When is the best time to cruise Alaska?

Alaska cruises run from May to September. May and September often bring lower fares, while June to August have the warmest days and the longest daylight.

What’s the difference between an Inside Passage and a Gulf of Alaska cruise?

Inside Passage cruises are usually round trips from Seattle or Vancouver through sheltered fjords to Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. Gulf of Alaska glacier cruises sail one way between Vancouver and Seward or Whittier, so you can add time on land in Alaska before or after.

Which ports do Alaska cruises leave from?

The main departure ports are Seattle, Washington; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Seward and Whittier in Alaska.

Do I need a passport for an Alaska cruise?

US citizens on round-trip Seattle sailings may use a birth certificate and photo ID. Most Alaska cruises stop in Canada, though, so a passport is strongly recommended. Your advisor can confirm what your sailing needs.

What are the most popular things to do on an Alaska cruise?

Favorites include whale watching near Juneau, Glacier Bay National Park, the White Pass & Yukon Route railway from Skagway, flightseeing and glacier kayaking. These can sell out, so it’s best to reserve early.

Which Alaska cruises visit Glacier Bay?

Glacier Bay National Park limits how many large cruise ships can enter each day, so only some Alaska itineraries include it. Others spend their scenic cruising day at Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm instead. Your advisor can show you which sailings include Glacier Bay.

Where can I see Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord?

Both lie north of the Inside Passage, so they appear most often on one-way Gulf of Alaska sailings between Vancouver and Seward or Whittier. Check each itinerary, or ask an advisor to find sailings that include them.

Can I add Denali or Fairbanks to my Alaska cruise?

Yes. Many cruise lines offer cruisetours that pair a one-way Gulf of Alaska cruise with several nights on land, often including Denali National Park and Fairbanks. Princess and Holland America are best known for them. Most cruisetours start or end at Seward or Whittier, near Anchorage. See Princess and Holland America.

Alaska Cruises & Glacier Bay Sailings

Featured Sailings

Featured Alaska Cruise Deals

Sailings on some of the newest ships cruising Alaska, picked from our booking engine and refreshed daily. Open any sailing for current availability, or ask an advisor to price it for your dates.

7 Days

Alaska

7 Days Alaska-Inside Passage

Princess Cruises · Star Princess

Departs: May 2027 – Sep 2028
Itinerary: Seattle, Ketchikan, Endicott Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria/Canada, Seattle

Published prices from

$108per day* (from $759 per person) taxes, fees & port charges incl.

View Cruise Ask an Advisor

7 Days

Alaska

7 Days Alaska-Inside Passage

Celebrity Cruises · Celebrity Edge

Departs: May 2027 – Sep 2027
Itinerary: Seattle, Ketchikan, Endicott Arm, Juneau, Inside Passage, Skagway, Victoria/Canada, Seattle

Published prices from

$124per day* (from $869 per person) taxes, fees & port charges incl.

View Cruise Ask an Advisor

7 Days

Alaska

7 Days Alaska-Inside Passage

Holland America Line · Koningsdam

Departs: Apr 24, 2027
Itinerary: Vancouver, Scenic Cruising The Inside Passage, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, Scenic Cruising The Inside Passage, Vancouver

Published prices from

$133per day* (from $934 per person) taxes, fees & port charges incl.

View Cruise Ask an Advisor

*Per day price is the lowest published per-person fare divided by the number of cruise days. Fares change often and are confirmed at booking. See all Alaska cruises →

Cruise Lines

Cruise Lines That Sail to Alaska

The lines with Alaska sailings in our booking engine right now, most sailings first.

Princess Cruises2,665 sailingsView cruises
Holland America Line835 sailingsView cruises
Royal Caribbean547 sailingsView cruises
Celebrity Cruises521 sailingsView cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line510 sailingsView cruises
Seabourn89 sailingsView cruises
Viking Ocean Cruises81 sailingsView cruises
Silversea Cruises68 sailingsView cruises
MSC Cruises43 sailingsView cruises
Disney Cruise Line40 sailingsView cruises
Oceania Cruises38 sailingsView cruises
Windstar Cruises33 sailingsView cruises

Departure Ports

Popular Ports for Alaska Cruises

Where Alaska cruises leave from, ranked by the number of sailings in our booking engine. Pick a port to see its Alaska cruises.

Numbers show sailings currently listed from each port. Port guides: Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Tokyo, Los Angeles. See all departure ports →

Destination Advice

Alaska Cruise Advice

Planning guides from our advisors and the latest news for Alaska cruisers.

Cruise GuideThe Best Time to Cruise AlaskaAlaska month by month from May to September, Inside Passage versus Gulf of Alaska, which cruise lines to consider and what to pack.Read more Cruise NewsHolland America Opens Alaska Heritage Tours for Its 80th Alaska Season in 2027Holland America opened bookings on October 21, 2026 for Alaska Heritage Tours, a collection marking 80 years of sailing to Alaska during the 2027 season.Read more Cruise GuideNo-Fly Cruises from the San Francisco Bay AreaWhere you can cruise from San Francisco without flying: Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii and the Pacific Coast, when to go, and how SF compares with Seattle and…Read more

More cruise advice →

Google Reviews

What Our Clients Say

Real reviews from travelers our advisors have helped, straight from Google.

    
 
 
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Absolutely AMAZING from start to finish! We couldn’t have asked for a better travel agent to plan our Celebrity Ascent cruise. From the initial planning to all the little details along the way, everything was handled effortlessly. Stefanie Carbone made the entire experience so easy and completely stress-free.

What really stood out was how they went above and beyond to secure VIP upgrades and special perks that made our vacation even more memorable. Her attention to detail, personal touch, responsiveness, and dedication to making sure everything was perfect truly exceeded our expectations.

It’s rare to find someone who genuinely cares about their clients and treats your vacation as if it were their own. We felt taken care of every step of the way!

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