Alaska is one of the world’s most popular cruising destinations, with some 1.71 million annual visitors in 2024, according to Cruise Lines International Association.
You would presume that would give prospective passengers a lot of choice, but in truth, many companies follow a similar itinerary: departing Vancouver or Seattle or, more rarely, San Francisco; plying the glorious seascapes of the Inside Passage; and dropping anchor in the same ports like Ketchikan, Skagway, and Anchorage while en route to Juneau before a loop home.
Variations are the exception, and should be embraced, which is why below I’ve highlighted the best conventional options but added some of the more unusual options in 2026 and 2027: from the smallest ships to the most far-flung destinations, the most family-friendly to the more active and educational.
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Best for families
7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver
Disney Cruise Line
Key stops: Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan
Departure port: Vancouver
Duration: Seven nights
Ship: Disney Magic
Disney offers 36 departures in 2026 on four itineraries that all follow classic seven-day loops from Vancouver. The difference here is that its ships and amenities are designed for families.
Most children will relish an Alaskan cruise, thanks to the dramatic scenery en route and the chance to see bears, whales and more. Long hours at sea, however, may require additional entertainment, which the line provides in the shape of kids’ clubs, fireworks, watersides, wading pools and splash zones, along with the kind of live shows, films, and Disney character experiences you’ll find in the company’s theme parks.
The kids’ clubs are particularly well done, catering for three age ranges: Oceaneer, for ages three to 10; Edge, for 11-14; and Vibe for 14-17 year olds.
Insider tip
Contrary to popular perception, Disney isn’t just for families. Disney Magic also attracts couples and friends who enjoy the ship’s entertainment programme (think nightly Disney-themed musicals and artwork that bursts into life) but also appreciate the ship’s adult-only areas and experiences – namely clubs, lounges, live music, pool, spa and fitness centre. The message? You don’t need kids to enjoy a Disney cruise.
How to do it
A seven-night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver departing September 3, 2026, costs from £2,603pp for an Inside stateroom. Excludes Wi-Fi, speciality drinks and gratuities.
Best for far-flung adventure
Aleutian Islands Adventure with Dutch Harbour and Kodiak
Uncruise Adventures
Key stops: Kodiak Island, Katmai National Park, Aniakchak National Park, Dutch Harbour
Departure port: Seward
Duration: 10 nights
Ship: Safari Explorer
Barely a handful of cruise operators venture into the remote waters west of Anchorage, tracing the long line of the Alaskan Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands. This is a region of teeming wildlife and wilderness; of huge skies and starkly beautiful landscapes, along with a compelling Second World War history, the legacy of Japan’s partial invasion of the Aleutian Islands in 1942.
Above all, though, the stops at Katmai and Kodiak on this Uncruise Adventures itinerary offer some of North America’s best bear-watching opportunities, plus a string of timeless villages and hidden coves and inlets that can be easily accessed by the 18-cabin Safari Explorer.
Shore excursions are varied and intimate, from hikes in the shadow of the extraordinary Mount Aniakchak caldera to my favourite, Dutch Harbour, a busy, no-nonsense fishing community ringed with glorious, easily hiked landscapes and the evocative military ruins.
Insider tip
This cruise is farther from home than other Alaskan cruises, so bear in mind the costs of additional flights and consider pre- and post-cruise options carefully – an Alaskan cruise to Anchorage from Vancouver, perhaps, or a tour of interior mainland Alaska.
How to do it
A 10-night Aleutian Islands Adventure itinerary departing July 2, 2027, costs from £9,735pp for a Navigator cabin. Excludes flights. (uncruise.com)
Best for the budget-conscious
7-Day Alaska Inside Passage
Holland America Line (HAL)
Key stops: Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan
Departure port: Vancouver
Duration: Seven nights
Ship: Zaandam
Alaska cruises are largely about the wildlife and scenery. If that is what you want but are worried about your wallet, then you’ll save money but enjoy the same glaciers, mountains and other coastal landscapes if you settle for ships of operators like Holland America Line.
Cruises are also cheaper in the shoulder months (May and September, but occasionally some of April or October) of the short Alaskan cruising season. Combine off-peak travel with early booking discounts, and the savings are even greater. Choose an inside berth for the cheapest room rate, but when the magnificent scenery often rolls by for hours on end – notably through the Inside Passage – then it can pay to forgo this saving in favour of an ocean-view cabin.
Insider tip
Every HAL sailing features an Orange Party in homage to the line’s Dutch heritage. It’s a fun night – expect orange drinks, music and dancing – so, if you’re planning on attending, don’t forget to pack something tangerine-hued!
How to do it
A seven-night Alaska Inside Passage cruise departing on June 24, 2026, costs from £749pp for an inside cabin. Excludes Wi-Fi, drinks and flights.
Best for exclusivity
Alaskan cruise
Alaska Uncharted
Key stops: Taku Harbour, Wood Spit, Brothers Island, Carroll Islands, Tenakee Springs and Pavlof Harbour
Departure port: Juneau
Duration: Six nights
Ship: MY Golden Eagle
Alaska Uncharted’s vessels are small with just 12 berths, and this means you will be able to explore some of the finest nooks and crannies of the coast around Juneau. You have a choice of two 12-guest vessels, MY Golden Eagle or MV Sikumi, with the option to book cabins individually as part of a set small-group cruises or to take the vessels as an exclusive charter.
Itineraries on charters around the majestic coves, fjords and islands west of Juneau can be tailor-made by embracing a general exploration of the area, concentrating on spotting certain wildlife such as whales and bears, or dedicated towards an activity such as fishing or birdwatching.
Private-charter cruises also typically include plenty of other diversions, notably salmon fishing, crabbing, beach combing, hiking, and beach bonfires.
Insider tip
Like so many Alaskan options, this cruise could be incorporated into a longer itinerary, notably by taking a big-ship cruise to Juneau from Vancouver or Anchorage. I also like the easy walks around the Mendenhall Glacier from Juneau, if you add a day or so in the city.
How to do it
A six-night Alaska cruise on board MY Golden Eagle departing on September 5, 2026, costs from £56,658 for 12 passengers (eight adults, four children). Includes all meals, drinks, excursions and Wi-Fi. (alaskauncharted.com)
Best for luxury
14-Day Alaska Glaciers, Fjords & Inside Passage
Seabourn
Key stops: Ketchikan, Sitka and Wrangell, Prince Rupert and Alert Bay
Departure port: Vancouver
Duration: 14 nights
Ship: Seabourn Encore
I’ve opted for Seabourn among a plethora of luxury operators in Alaska for several reasons. First, the ship serving its 27 Alaskan departures in 2026 is the 600-passenger Seabourn Encore, which, while larger than many of the line’s other ships, is still deemed mid-size by industry standards and, crucially, can navigate areas closed to larger vessels.
Secondly, while following the classic route north from Vancouver, both its shorter, seven-day cruises and the 14-day sailing highlighted here, offer more smaller ports than most operators, and far more scenic cruising in the most spectacular regions, namely the Inside Passage.
The ports include two Canadian stopovers, Alert Bay on Vancouver Island and (a personal favourite) Prince Rupert: expect briny charm far removed from commercial, retail-oriented ports such as Ketchikan. Also included is a stopover at Sitka, which offers an insight into Alaska’s early Russian-era history.
Insider tip
If available, jet-boat tours upriver on the Skeena from Prince Rupert are highly recommended for the glorious scenery, the thrill of the ride and good bear-spotting opportunities. Zodiac excursions at Rudyerd Bay, a remote, rarely visited spot, are also recommended.
How to do it
A 14-night Alaska Glaciers, Fjords & Inside Passage cruise departing May 29, 2026, costs from £6,899pp for a veranda suite. Excludes flights.
Best for Alaska’s far north
Inside Passage, Bears, and Aleutian Islands
HX Expeditions
Key stops: Dutch Harbour, Unga Island, Kodiak Island, Icy Bay, Sitka and Wrangell, Vancouver
Departure port: Nome
Duration: 16 nights
Ship: MS Fridtjof Nansen
Nome, found way, way north on the state’s far Arctic shore, is remote even by Alaskan standards – and it’s not somewhere you’d want to spend a week’s holiday. It does, however, offer superb insights into the rigours of frontier life, and possesses a battered, windswept beauty. More to the point, Nome offers access to the Bering Sea, waters pretty much untouched by most cruise lines. It also has an airport, so you can fly here from Seattle and take a cruise back to Vancouver (or vice versa).
HX Expeditions, the adventure arm of Norway-based Hurtigruten, offers north and southbound sailings to and from Nome, aboard the state-of-the-art, 530-passenger expedition vessel MS Fridtjof Nansen.
The route offers other rarely visited areas, such as the Aleutian Islands, with stops at Dutch Harbour and Unga Island, along with Kodiak Island (for bears), before continuing south to take in many of the seascapes, highlights and ports of call of a “conventional” Alaskan cruise.
Insider tip
My recommendation would be to take the southbound sailing, which gets all your outbound flying out of the way and makes Vancouver, rather than Nome, the culmination of your cruise. It also leaves you rested and well-placed to explore Vancouver and beyond, should you wish.
How to do it
A 16-night Alaska & British Columbia: Inside Passage, Bears and Aleutian Islands (Southbound) cruise departing September 6, 2026, costs from £8,515pp for an Arctic Superior cabin. Includes an overnight in Seattle pre-cruise, flights from Seattle to Nome, transfers and gratuities. Excludes international flights and premium drinks.
Best for learning at sea
Exploring Southeast Alaska’s ABC Islands
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions
Key stops: Inian Islands, Admiralty Island, Baranof Island and Chichagof Island
Departure point: Juneau
Duration: Seven nights
Ship: National Geographic Sea Lion
Some Alaskan operators have on-board guides to add an educational aspect to your trip, but often it feels like something of an afterthought. By contrast, National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions places learning at the heart of its itineraries.
Each of its nine Alaskan expedition cruises has a range of naturalists, historians and experts in local cultures to provide daily lectures and act as informed guides on ship and shore. In my experience, this emphasis also means you will encounter curious and like-minded travellers.
National Geographic also uses smaller and specifically designed expedition ships and follows more unusual itineraries than most operators. Trips are focused on particular areas, notably the region south and west of Juneau on its ABC islands cruise, with the rare opportunity to make remote landfall for hikes and viewing of orcas, puffins, sea eagles, humpbacks and more.
Insider tip
Flights between Vancouver and Juneau to start this cruise, and other Juneau embarkation cruises, involve a stopover. Flights from Seattle are, however, direct, making this the port of choice if you want to add a one-way cruise to your National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions sailing.
How to do it
A seven-night Exploring Southeast Alaska’s ABC Islands itinerary departing July 12, 2026, costs from £6,648pp for a category one cabin. Includes transfers, daily activities and excursions, and alcoholic drinks. Excludes flights and tips.
About our expert
Tim Jepson
Tim Jepson has explored the waters off Alaska for 20 years. His cruises have taken him on the classic itineraries, as well as farther afield to the Aleutian Islands, through the Bering Straits and on a full navigation of the Northwest Passage from west to east. He is also the author of more than 20 books, including cruise titles such as National Geographic’s The Mediterranean: Ports of Call & Beyond.