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Onboard, there is a well-equipped kids club with activities for children as young as six months, so the grown-ups can enjoy a little bit of vacation time on their own! For the slightly older kiddos, there’s a tween hangout and teen disco. If you decide to disembark in Sitka, you can spend the day exploring the seas in a Zodiac, visiting the rescued bears, or biking through the rainforest. You can paddle a canoe up to the glacier in Juneau, indulge yourself with a salmon feast, or go panning for gold. Your children will have numerous opportunities to encounter lifelike Disney characters while sailing. Plus, they can enjoy themed parties and events to keep them entertained throughout the vacation.
Wilderness Legacy
The reason that families are flocking to Alaska is that the cruise lines are more welcoming and better equipped than ever to handle young children and teens. Whether you're a history buff or a nature nut, there are numerous bucket list destinations to experience while traveling on your Alaska cruise vacation. Ever wanted to go on an Alaska glacier tour to experience hiking in its open nature? Adventuring in Alaska is all about getting to know this state's stunning landscape. This is a popular port of call because it is close to Mendenhall Glacier.
Voyage of the Glaciers
Families with a little more vacation time might want to tack a visit to the Alaskan interior before or after their cruise, either independently or with a cruisetour. For this, you'll need a one-way cruise that begins or ends in an Alaskan port. If you're ready to cross Alaska off your bucket list, here are our recommendations for the best Alaska cruises for families. If you have older kids, allowing them to be part of the planning can add to the excitement.
Blending Tradition With Modernism: Celebrity Cruises
Restaurant prices in Alaska can be high, but a cruise bundles meals, accommodations and transportation into one price that, with sales, can be cheaper than you'd think. During the summer, Crystal Symphony offers supervised dedicated play areas for kids and teens. Sample activities include scavenger hunts, cookie baking, karaoke, stories and dancing. And, Crystal Symphony offers in-stateroom baby-sitting (ages 1 year and up) for an additional fee, on a first-come first served basis.
He had drinks in place in the morning and then different drinks for lunch and dinner. The boat was perfect for our family - lots of opportunities to do things and learn a lot. Tracy Arm was the next best day - we loved the feeling of isolation we got by being a small boat where others couldn't get to. Learning a region's history is important to us on a trip, and our family Alaska cruise was no exception. We boarded the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway, which first launched in 1898, in Skagway for the three-hour excursion. We took advantage of Alaska's 17-plus hours of daylight to board the helicopter in the late afternoon from Talkeetna.
Serenade of the Seas
Most people tend to focus on the Caribbean for summer cruises, but an Alaska summer vacation can be a great option, too. In the center of the state, Denali National Park is blanketed in wildflowers punctuated with mountains, raging rivers and serene lakes. Denali, "The Great One," formerly known as Mt. McKinley, rises to the tallest peak in North America and can be seen from as far away as Anchorage on a clear day. An up-close view is more than worth the expedition during your vacation.
Alaska Souvenirs to Take Home With You So You Never Forget Your Trip Royal Caribbean Cruises
When we heard "thar she blows," we ran to the port railing just in time to catch a glimpse of the bumpy head of a 40-foot humpback whale before he disappeared below the surface. Families with more time might consider the 14-day Great Alaska Explorer Voyages aboard the Maasdam. This smaller ship (1,258 passengers) provides an intimate atmosphere with plenty of room at the rail to watch passing scenery. Maasdam’s itinerary sails roundtrip from Vancouver and travels around the Kanai Peninsula calling upon Anchorage, Homer, and Valdez. Excursions include Zodiac boats departing directly from the ship for close-up views of glaciers, wildlife and scenery, all guided by an expert.
This is, without a doubt, the commonly asked question in the travel industry. High Satisfaction VacationsCruises have the highest guest satisfaction rating in the entire travel industry. Cruise line studies show that families that travel together on a cruise will return again as a group within two years of their first trip. By planning a Family Cruise, you have a much better chance of making everyone happy.
Norwegian Bliss
While it’s hotly debated over which is better, they are both spectacular in their own way. Glacier Bay National Park offers multiple smaller glaciers, and Endicott Arm offers a fjord experience with steep cliffs and cascading waterfalls. If your children are young and you’re seeking a kids club and nothing more, you may opt for a budget-friendly smaller vessel and use the savings on excursions. In Alaska, expect to pay more for those bucket list tours than you spent on the cruise.
Some cabins can sleep four or five guests in one room so families with small children do not have to buy more than one cabin. Whether you're interested in hiking through a forest, trekking to glaciers or a shopping spree downtown, the towns along Alaska's inside passage provide a variety of adventurous activities. Alaska cruise ports such as Juneau and Ketchikan are small cities with their own personalities.
At Sitka National Historical Park, you’ll have the opportunity to watch seasoned artisans as they weave, bead, carve, and metal-work to create amazing pieces of art that reflect Alaska’s culture and history. You can also pay a visit to the famed St. Michael Russian Orthodox Cathedral to marvel at the hand-painted Biblical scenes, glass-stained windows, and captivating interior. If you love inland adventures, make it a point to sample the trails and mountains around Juneau. The panoramic view atop Mount Roberts, in particular, isn’t something to miss if you venture inland. You may also want to visit some of the biggest gold mines in the world during your stopover in Juneau. Home to less than 1,000 residents, Skagway is one of the most important ports of call on Alaskan cruises.
Try a sourdough bread bowl filled with salmon chowder for a hearty lunch. Don’t wait any longer, riding the world's longest zip line in Alaska will be an experience you'll never forget while on your next Alaskan mountain adventure. The best Alaska food to try on a cruise includes king crab, salmon, fry bread, birch syrup, wild berries and more. The Sitka National Historical Park allows people to view seasoned artisans as they bead, carve, and do metalwork. View St. Michael Russian Orthodox Cathedral to see hand-painted biblical scenes, captivating interiors, and stained-glass windows. If you enjoy history, you may want to go to Icy Strait Point which features a completely restored salmon cannery originally built in 1912 that was converted to a museum.
The 8 Best Alaska Cruises For Every Travel Style 2024 - Forbes
The 8 Best Alaska Cruises For Every Travel Style 2024.
Posted: Tue, 08 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Most mainstream lines like Norwegian, Celebrity, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Princess Cruises cater to children aged 3 to 17. However, teens will want something more than a youth program to occupy their time. Be prepared to budget for additional fees for attractions and the arcade. While a few itineraries are offered from California, you’ll have the most selection by choosing a cruise from Vancouver or Seattle, Washington. We went on some great hikes, had beaches and remote coves all to ourselves, and saw beautiful scenery everywhere. Also, with Alaska Uncharted you can choose precisely which destinations you visit, how long you stay at those locations, and exactly what activities you do while on your cruise.
We would do it again, as we found AdventureSmith to be definitely value added in every way. Our Adventure Specialist was endlessly helpful and patient, booking the cruise for 8 people ages 6 to 73, coming from 3 different locations, and required vegetarian and gluten free menus for several. We saw orcas with Andy and she got us safely (very fast) lol - to the orcas in time to see carnage with the sea lions. Enjoy 2 days venturing farther than 99% of visitors into Glacier Bay National Park.
With only 312 guests on board, Star Breeze can tuck into the smaller ports like Wrangell or cruise through narrow waterways, giving you a more intimate Alaskan experience. Camp Carnival, the ship’s children’s program, is separated into five age categories (2-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-14, & 15-17). Parents can feel good knowing their little ones are enjoying the supervised playrooms and age-appropriate games.
The refined experience aboard the cruise line’s Alaska fleet is something your whole family will love. Most cruises originate from Vancouver, and you can choose anything from a 10-night to a 19-night cruise. Whether you board the 84-passenger Safari Endeavour or the 22-passenger Safari Quest, each voyage with UnCruise Adventures is full of surprises for the entire family. The onboard expedition team is always at hand to exp[lain the family-friendly entertainment and adventure options on offer. The cruise line’s expeditions are designed to help you experience Alaska’s wilderness.
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