Alaska Cruises

Alaska Cruises

Mention a cruise vacation, and most people will immediately begin imagining tropical paradises full of palm trees, bikini-clad tourists and fruity umbrella drinks. But it’s rarely bikini season at one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world. Alaska cruises have carved a special niche in an industry typically geared towards tropical destinations.

The first cruises to Alaska date back to the 1880s, 70+ years before the Land of the Midnight Sun even became a state.  At the time, the Pacific Coast Steamship Company began offering tours up the Inside Passage, a network of waterways that stretch from Washington State north through British Columbia and into the Alaskan Panhandle. Today, more than a million travelers visit Alaska by cruise ship each year, accounting for more than half of the state’s tourist visits.

Cruising to Alaska

Unlike other, more temperate destinations, cruise season in Alaska is relatively short. The majority of cruise ships begin docking at Alaska ports in mid to late April and rarely travel past the first or second week of October. Most Alaska cruises embark from Seattle, WA or Vancouver, BC and either complete a round-trip loop or a one-way trip to Seward, where passengers then embark on their cruisetours. (One-way trips can also begin in the 49th state and make their way south through the Inside Passage).

Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway are the three most popular ports in the state, and each has its own personality and charm. Whale watching is popular in the state’s capital, while native art dominates Ketchikan. Skagway is perhaps best known as the starting point of the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, a Gold Rush-era train route now a spectacular scenic railway. However, the most memorable part of an Alaska cruise journey is often Glacier Bay National Park. Although you won’t get off the ship here, you’ll get up close and personal with glaciers as you watch (and listen to) them “calve.” It’s an experience you’ll never forget.

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Seeing Interior Alaska

While only a small percentage of the state is accessible by sea, the majority of cruise lines traveling to Alaska sell cruisetours– land and sea bundles which typically include an excursion via motorcoach or train to Denali National Park, home of the highest mountain in North America. But don’t expect to see the top of Denali when you visit– every tour guide you meet will tell you that only one in three visitors to the park actually ever catch a glimpse of the top of the mountain.

Major Cruise Lines that Visit Alaska:

Specialty and Luxury Alaska Cruises:

  • American Queen Voyages
  • Crystal Cruises
  • Oceania Cruises
  • Regent Seven Seas Cruises
  • Scenic
  • Silversea Cruises
  • Viking Ocean Cruises
  • Windstar Cruises

Ready to Visit the Land of the Midnight Sun?

Whether you choose to visit Alaska on a major cruise line or on a luxury ship, Sea Vixen Voyages is ready to help you plan your journey. Fill out our no-obligation inquiry form to get started.