Get ready for your Alaskan cruise with these tips for your Alaska cruise, all things that I wish I’d known before my first Alaskan cruise! Everything from what to pack to Alaskan cruise excursions, Alaskan cruise prices, and even the best time to cruise Alaska!
When we first started talking about going on an Alaskan Cruise for my mom’s 50th birthday, I was so excited. Alaska has always been on my bucket list of places to visit, and well, I love cruises. I’ve been on 10 or more Caribbean cruises, so I thought I knew pretty much everything I needed to about cruising.
I was so wrong.
An Alaskan Cruise is nothing like a Caribbean one, other than the fact that you’re cruising on a big boat and everything on the ship is included. Everything else about an Alaskan cruise is different than any other Caribbean cruise I’ve ever been on. That’s why I’m sharing these 5 things I wish I’d known before my Alaskan cruise, so hopefully I can help anyone who is going on an Alaskan cruise soon to be prepared, unlike me, before they go.
Alaskan Cruise Tips
#1 – Seattle is the perfect Alaskan Cruise departure city.
About half of the Alaska cruises we looked at left out of Seattle, Washington and the other half left out of British Columbia, Canada. We chose Seattle because one of my best friends’ families live there, which meant a free place to stay and unlimited pickle ball games. But even if we didn’t have family there, I would’ve picked Seattle anyway because it’s one of my favorite towns ever.
There are also great shuttles from many of the Seattle hotels to the cruise port and a taxi ride from downtown Seattle to the cruise port is cheap. There are also quite a few hotels that offer a park and cruise offer that’ll allow you to stay one night, leave your car while you cruise, and pick it up later. Perfect to avoid having to pay extra parking fees during your Alaskan cruise.
If you have a day or two in Seattle before your Alaska cruise, make sure to:
- Eat your way through Pike Place market
- Make your own glass-blown bowl
- Take a boat out on Lake Bellevue or another one of the many lakes in Seattle
- Explore and shop downtown
#2 – Pack and Dress in Layers for Your Alaskan Cruise
Typically when I go on a cruise, I pack a handful of bathing suits, some cover-ups, flip flops, and a couple of dress-up outfits for the cruise itself. For an Alaskan cruise, you have to pack everything from swim suits to formal dresses (for formal night) to rain coats (it rains a lot) and even hats and gloves.
Just because Alaskan cruises cruise in the warmer months of the year doesn’t mean it’s going to be warm in Alaska or on the boat itself in the middle of the ocean. You could have a beautiful sunny day where you can walk around in jeans and a t-shirt and then other days you could be bundled up in a hoodie, rain gear, and a scarf. Alaskan weather is finicky so pack enough options that you can wear something comfortable no matter what the weather is like.
If you forget a rain coat or don’t want to pack one, you can actually get a nice quality one in Alaska on one of your in port days for super cheap. Both my husband and I ended up buying ones on our cruise to Alaska that we still use today.
#3 – There’s More Down Time on an Alaskan Cruise
Unlike most Caribbean cruises I’ve been on that have shows and activities going on all night long, our Alaskan cruise was dead by about 10PM. The Alaskan cruises prices tend to be more expensive and geared toward an older crowd of people and the entertainment and activities reflected that. I was with a group of about 20 for my mom’s 50th birthday when we went and most of the time, it seemed like we were the only ones awake and walking around the ship around 10PM.
We went on the Princess Ruby, a popular Princess Cruises Alaska, but I’m willing to bet that the other cruises will be similar. So if you want to sleep, there will likely be plenty of time to sleep without having to miss out.
The other downside was also that not only did the activities and entertainment end early, almost all of the food closed early as well. There was one small cafe on our ship that was open all night long, but it only served a handful of small desserts and pre-made sandwiches that were not my favorite. I would’ve loved to see the pizza place or ice cream or anywhere really open after 10PM for those of us who don’t go to bed at 9PM.
#4 – Alaskan Cruise Prices Are More Expensive
Our Alaskan cruise was by far the most expensive cruise I’ve ever been on and it’s not because we chose the nicest ship or the longest itinerary or anything like that. They were all expensive. And the excursions all were too. I’ll be sharing the Alaskan cruise excursions that I thought were worth the money next week but for now just know that you’re going to spend a pretty penny on the cruise, probably about double what you would for a Caribbean cruise.
One nice splurge for people who don’t drink alcohol like me is an all you can drink pass that includes juices, hot chocolates, milkshakes, and virgin frozen drinks if you’re on Princess cruises. And if you’re on another cruise line, they likely have something similar. I guarantee I downed at least 3 virgin pina coladas or daquiris a day and a milkshake or two on top of that. The pass easily paid for itself.
#5 – You go on an Alaskan cruise to see the beauty of Alaska
I already mentioned that the cruise pretty much shuts down at night, or at least ours did, but the other thing I noticed was that most everything on the cruise was just a little worse than other cruises I’ve been on. When we were searching for cruises, one thing that I noticed was that the best of the best ships and entertainment were all being sent into the Caribbean somewhere. All of the ship options that we had were older, less innovative ships.
Alaskan cruises aren’t about the ship and things you can do on the ship like ice skating or zip lining from one end to another. Alaska cruises are about seeing and enjoying the beauty Alaska (and typically somewhere in Canada) has to offer. Once you embrace that and realize that you’re more likely going to be looking for whales alongside the boat or taking photos of glaciers floating in the water, you’ll fall in love with Alaska like I did. It’s breathtakingly beautiful and somewhere that I would love to go back to, maybe not on a cruise, but for sure to visit. Cruising was great, but I’d rather just fly in and have the chance to explore the Alaskan wilderness more than you can in just a few hours.
Most cruises have the option to do an at sea floating through a fjord, which basically means floating on the cruise ship in and out of a little fjord surrounded by beautiful glaciers and mountains. It’s typically super early in the morning and while it’s beautiful, I probably would’ve just preferred to sleep in. But if you’re all about embracing the Alaskan beauty, get up early, bundle up, and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. Or take it one step further and book an excursion to actually go explore the glaciers you can see from the side of the boat instead of just looking at it from afar. That’s the beauty of a cruise to Alaska.
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Have you ever been on an Alaskan cruise? What things would you add to my list of things to know before you go? Don’t forget to pin these Alaskan cruise tips for later!
David says
Great Stuff! We just spent 4 weeks exploring Alaska and it was Amazing! So many adventures to list a few off the top of my head that we loved… Our new favorite city is Juneau Alaska. We did it all from Hiking, Glacier Ice Climbing, Ice Caving, Gold Panning, Heli-hiking, to Cruising. One huge one was wild bear viewing and camping in Lake Clark NP. It is a worlds top 100 travel adventure and an experience of a lifetime.
Sandy W says
We just returned from 2 weeks in Alaska and sailed from Vancouver BC to Seward on Seabourne Sojourn. It was a wonderful and beautiful way for my 70th and my husband’s 72nd birthdays. We had pretty good weather, with just a little rain. The day we disembarked we took a 6 hour boat trip through the Kenai Fjords. We saw the best whale action there than the whole rest of trip. I just wish I’d know we were going way out in ocean, since I do have problems at time with sea sickness. I ended up being ok, but still pretty choppy ride at times. And being able to go into Glacier Bay with a national park ranger on board really was great. This was a trip I’ll never forget.
lynnette says
Britniv these are great ideas. We Love Seattle too. We have not done the glassblowing so that will be on our list for next time.
Our favorite ever Excursion is the WhitePass Train up out of Skagway. IF you get a chance this is amazing.
Also we always take binoculars and our good cameras for this trip. The wildlife and nature is Amazing!!
Amber says
I found this post via Pinterest – thank you for the useful info! In it you mentioned you were hoping to write another post about which excursions were worth their price. Would you please tell me how I can find that? We are considering going in 2019 and would like to have your input. Thanks! =)
BritniV says
That post is still in the works, but I’ll make sure to send you a link when I post it!
Bev Kline says
We will be in this area the 1st wk of June, 2o18. How fast is your post? Would love a link also!
Thanks!
Debbie says
Me too please. We’re leaving for our Princeas landcruise 5/31. Thank u.
BritniV says
It’s on my list for February!!
Jan Warner says
So…question for everyone out there. Better to book cruise out of Seattle or Vancouver? We plan on doing land excursions, taking in as much as possible.
BritniV says
We loved Seattle but never been to Vancouver… so my ignorant vote is Seattle!
Dinah says
I’m glad I took time to read this … very informative with all the different comments too. My husband and I are booked on a Holland America cruise from Vancouver during the 2018 southern hemisphere summer so I’m getting more excited now after reading all of these. Thank you!
Sieg says
You’ll love Holland. We’ve been on
two other lines and always go back to Holland. Great service. Never been disappointed. The last 2 were out of Seattle. Don’t miss the ChaHulu glass exhibit at the
base of the space needle. Getting ready to book number 4 to Alaska
Britni says
Thank you for sharing these helpful tips. That is wonderfully kind of you.
Crystal says
We are in the beginning stages of plamning Alaska cruise and appreciated all the grwat tips! Please add me to your list for future updates. Thanks!
Melissa says
I really enjoyed this post. I found this on Pinterest. My husband and I will be going on an our Alaska Cruise at the end of May. We are sailing with Carnival cruise line. We plan on going to Seattle 3 days prior. We are staying at Ramada Inn Tukwila (I have heard some horror stories about this area, now worried about all ready booking there) . We booked this cause it was on the out skirts of town. Our plan is to rent a car and go to Snoqualmie falls on that Saturday. I have heard the traffic is horrible in the city so plan to return the car on Sunday and use the light rail for downtown. So excited about this trip. Its our 20th anniversary. Thank you for all the tips on this post.
Betsy Wiggins says
My husband and I cruised Alaska and had a blast! The glacier excursions are fantastic, and so is sledding with the dogs!! I felt so exhilarated after that sled ride. We also went salmon fishing in Skagway and caught a whole bunch. They weigh it and then can it fresh for you. Yum! Really delicious. That cruise was a ton of fun, I believe one of our best vacations. It didn’t hurt that the weather was great, too.
Oralia Guzman says
Is it best to go through a travel agent or on your own? Cost wise
BritniV says
Unfortunately I’ve only ever done it on my own, so I’m not sure what the cost would be for a travel agent.
Deb Niles says
My husband and I are cruising on Norwegian early Sept. for an 11-day Anchorage Denali Express land/sea tour. We want to fish for Salmon, which port is the best chance of catching some fish that time of year? Stops include Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. Thanks!
BritniV says
Unfortunately we didn’t go fishing on our trip so I’m not sure! Hope you figured it out!
Madeline says
We are at the very early stages of planning an Alaskan cruise. Love your post. Please add me to your list for future updates. Thank you.
SHARON HENDERSON says
We are going on a cruise to Alaska in May. We will be celebrating our 40th anniversary. Has anyone bought the picture package? We have been on several cruises but never purchased pictures. We will be on princess cruise lines.
BritniV says
I haven’t bought the picture package, mostly because we end up taking so many of our own photos! But it could definitely be worth it to have some keepsakes if you don’t think you’ll take many pictures yourselves. Hope you enjoy your cruise!
Barbara L. says
I’d love to know which excursions are worth paying for and which I can hold off on. Thank you in advance!
BritniV says
I still need to write my post but the excursions we did and loved were a helicopter + dog sledding tour and zodiaks (they’re like a combo between white water rafts + jet skis). We got soooo close to the whales, it was incredible! Oh and make sure to plan at least one day just to explore, Alaska is beautiful!
Eleanor Ferreri says
Thank you for posting your trip. Your comments were most informative and you have some beautiful photos. Your posting of everyone’s comments are extremely helpful. My sister and I are planning a cruise in the summer of 2019. We are 74 and 75 yrs. Old. We don’t turn in at 10:00 at night. We were thinking of Princess, but now we’re not sure. Any suggestions out there would be helpful.. also please keep me on your contact list, I would love to hear about your excursions.
Karina says
We did this cruise on Norwegian in May… had wonderful weather and did not experience what the writer of this post mentioned… Our ship did not shut down at 10pm and the mix of passengers was good as well. The option that leaves and returns to Seattle is awesome because you get both views and don’t have to choose!
BritniV says
Thanks for the heads up! Glad you enjoyed your trip and yes – the Seattle option is great!
Traci says
I’m planning a cruise to Alaska and considering Norwegian bliss. Is that the ship you were on? Too many people? It will be with my 88 year old mom, 19 yr daughter, 21 year son and a 60 year old hubby who doesn’t think he is the cruise type person . So I’m stressed trying to choose the Perfect” ship to make everyone happy! J
BritniV says
You cant really go wrong in choosing a boat for your Alaskan cruise. There will not be many extras on your boat, 2 small pools & some deck games, thats about it. I was very skeptical about an Alaskan cruise, we went for my moms 50th birthday, but I loved every minuet of it! And honestly I cant wait to bring my family back. It will be different than other cruises. Everything shuts down fairly early, but there is beautiful scenery every time you look up. Enjoy!
David says
You said the crowd tends to be older on an Alaskan cruise? Are you sure that that wasn’t because it wasn’t on a Princess ship (from what I’ve heard about Princess Cruise Lines)? Because I went on an Alaska cruise (from Vancouver, BC) on the Carnival Spirit in 2006. And like at least its cruises’ Caribbean counterparts, it had a wide range of ages, with many age brackets and stages of life represented. (On a side note, many of the cruisers on that cruise were winners of a “Listeners’ Cruise” sponsored by a radio station somewhere in California. Many other people on that cruise were from-and I’m not exaggerating-Australia and New Zealand. The irony of the latter of the two groups of cruisers is, the Carnival Spirit and the Carnival Legend both were repositioned and reassigned to Australia earlier in this decade. (The Legend, however, returns (at least this year) to North America for cruises from Seattle to Alaska.)
David says
CORRECTION: The second sentence should have read, “Are you sure that that wasn’t because it *was* on a Princess ship…?” (emphasis mine)
BritniV says
I am not 100% sure but most people I’ve talked to since the same thing about Alaskan cruises other than Disney ones. I’ve also done a couple of Princess cruises that were not Alaskan cruises and they were very comparable to other cruise lines with more families and younger passengers. I’ve been on about 15 cruises on various cruiselines and this is the only experience I’ve had like this with such an older demographic and the ship shutting down early.
Mellie says
We’re cruising on Norwegian’s Joy that was built in 2017 and is currently being refurbished for 2019 sailings. And they have a sister ship, Bliss. Both sound like non stop action (2 story go cart track, what?!) I’m actually concerned that it will be overrun with young ones but we’ll see. Thanks for all the information. I’ll have to search your blog to see if you ever did the excursion breakdown!
Sharon Goins says
Cruising Carnival Legend, May 2019!! Ports are Juneau, Skagway, cruising Glacier Bay, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan and Victoria, BC, Canada!!! So excited!! suggestions welcomed!!
BritniV says
I hope you have an awesome trip! That sounds like so much fun!
Ellen says
Dear Britni
I enjoyed your reviews and information so much. I too have been to Alaska on the Carnival. We were in Seattle for 2 days to sight see.
Everyone must visit Alaska at least once in their life. It is beautiful.
Keep up the good work.
Dallas, TX
Ellen
BritniV says
I agree! It was one of our favorite cruises, such a beautiful place to visit!
Teresa says
We are planning an Alaskan Cruise in the summer of 2020. Which month did you go? We were wondering the weather for June, July and August?
BritniV says
We went in August. I would say, it will be colder than you think. Bring a good jacket but not a heavy one. You will wear pants every day. Also bring a rain jacket as it does drizzle most days. I would also bring a hat and gloves for those early morning/late night scenery viewings on the boat. Very Jealous! Have so much fun! I cant wait to bring my family back to Alaska.
Debi West says
Thanx for the tips. I also was wondering when you went, but saw it was answered. We’re old fogies in that we take our cruises when kiddies are in school, and not on board, most always in early September. Better deals then, too. We will be packing it on at 9p at least one night, which is the next morning we will be sailing into the fjords and want to be bundled up on our balcony having breakfast as well as feasting our eyes on Alaska’s beautie! Also hoping for a sliver of a chance to see the northern lights. We’ve got an aft suite and counting on using it to our advantage of quietly enjoying the wilflife and views. Only one excursion planned so far, which is in Kechtikan on a boathat had been on Deadliest Catch, one of my wife’s favorite shows. thinking about the tran ride, but it’s likely being to be overcast, so might not. Staying in Seattle for 3 nights before embarkation, still looking for accommodations. I’m hoping you completed your excursion blog by now and am gonna look for it. Thanx again for the tips.
BritniV says
Still working on the excursion post – thanks for the reminder. Hope you have a great time!