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Many of Canival’s offerings focus on 7-day cruises out of Seattle, as well as longer ones, as much as 14 days. They do not offer one-way cruises, starting or finishing in Alaska, and don’t have add-on land tours, unlike other cruise lines like Princes Cruises. However, they do have a wide range of ports as well as scenic cruising of glaciers and fjords. Small ship cruises tend to offer more adventure-focused shore excursions alongside personalized service and luxurious accommodations and amenities. Smaller ships can reach ports of call and destinations that are inaccessible to larger cruise ships, allowing you to explore more remote settings and communities. For an even more customized experience, consider a private cruise on smaller ships like yachts and sailboats.
Ports of Call
The slightly larger 2008-built Carnival Splendor joins Carnival Spirit in sailing from Seattle, operating a variety of itineraries.. Nearly a dozen major cruise ships operate Alaska cruises out of Seattle during the summer months, giving cruisers plenty of choice. While Holland America draws some families with younger children, the passengers on its ships skew heavily toward middle-aged and older travelers, including many retirees. If you're nearing or already have hit retirement age and prefer to travel mostly with people who are at a similar stage in life as you, you'll feel right at home on a Holland America ship. The best Alaska cruises out of Seattle for retirees, in our view, are the sailings offered by Holland America on both the 1,964-passenger Westerdam and 2,104-passenger Eurodam.
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The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler - The Points Guy
The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler.
Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
So, while the cruise fares have great advertised prices, add-ons should be considered when budgeting a cruise to Alaska. Ketchikan is where folks go to see the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, with athletes wielding axes and saws in traditional lumbering activities. Book a fishing trip to try your hand at catching salmon or halibut, or go out crab fishing for a glimpse into that type of work.
Great experiences from the great land
Proper footwear is also important and be sure to bring hiking shoes if you plan to enjoy outdoor activities. All of Carnival’s ships sailing to Alaska are part of the cruise line’s Spirit Class, built in the early 2000s. These ships are much smaller than Carnival’s mega-ships of recent times, like Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, which are more than twice the size of Spirit Class ships. In addition to numerous ports of call, Carnival’s Alaska cruises provide lots of scenic cruising to spots such as Tracy Arm Fjord, Endicott Arm Fjord, and the Hubbard Glacier. There are a few longer cruises that head up to the Hubbard Glacier, Valdez, and Seward. Embarkation ports include major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco in California, as well as Seattle, which provides many convenient flight options.
That makes these ships more appealing to an older demographic that doesn't necessarily want to be on a vessel that's loaded to the gills with children's fun zones and the younger family travelers drawn to that. Notably, the average age of Princess passengers is around 57, and you'll usually see many couples on board in their 50s, 60s and 70s. Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Bliss are also our top picks for ships operating the best Alaska cruises from Seattle for solo travelers. Between these two, it's a tossup, though we put Norwegian Bliss in the headline above since, well, we already gave Norwegian Encore a turn in the limelight with the best-for-luxury category. Yes, the 3,998-passenger Norwegian Encore is a cruise ship that generally caters to the masses, not the luxury crowd. However, it has its own "ship-within-a-ship" luxury zone that offers a much more swanky experience for those willing to pay.
Scenic cruising
Pre-booking excursions is essential; many were already sold out by the time we had stepped aboard Carnival Spirit. And despite the high cost, bucket-list items like flightseeing tours were some of the first to go. For the coming year, for instance, as of this guide's posting, there were lots of Holland America sailings to Alaska from Seattle available for under $750 per person for seven nights — some as low as $429 per person for seven nights. A cavernous indoor activity area on each of the two Quantum-class ships called the SeaPlex is home to the aforementioned bumper cars, as well as such family-friendly activities as roller skating, basketball and even trapeze lessons.
Sailing on Carnival Cruise Line in Alaska - Live from Carnival Spirit
During the summer months, especially July and August, temperatures in Southeast Alaska usually fall between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while Southcentral Alaska and the Interior see higher heights into the 70’s and 80’s. Carnival is famous for its great prices, and their cruise fare includes basic drinks like non-bottled water, lemonade, coffee, and tea, a number of complimentary dining venues, and much of the entertainment. They do not have all-inclusive packages, but rather, drinks and wi-fi are separate.
Alaska Ports of Call
Look to UnCruise Adventures, Alaskan Dream Cruises, Hurtigruten and Lindblad Expeditions for the best adventure cruises. Fine out what are the best Carnival cruises to Alaska in 2022, including the Carnival Freedom and Carnival Miracle. But Carnival's greatest asset is the hardworking, friendly crew aboard Carnival Spirit. The ship feels nearly full, yet not understaffed (at least compared to 2019). And I'd forgotten how soft and welcoming the beds in Carnival's staterooms are, across all cabin categories. While many passengers probably aren't swayed one way or another by having a naturalist onboard, we are -- and we've heard similar comments from other passengers.
When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. There’s heaps of fun on offer and something for everyone; little ones, big ones and the whole family. The largest waterpark at sea in Australia, mini-golf, two-deck fitness center, jogging track and sports court, Serenity Adult-Only Retreat™, day spa and pools and spas. Keep the kids entertained with three different age-appropriate youth programs, giving them plenty of choice on activities and the opportunity to make new friends. While there are slight variations in Carnival Miracle and Carnival Freedom cruises to Alaska, these differences aren’t too significant. So, pick one that contains the activities that you and/or your family will enjoy the most.
These cruises offer the benefits of a wider range of itineraries, shore excursions, departure dates, and availability and take you to all of the must-see stops along the way. They feature a wide range of amenities including multiple dining options, on-board entertainment, fitness centers, pools, different room types to choose from, and plenty of room to spread out and explore. These ships often feature complimentary shore excursions, kayaks and bikes for guest use and onboard scientists and naturalists.
Among their most unique sailings are 14-day cruises leaving from Seattle or Los Angeles. While most of their cruise itineraries focus on the Inside Passage, these sail further north across the Gulf of Alaska to Prince William Sound, with access to College Fjord and Anchorage. With 19 different itineraries to the Last Frontier, Carnival gives guests the option to choose from a variety of scenic itineraries that voyage to top-rated Alaska ports as well as spectacular scenic cruising of glacial landscapes. Cruise lines often run sales in the fall or in the early months of the year (a period known in the cruise industry as "wave season"). You can take advantage of discounted fares, free upgrades or complimentary add-ons, such as Wi-Fi, gratuities, restaurant meals, beverage packages and tours. Some of the most desirable cabins might be sold out; being flexible about your sail date or itinerary can help.
All four ships are loaded with all sorts of gee-whiz family attractions, from bumper car pavilions and skydiving simulators on the Royal Caribbean vessels to go-kart tracks and laser tag courses on the Norwegian ships. Here we list our top picks for the best Alaska cruises from Seattle for six different types of travelers. Other cruises might be best for solo travelers or travelers on a tight budget.
Carnival has cruises out of Seattle to Alaska and a repositioning cruise to another home port; see the list below. Let Princess pick you up from the airport and take you directly to your ship or hotel when you arrive, even if you didn't book your airfare through us. A uniformed Princess representative meets you at the airport after you've retrieved your luggage and transports you directly to your ship or hotel without you having to worry about the logistics of navigating a new city. From top-rated cruises that visit Glacier Bay National Park to scenic rail travel and exclusive Princess lodges, you will find a seamless Alaska experience with Princess. Known for its timber, Ketchikan hosts the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, where athletes throw, race and chop their way to victory.
Similar to the other Glacier Bay itinerary, this itinerary spends several days at sea and returns to port in Victoria. On the afternoon of the first day, the ship departs from Seattle and spends day two at sea, headed toward Juneau, where it stops for the afternoon of day three, allowing passengers to explore the city. Day four is spend aboard the ship as it passes through the bay on the way to Skagway, where the ship docks for day five of the trip. The afternoon on day six is spent in Ketchikan, before a final day at sea prior to arrival in Victoria, British Columbia on the morning of day eight. Most major cruise lines also offer the opportunity for pre or post-cruise land packages that will take you by bus or train to destinations in Southcentral and Interior Alaska.
Your itinerary will begin by departing from Seattle and spending two days at sea. Finally, on Day 3, guests will encounter Tracy Arm Fjord – a narrow passageway between two large glaciers. In Skagway, veteran local entertainer and businessowner Steve Hites came onboard to perform his "Skagway in Story and Song" show before our ship left port.
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