Alaska Cruise Tips

Cruising the Last Frontier is a dream and certainly should be on your cruise bucket list. Here’s my top Alaska cruise tips.

I’ve cruised to Alaska 50+ times over the past 15 years. There are some definite do’s and don’t’s and some general pointers that will help you pick out and prepare for the best Alaska cruise you can.

Alaska Cruise Planning Top Tips:

1. Decide What You Really Want to See and Do

Do you dream of seeing glaciers calving, spotting whales, hiking through pristine forests, or going on a fishing expedition? Each Alaska port offers different experiences, so knowing your top priorities will help guide your choice of cruise and itinerary.

2. Check Port Times—They Matter More Than You Think

Not all port stops are created equal. Some ships might not arrive until 1:00 PM, or they might leave a port as early as 1:00 PM. If you have a bucket-list port or excursion in mind, double-check how long your ship will be docked. It can make or break your plans.

The biggest example of this tends to be in Victoria, B.C. while on a Seattle roundtrip itinerary where arrival is often not until 6:00pm with a departure at 11:00 or so.

3. Be Prepared for Tender Ports—Even in ports like Juneau and Ketchikan

While most Alaska ports have docks, tendering (taking a small boat/lifeboat to shore) can still happen—even in major ports like Juneau or Ketchikan. This is rare, but it does happen. If you’re planning a non-ship excursion, build in some buffer time just in case.

In Juneau there are 4 cruise ship docks, but there are regularly 5 ships in port at a time. This means one ship is tendering on those days.

4. Understand What “Inside Passage” Really Means

The iconic Inside Passage is only fully experienced on cruises that sail to, from, or roundtrip from Vancouver. Even then, not every ship (especially larger ones) goes through the full route. If you’re departing from Seattle and see “Inside Passage” on the itinerary, know that it’s typically just a partial experience—often just the stretch near Ketchikan.

5. Think About Whether You Want (or Don’t Want) Kids (or a lot of them) Around

Alaska cruises, even on traditionally quieter lines like Holland America, can be packed with families during summer (hundreds of kids even on those more “mature” lines. If you prefer a more adult atmosphere:

• Consider Viking Cruises (adults-only).
• Travel during the shoulder seasons—late April to May, or September to early October.
• Longer itineraries also tend to have fewer children onboard.

6. Make Sure the Itinerary Visits Glacier Bay (If That’s Important to You)

Glacier Bay is a crown jewel of Alaska cruising, but not all cruise lines have permits to visit. If it’s a must-see for you, confirm that the cruise you’re booking includes it. Some lines only go to other scenic glacier areas like Hubbard Glacier or Tracy Arm.

➡️➡️ For more info on cruising to Glacier Bay visit this post

7. Match the Cruise Line to Your Family/Travel Groups Needs

Traveling with kids, a baby, or multi-generational family? Make sure the cruise line offers the right amenities and services. Some lines are much more family-friendly than others, and choosing the right one can make a big difference in your onboard experience.

8. Legal Considerations: Can Everyone in Your Group Enter Canada?

Due to the Passenger Vessel Services Act, nearly all Alaska cruises stop in Canada. If anyone in your group has a DUI or felony conviction, they may not be allowed to enter Canada—even on a cruise. It’s best to check legal eligibility before booking.

9. Be Flexible: Itineraries Can and Do Change

Weather and other unexpected factors sometimes force cruise lines to skip or change ports. While rare, it’s part of the Alaska cruising experience. Ask yourself: Will I still enjoy the cruise if one of my must-see ports gets canceled?

10. Arrive a few days early

You don’t want to miss out on your incredible Alaskan adventure! Plan to get to the port city a few days early to make sure you don’t miss your cruise. There are a few other advantages, too:

• Adjust to the time change for a day or two!
• explore the port city a bit more (likely Seattle or Washington)
• Have some wiggle room for delays and cancellations of flights and travel

Alaskan Cruise Basic Info

Where do cruises to Alaska sail from?

Cruises to Alaska sail from several locations:

• Seattle
  • From Pier 66 (downtown)
    • Norwegian Cruise Line
    • Oceania
  • From Pier 91 (a few miles from downtown)
    • Carnival Cruise Line
    • Celebrity Cruises
    • Cunard Line
    • Holland America Line
    • MSC Cruises (starting in 2026)
    • Princess Cruises
    • Royal Caribbean

• Vancouver
  • Azamara
  • Celebrity Cruises
  • Crystal
  • Disney Cruise Line
  • Holland America Line
  • Hurtigruten Expeditions
  • Norwegian Cruise Line
  • Oceania
  • Princess Cruises
  • Regent Seven Seas
  • Royal Caribbean International
  • Seabourn
  • Silversea
  • Viking Ocean Voyages
  • Virgin Voyages
  • Windstar

• San Francisco
  • Carnival Cruise Line
  • Princess Cruises

• Los Angeles
  • Princess Cruises

• Whittier
  • Azamara
  • Holland America Line
  • Norwegian Cruise Line
  • Oceania Cruises
  • Princess Cruises
  • Regent Seven Seas

• Seward
  • Celebrity Cruises
  • Crystal
  • Hurtigruten Expeditions
  • Royal Caribbean International
  • Silversea
  • Viking Ocean Voyages
  • Windstar

• Anchorage
  • Seabourn

When do cruises go to Alaska?

The Alaskan cruise season is from May through September; there are a couple of cruise lines, namely Norwegian Cruise Line that has been starting their Alaskan cruise season in April and running through October.

The 5 Main Types of Alaska Cruises

When planning an Alaska cruise, it helps to know the major types of itineraries available. Each offers a different experience, depending on your travel style, timing, and how much of Alaska you want to explore.

1. 7-Day Roundtrip from Vancouver or Seattle

These are the most common Alaska cruises.

• Vancouver departures may include scenic Inside Passage sailing
  • ➡️➡️ Like this great cruise from Holland America Line
    ✅ Check pricing by clicking here ✅
• Seattle departures are more convenient for U.S. travelers but offer slightly less scenic cruising.
  • ➡️➡️ Like this great cruise from xxxx
    ✅ Check pricing by clicking here ✅

2. 7-Day One-Way Between Vancouver and Whittier/Seward

Ideal for travelers looking to explore deeper into Alaska.
➡️➡️ Like this great cruise from Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam
✅ Check pricing by clicking here ✅

• Can be done northbound (Vancouver to Alaska) or southbound (Alaska to Vancouver).
• Pairs well with land-based travel in Alaska before or after your cruise.
• Cruise price is often slightly less expensive but airfare tends to be more

3. Land + Sea Cruise Tours

Combine a cruise with a land tour for the full Alaska experience.
➡️➡️ Like this great cruise from Celebrity Cruises Summit
✅ Check pricing by clicking here ✅

• Typically include 1–7 nights on land and 3–7 nights cruising.
• Land portions often visit Denali, Fairbanks, or Anchorage.
• Some itineraries use Skagway as the cruise port, with shorter cruise legs of 3–4 nights.

4. Roundtrip from California

These cruises depart from ports like San Francisco or Los Angeles.
➡️➡️ Like this great cruise from Princess Cruises Ruby Princess
✅ Check pricing by clicking here ✅

• Longer (usually 10–14 nights).
• Great for West Coast travelers who want to avoid flying.

5. Extended Voyages (10–28 Nights)

Longer itineraries that offer more in-depth exploration.
➡️➡️ Like this great cruise from Holland America Line Noordam
✅ Check pricing by clicking here ✅

• Often roundtrip from Vancouver or Seattle
• May include remote ports, multiple glacier days, or cross into the Arctic.

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Bonus Alaska Cruise Options:

• Short Cruises: A few 4/5-night sailings go roundtrip from Vancouver to Ketchikan—great for a quick getaway or cruise sampler.
  • ➡️➡️ Like this great cruise from Disney Cruise Line
  • ✅ Check pricing by clicking here ✅

• “Fire and Ice” Cruises: Rare itineraries that combine Alaska and Hawaii in one voyage—sometimes incorporated into repositioning cruises in spring or fall.
  • ➡️➡️ Like this great cruise from Norwegian Cruise Line
  • ✅ Check pricing by clicking here ✅

• Northwest Passage: These incredible itineraries sail north of Canada. Rarely sailed and only by certain ice-rated expedition ships.
  • ➡️➡️ Like this great cruise from Seabourn
  • ✅ Check pricing by clicking here ✅

➡️ Want more information on how I picked my Best Alaska cruises or want to see the runner-ups? Check out this post with my Best Alaska Cruise picks.

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Which Cruise Lines Sail to Alaska

Alaska is a hugely popular cruise destination and more and more cruise lines are offering itineraries exploring these pristine waters.

Expedition/River:

• American Cruise Line
• UnCruise
• National Geographic
• Hurtigruten

Mainstream:

• Carnival
• MSC Cruises (starting in 2026)
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Royal Caribbean International

Premium:

• Azamara
• Celebrity Cruises
• Cunard
• Disney Cruise Line
• Holland America Line
• Princess Cruises
• Virgin Voyages

Luxury/Ultra-Luxury:

• Crystal
• Oceania
• Regent Seven Seas
• Seabourn
• Silversea
• Viking Ocean Voyages
• Windstar

➡️➡️ Like calendars and scheduling? This site with the full Alaskan cruise schedule from CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association).
🗓️ Calendar format 📋 List format

What is a scenic cruising “Glacier Day” on an Alaskan Cruise?

A scenic cruising “Glacier Day” on an Alaskan cruise is just that – a day that you will be scenic cruising to go see a glacier.

The ship will sail up to the glacier, or as close as they can safely get, and then face on direction for about a half hour, and then the ship will turn 180 degrees so the opposite side of the ship can view it.

You’re not required to stay on one side of the ship or the other, but this gives a nice option for those people on their balconies or viewing from a lounge window to see a variety of scenery without having to change location.

Most of the time on these days you won’t be getting off of the ship. Some cruise lines will offer excursions to get off of the ship onto a smaller boat to get even closer to the glacier.

Which glaciers do cruise ships visit in Alaska?

The most popular scenic cruising glaciers ships will visit are:

• Hubbard Glacier
• Marjorie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park (plus Johns Hopkins Glacier)
• College Fjord
• Dawes Glacier and Endicott Arm
• Stikine Icecap

Which cruise lines sail to Glacier Bay?

There are specific rules cruise lines need to follow to sail to Glacier Bay National Park, plus special permission from the park itself. Only a few cruise lines have this permission. For full details and schedules on cruising in Glacier Bay check out this blog post.

Here’s a list of cruise lines that can cruise in Glacier Bay:

Cruise Lines

• Holland America Line
• Princess Cruises
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Seabourn
• Viking
• Cunard

Expedition Lines/”Small Ship”

• American Cruise Lines
• UnCruise Adventures
• Lindblad Expeditions – National Geographic

What’s Included in an Alaskan Cruise?

Exactly what’s included in your cruise will depend on the cruise line.

Some extras you might find included in your Alaskan cruise (depending on the cruise line) are:

• Puppies in the Piazza – on Princess Cruises
• Glacier Bay Park Rangers, with presentations and commentary – on ships that visit Glacier Bay
• Destination programming and lectures
  • Expect more on luxury lines and the most extensive on expedition cruises
• “Polar Plunge” and other on-deck activities

Otherwise Alaskan cruises feature the same inclusions of most other cruises, the specifics of which will depend on cruise line:

• Food in the main dining areas – usually a buffet, main dining room, and likely a burger/pizza option
• Basic drinks – water, tea, coffee, juice and different milks at breakfast, iced tea and lemonade
• Room service on luxury cruises and Holland America Line
• Your stateroom
• Daily housekeeping in your stateroom (sometimes 2x per day but less common now)
• Most entertainment onboard
  • there may be some exceptions to it but those are few and far between
• Most Kids Club activities
  • nurseries and areas for babies and toddlers under 2 or 3 years old often have a charge. Take a look here for more info: Cruising with a Baby
• Getting from port to port, docking or tendering to the port

The Best Times To Cruise to Alaska

Whenever you can go!

Just kidding – sort of. The Alaska cruise season runs from April to October, with some lines starting in May and ending in September.

That’s a big variety though. There is something special about cruising in Alaska in each month, but there are some things to consider:

• Kids Onboard
  • There are a lot more kids from mid-June through mid/late August
• Early season and late season cruises are:
  • Less expensive
  • More varied (sometimes worse) weather
    • Anecdotally, I’ve had more itineraries changed at the end of the season than any other part of the Alaska season
• Snow on the mountains – the earlier in the season you go the more snow you’ll see on the mountains
• Not all wildlife is seen at all seasons.
  • Salmon – May through September, most of the season
  • Humpback Whales – June and July are best
  • Orca Whales – May to early June
  • Bears – Throughout the season
  • Eagles – All season
  • Moose – babies at the end of May and mating in late September and October
  • Wolves – Throughout the Season
• Discounts at shops – there are huge discounts (often 75% off) at the shops in Alaska at the end of the season (mid-September on). If you’re looking for deals shore-side this is when to go.

Is a balcony worth it in Alaska? – which side of the ship?

A balcony can absolutely be worth it in Alaska but if it’s outside of your budget, there’s lots of open deck space on the ship to enjoy the scenery.

But, if it can be within your budget – go for the balcony.

• Extra space and extra separate space is amazing
• Sunsets at sea are great
• easy access to wildlife and glacier viewing that you can do in your bathrobe!
• Room service breakfast on the balcony looking at Alaska in your jammies is AMAZING

Alaska Cruise Packing Tips

What to Pack for an Alaskan Cruise

• 🧥 Layers are your best friend!
  • Like this awesome merino sweater

• ⛱️ Some waterproof items
  • Rain jacket, socks, and some light hiking shoes

• 🧥 You can leave the giant parka at home

• 🧤 A hat and basic gloves can be nice on glacier days in particular
  • Like this set

• 👗 Formalwear tends to be less formal onboard during Alaska, but on most cruise lines you’ll still want to bring something a little bit dressy
  • My favorite is Adrianna Papell

• 🩱 Swimsuit! Nearly every ship has a pool and many have domes over the top to keep it warm enough to swim
  • Like this collection

• Binoculars or a quality camera (or both)
  • Some cruise lines include binoculars in their staterooms depending on your room category (luxury lines, expedition lines, or suites are the most likely)
  • It really lets you see a lot more of what is happening on the mountains and with the animals in the water
  • Yes, cell phone cameras are great and if that works for you that’s awesome! A nice camera can make a difference and give you more features though.

• Laundry Detergent Sheets – never travel without them. You can use them for spot cleaning, doing laundry in self serve launderettes (on some ships) or even laundry in your cabin
  • Earth Breeze are my go to!

For my full packing list click here.

Alaska Cruise Tips:
Shore Excursions & Top Activities Ashore

Should you use an excursion from the ship or book privately?

This is a great question and for me it depends on the excursion and timing of the excursion.

When to book through the ship

If you want to go on an excursion that you can only do right when the ship docks or won’t get back until right before all-aboard time – book it through the cruise line.

It will be more expensive, but it covers you for so many variables and “what-ifs” that are out of your control like:

• the ship arriving to port late
• the ship switching from docking to tendering thus delaying how quickly you can get off the ship (I’ve seen it happen)
  • the cruise line will NOT prioritize you getting off the ship before other guests for a private tour but they will prioritize those on cruise line organized excursions
  • on a cruise line organized shore excursion the tour operators will adjust accordingly
• any traffic or other delays getting back to the ship at the end of the tour
  • on a cruise line organized shore excursion 99/100 the ship will wait for you. If they don’t or can’t they will organize everything to get you to the next port

When to book a private excursion

If your excursion is in the middle of your time in port or has flexible cancellation policies, then go for it! You will likely save quite a bit of money and still have a great experience,

Viator Link

Where to See Glaciers

Alaska key things to see and do (rephrase)

• Juneau
• Ketchikan
• Skagway
• Sitka
• Icy Strait Point

Alaska Cruise Tips – Happy Cruising!

Cruising in Alaska is an incredible breathtaking opportunity to see the incredible landscapes and wildlife of Alaska, explore different cities and towns, and more all from the comfort of your ship and with only packing and unpacking once.

It offers such a great opportunity for multiple generations to experience this together in a way that everyone can have fun and enjoy.

Enjoy cruising the Last Frontier!