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When you buy local, you’re supporting the economy of towns that rely on a very short tourist season. If you’re planning on traveling with children, note that kids may not be as excited as you are about spending hours on end scanning the water looking for distant whales. Make sure to plan your vacation together, as a family, to keep everybody happy. Park rangers come on board when you’re visiting parks like Glacier Bay, or natural wonders like the Hubbard Glacier, and provide fascinating information in kid-friendly language. For downtime on board, and to give parents a rest, all of Celebrity’s ships also have excellent kids’ clubs.
Gulf of Alaska Cruises: Denali National Park, Kenai Peninsula and More Beautiful Scenery
Cruises to Alaska have the option of a northbound route (Vancouver to Whittier) or a southbound route (in the opposite direction). Neither is a wrong choice, however, many people (including the naturalist on board) suggest doing a northbound itinerary. One of the highlights of an Alaskan cruise is sailing into Glacier Bay National Park. Park rangers come on board and provide commentary as you glide through the icy waters and up to the famous Marjorie Glacier.
Prepare for lots of Daylight
While there are curtains that do a good job at this, light does still seep around the edges. Similarly, once you find the wildlife with your binoculars, you’ll want to capture that perfect shot. To do this, you will need to bring a camera with a good zoom lens. It’s also important to note, that there are possible downsides to this strategy which include the cost of airfare. Typically, the closer you get to your travel dates, the cost of airfare increases.
Is it worth having a balcony on an Alaska cruise?
You can solve that problem with a pair of lightweight binoculars. They're also useful for getting a close-up view of glaciers or spotting eagles in port. Consider bringing a pair for everyone in your group because you don't want to fight over one pair when a pod of whales comes into view. Mosquitoes in Alaska aren't always a nuisance, but they can be horrendous. Pack insect repellant and full-coverage clothing as though you were planning to visit a rainforest ...
How to Make your Alaska Cruise Travel Easier: Tips - Royal Caribbean Blog
How to Make your Alaska Cruise Travel Easier: Tips.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:23:24 GMT [source]
Alaska Treehouse Timelapse
You can hear their commentary on the open decks of the ship, but if you’d rather enjoy the scenery from your balcony, there is still a way you can listen. While most of the summer you will have too much daylight to see the northern lights, it may be possible (if you’re really lucky) to see them in mid to late September. To be on the safe side, ask the cruise line to call and notify you if they become visible (which tends to be very late at night or very early in the morning while you will be sleeping). To combat this issue, plan to wear layers so that you are comfortable during your trip.
Uber/Lyft/Taxi Are The Easiest Options to the Seattle Port
Feel free to reach out and let me know what you loved most about your trip. In reality, there really isn’t a bad side of this ship to be on. This is because the scenery is great on both sides and when you are in front of the main glaciers, the captain will turn the ship so both sides have a chance to view it. Most people will choose to have a room on the side of the ship facing land. So, if you are on a northbound cruise, that will be the right side of the ship (when you are at the back of the boat facing forward). Likewise, on a southbound cruise, you will want the left or port side of the ship.
With the sun out up to 18 hours a day during peak season, you will want to take in all of the majestic views until late in the evening as well. These add-ons include anything from beverage packages and specialty dining, to WiFi, and other experiences not included in your cruise fare. Though, it is truly breathtaking to admire the natural landscapes from the comforts of your balcony on an Alaska cruise. Luckily, bald eagles are around through the entire cruise season in various stages of development. But, you have the best chance of see adult eagles teaching young ones to fly in August. While they are found in the Gulf of Alaska during the entire cruise season, you have the best chance of spotting humpback whales during the months of June and July.
But there is a lot of demand for these rooms and the prices can be significantly higher than an interior room. A cheap power adapter can plug in and give you several plugs where there used to only be one. Just don’t pack one with a surge protector as they aren’t allowed on ships. Think of all the recent headlines regarding travel and health and then add on all the everyday occurrences like missing a flight or getting hurt or sick.
Cruises through Alaska's gulf also tend to pass through the Inside Passage, with typical stops including Sitka, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Some will also call on more off-the-beaten-path ports like Icy Strait Point and Haines. The Inside Passage is a sheltered waterway between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia mainland that extends north to Alaska. It's known for calm waters and excellent scenery (often including Glacier Bay). In Juneau, Tracy’s King Crab Shack does the ultimate crab bisque, as well as whole buckets of king crab legs with melted butter. No trip to Alaska is complete without sampling the delicious local produce.
Then, we opt for more reasonably priced tours or a just spend the day exploring with lunch or some shopping. But, we would suggest budgeting at least $100 per person, per port. So with 3-4 ports per cruise, don’t be surprised if your family is spending thousands of dollars on excursions. In short, the time of year you cruise to Alaska will dictate to some degree what items you will need to include on your Alaska cruise packing list.
To avoid this problem, book your flights to arrive the day before your cruise departs rather than the same day. If you want to check out independent tours, you can find several Alaska excursion aggregators online or deal directly with independent businesses. Make sure you inquire about tour timing and leave a buffer so you won't miss your ship even if there's traffic or a delay.
One-way sailings may visit more ports of call, but between airfare costs and the additional travel days that may be needed, these cruises can cost more money and be more difficult to plan. If you’re used to shore excursion prices on other cruise itineraries, you’re in for some sticker shock — Alaska cruise shore excursions are expensive. Many cruisers love to get off the boat to explore on their own. But to get the most out of a majority of Alaska ports, you’ll need to book a shore excursion. Whether you book through the cruise line or the provider, expect to pay a lot.
