5 Things You Need to Know Before You Book an Alaska Cruise

Brought to you by AdventureSmith Explorations

Not all experiences are equal when it comes to cruising in Alaska. At AdventureSmith Explorations, our team of Alaska specialists have done it all…. traveled aboard big ships upwards of 2,000 guests and small ships as few as 8 guests. Here, we lend some tips to help guide your planning on which size category to choose. 

1) Alaska has 2 very distinct cruising styles

Our number one tip for beginning your Alaska cruise search is to be informed. There are two ways to take an overnight cruise in Alaska: 1) via traditional big ship cruises, which average 2,000 guests but reach up to 5,000, 2) via Alaska small ship cruises, which average 40 passengers but range from 8 to 100 guests. 

To visit Alaska in the best way possible for your travel group, make ship size a careful consideration. In wild Alaska, home to small towns with small ports and lots of wildlife in between, ship size is an important choice. So read on for what else you need to know.

2) WHY you’re going to Alaska

Ask yourself this: Why am I going to Alaska? Then match your ship size with the experience you seek. 

Most people go to Alaska expecting to see glaciers, bears, whales and eagles. But what you might not have considered: where/how you will see them, and how close you might be. 

For viewing glaciers, think about being 15 stories up on a big ship vs. sea level on a smaller vessel. For seeing wildlife, think about taking a half-day kayaking tour from a larger port town vs. getting into a kayak or Zodiac daily, right from your small ship. 

Small ships focus the entire experience outward, on Alaska’s nature and wildlife and getting you out in it. They go where the big ships can’t: close to shore to view bears and into quiet coves for included, guided activities like kayaking and hiking. The ship can stop if whales are spotted. And it can spend nights in remote anchorages, allowing you to witness sunsets in the Alaskan wilderness and wake up to solitude. 

If wilderness and wildlife are your biggest “why” for going, a small ship should be your choice.

On the other hand, big ships are focused inward, on a resort-style atmosphere. Stricter schedules and size constraints mean your time is spent either docked in larger port towns or motoring from place to place. Your time ashore in Alaska is limited to larger port towns, where you spend full days and will pay extra for excursions of your choosing. 

3) What’s important to you on-ship

Since small ships focus outward and prioritize off-vessel activities, flashy amenities are typically less of a factor. The onboard focus is on quality guides, fresh delicious food and comfortable cabins. There will be hot showers, fine wines and informative educational programs. Some expedition ships even have in-cabin private balconies, hot tubs, yoga and spas.

If you choose a large ship, the on-ship experience becomes more important and varied since you spend more time aboard. Broadway-style shows, midnight buffets, specialty restaurants, casinos, pools and kid-camps take center stage. So if this level of entertainment is what you seek out of your Alaska cruise, a larger ship is a great option. Learn more about Alaska cruise ship size differences both on and off ship.

4) How many days “at sea” the cruise has

Itinerary is a big distinguishing factor among many Alaska cruises as well. Look at where your ship embarks and disembarks, as well as how many days “at-sea” to expect. In cruising, “at sea” means sailing from place to place, so your time is spent entirely on the ship.

Itineraries aboard larger vessels cover more ground (e.g. sailing between Seattle or Vancouver and Alaska), so expect more full days at sea. On an average weeklong cruise, big ships will typically only spend three days docked in an Alaska port town. Getting on and off the ship can be an hours long process with so many fellow passengers and other large ships using these same ports. 

Small ships, however, mainly sail round-trip out of Alaska ports and have no full days at sea. Thus, they spend more time exploring Alaska’s smaller coves, fjords and villages intimately and actively, getting you off the ship each day. Small Alaska yacht charters are even possible to design your own route.

If Glacier Bay National Park is on your must-visit list, you’ll really want to consider the difference in Alaska big ships vs small ships as you won’t be able to disembark within the park aboard a big ship.

5) The total trip cost vs. the advertised price

Think about how you shop for a flight. With some airlines, by the time you add on the cost of choosing your seat and checked bags, you’re paying much more than advertised. The same is true for cruise pricing. Not all cabin rates are created equal, so there are a few tricks of what to look for. These include port fees, fuel surcharges, alcohol and shore excursions.  

Shore excursions are the biggest added cost you should consider when looking at a big ship cruise’s base cabin price. These added-cost day tours and excursions are simply what’s already included in the cost aboard a small ship. 

While there can be more varied options by big ship, keep in mind many can be quite commercial in nature like gold panning, zip lining or watching lumberjack shows. And if things like fishing or flightseeing are important, those are easy to add pre- or post-cruise on a small ship.

See the full chart of Alaska big ship vs. small ship costs, or learn more about considerations for planning an Alaska family cruise.

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the expert advice you can get from AdventureSmith Explorations. We’ve cruised Alaska and can provide one-on-one insight and full-service booking. Contact us today at 1-866-270-2875, or learn more about small ship Alaska cruises, including Glacier Bay cruises and Alaska Inside Passage cruises.

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