The best Alaska cruise itineraries offer plenty of opportunities to sightsee magnificent glaciers, spot exotic wildlife, and engage in outdoor adventure. With stops in vibrant cities and former gold rush boomtowns, there’s no shortage of exciting Alaska cruises to embark on.
If you’re considering a vacation to the Last Frontier, here are some of the best itineraries tailored to the type of experience you’re looking for.
Best Alaska Cruises For Families
Whale-watching in Alaska
An Alaska cruise with kids (or older teens) offers plenty of adventures for the whole family to enjoy, such as whale watching and kayaking next to waterfalls.
While all of our Alaska itineraries have port stops and excursions that make for a great family cruise, it’s a good idea to research each port of call before deciding which cruise will be the best match for your family.
Find a cruise itinerary that stops in Ketchikan during the end of summer or beginning of fall in Alaska, when you’ll be able to witness a dramatic salmon run. Kids will be in awe when they spot massive amounts of salmon coming in from the ocean and swimming and leaping upstream in the river, where bears and other wildlife are waiting to feast.
Mount Roberts Tramway in Juneau, Alaska
During a stop in Juneau, you can take the family up the Mount Roberts Tramway, visit a one-eyed bald eagle, and go on a kid-friendly hike up the mountainside for incredible views from above.
White Pass & Yukon Railroad in Skagway, Alaska
In Skagway, kids will be delighted to go on the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Alaska. Built during the Gold Rush era, this stunning route travels over mountain passes and through gorgeous valleys, climbing almost 3,000 feet above water.
Enjoy the scenery while aboard the vintage passenger train, or for some extra family-friendly fun, combine your ride with an excursion to pan for gold.
Best Cruise Itinerary To Alaska For Couples
Alaska might not be the first destination that comes to mind for couples looking to go on a romantic getaway, but a scenic cruise to Alaska, with its promise of adventure and dreamy landscapes, makes for the perfect couple’s trip.
Seward, Alaska
On a couple’s cruise to Alaska, strengthen your bond on a thrilling shore excursion, take a walk by the harbor, cuddle on your veranda with a cup of hot chocolate, and make memories that will last a lifetime in any of our ports of call.
Situated on the Sitka Sound and surrounded by the Tongass National Rainforest, Sitka is an incredible place for couples and other cruisers to go on nature-filled excursions. Take a kayaking trip around the sound, go on a hike through the rain forest, or explore the quaint seaside town of Sitka, where you can enjoy a salmon bake for lunch, which is a quintessential Alaska food experience.
Watch: Discover Icy Strait Point With Celebrity Cruises
Animal and adventure-loving couples will find their oasis in Icy Strait Point. This unique port of call was developed specifically for cruise ships and serves as a great starting point for shore excursions that show you the wild and rugged side of Alaska.
For thrill-seeking couples, Icy Strait Point’s shore excursions include glacier hikes, sea kayaking, crabbing expeditions, and more. Go on the ZipRider, the longest ZipRider in the world, where you’ll be able to see stunning views of the tall coniferous trees and the sparkling water of the bay below.
Best Cruises To Alaska For Seniors
Alaska is the ideal vacation destination for senior cruisers who either want to relax and enjoy the scenery or engage in some outdoor fun.
From the comfort of a veranda stateroom or one of the ship’s outdoor decks, see stunning close-up views of towering glaciers while sipping a mug of hot chocolate, or spot whales in their natural habitat as an onboard naturalist shares interesting facts.
There is a wealth of excursions to choose from in each port of call you stop in. Go on a wine and distillery tour in Victoria, British Columbia, one of the most picturesque cities in North America and a popular destination in our Alaska itineraries.
Board a small boat in Icy Strait Point and explore the pristine waters of Port Frederick, where you’ll search for sea otters, whales, and puffins.
Or soar high above Glacier Bay National Park during a flightseeing tour and spot hemlock forests, waterfalls, and glaciers from a fixed-wing plane.
Watch: The Alaska Railroad
If you have an extra few days, you can venture further inland with a cruisetour. Stay in authentic lodges and marvel at the incredible interior landscapes aboard a luxurious train.
Best Alaska Cruise Itinerary To See Wildlife
One of the biggest draws of taking a cruise to Alaska is the opportunity to spot abundant wildlife in their natural habitat.
Brown bears in Alaska
An Alaska cruise route that stops in Icy Strait Point is sure to appeal to animal lovers. There, you can trek along the famous Trail of the Bears in Spasski River Valley, where you’ll find brown bears, black-tailed deer, and regal bald eagles.
Read: Amazing Animals to See in Alaska
Victoria in British Columbia is considered one of the best places to spot whales in the wild. Climb aboard an eco-friendly zodiac boat and search for migrating orcas, humpback whales, seals, sea lions, and marine birds.
Ketchikan, Alaska
In Sitka, double up and take a guided boat tour through the Sitka Sound, where you’ll see a number of marine wildlife including porpoises and harbor seals, and later visit the Alaska Raptor Center, a facility where injured eagles and other birds of prey are rehabilitated and then released back into the wild.
Alaska Cruise Itineraries From Seattle
Seattle
Alaska cruises departing from Seattle typically last seven nights and feature stops in five ports of call: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, and Seattle.
These itineraries also include a cruising day through Alaska’s Endicott Arm Fjord, a 30-mile-long stretch full of natural beauty, that ends at the gorgeous Dawes Glacier. Step out into your veranda or head up to one of the ship’s outdoor decks and be soothed by the granite Alaskan mountains, cascading waterfalls, drifting icebergs, and spectacular glaciers.
During a round-trip Alaska cruise from Seattle, you’ll also sail through the Inside Passage, a maze of fjords and bays home to a number of animals including bald eagles, sea lions, and whales.
Top Alaska Cruises From Vancouver
There are a number of different Alaska itineraries that depart from Vancouver. If you don’t have many vacation days to spare, you can choose a shorter itinerary that lasts five nights. If you have a little bit more time, pick a seven- to nine-night itinerary that visits a number of different ports including Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka, depending on your journey.
Most cruises from Vancouver to Alaska also sail to Hubbard Glacier, allowing you to witness its majestic beauty from up close. Nicknamed the “galloping glacier,” Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in North America and one of the few that is still actively thickening and not receding.
Read: Round-Trip Alaska Cruise From Vancouver
Hubbard Glacier, Alaska
On a cruise to Hubbard Glacier, you’ll witness one of its thunderous calving displays, which occurs when huge blocks of ice (some as tall as a two-story building) fall off from its exterior and crash into the water below.
Alaska Cruise Itineraries From Seward
Seward, Alaska
Alaska cruises from Seward sail south and end in Vancouver, British Columbia. Visit the Alaska SeaLife Center and Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, where you’ll interact with wildlife and learn more about the region’s unique habitat.
Southbound cruises from Seward visit a number of exciting Alaskan ports, including the historic mining town of Skagway; Icy Strait Point, where you can sign up for fun outdoor adventures; and Ketchikan, where you’ll see one of the world’s largest collections of indigenous totem poles.
Extend your vacation with one of our Alaska cruisetours, which last from 9 to 13 nights and combine a 7-night cruise with a few days on land in destinations including Anchorage, Talkeetna, and Denali.
Visit the cosmopolitan city of Anchorage, then stop in the picturesque town of Talkeetna, where you’ll be surrounded by Denali, the tallest peak in North America. Experience hiking in Alaska up the trails of the Denali National Park or go on a river rafting adventure down the Nenana River.
Gift shop in Talkeetna
Book Your Alaska Cruise
Find the Alaska cruise that matches your interests and timeframe by browsing all of our Alaska cruise itineraries on our website. The best staterooms and suites on Alaska cruises sell out quickly, so don’t delay booking your cruise adventure to Alaska.
