Journey to the Last Frontier
Just imagine yourself onboard a luxurious Alaskan cruise: you make your way to the top deck and wave goodbye to the beautiful skyline of Vancouver. As you pull out of the harbour, the city twinkles on one side, and mountains soar on the other.
As you cruise ahead, the Inside Passage opens up into vast stretches of shimmering blue water. You can see whales breaching and bald eagles flying overhead. Soon the jagged icebergs and ice floes of Alaska's wilderness come into view. If that's not enough, when night-time arrives, you might even be lucky enough to see the spectacular Northern Lights. Want to catch a glimpse of Alaska’s fantastic wildlife? Take a boat tour through icy waters for your chance to witness humpback whales and orcas in their natural habitat. After a busy day, simply relax as your every need is taken care of. The hardest decision will be deciding which gourmet restaurant to dine in that evening! This is just a taste of what's possible on Alaska and Canada holidays.
An Alaskan cruise will be a holiday you won't forget!
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Recommended Holidays
Explore a collection of our handpicked cruise holidays below
Explore Alaska Cruise Holidays
Alaska cruises from Vancouver
Ports of call & shore excursions
Most Alaska cruises depart from Vancouver because of its favourable geographic location and shorter sailing distance to the scenic Inside Passage. The city is home to the award-winning cruise terminal, Canada Place. Booking an Alaskan cruise from Vancouver will allow you to spend a couple of days exploring this magnificent metropolis prior to embarking on your ship or after disembarking it. With the likes of Capilano Suspension Bridge, Grouse Mountain and Stanley Park, the city is a great addition to any Alaska cruise package. If you want to see more of Canada, add the iconic Rocky Mountaineer to your Alaska cruise holiday. Finally, Vancouver is the only cruise port that offers both one-way and roundtrip Alaska cruises, meaning you can choose to sail from Vancouver and fly back from Alaska. A Canada cruise to Alaska from Vancouver is certainly an adventure not to miss.
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Inside Passage Alaska cruises
The Inside Passage is a 500-mile-long scenic waterway consisting of deep fjords, straits, and lush-green forested islands. Carved by glaciers millions of years ago, the passage stretches from Puget Sound (Washington, USA) in the south, up through the Pacific Coast of British Columbia, and reaches the Gulf of Alaska in the north. It is the most popular Alaska cruise route because of the scenic views, amazing wildlife, and the fact that large vessels can safely sail relatively close to steep mountain ridges. A big portion of the Inside Passage is covered by the Tongass National Forest. These lands are home to Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian Alaska native peoples, as well as whales, bears and soaring eagles. You will get the chance to explore both Alaska's wilderness and heritage sites on your cruise holiday. Ships typically stop at Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka and Skagway but the ports of call vary per itinerary and Alaska cruise line.
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Gulf of Alaska cruises
The best Alaska cruises sail along the Inside Passage route and are typically a round-trip from Vancouver or Seattle. Those cruise ships that sail further north to the Gulf of Alaska are one-way trips between Vancouver or Seattle and Seward or Whittier. The latter are the gateway to Alaska’s biggest city, Anchorage, and famous Alaska landmarks, such as Denali National Park. Such itineraries fall under the category of the so-called cruise tours as they include cruising and land tours in Alaska’s remote wilderness. They tend to be a bit more expensive than round-trip Alaska cruises from Vancouver because you will need to fly one-way to or from Alaska. A Gulf of Alaska cruise itinerary will see you sailing to Hubbard Glacier, College Fjord and other ports in the gulf and Prince William Sound along with exploring major ports of call along the iconic Inside Passage. Land tours typically include Denali National Park; however, you can add Yukon to your Canada and Alaska cruise package, as well.
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Alaska’s breath taking glaciers
The most spectacular sight to behold during your Alaskan cruise holiday is seeing a gigantic glacier calving right before your eyes. Most cruises in Alaska will take you either to Glacier Bay National Park or Hubbard Glacier. There are over 1,000 glaciers in Glacier Bay of which seven are tidewater glaciers or the so-called calving glaciers. Typically, cruise ships spend a full day of scenic cruising in the bay with a stop at a major tidewater glacier. Rangers from the park board the ships to give talks to the guests. Glacier Bay National Park offers more than glaciers, though. It consists of 3.3 million acres of majestic mountains, temperate rainforest, ice-sculptured fjords, dramatic glaciers, and fascinating wildlife. Hubbard Glacier, on the other side, nicknamed “the Galloping Glacier” due to its rapid advancement to the sea, is the longest tidewater glacier in North America and measures a staggering 76 miles in length. Calving occurs daily which makes the glacier a popular destination for cruises in Alaska.
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Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is the salmon capital of the world and the first city along the Inside Passage where cruise ships stop. From all ports of call on your Alaskan cruise, this is the best place to explore the rich cultural heritage of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian Alaska native peoples. Visit the Saxman Totem Park and explore 25 authentic replicas of original totem poles from abandoned Native Alaskans’ villages. Alternatively, head to the Totem Heritage Centre boosting the largest collection of 19th-century totem poles. Stroll down the iconic Creek Street, go bear watching by boat or flightseeing at Neets Bay, catch your own salmon at Ketchikan Creek or take in the views of glacial lakes, snow-capped peaks, and majestic waterfalls at the Misty Fjords National Monument. Talk to our Canada and Alaska Cruise specialists to pre-book the best Alaska shore excursions for your trip.
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Juneau – Alaska’s capital city
Juneau is the state capital of Alaska and is accessible only by air or sea. It offers pristine natural surroundings and stunning wildlife, such as humpback whales and orcas, brown bears, bald eagles, salmon, harbour seals and porpoises. Cruise travellers can explore the city either independently or opt for an exhilarating local experience. A highlight in any Alaska cruise to Juneau is the mighty Mendenhall Glacier. Located in the Juneau Ice Field this is one of the most accessible glaciers in North America. Options for exploration include hiking, helicopter or floatplane rides and even dog sledding. Other popular Alaska shore excursions in Juneau include whale watching at Auke Bay, coastal brown bears viewing and guided hikes in the Tongass National Forest. A must-try local attraction is the Juneau tram for incredible views from Mount Roberts.
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Skagway, Alaska
Many Alaska cruises sail up to the northernmost point of the Inside Passage as far as Skagway. Skagway is famous as the best-preserved Klondike Gold Rush town in the area. Many buildings of the era are preserved as part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Downtown walking tours will transport you to the Gold Rush era while exploring the historic wooden boardwalk streets and learning about the intrepid prospectors. Embark on a scenic rail trip on the historic White Pass and Yukon Route. Get a first-hand feeling of the Gold Rush on a gold panning tour. Outdoor enthusiasts can try dog mushing, sea kayaking and hiking. There are so many exhilarating experiences you can try on your Alaska cruise to Skagway.
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Anchorage & Denali National Park
Some cruises continue past Skagway and the Glacier Bay National Park, all the way up to Anchorage, Alaska’s biggest city. This port is the perfect gateway to explore the rugged wilderness of the Last Frontier by land. Denali National Park, the jewel of Alaska’s interior, is certainly a highlight of any Alaskan cruise to Anchorage. It is home to North America’s highest mountain peak, Mt Denali (formerly known as Mt McKinley) towering at an impressive 20,310 feet above sea level. The Park is where you can see Alaska’s Big Five, as well – grizzly bears, caribou, moose, wolves, and Dall sheep. From Denali, your Alaska exploration can continue to Fairbanks and even Yukon and the iconic Dawson City and Whitehorse, depending on your desired Canada and Alaska cruise package.
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Choose your perfect cruise holiday
Holland America Line, Celebrity or Princess Cruises?
Alaska Cruise Holidays FAQs
Although your cruise ship to Alaska will be smaller and more intimate than some of the behemoths that cruise other destinations around North America, there is still lots to do onboard. From movies to evening shows, interactive presentations, to spas, you’ll never be stuck for choice. And of course, it’s hard to get tired of those ever-changing views.
You'll have a wide choice of free dining included, plus the option to pay to dine in a range of speciality restaurants.
Sail from Vancouver over to some of Alaska's most exciting cities, including Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Seward and Anchorage. You'll have the chance to pass famous sights like Icy Point, the Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay along the way.
Pack a warm, waterproof jacket, casual clothes, comfortable layers and sturdy shoes with grip on deck during your Alaska cruise. Evening attire is usually smart casual.
An Alaskan cruise is full of activities. When the boat stops, the adventures begin! Hike, go whale watching and even walk on glaciers.
Don't worry - the islands of the Inside Passage provide protection from the open ocean, and modern ships are very stable.
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Did you know?
Alaska is the only state in the US that cannot be reached by land. The only way to get to Alaska is by air or sea. This makes Alaska cruises a popular way to see the state's stunning scenery and wildlife.
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Our Expert Team
Speak to one of our Canada travel experts and start planning your dream holiday to Canada today. Take a look at our Meet the Team page to find out more.
Julie Heath
Julie has been at Canadian Affair for nearly three years and has been working in travel for thirty-three years.
Mark Carson
Mark has been working for Canadian Affair for over three years but has been travelling to Canada regularly since 1989.
Karen Dougan
Karen has been working at Canadian Affair for over ten years, making her the true definition of a Canada travel expert.
Jemma Price
Jemma has been at Canadian Affair for two years and has extensive travel experience across North America.
Hannah Littlewood
Hannah joined Canadian Affair last year after having lived in Canada for two years prior to this, giving her expert local knowledge.
Kate Mitchell
Kate has been working at Canadian Affair for over a year and has travelled to various parts of Canada multiple times.
Andrew Blenkiron
Andrew has worked in travel for over twelve years, with two years as a Canada specialist, and has travelled all over Canada.
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