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Most cruise itineraries to Alaska will include a scenic cruising day at a glacier as well, such as Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier or Hubbard Glacier. Cruises departing from Seattle include a stop in Victoria, British Columbia, as the Jones Act requires foreign-flagged cruise ships to visit a foreign port when departing from the United States. Therefore, cruises leaving from Vancouver tend to include more port stops in Alaska itself as there is no legal obligation to stop in Victoria.
Alaska National Parks
It is the largest town visited in Alaska on a cruise and offers the most excursion options of any Alaska port. Activity highlights in Juneau include whale watching, exploring Mendenhall Glacier, and riding the Goldbelt Tramway up Mount Roberts. Don’t forget to taste local seafood, either, with Juneau’s king crabs, salmon, and halibut among the best in the world. Nothing compares to glacier cruises on Radiance of the Seas and Brilliance of the Seas . Go all out on CruiseTours that take you deeper into the Last Frontier, with excursions into the wilds of Denali National Park, train rides with sweeping views of Alaska’s rugged interior, and more. With its winding fjords and gigantic glaciers, the best Alaska glaciers cruises offer unforgettable views.
Where is the best embarkation location for an Alaska cruise?
And learn more about the state's rich cultural past at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage. Nothing brings you closer to history and adventure than the best Alaska Cruise Tours with Royal Caribbean. We’ve curated the ultimate guide to visiting some of the most romantic destinations to vacation for couples.
What are the must sees and dos on an Alaska cruise?
Quantum-class ships offer unique options like RipCord by iFly and the North Star bubble that lifts you up and over the side of the ship for stunning views. Alaska's distinctive landscape is defined by millennia of slow change, from the glacial-paced movements of ice to the tectonic shifts of mountains and volcanoes. A vacation to Alaska National Parks provides the perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the world's most impressive glaciers, fjords and wildlife. Ultimately, there are no bad choices for which cruise to choose for Alaska.
Regardless of where your cruise starts and ends, it’s always better to plan transportation logistics ahead of time to avoid any surprises and confusion upon arrival. If your cruise is a one-way itinerary that starts or ends in Seward, Alaska, transportation logistics require more pre-planning. The closest major airport to Seward is Anchorage, which is over two hours away by car.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN OPENS 2025 ALASKA SUMMER ADVENTURES - Royal Caribbean Press Center
ROYAL CARIBBEAN OPENS 2025 ALASKA SUMMER ADVENTURES.
Posted: Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Alaska’s landscapes are spectacular, so you’ll want to brush up on your photography skills before your cruise. If your cruise ends in Seward, you’ll want to schedule even more time to catch your flight, as it takes several hours to get to Anchorage from Seward. The caveat is that you cannot see the hotel name and are only given the number of stars and approximate location of the hotel, thus leading to a “blind” booking. The popular “train excursion” on an Alaska cruise is the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, and it’s located in Skagway, Alaska. Alaska cruises often have a reputation of being for adults, but they can be a wonderful vacation for families with kids, too. Our local Alaska expert Mollie wrote a great piece about where to eat like a local on your Alaska cruise.
Figure out your transportation logistics to and from the airport, hotel, and cruise port
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Royal Caribbean Last-Minute Cancellations Leave Passengers Scrambling.
Posted: Fri, 08 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Stressing over making it to the airport in time is not worth it; instead, the general rule of thumb is to avoid booking flights before noon. More often than not, flight prices will increase significantly as your travel date approaches. Waiting to see if the price drops almost always results in paying more for your flight, so it’s important to get your flights booked to avoid wasting money.
Ports you will visit
Rising up from the Alaska Range in the heart of the state stands Denali, the tallest mountain in North America, which presides over Denali National Park. Last Frontier's wilderness is so expansive that you can feel the thrill of getting lost without ever actually losing your way. Take a tour through one of the best Alaska National Parks to get the full experience of this untouched landscape. Most known for its glaciers, Glacier Bay National Park is also an ideal spot to watch for baby seals. If you want to see the most authentic and exotic views of Alaska, an open jaw sailing from Anchorage or Vancouver is what you want. Cruises from Seattle tend to visit the more common ports, such as Juneau and Skagway, whereas cruises that begin in Anchorage or Vancouver get to visit more remote ports.
How does a person with a past DUI sail to Alaska?
When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. Experience the authentic interior of Alaska in supreme comfort, with luxury transportation and accommodations. Ever wanted to go on an Alaska glacier tour to experience hiking in its open nature? Enjoy an insider’s guide to discovering the best family cruises for your next vacation onboard Brilliance of the Seas. The cruise line will send four cruise ships to Alaska in 2023, matching the amount of ships it had scheduled for the region prior to the truncated 2021 season. Our favorite tip for finding a cheap deal on a hotel is to use Priceline Express Deals.
Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas both sail roundtrip cruises from Seattle, and they offer family-friendly activities for guests of all ages. While on shore in Alaska’s cruise ports, kids will love the outdoor adventures offered in the state, from looking for wildlife to running around Alaska’s hiking trails. If visiting Skagway, take a short, thirty minute walk to Yakutania Point, which provides a stunning view of the Taiya Inlet. Or, if in Ketchikan, put on your hiking points and summit Deer Mountain for unbeatable views of the nearby islands.
You’re going to want to start planning early, though, as these adventures are popular — the sooner you book, the better the cruise deals. Whether you’re traveling with kids or looking for an unforgettable couple’s adventure, a vacation like this delivers on every level. From Alaska’s incredible natural wonders and awe-inspiring landscapes, to its rich cultural heritage and history, nothing beats a cruise to this wild northern paradise. Whether you're interested in hiking through a forest, trekking to glaciers or a shopping spree downtown, the towns along Alaska's inside passage provide a variety of adventurous activities.
The resident population varies by the season but can include caribou and moose calves, fawns, porcupines, birds, lynx, and brown and black bears. That's why Royal Caribbean overnights in the best accommodations in the heart of every destination. These lodges and hotels allow for easy access both to the great outdoors and the communities where you can get a taste of local life. Towering high in the center of the Alaska Range is the Denali, North America’s tallest peak at 20,310 feet. Central to the cultural heritage of the native peoples who have lived here for thousands of years, the giant mountain is the ultimate symbol of the Alaskan wild.
Pioneer America’s Last Frontier onboard Ovation of the Seas®, one of the world's most groundbreaking ships and among the boldest ships to ever sail Alaska. Gaze at giant glaciers from the pool deck while you sail through Endicott Arm. Scan the surrounding waters on your way to Juneau for glimpses of wildlife from the North Star®, the tallest viewing deck on a cruise ship. If traveling all the way to Alaska, though, we advise planning more days for a cruise and land trip. Many guests prefer spending an additional week in Alaska’s interior, giving them extra time to visit other areas like Anchorage and Fairbanks. Known as pre or post-sailing Cruisetours, these extended trips can range between 9 and 13 nights, including the 7-night cruise.
Many of our Alaska glacier cruises depart from Vancouver or Seattle, so you can get in your dose of urban exploration before you explore the icy wilderness. Age-old glaciers like Dawes or Mendenhall give way to meandering fjords all throughout Alaska. Kayak through the icy waters and catch a glimpse of the grazing caribou and the leaping mountain goats who frequent the massive mountains of ice. As glaciers move, they grind the earth to flour that turns the waters that wind through the fjords a gorgeous opaque turquoise color. Take an excursion or tour through the water-filled valleys of Mendenhall Glacier to bathe in the light that reflects off of the compressed ice. You can kayak through Mendenhall Lake, which is actually created by the melting waters of the 3,000-year-old glacier.
If you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors viewing scenery, it’s always better to be prepared with more layers and accessories than you think you’ll need. Predicting the weather in Alaska is nearly impossible, and you may encounter all four seasons in just one day while visiting the state. And, while onboard, kids will enjoy the activities and programming offered by Royal Caribbean. Whether in the Caribbean or Alaska, Royal Caribbean offers the same family-friendly activities and programs for its guests. That being said, they do appear from time to time in the later part of the cruise season, usually around September. Because of their unpredictability, we wouldn’t recommend getting your hopes up about seeing the northern lights.
The best Alaska food to try on a cruise includes king crab, salmon, fry bread, birch syrup, wild berries and more. After traveling somewhere new, you want to bring something back with you to remember all of your fun adventures. The sheer size of Alaska lends itself to a wide variety of terrain and travel experiences.
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