Alaska is the bucket‑list cruise — glaciers calving into the sea, whales breaching off the bow, and frontier towns you reach best by ship. Most sailings run the sheltered Inside Passage round‑trip from Seattle or Vancouver; one‑way Gulf of Alaska voyages add Hubbard Glacier and connect to Denali land tours.
The stops that make up a typical Alaska sailing — tap any for things to do ashore.
The only U.S. capital you can’t drive to — Mendenhall Glacier and prime whale‑watching.
Things to do in port ›Totem poles, Creek Street on stilts, and the gateway to Misty Fjords.
Things to do in port ›A Gold‑Rush time capsule and the storied White Pass & Yukon railway.
Things to do in port ›A scenic‑cruising day (no dock) among tidewater glaciers with park rangers aboard.
Things to do in port ›Hoonah’s Tlingit culture and one of the world’s longest ziplines.
Things to do in port ›Gulf turnaround ports and the doorway to Denali and Kenai Fjords.
Things to do in port ›The season is short: May through September. June to August bring the warmest days and longest light; May and September are quieter and cheaper, with better odds of clear glacier views and fall color late in the run.
Major lines cruising Alaska:
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