Book Your Cruise Journey Whittier To begin, Whittier is a small Alaskan waterfront town, home to 318 people at last count. To witness Aurora Borealis, Fairbanks is an ideal place, and travelers flock there to get a view of it. It is the largest tidewater glacier in all of North America and measures 76 miles long with a depth of 1,200 feet. There are several different factors that determine the cost of cruises to Alaska. Alaska solo cruise - late September - Alaska Forum - Tripadvisor While small-scale operators have fewer dining and entertainment options on board, they do have an edge over larger ships: better chances of seeing wildlife. An Alaska cruise is the ideal time to hit pause on your digital life. If this all sounds like fun to you, go ahead and check out the following best Alaska cruises on offer right now. The Inside Passage is popular for a reason. You dont have to worry about booking tours in advance in some cruise destinations. Seeing glaciers is one of the experiences I think most Alaskans overlook or underestimate how much visitors enjoy. Have questions? This is an easy mistake to make on your first Alaska cruise. Best Alaska Cruises Back on the vessel, after a gourmet meal and drinks, evening entertainment is viewing the deep fjords, glaciers, and abundant whales that make Alaska so magical. You can leave the formalwear and high heels at home. But glaciers are not common elsewhere, even in places meant to protect them like Glacier National Park. An impressive four large Royal Caribbean cruise ships sail the Alaskan coasts. On the way, you get to see and explore famous places like the Inside Passage, the Hubbard Glacier, Ice Strait Point, Tongass National Forest, Juneau, Sitka and Skagway. Ketchikan, Alaska. If youd like to know something else, please dont hesitate to contact us. I will be going on a cruise that stops in Whittier. Cruise Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. This is one of the most luxurious cruise lines in the world, combining high-end amenities with an expedition-style atmosphere. Unsurprisingly, cruisetours in Alaska organized by Princess Cruises are among the best of their kind. Photo by Shutterstock The best time to cruise to Alaska The best time to take an Alaskan cruise is generally between May and September. Marissa Wright Contributor A cruise to Alaska is awe-inspiring, due in large part to the stunning glaciers you'll see while sailing the waters along the 49th state. Hubbard Glacier. In that case, Whittier is the best place to book a glacier viewing day cruise. I'm 37 solo male wanting to do a solo round trip Alaska cruise - grateful for any recommendations- comfy room, some entertainment but importantly best cruise for seeing the sights as I've seen some poor reviews on that front in terms of people not being able to see what they expected or was promised! Specializing in Alaska trips, UnCruise operates a fleet of super-tiny vessels the biggest carries just 86 people that are so small they can go to remote, outdoorsy parts of Southeast Alaska that no big ship could visit. Our picks for the best tours and experiences during your Alaska Cruise. Alaska Car, train, or group tour. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Theres nothing wrong with those itineraries, but they do tend to focus more on touristy downtowns and less on the great outdoors. On my last Alaska cruise, I heard about two passenger emergencies. Seabourn gives cruisers the chance to immerse themselves in Alaskas wilderness, nature, wildlife and historyall without having to forsake modern-day comforts. Hubbard Glacier A sightseeing vessel looks small compared to the massive size of the glacier! You can see a break-down of the individual months in our best time to cruise to Alaska post. Hubbard Glacier. Layers are the only way to dress on an Alaska cruise. Here you can go on an adventure on a fishing boat and taste the local fish delicacies to learn their way of life. An on-board expedition team consists of a marine biologist, bear biologist, photographer, historian and geologist, all of whom offer invaluable insights during kayak excursions or hiking trips. WebHere are some of the incredible glaciers waiting for you in Alaska. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Hate mosquitoes? Glacier Bay National Park. Begin your journey to the state's most amazing glacier formations as well as many other notable attractions along the way. Early- and late-season cruises might be unable to access the glaciers on their itineraries due to ice floes. Hiking on the Best Glaciers in Alaska: Take an Adventure Cruise By Robert Schrader | Published on March 26, 2022 As I walked on top the slick, white ice of one of the best glaciers in Alaska to tour , one thing surprised me in particular: how safe I felt. Your information has been very helpful, so thank you! You can find multiple seawater glaciers, and if you have never seen whales, this is undoubtedly one of the best places for that as well. The sister ships were purpose built to sail the North American coast and feature 50 rooms each, all with windows or portholes, private bathrooms, climate controls, and a TV, plus Wi-Fi connections. I was born on the East Coast and currently live in the Midwest but my heart will always be out West. However, this UnCruise Adventures sailing is aimed at those who want an more heart-pumping immersion into some little-visited areas of the 49th state, like South Baranof Island Wilderness Area and Chichagof Island. Best Cruise I share travel resources and stories based on my personal experience and knowledge. Shed never kayaked before. Both the National Geographic Quest and National Geographic Venture make the sailing. If you dont plan on checking a bag, pick up bug spray in your departure city or first port of call. And another could involve biking in an area known for its healthy population of brown bears (if you dare). When is the best time to visit Alaska via land and sea? I was on not one but two flights on the same day, where minor mechanical problems caused deplaning and two-hour delays. On my last Alaska cruise, we booked kayaking independently for our stop in Ketchikan. Anchorage Day Cruises | Sail Out To See Glaciers And Travel insurance is the way to go unless you want to pay for flight changes and medical evacuation out of pocket. WebAlaska Cruises | Best Glaciers To See By Ship | ALASKA.ORG Expert Advice Alaska Cruise Tips Best Time To Cruise Alaska Alaska Shore Excursions Book your shore In this post, Ill break down which waterfront town is best for each of these things, with a special focus on glaciers and whale-watching, since I know those are two of the main reasons people book a day cruise in Alaska (even if theyve already done another cruise!). You can choose between round-trips from Vancouver or one-way journeys to Juneau or Seward, or even to Fairbanks when combined with a Denali cruise tour. Web4 Best Glaciers to Add to Your Alaska Itinerary (No Cruise Needed!) Sail to Alaska on Hurtigrutens battery hybrid-powered MS Roald Amundsen. Beauty, excitement and adventure await when you book an Alaskan glacier tour as part of a cruise with Princess Cruises. Mosquitoes in Alaska aren't always a nuisance, but they can be horrendous. Waterproof shoes or boots are a must. Tracy Arm. | CST #2153335-50 |, 5 Best Places to Visit in Alaska While Cruising. Unlike most other sailings that stay within the southeast, from here, the ship hangs a hard left and chugs along to Kodiak, an island community known for humongous brown bears and prolific crab fishing. Let me be clear here: you can see whales in both Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound. Over the course of nine days, this sailing on the 1,976-passenger Norwegian Sun visits seven ports, including Sitka, Ice Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria (in British Columbia), and spends a full day puttering around the otherworldly Hubbard Glacier. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Local companies such as Denali ATV offer larger off-road machines that accommodate booster seats (provided) so the whole family Keep an eye out for any glacial calving, as the glacier often drops 10-story tall icebergs into the waters! This table can help you pick the best time to cruise Alaska. But if you motor a bit further, theres a good chance youll be greeted by electric-blue icebergs, dizzying fjords, and dramatic, millennia-old glaciers. Thanks for reading, Rich. You can stow lightweight raincoats or ponchos and pull-on rain pants in your backpack during excursions when you dont need them. Youll also notice that when comparing cruises between the two waterways, any of the Kenai Fjords cruises that mention glaciers do it as part of a wildlife viewing cruise, whereas the most common Prince William Sound cruise is literally called the 26 Glacier Cruise. The vast wilderness, multiple glaciers, hiking trails, and incredible mountains are perfect seafaring destinations. Yes. This is not a cruise you want to sleep through and even if that's your plan, you may have difficulty accomplishing it. Get my 51-page ebook for just $9.99! Boutique, small ship adventure cruises in Alaska's Inside Passage, Cruises depart from Whittier, a 1 hr drive from Anchorage. Here youll find remote islands dappled with stately spruce trees, dreamy fields of pink fireweed, and long stretches of undisturbed, rocky beaches. Some of the smallest boats hold between 12 and 100 passengers, and many of them are all-inclusive (or at least inclusive of almost everything except alcohol). Trade out your hiking shoes for comfy flats or dress sneakers. Alaska Glacier Tours Cruises depart from either Seattle or Vancouver, while Holland Americas Land+Sea Cruise Tours can take you to Denali or even deep into the Yukon. The Complete Seward City Guide gives you all the info you need to plan your time in Seward, in one convenient place. Prepare by packing motion sickness relief bands you place on pressure points on your wrists, prescription scopolamine transdermal patches, ginger candies, over-the-counter seasickness medications and herbal motion sickness patches. But theres more to The Last Frontier than the resources it offers; today, tourists are drawn for the experiences and sights you can only find in this beautiful, sprawling state. Find a cruise and book cruises direct - no booking fee! All in all, the sailing is affordable, and travelers can customize the land part of their itineraries to fulfill their Alaska wish list (at an added cost), by opting for excursions that include kayaking to the face of a glacier; going on a flightseeing tour to see brown bears feast on salmon; meeting sled dogs; shopping for Indigenous handicrafts; marveling at totem poles; and visiting local breweries. To answer your questions: 1. Everything else is about stepping outside, breathing in the shockingly clean air, and enjoying the cruise. Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in North America. With well over half a century of experience in organizing top-rated Alaska cruises, Holland America Line boasts a wealth of knowledge and expertise. I lean toward cameras rather than phones for two reasons. Cruising through the Inside Passage is generally calm, but the open waters of the Pacific Ocean can be choppy. A Guide to the Best Glaciers in Alaska Hubbard Glacier. You will encounter slippery slopes and rocky roads and that's just walking through Alaska port towns. Specifically, there are 38 glaciers in Kenai Fjords and over 100 in Prince William Sound. As the boat pulls out of the harbor, guests are invited to bring their binoculars to the deck to check the landscape for reindeer (or, at the very least, to see the spooky, Cold Warera telecommunications towers on a nearby hill). You packed all those clothing layers nows the time to use them. Very informative !! Another option includes trekking on lesser-known forest trails and getting an explainer on tide pools along smaller islands. Cruises is a Texas-based freelance writer and guidebook author. In any case, if you have your heart set on humpbacks or are overwhelmed by orcas, Seward is a better choice. As youve read, they are definitely different and have two different experiences to offer. We use cookies to give you the best online experience. 2. After a day at sea, the first stop is St. Matthew Island, in the Bering Sea, almost equidistant from mainland Alaska and Russia. For a lot of cruisers, mid-June through mid-July is the peak season, because of optimum weather and daylight. Have any questions about visiting Seward or Whittier, or where to cruise from? A round-trip Alaska cruise in agreeing to our use of cookies. In fact, the Hubbard Glacier is so large that it created a natural ice dam that sealed off the Russell Fjord from the rest of the bay - a feat it accomplished not once, but twice. (Although they also have a 7-day itinerary from Seattle, all other current itineraries start in San Francisco.) You'll also notice icebergs ranging from a few inches tall to three stories floating by your Princess Cruises ship. When is the best time to cruise to Alaska for salmon fishing? I hope that helps! Some are as rugged as the 49th state, and others are pure opulence. When it comes to day cruises, Seward has a lot more options. Located away from popular tourist destinations, Iceland used to be Europe's best-kept secret. 1. Age-old glaciers like Dawes or Mendenhall give way to meandering fjords all throughout Alaska. A Guide To The Best Glaciers In Alaska | Celebrity Cruises Your balcony may give you an edge over the folks in interior rooms, but you wont get a 360-degree vista unless youre out on the top deck. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. If you have decided to go on an Alaskan cruise, check out the best places to visit to make your trip memorable. No other ship in the region comes close. Do you want to fish for salmon? This Alaska cruise line has literally dozens of itineraries, from 7-night cruises to 11-night cruisetours. All itineraries, whether its from San Francisco or Seattle, also include a stop in Victoria, the beautiful capital of British Columbia. 1 day tour 2:57 pm. WebOBC has no cash value, is applicable to cruise only, non-transferable, not redeemable for cash, and will expire if not used by 10:00 PM on the final night of the cruise. Cruise season in Alaska runs from late April to early October but within that time frame, is one time better than another to book your cruise? For a luxury cruise to Alaska, it is hard to beat Seabourns offerings. Bundle up and head outside to fully take in the view. With respect, I make a formal land acknowledgment, extending my appreciation and respect to the past and present people of these lands. Here are eight of the best Alaska cruises to consider. 4 Best Glaciers to Add to Your Alaska Itinerary (No Cruise Lisa Maloney, author of Moon Alaska. Docked: 2:00PM to 8:30PM. You can witness fjords, glaciers, streams and rivers here. The regions unpredictable weather means it can be rainy and 50 degrees one day, then sunny and 85 degrees the next. Because Lindblad Expeditions partners with National Geographic, theres always a professional photographer on board to help travelers best capture their trip, as well as naturalists and expert guides to put what passengers see on the voyage into a more informative context. Dont forget to taste local seafood, either, with Juneaus king crabs, salmon, and halibut among the best in the world. You can also spot bald eagles in the trees along the shore or on the wing across both parts of the coast. The best time to go to Alaska on a cruise is between May and September. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. You can explore a section of it on a cruise with Royal Caribbean, which offer some of the cheapest Alaska cruise rates. Consider bringing a pair for everyone in your group because you dont want to fight over one pair when a pod of whales comes into view. WebBest Glaciers On An Alaska Cruise. Glacier Bay National Park is probably the best place For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. All are easy day trips from Anchorage. To learn more about the peoples who call these lands home, I invite you to exploreNative Land. The answer is a resounding yes. You don't want to find yourself stuck in an airport because of a flight delay when you should be boarding your cruise. From a massive glacier in Alaska to molten lava tubes in Hawaii and the most surreal canyons in Utah, read on to find the next best natural wonder that should be on your must-see bucket list. I want to spend a little time talking about both Whittier and Seward, and the day cruise options offered by each one. Combining expedition-style travel with extreme luxury, their Alaska cruises offer a more in-depth, intimate and immersive experience than many other cruises. Most notable are these five lines: Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Born and raised in Belgium, Bram is currently based in the Pacific Northwest where he spends his days blogging, hiking, indulging in freshly roasted coffee and sipping craft beers. Enormous snow-capped mountains set behind the Hubbard Glacier make glacier viewing even more impressive. Packing for an Alaska cruise can be tricky. Additionally, Windstars smaller ship are able to get closer to the shore than any other cruise ships, providing world-class wildlife viewing. WebICE, ICE, BABY! College Fjord is also the largest collection of tidewater glaciers in the world, making for truly unforgettable glacier viewing. Top everything with caps, knit hats, earmuffs and gloves. If nature attracts you and you wish to experience it in its purest form, the beaches in Cape Town are what you need. The goal is to have the Alaska cruise experience you and your travel companions long for. Each summer, scads of ships cruise Alaskas coastal waterways, ranging from 12-person expedition-style sailings to mega-ships with passenger numbers into the thousands. These sailings take place on the 264-passenger LAustral, a high-end expedition-style ship that boasts a theater, gym, spa (with hammam), panoramic lounge, and pool. Cruise Line International Association Alaska, spooky, Cold Warera telecommunications towers, TSA Security Screenings Will Be Self-Service in Select Airports, What to Do When Your Flight Is Canceled or DelayedAnd the Rights You Have if it Happens, The Best Things to Do in BelizeFrom Jungle Adventures to Epic Reef Diving, This New York City Hotel May Have the Best Rooftop Bar of the Summer. Duration: 2.5 WebActivity highlights in Juneau include whale watching, exploring Mendenhall Glacier, and riding the Goldbelt Tramway up Mount Roberts. Alaska Helicopter Tours The Alaska cruise season, like the 49th states summer, is all too brief. Early- and late-season cruises might be unable to access the glaciers on their itineraries due to ice floes. When thinking about going on an Alaska cruise, you might have some questions. Which one is right for you? Expedition-style cruises may have less for youngsters but appeal to independent teens. Going on a lavish cruise tour can be an incredibly exciting way to spend some time away. If you love snow and admire the enchanting view of nature, Alaska is the perfect destination for you. It does get dark enough at night to see them by the second week of September, but it's still not as brilliant as what youll see on a winter, land-based Alaska aurora viewing vacation. 2. Located approximately 50 miles south of Alaska's capital, Juneau, Tracy Arm Fjord is a beautiful protected area within the Tongass National Forest. Fishing is good during any monththere are just different species of salmon that peak as the weeks go by. She prefers shore excursions involving history, wine or wildlife. 2-5 day small ship explorations. Best Glaciers On An Alaska Cruise Then Sitka, a former Russian colony, and Kake, a little-visited Indigenous community known for having the tallest totem pole in the world. Roughly 1.5 million people visit Alaska on a cruise ship each season, according to the Cruise Line International Association Alaska. Offering a variety of voyages that last 5, 6 or 7 Which of the Seward day cruises would be best for the least chance of rough water? Check out our blog post elaborating on the best time to cruise to Alaska. When not interviewing sources or writing articles, she can be found exploring art galleries, visiting craft breweries, hiking with her dogs, and planning her next adventure (at present, shes been to 75+ countries and hopes to spend time in every one someday).