Thinking of taking an Alaska cruise? Great idea, you definitely should! Alaska cruises are very unique and a ton of fun. The scenery is amazing and there are so many fun activities and excursions. Alaska cruises do require some planning, however – but don’t worry, you’re in the right place! Keep reading for 10 Alaska cruise tips you need before you set sail!
10 Essential Alaska Cruise Tips
1: Pack Layers
The weather in Alaska varies greatly throughout the summer months. Some days it may be sunny and 85 and others 55 and rainy.
The biggest piece of advice I have when packing for an Alaska cruise is to pack layers. Long sleeve shirts, sweaters and light jackets are all great options. As are cute matching sets!
Check out my Alaska Cruise Packing List for a detailed guide!
To note: I always travel in a carry-on, and this was true for my Alaska cruise as well. Many cruise lines offer self-service laundry, making it easy to wash and rewear clothes.
I went on a Royal Caribbean cruise, however, and there is no self-service laundry. You can send your clothes out to be washed, dried and folded for $36 for a decent sized (provided) plastic bag full.
While this was convenient, definitely don’t send any clothes you care about too much. They shrunk a bunch of my items – which I definitely should have anticipated.
2: Balcony Rooms are Worth It
Alaska is really beautiful, and a great way to enjoy this beauty is from a balcony; either in your room or on one of the decks.
Being able to enjoy these spectacular views from your stateroom is a huge added bonus, and one I definitely recommend if the price fits your budget.
If you can’t swing a balcony room, definitely consider paying the little bit extra for a porthold. Usually they’re a decent size, and being able to see outside is really enjoyable.
On my Alaska cruise, I picked the cheapest option possible and had an interior room. The room itself was fine, but not being able to see outside was difficult, especially in the morning when there was no natural sunlight to wake me up.
Personally, I will try to never take another cruise in an interior room.
3: Don’t Miss Out on the Excursions
On an Alaska cruise the excursions are definitely a highlight. There is so much to do and see in Alaska and cruise lines offer a wide array of exciting activities.
I recommend whale watching, visiting glaciers, ATVing, hiking, biking and salmon bakes! But you really can’t go wrong with any excursion you choose.
Although staying on the ship while at port can be fun, I definitely recommend getting off and going on excursions. You won’t regret it!
4: Budget for Excursions, They can be Expensive
While the excursions on an Alaska cruise are definitely worth going on, they can be very pricey! I spent more on excursions than I did on my 7 night cruise fare.
Some options are more affordable than others, though. For example, a walking tour will be more affordable than a glacier excursion. With so many amazing tour and excursion options, there’s definitely something for everyone and every budget!
A few excursion prices from Royal Caribbean include:
- White Pass Train and Klondike Bike Tour: $246
- Whale Quest and Salmon Bake: $189
- ATV Expedition: $149
- Alaska Zodiac Boat Adventure & Fin Island: $170
- The Hubbard Glacier Wilderness Explorer: $319
5: You Can Often Book Excursions on Arrival
Usually on cruises I don’t recommend booking excursions directly through the cruise line. They’re often way more expensive and I’m not a huge fan of large group tours/activities. However, on an Alaska cruise, booking through the cruise line is a good option. There are tons of activities to choose from, and because most of the ports rely so heavily on cruise ship tourism, the tours are well led and planned.
If you don’t book your excursions in advance, or if the ones you’re hoping to go on are sold out, you can often book same-day tours once you arrive at the port. When you get off of the ship, there will be little booths selling excursions – and usually they’re quite similar to those offered by the cruise line.
Additionally, many of the little port towns have things to do and places to explore close by. For example, in Icy Strait Point you can buy same-day tickets for their gondola and ride up to the top of Hoonah Mountain. The views are incredible and at the top you can go on a hike – as long as there isn’t too much bear activity that day.
6: Compare and Contrast Ships/Cruise Lines Before Booking
There are a ton of cruise lines that offer Alaska cruises, and it’s important to do your research before booking a trip.
I chose to go with Royal Caribbean, on the Radiance of the Seas ship, entirely because it was the cheapest option.
While it was a fun experience, there weren’t a lot of other 21-30 year old travelers, and the on-board activities were extrememply limited. Additionally, the food was only okay – but I definitely expected this for the low price of the cruise.
If I had a higher budget, I without a doubt would have chosen Disney. I love Disney ships, the food is great, and there are a ton of on-board activities for all ages.
Different ships and cruise lines target different age groups and types of travelers, so be sure to look at all of the options.
7: Look at the On-Board Activities Offered
Because the weather in Alaska is so unpredictable, it’s not guaranteed that you can spend all of your ship time outside on deck or in the pool. This makes it incredibly important that you book a cruise that offers a good selection of on-board activities.
Disney, specifically, is fantastic at providing on-board activities that are fun for all ages. There are Broadway style shows, movies playing all day long, kids clubs, adult only lounge areas, etc.
Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, on the other hand, offered very few on-board activities. There were a few nighttime shows throughout the week, as well as Bingo and trivia each day. Besides that, travelers were pretty much on their own. This is fine if you’re traveling with a large group or bring your own activities, it’s just important to plan ahead.
Note: Many ships depart from ports quite early in the day (around 5pm), so you’ll be spending most of your evenings on-board.
8: Arrive the Day Before Your Cruise Departs
Don’t miss your cruise! Flight delays and cancellations happen, and you don’t want to be sitting in the airport while your cruise departs to its first port.
Arrive to the cruise departure city a day early and spend the night. It’s an additional cost, but it’s a good way to see another city and, more importantly, ensure that you make it on the ship!
If your Alaska cruise departs from Vancouver, check out my 24 hours in Vancouver travel guide!
9: Do the Math on the Drink Packages – They’re Not Always Worth It
Cruise ships are often associated with unlimited drinks – especially if you’re on a party ship in the Caribbean! While for some people a drink package is worth it, for many, it won’t be.
On Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, for example, an unlimited drink package is around $89 per day. With alcoholic drinks costing $12-$13 each, you’d have to drink 7 drinks per day to make it worth it.
Since you’ll likely be off of the ship on excursions for most of the day, a drink package may not be the way to go. Instead, you can save money and buy drinks individually!
10: Make Sure You Have Cash for Tips
It’s important to have cash for tipping your excursion guides as well as your cruise staff (at the end of the trip)! Get cash on land, as the ATMs on board often have very high fees.
I hope these Alaska cruise tips have helped you plan for your adventure! If you have any questions, or any other tips you’d like to add, let me know in the comments!
Be sure to also check out my other cruise guides:
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I’ve got an Alaska cruise coming up in two weeks — and yes, I’m also bringing only a carry-on! I don’t like to pay for laundry service — I find that most things (except for heavy sweaters or jeans) will dry in a day or two if you do a little DIY laundry in your cabin.
Thanks so much for all these helpful tips. I have always wanted to do an Alaska cruise. The views all look incredible
I went on an Alaskan cruise in 2019 and absolutely loved it! However, I went with Norwegian cruise line. Thank you for all the tips!
Tips are really appreciate to visit the Alaskan cruise.