The best cruises to Alaska from Seattle for every type of traveler

Table Of Content

• Free Vacation Planning Services
• Curious about learning more about cruising or want more information?
• Day 3: Ketchikan
• The best cruises to Alaska from Seattle for every type of traveler
• White Pass & Yukon Railroad
• The Great Land awaits – set sail with Princess, the #1 Alaska cruise line
• What to Know About Cruises from Seattle

Sitka is home to numerous wildlife viewing excursions, including whale and sea otter watching trips, rainforest hikes, biking adventures, ocean rafting, and more. You can also visit the former Russian capital city, Alaska Raptor Center, and Sitka National Historical Park. The Alaska Raptor Center is home to owls, hawks, bald eagles, and other birds of prey. Sitka also has a long history with fine arts and was once known as the "Paris of the Pacific." You can book an excursion to visit several art galleries and learn how to pull a Venetian-style glass cane. Rush across the snow on a dog sled with a professional musher, fly fish for salmon in fresh rivers and soar over miles of glacial tundra in a helicopter.

Free Vacation Planning Services

Alaskan Cruise Costs: What You Can Expect to Pay - NerdWallet

Alaskan Cruise Costs: What You Can Expect to Pay.

Posted: Sat, 09 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Towering above the water over 30 stories, the glacier often calves 100-foot chunks of ice into the ocean. What lies beneath the waves is almost as impressive, where ice plunges 1,200 feet beneath the surface. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices.

Curious about learning more about cruising or want more information?

Watch migrating humpback whales from the deck of a catamaran or Native craftsman carve a traditional totem pole, and expand your Alaska cruise experience. If you want to get up close to Mendenhall Glacier, consider a helicopter walkabout tour. Other activities include whale watching, a day trip to Tracy Arm Fjord, panning for gold, or enjoying an authentic salmon bake.

Day 3: Ketchikan

With an overwhelming world of choices, we understand you may need some personal assistance to plan your perfect vacation. From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help. Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money.

The best cruises to Alaska from Seattle for every type of traveler

Looking for the best Alaska cruise from Seattle if you're bringing three generations of your family along for the ride? We can think of nothing better than a voyage on one of the two Princess Cruises ships that sail out of the city, the 3,660-passenger Discovery Princess and 3,560-passenger Royal Princess. There, the bartender will muddle your mojitos with raspberry, guava, passion fruit or even jalapeno pepper to spice things up when you're sitting with your new solo friends. Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Bliss are also our top picks for ships operating the best Alaska cruises from Seattle for solo travelers. Between these two, it's a tossup, though we put Norwegian Bliss in the headline above since, well, we already gave Norwegian Encore a turn in the limelight with the best-for-luxury category. Our pick for the best Alaska cruises from Seattle for budget travelers may come as a surprise to many cruise aficionados.

Snuggle sled dog puppies in the ship's Piazza, or see the Northern Lights in the planetarium. At the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, explore our treehouse and enjoy unmatched views of Denali. Dive deeper into what makes the Great Land special on your cruise to Alaska.

The Great Land awaits – set sail with Princess, the #1 Alaska cruise line

Quite simply, you can pick and choose to create your own memorable holiday whilst onboard. To narrow down which Alaska cruise is right for you, we've compiled a quick introduction to what you can see in each port. The following destinations are the main ports you could visit on a Norwegian Alaska cruise.

To the extent that families with younger kids book Holland America ships, they are more likely to book one of its larger vessels. The top decks of Holland America vessels, notably, lack many of the kid-focused attractions found on the top decks of more family-focused ships operated by the likes of Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian. That often keeps families with younger kids from booking the ships. The best Alaska cruises out of Seattle for retirees, in our view, are the sailings offered by Holland America on both the 1,964-passenger Westerdam and 2,104-passenger Eurodam. We give Westerdam the slight edge for reasons we will explain below.

Travel Tips for Seattle

Princess Cruises announces 2025 Alaska season - World of Cruising

Princess Cruises announces 2025 Alaska season.

Posted: Tue, 08 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Experience the adventure of a lifetime when you cruise to Alaska from Seattle with Celebrity Cruises®. Sail past magnificent glaciers and admire the view from your private veranda or cruise ship deck. Stop in the unforgettable ports of Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway, then unwind in your luxurious stateroom before setting off on the next day’s adventure. Marvel at the incredible calving displays of Dawes Glacier while an onboard naturalist describes every detail of the captivating sight.

Both of the Royal Caribbean ships sailing to Alaska from Seattle are loaded with attractions that are protected from the elements, including those bumper car pavilions and skydiving simulators. In fact, both Ovation of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas were specifically built to operate in areas of inclement weather. However, keep in mind that Alaska can be chilly, even at the height of summer, and rainy, too. Unlike the Royal Caribbean ships, the Norwegian ships also have epic waterslides on their top decks, which in theory, might put them over the top in any listing of the best cruise ships for families based in Seattle.

On an Alaska cruise, let us show you Glacier Bay National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier. When you cruise to Alaska from Seattle, encounter unique ports of call that are rich in history, culture and natural beauty. The largest tidewater glacier in North America, Hubbard Glacier has been moving its mass towards the ocean at a rate faster than most of its kind.

This option allows you to travel by land and sea without planning separate parts of your trip. All Cruisetours include a seven-day Alaska cruise combined with land travel in places like Denali National Park, Anchorage, and Fairbanks. If you're considering a land and sea vacation, be sure to check out Norwegian's selection of 2022 Alaska Cruisetours. Explore the dynamic glaciers, soaring peaks and captivating history of the 49th state on our award-winning itineraries. Let Princess pick you up from the airport and take you directly to your ship or hotel when you arrive, even if you didn't book your airfare through us. Alaska's seafood is famous, and we bring the best to you with locally inspired dishes from the state’s best eateries.

Watch northern wilderness views unfold from aboard our glass-domed train, the McKinley Explorer®. Stay up to 3 nights at the McKinley Chalet Resort near Denali National Park. If you want to witness these spectacles with a bit more elbow room and enjoy a wide selection of venues, entertainment, and amenities on ship, a mid-size ship is the best cruise ship to take from Seattle to Alaska. Mid-size ships offer the best of both worlds — the attentive service of a small ship combined with large ship amenities. On a cruise from Seattle, relive history at Pioneer Square, the city’s oldest neighborhood dating back to 1852. Ascend the Space Needle, where you can enjoy panoramic views of the city from the 520-foot high skydeck.

At first glance many mistake Victoria for an English coastal city or northern European town. Full of greenery, pubs and Victorian architecture, it's difficult to believe that this was a tent city full of rough and tumble miners just 150 years ago. On a cruise to Alaska, explore the Butchart Gardens, tour the pub scene and taste some of the local brews or sail the bay for a whale-watching adventure. With its roaring glaciers, rugged mountains and deep fjords, Glacier Bay National Park feels like a dream. With 3.3 million acres to explore, cruise to this world-renowned landmark — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and let the landscapes inspire your next adventure.

Visit its most popular attractions, such as the Space Needle and Pike Place Market. Ketchikan, Alaska is one of the best spots along Alaska's Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian. Amble historic Creek Street, a boardwalk over a wide creek that fills with salmon during certain times of year. Fluid lines, light-filled spaces and a blend of modern elegance and nautical tradition make Koningsdam a sublime ship for Alaska cruises. Choose from seven refreshingly uncrowded ships for a front-row seat to Alaska's splendor. Alaska is a land of towering peaks, glacial calving, ice plunging into the sea, and otters and chubby seals lounging on ice floes.