Alaska Cruises Best Deals On 2022 Luxury Cruise Lines

Table Of Content

• Seabourn Cruises
• Best Alaska cruise for those on a budget
• You’re our first priority.Every time.
• Ways Cruise Passengers Get the Crew in Trouble
• Best Alaskan cruise line for all-inclusive luxury seekers
• An off-the-beaten-path Alaska adventure with UnCruise
• Best Luxury Alaska Cruise: Cunard, Queen Elizabeth
• Norwegian Cruise Line

This port can get crowded in summer when several ships can call on the same day. For a view of the city and cruise port, take a ride in the sky on the Mount Roberts Tramway. Various wildlife-viewing trips (whale, bears and more) and visits to dogsled camps and salmon bakes leave from Juneau. 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. Kids can hang out in the youth lounges while parents hit the spa or try a wine-tasting class.

Seabourn Cruises

If you’re looking for the most adventure, these cruise lines take things up a notch as part of their excursion programs. UnCruise Adventures is a favorite among TravelAwaits readers and writers alike. Recently, writers have raved about their UnCruise experiences in Mexico and the Pacific Northwest (and shared photos you have to see to believe!). Like Alaskan Dream Cruises, this is a small-ship cruise line — vessels accommodate a maximum of 86 cruisers, meaning a truly intimate experience. During your time on board, you have the opportunity to engage in activities like yoga sessions, life coaching, or indulging in deep tissue massages at the ship's spa.

Best Alaska cruise for those on a budget

And if you really want to experience Alaska in all its glory, Holland America has a 28-day sailing in June of 2024 that departs from Seattle. This particular itinerary sails all the way up the coast and above the arctic circle, allowing passengers to see remote places like Nome and Little Diomede Island. This is in addition to making calls at Prince Rupert, Haines, College Fjord, Anchorage, Homer, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Juneau, Tracy Arm, Sitka, and Ketchikan. If you’re wanting to visit some of the more quaint and less tourist-traveled areas of Alaska a smaller cruise ship will be a better choice.

You’re our first priority.Every time.

Located in eastern Alaska, Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in North America and a popular stop on many Alaska cruises. Couples can get an up-close view of the glacier by taking a cruise or kayak tour, or they can choose to admire it from their balcony cabin on the ship. Glacier Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a must-visit destination for any Alaska cruise. This pristine wilderness is home to stunning glaciers, towering mountains, and a diverse range of wildlife.

While onboard, Princess immerses its guests into the sites, sounds, tastes and history of the 49th state through its award-winning North to Alaska programming. Life onboard is made easy, too, with the cruise line’s revolutionary Medallion technology that not only keeps people traveling together connected, but makes buying gifts in ports a snap by charging purchases back to your cabin. The cruise line’s Voyage of the Glaciers itinerary offers two glacier viewing experiences, as well as a voyage across the Gulf of Alaska to see Prince William Sound, known for its abundance of marine and coastal life. Guests can extend their Alaska cruise with three- to 10-day day pre- and post-cruise tours. 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.

Best Alaskan cruise line for all-inclusive luxury seekers

Even though Holland America and Celebrity consider themselves to be premium cruise lines some of their older ships offer some of the lowest rates you can find. You can choose to add extra days to your stay in Alaska before or after your cruise. This time will give you the opportunity to stay at an exclusive Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. You'll also have the opportunity to be part of an amazing small group adventure on your Alaskan honeymoon cruise by participating in the Whales, Bears, and Glaciers Adventure in Juneau.

Yet, some cruise lines send some of their swankiest amenities and ships to Alaska. And these go beyond onboard spas and exciting entertainment shows or live performers. We evaluated over a dozen Alaskan cruises before selecting the best in each category. We also reviewed each ship’s cruise itinerary, dining and wellness options, and the types of experiences and excursions available to guests. In determining this list, we evaluated numerous customer reviews and considered whether the cruise line has collected any accolades in recent years.

5 best luxury Alaska cruises for 2024 - The Points Guy

5 best luxury Alaska cruises for 2024.

Posted: Mon, 25 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Best Luxury Alaska Cruise: Cunard, Queen Elizabeth

Things like flights, transfers, specialty dining, all beverages, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and even shore excursions are all complimentary. The 2,700 capacity Disney Wonder is the current ship sailing on Alaskan itineraries. It sails round-trip out of Vancouver, Canada and offers 5 and 7 night itineraries with an 8-day and 9-day as well. Larger cruise ships with a gross tonnage of 150,000 or greater cannot dock at certain ports because of their size.

Indeed, Viking is known for catering specifically to a certain type of thoughtful, inquisitive, generally older traveler who is as interested in learning while on vacation as being pampered. Agewise, its sweet spot is travelers (mostly couples) who range from 55 to 75 years in age. So, if you're on the younger side, this might not be the perfect couples cruise for you. Even longer "Connoisseur" cruisetours combine stays at up to five Princess lodges in multiple locations around the state and last up to 17 nights. In addition, Princess offers longer and more far-ranging "Off the Beaten Path" routings that add nights at the remote Copper River Princess Lodge in eastern Alaska near Wrangell-St.

Many Alaska cruise ships have specialty restaurants that offer a unique dining experience for couples. From steakhouses to sushi bars, these restaurants provide a variety of options to suit every palate. For a special occasion or a romantic date night, couples can choose to dine at one of the ship’s fine dining restaurants. These restaurants offer gourmet cuisine, elegant ambiance, and impeccable service, making it the perfect setting for a romantic dinner.

Cunard, a Carnival Corporation owned line, currently only sails out of Vancouver for its Alaska focused cruises. The line offers 7-13 night round-trip itineraries with the longer journeys visiting both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier, two of the most popular visits. For those who want a true Alaskan immersion, Alaskan Dream Cruises could fit the bill.

According to Goldring, both Seabourn Quest and Seabourn Odyssey offer similar Alaska itineraries in 2024; however, it will be the latter’s final sailing since it was sold. Viking Ocean Cruises offers an 11-day itinerary that sails to Alaska and the Inside Passage. Known for its fleet of smaller ships that provide an intimate experience, voyages to Alaska set sail on the Viking Orion which holds 930 guests. While there are different staterooms to choose from, all cabins have private verandas so you can enjoy the passing views of glaciers and look for humpback whales from the comfort of your own room. In addition to shore excursions, Norwegian also offers 10 Alaska Cruisetour options that take cruisers inland to Denali National Park & Preserve and as far north as Fairbanks. In many cases, cruisers are transported via a domed railcar on the famed Alaska Railroad, which promises to take anyone’s Alaska experience to the next level.

The two of you will be able to peek through the blueberry bushes or enjoy a nature trail as you try to spot bears with a trained guide. On this adventure, you will also head on a whale watching cruise before you fly off over some of Alaska's most stunning glaciers, including Mendenhall Glacier. Because Alaska has such a short season with a limited number of ships and is a dream trip for many, cruises are in high demand and people plan early. Icy Strait Point is notable among Alaska cruise ports because the area and its attractions are all native Alaskan owned. The port is set on Chichagoff Island, which is known for its large bear population.

Everyone can come back together for dinner and evening entertainment or onboard activities suitable for all ages. If you want a more active trip in less touristed areas, a great choice would be a small-ship expedition line, including Alaska specialists such as Alaskan Dream Cruises and UnCruise Adventures. 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. For these itineraries, you'll need to fly into or out of Anchorage and take a train or bus to/from the cruise departure ports, which can take an hour or two. If you book a Gulf of Alaska voyage, you'll also enjoy exploring parts of the Inside Passage and its ports that could include a mix of Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan, Haines and Icy Strait Point.

You'll find magnificent mountains (often snow-capped, even in the summertime), lush forests, waterfalls, fjords and calving glaciers. If it's marine life you've come to see, you'll find it in abundance, from whales and dolphins to sea lions and harbor seals. On land, you'll likely spy bears and Dall sheep while eagles, puffins and a host of seabirds circle above. This sailing will also take travelers to the Hubbard Glacier or Stikine Icecap, among other places.