FAQs
The conventional wisdom is to take your land tour first, so that you can relax on the cruise.
What is the best way to visit Alaska for the first time? ›
What's the Best Way to See Alaska? Try These 6 Tips
- Choose a Small Ship Cruise.
- If You Travel by Land, Don't Miss the Coast.
- Get Outside—in Any Weather.
- Enjoy the Solitude.
- Relax, You Will See Wildlife.
- Don't Keep the Great Land to Yourself.
Cruises are a great way to see Alaska's coastal mountains, glaciers, marine wildlife, and towns. But you don't want to miss our highest mountains, “Big Five” land mammals, or vast interior landscapes, so… If you choose a conventional cruise, take a cross-Gulf itinerary and add a land tour.
What is a land tour on a cruise? ›
A cruise tour is a land tour of interior destinations before or after a cruise. In conjunction with Alaska cruises, land programs extend each trip with visits to interior destinations, such as Anchorage, Denali National Park, Talkeetna, Fairbanks and the Kenai Peninsula.
Is it worth doing excursions on cruises? ›
Yes. I use many factors to decide whether to take a ship's tour, book an independent excursion or explore on my own in port. However, if you're a novice traveler, you might want to book ship tours exclusively because they're the simplest, easiest and most convenient options.
How many days on a cruise is enough? ›
If you're bringing the whole family, a 5 or 7 day cruise might be the best way to make sure everyone has an awesome getaway. And for those lucky folks with even more time to spare, a cruise of 10 days or more will give you an incredible experience of all the best things a cruise has to offer.
How many days is best for an Alaskan cruise? ›
10 Days. This is a very popular vacation length, and no wonder: 10 days is enough time to combine a cruise with a land tour and experience both sides of Alaska. Trips of this length usually include a whirlwind tour of some of Alaska's popular interior and Southcentral destinations, plus a 7-day cruise.
What is the best month to take an Alaskan cruise? ›
For the warmest temperatures, cruise between mid-June and mid-August. For the most Midnight Sun, come 3 weeks before or after the summer solstice and longest day of the year, June 21. Want to see the northern lights? That's a long shot during cruising season.
How many days in Alaska is enough? ›
Most visitors spend a week to 10 days traveling in Alaska, either splitting that time between a cruise and a corresponding cruise tour or spending it all on a land itinerary. Our most popular trip package, the Best of Denali & Kenai Fjords, is seven days long.
What is the best cruise line for Alaska cruise tours? ›
Holland America Line (HAL) — which recently snapped up a 2023 World's Best Award in the large-ship ocean cruise line category — has been cruising Alaska for over 75 years. HAL prides itself on having more permits for Glacier Bay National Park visits than any other cruise line.
Top scenic cruising destinations in Alaska include Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm (Twin Sawyer Glaciers), Dawes Glacier at Endicott Arm and College Fjord. Related: Hubbard Glacier vs. Glacier Bay: Which is the better scenic cruising spot in Alaska?
What is the difference between a cruise and a cruise tour? ›
Next, Know What's Meant By A "Cruisetour":
Very simply, it's the addition of a land tour to your cruise. We not only recommend it, but go so far as to say you haven't fully experienced Alaska without adding a land tour.
How long does it take to get used to land after a cruise? ›
It's called “getting your sea legs,” and it keeps you from crashing into a wall every time the ship bobs up or down. When you get back on shore, you need time to get your land legs back. That usually happens within a few minutes or hours, but it can take up to 2 days.
How do you adjust to land after a cruise? ›
If you are wondering how to get rid of land sickness after your voyage, many of the same strategies may help:
- Keep moving and taking walks or car rides to provide the missing sensation of movement while you readjust.
- Stay hydrated and get enough sleep.
When can I book shore excursions? Shore excursions may be booked online prior to sailing up until the Pre-Sail cut-off time, 11:59pm ET, the evening prior to the cruise departure. After the online Pre-Sail, the remaining inventory will be available on the departure day on board the ship.
How do you get from a cruise ship to land? ›
There are two main ways that cruise ships transfer their passengers to land: docking and tendering. Below we compare the two methods of debarkation and tell you how being docked versus tendered can affect your cruise experience.
