Alaska Cruising 101

May marks the beginning of the cruising season to Alaska!  A perfect way to beat the summer heat. Let’s talk about this and the 101 about cruising there!

Season - The Alaska season typically runs from May to September with June, July and August the peak months.  May and September can be great because ships are repositioning from other places to Alaska for the season and pricing can (sometimes) be cheaper.

Itinerary - There are two basic options here.  The first is a roundtrip itinerary that starts from and returns to the same port.  You can find these departing Seattle, Vancouver, San Francisco and now Los Angeles.  Itineraries in and out of California can be a tad longer, though. The second option is a one way cruise departing from Vancouver and ending Seward or vice versa. A one way is a superb option if you want to explore Denali National Park before or after your cruise.

Special note about about itineraries - Itineraries will feature a day of scenic cruising.  You will not get of the ship, rather it will slow down so you can enjoy the scenery, nature and wildlife! The choice here is typically Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier. Glacier Bay is what you think of when you hear “cruise to Alaska.”  A day between multiple glaciers, feeling the cold, hearing them crack and calve. Hubbard Glacier is a single, awesome glacier. In short, Glacier Bay is the iconic Alaska cruise experience and a must if it’s your first go.  If you’ve sailed it and are looking for something new, try Hubbard.

Cruise Line - Pretty much all cruise lines head to Alaska in the summer months.  As your expert I’ll be able to match you to the right cruise line! My recommendation for a couple will probably differ from my recommendation for a family….

I’d love to hear about your Alaska experiences!  Did you see some awesome animals, capture something incredible on film?  Or, are you ready to check this off your bucket list and have some questions?  Shoot me an email!