THE 25 BEST May 2025 Cruises to Alaska with Prices on Cruise Critic

Table Of Content

• Alaska Cruise Itineraries
• Cruises from Seattle
• Night Glacier Discovery SouthboundDetails
• Stay longer and relax
• Alaska Souvenirs to Take Home With You So You Never Forget Your Trip Royal Caribbean Cruises
• Night Alaska Southbound GlacierDetails

Part of the fun of cruising to Alaska is the potential to see a lot of wildlife. Binoculars will get you even closer to the beautiful creatures around you. The type of experience you want can influence your choice of Alaskan cruise line.

Alaska Cruise Itineraries

Get an even more immersive exploration of Alaska on a 9-to-13-night Cruisetour that combines a 7-night cruise with an exciting pre- or post-cruise land tour. Go deep into the heart of the wilderness where you’ll travel with a dedicated Tour Director for the entire land tour portion of your journey. Few people know and love Alaska like those who live there, and the Tour Directors on a Celebrity Alaska Cruisetour are local residents chosen for their deep roots and connections to the regions communities. They’re passionate about giving you seamless service, local knowledge, and showing you the best of Alaska’s interior. You’ll ride trains, boats, deluxe motorcoaches, and possibly even planes to go farther into the wilderness.

Cruises from Seattle

Take an Inside Passage cruise and gaze upward at the sky that is as blue as the lakes below. Hop on the Alaskan Railroad near Anchorage and see the spruce-lined, mountainous landscape whir by from a new perspective.

Night Glacier Discovery SouthboundDetails

Embark on a whale watching tour, or sail past Mendenhall Glacier on an Alaska cruise. With its roaring glaciers, rugged mountains and deep fjords, Glacier Bay National Park feels like a dream. With 3.3 million acres to explore, cruise to this world-renowned landmark — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and let the landscapes inspire your next adventure. Princess Cruises is an authorized concessioner of Glacier Bay National Park.

Stay longer and relax

Towering walls of ice like the Hubbard Glacier, Endicott Arm Dawes and the twin Sawyer Glaciers thunder as they calve massive icebergs. Some shore excursions allow up close interaction with these natural wonders. Sometimes Sailing is a cruise-focused website by Dan and Mikkel Woodruff, a couple passionate about cruising. The exception may be if you're looking into a shorter luxury cruise versus an extended cruise on a standard ship. Generally, the larger the ship, the lower the starting price for the cruise. Also, generally speaking, the longer the cruise, the more money it will be.

Planning a Trip To Alaska: Land vs. Sea Royal Caribbean Cruises

Discover something new while exploring Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. Best known for the Pacific Princess on the Love Boat, Princess Cruises has been a leading name in cruising and visits a wide range of destinations. Get a taste of these natural wonders from the comfort of your own home with our special articles, or discover the delights of Steakhouse at the Verandah, one of our many on board restaurants. Discovering Alaska by sea is one of the best and most breathtaking cruising experiences you can encounter. Sail from Vancouver in 2024 and treasure the journey in Cunard style.

To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. See the hidden gems and iconic sights we offer by downloading all the sailings and highlights of our New Voyages Collection for Summer 2025. Enjoy the clear water filled with salmon, red snapper and trout along with the freely roaming wildlife, all combining to make Whittier a treat to visit. The beautiful small coastal town of Seward, which is most known for its picturesque scenic views and many visitors’ attractions, is a perfect addition for your next Alaska cruise.

Alaska Souvenirs to Take Home With You So You Never Forget Your Trip Royal Caribbean Cruises

Alaska has 17 of the 20 highest peaks in the US, more than 100 active volcanoes, over 27,000 glaciers and more than 3 million lakes. Discover the experience of a timeless ocean voyage to Alaska on Queen Elizabeth with this special article, produced for Cunard by BBC StoryWorks. Our Alaska cruise departure ports have big personalities and loads of attractions. Ketchikan, Alaska is one of the best spots along Alaska's Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian. Amble historic Creek Street, a boardwalk over a wide creek that fills with salmon during certain times of year.

Soak away all your worries in a martini-shaped hot tub high above the pool deck as the breathtaking landscapes drift by. There’s no better way to connect with family and friends than on a bucket-list exploration of Alaska. For those voyagers seeking to sail from Southern California all the way up the Pacific coast to Alaska, try a new 16-day roundtrip Inside Passage voyage from Los Angeles. No vacation in the world delivers once-in-a-lifetime adventure like Alaska.

Serenade of the Seas will sail primarily 7-night roundtrip cruises, including cruises that visit Hubbard Glacier. Quantum of the Seas will also sail from Seattle, sailing 7-night cruises. Ever wanted to go on an Alaska glacier tour to experience hiking in its open nature? On our family Alaska cruise, we created lifetime memories by sharing glacier spotting, dog sledding, flightseeing and other adventures with our teens. Planes are plentiful in Alaska, where they're a common form of transportation across the state.

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Holland America Line Opens Bookings for Four 2025-2026 'Legendary Voyages' Including New 28-Day Cruise to ....

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With riverside dining and frontier décor, the Fairbanks Lodge is the perfect excuse to extend your Alaska cruise vacation and dive deeper into your surroundings. Cruise down the Chena River on a sternwheeler riverboat, pan for gold at Gold Dredge 8 or ride ATVs through surrounding forests underneath the midnight sun. All of our Alaska cruisetours include a stay at our premier Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge®, just one mile from the entrance of Denali National Park overlooking the Nenana River. Access some of the most stunning sights on earth — wilderness, wildlife and untamed land. Go flightseeing by Denali’s snow-covered peak, fly-fish for Arctic grayling, raft the Nenana River or venture into Denali on a park tour.

Find Norwegian Encore Cruises to Alaska (with Prices) - Cruise Critic

Find Norwegian Encore Cruises to Alaska (with Prices).

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Snow-covered mountains dominate the skyline while rivers feed the earth below. Explore your surroundings on a Copper River rafting trip, or fish for Alaska salmon in the mesmerizing waters. Spacious decks offer a true feeling of freedom as Queen Elizabeth sails by Hubbard Glacier & Glacier Bay National Park, on her way to iconic Alaskan ports.

Pioneer America’s Last Frontier onboard Ovation of the Seas®, one of the world's most groundbreaking ships and among the boldest ships to ever sail Alaska. Gaze at giant glaciers from the pool deck while you sail through Endicott Arm. Scan the surrounding waters on your way to Juneau for glimpses of wildlife from the North Star®, the tallest viewing deck on a cruise ship. Only an hour and a half from the cruise port of Whittier lies the largest city in Alaska – Anchorage. Visit the Chugach National Forest, the second largest national forest in the United States. Or visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and see brown bears, moose and bison living in a protected habitat that perfectly emulates the wild.

When planning a trip to Alaska, many travelers wonder if it's better to explore the state by land or by sea. Sail into the Last Frontier from Seward or Vancouver onboard Radiance of the Seas®. With over three acres of windows and glass exterior viewing elevators, you can watch for whales along Alaska’s Inside Passage when you aren’t wandering wilderness paths from Ketchikan to Juneau. And for the ultimate outdoor adventure, take a CruiseTour into Alaska’s interior where you can hang with huskies in Denali, and scale glaciers in Alyeska.

With an abundance of landmarks and wildlife, take in the sights and sounds of the Inside Passage from the comfort of your ship or on a thrilling excursion ashore. Explore fjords, glaciers and Gold Rush-era towns on weekend voyages out of Seattle. Whether you're interested in hiking through a forest, trekking to glaciers or a shopping spree downtown, the towns along Alaska's inside passage provide a variety of adventurous activities. Alaska cruise ports such as Juneau and Ketchikan are small cities with their own personalities.

River Cruises: Best Discounts on All Ships and Departures

Table Of Content

• LIVE YOUR ADVENTURE. GO ACTIVE.
• Highlights from an Active River Cruise with Avalon Waterways
• Florida's St. Johns and Tolomato Rivers
• Active & Discovery River Cruises
• Longer (and More Active) River Cruises Are Trending for 2023

While "Active" is self-explanatory, the "Discovery" excursions were geared toward hands-on experiences and the "Classic" excursions were more typical river cruise activities, such as a gentle walk or motorcoach tour. In theory, any river cruise can be an active one, given that shore-centric itineraries allow passengers to pursue all manner of land-based activities. For a more active excursion, you can opt for a moderate hike to the Landshut Castle (it’s an included one too!). This castle ruins is one of the oldest structures in the Moselle, perched upon the remnants of a fort that dates back to the 4th or 5th century. We opted for the Walking and Wines in Bernkastel tour, but had plenty of time after to navigate our way to Landshut Castle on our own.

LIVE YOUR ADVENTURE. GO ACTIVE.

We represent all the major river cruise operators and offer the best discounts and deals on every sailing. Avalon takes pride in offering exceptional dining experiences onboard, with a focus on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and regional dishes that reflect the destinations visited along the river route. The small port town of Cochem is situated in the western region of Germany and is home to just under 5,000 people. Though it is small in size, it is large in history, old world charm and things to do, like visiting it’s gorgeous hilltop castle—Reichsburg. While afloat on Europe’s rivers, it’s heavenly to kick back, relax and sip on a glass of wine while taking in the scenery. If vacationing on Viking’s “France’s Finest” and “Lyon & Provence” itineraries, canoeing is possible too.

Highlights from an Active River Cruise with Avalon Waterways

On some cruises, the line runs an included "Active Tauck" hike that is relatively tame in nature. Today, active river cruises are increasingly popular, so much so that nearly every river cruise line has been adding active, engaging features to its European river cruise voyages. Some lines have even partnered with other companies to offer special themed voyages that can range from cycling to hiking. In 2022 and 2023, Backroads will offer a handful of active river cruises.

Florida's St. Johns and Tolomato Rivers

Another option is European river line, CroisiEurope, which offers a “Beautiful Blue Danube” itinerary. While the line also doesn’t carry bikes aboard its river ships, on that itinerary,  one highlight is a DISCOVERY guided bike tour of Budapest, Hungary. It gives guests a chance to “chase the ship.” That’s done safely, of course and doesn’t jeopardize the bike experience of castle views and guide-provided commentary. But it’s fun to see whether the river vessel or the cyclists arrive first in Bacharach, Germany. AmaWaterways’ guests also might choose a guided bike excursion through French wine country, Austria’s Wachau Valley or the Dutch countryside. Ratcheting up the intensity level, AmaWaterways also partners with Backroads for select “active itinerary” and full-ship charter sailings.

The Onboard Activities

If you're looking for just a taste of kayaking that isn't too strenuous and gets you outdoors, it's a perfect excursion. If you're hoping for a more serious kayaking adventure, you'll likely be disappointed. The outing was as much a winery tour as it was a walk in the vineyards, as we soon looped around to the estate's production facilities, where we saw the rooms where grapes are turned into wine and stored in giant oak barrels. After traveling by van to the Quinta do Bomfim vineyard, which covers the hills surrounding Pinhao, we set off at a slow pace upward into the estate's undulating rows of grape vines, walking on the stone-lined tractor paths between them.

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Our group consisted of six people, almost all of which were in their 50s and 60s -- and in great shape. We ambled through the heartwarming town of Cochem with our guide, then to our hiking trail's starting point. The hiking trail was straight up a mountain face with numerous stairs zig-zagging upwards. Of course, you can spend days exploring the city, but don’t miss the iconic Romer, a collection of nine houses forming the Frankfurt city hall (Rathaus). The Old Opera House (Alte Oper) is a Frankfurt highlight with its grand architecture and world-class performances, such as a captivating orchestral rendition of classic pieces by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra. For a glimpse into the city’s recent past, the New Frankfurt Old Town presents a meticulously reconstructed quarter, capturing the essence of pre-war Frankfurt.

Active & Discovery River Cruises

With the “Let’s Go” program, Uniworld guests can go kayaking or borrow a Nordic walking stick to explore on their own. Or, they might tee off at Golf d’Etretat, perched atop Normandy’s cliffs in France. U by Uniworld’s fitness-focused guests visiting Rotterdam in the Netherlands can head out jogging on local running paths. During Scenic’s eight-day “Bordeaux Affair” itinerary operated by Scenic Diamond in 2022, cycling enthusiasts can head ashore at Blaye, France. During a Scenic Freechoice 18-mile bicycle excursion, they’ll pedal along Captain’s Road. It’s named in honor of the World War I captains who bought homes along this stretch of riverfront.

The average age of an Avalon cruiser has dropped from 68 to 62 in recent years, a top marketing executive at the company told me during this sailing — a significant drop. But even travelers closer to 60 years old than 70 years old on average are not a traveling cohort that necessarily wants to kayak for miles or for hours. The experience ended with a tasting of the port wines made at the estate — a common activity on trips on the Douro.

Why travel with Avalon?

Biking tours of many ports are offered, and a few hiking options are available as well, depending on the port. Dinnertime is a highlight of the day, and Avalon Waterways aims to provide a fine dining experience. It started with a happy hour (where there’s a menu of included wines, beer and cocktails), followed by the port talk.

The other unique aspect of this cruise was the variety of “Discovery” tours. Avalon goes beyond the classic “highlights” tour, offering instead all sorts of interesting excursions that delve deeper into local culture. Here are six river cruise routes that will appeal to active younger—and young-at-heart—cruisers. Everything is intimate and close up, from the scenery along the riverbanks to the convenient layout of the ship. Your cabin will never be far from the restaurant, lounge, or entry and exit points. And in port, vessels are often docked right in town, with tour buses or guided strolls departing from the end of a short gangway.

My go-to was Greek yogurt with granola, marinated apricots, granola and chia. Though for a couple of days I splurged on a strawberry waffle and yummy charcuterie. We learned about the fascinating tradition of winemaking and the spiritual significance of the vineyards surrounding the abbey. Year-round, guided by the master winemaker, the nuns and volunteers at the Abbey of St. Hildegard nurture grapevines with devotion. You can explore the historic heart at the Deutsches Eck, and take in the breathtaking views from the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, accessible by a scenic cable car ride. Or wander through the cobbled streets of the Old Town, adorned with charming squares and colorful buildings, and immerse yourself in the rich heritage of the city.

We even had half an hour to wander around the town of Dürnstein, which made this excursions extra memorable. While men, too, can wear yoga pants, most we've chatted with on cruises prefer shorts. Try out these Champion men's shorts, which are long enough to provide some modesty no matter the activity, yet not so long as to look like that weird shorts/capri pants hybrid.

We didn't go far — just 1.3 miles, according to one of my fellow tourgoers who tracked it on her phone. But it was a truncated outing that was unique to this preview sailing, Avalon Alegria's active travel coordinator told me later, due to christening festivities planned for the ship the same day. Led by a guide, the seven bikers in my group covered 9 miles in all — a not insubstantial distance — over a leisurely 2 1/2 hours.

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There’s no assigned seating on a river cruise, and not really even set dining times. Unlike some other river cruise lines that just offer one big lounge onboard, the Avalon Impression makes use of all its space to offer not one, but two indoor lounges (along with a large Sky Deck, and small shaded outdoor lounge). If you're considering a heavy cycling trip, such as one offered via an AmaWaterways/Backroads or Scenic/Trek Travel partnership, you might want to get yourself some serious biking shorts.

For example, Viking’s river vessels have top-deck walking tracks but not fitness centers. Attracting many active, younger and young-at-heart guests for its focus on active river adventures is Scenic’s sister line, Emerald Cruises. The line’s dedicated activity managers support all EmeraldACTIVE shore excursions including guided bicycle excursions. While Viking River Cruises doesn’t carry a fleet of bikes on its river voyages, fitness-focused guests can book bicycle shore excursions. In select locations, that river line also works with a local partner-supplier to provide river cruisers with guided cycling excursions. Those Tauck tours feature either regular bicycles or e-bikes, depending on destination and specific excursion.