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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. Fortunately, Alaska’s cruise ports are all small and walkable, meaning you can see many attractions without booking expensive excursions. A variety of museums, restaurants, and bars are located just a few minutes away from where cruise ships dock in each port. Radiance of the Seas will offer these one-way Alaska sailings in 2023, offering 7-night Northbound and Southbound cruises.
Alaska cruise ports: Where can I go on an Alaska cruise?
Royal Caribbean separates staterooms into four main categories - suites, balcony staterooms, ocean view staterooms, and interior staterooms. Within each category, guests can choose which room type best meet their needs. Every stateroom includes a television, telephone, private bath, shower, vanity and hair dryer. Whether you're looking for something modest or over-the-top luxurious, Royal Caribbean has a stateroom for you.
OVATION OF THE SEAS
You can also go back in time and visit a former gold mining boomtown like Talkeetna or take a ride on the Wilderness Express, a train with glass-domed carriages that offer unobstructed views. During scenic glacier viewing days, Royal Caribbean offers excursions that allow guests to disembark their large cruise ship and board a small expedition vessel. In addition to convenience, roundtrip sailings also provide an excellent Alaska cruise experience.
Hubbard Glacier
In September, you can expect to see more rainfall compared to other months and temperatures will be chillier compared to peak summer. Nonetheless, the fewer crowds and lower prices make visiting at this time of year appealing for many guests. This shoulder season will see some of the lowest prices offered all year, and you can occasionally snag a great last-minute cruise deal as fall approaches. While it’s impossible to predict the exact weather conditions you may encounter on an Alaska cruise, it’s possible your ship will sail through choppy waters.
A look at the 2024 Alaska cruises
This means each ship that sails to Alaska, does a one-time Hawaii cruise as it gets into position. Many cruisers have been able to board Alaska cruises despite having a DUI, however, provided they sail from Seattle and not Vancouver. Because the process can vary from person to person, we advise doing extra research on whether or not you will be able to board an Alaska cruise. Our favorite tip for finding a cheap deal on a hotel is to use Priceline Express Deals. Priceline offers a “blind booking” feature where you can input the destination and dates, and a list of hotels will populate offering deals.
Royal Caribbean Alaska Cruises
Instead, book the itinerary that works best with your interests and schedule, whether that means sailing from Seattle or from Vancouver. Cruises from Vancouver sail through Canada’s Inside Passage en route to Alaska. This narrow passage is between Vancouver Island and British Columbia and offers scenic mountain views. If you’re on the opposite end of the budget spectrum, there’s nothing wrong with booking a suite. Staying in a suite on a Royal Caribbean cruise can make your Alaska experience even more enjoyable by providing extra space and amenities like private restaurants and priority embarkation. Visiting Alaska in the early season will come with several differences compared to visiting in the peak season.
Show your spouse, friend, or another family member who needs convincing a few images and videos of Alaska’s scenery. Maybe find a vlog on YouTube from an Alaska cruise, as seeing a first-hand experience could get someone more excited about the possibility of cruising to Alaska themselves. Roundtrip sailings depart and return to Seattle, Washington, and this is often more affordable and logistically easier than starting and ending in different ports. The third option for embarkation is in Seward, Alaska, a small town located a few hours drive from Anchorage.
With over three acres of windows and glass exterior viewing lifts, you can watch for whales along Alaska’s Inside Passage when you aren’t wandering wilderness paths from Ketchikan to Juneau. And for the ultimate outdoor adventure, take a CruiseTour into Alaska’s interior where you can hang with huskies in Denali, and scale glaciers in Alyeska. And if you want to see more, there are “open jaw” cruises that start from one place like Seward and end in another, like Vancouver. Even better, you could take in great views through Radiance’s 3 acres of glass or enjoy those vistas from the soothing comfort of a whirlpool in the Solarium—the adults-only pool and lounging area. You can catch waves on the FlowRider surf simulator or get active at SeaPlex—the largest indoor activity space at sea—with bumper cars, roller skating and basketball, to name a few.
Pros of an interior cabin on an Alaska cruise
Should I cruise on Princess to Alaska? I booked a sailing to see for myself - Cruise Blog
Should I cruise on Princess to Alaska? I booked a sailing to see for myself.
Posted: Thu, 10 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Unsurprisingly, these excursions are not cheap, and it’s not uncommon to pay hundreds of dollars for a spot on a smaller boat. But because what is “worth it” for one guest may seem like a waste of money to another, we cannot say for sure whether or not a glacier excursion will be worth the cost. If you’re wondering whether you really need to pack accessories like gloves and a hat, we’d recommend putting them into your suitcase. These items are small and you may be thankful to have them in your cabin during the sailing.
Royal Caribbean cancels second sailing on Radiance of the Seas ship - USA TODAY
Royal Caribbean cancels second sailing on Radiance of the Seas ship.
Posted: Fri, 08 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The key to packing for Alaska is to pack layers, as you never know what type of weather conditions you will encounter on your cruise. Simply put, there’s not one “best” embarkation port for an Alaska cruise—each has its own pros and cons. Despite this, you can sometimes find unbeatable Alaska cruise deals at the last minute, but you might have to be flexible. You asked your most pressing Alaska cruise questions, and today, we’re answering each and every one. There is an abundance of windows found on Brilliance of the Seas, making it the perfect ship for those wanting to relax with Alaska’s stunning scenery out the window. Plus, Quantum of the Seas sails from Seattle, and this can be a more convenient port option for Americans compared to Vancouver.
Loft suites are, unsurprisingly, quite expensive, with cruise fares as high as $20,000 common for the largest loft suites. Cramming into one room with a sofa bed or pullman bunk beds is not necessary with connecting rooms. Plus, you’ll also have an extra bathroom which is helpful when traveling with kids and teenagers. The first cruise in Alaska takes guests along the Inside Passage to explore destinations like Sitka, Tracy Arm Fjord, Haines, and Ketchikan, Alaska. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. In Hoonah you’ll find a totem pole carving workshop, a handful of restaurants, and a few shops.
You may end up enjoying the replacement port even more than you would have enjoyed the original itinerary. The deep, narrow passage of the Tracy Arm Fjord travels over 30 miles alongside the Tongass National Forest, with the twin Sawyer Glaciers at the end of the passage. While in Canada and not Alaska, Victoria still offers an array of landscapes and culture to explore. Visiting the Butchart Gardens is a popular destination in Victoria, where visitors can wander among 55 acres of floral display that date back to 1904. Getting close to nature and wildlife is recommended while in Icy Strait Point, with whale watching and ziplining popular activities to book.
Whether you're a history buff or a nature nut, there are numerous bucket list destinations to experience while traveling on your Alaska cruise vacation. For all the beer lovers planning an Alaskan cruise vacation, we’ve curated the ultimate zythophile guide to visiting 5 of the best craft breweries in Alaska. Plan your romantic Alaskan cruise with our adventurer’s guide to discovering the coziest vacation spots and most scenic restaurants for couples traveling in Alaska. Embark on a thrilling journey with young explorers through breathtaking landscapes. On our family Alaska cruise, we created lifetime memories by sharing glacier spotting, dog sledding, flightseeing and other adventures with our teens. Embark on an unforgettable Alaska adventure cruise and experience the ultimate vacation.
Discover more of the immersive experiences you can find when you cruise on Radiance here. Nothing back there to placate the masses longing for an affordable balcony overlooking the wake of the ship. Sourdough is such an important part of Alaskan culture that long-time Alaskans are actually called sourdoughs in local parlance. Don’t wait any longer, riding the world's longest zip line in Alaska will be an experience you'll never forget while on your next Alaskan mountain adventure. 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.
Some of Royal Caribbean’s smallest and largest cruise ships sail to Alaska, so it’s important to consider which ship works best for you before booking an Alaska cruise. Depending on your cruise itinerary, there may be a chance to book an excursion on a scenic cruising glacier day. Some glaciers offer a “Wilderness Explorer” excursion, during which passengers disembark the cruise ship and embark a small vessel, allowing them to get up close and personal to glaciers. Outside of port stops where passengers disembark the ship, Alaska cruises offer scenic cruising days to glaciers along the Inside Passage. Instead, the ship slowly sails within a view of a glacier, often completing a 360 degree turn to ensure all guests onboard can have an excellent view of such amazing scenery. Some ships sail one-way itineraries which start in Vancouver and end in Seward, Alaska (and vice versa).
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