3 Ways to Cruise Alaska

I have been to Alaska 3 times in the past 5 years and each time has been a totally different type of trip.   Alaska is one of those places that you could even do the same exact trip 3 times and each time will be totally different.
I used to think of cruising as something I only wanted to do somewhere with warm weather so I always balked at an Alaska cruise.   I finally decided to cruise Alaska in 2016 and then I wished I hadn't put it off so long.   Alaska is a gorgeous place with so much to see and do.  It is always chaging too so even if you have been before there is still reasaon to go back again!


7 night Round Trip Seattle or Vancouver
This was what my first Alaska cruise was - technically mine started in Fort Lauderdale and went through the Panama Canal before heading up to Seattle and I added the 7 night Alaska cruise onto that.
This is is the typical cruise that most people will take and it is a great way to try Alaska and see if you like it.   This cruise will take you to the main tourist areas in Southeast Alaska but it is sort of just a taste of Alaska.   Alaska is so huge that just visiting that small area is just the tip of the iceberg literally.  These cruises will generally visit Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.   They will also include some sort of glacier.   The best cruises will go to Glacier Bay but those permits are very limited so that isn't possible on every cruise.  Other popular options are Hubbard Glacier or Tracy Arm.   Either way it is just breathtaking to get to see a glacier up close.

1 Way Cruise - Northbound or Southbound
These can be a 7 night cruise but the best thing to do is a Cruisetour.  They will either start in Seattle or Vancouver or end there.   The other end is usually Anchorage.   This way you get to see the same areas at the 7 night round trip cruises but then you also get further North in Alaska.   Adding a Cruisetour onto the cruise gives you the opportunity to really explore Alaska on land.  This is the option that will give you the scenic train rides and a chance to get into Denali National Park.  My second visit to Alaska was a Cruisetour followed by a 7 night cruise southbound to Vancouver.  We started up in Fairbanks and worked our way back down to Anchorage to get our cruise going South.  Getting to see more of the land portion of Alaska really gives you a better perspective of how huge Alaska is and how much the weather can vary.   

Small Ship Cruise in Alaska
This was my most recent way to see Alaska and this is way to go if you are looking for more of an adventure and less touristy stuff.   Our cruise didn't stop at any other towns during our 7 nights.  We were in Glacier Bay for 2 days whereas my previous cruise on the big ship only had a few hours to explore it.   Small ships can get into smaller areas and closer to wildlife so it is a different experience.  These cruises can either go round trip out of an Alaskan port or sometimes they also go one way.  Ours was round trip out of Juneau but some will do one way like Juneau to Ketchikan.   Those towns you begin or end in will be your option for shopping.   

No matter which way you choose to see Alaska you won't be disappointed.