Table Of Content
Don't forget to check out our Alaska cruise deals page to save even more on your next sailing. Don’t rush your decision – there’s an Alaska cruise ship that’s perfect for you, so take your time, read my guides on each cruise line, and you’ll find the one that’s right for your cruise getaway. The six-star service is exceptional and the excursions are well put together, giving guests incredible insights into Alaska. Silver Moon falls down a little on things to do while sailing, and the food quality isn’t rated as highly as other luxury ships – but guests on the ship have high expectations, so the food is still very good. Along with Vancouver, she offers some of the best cruises to Alaska from Seattle, Anchorage and even smaller ports like Fairbanks – flexibility is always a good thing when planning when and where you’re cruising. Viking’s ships are all quite new and so offer guests beautiful accommodation options and public areas to unwind.
Best Vacation Spots in Alaska in the Summer
THE 25 BEST Cruises from Vancouver to Alaska (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST Cruises from Vancouver to Alaska (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 23:18:30 GMT [source]
For nearly 30 years, UnCruise Adventures has embarked on voyages with a mission to provide its guests with an enriching adventure travel experience that inspires an appreciation of local cultures and the natural world. Founded in Alaska in 1996, the company has a strong pretense in The Great Land with seven-, 12- and 14-night itineraries that set sail April through September. This year, the cruise line added five new Alaskan itineraries, including the adults-only Glaciers & Tranquility and Winter Sports Alaska, with a focus on downhill and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, whale watching and spotting the Northern Lights.
Dining Highlights on Oceania Regatta
Big ships can only offer deckside viewing of the marvels of Glacier Bay, but UnCruise Adventures sends its ships to the rarely visited outback. In Fern Harbor, Dundas Bay or No Name Cove, passengers can get up close to the natural wonders with birding expeditions, paddleboarding, beach walks, and more hiking and kayaking. If adventure is what you crave on an Alaska cruise, you should seek out the small ships of UnCruise Adventures. 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.
About Susan B. Barnes, Your Alaska Cruise Guide
Choose this ship if your priority is to relax, and you don’t need an extensive daily schedule while cruising between ports. Choose this ship if you’re a younger traveller or couple who wants plenty of bars and evening entertainment while on your cruise to Alaska. Seven Seas Explorer is also one of the ‘larger’ small ships to Alaska, so it feels even more spacious – perfect if you want to sip a cocktail, soak up the view and feel like you’re on your own private yacht – albeit a big one. While the most popular cruise regions in the world will likely always remain the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, there are some amazing destinations beyond those regions, including Alaska. It was recently brought over from Costa, so it has a completely different vibe from Carnival’s other ships.
Alaska Souvenirs to Take Home With You So You Never Forget Your Trip Royal Caribbean Cruises
Now that we’ve covered the basics of all things Alaska cruising, keep reading to discover the best Alaska cruises for every type of traveler, featuring expert insight and award-winning picks. Mary Curry is another T+L A-List advisor who specializes in small-ship cruises to Polar regions and the Galapagos. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. So, I’ve tried to cover the typical dining, entertainment and accommodation options for each ship to help you make up your mind.
Disney-themed restaurants and attentive wait staff take the stress out of family mealtimes. Sourdough is such an important part of Alaskan culture that long-time Alaskans are actually called sourdoughs in local parlance. There's nothing quite as exhilarating as a helicopter tour over Alaska's sprawling landscapes. Discover the top tips for planning a cruise to Alaska and uncover the best times of the year to spot Alaskas wildlife, locate must-see attractions, find Alaskan cruise deals and more. The sheer size of Alaska lends itself to a wide variety of terrain and travel experiences. This diversity means you need to be prepared for a lot of change while traveling.
Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas is an ideal family-oriented ship for cruising in Alaska, with its forward-facing solarium area, complete with an adults-only pool, plus a separate family indoor pool. Then there’s the massive indoor activity zone called the SeaPlex featuring bumper cars, laser tag and even pickle ball. These solo cabins get our vote because they're located in a complex where a private lounge encourages mingling. Lone travelers can also meet their shipmates while waiting to hop into a race care on the ship's go-kart track, at a showing of "Jersey Boys" or over a muddled drink at the Sugarcane Mojito Bar. If you're looking to get away from the mega-cruise-ship crowds, the best Alaska cruise for you might be with Lindblad Expeditions.
What are the best cruise ships and cruise lines of 2024? USA TODAY 10Best seeks your vote - USA TODAY
What are the best cruise ships and cruise lines of 2024? USA TODAY 10Best seeks your vote.
Posted: Thu, 11 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
There may be other ships for these cruise lines that visit Alaska and have a better average review score – but that score might be based on cruises to other destinations. The fairest method was to stick to the ships sailing to Alaska most frequently. A trip to Alaska is at the top of many travelers’ bucket lists, and for good reason. 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.
OVATION OF THE SEAS
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). 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. 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. Below you can compare cruise itineraries for all ships sailing to Alaska for the next few years.
Regent Seven Seas’ ships are another option for the most luxurious in the world, and an excellent choice if you want to explore Alaska in style. There’s one exception – Silverseas’ ship Silver Nova has the most Alaska itineraries, but she’s too new to have accumulated enough review scores, so I’ve gone with Silver Moon instead. The ship carries just over 4,900 passengers at full capacity and has a layout capable of managing that crowd quite easily. Whether served up in jams, candies, pies or cobblers, Alaskan blueberries, high-bush cranberries and other local wild berries are a staple when it comes to Alaskan summer eats.
And onboard experiences range from Macallan and Jack Daniel’s tastings to Riedel crystal workshops that show how different shapes and qualities of a Riedel glass change the taste of wine. 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. You need to weigh up the typical cruise experience of each ship alongside the reviews.
Whether you're interested in hiking through a forest, trekking to glaciers or a shopping spree downtown, the towns along Alaska's inside passage provide a variety of adventurous activities. Alaska cruise ports such as Juneau and Ketchikan are small cities with their own personalities. Denali National Park takes you out of the city altogether, into a wilderness full of spruce forests and snow-capped mountain peaks. 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. You’ll find three main dining rooms, plus a pizzeria, gastropub, Italian restaurant, chop house, and Mediterranean bistro.
Several cruise lines also offer land extensions (sometimes called “cruisetours”) to make the experience as seamless as possible. This luxury cruise line offers classic and expedition-style cruising, the latter of which takes aboard the 274-passenger Silver Wind. (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.
She offers a range of cruises from San Francisco, though there are other Carnival ships sailing from Seattle too, if you prefer. Another of the best cruise ships to Alaska from Vancouver, Seabourn Quest also offers departures from Juneau heading in the opposite direction. Consider this carefully when choosing which side of the ship to book for your Alaska cruise. Oceania Regatta prides itself on fine dining and an upscale yet comfortable ambiance. The 684-passenger ship features creations of celebrity chef Jacques Pepin in the main dining room and two surcharge-free specialty restaurants. No formal nights mean the pressure to dress up for dinner is dictated by fellow passengers, not the cruise line.
Also, if you want the best small cruise ships to Alaska, Seabourn Quest is the smallest on this list. It is ideal if you hate crowds or enjoy a more intimate atmosphere where guests mingle and share tales of their shore excursions each day. Enjoy all Alaska has to offer without breaking the bank when you set sail with Royal Caribbean, which boasts a 28-ship fleet that sails to Alaska on 59 different itineraries, ranging from six to 13 nights, ensuring an itinerary that’s just right for you. Make the most of your cruise by keeping an eye out for pop-up sales that can save you even more money—you can even use those savings to indulge in a pre- or post-cruise tour. Discovery Princess is the newest ship on our list of the most popular cruise ships in Alaska, which makes it a tough competitor in the region. Seabourn Odyssey sails both one-way itineraries between Vancouver and Juneau and round-trip itineraries from Vancouver.
With an expedition heritage that dates back to 1896, it’s no wonder Hurtigruten Expeditions found its way to Alaska. The cruise line with a keen focus on exploration, adventure and science has two of its hybrid technology ships—MS Roald Amundsen, built in 2019, and MS Fridtjof Nansen, built in 2020—sailing the waters that surround The Great Land. Each of the ships features an observation deck, library, science center, hot tub, pool and Explorer lounge, as well as a bar with floor-to-ceiling windows so you never miss a thing. An expedition team of Alaska experts join each voyage, hosting lectures about the areas the ships visit and guiding passengers on outings like nature walks through rainforests and kayaking trips around the foot of a glacier. Guests learn about the cultural heritage of remote communities and focus binoculars to spot bears, whales, caribou, moose, deer, wolves, birds and more. The MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen embark on 14- to 19-day Alaskan voyages between May and September.
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