the market come with benefits specifically geared toward cruise enthusiasts, others include general travel perks that make them a good option for booking cruises. While these cruises lack the standard amenities such as restaurants, gift shops, entertainment shows and kids clubs, they make up for it in experiences you cannot match elsewhere and the lack of crowds found on larger vessels. This type of fare discount is not unique to Royal Caribbean, but on larger or older ships like Radiance of the Seas, you may find better luck scoring a deal. All-inclusive lines like Silversea or Seabourn are sure to price higher for the number of inclusions they offer.
Take off by dogsled across thousand-year-old ice as you soak in otherworldly sights. Trek across the majestic Mendenhall Glacier for breathtaking views of the wildest country. Get to know wildlife, big and small, that call this wilderness home, like otters, eagles, bears, and whales. This is Last Frontier pioneering with the cruise line voted Best Overall by Travel Weekly readers for 20 years running. Regardless of which ship you choose, Royal Caribbean’s Alaska expeditions promise “warm impressions of the wilderness,” meaning shore excursions and glacier viewings that prioritize comfort. Royal Caribbean also puts an emphasis on hearty, locally sourced food like wild-caught salmon, satisfying sourdough, and fresh-picked Alaska berries galore.
Coolest Things to Do in Alaska on Carnival Luminosa
Most sail along the Inside Passage, a maritime route along the state's southern coast (and into British Columbia and Washington state) that weaves around the area's thousand islands. Some venture farther north into the Gulf of Alaska; these are often one-way cruises that begin and end at the ports near Anchorage. 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. It's easier than fumbling with multiple train, bus, ferry and hotel reservations to cobble together the same trip on your own.
Runner up: Princess Cruises
Cruisers can bask in the mountain and glacier views from the comfort of their private balcony — and, if they’re lucky, they may even spot a whale or two. Finally, in addition to classic ports like Juneau and Ketchikan, Viking Ocean Cruises’ Alaska itinerary also calls on Valdez, which is chock-full of natural beauty and outdoor adventure. This World’s Best Award-winning cruise line combines the best of expedition-style and luxury cruising, making it a popular pick amongst well-heeled, adventure-seeking travelers.
It will come as no surprise that one of the top-rated cruise lines for families is…wait for it…Disney! Options include Denali (the tallest peak in North America), Glacier Bay (3.3 million acres of mountain, rainforests…and, and glaciers!), Kenai Fjords (home to 40 glaciers), and Wrangell-St. Guests can also book landtours before or after their voyage, where they can experience the vast wilderness of Alaska. Princess Cruises even has its own Princess Lodges as part of its combination packages. UnCruise Adventures is a sustainability-focused line traveling the waters of the Inside Passage.
What to Pack for An Alaskan Cruise: A Complete Checklist - Travel + Leisure
What to Pack for An Alaskan Cruise: A Complete Checklist.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 21:11:15 GMT [source]
Brilliance of the Seas makes it impossible to feel bored during a vacation! These top things to do onboard this beloved cruise ship make it a fan favorite for many. Sail into the Last Frontier from Seward or Vancouver onboard Radiance of the Seas®. With over three acres of windows and glass exterior viewing elevators, you can watch for whales along Alaska’s Inside Passage when you aren’t wandering wilderness paths from Ketchikan to Juneau.
Another option includes trekking on lesser-known forest trails and getting an explainer on tide pools along smaller islands. Holland America Line (HAL) — which recently snapped up a 2023 World’s Best Award in the large-ship ocean cruise line category — has been cruising Alaska for over 75 years. HAL prides itself on having more permits for Glacier Bay National Park visits than any other cruise line.
Mary Curry is another T+L A-List advisor who specializes in small-ship cruises to Polar regions and the Galapagos. We spoke to cruise experts to find the best Alaska itineraries to book this year. Seas in Alaska are choppiest on Gulf of Alaska itineraries where waters are open. Alternatively, Inside Passage cruises in Alaska tend to be calmer as the waters are protected. One-way Gulf of Alaska itineraries are the best option for Alaska touring, as they begin or end in Alaska.
Some of the best Alaska cruise lines are Holland America and Princess because they have especially long histories in the region and offer cruises, as well as cruise and land tour combinations, on multiple ships each season. Viking Ocean offers many one-way 10-night sailings that allow passengers to spend more time in ports. Some begin in Seward and head south and some start in Vancouver and head northward. A major advantage of these one-way trips is that you can experience more Alaskan ports. So these types of itineraries are best if you want a destination heavy journey. "Keep in mind that cruise lines don't allow kids who aren't potty-trained to be in pools, even if they're wearing a swim diaper," Cicero said.
The best Alaska cruises are great for multigenerational trips with grandparents, their children and their grandchildren. This is also the trip for a camera with good telephoto lenses and binoculars. For more on what to bring on an Alaska cruise, check out our Alaska cruise packing list. The population of Haines remains less than 2,000, according to the United Status Census Bureau, and it isn't yet as touristy as some of the other Alaskan ports, such as nearby Skagway.
Both operate a suite of services for those wanting to explore on land, including lodges, trains, motorcoaches, and the popular Denali National Park. The choice for those who enjoy specialty cuisine on a small(er) ship is Oceania Cruises. Chef-inspired and chef-created dishes throughout the journey make this a top-rated line for foodies. With less than 1,000 passengers (adults only), small does not translate to lacking of amenities.
