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Finally, you'll find some round-trip San Francisco itineraries — usually 10 or 11 nights long — as well as longer sailings between San Francisco and Vancouver. Alaska’s summer season begins in early May and extends until late September. Explore the dynamic glaciers, soaring peaks and captivating history of the 49th state on our award-winning itineraries. Rush across the snow on a dog sled with a professional musher, fly fish for salmon in fresh rivers and soar over miles of glacial tundra in a helicopter. Watch migrating humpback whales from the deck of a catamaran or Native craftsman carve a traditional totem pole, and expand your Alaska cruise experience.
What to bring on an Alaska cruise
A uniformed Princess representative meets you at the airport after you've retrieved your luggage and transports you directly to your ship or hotel without you having to worry about the logistics of navigating a new city. With no roads connecting it to the rest of Alaska or North America, it is truly a protected destination. Founded as a gold mining town and now the state’s capital, Juneau has one foot in history and one in the future. Embark on a whale watching tour, or sail past Mendenhall Glacier on an Alaska cruise. The Harriman Expedition discovered College Fjord in 1899 and named the towering glaciers after the great East Coast universities of the United States, like the Harvard Glacier. With the largest collection of tidewater glaciers in the world, your scenic Alaska cruise through the fjord will make a lasting memory.
Night Alaska Adventure
Holland America Line to Introduce Glacier Day in 2024 Alaska Cruises - Porthole Cruise and Travel
Holland America Line to Introduce Glacier Day in 2024 Alaska Cruises.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:07:37 GMT [source]
The two-year-old Discovery Princess sails round trip to Alaska from Seattle, a convenient U.S. home port for families to fly or drive to. Its "North to Alaska" program will delight kids with sled dog puppies in the ship's Piazza, and lure their parents and grandparents with local seafood on restaurant menus and onboard cultural programming with Alaska residents. Situated within Denali State Park near the Chulitna River, the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge® offers unparalleled views of Denali from the treehouse as well as the Great Room and expansive deck in the main lodge. Tour a working Alaska homestead and learn how the Great Land’s residents have become so self-sufficient. Or land in a helicopter on a glacier beneath the tallest peak in North America on your Alaska cruisetour. There's a reason why the best way to cruise Alaska is with Norwegian – we've got something for every type of traveler.
Voyage of the Glaciers
Holland America Line has offered Alaska cruises for 75 years and is clearly a market leader. The line tops the list in terms of cruises, as well as cruise tours, which combine time sailing with overnight stays on land. The company operates its own lodges, rail cars and motorcoaches for exploration of Alaska's interior and beyond. Some travelers demand luxury Alaska cruises, while others don't mind going less fancy if it means close encounters with bears and other creatures in the wilderness.
Dive Into Alaska Traditions on Your Next Cruise Royal Caribbean Cruises
If you choose a Cruisetour, you could sail from Vancouver to Seward and then fly out of Anchorage after the tour. Other itineraries begin in Fairbanks and, after the land journey, sail south from Seward to Vancouver. If you’re lucky, you can spot brown and black bears; the Spasski River Valley near Icy Strait Point is a great place for bear-spotting, as are the rivers around Ketchikan in July, peak salmon spawning season, when bears come to feast on the fish. For guaranteed bear viewing, head to the Fortress of the Bear near Sitka, which raises orphaned bears in a natural setting. For a less testing but equally thrilling experience, you could join a whale-watching tour, or take a helicopter or floatplane flightseeing trip, soaring over forests and glaciers.
Silversea’s Vancouver to Seward
Wildlife enthusiasts will be thrilled with the opportunities to observe these incredible creatures in their natural habitats. This 13-night cruisetour also features a visit to Alaska’s premier Wildlife Conservation Center. If you're interested in Alaska's gold rush history, Skagway — 90 miles northwest of Juneau — is a port you shouldn't miss. 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.
Best Shore Excursions On An Alaska Cruise
Sail one-way between Vancouver and Seward or Vancouver and Seattle, round-trip from Vancouver or Seattle, or on a Cruisetour between Vancouver and Anchorage or Fairbanks. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Remove the hassle from air travel and give yourself the gift of flexibility, time and a thicker wallet with Princess EZair flights. We negotiate lower rates with the airlines, allow you to modify your flight up to 45 days prior with no penalty and protect you if your flight is late or canceled. Alaskans are inviting people who love to share what makes their state unique.
Best Alaska Cruise For Couples: Princess Cruises, Royal Princess
Weeklong itineraries generally embark in either Seattle or Vancouver, British Columbia — though some itineraries originate in Juneau. A few lines, such as Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Cunard Line, offer 10-night Inside Passage cruises from Seattle or Vancouver. Instead of taking a long and expensive flight to Anchorage or Fairbanks, you can choose a cruise that sails round-trip from Seattle or Vancouver (note, you won't be able to tack on a post-cruise land trip to Denali if you do this). Restaurant prices in Alaska can be high, but a cruise bundles meals, accommodations and transportation into one price that, with sales, can be cheaper than you'd think. Pack binoculars for spotting all that incredible wildlife, and camera lens or smartphone. Remember swimwear for the ship; even if it’s cool outside, the Solarium on board is climate controlled and covered, so you can relax on a lounger in the warmth, and swim in the pool.
Getting There Easy Cruise Tour Guide
Older kids will love the rock climbing walls, video game stations, sports courts, go-karts and laser tag on Royal Caribbean and NCL ships. On a 10-night cruise, you'll have four sea days (for example, two days from San Francisco to Juneau) plus a day of scenic cruising at a spot like Tracy Arm (Twin Sawyer Glaciers), Endicott Arm, Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay National Park. The waters before you enter the Inside Passage can be calm, rough or anything in between, depending on when you go. Generally, these one-way sailings travel from Seward or Whittier (the cruise ports closest to Anchorage) to Vancouver (or vice versa).
(Classic cruises, on the other hand, take place on board Silver Muse, Silver Nova, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, or Silver Moon). Nova and Moon offer the Sea and Land Taste program (S.A.L.T), offering culinary connoisseurs the incredible opportunity to experience the local food scene and culture both on and off the ship. Last but not least, keep in mind that Silversea sails between Vancouver and Seward (with the exception of one September 2024 itinerary, which sails from Nome to Vancouver).
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. These ships often feature complimentary shore excursions, kayaks and bikes for guest use and onboard scientists and naturalists. “If you are looking for a more casual and laid-back experience, Seattle-based UnCruise Adventures offers down-to-earth trips with enthusiastic naturalist guides, simple accommodations, and hearty local cuisine,” says Palmer. Per the pro, travelers can “choose between a menu of included excursions such as kayaking, paddleboarding, hiking, zodiac cruises, whale watching, and more.” All in all, UnCruise really does offer something for everyone.
Access some of the most stunning sights on earth — wilderness, wildlife and untamed land. Go flightseeing by Denali’s snow-covered peak, fly-fish for Arctic grayling, raft the Nenana River or venture into Denali on a park tour. Explore five of Alaska’s National Parks with our National Park Cruisetour. Cruise Glacier Bay’s pristine waters, be awe-struck by Kenai Fjords icefields and feed your wanderlust by adventuring into Denali National Park.
Combine a cruise + train + lodge + Denali for an in-depth Alaska experience. Check out our helpful checklist so that you know exactly what to pack for an Alaska cruise with Princess. No one does seafood quite like Alaska—which is why we brought the best of the Great Land on board, so you can experience it all with Princess. Read about Alaska’s must-see attractions, signature cuisine, and how to prepare for a wild adventure into the heart of The Great Land.
Stay up to 3 nights at the McKinley Chalet Resort near Denali National Park. From the sweeping mountains of Juneau to the fish-bearing seas of Ketchikan, discover our Alaska cruise ports and set sail into the adventures that await you. Travel back in time and pan for gold like a prospector during the Gold Rush. Snuggle sled dog puppies in the ship's Piazza, or see the Northern Lights in the planetarium. At the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, explore our treehouse and enjoy unmatched views of Denali.
