Sunday, March 31, 2024

Best Alaskan Cruise For Families: Choosing The Perfect Family-Friendly Adventure

best alaskan cruise for families

Look for excursions that are specifically designed with families in mind, ensuring that they are safe and enjoyable for all ages. Whether you want to go on a wildlife safari or visit a traditional Alaskan village, there are plenty of options to create unforgettable memories with your loved ones. Overall, Alaskan cruises for families offer an incredible range of amenities and activities to suit all ages and interests. Whether you're looking for adventure, relaxation, or entertainment, there's something for everyone on board. Families can witness the stunning beauty of glaciers, mountains, and wildlife, including humpback whales, sea lions, and bald eagles.

Alaska Family Cruises

Royal Caribbean vs Princess to Alaska: which cruise line is better? - Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean vs Princess to Alaska: which cruise line is better?.

Posted: Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

You can take a nap, book a spa treatment, or just enjoy your time on board without the baby for a few hours. Each of the ships offers a unique itinerary for families to enjoy, but each one also offers the same fun that all Royal Caribbean ships offer when family fun is in question. Her writing is not only an exploration of travel and cruising; it is a testament to her zest for life, her commitment to family, and her love for the ocean. Overall, Alaska is a great destination for families looking for adventure and natural beauty. Participating in shore excursions is a great way to experience all that Alaska has to offer.

Construction on Second Chinese-Built Cruise Ship Well Underway

Its two-level go-cart track is a hit with families and a chance to test your driving skills against a family member in a friendly competition. Most ships will have outdoor pools, and some will have water slides, mini-golf, and rock climbing walls. However, the water isn’t always heated, so you may not use them in Alaska. I’m a Florida-based freelance travel and lifestyle journalist who has embarked on more than a dozen cruises, including several to Alaska. So, while prime summer may offer gentler waters, they also come with higher prices. Ultra-luxury Seabourn has 14-day cruises and includes Misty Fjords National Monument.

About Susan B. Barnes, Your Alaska Cruise Guide

Alternatively, the Solstice offers roundtrip itineraries from Vancouver, while the Summit does one-way cruises between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska. While the Wonder isn’t one of the largest ships or the newest, there’s no denying it offers one of the best Alaskan cruises for families with small children. All cruise lines have adjoining cabins, but you’ll need to book early to ensure you can get them.

best alaskan cruise for families

Multigenerational Alaska Family Cruises

The two-year-old Discovery Princess sails round trip to Alaska from Seattle, a convenient U.S. home port for families to fly or drive to. The fun continues the minute cruisers disembark in each port, with excursions ranging from dogsledding to private helicopter tours. Back on board, Gabree recommends The Chef’s Table for a truly memorable meal — and I, too, can attest to this. While on board a Caribbean sailing with the cruise line, I had the chance to indulge in this chef- and sommelier-led multi-course food and wine pairing adventure. Four years later, I still find myself dreaming of the delicious circular-shaped dessert known as “The World” — the perfect combo of peanut butter ganache, chocolate mousse, and salted caramel gelato). These are a few of the more popular destinations that Alaska cruises have to offer.

best alaskan cruise for families

Young Children Or Older Kids?

My loves include nap time, bed time, date night, travel and evenings and weekends when my husband is home because he handles all diaper changes. Every cruise line is different, so it’s imperative that you check with your cruise line prior to booking to see which requirements they have in place. For example, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines no longer requires their guests are vaccinated against COVID-19 before booking unless they are sailing to specific places such as Australia. Your cruise might require a passport for the entire family depending on where your ship embarks, debarks, and where you stop. If you stop for any reason in Canada, whether it’s to get on board the ship or get off of it or just for a few hours to tour, you will need a passport.

Best Cruise And Land Options

Should I cruise on Princess to Alaska? I booked a sailing to see for myself - Cruise Blog

Should I cruise on Princess to Alaska? I booked a sailing to see for myself.

Posted: Thu, 10 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The onboard expedition team is always at hand to exp[lain the family-friendly entertainment and adventure options on offer. Oceania Cruises sails to Alaska during the summer months and takes you on seven to 11-day itineraries through the breathtaking Northwest Passage. The refined yet casually elegant cruises on the Regatta start at Seward or Vancouver and include stops at enchanting towns along the route you’ll take. Norwegian Cruise Line owns Oceania Cruises, and therefore, its ships have the same look and feel as NCL’s cruisers. However, one thing that sets Oceania apart is the high-end cruise ship experience and gourmet dining on the high seas. If you’ve always wanted to go on an intimate Alaskan cruise with your family, there’s no better cruise line to choose than Windstar Cruises.

These cabins are specifically designed to accommodate families with children, providing extra space and amenities. Some cruise lines even offer connecting cabins, allowing families to stay close together while still having their own private space. Additionally, families can choose from different cabin categories, such as interior, oceanview, or balcony, depending on their preferences and budget. It’s important to consider the size and layout of the cabin, as well as the amenities and services provided, when selecting the perfect accommodation for your family. When it comes to entertainment and shows on an Alaskan cruise, there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

Here, rolling mountains overlook quaint waters below, and it’s no surprise that Juneau is one of the most popular ports of call for Alaskan cruises. Most itineraries include this small town, thanks to its proximity to the picturesque Mendenhall Glacier. The majestic Orcas at Juneau are also a sight to behold and make the town a must-visit.

They can be immersed in heritage and culture along with various types of folklore. Ports of call include College Fjord, Endicott Arm, Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, and Victoria, British Columbia. Activities tend to be on the traditional side, with historical tours, fishing/wildlife expeditions, and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.

But we know that each family is unique and thus travel is very personal, so review the trips below then contact our experts to be matched with the best Alaska family cruise for you. Looking for an Alaska family cruise with a focus on active exploration and wildlife viewing? Not only do we specialize in planning small ship Alaska family cruises and custom vacations, we are parents who’ve traveled to Alaska with our own kids. Below are tips and advice from our family to yours, along with our recommended best Alaskan cruises for families.

For these itineraries, you'll need to fly into or out of Anchorage and take a train or bus to/from the cruise departure ports, which can take an hour or two. If you book a Gulf of Alaska voyage, you'll also enjoy exploring parts of the Inside Passage and its ports that could include a mix of Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan, Haines and Icy Strait Point. Additionally, you'll have one day spent cruising the Inside Passage and one focused on "scenic cruising," where you can enjoy the landscapes but won't go ashore. This is not nearly as boring as you might think since you'll see incredible sights like Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve or Hubbard Glacier. You'll find magnificent mountains (often snow-capped, even in the summertime), lush forests, waterfalls, fjords and calving glaciers.

The 4,180-passenger Quantum of the Seas is not one of Royal Caribbean's largest-in-the-world Oasis Class ships that boast zip lines, ice skating rinks and AquaTheaters. This is when the weather is milder and the days are longer, allowing for more outdoor activities and wildlife sightings. In addition to the shows, there are also other activities and events that the whole family can participate in.

All of the line's itineraries boast an active component, but its "Wild, Woolly and Wow" itinerary claims to be "the most active back country itinerary" of UnCruise's 2024 Alaska cruises. If you're looking for other surefire ways to save, inside and ocean-view cabins are often much cheaper than balcony cabins on Alaska cruises. Those private verandas are highly desirable, with everyone seeking views of the wilderness, snow-capped peaks and glaciers. When cruise lines send a fleet of ships to Alaska for the summer, the older, smaller ships tend to offer more reduced prices than you'll find on the lines' larger and newer ships. Some travelers demand luxury Alaska cruises, while others don't mind going less fancy if it means close encounters with bears and other creatures in the wilderness.

When taking the kids to a destination with so much to explore out in nature, you’ll want to give as much consideration to the onboard experience as you do to what you’ll do on land. Depending on age, some kids may have a shorter attention span than others. Look to the traditional, all-inclusive luxury cruise lines that sail in Alaska during the summer months for these popular sailings. If you choose to explore a port without your children, the kids’ program is open at various times while docked.

August and September are less crowded and can offer better deals, but the weather may be cooler and there is a higher chance of rain. Round-trip cruises depart from and return to the same port, while one-way cruises start in one port and end in another. Round-trip cruises are more convenient and often less expensive, but one-way cruises allow you to see more of Alaska and can be combined with a land tour. Some popular one-way cruises include the Vancouver to Seward route and the Seattle to Vancouver route.

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