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Use online reviews as a tool, but don’t rush to judgment when you read a poor review. Often this is a result of a mismatch between the style of the traveler and the type of cruise they were on. Southcentral Alaska’s terrain ranges from volcanic landscapes in Katmai National Park, home to an impressive population of brown bears, to the windswept Aleutian Islands that make a 1,000-mile sweep toward Asia.
Best small ship cruises to Alaska
8 great vacations that combine a cruise and a train trip - The Points Guy
8 great vacations that combine a cruise and a train trip.
Posted: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
While all Alaska cruises offer stunning views day in and out, there's nothing quite like skimming the coastline from your own kayak, watching for wildlife in the water and on land. We watched sea otters carrying their babies, floated among chunks of glacial ice, and viewed starfish nestled on the sea floor below and mountain goats on the cliffs above. A few lucky passengers even watched a moose take a swim. UnCruise Adventures, located in Juneau and Seattle, fields Alaska’s largest small-ship fleet with seven vessels carrying 22 to 86 passengers. As its name suggests, UnCruise focuses on outdoor activities like satisfying hikes and kayaking in hidden coves and secluded bays for a different kind of cruise experience. Some departures are sold as adult-only or family cruises.
Where do Alaska cruises depart from?
Many large cruise lines will make you pick an activity for your trip and charge you if you want to experience more. We want our guests to have new and fantastic experiences without the added pressure of an additional bill at the end of the cruise. As the recognized leader in luxury small ship Alaska cruises, our 'Best of Juneau' awards in 2022 and 2023 underline our commitment to delivering exceptional cruise experiences.
Degrees Adventure Charters
Select departures even venture across the Arctic Circle. If your dream itinerary includes Seattle, this definitely makes how to choose an Alaska cruise easier as there are fewer overall options. In the summer, small ships are busy exploring up in Alaska. But each spring you’ll find them repositioning from Seattle to Alaska, and each fall they return from Alaska to Seattle.
Alaskan Explorer
For even more detail on the best time to visit Alaska for your Alaska adventure cruise, view our month by month guide. Small ship Alaska cruises make the most of the summer months when passengers can enjoy warmer temperatures, long days with late sunsets and accessible wildlife. Throughout the summer, weather is variable ranging from warm sunny days in the 70s or 80s to chilly rainy days in the 50s and 60s. Thus, the best type of Alaska cruise review is a personal referral. Ask your booking agent to put you in touch with a past client that has traveled on a comparable trip. Reputable Alaska small ship cruise agencies will gladly refer their past clients; you can read some of our traveler testimonials below and on each trip and ship page.
These are experiences you’re not likely to have aboard a big ship, certainly not at such close range. On average, about 45 guests is what you’ll find with our curated Alaska small ship cruise vessels. But look for options up to 100 and as few as 8 passengers. There are many reasons to choose an Alaska small ship vs big ship, but at the top is that small ships to Alaska focus on immersive, off-ship activities in wilderness areas. In Alaska, large cruise ships are synonymous with cruising, but they really just cruise (fast) past it all.
Bar Harbor To Limit Cruise Visitors By Anne Kalosh For many years Bar Harbor, with a year-round population of just 5,500, was Maine's busiest cruise port, handling hundreds of thousands of passengers a season. M.T. Schwartzman has been covering Alaska cruising and tourism since 1988. His articles have appeared in a wide range of consumer magazines, websites and travel industry publications. The line has expanded beyond its home waters of the Inside Passage to offer itineraries in Prince William Sound and, coming next year, the Aleutian Islands. ADC’s trips focus on hiking and kayaking in secluded wilderness areas with a particular emphasis on cultural immersion.
See for yourself what Small Ship Cruising is all about
Read this review to hear from an expert’s eye what sets this operator's cruises apart from others in Alaska. This sleek 80-guest vessel features expansive viewing areas on the bow and aft promenade decks, and a commanding hull design, optimized for supreme comfort in Alaskan waters, regardless of weather. National Geographic Sea Lion is a tried and true educational-based 62-guest expedition ship.
The best time to cruise Alaska - The Points Guy
The best time to cruise Alaska.
Posted: Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Welcome aboard for an adventure where luxury meets the wild beauty of Alaska. Embark on a luxury small ship Alaska cruise with us and discover the breathtaking beauty of Alaska’s Inside Passage. Our award-winning cruises offer a unique blend of adventure and unparalleled luxury. The entire crew (Dean,Meg,Erin & Will) were awesome. PWS is a beautiful but also immense region, so the decades of experience of these folks took us to locations little known to lesser mortals. The Discovery itself was a comfortable, if compact, ship.
That was easily one of the best vacations I've ever had. We enjoyed seeing Sawyer Glacier, Baird Glacier, hiking and many things we would never have seen on a big cruise ship. Snorkeling was a little disappointing, especially because we had to pay more for it. The visibility was not great and we really didn't see that much. The crew was amazing, and the food was a very nice surprise (very accommodating, plentiful and tasted great). I wanted to hike as much as I could, and this ship seemed to meet that.
More full day excursions should be offered when the boat is anchored in the same place all day. Contacting small ship Alaska cruise lines directly does not always answer critical questions about how much activity there is, what the cabins are like compared to other ships and so on. There are also now countless travel review websites. Many offer honest advice, but many need to be taken with a grain of salt.
It's easy to see why with museums, libraries, restaurants, and amazing wildlife sightings such as mountain goats, black bears, sea otters, humpback whales, orcas, and seals. You will travel in comfortable sea-view accommodation, and enjoygourmet cuisine. Pick from expedition-style itineraries in remote territorieswith extraordinary landscapes and varied wildlife, or cruise-styleoperations on the captivating Inside Passage route between Juneauand Vancouver. Excursions are included in the fare on thoseitineraries designated as 'Expeditions'.
The owners of the Discovery, Dean and Meg, were so accommodating and helpful. Dean got a sense for what the group wanted to do and tried to cater to everyone’s interest and activity level. The two guides, Phyllis and Hugh, were extremely knowledgeable and fun to be around. We did a lot, saw a lot, learned a lot, and in general had an amazing week. Meg worked her magic for three meals a day in the kitchen and the food was fantastic with lots of fresh seafood and accommodations for everyone’s dietary restrictions.
Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel. Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Download the details to make planning your trip easier - including an itinerary overview, pricing based on your selected departure date and accommodations, plus protection plan costs. Immerse yourself in a multi-day Alaskan adventure that promises incredible views and jaw-dropping bear viewing in Katmai National Park, along with a warm camaraderie that only a small group expedition can create. Explore from your home base on the Island C, a research vessel that gets you close to the action while providing comfortable lodging and delicious meals.
The average Princess cruise ship carries over 2,400 guests in Alaska. That's why each of their ships only hold around 100 guests, and why almost all of their cabins face outside with large windows or portholes. That's why they serve delicious informal meals in comfortable dining rooms where you can sit wherever and with whomever you like. Whether kayaking next to a glacier, hiking in a rain forest in Alaska, or enjoying a spectacular spring garden in British Columbia, a small-ship cruise is an engaging experience for all the senses.
