Essential Alaska Cruise Tips & Mistakes To Avoid!
Planning your first Alaska cruise can feel overwhelming, especially with so much to see and do. However, with some proper research and preparation, your first Alaska cruise can be an unforgettable experience.
Visiting Alaska has been on my own bucket-list for a while, and although it involved a bit of planning, I enjoyed every moment of it! (I loved the planning just as much as the trip itself!) I recently returned from my trip to Alaska, which included a cruise and land portion.
In this guide, I’ll share all the essential Alaska cruise tips you need to know before and after booking. This includes things I wish I had known before my trip, on board tips, and what to pack!
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Essential Alaska Cruise Tips
1. Book A Balcony
Many people say a balcony isn’t necessary on an Alaska cruise, and I can understand why. The top decks offer great views of glaciers, but I have no regrets about booking a balcony room, and I wouldn’t cruise Alaska again without one.
There are a few reasons why I believe a balcony is essential. First, it provides privacy and space. Being able to open my balcony door at any time and enjoy the views was a real treat. On glacier days, the top decks can get crowded, so it was nice not to have to fight for a good view.
I also loved having a balcony during our visit to Hubbard Glacier as it was raining, but we were able to enjoy the views from our covered balcony without getting wet.
2. The Ship You Are On Matters
I booked my Alaska cruise based on the itinerary rather than the cruise line or ship. However, all three factors should be considered when planning your cruise. As a newcomer to cruising, I thought all ships were pretty much the same—but I soon learned they’re not!
After I returned from my cruise, I realized I got lucky with the ship I chose. We sailed on the Princess Sapphire, which is a smaller ship. I didn’t know at the time that smaller ships can get closer to glaciers! Tidewater glaciers in Alaska are often found at the end of narrow fjords, so the ship needs room to turn around there.
When we cruised to Hubbard Glacier, our ship got closer than any other cruise ship had before! I later learned that the Sapphire got even closer on another trip—just 0.5 miles from Hubbard Glacier. Our captain was Todd McBain, who has experience sailing the glaciers of South America and on Arctic expeditions.
3. Consider Booking A Land Portion Of Your Cruise
There are many Alaska cruise itineraries to choose from, including round-trip and one-way options. If you pick a one-way cruise, you can add a land portion either before or after your cruise. Many cruise lines offer pre-planned land excursions as part of the package. We chose a one-way cruise and decided to book the land portion ourselves.
I highly recommend arranging the land part of your trip on your own! After spending 7 days on the ship, it was nice to explore Alaska freely without a fixed schedule. Denali National Park was one of our favourite spots, and I think everyone should see it at least once. There’s so much to do that you could easily spend another two weeks discovering Alaska.
4. Weather Can Alter Your Cruise Itinerary
Weather can alter the itinerary of an Alaska cruise, as the region is known for its unpredictable and often harsh weather conditions. Sudden changes in weather can lead to the cancellation or alteration of planned stops due to safety concerns and navigational challenges. It’s not uncommon for cruise lines to skip ports or change courses if storms, heavy rain, or fog arise unexpectedly.
During my Alaska cruise, we encountered some rough seas, and other cruise ships chose to skip Hubbard Glacier as a result. However, our captain made the decision to continue sailing – and made an announcement on board that we could make it into Disenchantment Bay. Despite the rainy conditions and fog, we got closer to Hubbard Glacier than any other cruise ship has before, which was pretty amazing!
5. You May Get Sea Sick
I often get motion sickness in cars and small boats, but I usually have no problems on cruise ships. However, during our Alaska cruise, I experienced a very rough night where I felt extremely seasick. The waves were really high that day, making it hard to sleep with the ship rocking. I recommend bringing your own motion sickness relief options, like wristbands or Gravol, but you can also get pills onboard from Guest Services or one of the stores.
6. Don’t Miss Glacier Bay!
My cruise to Alaska didn’t include Glacier Bay National Park, and I regret not picking an itinerary that did. Instead, we stopped at Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord, which were both stunning, but Glacier Bay offers even more views in every direction.
Glacier Bay National Park is huge, and the itinerary allows for a full day of sailing—about 7 hours—through the park instead of just 2 hours at one glacier. Cruise ships usually arrive between 6 AM and 9 AM, making it a perfect time to enjoy breakfast on your balcony!
During your day at Glacier Bay, a park ranger will come on board and answer questions from guests. They also have a bunch of cool merch on sale and even commentate some of the glaciers. In total you will see around 8 glaciers in total, including Marjorie Glacier and John Hopkins Glacier.
After returning from my Alaska cruise and doing more research, I really wish I had chosen a route that included Glacier Bay. You not only get 7-9 hours of sailing through the park, but there are also park rangers who come on board to give talks, which is really cool!
7. Wildlife Sightings Are Not Guaranteed
One of the biggest reasons to visit Alaska is to get a chance to view wildlife in their natural habitat. However, wildlife sightings are not guaranteed on an Alaska cruise. While some cruises may advertise wildlife viewing as a highlight of their itinerary, it is ultimately up to chance.
That being said, there are certain areas and times of the year where you have a higher likelihood of spotting wildlife. For example, the Inside Passage and Glacier Bay National Park are known for frequent sightings of humpback whales and other marine life. Visiting during peak season (May-August) increases your chances of spotting animals such as bears, moose, and bald eagles.
We saw whale sightings twice during our cruise, both were while we were in the main dining room. I was hoping to see more whale sightings during our cruise, especially from the balcony, but this is never guaranteed. I’m not sure if it was purely a coincidence, but both sightings were on the port side (we were cruising north to Alaska).
We also saw some seals who were chilling on the icebergs when we were visiting College Fjord – this was so so cool to see! On the land portion of our trip, we were lucky enough to see Dall Sheep, Grizzly Bears, and a bull Moose in Denali National Park.
8. Consider Adding A Drinks Package
When I first booked my Alaska cruise, I decided not to add a drinks package because I don’t drink much at home. I figured I would have one or maybe two drinks a day. However, as the cruise approached, I changed my mind and opted for the package, and I’m glad I did! It was worth the cost, even though it was 50% of my total cruise price.
I purchased the Princess Plus package for $60 USD per person per day, although I think the price has now increased since my cruise. What does it include? It covers wifi, all soft drinks, specialty coffee, alcoholic drinks up to $15 each (with a maximum of 15 drinks per day), 2 premium desserts, 2 casual restaurant meals, and 2 gym classes.
We found ourselves drinking 3-4 cocktails/beers a day, so we definitely got our money’s worth! The casual restaurants offered a nice break from the buffet, and on sea days, we joined gym classes when we needed something to do.
Most cruise lines offer drink packages similar to Princess Plus. I really enjoyed just scanning my medallion and knowing everything was pre-paid, including staff tips!
9. You Don’t Need To Book Excursions For Every Port
We stopped in three ports during our cruise, Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. I booked an excursion in all three of these ports, but came to realize that this wasn’t always necessary. It’s also possible to book a tour as you get off the ship, directly from the tour companies if you are unsure if you want to book in advance.
I really enjoyed exploring the port towns themselves. In Juneau there were tons of local coffee shops, stores and bars & restaurants. And although Skagway is a small town, it’s also a National Historic Park – it was sooo pretty here I wished I’d had more time to really walk through the town.
Our shortest port day was Ketchikan, so I booked a morning tour to the Saxman Native Village, this lasted 2 hours and I think this was the perfect amount of time for an excursion here.
10. Turn Your TV On During Glacier Days
On our Princess Cruise the captain did not make announcements in staterooms. This means on glacier days you will not hear the announcements, or the commentary from the naturalists on board, when you are approaching the glacier. On princess cruises, if you turn the TV on and go to the bridge cam, you will then hear the commentary from your room. Although this allowed us to listen to the commentary, we found that when we stood on the balcony, there was a very obvious echo. To really hear the commentary, you’ll want to head to the top decks.
11. Book (some) Excursions Well In Advance
Some port excursions fill up quickly, especially when booked through cruise lines. The glacier excursions offered by the cruise line are particularly popular and tend to sell out fast. For example, our Princess Cruise had a tour of the Hubbard Glacier, where you can board a smaller boat and get closer to the glacier than the cruise ship can. This tour sold out a few months before the sailing date, and sometimes they sell out even faster than this.
If you’re stopping in Skagway, the White Pass Railway also gets booked up well in advance, both through the cruise lines and directly. I was unsure about booking the White Pass, and by the time I decided to go for it, it was sold out through my cruise provider. I ended up booking through a tour company directly, but that tour also sold out. If there’s a tour you’re really interested in, make sure to book it well in advance!
12. The Cruise Line You Choose Matters
Depending on the route and itinerary, you may want to choose one cruise line over another. For example, cruising Glacier Bay. Glacier Bay is considered a must by seasoned Alaska cruisers, but only 2 cruise ships can enter this National Park per day.
The cruise line you choose makes a difference because some get priority to Glacier Bay over others. Both Princess Cruises and Holland America both sail through Glacier Bay more than any other cruise line – so if seeing this UNESCO World Heritage site on your bucket-list, you may want to book with one of these companies.
On top of this, Princess and Holland America have been sailing Alaska longer than other cruises lines, and therefore they generally dock at the best docks too. I was very happy when we arrived in Skagway and docked at the Broadway Dock, which meant we didn’t need to tender into port!
13. Excursions Are Expensive
Many excursions offered at port can be quite expensive. I’ve grown accustomed to this since the pandemic-that-shall-not-be-named. Almost every tour in popular travel destinations has seen a price increase. Some prices seemed reasonable to me, depending on what you’re looking to do.
The most costly excursion I took during my Alaska cruise was an 8-hour full-day tour to the Yukon, which included a 3-hour ride on the White Pass Railway for $230 USD per person, lunch included. I don’t think that’s a bad price for a full day of activities with lunch, especially since the railway itself isn’t cheap.
On the other hand, I felt that some activities weren’t worth the cost, like the Goldbelt Tram in Juneau, which I thought was overpriced for what it offers. The upside is that you don’t need to book tickets in advance; they accept walk-ups, which is great since it’s often foggy in Juneau.
14. You Will Probably Go Over Budget
Alaska is not a cheap destination, however choosing to visit on a cruise can actually be the cheaper option! The base fare of cruise for an inside stateroom can actually be on the cheaper side. The base fare for an inside stateroom can be quite affordable, with prices sometimes as low as $300 per person.
However you should be be prepared to go well over budget. I decided I couldn’t sail to Alaska without having my own balcony, so I upgraded my stateroom. Then I added on the drinks package, and booked excursions at all three ports. I also added a land portion to my trip, which included 3 hotels, a tour through Denali National Park and a train ride on the Alaska railroad.
For most people Alaska is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and in my opinion, it’s worth splurging a little to make the most out of your experience. However, just be aware that you may end up spending more than originally planned.
Mistakes To Avoid On An Alaska Cruise
1. Not Packing Layers
Packing layers is the best way to dress for Alaska. I live in British Columbia, so I felt we had a good expectation of what the weather in Alaska would be like. During my 12 days in Alaska, there were maybe 2 days where I felt cold, and these were at College Fjord and our last day in Denali National Park – this was in mid-September.
For the most part, temperatures during our trip were on the mild side and I didn’t need gloves or a hat most of the time – I would still recommend packing these items though. Depending on where you are visiting from, you may need to purchase some new clothing items.
I recommend a rain coat, and to wear layers underneath. You will also need a good grippy pair of shoes. I wore my Blundstones for the most of my trip, and my Danner hiking boots on a few days, and both were great!
2. Not Bringing Your Passport
If you’re sailing from Seattle or Vancouver, be sure to bring your passport. Due to the Jones Act in the US, cruise ships must stop at a foreign port if they start and end in the US. Many round-trip cruises from Seattle will stop in Victoria, Canada, or you might begin your cruise in Vancouver. I’ve heard of people being denied boarding because they didn’t have their passport.
Some excursions also require a passport, like the White Pass Railway, which crosses into Canada. We opted for a full-day tour to the Yukon that included a ride on the White Pass Railway, and everyone on the tour had to have a passport to enter Canada.
3. Move Around The Ship On Glacier Days
When your cruise ship visits a glacier, you’ll enjoy about 2 hours of scenic cruising (except in Glacier Bay). The two hours begin as your ship approaches the glacier. It will stop for a moment, then rotate to align with the glacier so one side can view it up close, before turning again to allow the other side a view as well. On our ship, they started with the starboard side, where our balcony was, and then turned to the port side.
I wasn’t aware of this, so we stayed on our balcony the entire time at Hubbard Glacier. I recommend starting on the top decks, then heading to your stateroom when the glacier is facing your balcony. We also explored deck 7, which felt like the closest deck to the glacier. Finally, when the cruise ship leaves the fjord or glacier, we went to the back of the ship, and the views from there were amazing!
4. Not Going To The Nature & Enrichment Talks
During my recent Alaska cruise with Princess, I missed most of the enrichment talks, which was disappointing. There were a few reasons for this, and I found the Princess app lacking in this instance.
The app provides a daily outline of events but the descriptions for the enrichment talks were unclear, so I was unsure of what they entailed. They also have speakers come aboard to ship while still in certain ports. For example Libby Riddles, the Iditarod winner, was a speaker, but we nearly missed her talk because it wasn’t listed on the app or promoted anywhere.
There was also a naturalist talk at the back of the ship that wasn’t unadvertised anywhere. We only heard about it two hours before it happened, but we had a dining reservation just before, so we ended up missing it. If we had known about this prior, we could have reserved dining based around these events.
This was the most disappointing aspect of my cruise. I expected more discussions about the natural areas we were exploring and fewer sales pitches. If you want to attend these events, I recommend doing some research based on previous cruises. The few talks we did manage to attend were really interesting!
5. Not Packing A Swimsuit Or Shorts
Shorts on an Alaska cruise? Absolutely. When we boarded our cruise ship in Vancouver in August, the weather was much warmer than the inside passage of Alaska. Embarkation day was hot, and I ended up feeling overheated on the ship. I wished I had boarded in a dress or shorts since it was so warm. This is also a great time to check out the pools on board – many others enjoyed the pool area for some last-minute sunbathing and swimming before we set sail.
6. Not Getting Travel Insurance
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when planning an Alaska cruise is not getting travel insurance. This is a must-have for any trip, but especially for a cruise where you are out at sea and may encounter unexpected medical expenses or cancellations.
When I started my research for my Alaska cruise, I noticed one thing that constantly came up – and that was not booking travel insurance! Trip Cancellation is especially important, as many people fall sick or are injured before their trip and have to cancel. In this case, having travel insurance can save you thousands of dollars in non-refundable fees.
I highly recommend researching and purchasing travel insurance that covers all aspects of your Alaska cruise, including any excursions or activities you have planned.
Make sure to read through the policy carefully and understand what is covered and for how much – including medical expenses, lost luggage, trip interruptions, etc. Don’t make the mistake of thinking “it won’t happen to me” – better safe than sorry when it comes to travel insurance!
Final Thoughts
I learned a lot from my first Alaska cruise, and despite all the planning prior to my trip, there was still so much to know beforehand. I hope that these tips and mistakes to avoid on your Alaska cruise will help you to plan an amazing trip! Remember to research, plan ahead, and pack accordingly for the ever-changing weather in Alaska.
