Choosing a Romantic Alaska Cruise
One of the best ways to see the great Alaskan wilderness, and certainly one of the most rugged and remote coastlines anywhere is on an Alaska cruise. The landscape, glaciers, fresh air and open ocean are exhilarating and memorable.
For getaways, vacations and even an Alaskan cruise honeymoon, we’ll cover the following Alaska cruise tips:
And there's info on finding the best deals on an Alaska cruise.
New for 2009: Prefer to Stay on Dry Land? For those couples who are interested in a more independant Alaska vacation experience, check out our latest page on a Romantic Alaska Honeymoon, including hotels, cabin rentals, lodges and scenic drives. Alaska Cruise Tips: Season & Best Time to Sail
Alaska cruise ships sail out of Vancouver and Seattle from May to September every year. And the two best months to visit Alaska are probably May and September, when the ships are a little quieter, and likely when you’ll get a better deal on your cruise too. The weather in the Pacific Northwest and on the route up the coast is mild, but bring some layers for cool evenings and glacier viewing .
Best Months for Whale Watching in Alaska: The summer can bring lots of sightings of humpbacks. The best month for Orca viewing in Alaska is probably June or July.
Length and Types of an Alaska CruiseMost Alaska cruises are 7 days in length. There are a few 11 and 14 day sailings which include more ports of call and more glacier touring. Basically, there are 2 different kinds of cruises available:Inside Passage: roundtrip departure from Vancouver, usually 1 week. You sail up the inside passage through the islands offshore from British Columbia and Alaska. Stops will probably include Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway and Juneau. You’ll spend about 2 days at sea, and another glacier viewing. Gulf of Alaska Cruise (or Glacier Route Cruise): You sail one-way northbound from Vancouver or one-way south from Seward, Alaska. You’ll see extra ice on this sailing in College fjord and/or Hubbard Glacier, plus an additional port or two. What cruise lines sail from Seattle to Alaska? They include Princess Cruises, Holland America, Norweigan and Celebrity Cruise Lines. Alaska Cruise Lines and ShipsAlaska cruise lines and ships info:
Carnival Cruise Lines - Carnival Spirit. Popular with first-time cruisers and families. Celebrity Cruises - Mercury, Infinity and Summiy. A more upscale, sophisticated cruise line. Holland America Line – Ships: Volendam, Zaandam, Statendam, Ryandam and Veendam. A premium line with lots of room and deluxe features like bathtubs in most rooms. Norwegian Cruise Line - Norwegian Sun. Casual atmosphere, family friendly. Princess Cruises - Sun Princess, Dawn Princess, Coral Princess and Island Princess. Lots of activities, large ships, efficient & friendly staff. Radisson Seven Seas – each cabin has a balcony and bath. First class cruise experience. Royal Caribbean International - Serenade of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas and Vision of the Seas. Casual, middle-of-the-road cruising popular with just about everyone. Silversea – luxury small-ship cruise line with many extras.
Alaska Port ReviewsHere are some Alaska port reviews - a look at some of the ports of call on your Alaska vacation:
Skagway – Klondike-era saloons, wooden sidewalks and horse-drawn carriages. “Gold Rush” rail and bus tours. Ketchikan – also a gold-rush town, with lots of Totem Poles and Indian artifacts. Located in a rain forest – warmer temps, but plenty of liquid sunshine. Sitka – Russian culture and architecture. Wildlife excursions available too. Haines – great place for eagle lovers! Also Native American art and cultural shows.
Victoria, B.C. – beautiful jewel of a small city tucked into the southern corner of Vancouver Island. Clean, very green and very, very British! Inner harbor full of sights and activities including the Royal BC Museum and the Empress Hotel. Don’t miss Butchart Gardens. Vancouver, B.C. –a great place to begin your holiday! For cruise passengers staying downtown, the best and closest sights are Stanley Park, a walk around English Bay and Robson street for shopping. If it’s souvenirs you crave, Gastown has plenty.
Glacier Viewing on an Alaska CruiseThis is probably the single biggest highlight of an Alaskan cruise. Most inside passage cruises from Vancouver will include either one of 2 different glacier viewing opportunities:
If you’re intent on seeing the most of Glacier Bay up close on your cruise, read over the details in the itinerary of any Alaska cruise you’re considering. Try to find out if the ship actually enters Glacier Bay, as some cruise lines will not have a permit to sail into the bay. If you’re on one of the ships that gets into the bay, you’ll feel like you’re surrounded by ice!
Especially on a clear day, the contrast of colors (especially the blue hues in the ice) are amazing. And there’s also a chance you could spot a humpback whale or two! Make sure you dress warm enough, grab your camera and binoculars, and snuggle up in a good viewing point on the outside rail.
Tracy Arm – a gorgeous 25 mile long fjord south of Jeaneau. Snow capped mountains, bald eagles overhead, and Sawyer Glacier will keep the camera clicking. Hubbard Glacier – a six mile wide ice face at the north end of Yakutat Bay. Misty Fjords National Monument – like its name suggests, lots of rain and mist. A huge wilderness preserve of cascading waterfalls, towering cliffs, and fjords. Alaska Cruise Tours & Shore ExcursionsThere are a number of good Alaska land excursions offered by the major cruise lines - they would include:
Travel to/from Your Alaska CruiseThere is a very good chance you will see Vancouver on your Alaska cruise, either to depart for your journey, arriving back, or both. Vancouver is a great place to spend some time extending your holiday either before of after you sail. For more information, check our Vancouver Vacation page and our section on Whistler Vacations and Day Trips.
Vancouver International Airport is approximately 15 km’s (9 miles) from the 2 cruise ship terminals, which are located downtown at Canada Place and Ballantyne Pier.
If you book your holiday as an air and cruise package, transfers between the airport and downtown cruise ship ports and/or hotel will most likely be included. Otherwise it costs about $25 for a taxi or $18 for a shuttle bus transfer downtown, and the ride takes about ½ hour.
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Juneau – frontier town with excursions to Mendenhall and Norris glaciers. Great views from Mt. Roberts Tramway.
Glacier Bay – a fantastic national park and preserve with 16 tidewater glaciers, crashing tons of ice, and abundant wildlife.
For most, seeing this incredible part of the national park from the deck of a cruise ship will suffice. But if you’re adventurous and long to see it in a more up-close manner, there are small cruise lines (with small cruise ships in Alaska) that offer a more thorough look. You might want to consider these if seeing Alaska is more important to you than the whole cruise ship experience.