Friday, April 19, 2024

5 best luxury Alaska cruises for 2024

luxury cruise alaska

As a traveler, I am just as comfortable bicycling through Italian olive groves and SCUBA diving the wall of sharks in French Polynesia as I am sipping bubbles in a Champagne house and dining at Michelin-starred restaurants. Some small ship cruises in Alaska offer additional options for a high-end Alaska cruise with lots of inclusions. Ponant and Hurtigruten offer expedition-style luxury while American Cruise Lines brings relaxed luxury and spaciousness to coastal Alaska cruising.

Ventures by Seabourn™

In Alaska, nature provides a stunning backdrop for a variety of adventures like cruising Alaska's Prince William Sound, flightseeing over Mount McKinley, dogsledding in Anchorage or travelling by floatplane over Prince of Wales Island. We use the best accommodations available and offer exclusive and private activities with insider access rarely available to other travellers. Towering mountains, pristine coastlines, jagged glaciers and dense rainforests. That's Alaska, an untouched wonderland waiting to be explored by adventurous travellers.

Tailor Made Alaska Tours

If you’re planning a bucket list trip, we’ve selected the best Alaska cruises for every type of travel style in 2024, from the adventure-focused to the super luxurious. If large ships with robust entertainment programs and extensive children's programs are more your cup of tea (or that of your traveling party), you can still enjoy a luxury Alaska cruise vacation -- in a luxury suite. Several mainstream Alaska cruise lines offer top-of-the-line staterooms or suite complexes that allow for exclusive access to higher-level perks that usually come standard on luxury cruises. Viking Orion's 10-night cruise between Vancouver and Seward includes scenic sailing of the Inside Passage and Yakutat Bay and a stop at rarely visited Valdez. Our Alaska cruises are your ticket to adventure amidst the Great Land’s glaciers, wildlife and national parks.

One of the biggest reasons people visit

That figure from the Juneau Chamber of Commerce is a Denali-sized jump of 30 percent compared to pre-pandemic 2019. To prepare for all conditions, you should plan for temperatures ranging from the 40s to 70s, both on and off ship. For your on-shore day excursions, be sure to pack layers of clothing and rain gear so that you can be comfortable. Proper footwear is also important and be sure to bring hiking shoes if you plan to enjoy outdoor activities.

Cabins aboard upscale luxury yachts and small ships come with exceptional view windows and/or private balconies and may offer bathrobes, larger mattress dimensions and added turn-down service. With national parks and four of North America’s tallest mountains, Alaska’s wilderness has been preserved for generations. Denali National Park is larger than Vermont and home to the highest peak on the continent. Meanwhile, Glacier Bay National Park has over 2,000 square miles of glacial coverage. Elias and Kenai Fjords, a world of natural wonders awaits on an Alaska cruise or cruisetour.

luxury cruise alaska

Voyage through the untamed beauty from the comfort of our world-class ships, exclusive rail service and Princess Wilderness Lodges near national parks. Choose from a variety of Alaska cruise and cruisetour itineraries and connect with loved ones, locals and Alaska's wilderness with Princess®. Alaskan-owned and -operated Alaskan Dream Cruises dates back to 1970 when its parent company, Allen Marine, founded by Bob and Betty Allen, launched with the St. Michael. In those days, Bob ran the boat while Betty and her children served treats and tea to their guests. Today, Allen Marine operates 30 vessels, including the five ships that make up the Alaska Dream Cruises fleet, all of which accommodate between 12 and 76 cruise passengers.

Alaska Cruise With The Most Adventurous Excursions: UnCruise Adventures

Alaska cruise packing list: What to pack for a cruise up north - The Points Guy

Alaska cruise packing list: What to pack for a cruise up north.

Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:15:00 GMT [source]

Take an excursion to the Denali National Park and Preserve and wander through the most beautiful corners of this six-million-acre tract of land. You spend the day in the great outdoors within the state’s most picturesque environments, then retreat to all the comforts of a well-appointed luxury cabin and superb fine dining at the end of the day. And thanks to our preferred cruise partners and the expertise of our Travel Designers, we can collectively ensure that each minute spent on and offshore is more special than the last. With an expedition heritage that dates back to 1896, it’s no wonder Hurtigruten Expeditions found its way to Alaska. The cruise line with a keen focus on exploration, adventure and science has two of its hybrid technology ships—MS Roald Amundsen, built in 2019, and MS Fridtjof Nansen, built in 2020—sailing the waters that surround The Great Land. Each of the ships features an observation deck, library, science center, hot tub, pool and Explorer lounge, as well as a bar with floor-to-ceiling windows so you never miss a thing.

Coming off of its 150th anniversary year, Holland America Line has been sailing to and around Alaska for more than half that time—75 years. Holland America Line’s “Alaska Up Close” deeply immerses guests in local cultures through onboard programs and activities, and shore excursions. On all of its Alaska cruises, a Huna Native Interpreter comes aboard Holland America Line ships to share the history of the Tlingit people. Witness unspoiled nature, stunning landscapes, and beautiful wildlife as you visit Alaska’s mountains, glaciers, and old mining towns. Travel deeper with our experts, discover iconic ports, hidden gems, and charming locals as you sail to the heart of the region. Silversea’s 7-and 14-day itineraries combine destinations like Ketchikan and Sitka with otherwise inaccessible ports thanks to our nimble ships.

Further, a higher-than-average crew-to-passenger ratio means cruisers can expect stellar service on their luxury Alaska cruise. Think hot beverages at the gangway after chilly days in port or teams of local experts and photographers brought onboard to help you learn and experience as much as possible about the Last Frontier. The cruise fare may be higher, but you're paying for a better overall experience. Entry-level cabins offer a generous minimum of 270 square feet, including a private veranda. These cushy digs include a king bed, spacious bath with heated floor and anti-fog mirror, plush robes, turndown service and complimentary soft drink, water and snack minibar.

Alaska's seafood is famous, and we bring the best to you with locally inspired dishes from the state’s best eateries. With Cook My Catch excursions, catch your own salmon or halibut with the help of a local expert, and in the evening our talented chefs will prepare your haul for your dinner — a Princess exclusive. With no roads connecting it to the rest of Alaska or North America, it is truly a protected destination. Founded as a gold mining town and now the state’s capital, Juneau has one foot in history and one in the future.

Seabourn Just Announced 24 Sailings to Alaska, Canada, and New England - Travel + Leisure

Seabourn Just Announced 24 Sailings to Alaska, Canada, and New England.

Posted: Fri, 25 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Because nearly every Alaskan cruise includes the staples — Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Inside Passage and Denali with a land add-on — some cruise lines like to shake things up with unique itineraries. Starting in 2024, Uncruise Adventures will be offering a winter cruise, where winter sports and northern lights viewings are all part of the package! Running February through March, this is a great option for travelers looking to experience Alaska during the winter months.

Dining on board is major; all five restaurants excel and are included in the fare (even the fanciest dishes, like prime dry-aged Angus steak and Maine lobster). A complimentary afternoon tea is served daily, with four-tiered pastry carts, artisanal brews and a live string quartet performing. Silversea Cruises' newest ship, the 728-passenger Silver Nova, brings the outdoors in with abundant floor-to-ceiling windows, making the ship an idyllic ride for Inside Passage cruising. Alaska is home to more than 30,000 grizzlies, but the state’s cruise industry is experiencing anything but a bear market as momentum of last year’s record-breaking season is expected to continue in 2024. With nearly endless summer days and coastal breezes, you’ll want to make sure to dress with flexibility in mind. During the summer months, especially July and August, temperatures in Southeast Alaska usually fall between 60 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while Southcentral Alaska and the Interior see higher heights into the 70’s and 80’s.

Guests can extend their Alaska cruise with three- to 10-day day pre- and post-cruise tours. Disney Cruise Line set sail in 1998 with its first three- and four-night trips to the Bahamas and made its way to Alaska in the spring of 2011. The cruise line, which is celebrating its Silver Anniversary at Sea, offers 23 five-, seven-, eight- and 9-night round-trip Alaskan itineraries aboard the Disney Wonder, all of which depart from Vancouver.

Discover the experience of a timeless ocean voyage to Alaska on Queen Elizabeth with this special article, produced for Cunard by BBC StoryWorks. Get a taste of these natural wonders from the comfort of your own home with our special articles, or discover the delights of Steakhouse at the Verandah, one of our many on board restaurants. Explore our complete packing guide for this fantastic region, including tips for sea and shore, what not to pack, and useful packing lists for every suitcase. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices.

The other new recruit is Silver Nova, the youngest Silversea Cruises ship in the luxury fleet to ever service Alaska. Capped at 728 guests, Silver Nova was launched last year and has the goods to do justice to a dreamlike place that captures the imagination of wilderness lovers and history buffs. Although Switzer recommends visits lasting several days instead of several hours, the city’s destination evangelist hopes that a partial day in Juneau and each major Alaskan cruise port will have 1.5 million passengers wanting more. The most-visited Alaskan port, Juneau set a new mark a year ago with 1.65 million passengers descending on the capital city during cruise season, which generally runs from April to late October.

On an Alaska cruise, let us show you Glacier Bay National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier. The largest tidewater glacier in North America, Hubbard Glacier has been moving its mass towards the ocean at a rate faster than most of its kind. Towering above the water over 30 stories, the glacier often calves 100-foot chunks of ice into the ocean. What lies beneath the waves is almost as impressive, where ice plunges 1,200 feet beneath the surface.

No comments:

Post a Comment

The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Doll's House, by Henrik Ibsen

Table Of Content Morgan Wallen, the Beach Boys and the best, worst and weirdest of Stagecoach Day 3 North Coast Rep to premiere play on real...