You'll never really see all of Alaska.
The 49th state is bigger than Texas, California and Montana combined. For each mile of paved road, there are 640 square miles of land. Some of the best places to see wildlife are only accessible by plane; lodging in these remote locations can cost $1,000 per night.
So, is a cruise to Alaska worth it? Our family thinks so. We believe that the best way to see Alaska is however you can afford to do so.
An Inside Passage cruise is one way to visit Glacier Bay National Park, which is a sight to behold. That tiny speck in front of the Johns Hopkins Glacier is a 19-deck cruise ship. Amazing, just amazing.
Cost and Deals
Our family took a 7-Day Alaskan Explorer Cruise aboard Holland America's Eurodam, departing from Seattle. If you consider the cost of flying from New York City to Seattle and back, it was the most expensive family vacation that we've taken.
Thankfully, we accumulated enough TrueBlue points (from our vacations to Turks and Caicos and Punta Cana) to completely cover our airfare.
Passage for (3) Aboard the Eurodam: $5,337.00
Shore Excursions: $829.55
Onboard Spending: $497.50
Total Cost for Cruise (Excluding Airfare): $6,664.05
Alaskan cruise deals are most likely in April, May or September. Expect 15-35% discounts during these "shoulder season" months. Additionally, some travel agents and websites offer onboard spending credits that effectively lower the price of a cruise.
Convenience
Alaskan hotels and amenities vary greatly from port to port, but cruise ship accommodations are consistent.
Room and board is covered on a cruise. Additionally, many ships include childcare and live entertainment. Our family values these conveniences.
Connection Time
We spent two days in Seattle before our cruise, and another three days in Seattle upon our return. (Seattle is an amazing city.) If we had gone from taxi-to-airport-to-taxi-to-ship-to-taxi-to-airport-to-taxi, we might not remember our time in Alaska so fondly.
For anyone traveling to the cruise terminal from a significant distance, we'd recommend arriving in port at least a day before embarkation, and departing a day after disembarkation. This will soften the blow of a flight delay, lost luggage, sea legs etc.
We used our Alaskan cruise as an excuse to tour Seattle. Above: Chihuly Garden and Glass.
Ports and Cruise Lines
Most Alaskan cruises depart from Seattle or Vancouver. Here are the major cruise lines that sail to Alaska from each of these ports:
Cruises to Alaska From Seattle:
Cruises to Alaska From Vancouver:
Inside Passage vs. Outside Passage
Cruising to Alaska via the "Inside Passage" usually means a roundtrip itinerary from Seattle or Vancouver. These cruises often visit Glacier Bay and a handful of coastal towns near Canada (like Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan). These ports are relatively close together.
There is no "Outside Passage" per se, but some cruises venture across the Gulf of Alaska.
These cruises tend to be one-way, running between Anchorage and ports like Seattle and Vancouver. They offer extended views of Alaska's coastline, mountains and tundra.
