Alaska Cruises & Variations
Planning a cruise to Alaska isn't as simple as other parts of the world; each line offers a variety of ports, ship sizes, and itineraries.
Roundtrip from Seattle
One of the most common & popular cruises are 7 day roundtrip voyages departing from Seattle. These cruises will typically stop at 2 of the 3 most popular cruise ports in Alaska: Juneau, Ketchikan and/or Skagway along with a visit to a water-based glacier and/or fjord.
These cruises also must remain compliant with US laws and include a stop in a foreign port – these will typically do it in the beautiful city of Victoria, British Colombia. Sadly, some lines will do nothing more than an “anchor drop” – arriving after 6PM and departing at 11PM, which limits your time in port.
Its also important to point out that many of these itineraries no longer do the Canadian Inside Passage, and instead go out to open sea around Vancouver Island, as depicted on the map to the left. These sailings are more prone to the Gulf of Alaska & Pacific Ocean’s waves and might be something to consider if any travelers are sensitive to the gentle rocking of a ship; once the ships pass the Dixon Passage, they will be in the calm waters of the Alaskan Inside Passage.
Our pick: MSC’s Poesia starts sailing in 2026 with *amazing* pricing!
Roundtrip from Vancouver
Seven day roundtrip sailings from Vancouver are more sought-after versus Seattle because these sailings don’t “waste” a stop in Canada – since they originate in Canada, they typically have better itineraries, and the smaller/midsize ships can sail thru the Canadian Inside Passage. Most of these departures will include the core stops of Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Glacier Bay/Hubbard Glacier, or Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm. These sailings also tend to have better port times compared to San Francisco & Seattle departures.
Most major cruise lines also offer Vancouver departures, in addition to Seattle – be sure to look at these and not discount the idea of flying into Canada!
Our pick: Celebrity Solstice is our favorite ship doing this itinerary!
Roundtrip from San Francisco
In the mid 2010s, as the cruise industry was experiencing rapid growth, “homeporting” became a new option for cruise lines, whereby they will base a ship at a city that normally does not have regular departures and draw in the “drive” traffic. Carnival saw amazing success with this on the East Coast and they, along with Princess, offer a handful of options that depart from San Francisco to Alaska.
These itineraries are mostly 10 to 12 day cruises with a stop in Prince Rupert or Victoria, British Colombia – and actually give guests time to explore these amazing ports. Most of these departures will include the core stops of Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Glacier Bay/Hubbard Glacier, or Tracy Arm/Endicott Arm.
Because of the additional time at open-sea, we typically see only mid & larger ships on these itineraries that offer expanded activities on sea days.
Our pick: Check out the Ruby Princess sailings – they tend to operate mid-May thru early September.
Cross-Gulf Sailings
One of the most popular options for an Alaska cruise is a Cross-Gulf sailing. These itineraries are one-way, going between Vancouver and the ports near Anchorage – Seward or Whittier. The itineraries allow guests to experience more of Alaska by including visits to Denali, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Kenai Penisula, and more.
The Alaska Railroad offers regular train service to both Seward & Whittier, along with specialized “cruisetrains” with direct links to the Anchorage Airport or even Denali.
The Cross-Gulf sailings are normally 7 days, with stops at the core ports of Juneau, Ketchikan, and/or Skagway along with Glacier Bay and/or Hubbard Bay, Tracy Arm, or Icy Strait Point.
Our pick: We love the Caribbean Princess, now sailing in Alaska, she is one of our favorite ships!
Small Boat - Alaska domestic cruises
Departing from Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka are small boat operators Alaskan Dream Cruises, The Boat Company, and Uncruise Adventures. These sailings are on 15 to 120 passenger vessels that do not leave US waters – thereby do not require a US passport or entry into Canada!
The smaller vessels will spend time in ports & areas the mainline (larger) ships will not visit – such as Petersburg, Haines, Kake, and also more time in Glacier Bay.
The smaller vessels are better suited for adventure & nature lovers who aren’t needing a spa, pool, or casino on a ship; but would rather go on a guided hike, halibut fishing, or kayaking.
The only downside to these smaller operators is they are not necessarily a good option for mobility-limited guests.
Our pick: We honestly love them all!