Cruise Bookings - What To Consider When Booking An Alaska Cruise

Shopping for Alaska cruises can often lead to analysis paralysis, with so many different options on offer. Most big ship cruises follow a similar routine, with most calling at Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway at a minimum, but that's where the similarities end.

Alaska's destination appeal has also broadened. The state once fully embraced its position on so many travelers' "trip of a lifetime" lists in its marketing efforts, and many travelers are indeed visiting for the first time on journeys they might consider to be the pinnacle of their travel adventures. But many travelers are repeat visitors having visited perhaps on a big ship cruise and returning to try a different itinerary or a cruise tour to a lesser-traveled part of the state.

When considering an Alaska cruise, here are several questions to get answered in the earliest stages of planning to help narrow the field of options.

Big Ship or Small Ship?

You won't find the largest mega-ships cruising Alaskan waters, but some of them are close. The largest ships cruising to Alaska in the Summer of 2023 top out just under 5,000 passengers, but most range between 2,000 and 3,000. Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean are currently deploying the largest ships to Alaska.

Onlinecruisebooking, There are also small ship cruise lines, like Un-Cruise Adventures, National Geographic Expeditions, and Alaskan Dream Cruises. They don't offer as many onboard amenities as the big ships (you won't find a casino) but their tradeoff is they can get into much more secluded parts of the Inside Passage, and wildlife will be more visible closer to the water.

Travelers seeking a balance might try cruise lines sailing medium-sized ships, typically in the luxury sector, including Silversea, Seabourn, or Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Cruise Line Matters

Alaska cruise lines range from the world's most well-known mass-market cruise lines to intimate expedition ships and luxury yachts. Travelers set on cruising Glacier Bay should know that the park entrance permits are allocated by seniority, so the cruise lines with the longest histories of cruising Alaska generally get the most permits. Holland America Line and Princess Cruises, both longtime operators in Alaska, generally tend to have the most permits. Those two cruise lines also offer a standout amenity: passengers on select fishing excursions can have their catch prepared and served to them in the dining room onboard the ship.

The choice of cruise line can also affect the land experience. Princess and Holland America Line operate as almost a joint venture in Alaska shore operations, and their Carnival Corp stablemates Carnival Cruises, Seabourn, and Cunard all benefit from that infrastructure.

Separately, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity have their own combined land operation in Alaska, which has been noted by passengers for its quality.
It's worth noting that the largest cruise lines typically rely on seasonal summer workers to staff their shore operations. In contrast, many of the smaller ship lines or lines with smaller footprints in Alaska may rely more heavily on local operators with local staff if that's the experience travelers are seeking, it's another thing to take into consideration.

Most cruise brands to great lengths to tailor their experiences on Alaska sailings to capture the essence of the destination Princess Cruises, for example, focuses on provisioning a bounty of Alaska-caught seafood for passenger meals, while Holland America Line brings Glacier Bay park rangers and Huna Linga guides onboard to share their knowledge with passengers.

Roundtrip or One Way to Alaska?

Yes, Alaska cruise itineraries offer both options. One-way itineraries typically sail from either Whittier or Seward (the nearest airport for both is Anchorage) to Vancouver, British Columbia. Roundtrip sailings to Alaska often start and end in Seattle less frequently Asan Francisco.

Roundtrip itineraries are generally offered on larger ships, and sometimes have time for fewer Alaskan ports or scenic cruising because Customs formalities require a stop in Canada (typically Victoria, BC) on the itinerary. They can also have higher cruise fares because the convenience factor of embarking and disembarking at the same port makes them slightly more popular, but it must also be noted that the 7-day sailings only visit Southeast Alaska before returning south skipping Southcentral Alaska entirely.
The one-way itineraries embarking from either Anchorage or Vancouver are perfect for travelers wishing to extend their journeys on either side. On the Alaska side, each cruise line has its preferred port (Whittier or Seward). Whittier is closer to Anchorage, but there's spectacular scenery to be seen on the journey via rail or coach from Seward (where there are also some pretty fantastic excursions and lodges to explore before heading north).