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Alaska breathes adventure – its scale and isolation making free-spirited travellers' pulses race. One minute watching eagles wheel in blue skies, the next humpback whales dive into even bluer seas, Alaska cruises drift from mountains and ice fields to fjords and forests. Board a smaller vessel to get close up to tucked-away glaciers and inlets.

Alaska Cruises Cruiselines

Holland America Line ~ Hurtigruten ~ NCL Freestyle Cruising ~ Princess Cruises ~ Regent Seven Seas Cruises ~ Royal Caribbean International ~ 

Cruise & Stay

To really experience the region, combine your Alaska cruise with a holiday ashore. Take a paddleboat along the Yukon River, spy North America's highest peak – Mt McKinley in Denali National Park, or travel from Vancouver to the peaks of the Canadian Rockies.

Cruise Itinerary

There are two basic itineraries. For calmer waters board the one-week, round-trip Inside Passage cruise via coastal islands and tidewater glaciers like Tracy Arm. Expect choppier seas on the one-way Gulf of Alaska route from Vancouver to Anchorage, taking in the striking Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay and Prince William Sound’s Columbia Glacier.

Cruise Season

Alaska cruises run from May to October. For fewer crowds, come early or late in the season – May is one of the driest months.

Ports of Call

Most cruise ships stop at Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city; the Gold Rush capital Juneau; the Indian fishing village of Ketchikan; and Seward, a fishing port on the Kenai Peninsula.

Shore Excursions

Many cruisers choose Alaska for its striking glaciers, fjords and lakes, plus the chance of spotting whales, dolphins, sea otters and bears. This is prime terrain for adrenaline seekers, whether white-water rafting or mountain climbing. Low-key thrills range from gold-panning to stargazing.

Top Trends

Hip cruisers are currently losing sleep over Seattle. Jazzing up old itineraries are new shore excursions, from bear hunts to off-road motorcycling and tree climbing – don’t look down!