I recently returned from my very first cruise to Alaska onboard Norwegian Jewel! Throughout this week-long itinerary, I saw and did many quintessentially Alaskan things. However, some aspects of my Alaska cruise experience surprised me.
Over the last few years, Alaska has become an increasingly popular cruise itinerary, and I was intrigued to explore this remote destination for myself.
Here's a recount of my trip to the Last Frontier, including 15 things that surprised me about an Alaska cruise, tips and tricks, and more.
15 - Beautiful And Efficient Vancouver Cruise Terminal
Many Alaskan cruise itineraries will depart from Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada, with our particular sailing departing from the latter. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the Vancouver cruise terminal
Vancouver is a beautiful destination in and of itself, and I highly recommend arriving at least one night before your cruise. This is great for two reasons. First, arriving at least one day before ensures that no travel logistics, such as late or missed flights, impact your cruise vacation. Additionally, arriving one day before your cruise begins allows you some time to explore your embarkation city.
This trip was my second time cruising out of Vancouver, and it has quickly become one of my favorite embarkation cities. From delicious food options around town to the beautiful scenery, there is plenty to do in one day before or after a cruise. I highly recommend walking around the cruise terminal and the boardwalk. You will likely see several sea planes taking off and landing on the bay!
The Vancouver cruise terminal is also exceptionally efficient. We arrived at our predetermined arrival time and breezed through the security and embarkation process in under 20 minutes! If your cruise embarks or disembarks from Vancouver, you are in luck. This cruise terminal is one of the most organized I have encountered in my cruising experiences.
14 - The Interesting History
I have a great appreciation for history, and one of my favorite things is learning the history of the travel destinations I visit.
Before visiting Alaska, I knew little about Alaskan history or the native cultures. I purchased a book about the Klondike gold rush during our port visit to Skagway at a local bookstore, and learning more about the local history really helped me appreciate the places we were visiting even more.
Alaska has much to explore when it comes to its history, from the culture of the native peoples to the Klondike gold rush and the many explorers who dreamed of the snow-capped mountains and the adventure Alaska brings. Learning just a little bit about Alaska’s history before your cruise is sure to add an extra depth of appreciation to your voyage.
13 - How Popular Alaska Has Become
I have been lucky to cruise to many places around the world, and going into my first Alaska cruise I went in with zero expectations about how this destination would compare to other cruise experiences. I was truly surprised to see just how popular Alaska has become, specifically as a cruise destination!
Our sailing was at the height of the Alaskan cruise season which takes place in July and August. We embarked on July 22 on our weeklong itinerary onboard Norwegian Jewel. We quickly discovered that our ship would never be alone, as there was always at least one other cruise ship docked at each of the ports we visited.
At the most busy port stops, we saw four cruise ships docked in addition to our own ship. Five ships docked at one port is by far the most ships I have seen docked at the same time at any cruise port. Before this, I had only seen up to three ships docked at some of the Caribbean's popular ports.
Five cruise ships at a time came as a true surprise. The sheer amount of people that were on these ships visiting the towns did have an impact. The towns were often quite busy and full of cruise passengers.
If you are not the biggest fan of being in the midst of tourists, I would suggest taking an Alaskan cruise on the shoulder season, in either May or September. July and August are the busiest and most popular months for visiting Alaska via cruise ship.
In addition to the many cruise ships that visit the port towns of Alaska each day of the summer, many travelers from every corner of the world embark on sailings to The Last Frontier.
During our sailing, we met several families from Germany, the United Kingdom, and many more countries around the globe who came to see the beauty of the United States' most northern territory.
12 - You Will See Wildlife
One of the main reasons people cruise to Alaska is to see wildlife. Even if you never leave the port towns, you will still see wildlife on an Alaska cruise!
During our sailing, we were lucky enough to see a plethora of bald eagles, a pod of orcas as we were cruising out of Vancouver, several humpback whales, seals, and even a moose, all from the ship or while we were near the port towns; we didn't have to venture far.
Wildlife is abundant in Alaska and while it is plentiful, it is not always a guarantee. As one humorous crew member told guests on embarkation day, Alaskan animals do not follow the cruise ship schedules!
If you keep an eye out and look carefully, you may catch a glimpse of some of the native wildlife of this beautiful state. Of course, the best way to see wildlife in Alaska is to go outside the towns and into the forests and mountains. While on a cruise this can only be accomplished with an independent tour or an excursion through the ship.
11 - Excursions Are Expensive
Having been lucky enough to cruise over a dozen times on itineraries ranging from the Caribbean to the British Isles, I was genuinely surprised to discover how expensive shore excursions can be for Alaska cruise itineraries.
In my previous experiences, shore excursions have ranged anywhere from about $50 to $190 USD per person for tours that last anywhere from a couple hours to all day.
However, a vast majority of the shore excursions on our particular Alaskan sailing started at $200 and went all the way up to $500 per person. There were only about one or two shore excursions that were under the $200 price range. Most of these excursions included wildlife spotting tours and lasted from about two to four hours.
For this reason, when we were budgeting for our Alaska cruise we decided to opt for exploring the ports mostly on our own and not booking an excursion.
However, some excursions make for a once-in-a-lifetime experience that can be worth the price depending on the person and what they desire from their cruise vacation. While others may want to save the money and budget for something else, it all comes down to the individual traveler.
I would highly recommend looking at the shore excursions on offer as soon as possible. This can usually be done as soon as a cruise is booked. I noticed that because shore excursions are really the only way to leave the port towns and see the countryside and wildlife, many of the popular shore excursions filled up very quickly, faster than shore excursions I have seen on other itineraries to places such as the Caribbean and Europe.
10 - Views From The Ship Will Not Disappoint
I had heard that cruising to Alaska is beautiful, but I was truly impressed by the stunning views we saw from our cruise ship as we sailed along Alaska’s Inside Passage and on into the Klondike and all the way up to Seward.
In fact, I will venture to say that the views from the ship during our Alaska cruise are some of the prettiest I have seen in all my cruise experiences so far.
From the gorgeous sunsets to the Alaskan fjords that passed us by, there was so much to see and marvel at that one could spend hours just gazing out the windows and taking in the views. For this reason, Alaska may be one of those itineraries that a balcony stateroom, or at least an ocean-view cabin, should be considered.
I recommend enquiring if you can have a table near a window while at dinner onboard, and then strolling around the ship after you've enjoyed your meal.
The sun sets quite late in Alaska in the middle of the summer season, and we saw some of the prettiest views during the hours just before and after sunset. One evening after dinner, we spotted some whales following along next to the ship, and it made for a magical sighting against the snow capped mountains and pink sunset.
9 - It Can Be Cold, Even In The Summer
While I know that Alaska is typically a rather cold destination, I had heard rumors that some of the state can get quite warm in the middle of the summer. For this reason, I packed layers just in case.
However, on our particular sailing, I did not end up wearing any of my short-sleeved t-shirts or shorts. In fact, the temperatures never reached above 60℉ and tended to hover in the low 50℉ range. Along with the wind and chill off the ocean and fjords, it was rather cold for many days of our cruise.
I tend to like cold weather cruising, and while this did not bother me, I was thankful for the scarf and warm hat I had packed at the last second before we left home. I highly recommend checking the weather before your cruise sailing, as well as packing layers for your Alaska cruise.
Additionally, we did quite a bit of walking each day, more than we had originally anticipated, so I was very thankful for the comfortable walking boots and sneakers I had brought with me.
Some of the popular things to do and see can be anywhere from half a mile to a mile and a half away from where the ship docks, and a good pair of walking shoes is an essential item to bring on an Alaska cruise itinerary.
8 - Bustling Towns
As this was my first time visiting Alaska, I did not necessarily know what to expect from the iconic towns I had heard of, such as Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan. Aside from knowing the names, I knew very little about what these popular port stops would have in store.
I was surprised to discover that what were once small towns and tiny fishing villages have now boomed into bustling cities. Gone are the days when these destinations were home to several families and visited by a few travelers. Now, the towns of Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan see thousands of visitors a year just in the summer cruise season alone.
As a result, these Alaskan towns have capitalized on their tourism and have set up many museums, attractions, restaurants, and shops. I was genuinely surprised to see the amount of souvenir shops and stores visitors were surrounded by during their stay.
I personally enjoy looking for souvenirs that are handmade by local artists. For those looking for shops and attractions off the beaten path, I recommend doing a bit of research ahead of time, as well as taking a few steps outside of the area where the ships are docked.
Read more: Should I cruise on Princess to Alaska? I booked a sailing to see for myself
7 - Budget For Activities
Because Alaska’s economy now has strong roots and ties in the tourism industry, many tour companies operate independently of the cruise ships at each cruise port.
Some of these independent tours can be a great option for guests looking to see some of the wildlife and scenery; however, they can also be expensive and may require prospective visitors to budget before their trip.
For example, when we were visiting Juneau, we were intrigued by the seaplane and float plane rides that take guests up to see the beautiful landscapes, glaciers, and more. After all, where else do you see so many seaplanes landing on icy waters? Nowhere other than Alaska!
However, when we enquired as to the price of these aerial tours, we found out that many of them averaged about $320 per person for a 45-minute plane ride. A helicopter tour tended to cost even more.
While this price may be worth it to some travelers, the weather was quite poor during our visit to Juneau, and the planes were not flying. For this reason, it is important to be flexible with the Alaskan weather and not bank on a single tour, especially those that are costly.
While these experiences are unique and can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, they are expensive for the average traveler, so I recommend doing some research before your cruise to assess if there is a tour operator either through the cruise ship’s shore excursions or independently that you are interested in.
Additionally, other popular activities such as the White Pass Railroad in Skagway can be arranged through the cruise ship's shore excursion department or purchased independently. Either way, this popular attraction costs guests around $150 USD per person. We did do this activity when we visited Skagway, and, it was well worth it to see more of this iconic gold rush town.
6 - Grand Scenery And The Last Frontier
Alaska is often referred to as the Last Frontier, and cruising to this beautiful destination showed me just why it has earned this nickname.
Alaska is truly vast. While we were able to sample some of its beauty on our cruise itinerary, we really only scratched the surface of what Alaska has to offer. I was blown away by the snowcapped mountains, rolling hills, and deep forests we saw each day of our journey.
Additionally, we were able to see not just one, but four, glaciers during our week-long cruise! From Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau to the expansive and impressive Hubbard Glacier that we saw near Seward, being able to see a glacier with your own eyes is a truly Alaskan experience. I was genuinely surprised by just how many glaciers we saw during our cruise!
Sailing down the fjords, I was surprised to see so much snow on the tops of the mountains in late July. I can see why so many explorers and adventures have become enchanted with Alaska; this state is truly a piece of untamed wilderness and has much to see.
Read more: I tried a Holland America cruise to Alaska
5 - You Need To Have A Plan
Because Alaska does have so much wilderness to explore and discover, if you are someone who wishes to see wildlife and scenery outside of the towns you will need a plan before your cruise.
Some places have areas that are possible to walk to, such as the Gold Rush Cemetery and waterfall near Skagway, while other popular attractions such as Mendenhall Glacier outside of Juneau require transportation to reach.
I highly recommend researching each port stop along your Alaskan cruise itinerary and making a plan for each day with an idea of the things you wish to see and do. This will help eliminate any wasted time in port and will give you a better idea of all the interesting things each stop has to offer.
In addition to researching ahead of time, cruise passengers can also go to the tourist information centers located in the port area of each stop. These offices are staffed by very knowledgeable locals who are more than happy to help visitors plan out their day.
We visited some of these offices during our trip, and they helped us plan a bus route to see Mendenhall Glacier for a fraction of what it would have cost us to reach this popular sight with a shore excursion.
Read more: 27 First time Alaska cruise tips
4 - Bring A Swimsuit
While it is often cold on an Alaskan cruise, I recommend guests bring their swimsuits to enjoy the pools, hot tubs, and spas onboard their cruise ship. I was surprised to see many passengers onboard Norwegian Jewel using the hot tub and pool on our sailing.
The pools onboard Norwegian Jewel and most cruise ships are heated. Therefore, guests can enjoy a swim during their sea day onboard despite the chilly Alaskan temperatures outside. What can be better than enjoying a dip in a hot tub in the cold weather and then sipping a cup of hot chocolate?
3 - A Vacation For The Whole Family
When someone thinks of an Alaskan cruise, they may not think about it being the most family-friendly cruise destination. However, while the Caribbean may be one of the most popular places for a family to cruise, I was surprised to discover that Alaska is also a very kid and family-friendly cruise destination.
Onboard many cruise ships, including Norwegian Jewel, there are kids clubs for children to enjoy. Additionally, several Alaskan port stops have shore activities offered by the cities just for kids, and there are even special excursions through the cruise lines designed for children and families, such as sled dog racing and more.
I think an Alaskan cruise can be a great option for prospective guests who are looking at embarking on a multi-generational family vacation. For parents, grandparents, and children, Alaska can be a great cruise destination that everyone in the family can enjoy together.
Read more: Why you should book an Alaska cruise now
2 - Tendering May Be Required
Because Alaska has become such a popular cruise destination it can be a gamble on exactly where your chosen cruise ship will dock in relation to the port.
For example, on most of the port visits, our ship ended up being docked the farthest away from the port. This meant we either had to walk about a mile at some ports to get into town, take a shuttle bus, or, in some cases, take a tender boat to shore.
Tendering can be a much different process than simply strolling off your cruise ship and walking into town. While not complicated, tendering does often require some forethought and planning.
Usually, guests are given instructions for the tender process the night before their scheduled tender port location. If you have questions, you can always ask Guest Services onboard your ship.
I was surprised that these small port towns can accommodate up to 5 or more cruise ships at a single port. Thankfully, tendering is typically a seamless process. It just requires that guests are aware of specific times. For example, a tender port usually requires guests to be aware of the last tender boat time that guests will need to catch to make the all-aboard time for their cruise ship.
Many cruise ship passengers dislike tendering. However, tendering is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, it can give guests some beautiful views of their cruise ship and the harbor, as well as the port they are visiting!
1 - Traveling From Seward to Anchorage
When I initially booked my Alaska cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line, I was a bit apprehensive about the travel logistics at the end of my sailing.
I knew that the ship docked at the port of Seward, but I needed to get to Anchorage airport for my flight home, which was hours away from the port. Luckily, the cruise ships have made it a very easy process to get to and from Seward to Anchorage.
There are currently two main forms of transportation from the small port of Seward to Anchorage and the Anchorage airport. First, guests can book a transfer onboard a motor coach bus with their cruise line, or they can book train transportation onboard the Alaska Railroad (the United States' last full-service railroad). The latter is what we ended up doing.
We purchased a disembarkation excursion through NCL to take us from Seward to Anchorage airport onboard the Alaska Railroad. This train journey took 4 hours and was tunning! We saw a glacier, many forests and mountains, and took in the last few hours of our adventure in Alaska in comfort.
The train is directly next to where the cruise ships dock in Seward and takes guests straight to Anchorage airport and visa versa, making it all very easy and simple. I highly recommend looking into this as a transportation option if you are embarking or disembarking from Seward Alaska for your cruise.
My first cruise to Alaska surprised me in many ways
This sailing overall exceeded my expectations, and I would definitely cruise to Alaska again. Alaska is a beautiful destination, and I think that one of the best ways to see the most of this state in a short amount of time is with a cruise.
Cruising to Alaska is much different in many ways than cruising to the Caribbean, so I highly recommend that prospective cruise passengers do as much research before their cruise. If you’ve read this article then you are already doing some of that research and are likely on your way to having a wonderful adventure in Alaska!
Hayley Phillips
Hayley Phillips is a military spouse currently living in Florida and loves all things travel and travel planning.
