Monday, April 1, 2024

How to Make your Alaska Cruise Travel Easier: Tips

royal carribean alaska cruise

Being flexible on an Alaska cruise is important, especially when it comes to your cruise itinerary. You may end up enjoying the replacement port even more than you would have enjoyed the original itinerary. The deep, narrow passage of the Tracy Arm Fjord travels over 30 miles alongside the Tongass National Forest, with the twin Sawyer Glaciers at the end of the passage. Victoria, British Columbia is a port visited on Alaska cruises from Seattle.

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In most instances, a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft is the most convenient option. However, your hotel may also provide a shuttle, or you could even take the light rail from the airport to downtown. Because you will arrive in your embarkation city the night before your cruise, remember to book your hotel stay sooner rather than later. When booking a hotel in Seattle or Vancouver (or Anchorage/Seward for one-way itineraries), you will want to book a hotel in a convenient location. Hopefully, if you have an Alaska cruise booked this summer, you’ve already booked your airfare to and from the cruise port. If you have not done so yet, we recommend booking flights as soon as possible.

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The Top Things to Do Onboard Brilliance of the Seas Royal Caribbean Cruises

royal carribean alaska cruise

Like Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas is also a Quantum Class cruise ship, meaning she offers the latest and greatest of Royal Caribbean’s features and activities. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the unique “I can’t believe they put that on a cruise ship” activities found onboard, such as the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator or bumper cars. Both ships are among the smaller vessels in the Royal Caribbean fleet, but offer a more intimate experience to passengers and are perfect for smooth sailing in Alaska. Ovation and Quantum are both Quantum-class ships, weighing in at 168,666 gross tons and able to accommodate 4,180 passengers at double occupancy, and up to 4,905 passengers when fully booked for all berths. Quantum of the Seas was the first ship in the class and debuted in 2014, while Ovation of the Seas first joined the fleet in 2016. No one enjoys navigating crowds, but it’s almost inevitable when cruising to Alaska.

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You might enjoy shopping at Pike’s Place Market and visiting the Space Needle in Seattle, or enjoying a relaxing stroll through Stanley Park in Vancouver. If your cruise ends in Seward, you’ll want to schedule even more time to catch your flight, as it takes several hours to get to Anchorage from Seward. Head here to see what’s in store on a Royal Caribbean cruise when you head to the Last Frontier. You can catch waves on the FlowRider surf simulator or get active at SeaPlex—the largest indoor activity space at sea—with bumper cars, roller skating and basketball, to name a few.

Of course, you’ll want to look at the terms and conditions of each tour operator before booking. Check the tour’s cancellation policies—and whether or not they provide a guaranteed arrival back to port before your ship's departure—before booking. The last thing you want to happen is have your dream excursion sell out, leaving you scrambling to find other plans. Plus, excursions tend to only get more expensive over time, so booking early helps you lock in a lower price. Fortunately, after nearly a dozen Alaska cruises, our staff are well versed in the ins and outs of cruising to Alaska.

While there are still activities for guests of all ages onboard, there are less options overall for dining, staterooms, entertainment, etc. Smaller cruise ships offer more itinerary options in Alaska, though, visiting destinations such as Haines, Icy Strait Point, and Hubbard Glacier. Depending on your cruise itinerary, there may be a chance to book an excursion on a scenic cruising glacier day. Some glaciers offer a “Wilderness Explorer” excursion, during which passengers disembark the cruise ship and embark a small vessel, allowing them to get up close and personal to glaciers. Be sure to check if this shore excursion is available on your Alaska cruise.

There’s a world of flavors on board, from classic British fish and chips and a hearty lobster roll at Fish & Ships to hand-cut steaks at American steakhouse Chops Grille. This adventure packed ship offers glacier gazing from the tallest viewing deck on a cruise ship and activities you can enjoy in any weather. Edge of your seat entertainment, all weather activities like the fan-favourite Flowrider® and unparalleled views from every room.

Quantum Class: Royal Caribbean Big Ships Seemingly Designed for Alaska

If you’re unsure what to pack for an Alaska cruise, check out our comprehensive packing list. When scheduling your return flights, don’t book a flight too early on disembarkation day. Get panoramic views from 300 feet above the ocean in the North Star, an all-glass observation capsule on Ovation and Quantum of the Seas.

In this untouched wilderness, you’ll find ancient glacial valleys, majestic river canyons and misty emerald forests. Journey into Denali National Park for a glimpse of roaming brown bears and moose. And learn more about the state's rich cultural past at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage. Nothing brings you closer to history and adventure than the best Alaska Cruise Tours with Royal Caribbean.

Before booking a cruise to Alaska, here is what you need to know about picking the perfect Alaska cruise for your family. Unlike most of Royal Caribbean's smaller ships, there's no deck with a wide outdoor walkway tucked under the lifeboats allowing passengers to circle the ship outdoors. There are a couple of doors on Deck 5 that let you step outside onto a narrow walkway behind the lifeboats, but that's not a true promenade.

Activities like helicopter tours, luxury whale watching, and dogsledding can easily cost a few hundred dollars per person. Whether you're interested in hiking through a forest, trekking to the best Alaska glaciers or a shopping spree downtown, all the towns provide a variety of adventurous activities. Certain ports, such as Juneau and Icy Strait Point, tend to offer better whale watching opportunities than other Alaska cruise ports. Be sure to read our whale watching guide before booking your whale watching excursion to ensure you book it at the right port and time of year.

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One-way Alaska itineraries tend to be more port-heavy, as well, as there is less distance to cover than on a round trip sailing. Cruises departing from Seattle include a stop in Victoria, British Columbia, as the Jones Act requires foreign-flagged cruise ships to visit a foreign port when departing from the United States. Therefore, cruises leaving from Vancouver tend to include more port stops in Alaska itself as there is no legal obligation to stop in Victoria.

Denali National Park remains a wild kingdom, where animals large and small, roam free. View Dall sheep, wolves, caribou, moose and the mighty grizzly bear among many. And come summer, they are joined by more than 160 species of migratory birds.

Cruise fares are dynamic, with prices constantly shifting based on demand. The shoulder seasons of May and September will see the lowest prices whereas June, July, and August see the highest cruise fares. In addition to a 7-night Alaska cruise, you can extend your trip with a land-based tour. If you’re from the United States and have to fly to an Alaska cruise port, flying to Seattle tends to be cheaper than getting to Vancouver or Seward.

One of the best ways to become acquainted with Royal Caribbean’s cruise ships is to watch a full tour of the ship on YouTube. On our YouTube channel, we have full, high definition tours of each Royal Caribbean ship sailing to Alaska. Speaking of excursions, it isn’t necessary to book excursions through Royal Caribbean.

Radiance sails 7-night, one-way cruises between Vancouver and Seward, while Serenade is sailing 7-night, round-trip cruises from Vancouver. The perceived advantage of these ships is that they are smaller, allowing them to go where Royal Caribbean's bigger ships cannot. In fact, when Royal Caribbean announces new Alaska itineraries is the best time to book. Royal Caribbean almost always announces new Alaska cruises in late November for the season to come in two years. Those cruising to Alaska in the peak of summer may find the weather surprisingly warm, making it comfortable to wear just a t-shirt during the day.

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