Comparing Carnival Cruise Line ship sailings to Alaska in 2022

With the continued popularity of this northern destination, Carnival Cruise Line is offering a number of cruises to Alaska in 2022.

There are sailings every week between May and September on the cruise line’s refurbished Carnival Freedom and Carnival Miracle. Guests can choose from 8 scenic itineraries that voyage to top Alaskan ports as well as scenic cruising of stunning glaciers.  

No matter which Carnival ship you pick, each offers onboard activities, signature attractions, and specialty dining options that will compliment a vacation to the Last Frontier quite well.

Since there are a few different options for a Carnival cruise, here is a breakdown of what to expect from Carnival and their ships.

Overview of Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival celebrates its fleet as “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line” carrying over a million passengers each year. Their focus is on fun and offering customers great value. They have some of the most competitive prices in the market, lots of choice for cruisers at every budget.

Their “fun” ships possess plenty of amenities and activities for adults sailing on their own, or for families and multigenerational trips. Here’s what to expect on a Carnival ship:   

• A diverse selection of inclusive and specialty dining
• A variety of bars, lounges, and nightclubs
• Extensive entertainment options such as live musical productions comedy shows and theme parties
• Dedicated adult areas
• Sports activities
• Pools

Kids will not be bored on sea days as Carnival caters to families with specialized programs and activities:

• Camp Ocean for 2-11 year olds
• Circle “C” for young teens ages 12-14
• Club O2 for teens ages 15-17
• Seuss at Sea™ activities – Dr. Seuss themed events such as a character parade, interactive story time, arts and crafts, activities, character breakfast and more
• Kids activity zones with sports courts for basketball and volleyball, and mini-golf
• Waterpark with slides
• Arcade

Alaskan Itineraries

For its sailings to Alaska, Carnival visits top rated ports offering a wide range of excursions. Guests can visit seaside towns like Ketchikan and Skagway and partake in plenty of outdoor adventure.

At the state capital, Juneau, cruisers can catch a glimpse of the region’s gold mining past. Or visit pastoral Sitka, where the mountains, forests, and ocean meet. Savor charming Victoria, British Columbia with its English gardens, and high tea.

Guest can partake in a number of outdoor activities including hiking, kayaking, whale watching, and stunning vistas of nature, in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Carnival Miracle

Homeport: San Francisco, California

Ports: Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Icy Strait Point, Alaska, and Victoria, British Columbia

Scenic Cruising: Tracy Arm Fjord

Throughout 2022, the Carnival Miracle will offer 10 day cruises on 7 different itineraries.

Built in 2004 and updated in 2020, the ship has a guest capacity of 2124, and a crew of 934, a good ratio for service. What to expect on the Carnival Miracle:

• Lots of inclusive options such as the famous chef Guy Fieri - Guy’s Burger Joint, Blue Iguana Cantina, Seaday Brunch
• 4 Speciality dining venues – sushi, steakhouse, the whimsical Green Eggs and Ham and Chef’s Table
• 12 lounges and bars
• 3 pools, including one adult only and spa
• Adult only retreat lounge area
• Waterpark including the Twister waterslide
• Live entertainment, karaoke, and Lip Sync Battle
• Musical Productions such as Epic Rock
• Comedy Club
• Deck/ theme parties
• Casino
• Kids and youth programs
• Activity zones including mini golf
• Arcade
• Build–A–Bear Workshop
• Military Appreciation event

Why pick Carnival Miracle?

Renovated in 2020, this ship has fresh appeal with something for everyone in the family.

For a 10 day itinerary, the prices are good value starting at $ 800 during shoulder season. With port stops and scenic viewing, this itinerary gives cruisers a great sampling of Alaskan ports with spectacular glacial views.

Of the Carnival fleet, Carnival Miracle offers a higher percentage of cabins with ocean views, with 64 percent of the cabins having a balcony (fleet average of 50%). A balcony view is a great asset for such a scenic tour.

Ideal for sailing north into cooler weather, one of the pools has a retractable roof, keeping guests cozy. The Carnival Miracle also has two promenade decks creating good flow and less congestion for guests.

Carnival Freedom

Homeport: Seattle, Washington

Ports: Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, Alaska, as well Victoria, British Columbia

Scenic Cruising: Tracy Arm Fjord

This is a 7 day cruise with a sailing every week between May and September. The Carnival Freedom was originally built in 2006 but was refurbished in 2019. It has a capacity for 2980 guests with 1150 crew.

Guests won’t be bored on Carnival Freedom with a broad selection of restaurants, entertainment and amenities:

• Lots of inclusive options such as famous chef Guy Fieri Guy’s Burger Joint Mongolian Wok, Seaday Brunch, Pirate Pizza and Blue Iguana Cantina, Lido Marketplace
• 4 Speciality dining venues – seafood, sushi, steakhouse
• 12 lounges, bars and nightclubs
• 3 outdoor pools including 1 adult only
• Adult only retreat and spa
• Live entertainment, karaoke and Lip Sync Battle and Comedy Club and casino
• Musical Productions such as Epic Rock
• Deck and theme parties
• Kids and youth programs
• WaterWorks waterpark with a 203-foot-long slide
• Activity zones including mini golf, and arcade
• Dive in movies
• Build -A-Bear

Why pick Carnival Freedom?

Prices are good value with a 7 itinerary under $600 in the shoulder season. There are sailings each week from May to September, providing lots of travel options.

Visiting four ports along with a scenic cruising day of the Tracy Arm Fjord, a stunning view of two glaciers gives passengers lots of opportunities to see the true Alaska.

Reviews applaud Carnival Freedom for activities that serve multi-generational cruisers.

Moreover, the ship sails from the convenient port of Seattle, which makes airfare cheaper and more plentiful for Americans.