ALASKA is an exceedingly popular cruise ship destination, and there are MORE options than most people realize.
ALASKA IS GREAT for those that LOVE scenery, nature, wildlife, and remote spaces.
ALASKA IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR those looking for a great urban or cultural scene. Seattle and Vancouver are the only cities of any size in the region. I personally find the culture and art of the indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast infinitely fascinating, but it is a specific interest.
GUIDELINES for the ULTIMATE ALASKA Trip:
- GO for as long as you can. It’s far bigger, and much further away than most think.
- SEE Coastal Alaska AND Denali – they are very different, and our clients that only do the cruise report back that they wish they had also visited Denali.
- Have a valid PASSPORT: YES – Alaska is domestic, but you’ll be in Canada at some point.
- CRUISE ships are on the Alaska Coast from late April through early October. There is no “best” time to visit, but there are trade-offs that we can chat through with you.
SUGGESTED ITINERARY
All the cruise lines have at least one vessel in Alaska, and you should tailor this itinerary to suit your own interests and tastes. I’ve suggested a North to South routing here, but you can easily go the other way
- DAY 1: Arrive in Fairbanks. It’s 4-hours from Seattle, and 7-hours from Minneapolis or Chicago, so it will be a long day of travel.
- DAY 2: Explore Fairbanks, go to Gold Dredge #8 to explore Alaska’s gold mining history, and go to the MINUS 40 room for a quick demonstration of Alaska winters.
- DAY 3: Cheena River boat cruise and dog-sledding demonstration. In the afternoon transfer to Denali.
- DAY 4: Denali Park Tour. The shortest one is 5 hours, the one you want to do is about 8 hours. You CAN’T see Denali until you’re well into the National Park.
- DAY 5: Enjoy the amenities at your Denali accommodations or go for a walk or kayaking. In the afternoon, board the train to Talkeetna/McKinley. Sunset with a glass of wine viewing Denali.
- DAY 6: Do a flight-seeing tour over Denali by small plane in the morning. In the afternoon transfer to Anchorage, and enjoy one of their craft breweries.
- DAY 7: Transfer from Anchorage to Seward or Whittier to board your ship.
- DAYS 7 – 14: A typical coastal Alaska cruise between Anchorage and Vancouver/Seattle is 7-nights, but some are a bit longer. Lots of options here.
- DAY 15: Arrive in Vancouver (or Seattle). If you haven’t been there previously, you may want to stay for a day or two.
- DAY 16 or 17: Take the Rocky Mountaineer Luxury Rail journey for a scenic trip over the Canadian Rockies. The shorter journeys are 3 to 5 days, and can include Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and Calgary. You can fly home from Calgary, OR if you want an even longer train trip, you can ride it in a circle route back to Vancouver.
VIDEO RESOURCES TO HELP PLAN YOUR TRIP:
- ALASKA: How to Choose video: https://youtu.be/CwWytuiuK8M?si=Bk0XzTgcgdk57cZH
- ALASKA PRINCESS & HOLLAND AMERICA LODGES Video Blogs Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA1r3eOMaDVEZh4TwDNnSFedD8FOItXHe&si=CNO-BKWSCvGu9_dR
- COASTAL ALASKA PORTS with SEABOURN Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA1r3eOMaDVGIkLzMGzGDOfx8xOSpC2Vt&si=tA76ZQKVTd5EXlX1
- ALASKA: What to Pack: https://youtu.be/m3APP25a9cE
Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED:
Check out our VIDEO BLOG where Kim & Bob talk about the considerations of planning YOUR ULTIMATE ALASKA Itinerary, and their experiences in the 49th State:
In Case You Missed It:
SEABOURN: We’re running a PRIVATE SALE with SEABOURN this month, and ALASKA is one of the destinations we can get you 10% off. https://pamperedcruiser.com/seabourn/
DO-IT-YOURSELF WORLD CRUISE: If you’d like to be away for a few months, but aren’t thrilled with the idea of being on a ship ALL that time, here’s some ideas:
https://pamperedcruiser.com/do-it-yourself-world-cruise/
IT’S ALL TEMPORARY – SO TRAVEL NOW: Here’s one of our personal stories about marking milestones, and why it’s so important TO DO the things you want to do with important people:
https://pamperedcruiser.com/its-all-temporary-so-travel-now/
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Today’s Travel Opportunities
SMALL SHIP ALASKA with SEABOURN
We’re running a private sale this month with Seabourn, and can get you 10% OFF Seabourn’s best price on 2026 Alaska cruises. Seabourn Encore is an all-suite ship, with verandas for ALL staterooms, and carries only 600 guests. There are essentially THREE itineraries:
Vancouver to Juneau for 7-nights on May 29 (with other dates June through September)
- Visit Queen Charlotte Sound, Ketchikan, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Inian Islands, Icy Strait Point, Haines, and finish in Juneau.
- Veranda fares from $5898 (LESS 10%)
Juneau to Vancouver for 7-nights on May 22 (with other dates June through September)
- Visit Wrangell, Misty Fjords National Monument, Prince Rupert, Whale Channel, and Alert Bay.
- Veranda fares from $5198 (LESS 10%)
Vancouver round-trip for 14-nights on May 29 (with other dates June through September)
- Visit all the places listed in the above two cruises
- Veranda fares from $9498 (LESS 10%)
Our Seabourn PRIVATE SALE includes more than Alaska, so inquire if you’d like to go elsewhere.
REMOTE ALASKA with HX
- If you’d rather go to Alaska for hiking, sea-kayaking, light hiking, and see its more remote corners, then HX is a good choice. You can also travel on the world’s first hybrid-electric cruise ship, Roald Amundsen that carries just 500 guests. See our ship tour video here: https://youtu.be/1L_ByDqhGR0
Vancouver to Anchorage for 10-days
- Depart Vancouver, sail the Inside Passage, then to Misty Fjords, Klawock, Fjords of the Alaskan panhandle, Icy Strait Point, Glacier Bay, Valdez, Prince William Sound, and then to Anchorage
- Departures May through July 2026 from $4554
Anchorage to Vancouver for 13-days
- Visit the tidewater glaciers on Prince William Sound and Icy Bay, Icy Strait Point, Haines, Tracy Arm, Endicott Arm, Klawock, Inside Passage, Alert Bay.
- Departures May through July from $5981
Vancouver to Seattle on July 26 for 19-days
- Visit the Canadian Inside Passage, Misty Fjords, Wrangell, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Icy Bay, Kodiak, Katmai, Alaska Peninsula, Unga, Dutch Harbor, St. Paul, St. Matthew, Nome, Anchorage, and then a flight back to Seattle.
- Fares from $10,798 (Includes flight to Seattle, and hotel night post cruise)
HX fares include expedition activities*, an open bar, expedition jacket, on-board photographer, wifi, and gratuities.
*Expedition Activities: Expert lectures, use of on-board Science Center, zodiacs, kayaks, light hiking, wildlife spotting.
DENALI ADD-ON for 6-nights
All the cruise lines have their own Denali add-ons to Alaska cruise that range between 3 and 7 nights. Here’s typical itinerary:
- Two nights in Fairbanks, followed by 2-nights at Denali NP, 1-night Talkeetna (McKinley), and 1-night in Anchorage or Seward before boarding the ship.
- Activities as outlined in the ULTIMATE ALASKA ITINERARY above.
- Transportation by Alaska Rail and Motor Coach.
- Fares for add-on is $3500 – $4500 per person depending on cruise line and departure dates.
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER Luxury Rail Journey
The scenery in the Canadian Rockies is every bit as spectacular as Alaska, and can be easily added on to ANY Alaskan cruise that starts or finishes in Vancouver. You’ll get to see world-class scenery and wildlife spotting, all while enjoying great food and wine. There are options between 3 and 12 nights, and are the two most popular Rocky Mountaineer itineraries:
Vancouver to Banff for 5-nights
- Spend 1-night in Vancouver, then board the train to Kamloops (overnight), and then follow on to Lake Louise for 1-night and Banff for 2-nights.
- Prices range between $2904 and $4968 per person based on your departure date, and level of service. Departures available April through October.
Circle Journey: Vancouver round-trip for 12 -nights
- If you really want a comprehensive feel for the spectacular Canadian Rockies, this is the trip for you.
- Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff (3-nights), Lake Louise (2-nights), Jasper (2-nights), Quesnel, Whistler, Vancouver.
- Prices range between $9940 to $12,110 per person based on your departure date, and level of service. Departures available April through October.
UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISES in Europe
There are no overnight river cruises in Alaska or British Columbia, so here are some ideas for European river cruise options that have incredible SCENERY (like Alaska) and wildlife viewing in Slovenia (the most beautiful country you haven’t yet visited), and Northern Italy:
Grand Highlights of Italy & Slovenia from Ljubljana to Rome for 14-nights
- Visit Slovenia’s charming and scenic capital city of Ljubljana for 4-nights (and also visit Lake Bled, and Postjna Caves), and then transfer to Venice of 7-nights aboard the SS Venezia (to see Venice, Burano, Chioggia, & Mazzorba), and then on to Rome for 3-nights
- Departures April through October from $5199
NORTHERN ITALY: Lake Como to Venice for 12-days
- Start with 2-nights in Lugano and Lake Como, and then carry on to Milan for 2-nights (and also visit Verona and Valpolicella) before transferring to Venice to board the ship for 7-nights and explore all around Northern Italy (Venice (several spots), Mazzorbo, Burano, Chioggia, Bologna).
- Departures August through November from $5858
Here’s a link to our video blog when we did this cruise: https://youtu.be/QRIHi6SED6g?si=IJvnYEJlqJt_iV4n
Do You Have an Upcoming Viking Cruise?
Viking’s BON VOYAGE incentive allows you to book your next Viking cruise in the 35 days BEFORE you board, and get some extra goodies for doing so:
- $100 per person on board credit
- 6-month final payment date
- $100 per person OFF one-week cruises, and bigger discounts for longer itineraries.
We made a short video about the Bon Voyage Program if you’d like more details:
https://youtu.be/gBM8IvjIb3U?si=Vy9UDiSqZQYHWR32
Contact us to book your NEXT VIKING CRUISE
If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
