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Are you planning a cruise to Alaska this year?
Cruises to Alaska are currently extremely popular and 2024 is expected to be a record-breaking cruise season. News from the cruise sector.
Alaska is a unique and beautiful destination that is great for exploring by cruise.
This is because it is difficult or impossible to travel between many destinations in Alaska except by boat or air. It’s a huge state (larger than California, Texas, and Montana combined), so a cruise is a great way to visit multiple destinations in a limited amount of time.
This past May I took my second Alaska cruise, and these are the common mistakes I’ve seen many travelers make. Make sure you avoid these mistakes to ensure you have a great Alaska cruise experience!
Choosing the wrong cruise
A common mistake that many people make is not considering the itinerary, dates, or cruise line for their Alaska cruise.
The cruise season in Alaska runs from late April to early October, but July and August are the warmest and sunniest months to visit Alaska.
If you want to see lots of wildlife like whales and bears, the best time to go is June through August. If you want to go salmon fishing, that time frame is also the best choice.
When it comes to itinerary, you’ll need to decide whether you want to take an Inside Passage cruise (usually a weeklong cruise that starts and ends in the same port) or see more on a Gulf of Alaska cruise (which is usually begins or ends in Anchorage.)
As far as cruise lines go, I went with Holland America, which I really enjoyed; it’s more of an adult audience (though still family friendly) and focuses much more on Alaska’s culture, history, and nature.
Holland America, along with Princess Cruises, are considered the two best cruise lines for Alaska cruises.
Poor packing
Obviously, an Alaska cruise is nothing like a Caribbean cruise: you’re going to a destination where it gets COLD, even during the summer months.
Although summer is certainly the warmest time to visit Alaska, it can still be very cold.
The key to a successful Alaska cruise is packing lots of layers. I often started the day with a base layer, a light jacket or sweater, and then my heavier winter coat. As it warmed up, I was able to shed a layer if necessary.
You have to do one thing not forget? Lots of rain gear! I saw so many people who were unprepared for the frequent rain in Alaska.
Be sure to pack an umbrella, a rain poncho (this was a lifesaver!), wicking wool socks, and waterproof boots or sneakers for your Alaska cruise.
You can also leave most formal clothes at home. While your cruise may have one or two fancy dinner nights, Alaska cruises are generally much more casual.
Book flights for the same day
A HUGE mistake novice cruisers make is booking a same-day flight on the day of arrival.
You may see that your cruise doesn’t officially depart until late afternoon and think you can get away with arriving on an early morning flight and then going straight to the cruise port. Wrong!
If your flight is delayed or canceled for any reason, you will miss your entire cruise. It’s not worth the risk. Arrive at your departure port city at least one day early.
For Alaska cruises this will most likely be Seattle or Vancouver.
You can book your departure flight for the same day, because you will most likely have to disembark early in the morning on the day of departure. But for the day of your arrival, don’t even think about it!
Do not book a balcony cabin
The temptation to save money and book an inside stateroom or an outside stateroom with just a window can be great, but I highly recommend booking a balcony stateroom for your Alaska cruise if possible.
Normally I don’t mind having a window view cabin on cruises, but I did extremely glad I have a balcony on my Alaska cruise.
This is because A LOT of what you do is landscape sailing. It’s not like a typical cruise where the only view for miles is the ocean.
During a cruise to Alaska you will often sail past breathtaking landscapes, such as in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Yes, you can watch this from the public upper decks of the cruise ship, but it gets very crowded because everyone has the same idea.
It’s so much nicer to have your own balcony, where you can relax on sun loungers and watch the scenery glide by in comfort and privacy.
Waiting to book shore excursions
A big mistake that many Alaska cruisers (myself included) make is waiting too long to book shore excursions.
I booked my Alaska cruise quite last minute (about a month in advance) and most of the shore excursions through my cruise line were already sold out.
While there are some cruise destinations where you can wait to book your shore excursions, Alaska is not one of them. There is limited supply and many of the most popular excursions sell out in advance.
This applies to excursions offered by your cruise line and third-party shore excursion companies. So don’t wait to book excursions!
With a view to do-it-yourself excursions
Okay, now that I’ve talked about the importance of booking your shore excursions in advance, let’s talk about another option: DIY shore excursions.
Many cruisers don’t realize that it is possible to visit many places in Alaska independently, saving you a lot of money compared to booking through your cruise line.
For example, in Ketchikan I knew I wanted to visit Totem Bight State Historical Park. A tour booked through my cruise line would have cost $60 per person, but to visit on your own it was an easy 25 minute bus ride on the local bus for $2 per person and $5 per person for the entrance fee.
Similarly, I paid $45 per person for the Glacier Express bus in Juneau to visit the Mendenhall Glacier, which included a round-trip bus ride from the cruise port and the glacier entrance fee – a big savings compared to the $20 excursion. 80 through my cruise line.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
