So you want to take a cruise to Alaska. Awesome! But then you start researching Alaska cruise tips and suddenly find yourself completely overwhelmed? Yeah, I can relate!
With so many cruise lines and itineraries to choose from, it is indeed overwhelming. When I was tasked with planning a family vacation for my parents to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, (No pressure!) I had to find the ideal ship and route for 6 adults and 2 young kids, no easy task!
Finding the perfect Alaska cruise for all of us was overwhelming for sure, but now that I’ve been through the booking process and had an amazing trip, I have 7 essential Alaska cruise tips I want to share with you, so you have all the info you need to plan the perfect trip.
COVID-19 Update: Please note that I originally wrote this post before the COVID-19 pandemic. Most cruise lines have canceled booking through the end of 2020 but are resuming cruises at some point in 2021. Please check with the website of the specific cruise line you are interested in taking for more information.
7 Essential Alaska Cruise Tips for Booking a Cruise:
My husband and I onboard the Star Princess as it leaves Vancouver
1. Choose the Right Cruise Based on Your Age and Interests
Who is going on the cruise? It might seem like a silly question, but with so many different types of cruises to choose from, make sure you choose one that fits your needs. Traveling with kids? Look for a solid kids’ program and activities on board the ship to keep them occupied, especially for full days at sea. Disney and Carnival are great options for younger kids, while Royal Caribbean and Princess have good teen options. Want some pampering and luxury? The Regent Seven Seas ships include all-suite and all-balcony accommodations. If you’re a foodie, Oceania Cruises is known for its restaurants and even has a culinary learning center on board. Sticking to a budget? Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Line are both competitively priced. And if you’re looking for adventure and active excursions, Lindblad Expeditions, a partner of National Geographic, delivers.
Since we were a bigger group with a varying range of ages, we needed a middle of the line cruise that would have a bit of everything. We chose Princess because it had a variety of excursions, a good kids program, engaging entertainment, and a great spa and fitness center, amenities we took advantage of during our days at sea.
Early morning views of Alaska from our private balcony
2. Plan Ahead…Way Ahead
One of the most important Alaska cruise tips I can share is to plan ahead. Why? Because the cruising season in Alaska is short. It primarily runs from May until the end of September, so cabins book up quickly. Depending on the route of the cruise, one side of the ship might have better views than the other. My recommendation is to book way in advance, even up to a year out, to get a well-situated stateroom on the side of the ship which will have the best views.
Travel Tip: If you are prone to getting seasick, you’ll want a room in the middle of the ship. This is where you’ll experience less movement than staterooms in the bow (front of the ship) or stern (back of the ship). These rooms tend to get booked first, another reason it’s worth planning ahead.
Approaching a glacier in Glacier Bay National Park
Taking in a glacier from the stern of the cruise ship
3. Pick the Right Route
There are various route options and embarkation points for Alaska cruises. We chose to depart from Vancouver because we wanted to spend a few days in that city before the cruise began.
Travel Tip: Remember to bring your passport if your itinerary starts or disembarks at any location in Canada, or they won’t let you on the ship!
Other ports of embarkation include Seattle and Anchorage. These are important things to consider, especially if you want to tack on a few extra days at the beginning or end of your trip. Some cruise lines even offer a land component to the trip, once you reach your final destination in Alaska. In hindsight, that’s something we wish we had done, because how often are you traveling to Alaska, right?
We booked a one-way, 7-day Princess cruise, which began in Vancouver and ended in Whittier (about an hour’s drive from Anchorage). We liked this option because it meant fewer days at sea and more time to explore the Alaskan coastline, including Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. The cruise ship also provides you with a free transfer to downtown Anchorage and/or the airport.
In addition to stopping at various towns and cities along the coastline, almost all Alaska cruises include a day of glacier touring, either in Glacier Bay National Park (where we went) or Kerry Arm. Make sure your itinerary includes at least one of these destinations because seeing the glaciers up close was one of the highlights of our trip.
My husband enjoying a book and the Alaskan scenery from our private balcony on the Star Princess.
4. Splurge on a Room with a Balcony
If you’re traveling on a budget, it’s hard to rationalize the extra cost for a balcony room versus an inner stateroom, but this is an Alaska cruise tip that I promise is worth it. The scenery on an Alaskan cruise is breathtaking, and there’s nothing quite like waking up and sitting on your private balcony with a cup of coffee, as you drift past icebergs and wildlife. While you can see the same scenery on one of the main decks, there was something very tranquil about enjoying the scenery from the comfort of our own balcony and stateroom.
5. Ask When the Ship Was Last Refurbished
Cruise ships go through significant wear and tear, so you don’t want to choose a ship unless it’s been upgraded in the last couple of years. Because we booked our cruise at the last minute, (March for an August cruise,) we had limited options. The ship we chose hadn’t been updated in 4 years, and we definitely noticed it was time for an upgrade.
Typically, companies update their ships every 3-5 years. If it’s a smaller ship and a more expensive cruise line, a renovation will last a bit longer than on the larger ships. So if a newly renovated stateroom is important to you, make sure to ask this question before booking your cruise.
Alaskan salmon was a popular dish on the menu.
6. Know the Food and Entertainment Options
We had mixed feelings about the food on our cruise. On some days, the food at the main buffet (where we had breakfast and lunch) was mediocre at best. Other days, the food was tasty and filling. We had better luck at the specialty restaurants, a steakhouse, and an Italian cafe. In fact, we enjoyed the steakhouse so much, we had dinner there twice. Some cruises have specialty restaurants run by celebrity chefs, so if you’re a big foodie, you’ll want to do your research.
Before you book a cruise, find out what all of the dining options are and what’s included in the price of your package. For our cruise, the specialty restaurants charged an extra $25 per head. Also, we had to pay for all of our alcohol. Most ships offer a beverage package, but we didn’t think it was worth it. We primarily drank wine at dinner and brought a few bottles on the ship with us, to avoid having to pay the big mark-ups for booze on the ship.
Travel Tip: Most cruises allow you to bring alcohol onboard but have a limit of how many bottles of alcohol you can bring with you, so make sure to confirm before you purchase liquor to bring on board. If you bring your own bottle of wine to dinner, there is a corkage fee, but it’s still much cheaper than the mark-ups for purchasing wine on the ship.
Entertainment is another big perk on the cruise ships. This can vary depending on the cruise you pick. Some ships put on Broadway-like productions, while others focus more on music and comedy performances. We liked the entertainment on our ship because there was a bit of everything. My parents loved the musical theater, while my husband and I loved the smaller jazz ensembles. Even my niece and nephew got in on the action, with a kids-only party at the nightclub.
A pit-stop during our seaplane tour of the Misty Fjord Monument near Ketchikan.
7. Book Your Excursions early
The real highlight of an Alaskan cruise is the excursions available in each port. Make sure you book these excursions early because the more popular ones will sell out. Also keep in mind that all excursions are an added cost, not included in the overall price of your package. Some cruises offer onboard credits which can be used to book excursions. However, the downside is that you can’t use the credits prior to departure.
One other piece of advice is to research the excursions offered by local tour operators. Sometimes they offer the same exact tours at a cheaper price. Based on a recommendation from a friend who went on an Alaska cruise prior to us, my husband and I booked a local seaplane tour of the Misty Fjords National Monument in Ketchikan, rather than booking through the ship. We saved almost $200. Just make sure that the local tour gets you back on time for disembarkation. The last thing you want is to get left behind as your cruise continues on without you!
Flying to the Misty Fjords National Monument
The Excursions We Chose:
For our trip, we split up on some of the excursions because not everything was suitable for kids. In Ketchikan, my husband and I did the seaplane tour. The rest of my family went on the Deadliest Catch Crab Fisherman’s Tour. This excursion is a great option for kids, and my niece and nephew loved it. In Juneau, we all did the Best of Juneau excursion. It included a humpback whale watching tour, a traditional salmon bake and a stop at the Mendenhall Glacier.
Fun fact: The city of Ketchikan can only be reached by plane or boat.
On our way to see the humpback whales.
Orca Point Lodge on Colt Island, where we had a salmon bake after spotting humpback whales.
Seaweed on Colt Island, near Juneau – pickled seaweed is a delicacy in Alaska.
The Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, Alaska.
In front of the Mendenhall Glacier. (Yes, I practically lived in this windbreaker!)
Our last stop was Skagway, a tiny town of colorful buildings surrounded by majestic peaks. We spent a full day here so we were able to fit in two excursions. First, we rode the White Pass Scenic Railway. It’s a 40-mile trip on the historic narrow-gauge railroad, carved through some of the Yukon’s most rugged terrain.
We heard the views can be spectacular. Unfortunately, we had low cloud cover, so we didn’t see much more than the mist in the trees. I recommend you hold off on booking this until you’re on the cruise and know the weather forecast. With so many trains leaving throughout the day, this excursion is not likely to sell out.
Mountainous terrain surrounds the small port of Skagway, Alaska.
A colorful sweet shop in downtown Skagway.
Downtown vibes in Skagway, Alaska.
Riding the White Pass Railway into Yukon Territory.
A misty day along the White Pass Railway.
Our final excursion in Skagway was the Klondike Summit to Sea Bike Tour. Again, because of the fog and inclement weather, this excursion was a bit of a bust. We didn’t make it all the way to the summit but the ride down the mountain was exhilarating.
A misty day for a bike ride from Klondike to Skagway.
Our Alaska cruise truly was a bucket list trip, worthy of the hype. It’s also a great way for a multi-generational family to travel together. If my husband and I had traveled alone, we would have opted for a smaller, more adventurous cruise, but getting to see the Alaskan glaciers with my entire family was priceless. It was the perfect way for us to celebrate my parents’ 50 years of marriage.
Related: Why you should plan that bucket-list trip now and 5 tips to get you started.
I hope these Alaska cruise tips help you plan the trip of a lifetime! And if you’re looking for packing tips, I have a checklist for everything you need to pack for a cruise to Alaska, so check it out!
Now I’d love to hear from you. Are you considering a cruise to Alaska? Does this post make you want to book a trip now?! Please share in the comments below, and let me know if you have any questions I did not answer in this post.
Bon Voyage!
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