Are you going on an Alaska cruise? For many, Alaska is a once-in-a-lifetime bucket list cruise destination. You want to make sure you get everything right to fully enjoy and experience the beauty of Alaska. Here are the 7 most important things cruisers must know before going on an Alaska cruise.
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Important Alaska Cruise Tips
1. Check the Weather
Always check the weather when you are in Alaska. The weather in Alaska can fluctuate greatly. It might be sunny in the morning and then cold and rainy in the afternoon.
Since many of Alaska’s activities are outdoors, it’s important to check the weather before heading out so you can dress accordingly—dress in layers!
2. Go During Peak Salmon Season
The peak season for salmon run in Alaska is the perfect time to visit. This is when the rivers are teeming with salmon. During this period, millions of fully grown salmon migrate from the ocean to the rivers of their birth.
This triggers a series of events, attracting a variety of animals all vying to catch the salmon. As a result, there’s a higher likelihood of encountering bears in their natural habitat during salmon season. Also, the chances of spotting other wildlife, such as sea otters and seals, are also increased. The best time to go to Alaska to see wildlife in action is from mid-July to mid-August, during the salmon run season.
3. Balcony Cabins are Worth It
When you go on an Alaska cruise, it’s worth upgrading to a balcony cabin. Unlike other cruise destinations, where you can get by with an inside cabin, Alaska’s stunning scenery, glaciers and wildlife make a balcony cabin worth it.
On an Alaska cruise, you have a greater chance of spotting marine life like whales and sea otters from the comfort of your balcony. If you’re unsure about upgrading, do it—it’s worth it!
4. Bring Appropriate Footwear
Having the right footwear is important when going on an Alaska cruise. Since most shore excursions occur outdoors, you’ll need to be prepared for various outdoor activities and weather conditions.
These activities expose you to the elements, whether walking in the snow, dog sledding, whale watching, hiking in nature preserves, or kayaking on rivers. Depending on the activity, you will need snow boots, comfortable hiking boots, sneakers, or water shoes. Make sure to check to see what you’ll be doing and bring the appropriate footwear for the activity.
5. Bring Binoculars
It’s a good idea to bring binoculars during your Alaska cruise. I’d even go as far as suggesting you bring one binocular for every person in your group. Trust me, when it comes to wildlife sightings, you don’t want to share binoculars! The window for spotting wildlife is brief, and sharing binoculars could cause you to miss out.
You’ll be using your binoculars a lot, on your balcony or on the upper deck to see the glaciers. You’ll also want your binoculars to see the bears and other wildlife when you’re out on a shore excursion.
I suggest bringing a small, compact binocular that has a strap. If you’re cruising with kids, give each kid their own pair of binoculars. I like these kid binoculars, they are perfect for small hands!
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6. Bring an SLR Camera
You’ve probably heard people talk about how stunning the scenery is in Alaska. It’s absolutely true. I highly recommend bringing a quality camera to capture the breathtaking landscapes, glaciers, and wildlife.
If you own an SLR camera, that would be the best choice rather than relying solely on your cellphone. Since you’ll be taking shots of wildlife from a distance, bringing a good SLR camera is a good idea. If you have a GoPro, be sure to bring it along as well. It’s perfect for shooting action videos. I love that GoPro has great stabilization, so you never get dizzy watching the footage. Alaska is truly incredible, and you’ll definitely want to document your experience with plenty of photos and videos.
7. Book Shore Excursions in Advance
One important thing to do when going on an Alaska cruise is to pre-book shore excursions. It’s not a good idea to wing it because to truly experience Alaska, you need to go on guided tours. Simply wandering around the cruise port won’t offer much besides souvenir shopping.
To witness the wildlife, get up close to the glaciers, or go whale watching, you have to book shore excursions in advance since the popular tours tend to fill up quickly. So, don’t procrastinate; make your bookings early. You don’t want to go on an Alaska cruise and then miss out on seeing wildlife because you didn’t book shore excursions in advance!
8. Book a Window Table in the Main Dining Room
It’s so common to see wildlife while sailing on the cruise ship. Make your dinner more enjoyable by getting a table by the window. Seeing wildlife during dinner is such a fun experience! You’ll see seals, dolphins and otters!
On the first day, head over to the main dining and request a table by the window. It’s easiest to do this if you have traditional dining so you are always seated in the same table every evening.
9. Book the Correct Side
When you book your Alaska cruise, make sure you book the balcony on the correct side of the ship. The correct side of the ship is the side that has a view of land.
That means, if you’re cruising northbound, book a balcony on the starboard side (right side) so you have a view of the land. If you’re cruising southbound, book a balcony on the port side (left side) so you can see the land. If you’re unsure, take a look at a map of your cruise itinerary to determine the best side for your cabin location.
10. What to Do in Skagway
Skagway is a charming gold rush town. There’s not much to do at the port so it’s best to book a shore excursion. You can visit the White Pass Summit and the Yukon Suspension Bridge, or take a bus tour of the Yukon to see wildlife and a dogsled camp. You can even go on a dogsled ride! Or you can take a high speed catamaran to Haines where you will have an expert naturalist guide to view the wildlife at Chilkoot Lake State Park (that’s where I saw the bear in the wild!)
11. What to Do in Ketchikan
Ketchikan is a bigger port than Skagway. If you don’t book a shore excursion, you can walk around the shops at Creek Street, see the totem poles in Ketchikan, and even watch for seals & salmons at the creek next to Creek Street.
But I do suggest, doing an excursion. You can take a seaplane to tour the breathtaking Misty Fjords, or opt for a budget-friendly Ketchikan tour to see the salmon ladder, totem poles and wildlife for less than $100.
12. What to Do in Juneau
Juneau is the biggest port of the three. You can walk around the shops if you don’t book a shore excursion. But I don’t recommend it. You should at least go to Mendenhall Glacier. You can take a bus to get there!
I highly recommend taking a shore excursion to Mendenhall Glacier. Go canoeing at Mendenhall Glacier for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And if canoeing is too active for you, no worries- you can always opt for a whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier combo tour.
13. Book Shore Excursions in Advance when You’re a Large Group
If you’re traveling with a large group and have your heart set on a particular excursion, booking in advance is especially important. The last thing you want to do is to be wandering around the cruise port aimlessly. It’s harder to wing it if you are a big group sometimes. Finding a van or multiple cabs to take you to places is hard.
14. Go to the Upper Deck
When the captain is sailing close to a glacier, he will announce it. When that happens, head over to the upper decks to see the glaciers. Don’t stay in your cabin, even if you have a balcony. You will witness the scale better if you’re on the upper deck—it’s truly breathtaking and amazing to see the glaciers. The captain will rotate the cruise ship 360 degrees so you can see it.
15. Enjoy the View During Sea Days
One of the most amazing things about going on an Alaska cruise is the breathtaking view. You’ll see glaciers, floating ice pieces, playful seals, whales, and dolphins—so much wildlife!
If you have a balcony room, I recommend spending some time there to enjoy the view. You can order room service breakfast or have a cup of coffee on your balcony!
If you are staying in an inside cabin, you can still take in the beautiful scenery from the deck or a lounge.
Some ships even have an observation lounge at the front of the ship with cozy chairs and floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s perfect for relaxing with a book and taking in the view. Just make sure to get there early to grab the best seats.
Make sure you dress warm when you’re out on the deck. If you’re worried about getting chilly, don’t worry- some cruise ships even provide fleece blankets to keep you warm and cozy.
16. Arrive a Day Early
It’s best to arrive one day early at the cruise port, spend the night and then head to the cruise port the following day. You don’t want to miss your cruise ship.
17. Take Note of the All Aboard Time
Make sure you are on top of the cruise all aboard time. The last thing you want is for you to get stranded at one of the Alaska cruise ports. Alaska is not easily accessible, so to catch up with the cruise ship, you might have to take a very expensive seaplane to get to the next cruise port!
I suggest taking a picture of the all-onboard time, which is usually posted at the gangway. You should also set an alarm on your phone to make sure you get back on time!
18. Cruise Beverage Package Might Not Be Worth It
If you have a port-intensive cruise itinerary where you will visit a port almost every day, don’t buy the cruise beverage package. You will not drink enough to get your money’s worth because you will spend most of your time out at port and will not have the opportunity to drink.
However, if your cruise itinerary includes many sea days, it could be worth buying the drink package. My personal advice is don’t buy the beverage package. Save your money and use it on shore excursions instead- you’ll need it! (See next tip)
19. Budget for Expensive Shore Excursions
Alaska cruise shore excursions are extremely expensive. If you see a tour that costs $100 per person per tour- that is already considered cheap! It’s usually upwards of $200 or more per person! I suggest you budget $200 per person per cruise port, so if you are visiting four cruise ports, budget $800 to $1000 per person extra for shore excursions. I know that’s a lot, but you can explore Alaska on your own. Check out my advice on how to go on an Alaska cruise without shore excursions!
20. Least Crowded Time to Go to Alaska
If you don’t want to deal with the crowd, the best time to go to Alaska is early in the season (May/June) or late in the season (September). That way, you can avoid the families on their summer vacation! The only downside is that there is less wildlife during those months, and the weather is not as warm and comfortable. Check out my Alaska cruise packing list with free printable to help you with your packing.
Alaska Cruise Essentials
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Cruise Lanyard
Bring cruise lanyards; to make your life easier so you are not constantly looking for your cruise card!
Binoculars
You need to bring binoculars, you’ll want to get a closer look at the wildlife and amazing views. Don’t forget the kids binoculars as well. You’ll probably not want to share!
Power Strip
Definitely bring a cruise-approved power strip so you have more outlets for charging your devices. Cruise cabins never have enough outlets! Please double-check with your cruise line, as some do not allow power strips and will only allow USB charger cubes.
Packing Cubes
Use packing cubes to make cruise packing easier. These cubes will help keep your clothes organized. Unpacking is easy because you just need to take the cubes out of your luggage and put them in the drawers and shelves—so easy! Assign a color for each person in your cabin so you don’t get your cubes mixed up.
Luggage Tags
For safety, make sure every luggage and bags are labeled with a luggage tag. I like these custom luggage tags that you can order and personalize with your information.
Magnetic Hooks
Bring magnetic hooks to organize your cabin and keep it clutter-free. These hooks are for hanging baseball caps, cruise lanyards, goggles, bathing suits and towels.
Detergent Travel Packets
These detergent travel packets are great for handwashing bathing suits in the sink.
Anti-Seasickness
This anti-seasickness medicine is a go-to to combat seasickness on a cruise. If you have kids, make sure you bring the chewable version. If you are looking for a natural solution, try these acupressure bands.
Hanging Toiletry Bag
Cruise cabin sinks are notoriously small. Get a hanging toiletry bag to make it easier!
Alaska Cruise Travel Planner Printable
Get our 26 page Alaska cruise travel planner to stay organized before and during your cruise. It includes pre-cruise and post-cruise itineraries, a cruise port planner, sea days planner, packing lists, cruise budget tracker and more!
Cruise Travel Insurance
It’s smart to always buy cruise travel insurance. Get a quote for CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason) if you are going on a cruise during hurricane season.
Wrinkle Releaser
Keep your clothes wrinkle-free and odor-free with these travel size Downy wrinkle releaser.
Shore Excursions
Alaska cruise shore excursions are expensive, I suggest doing a quick price comparison with Viator to see if you can get the same tour for less. Make sure you book your shore excursions in advance because they do sell out!
When is the Best Time to Go on Alaska Cruise to See Bears, Glacier Calving and more
Will Your Alaska Cruise Be Ruined Without Shore Excursions
16 Cruise Activities that are Completely Free