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This guide is designed to help you tailor your itinerary, including the towns and attractions that align perfectly with your interests. Each day brought a new, awe-inspiring view and a fresh adventure, making it a travel experience we wholeheartedly recommend. This article lets you uncover this breathtaking region’s hidden gems and must-see spots. We tell you what to pay attention to when choosing a cruise itinerary and what attractions you will find in individual ports of call in the Inside Passage. Many pods to view and captain did a great jump keeping them in fairly close view for our enjoyment.
Hiking Reid Glacier
Alaska Inside Passage cruise itineraries can vary significantly, making selecting a route that aligns with your interests and desires crucial. While some cruises focus on natural wonders and wildlife, others may emphasize cultural experiences and historical sites. The Inside Passage is a treasure trove of unique experiences and destinations. For instance, Juneau, the capital of Alaska, offers a blend of urban amenities and natural wonders like the Mendenhall Glacier and one of the best whale-watching opportunities in Alaska and in the entire US. Imagine sailing through a maze of islands where roads are virtually non-existent.
Alaska Cruise Onboard Experience
Whether it’s wildlife watching in Glacier Bay or cultural tours in Sitka, your ports of call should align with your interests. Small ship cruises offer a more intimate experience, typically carrying between 50 to 200 passengers. These smaller vessels can navigate narrower channels and get closer to glaciers and wildlife. The Inside Passage is rich in cultural history, and many ports offer tours that delve into the local heritage.
THE 25 BEST Cruises to Skagway, AK 2024 (with Prices) - Skagway Cruise Port Terminal on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST Cruises to Skagway, AK 2024 (with Prices) - Skagway Cruise Port Terminal on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:35:20 GMT [source]
Top Sights & Attractions for Cruises through the Inside Passage
On an Alaska cruise, unpack once and explore glaciers, wildlife and national parks. At first glance many mistake Victoria for an English coastal city or northern European town. Full of greenery, pubs and Victorian architecture, it's difficult to believe that this was a tent city full of rough and tumble miners just 150 years ago.
Find Your Inside Passage Ship
Ketchikan offers several ziplining courses that take you through the canopy of the Tongass National Forest, providing both thrills and a unique perspective on the local flora and fauna. Dog sledding is a quintessentially Alaskan adventure that you won’t want to miss. In Skagway and Juneau, you can combine a helicopter tour with a dog sledding experience on a glacier. You’ll meet a team of Alaskan huskies and even have a chance to mush your own sled.
Land Mammals: Bears and Moose
If you are sailing from Vancouver or Seattle, consider spending a few extra days either before or after the cruise to enjoy some of the local sights. Ask your Alaska Cruise Specialist about this when planning your cruise. Our Princess fleet includes ships that range from our smaller vessels to large ships. From a balcony stateroom, marvel at the glaciers passing by before enjoying local seafood in one of our many eateries during your seven-day Alaska cruise. When you cruise to Alaska with Princess, sail through one of the most iconic locations in the Great Land — Glacier Bay National Park.
Find Seabourn Odyssey Cruises to Alaska (with Prices) - Cruise Critic
Find Seabourn Odyssey Cruises to Alaska (with Prices).
Posted: Tue, 24 Oct 2023 03:59:24 GMT [source]
Overall, I took more than 800 photos and videos, many from the deck of the Alaska Dream. The waters, the whales and otters, the extraordinary mountains draped in snow, ice, and clouds, and the sunrises and sunsets were perfect. Frederick Sound - The scenic Frederick Surround separates Admiralty Island and Kupreanof Island. A great place for summer whale watching, the Five Fingers Island Light can present an attractive sight in front of the icy landscapes behind it. To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. Alaska's Inside Passage is the area that makes up the Southeast Region of Alaska.
Families with kids will find Royal Caribbean to be a perfect match. Their ships are equipped with family-friendly amenities like rock climbing walls, surfing simulators, and kids’ clubs. Moreover, their Alaska itineraries often include stops at ports like Skagway, where the whole family can enjoy the scenic White Pass & Yukon Route railway journey. Skagway offers helicopter tours that fly over the glaciers and ice fields of the Chilkat Range, providing breathtaking aerial views.
Cruises
Encompassed by tranquil waters, one moment you can be sailing a wide bay of barrier islands and the next you’re cruising through a narrow waterway flanked by towering forested walls. That’s the splendid spectacle of these serene landscapes — the scenery is constantly changing, from picturesque shores to friendly coastal towns. (home to Butchart Gardens and the storied Fairmont-Empress Hotel) or Vancouver. You're very likely to see some Alaskan wildlife on any Inside Passage itinerary, whether that be whales, bald eagles, sea lions, porpoises or spotted harbor seals. On a cruise to Alaska, live a nature lover's dream in the land where guests can catch postcard-worthy sights.
The closest international airports for an Inside Passage cruise are Sitka Rocky Gutirrez Airport (SIT), Juneau International Airport (JNU), and Ketchikan International Airport (KTN). Most flights to Alaska from the US mainland arrive in Juneau, Anchorage, and Fairbanks; connecting flights are readily available from both Anchorage and Fairbanks. Wildlife Encounters - A cruise of the Inner Passages offers wildlife encounters galore.
If you’re a wildlife enthusiast, Holland America Line offers specialized itineraries that focus on wildlife watching. Their cruises often include stops at Glacier Bay National Park and Tracy Arm Fjord, where you can spot humpback whales, sea otters, and bald eagles. Onboard, enjoy lectures from naturalists to deepen your understanding of Alaska’s unique ecosystems. Having personally sailed the Inside Passage, we can vouch for its extraordinary beauty and adventure. Unlike other Alaska cruise routes, the Inside Passage lets you intimately experience untouched wilderness, charming coastal towns, and a wide array of wildlife, from humpback whales to bald eagles. Welcome to your go-to guide for Alaska Inside Passage Cruises in 2024.
Especially when you consider that these images of salmon, whales, birds, human faces, and circular patterns represent the oldest native art in southeast Alaska. While we were in Juneau we were fortunate to get an opportunity to explore the exceptional Sealaska Heritage Institute, which is arguably the finest indigenous art museum I’ve visited. While cruising the Inside Passage, you’ll be forgiven if you see so many spectacular glaciers, you start having trouble telling them apart. The glacier was named for Thomas Mendenhall, who led the National Geodetic Survey from 1889 to 1894, but never actually visited the area. Stretching 13.6 miles long, the gorgeous glacier is part of the Juneau Icefield, the fifth largest icefield in North America. The Alaska Inside Passage is a must-visit destination offering unparalleled value.
