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If you’re looking for something less time consuming than an Arctic excursion, but are still looking for stunning views of glaciers and wildlife, day cruises are a great option for young families and adventurers alike. If you prefer to get off-the-beaten-track and travel with smaller groups, a wide array of small ship cruise companies offer more intimate cruises catering to adventure and luxury travelers. AdventureSmith Explorations, Alaska Dream Cruises, American Cruise Lines, Discovery Voyages, Lindblad Expeditions, Oceania, Seabourn, Silversea, UnCruise Adventures, and Windstar Cruises are a few of the small ship cruise operators in the state.
Night Alaska Cruise
What lies beneath the waves is almost as impressive, where ice plunges 1,200 feet beneath the surface. Bargain seekers should either book early for these accommodations or choose inside, outside or guarantee cabins (where you don't pick your room location) to save more. Cabins are designed with families in mind and include split bathrooms (one with a toilet and sink, the other with a shower/tub combo and sink), as well as sofabeds and bunks to sleep four in a cabin.
Our Family Alaska Cruise: A Vacation We'll Never Forget Royal Caribbean Cruises
The port is set on Chichagoff Island, which is known for its large bear population. Wildlife lovers have plenty of opportunities to search for whales and eagles here; adventure-seekers won't want to miss the ZipRider, with its course of six zip lines. Generally, these one-way sailings travel from Seward or Whittier (the cruise ports closest to Anchorage) to Vancouver (or vice versa). Most itineraries are seven nights, but you'll find a handful that are longer. If you're intent on a Gulf of Alaska cruise, book a northbound route so you'll cruise the Gulf at the end of the trip when you have your sea legs. If you get seasick easily, also think twice about round-trip cruises from Seattle that spend days cruising in the open ocean.
My (Somewhat) Disappointing Alaska Cruise on the Grand Princess - Upgraded Points
My (Somewhat) Disappointing Alaska Cruise on the Grand Princess.
Posted: Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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All of the line's itineraries boast an active component, but its "Wild, Woolly and Wow" itinerary claims to be "the most active back country itinerary" of UnCruise's 2024 Alaska cruises. The line will send six ships to Alaska in 2024, with tour offerings to Denali, Fairbanks and Anchorage. However, it's the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam that offers some of the most interesting cruise tour itineraries out there. It can be hard to figure out which cruise ship will deliver your idea of a "bucket list" experience in The Last Frontier. I’m a Florida-based freelance travel and lifestyle journalist who has embarked on more than a dozen cruises, including several to Alaska. As a traveler, I am just as comfortable bicycling through Italian olive groves and SCUBA diving the wall of sharks in French Polynesia as I am sipping bubbles in a Champagne house and dining at Michelin-starred restaurants.
Join an adventure of a lifetime aboard the Aleutian Ballad, as seen on Discovery Channel’s - The Deadliest Catch. For those looking for a couples retreat, Viking Cruises cater exclusively to adults. The minimum age is 18, and the ship is designed for a luxurious and tranquil experience, so you can truly get away from it all. Dining on board is major; all five restaurants excel and are included in the fare (even the fanciest dishes, like prime dry-aged Angus steak and Maine lobster).
Ever wanted to go on an Alaska glacier tour to experience hiking in its open nature? On our family Alaska cruise, we created lifetime memories by sharing glacier spotting, dog sledding, flightseeing and other adventures with our teens. 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. 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.
Alaska Cruise Onboard Experience
Hop a bus, kayak, boat or plane to look for bears, eagles, whales, sea otters and other wildlife. Note that moose don't regularly show up in the Inside Passage; you'll need to head farther north to find them. If you want to cruise Alaska but also see some of the interior and enjoy a stay in a lodge or hotel, go for a cruisetour package from either Holland America or Princess Cruises. Both have fantastic itineraries that take passengers not only to the Inside Passage, but also Anchorage, Denali National Park, the Yukon, Kenai Peninsula, Talkeetna and Fairbanks.
Princess Cruises
There are numerous factors you need to consider for a cruise to Alaska, including the best time of year, costs, itineraries, which line to choose and which destinations matter most to you. Regardless of the ship, passengers can expect a wide range of entertainment offerings, an abundance of bars, restaurants, and lounges, and a handful of accommodation options. Sailing on an Alaskan cruise with Oceania Cruise Line is a one-of-a-kind experience. As a “culinary- and destination-focused cruise line,” Oceania aims to provide passengers with incredible adventures paired with exceptional dining experiences. Extend your cruise vacation, and simplify your travel plans with a hotel stay at the beginning or end of your cruise.
In fact, it's the gateway to the Klondike and Dawson's 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. Floatplane and helicopter tours take you around scenic areas like Misty Fjords or land you on a glacier, perhaps for a dogsledding or hiking adventure on the ice.
After a few more days in the Inside Passage communities of Skagway, Kake, and Petersburg, the sailing culminates in Vancouver. Multiple times a day, guests are invited to disembark for a closer look at the true wilds of Alaska. That could entail going kayaking among bobbing bits of glacial ice in Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness, or going for a Zodiac ride in Frederick Sound to view whales up close. 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.
Eleven days exploring the Inside Passage and Alaskan fjords with only 400-ish other passengers aboard a luxurious ship with plenty of onboard activities? Enjoy the magical moments spent exploring the far end of the Misty Fjords on Zodiac, learn more about the local wildlife and geology during lectures with the Expedition Team, and kayak along Hubbard Glacier. As part of the American Queen Voyages expedition experience, the line has partnered with Dr. Michelle Fournet, an acclaimed acoustic ecologist and leading expert in the communication of North Pacific humpback whales. As such, hydrophones are used onboard Zodiacs to listen to the voices of Alaska’s whales in real-time. Guests will also learn about and participate in whale tracking through fluke identification by uploading their own photos from the vessel to a scientific database following their seasonal movements.
The line’s Door-to-Door All-Inclusive fares cover private airport transfers, economy flights, business-class upgrades or air credits, and shore excursions. During your expedition, you'll travel around to different cities, small towns and national parks, allowing you to see all that Alaska has to offer. Not to mention, cruise ships can access certain locations that are challenging to reach by car or air, so you'll have the opportunity to explore off-the-beaten landmarks. The storied Cunard cruise line, with more than 180 years of seafaring history, returned to Alaska after nearly 30 years when it arrived back in the Great Land in 2019.
Disney-themed restaurants and attentive wait staff take the stress out of family mealtimes.
Both the National Geographic Quest and National Geographic Venture make the sailing. The sister ships were purpose built to sail the North American coast and feature 50 rooms each, all with windows or portholes, private bathrooms, climate controls, and a TV, plus Wi-Fi connection. Each summer, scads of ships cruise Alaska’s coastal waterways, ranging from 12-person expedition-style sailings to mega-ships with passenger numbers into the thousands. Some stick to a manageable six-day itinerary within the popular and more easily accessible southeast region, while others head out on epic three-week sailings that cross multiple time zones. You'll have up to two days of scenic cruising, in addition to sailing the Inside Passage. Because Gulf of Alaska cruises sail farther north, scenic destinations may include College Fjord, in addition to Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier.
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