Alaska

Cruising in Alaska is a terrific way to explore the 49th State (aka “The Last Frontier”) and experience its scenic wonders — from calving glaciers and misty fjords to breaching humpback whales and cavorting caribou and bears. Almost every major cruise line, along with some smaller adventure-focused operators, offer itineraries in Alaska, so you can opt to see the sights with several dozen fellow passengers or a few thousand.

When looking at Alaska cruise options — which are offered from May through September — you’ll see sailings identified as Inside Passage itineraries and others referred to as Voyage of the Glaciers or North Bound or South Bound Glacier itineraries. You’ll also notice that you can sail either roundtrip from Seattle, Vancouver, or San Francisco, or one-way North Bound or South Bound between Seattle or Vancouver and the Alaska ports of Whittier (Anchorage) or Seward. Other itineraries, offered mostly by luxury expedition cruise lines and small-ship adventure cruise lines, visit more remote regions of Alaska, such as the Aleutians and Bering Sea.

Inside Passage itineraries are quite popular, chiefly because it’s more convenient (and often more cost effective) to cruise roundtrip from Seattle or Vancouver than to embark there and disembark in more remote Whittier or Seward, or vice versa. The Inside Passage is a waterway that weaves through a series of islands in Southeast Alaska. Because the Inside Passage is sheltered by many islands and fjords, waters are generally calmer, or at least protected from stormier, rockier seas. Typically seven nights long (although some, mostly embarking from San Francisco, are 10 or 11 nights), these cruises navigate along British Columbia’s forested coast to Alaska, reaching as far north as Skagway. They also visit Ketchikan and Juneau and include a day spent cruising through one of the state’s notable glacier areas: Glacier Bay Hubbard Glacier, or Sawyer Glacier.

One-way Alaska itineraries, whether North Bound or South Bound, venture hundreds of miles further into the Gulf of Alaska and typically include two or more glacier-viewing experiences. Plus, these sailings also offer the chance to add on land-based stays to create what are known as Alaska Cruise Tours. These programs pair a South Bound or North Bound cruise with pre- or post-cruise accommodations at lodges in Alaska’s top protected area, such as Denali National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and Kenai Fjords National Park. There is some port overlap between Inside Passage and Glacier Bay itineraries, and both often include calls on Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.