Alaska Cruise Highlights – Our Amazing Bucket List Experience
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Are you dreaming of an Alaska cruise? Our bucket-list cruises to Alaska were fabulous, and yours will be too! Here are our Alaska cruise highlights.
Of all the bucket-list cruises, Alaska is the most unique. With its aqua-blue glaciers, fascinating wildlife, and gorgeous vistas, there’s always something to see and do.
We’ve taken two Alaska cruises and are scheduled for another just before summer starts, in the shoulder season. With all the varied excursions offered, you can’t do everything you want to do in just one cruise. Plus, there are two types of Alaskan cruises: a round-trip from Seattle, and a one-way between Seward and Vancouver. We’ve done both and prefer the round-trip itinerary for ease of travel.
The Cruise Lines
Several cruise lines go to Alaska. We chose Norwegian for our first cruise and Celebrity for our second. Both were fabulous on this route and we’d choose them again.
The Accommodations
Alaska is a destination that you’ll want to have a balcony cabin. We spent so much time on ours, watching for whales or staring in awe at the glaciers. For your bucket-list cruise, we’d recommend a balcony cabin if it’s in your budget.
On Norwegian, we had a balcony cabin, and on Celebrity, we sailed in a Retreat Sky Suite, which is another bucket-list item in itself.
The Ports
During our two cruises, we have visited the ports of Victoria (British Columbia), Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, and Juneau. All have shopping, restaurants, and tourist attractions. I’m most interested in exploring Icy Strait Point on our next trip because of its recently expanded offerings, including restaurants, shopping, and an adventure center. They weren’t there the last time we visited, they only had a zip-rider at that point, so we opted not to get off the ship.
The Excursions
We’ve had so much fun in Alaska! We have zip-lined over a rainforest, whale-watched from a catamaran, cruised in a duck boat, took a train to the Canadian border, panned for gold, learned about sled dogs, and more. There are SO many things to experience.
Reminder When Booking Third-Party Tours
When booking tours outside the cruise line, be sure that the time you book for your excursion is well within the time frame you’ll be in port. Booking earlier in the day is preferred, and ensure the tour ends at least two hours before your sailaway so you won’t miss the ship after your excursion.
Zip-Lining
Zip-line adventures are available in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Icy Strait Point. Ours was in Ketchikan, in the Tongass National Forest, and it was wonderful. It was my first time zip-lining in forty years, so I was a little nervous. But the course was set up to start with a very short line at first, then take you to longer and longer lines. It was perfect.
Whale Watching
We enjoyed whale watching so much, we did it on both cruises. Cruising along, you see eagles and seals, and eventually, you’ll see whales. But it takes patience. Usually, the tour will offer refreshments, which gives you something else to do while you wait.
Be sure to bring compact binoculars and a camera with a telephoto lens, if possible. Those make the experience so much more fun because the whales aren’t always close to the boat. Plus, a light jacket is helpful because it’s chilly out on the water.
Duck Boat Tour
Duck boats are amphibious vehicles that take you on a land tour, and then a sea tour. It’s like magic! In Alaska, I believe they’re only available in Ketchikan.
We took a tour of Ketchikan first, learning about its unusual features (like stairway streets) and its history, then went down a ramp and entered the water for a different kind of tour. We saw seaplanes taking off and landing, and bald eagles, and we learned a little more history.
It’s definitely a fun thing to do, especially for families.
White Pass Railway
Also on my bucket list was a ride on the White Pass Railway, which currently runs from Skagway to the Canadian border and back. The excursion we went on included the train ride, panning for gold, and a sled dog encounter.
The train ride is quite the adventure, with a guide in character as a gold miner from the 1800s. The scenery was beautiful, and the history lesson was interesting.
Panning for Gold
The train took us to an old gold mine, where we toured the buildings and learned about the Alaska Gold Rush. After a quick demonstration, we were given the tools to pan for gold ourselves. We found a little bit, which you bring home as a souvenir.
Sled Dog Adventure
The highlight of the three-in-one tour was the sled-dog adventure. Everyone was excited about seeing the puppies. But first, we watched a presentation about the history of mushing, the equipment needed, and how the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race works.
The most surprising thing we learned is that most sled dogs aren’t Huskies. They’re a mixed bag of breeds, but all love to race.
Glacier Tour
Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls are a must-see while in Alaska. We took a bus from Juneau to the glacier visitors center, then made the two-mile round-trip hike to see the glacier and the falls. It was well worth the walk!
Botanical Gardens
Botanical gardens are available in Anchorage (where you might be flying to/from on a one-way Alaska cruise), Juneau, and Victoria, British Columbia.
We visited Butchart Gardens in Victoria on our first Alaska cruise and loved them. We spent hours exploring their winding paths, through gardens and forests, and I took hundreds of photos. Literally. It was so pretty.
What We’d Like to Do On Our Next Alaska Cruise
There are still things to see and do in Alaska, which is why we’re going for a third time. After this trip, I think we’ll be done.
Lumberjack Show or Misty Fjords Tour in Ketchikan
The lumberjack show is a tourist draw, so I’d like to see it. However, there’s also a boat tour of Misty Fjords that I’d also like to do. Which to choose?
Whale Watching from a Zodiak in Victoria
This one should be fun! After two whale-watching adventures in larger boats, a Zodiak will give us a different perspective on the magnificent creatures.
Exploring Skagway
The last time we were in Skagway, we had a three-in-one tour that took up most of our port time, so we didn’t have time to explore the town. Next time, I’d like to simply stroll the streets of Skagway and see what it has to offer.
Craigdorroch Castle in Victoria
Who knew there was a castle in Canada?! Not me, so I’d like to check it out.
Where We Are Going Next
Want to keep up with our cruise schedule? Here is a current list of where we have been and where we are going next.
Final Thoughts on Alaska Cruise Highlights
So, if you’re thinking of a bucket list cruise to Alaska, go for it, if for no other reason than how different it is from other cruise itineraries. There’s such a variety of things to do that, if you’re like us, you might want to go back again to finish your must-do list. Either way, you’re sure to have a fabulous cruise.
Happy cruising!
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