Alaska
Alaska Cruises Are Getting Longer
Traditionally, Alaska cruises have been seven days in
length—either a weeklong loop of the Inside Passage roundtrip from Seattle or
Vancouver, or a similar transit across the Gulf of Alaska sailing one way
between Vancouver and Seward or Whittier.
Lately, though, Alaska cruises have been getting longer. And
it’s not just expedition companies, which typically operate longer and more
wide-ranging itineraries, offering these lengthier voyages. Many of Alaska’s
biggest mainstream, premium and luxury cruise lines have jumped on the trend,
and at least one well-known big-ship line will be sailing as far as the Alaskan
Arctic next year for the very first time.
Here are some of the more noteworthy examples of
non-expedition, cruise-only itineraries for 2024 and 2025 of at least 10 days
or more:
Holland America Line sends the 1,964-passenger Westerdam on
one of the longest Alaska cruises in 2024: a new 28-day “Alaska Arctic Circle
Solstice” itinerary that stops in 12 Alaska ports including Anchorage, Dutch
Harbor, Haines, Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Kodiak, Nome, Seward, Sitka, Valdez,
and Wrangell. A single departure is scheduled for June 9, sailing roundtrip
from Seattle, with a 2025 departure scheduled for June 8. HAL also offers
14-day “Great Alaskan Explorer” itineraries on the 2,106-passenger Nieuw
Amsterdam and 1,972-passenger Noordam roundtrip from Vancouver in 2024 and
2025.
Princess Cruises offers several lengthy new Alaska
itineraries in 2025. The 22-day “Ultimate Alaska Solstice with Glacier Bay
National Park” cruise departs aboard the 3,080-passenger Ruby Princess
roundtrip from San Francisco on June 6. The 17-day “Ultimate Alaska with
Glacier Bay National Park” cruise departs aboard the 2,600-passenger Grand
Princess roundtrip from Seattle on May 6. A 16-day “Inside Passage with Glacier
Bay National Park” cruise departs aboard the Grand Princess roundtrip from Los
Angeles on August 30.
Norwegian Cruise Line has three 15-, 16- or 18-day
Alaska/Japan or Alaska/Hawaii transpacific repositioning cruises in 2024 to
begin or end the season. The 16-day eastbound “Honolulu to Vancouver: Kaui,
Maui, Juneau & Ketchikan” aboard the Norwegian Spirit departs Honolulu on
April 22 and arrives in Vancouver on May 8. The 18-day westbound “Alaska &
Japan: Hubbard Glacier, Skagway and Juneau” aboard the 2,018-passenger
Norwegian Spirit departs Vancouver on May 8 and arrives in Tokyo on May 26. The
15-day westbound “Alaska & Hawaii: Skagway, Juneau and Maui” aboard the
1,936-passenger Norwegian Sun departs Vancouver on October 8 and arrives in
Honolulu on October 23. In 2025, the 3,804-passenger Norwegian Joy and
4,004-passenger Norwegian Bliss will offer 10-day loops from Seattle for a more
immersive Alaska experience.
Carnival Cruise Line has eight 10- and 11-day Alaska cruises
aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle sailing roundtrip from San
Francisco in 2024 from May through September. Longer still are three two-week
“Carnival Journeys” Alaska cruises. A single 14-day Alaska cruise aboard the
Carnival Miracle sails roundtrip from Long Beach on April 21. Two more 14-day
Alaska cruises sail aboard the 2,124-passenger Carnival Spirit roundtrip from
Seattle on April 23 and September 10. Additional longer sailings are planned
for 2025.
Cunard Line’s longest Alaska sailing of the 2024 season is
an open-jaw 13-night cruise on the 2,081-passenger Queen Elizabeth, which
otherwise sails a program of nine- to 11-night roundtrips. Departing Vancouver
on September 9 and arriving in San Francisco on September 22, the vessel’s
ports of call on this itinerary include Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, and
Victoria with two days of scenic cruising at Hubbard Glacier and in Glacier Bay
National Park.
Oceania Cruises has a 19-day Inside Passage cruise aboard
the 684-passenger Regatta among its Alaska itineraries in 2024, which generally
run seven to 12 days. Departing from Vancouver on September 14, this
season-ending voyage arrives in San Francisco on September 29 after stopping in
Ketchikan, Sitka, Wrangell, Prince Rupert, Victoria, Astoria, Los Angeles and
Santa Barbara.
Silversea Cruises has five Alaska itineraries of two weeks
or more in 2024. The 392-passenger Silver Shadow sails 16 days from Seward to
San Francisco on May 10. The 596-passenger Silver Muse has three 14-day cruises
roundtrip from Seward departing in June and August. And on September 2, the
Silver Muse concludes its Alaska season with a 23-day westbound transpacific
repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Tokyo.
Seabourn Cruise Line offers a unique program of alternating
seven-day, one-way Alaska cruises between Vancouver and Juneau that can be
combined into lengthier 14-day loops without repetition of any ports of call.
Departures are scheduled May through August or September and sail aboard the
458-passenger Seabourn Odyssey in 2024 or its sister ship the Seabourn Quest in
2025.
Viking sends the 930-passenger Viking Orion (2024) or Viking Orion and Viking Sea (2025) on a full season of 11-day “Alaska & the Inside Passage” cruises. Itineraries sail one way between Vancouver and Seward or reverse, stopping at seven ports of call along the way.
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