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Learn why our ships are uniquely designed for the best glacier experiences. Top scenic cruising destinations in Alaska include Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm (Twin Sawyer Glaciers), Dawes Glacier at Endicott Arm and College Fjord. Alaska's capital city is interesting because no road leads from here to the rest of the state. It's located at the base of Mount Juneau, and you can only get there via boat or small plane — even residents have to bring their cars to Juneau via ferry.
THE 25 BEST Holland America Line Cruises to Alaska (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST Holland America Line Cruises to Alaska (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 11:31:17 GMT [source]
Best Alaska cruise lines
With long daylight hours and drier weather, mountains will still be frosted with snow. If the weather’s too brisk outside, watch the glaciers from the bow’s observation lounge. Denali National Park boasts the continent’s highest peak, and Glacier Bay National Park is one of the world’s largest protected areas. You can discover even more magnificence during your Alaska cruisetour at Wrangell-St.
Explore the Great Land
Smaller ships can reach ports of call and destinations that are inaccessible to larger cruise ships, allowing you to explore more remote settings and communities. For an even more customized experience, consider a private cruise on smaller ships like yachts and sailboats. The main cruise season in Alaska is May through September, though many cruise lines are adding shoulder season itineraries in April and October.
Top Alaska Cruise Destinations
Get to know wildlife, big and small, that call this wilderness home, like otters, eagles, bears, and whales. This is Last Frontier pioneering with the cruise line voted Best Overall by Travel Weekly readers for 20 years running. These cruises offer the benefits of a wider range of itineraries, shore excursions, departure dates, and availability and take you to all of the must-see stops along the way.
With fewer cruise passengers boarding ships, the process of embarkation can be much quicker. Alaska has a shortened cruise season from late April to early October. These are the only months’ cruise ships can access bays with glaciers without ice blocking their passage. While late June to mid-August attracts the most visitors for the warmer weather, consider an Alaska cruise in May. Sail 500 miles deeper into the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound on our top-rated Voyage of the Glaciers Alaska cruise vacation.
Cold temperatures, icy waters and a long snowy season are not conducive to early spring and late fall cruises. They want to admire its rugged beauty, seek out wildlife (such as eagles, bears and whales) and learn about its Native cultures and gold rush history. It's so far from the rest of the mainland U.S. that it's become a bucket list destination, especially for travelers looking to visit each of the 50 states. With national parks and four of North America’s tallest mountains, Alaska’s wilderness has been preserved for generations. Denali National Park is larger than Vermont and home to the highest peak on the continent. Meanwhile, Glacier Bay National Park has over 2,000 square miles of glacial coverage.
GLACIERS WILL MOVE YOU
Elias and Kenai Fjords, a world of natural wonders awaits on an Alaska cruise or cruisetour. We have a 50-year legacy of sharing the best places and experiences with our guests. On an Alaska cruise, unpack once and explore glaciers, wildlife and national parks.
Night Alaska Hubbard Glacier CruiseDetails
Find Norwegian Bliss Cruises to Alaska (with Prices) - Cruise Critic
Find Norwegian Bliss Cruises to Alaska (with Prices).
Posted: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 21:45:11 GMT [source]
Bears prowl rock-strewn beaches, while salmon-laden rivers rush through pristine, old-growth forest, bald eagles perched watchfully in the treetops. Like everything else in Alaska, the Great Land’s national parks far exceed expectations. Read about Glacier Bay’s seven tidewater glaciers, Denali’s 6-million acres of undisturbed wilderness, Kenai Fjords' astonishing Exit Glacier and other national parks.
The warmer Alaska weather makes June (and July) the best times to see calving glaciers during scenic cruise days. You might need a fleece jacket in the morning but find yourself stripping down to a T-shirt by early afternoon. A packable rain jacket is always good to have on hand since you never know when you’ll get caught in a summer squall.
If you visit the first or second week of May, opt for a rental car to get around. World Stage, the largest theater on board is home to a variety of performances day and night. Our exclusive EXC® Talk lecture series features captivating regional stories told by local experts and narrated by your Cruise & Travel Director. In the evenings, Step One Dance Company, vocal sensation Cantaré, BBC Earth in Concert and more take the stage. Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam bring the World Stage experience to the next level by surrounding you in spectacular sight and sound with a two-story, panoramic LED screen. Pinnacle Grill is the ultimate steakhouse at sea, where an exceptional menu and impeccable service make for one of finest meals you’ll ever have.
Home to Mendenhall Glacier, this is a popular port for hikes by, kayak tours to and helicopter landings on the glacier. If you want a more active trip in less touristed areas, a great choice would be a small-ship expedition line, including Alaska specialists such as Alaskan Dream Cruises and UnCruise Adventures. For these itineraries, you'll need to fly into or out of Anchorage and take a train or bus to/from the cruise departure ports, which can take an hour or two. You can book the transportation on your own or through your cruise line. If you book a weeklong Gulf of Alaska voyage, you'll also enjoy exploring parts of the Inside Passage and its ports that could include a mix of Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan, Haines and Icy Strait Point. Many people trek to Alaska to commune with nature, but there's also history here that you shouldn't overlook.
Alaskan cruises are generally the cheapest in May, followed by September sailings. Cruise lines often run sales in the fall or in the early months of the year (a period known in the cruise industry as "wave season"). You can take advantage of discounted fares, free upgrades or complimentary add-ons, such as Wi-Fi, gratuities, restaurant meals, beverage packages and tours. Some of the most desirable cabins might be sold out; being flexible about your sail date or itinerary can help. If you're interested in Alaska's gold rush history, Skagway — 90 miles northwest of Juneau — is a port you shouldn't miss. In fact, it's the gateway to the Klondike and Dawson mining district in Canada's Yukon territory, where prospectors searched for gold in the late 1890s.
Despite the positive forecast, you’ll still want to pack light layers and rain gear that you can don for glacier viewing or visits, forested hikes, or the always-possible rain shower. Because of the fine Alaska weather in late June, it’s an excellent time to plan a cruise tour to Denali. The roads are open, days long and dry, and there’s an increased chance of seeing active wildlife. For nature lovers, you’ll be glad to know that May marks the beginning of the salmon-fishing, whale-watching, and wildlife-viewing seasons. To prepare for all conditions, you should plan for temperatures ranging from the 40s to 70s, both on and off ship. For your on-shore day excursions, be sure to pack layers of clothing and rain gear so that you can be comfortable.
The Harriman Expedition discovered College Fjord in 1899 and named the towering glaciers after the great East Coast universities of the United States, like the Harvard Glacier. With the largest collection of tidewater glaciers in the world, your scenic Alaska cruise through the fjord will make a lasting memory. That’s okay, because I had managed my expectations since May wasn’t prime whale watching season in Alaska. Early May seems to still be early for whale season, so I wasn’t even sure if I’d have a chance to see whales. Before I left for my early season Alaska cruise, I had gotten the impression from reading things online that you actually have a better chance of better weather in May.
Explore the best Alaska cruises available with a range of departure ports including Vancouver, Seward, and Seattle, and a choice of thrilling round-trip or one-way itineraries. No vacation in the world delivers once-in-a-lifetime adventure like Alaska. Mark this as your year to cross this bucket-busting destination off your list once and for all. Take off by dogsled across thousand-year-old ice as you soak in otherworldly sights. Trek across the majestic Mendenhall Glacier for breathtaking views of the wildest country.
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