Inside Passage Cruises Best Classic Alaskan Cruises

Table Of Content

• Travel Is Our Tradition
• Smooth-as-Glass Waters
• Alaska Mountains & National Parks
• Culture & History of Inside Passage Cruise Port

Still, if you add a connection, reaching the cruise departure points from almost anywhere in the USA is incredibly easy. Alternatively, you can also take an Alaska cruise from Seattle, removing the need to get to Alaska before your cruise adventure begins. From a balcony stateroom, marvel at the glaciers passing by before enjoying local seafood in one of our many eateries during your Alaska cruise.

Travel Is Our Tradition

Many adventurous cruisers join an Inside Passage Alaska cruise visit or view majestic glaciers. All Alaska cruises are "Inside Passage" to varying degrees, as that's where most of the SE Alaska cruise ports are. Vancouver departures get much more "Inside Passage" than do Seattle departures, as Seattles sail in the open ocean west of Vancouver Island.

Smooth-as-Glass Waters

Approximately 1,000 miles North of Vancouver, it was the center of activity during Alaska's 19th century Gold Rush. Also known as the "Panhandle," the Inside Passage is popular for spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife, vivid Native cultures, astounding history and exceptional hospitality. New small ship cruises, adventure trips, ships & the best deals at your fingertips. At the northern reaches of the Alaska Inside Passage are the small towns of Skagway and Haines located up the Lynn Canal. These two towns are not the most commonly visited on Alaska Inside Passage cruise routes, so be sure to look for them in an itinerary if you wish to visit these historic places. There is fantastic scenery to see on both sides of the ship while sailing the Inside Passage.

Alaska Mountains & National Parks

These range from a food court-style buffet and poolside burger bar to the main dining room, which serves three à la carte courses at most meal times. The speciality restaurants, which require advance booking and a supplement of about £30 per person, offer a more intimate setting. The Pinnacle Grill steakhouse is worth booking early given its tendency to sell out, but Nami Sushi, with its fresh Alaskan seafood and panoramic views, is the pick of the bunch.

Inside Passage with Glacier Bay

Along the Inside Passage, cruise passengers can see countless wildlife in the water (whales, orcas, sea lions, and seals), on the ground (bears), and in the air (eagles, raptors, and many water birds). With national parks and four of North America’s tallest mountains, Alaska’s wilderness has been preserved for generations. Denali National Park is larger than Vermont and home to the highest peak on the continent. Meanwhile, Glacier Bay National Park has over 2,000 square miles of glacial coverage. Elias and Kenai Fjords, a world of natural wonders awaits on an Alaska cruise or cruisetour.

Explorer's Lounge

Find and filter below all the Inside Passage cruise routes aboard small ships. These cruise tours include excursions and expert guides to enhance your experience. Search by your travel dates or price range to find your best Alaska Inside Passage cruise. Small-ship cruises are usually confined to localized areas within the Inside Passage and start out from Juneau, Ketchikan or Sitka. Inside passage just means between the islands and not cruising in the "open" ocean. You don't really need to worry about which it is, just decide on which ports (Juneau, Sitka, Skagway, Ketchican) and which glaciers you want to visit and look for a ship that meets your needs.

THE 25 BEST Cruises to Skagway, AK 2024 (with Prices) - Skagway Cruise Port Terminal on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic

THE 25 BEST Cruises to Skagway, AK 2024 (with Prices) - Skagway Cruise Port Terminal on Cruise Critic.

Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:35:20 GMT [source]

Tours and activities

On an Alaska cruise, let us show you Glacier Bay National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier. This 30-mile waterway is surrounded by cliffs, valleys and dozens of waterfalls. Icebergs and harbor seals decorate the water below while Dawes Glacier soars into the sky above.

UnCruise Alaska Fjords & Glaciers

Revel in the beauty of Mother Nature’s masterpiece and listen closely as the scenery whispers secrets of times long ago during your cruise to Alaska. Dis­cov­er South­east Alaska’s nat­ur­al won­ders aboard a char­tered sail­boat with Sail­ing Alas­ka. Cus­tomize your pri­vate expe­di­tion with expe­ri­enced cap­tain John Joeright and enjoy all-inclu­sive meals, com­fort­able accom­mo­da­tions, and end­less adven­tures on the 46-foot S/V Sham­rock. Watch whales, hike, fish, vis­it local com­mu­ni­ties, and more — all at your own pace.

These cross-gulf cruises hit some Inside Passage stops but also ports farther north. They're usually one-way trips starting or ending in Seward or Whittier, Alaska. The largest national forest in the country, Tongass National Forest, blankets the entire southeast Alaska portion of the Inside Passage, and many glaciers can still be seen.

(home to Butchart Gardens and the storied Fairmont-Empress Hotel) or Vancouver. You're very likely to see some Alaskan wildlife on any Inside Passage itinerary, whether that be whales, bald eagles, sea lions, porpoises or spotted harbor seals. Of course, this area is also know for its glaciers and quiet towns your ship may visit. The ports of Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Sitka and more are along the Inside Passage, and known for the natural beauty and incredible history you can discover.

In 1881, the first cruise drifted into the still waters of Alaska’s Inside Passage — but, these seafarers did not experience the wonder of modern-day cruises. In the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, these passengers were making history, not reliving it. Since then, journeys through these breathtaking lands have become more exhilarating. In Juneau, venture underground into historical gold mines and see for yourself just how treasure was extracted from rugged walls. Or, take a scenic railway tour up snow-capped mountains and through lush landscapes, retracing the footsteps of early explorers in Skagway.

He also makes regular appearances on “The Week Unwrapped”, speaking about subjects as diverse as vaccine development and bionic bomb-sniffing locusts. He joined The Week in 2013, spending five years editing the magazine’s website. Before that, he was deputy digital editor at The Sunday Times. He has also been TheTimes.co.uk’s technology editor and the launch editor of Wired magazine’s UK website. Holden has worked in journalism for nearly two decades, having started his professional career while completing an English literature degree at Cambridge University. He followed that with a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University in Chicago.