Table Of Content
You will find the history, natural beauty, and fresh-from-the-earth (or ocean) cuisine bring you closer to nature. Disney cruise line also offers a Ketchikan Alaska Fish Camp and Wilderness Dinner. The 5.5-hour fishing trip is available to family members 5 and up.
Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour
This luxury cruise line offers classic and expedition-style cruising, the latter of which takes aboard the 274-passenger Silver Wind. (Classic cruises, on the other hand, take place on board Silver Muse, Silver Nova, Silver Shadow, Silver Whisper, or Silver Moon). Nova and Moon offer the Sea and Land Taste program (S.A.L.T), offering culinary connoisseurs the incredible opportunity to experience the local food scene and culture both on and off the ship. Last but not least, keep in mind that Silversea sails between Vancouver and Seward (with the exception of one September 2024 itinerary, which sails from Nome to Vancouver). Most Alaska itineraries include some "scenic cruising," where your ship sails past incredible natural sights. Floatplane and helicopter tours take you around scenic areas like Misty Fjords or land you on a glacier, perhaps for a dogsledding or hiking adventure on the ice.
Salmon and Halibut Fishing: Catch and Ship
Many of the tour operators you'll find in Alaskan ports are the same tour operators that operate the ship-sponsored excursions. Often, the tours that the local tour operators will sell you are the same tours that the cruise lines are selling you, at the same price. Princess Cruises offers the creme de la creme Mendenhall Helicopter Glacier Trek. If you are searching for the bucket-list Alaska cruise item, this is it. You will be fitted for outerwear, hard hats, mountaineering boots, and crampons.
The 11 Best Alaska Cruise Excursions in 2024
If you book an excursion with a private tour company, though, you are essentially on your own to get to the ship on time. If you miss the departure because of the tour arriving late, you will be responsible for catching up with the ship at the next port of call. That could be a considerable distance if they are at sea for two days, and some of the Alaska cruises have several consecutive days at sea. In the port of Ketchikan, travel along the Inside Passage with experienced fisherman hauling up the day’s king crab catch.
You can step out on the pontoon, breathe in the fresh air and listen to the silence. As the most discerning, up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel, Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse, offering both inspiration and vital intel. Passengers on Seven Seas Explorer Alaska cruises can enjoy fresh-caught salmon at the Taku Glacier Lodge.
Anchorage is the state's largest city and a gateway to the rest of the state. Denali National Park takes you out of the city altogether, into a wilderness full of spruce forests and snow-capped mountain peaks. Upgrade your cruise to a Cruisetour and explore the Last Frontier on land either at the beginning or end of your northern getaway. With vast forests, rolling tundra, mighty rivers, pristine lakes and towering mountains, you will feel tempted to continue exploring the outdoors with Alaska land tours after your cruise.
Setting off from the Juneau harbor in a whale-watching boat, you'll cruise to nearby areas to see not just humpback whales but harbor seals and sea lions, too. Indeed, in some cases, the cruise lines own the tour operators in Alaska ports, or at least a piece of them. For instance, the parent company of Princess Cruises and Holland America is a part-owner of Skagway's big attraction, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. In Juneau, food tours have become popular; think King crab bisque and Alaska salmon. You should at least walk its main street (Broadway), with its wooden-board sidewalks. If you're a craft beer fan, like me, you also might want to sample a Spruce Tip Blonde Ale at the Skagway Brewing Company.
You’ll find colorful restored buildings from the gold rush era, including the Pantheon Saloon, and the infamous Red Onion Saloon. The second port on your cruise will be Skagway, the Gateway to the Gold Rush, where you can immerse yourself in the Klondike Gold Rush history. The ship leaves Juneau Harbor at dusk where you can catch the last of the sun sinking below the mountains.
Alaska Helicopter Tour: Four Glaciers and Dogsled Adventure
Ride the rail over high trestles to uninterrupted views of pure Alaska wilderness. Pass Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and more as your guide regales captivating Gold Rush history. Alaska Cruises are a bucket-list item you will want to explore at any age.
An Alaska cruise on Princess Cruises offers the perfect blend of natural beauty, adventure, and family-friendly activities. Guided tours offer a blend of serene nature walks and educational insights into the region's ecology and history. It's a chance to disconnect from the hustle and bustle and immerse yourself in the soothing sounds and sights of the forest. This low-impact activity is perfect for families and those looking for a peaceful retreat into nature.
16 cheap and free things to do on an Alaska cruise to avoid spending hundreds on shore excursions - Royal Caribbean Blog
16 cheap and free things to do on an Alaska cruise to avoid spending hundreds on shore excursions.
Posted: Mon, 14 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
For the listings below, I've used the tour names and pricing listed in the current tour sheets at Princess, which along with sister line Holland America, is the biggest cruise operator in Alaska. Witness all that goes into harvesting crabs with experienced crab fishers, some you may have seen on the Deadliest Catch. Read one traveler’s intimate account of her Alaska by small-ship cruise experience. Hop aboard Holland America Line’s Bering Sea Crab Fishermen excursion and explore the world of Disney’s Deadliest Catch TV Series. Ships also do a lot of maneuvering, including turning complete circles designed to give everyone on board access to the amazing views. Unfortunately, those tight turns can contribute to nausea for some people.
Ride the current where the sparkling sea meets the emerald forest. Get a glimpse into what you’ll experience on one of our Alaska shore excursions. Better yet, come experience Alaska’s breathtaking beauty for yourself. Disney’s Woodhouse Wine Estates tasting visit combined with a downtown Seattle tour is a fun date night excursion without the kids.
The tour is not only narrated; it's also set to inspirational music. You're not likely to see any scenery prettier than this, and you'll stand a good chance of spotting wildlife like eagles, bears, mountain goats, deer and wolves. Castle Hill, where the post-Alaska Purchase flag was first flown by the U.S. in 1867, is another popular spot, while Tlingit stories and songs can be seen in a traditional-style clan house in Sitka. After your sledding experience, you'll have a chance to play with sled dog puppies.
Others include no excursions, which helps keep the initial cost of the cruise low, but you may find your onboard charging slipping higher than you expected. Still other cruise lines offer a hybrid option, where the basic tours are included and there is an upcharge for the higher-priced options. Your Alaska cruise offers many opportunities to try things you might never have the chance to do again. You could walk on glaciers, snorkel in a dry suit in the frigid Alaska waters or play with sled dog puppies. We already mentioned salmon fishing, which is surprisingly fun, even if you'd never go fishing at home. Aspiring chefs can spend one-and-a-half hours learning about Alaskan seafood, local fishing and cooking techniques on this interactive foodie outing.
For many years, I was the co-author of Frommer's "Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call" guide. In researching nearly half a dozen editions of that book, I spent many days exploring each of the major cruise ports in the state. I've tried a large number of the shore excursions in places such as Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Outside of a flightseeing tour, the Alyeska Aerial Tram in Girdwood delivers Alaska's best panoramic views in a matter of minutes.
No comments:
Post a Comment