Table Of Content
These cushy digs include a king bed, spacious bath with heated floor and anti-fog mirror, plush robes, turndown service and complimentary soft drink, water and snack minibar. Bigger, costlier accommodations come with complimentary welcome Champagne, a coffee maker and priority booking for shore excursions and restaurants. While not an expedition vessel, Seabourn Odyssey hosts about 14 experts on Alaska sailings, including academics, scientists and other wildlife experts.
Packing Tips For Alaska Cruising With Uncruise Adventures
Fares for this July 9, 2024, round-trip Seattle 10-night "Radiant Alaska" cruise start at $3,399 per person. To complete the luxury experience, book at least a concierge-level veranda (to add free laundry service, cashmere lap blankets, priority boarding and more to your list of perks). Seabourn Odyssey is offering seven, 10, 11 and 14-night cruises from May through August 2024.
More Authentic Shore Excursions
Choose this ship if you want the cruise itself to be just as exciting as the destination. So instead, I had to narrow it down, and I decided to focus on the biggest cruise lines, and then choose the one ship from each that visits Alaska most often. Silversea's luxury Alaska cruises take you on an insider's path along the Inside Passage. There are diamond-blue icebergs, rushing mountain streams, waterfalls and flowers of every color. Here you'll find the biggest bears, the largest gathering of bald eagles anywhere, and more than half of the world's entire population of humpback whales.
Ask an Expert or Past Traveler
Most sail along the Inside Passage, a maritime route along the state's southern coast (and into British Columbia and Washington state) that weaves around the area's thousand islands. Some venture farther north into the Gulf of Alaska; these are often one-way cruises that begin and end at the ports near Anchorage. If you envision sipping Champagne as you watch a glacier thunderously calve into the sea, consider booking an all-inclusive luxury cruise on a Seabourn ship. The two-year-old Discovery Princess sails round trip to Alaska from Seattle, a convenient U.S. home port for families to fly or drive to. Its "North to Alaska" program will delight kids with sled dog puppies in the ship's Piazza, and lure their parents and grandparents with local seafood on restaurant menus and onboard cultural programming with Alaska residents. If adventure is what you crave on an Alaska cruise, you should seek out the small ships of UnCruise Adventures.
Pros and cons of small-ship cruising in Alaska - The Points Guy
Pros and cons of small-ship cruising in Alaska.
Posted: Sat, 11 Jun 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Their combined fleets comprise some two dozen vessels, including a few converted working ships, at least one wind-powered craft and assorted other boats offering a wide range of sailing styles to choose from. In Glacier Bay National Park, I remember going ashore through a bow ramp for an impromptu hike led by a park service ranger. Another time, I recall the excitement onboard when we came upon a humpback whale “lobtailing” — slapping its fluke against the surface of the water to create a big splash. I saw bears foraging in the intertidal grasses lining the shore and sea lions basking in the sun on an outcropping of rocks. These are experiences you’re not likely to have aboard a big ship, certainly not at such close range.
Choose between their door-to-door fares with airfare or an otherwise inclusive fare without the air called port-to-port. A noteworthy feature on Silversea is butler service for all cabin categories. Although several luxury lines sail in Alaska, they don't always offer consistent voyages in the region. A handful, in fact, offer Alaska port calls as part of longer itineraries that incorporate other cruise destinations like Asia or Russia, or even transpacific crossings that call on far-flung places like Dutch Harbor. In Alaska, count on many notable included excursions, like driving the uber-scenic Klondike Highway, feasting on freshly caught salmon at Liarsville Gold Rush Camp or visiting a sled dog camp (petting allowed). In Juneau, search for humpbacks and orcas on wildlife quests at sea or photograph the mighty Mendenhall Glacier from advantageous viewing points.
Large boats tend to deliver adequate but impersonal service — wait staff and guides will be polite but aren’t going to go the extra mile to make you feel welcome. On the other hand, small ship cruises to Alaska prioritize personalized service, with the crew and shore guides doing their best to help you feel comfortable and at home onboard. Alaska inside passage small ship cruises offer a relaxed atmosphere, with more window and balcony options — a smaller, narrower boat means fewer interior cabins and more water-view staterooms.
The best cruises to Alaska from Seattle for every type of traveler - The Points Guy
The best cruises to Alaska from Seattle for every type of traveler.
Posted: Sat, 06 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
For even more detail on each month, view our best time to visit Alaska guide. We’ve put together this list of considerations to guide you in finding the best small ship Alaska cruises for your needs. Luxury ships are also able to get closer to glaciers than their mainstream counterparts, visiting the rarely-seen North and South Sawyer Glaciers at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord, for example. Luxury Alaska cruises may surprise you with their offerings, and more importantly, with their comparative affordability. Your dream of splurging on a high-end Alaska cruise may not be as impossible as you think.
We may receive a referral fee from trip planners for trips designed for and purchased by travelers referred through us.
The ship is outfitted with ample state-of-the-art amenities and customer-focused staff who are there to make your cruise the lavish vacation you’re longing for. Small cruises mean that far less time is wasted in line, giving passengers more time to mingle with others and enjoy land-based excursions. The intimate nature of small ship cruises allows passengers to cross paths more easily and make connections more rapidly. So whether you’re traveling solo or with a partner, you can be certain that at the end of your cruise you will leave with a group of enthusiastic adventure-loving friends.
Beautiful anchorages, great crabbing, brown bear viewing, and nature walks. Take a stroll through the quaint town while watching float planes navigate the waterway as the primary mode of transportation. Each review offers a unique perspective on the splendors of cruising with us, from tranquil moments at sea to exhilarating excursions ashore.
The port is set on Chichagof Island, which is known for its large bear population. Wildlife lovers have plenty of opportunities to search for whales and eagles here; adventure-seekers won't want to miss the ZipRider, with its course of six zip lines. The best Alaska cruise ports are also the most crowded because no matter which type of itinerary and cruise line you select, you'll likely visit a mix of the same ports. The immediate port area will be filled with tourist shops and eateries.
Enjoy lavish attention to every detail and ultimate convenience with a higher level of personal attention. Eric Goldring is a T+L A-List travel advisor specializing in expedition, small-ship, and medium-ship cruises. The beauty of the land and its immense history; the thrill of seeing bears, moose and bald eagles; and the mysteries of the surrounding marine life will astound you. It's a trip worth taking the time to plan and doing right — because who knows if or when you'll make it back to the Last Frontier.
Considerations include private balconies, the onboard programming, the crew-to-guest ratio, the adventure equipment aboard, family-friendly programming and so on. If your dream itinerary includes Seattle, this definitely makes how to choose an Alaska cruise easier as there are fewer overall options. But each spring you’ll find them repositioning from Seattle to Alaska, and each fall they return from Alaska to Seattle. The length of your travel window can also help you figure out how to choose the best small ship Alaska cruise.
No comments:
Post a Comment