Luxury Cruising Editorial

With some massive cruise ships holding over 7,000 passengers at any given time, there are bound to be a few who don’t want to follow the rules.

When something crazy happens on a cruise ship, it usually gets a lot more attention from news outlets than land-based activities. Something about the intrigue of the sea, I suppose.

Well, we gathered up 6 of the most interesting cruise stories of passengers getting banned for life.

Read more: 10 things that will get you banned from a cruise ship

1. Cruise Ship Jumper Ends Up in Hot Water

In a daring, and not-so-bright, move, a 27-year-old man from Vancouver achieved brief internet fame, when he jumped off a cruise ship while it was docked in the Bahamas.

He posted a video of himself taking a the leap from the 11th deck of Royal Caribbean’s largest cruise ship at the time, the Symphony of the Seas.

The video showed Nick Naydev standing on the railing while his friends laughed in the background, even while Naydev plummeted into the ocean below.

Unfortunately for him, this feat came with a lifetime ban from the cruise line, and the potential for legal consequences.

In the comments of the video which was posted on Instagram, Naydev said he was still drunk from the night before, and when he woke up he just decided to jump.

While he said the jump made him feel very much alive it was not without its own consequences.

“I could barely walk for 3 days lol”, he commented.  And neither could he walk onto a Royal Caribbean cruise ship ever again.

Read more: Cabin rules: 10 things you should never do in your cruise cabin

2. Couple Banned for Fishing from Balcony

Forget the all-you-can-eat shrimp and endless seafood buffets – one daring (or perhaps foolish) passenger on a Carnival cruise in the Bahamas decided to test their luck with a different kind of catch.

A man opted to dangle a line off his balcony, hoping to snag a fresh fish and check off a bucket list item.

He did in fact end up catching a fish.   And being so high off the water it took a little time to reel it in.

The whole ordeal became a short-lived TikTok sensation before being deleted.   A fellow passenger filmed the incident and urged the man to avoid swinging the fish into balconies below as he tried to haul in his catch.

Unfortunately for the “reel” culprit, the internet never forgets. Copies of the video circulated online, catching the attention of Carnival.

In a swift response, Carnival confirmed that fishing from their ships is a big no-no.

They identified the passengers and promptly issued a lifetime ban from the cruise line.

A Carnival representative shared a statement after the event that stated, “Fishing from our ships is prohibited. We have identified the guests, and they will not be cruising on Carnival again.”

3. Woman Banned for CBD Gummies in Luggage

Last summer a Texas woman was banned for life from Carnival Cruise Line after trying to board Carnival Horizon in PortMiami. 

Before even getting on the ship, Melinda Van Veldhuizen was pulled from her priority boarding line when security found CBD gummies in her backpack. 

She said she bought them legally online and that the sleep aid gummies were to help her sleep when traveling.

During an interview with news outlets, the woman said she was asked several questions by the staff.

“The captain asked me several times if I had a marijuana card or if I had a diagnosis, if I needed it,” Van-Veldhuizen said. “I said, ‘It’s CBD; that doesn’t exist. It’s just not a thing.’”

All major cruise lines have a ban on CBD and state that they follow federal law on the topic of controlled substances.  The woman’s gummies in this case had less than .1% THC.                                                                                       

Veldhuizen eventually received a letter from the company stating she would,

“… not be permitted to sail onboard any Carnival Cruise Line vessel in the future.  This decision was based on your actions on the current cruise, which were a violation of the ship rules.”    The letter went on to say, “Your attempt to book a future cruise will result in a cancellation and a possible loss of deposit monies.”

The story highlights the importance of knowing what cruise lines prohibit on their ships even if it’s something that is allowed elsewhere.

Check out our article on banned items you should leave at home.

4. On Board Altercation Leads to Termination

Fighting on a cruise ship often leads to a fine, but it can also lead to a lifetime ban, even if you are not the one who started the incident.

Back in September of last year a video went viral on TikTok as a woman explained what happened to her mother on a Carnival cruise ship.

In the video the woman says that there were two intoxicated passengers.  One of them shoved her mother and assaulted her, leading to an altercation.  Security guards ended up intervening to break up the fight. 

The next day the ship’s staff confirmed that the mother was not at fault, but then they dropped the bombshell. 

She would still be banned for life because of the cruise line’s policy on fighting.  In addition, she was fined $500. 

Read more: 10 cruise buffet rules every passenger should follow

5. Climb Over the Rail, End Up as Epic Fail

This happens way more often than it should.  We regularly find videos of cruise passengers either sitting on the balcony railing or even climbing over it.

Note:  This is NEVER a good idea.  Don’t even think about it or get close to trying it. 

In one instance, a woman was on Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas when she climbed over her balcony railing.   Her reason?  To snap an amazing selfie in her blue bathing suit.

Another passenger saw what happened and alerted the crew.  By the way, there are cameras all along the side of the ship so there’s plenty of video of evidence when people decide to hop over the railing. 

When Allure of the Seas docked in Jamaica the woman was removed from the ship and was banned from ever walking onto a Royal Caribbean ship ever again. 

The cruise line’s policy states,

“Sitting, standing, laying or climbing on, over or across any exterior or interior railings or other protective barriers, or tampering with ship’s equipment, facilities or systems designed for guest safety is not permitted.”

Read more: 7 things to do in your cabin before you leave for the day

6. From Trapped to Banned: An Elevator Story

This story has a strange twist.  Five years ago, six cruise passengers on Carnival Inspiration were trapped in an elevator.    

When they were eventually able to get out, they all found out they were banned by the cruise line for damage that had apparently occurred inside the elevator.

One of the passengers inside the elevator posted a video of the incident and claimed that the elevator line had snapped.

The group can be heard talking with the crew as they attempted to open the door.  At one point one of the crew could be heard saying the group would not die if they had to be in there a little bit longer.

It took 45 minutes to get them out, during which time it was reported that one of the passengers fainted. 

A letter from Carnival to the members of the group read,

“This letter will confirm your discussion with Carnival Cruise Line (‘Carnival Inspiration’) personnel where you were informed that you will be disembarked from the vessel and not permitted to sail on board any Carnival Cruise Line vessel in the future.

This decision was based on your actions on the current cruise, which were a violation of the ship rules.  Interfered with the safety and/or enjoyment of other guests on the ship of caused harm to Carnival.

Your attempt to book a future cruise will result in cancellation and a possible loss of deposit monies.”

While you might be thinking this was an unfair judgement, it’s important to know there are two sides to the story.  The cruise line told Sun Online Travel that the work to free the passengers was made worse by the damage to the doors and cabling caused by the group.

Read more: Cruise elevator guide: 16 rules for surviving the madness

Final Thoughts

Cruise ships offer incredible vacations at excellent value.  Don’t get banned.  It’s just not worth missing out on what could be the best getaway of your life. 

Of course, we’re a little biased.  We started Cruise Fever because we had — well, “Cruise Fever”.   

Use this list of real stories as inspiration to follow the rules and use some common sense.  It’s not a how-to-guide on getting kicked off a ship.

Related more on cruising: 10 things cruisers most often ask from their cabin stewards

If you’re looking for the best cruise line for Alaska you may not realize just how many choices you have.

There are 75 cruise ships sailing to Alaska over the next couple of years.  These ships represent 21 cruise lines. 

With factors like budget, interests, desired glaciers to see etc., we broke down which cruise lines were best for different types of travelers.

How we determine what is “best” is subjective just based on taste and preferences.  But based on our experience in cruises to Alaska and after writing on cruising for almost 15 years, we think this will steer readers in the right direction.

Related: What is the best cruise line for you?

• Do you want to get up close to some amazing glaciers? 
• Do you want to see wildlife like whales, bears and bald eagles?
• Do you want to spend more time on land doing adventurous things? 
• Do you want to just enjoy the views from your stateroom’s balcony?

Every cruise line has their own specialty and caters to a certain kind of traveler.  So, it helps to at least be thinking of the answer to these questions above.

If you’re looking at cruises in Alaska, I hope you realize there isn’t a “bad” option.

But in this article we will dive into the different cruise lines that offer cruises to Alaska and try to help you determine which cruise line is best for you.

After all, this is your vacation you are planning, so it doesn’t matter if someone else thinks you’re vacationing wrong.

The Best Cruise Lines to Alaska Compared

Below are the best Alaska cruises and cruise lines for every type of traveler.

Two of the most well-known cruise lines to Alaska are Holland America and Princess Cruises, and we will start with these two lines first.

1. Most Proven Cruise Line to Alaska: Holland America

When it comes to longevity, Holland America is the cruise line that tops everyone else.  For over 75 years now, Holland America Line has been transporting passengers along Alaska’s coastline and has the awards to prove its commitment to its passengers.

Holland America currently offers sailings to Alaska on 6 different cruise ships. These range in size from the 1,400 passenger Zaandam to the Pinnacle-class Nieuw Amsterdam which holds 2,600 passengers.  Mid-sized ships offer a nice blend of comfort and maneuverability.

Want a more traditional cruise style that is laid back and full of seasoned travelers?  This may be the cruise line for you.

The line currently sails to Alaska from three different cruise ports: Anchorage, Seattle, and Vancouver, with Vancouver offering the most sailings.

If you really want to experience Alaska in all its glory, Holland America has a 28-day sailing in June of 2024 that departs from Seattle.  

This particular itinerary sails all the way up the coast and above the arctic circle, allowing passengers to see remote places like Nome and Little Diomede Island.  This is in addition to making calls at Prince Rupert, Haines, College Fjord, Anchorage, Homer, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Juneau, Tracy Arm, Sitka, and Ketchikan.

2. Best for Land and Sea Combo: Princess Cruises

Another veteran of Alaskan sailings, Princess Cruises has been navigating these waters for over 50 years.  But one of the biggest perks of cruising with Princess is the Alaska Lodges they provide with their land tours.  

These 5 lodges and hotels are strategically located near the best attractions in Alaska in places like Fairbanks, Mt. McKinley, Kenai, Copper River and Denali National Park.

Princess Lodges is actually a part of Princess Cruises so you can get your cruise and land portion of your trip all under one roof.  Plus, the company offers incredible trips around the Alaskan landscape with Princess Rail Tours that travels between Anchorage and Fairbanks.

These trains offer the largest domed windows ever made for a rail car, so you can enjoy the view and some yummy food at the same time.

If you want more than a cruise to Alaska and would like plenty of time on land as well, i would not hesitate to recommend Princess.

With nine cruise ships that sail to Alaska, Princess offers more sailings to this region than almost any other line.  And with their ‘North to Alaska’ enrichment program you can really immerse yourself in Alaskan culture

Princess also offers a ton of two week voyages to Alaska as well.   There are currently 55 14-day cruises being offered with the company through next year.  These sailing are on the ships Discovery Princess, Caribbean Princess, and Coral Princess.  

These cruises depart from Vancouver and stop at 11 ports including College Fjord, Hubbard Glacier, Icy Strait Point, and twice at Glacier National Bay, just to name a few.

This is also one of the few cruise lines that sails out of San Francisco on two of the line’s smaller ships, Ruby Princess and Crown Princess.

Read our review of a cruise to Alaska on Majestic Princess here.

3. Best Alaska Cruise Lines for Families with Teenagers

It’s hard to keep everyone happy.  And if you’re traveling with a family of various ages you might want to consider a cruise on one of the mega ships that can keep everyone entertained, even teenagers. 

Here are a couple of cruise lines best for families.

Royal Caribbean International is known for innovation in cruise ships that are built with families in mind. 

Ovation of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas,  and Quantum of the Seas are three Quantum-class vessels with the company that sail to Alaska, mostly departing from Seattle.  These 4,100 capacity ships offer amenities like bumper cars, laser tag, a sky-diving simulator, and even an escape room.

Royal Caribbean also has world-class entertainment on its ships and are a great option for families with diverse ages.

Besides these larger ships, Royal Caribbean also offers Alaska cruises on some of its smaller ships like Brilliance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, and Radiance of the Seas.

But this isn’t the only line with mega-ships sailing to America’s last frontier.

Norwegian Cruise Line also sails some of its 169,00 gross ton Breakaway-class vessels to Alaska.  Norwegian Bliss, Encore, and Joy are all mega ships with Norwegian and each have a go-kart track on board.  This in addition to a ropes course, an impressive virtual reality arcade, laser tag and more.

By the way, Norwegian Joy just had a thermal suite added as part of a recent upgrade, so that will be the perfect way to warm up after a day in Alaska.

While you’re taking in the awe-inspiring sights around the ship, your family can be enjoying all kinds of onboard activities on the ship.  It’s a win-win.

The three Breakaway-class ships mentioned above all depart from Seattle.

And if you want a smaller ship with Norwegian you can check out the Norwegian Jade and Norwegian Jewel that depart out of Vancouver.

4. Best Alaska Cruise for Families with Young Children

You don’t have to travel with kids to take a Disney cruise to Alaska.  In fact, many love to cruise with this line just because of the excellent service and food.   The crew are trained to practically read your mind and can usually remember your favorite drink order before you even tell them.

But if you do happen to have young children, it’s hard to beat Disney Cruise Line.

Instead of a pirate-themed deck party you will notice a “Frozen” theme on an Alaskan journey.   Menus will be slightly different from Caribbean cruises as well, and will include local cuisine like salmon and venison.

For some kid-free time there are some adult-only areas on the ship.

The 2,700 capacity Disney Wonder is the current ship sailing on Alaskan itineraries.  It sails round-trip out of Vancouver, Canada and offers 5-, 7-, and 9-night itineraries. 

Most sailings are 7-nights in duration and visit destinations like Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Ice Strait Point, and Stikine Icecap (depending on the itinerary).

5. Best Budget-Friendly Cruise Lines to Alaska

Some of the most affordable options might surprise you.  There are 4 cruise lines we need to put in this category. 

Two of them are Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.  But Holland America and Celebrity Cruises also make the list.

Even though Holland America and Celebrity consider themselves to be premium cruise lines some of their older ships offer some of the lowest rates you can find.

While the time of year plays a large role in how much your cruise will cost, take a cruise on an older ship to save even more money.

Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas has some sailings for as little as $299 per person for an interior cabin (without taxes and fees), and Norwegian Jewel has a 7-nighter in the sub $200 range (without taxes and fees).

Celebrity Summit is an older ship with the company but offers some sailings for around $299 as well and does both northbound and southbound one-way itineraries.

How about Holland America?  For about $350 to $400 per person you can find sailings on Zaandam and Noordam for 7-night voyages.  Even the 2009 Amsterdam has some May and June itineraries for just over $400 per person for an interior stateroom. 

It’s yet another reason that Holland America drives a pretty hard bargain when it comes to amazing Alaskan cruises.

One thing to note is that cruises to Alaska cost more than destinations like the Caribbean.  Things like port fees will cost more as well, but we think it’s well worth the trip.

6. Best Small Ship Cruise Line to Alaska

When it comes to small ship comfort done right, we really love Viking Ocean. Some of my favorite cruises of all time have been on Viking ships.

Every Viking Ocean cruise ship is nearly identical.  The 930 passenger ships are 47,500 in gross tonnage and are the perfect size for an Alaskan sailing.

There are currently two Viking ships sailing to this region: Viking Orion and Viking Sea.

Not only are the ships fantastic, with incredible thermal suites in the spa, heated floors in the bathrooms, and elegant Scandinavian design, but the company really emphasizes getting the most out of each destination. 

It’s called “The thinking man’s cruise” for a reason, as the line does a great job in educating its passengers with some of the best experts in their field.

Oh, and did I mention that this is an adult-only cruise line?

Only one-way sailings are offered with Viking cruises to Alaska.  You can choose to start in Seward or Vancouver for an 11-day voyage that has an itinerary that looks like this: Scenic sailing through the inside passage, Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Yakutat Bay (Hubbard Glacier), Valdez, and Seward.

You can also extend your cruise with some land tours with 5 to 6 extra nights in Denali, Talkeetna, and Fairbanks.

Oceania Cruises is another good choice for small cruise ships to Alaska, especially if you’re a foodie.  Most of the line’s sailings to this area are on the ship, Regatta, which is a 30,000 gross ton vessel with a capacity of only 656 passengers.

Regatta offers sailings out of Vancouver, Seattle, and Los Angeles with 7-night to 13-night itineraries.  There are both round-trip and one-way sailings with Oceania so there’s a lot of variety of options there as well.

Unlike Viking,  Oceania not only allows children onboard but has an Alaska Youth Explorer program suited for children between 5 and 12.

Both Viking and Oceania are mostly all-inclusive, but not entirely.  The next cruise lines in our list include just about everything you can imagine.

7. Best Alaska Cruise for Ultra Luxury

For the ultimate luxury cruise to Alaska you have a couple choices.  Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers 7-14 night itineraries that are both immersive and all-inclusive, meaning you won’t have to worry about charges that keep getting added to your bill.  

Things like flights, transfers, specialty dining, all beverages, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and even shore excursions are all complimentary.

Seven Seas Explorer is currently the cruise ship dedicated to Alaskan itineraries.  The ship is a 55,000 gross ton vessel with a capacity of 750 passengers.  So not only do you get that intimate ship experience in Alaska but you get some refined luxury along with it.

The suite-only ship will cost around $6,000 – $7,000 per person on a 7-night sailing.  The 14-night sailings are round-trip and the 7-nighters are one-way.

Seabourn Cruise Line is another option for the ultra luxury category.

The line has billed itself as “ultra-luxury with expedition-style flair” so passengers can really immerse themselves in these Alaskan ports of call with up-close adventures.

The expedition team offers excursions by means of Zodiacs and kayaks to get up close to glaciers and find hiking trails and waterfalls on shore.  And all of this while being able to dine on as much caviar as you can handle.

Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Quest are the two ships currently dedicated to Alaska for the line, and it offers 7-15 night sailings in the area. 

The 32,000 gross ton vessels have a capacity of 450 guests and have one of the best crew to passenger ratios in the industry along with Regent Seven Seas.

Silversea is another ultra luxury cruise line that carries guests to America’s northwestern coastline with all-inclusive packages.   You can book 7-night one-way itineraries or an epic 18-night voyage from Nome, Alaska to Vancouver in one of the best Alaskan cruise itineraries I’ve seen. 

There are several ships sailing to Alaska for the cruise line, with Silver Moon, Silver Muse, and Silver Nova offering the most itineraries.

Even the largest Silversea cruise ships only carry 596 passengers, offering another great passenger to crew ratio.

Related: Best all-inclusive cruise lines

8. Best Expedition Cruises to Alaska

If you’re all about exploration and want to really “get your hands dirty” on an expedition style cruise to Alaska, Hurtigruten is a great choice.   Whether you want to enjoy a sled dog race, kayak near a glacier, or visit abandoned islands, these ships offer a unique experience.

Not only will you get to spend a ton of time on land, but a Hurtigruten ship will take you to ports and villages that are so remote that most other cruise line have no access to them.

MS Roald Amundsen carries 530 guests on its 21,000 gross ton frame and is currently the ship sailing to Alaska for the Norwegian owned company.

The vessel has an onboard science center as well.  But it’s not just about exploration.  The ship also has an onboard sauna, heated by its hybrid engine.

An 18-night Alaskan sailing with the line will take you to off-the beaten-path places like Wrangell, Kodiak, Chignik, Unga Island, St Paul Island, St Matthew Island and Nome. 

At $10,000 to $13,000 per person for ocean-view cabins on an 18-night sailing it might be out of the reach of some, but if you truly want an expedition to Alaska, Hurtigruten is among the best.

National Geographic (Lindblad Expeditions) also offers some fantastic expedition ships to Alaska and these itineraries can begin in Seattle, Juneau, Sitka, or Ketchikan.

For those who want a true Alaskan immersion, Alaskan Dream Cruises could fit the bill.  It is a small-ship cruise company that specializes in providing authentic and intimate Alaska experiences.

Their five ships, ranging from 12 to 76 passengers, allow them to access remote and off-the-beaten-path destinations that larger cruise ships cannot.

Alaskan Dream Cruises’ itineraries are designed by Alaskans who know their area and are passionate about sharing their state’s natural beauty, history, and culture with guests. Passengers can expect to see glaciers, rain forests, waterfalls, and wildlife such as whales, bears, and eagles.

I could also put UnCruise Adventures in this category but I’m going to add it to the one below as it does something no one else offers.

9. Best Off-Season Cruises to Alaska

A trip with UnCruise Adventures is truly more of an adventure than anything else, so the name says it all.  This is not your typical cruise to Alaska.  UnCruise provides an immersive experience that lets you reach remote areas in ways that are respectful to the region.  And with some ships only carrying 22 passengers these ships hardly make a footprint at all, while allowing each guest to have a more customized experience.

The small vessel can maneuver through small bays and unique areas, allowing passengers to kayak right up to wildlife, glaciers, and all the natural beauty Alaska affords.

The Alaska’s Winter Sports & Northern Lights sailing takes place when most cruise lines can’t sail to Alaska.  These trips take place as early as February and March and allow passengers to witness the Northern Lights and even enjoy some winter activities as skiing and ice skating.

On most 7-night sailings with UnCruise prices start around $4,000 to $6,000 per person.

Other Notable Cruise Lines to Alaska

Carnival Cruise Line offers some of the most affordable options for sailing out of California, either from Long Beach or San Francisco.   

Carnival Spirit offers some 7-night sailings out of Seattle for around $600 per person, and the same goes for Carnival Luminosa.

There are also offers several 10 and 11 night sailings on Carnival Miracle out of San Francisco that visit places like Prince Rupert, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, and Icy Strait Point. 

Just remember that since you’re sailing out of California you will have at least a couple sea days before reaching Alaska.

Most of Carnival Cruise Line’s itineraries sail out of Seattle, however.  Two ships make this regular voyage: Carnival Luminosa and Carnival Spirit.  Luminosa was formerly a Costa Cruises ship that was just added to Carnival’s fleet near the end of 2022.

Cunard, a Carnival Corporation owned line, currently only sails out of Vancouver for its Alaska focused cruises.   The line offers 7-11 night round-trip itineraries with the longer journeys on Queen Elizabeth visiting both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier, two of the most popular visits.

As you can see, if you want to cruise Alaska you have a lot of options to consider.  Selecting the “best cruise line” will depend on what you’re looking to get out of the trip.

Here’s a quick recap of the above:

• Most proven cruise line to Alaska:  Holland America Line
• Best for land and sea combo:  Princess Cruises
• Best for families with teens:  Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line
• Best for families with young children:  Disney Cruise Line
• Best budget-friendly cruise lines:  Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America, Celebrity Cruises
• Best small cruise ships in Alaska:  Viking Ocean and Oceania Cruises
• Best ultra luxury cruise lines:  Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line
• Best expedition cruises:  Hurtigruten (could also add UnCruise)
• Best off-season:  UnCruise Adventures

Here are a few more tips and pointers for a cruise to Alaska

The Alaskan Cruise Season is Short

You only have a limited window for taking a cruise to Alaska.  The season runs from April/May through September/October.  The very beginning and end of the season are usually the times you can get the best deals as well. 

While June and July are right in the middle of peak season, it’s also when you are most likely to see the some wildlife.

Don’t be surprised if it rains during your cruise, especially if you go during the peak season, but that’s just part of Alaskan weather.  It rains about 200 days out of the year in this region of the world. 

This sometimes means shore excursions will get canceled or postponed, so always have a backup plan.

Two Main Cruise Itineraries for Alaska

Inside Passage: This cruise typically begins in Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, Canada and travels up the Inside Passage, stopping at various ports along the way. Ports of call may include Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park, and Sitka.

An inside passage itinerary gives you a great overview of Alaska, seeing most of the important ports of call and  some great scenery along the way.  The downside is that it’s typically a round-trip sailing and can be repetitive on the way back.

Gulf of Alaska: This cruise is typically one-way and departs from Vancouver or Seattle in the south or Anchorage (Seward) in the north.  The cruise follows the Gulf of Alaska and ports of call may include Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Hoonah, Juneau, Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord.

An advantage to this itinerary is that you get to see more ports of call, including the inside passage, and have more time in ports as well.   However, this also means you will have to take care of some of the flight logistics as you will have to fly from a different airport than you flew into.

Viking Ocean offers many one-way 10-night sailings that allow passengers to spend more time in ports.  Some begin in Seward and head south and some start in Vancouver and head northward. 

A major advantage of these one-way trips is that you can experience more Alaskan ports.  So these types of itineraries are best if you want a destination heavy journey.

Departure Ports in Alaska

Depending on where you live the embarkation port might determine which cruise line to Alaska is best.

Here are the current cruise ports sailing on Alaskan itineraries over the next couple seasons and which cruise lines sail from them.  The number next to each cruise line indicates how many sailings they offer from that port.

• Anchorage: Celebrity (18), Holland America (36), Hurtigruten (6), Norwegian (55), Princess (56), Regent Seven Seas Cruises (16), Royal Caribbean (19), Seabourn (4), Silversea Cruises (37), UnCruise Adventures (14), Viking Ocean (23), Windstar Cruises (5)
• Juneau: Seabourn (15), UnCruise Adventures (259), Windstar (1)
• Ketchikan:  UnCruise Adventures (43)
• Los Angeles California:  Carnival (3), Oceania (7)
• San Francisco:  Carnival (20), Princess Cruises (27)
• Seattle:   Carnival (100), Celebrity Cruises (37), Holland America (80), Norwegian Cruise Line (224), Oceania (20), Priness Cruises (81), Royal Caribbean (81), UnCruise Adventures (4)
• Vancouver: Celebrity Cruises (58), Disney Cruise Line (18), Holland America (135), Hurtigruten (24), Norwegian Cruise Line (48), Oceania (7), Princess Cruises (157), Regent Seven Seas (18), Royal Caribbean (91), Seabourn (38), Silversea (41), Viking Ocean (25)

Only Certain Cruise Lines Can Visit Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay National Park consists of 3 million acres of land and over 1,000 glaciers, many high in the mountains.  Seven of these are known as tidewater glaciers that are slowly receding down the majestic mountains, and four of them are actively calving icebergs (when large chunks of ice break off) into the bay.

It is a magnificent thing to witness from a cruise ship.  In fact, most of the tourists that visit Glacier Bay National Park each year are cruise passengers.  But there is a limit as to how many cruise ships and which cruise lines can visit the bay.

A concession plan announced in 2019 limits the visits of cruise ships to two ships per day.  Cruise lines must be granted permission from the park authorities to carry passengers to this region. 

Currently, these include Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, Uncruise Adventures, Viking Ocean, and a few others.  This agreement will be in effect until 2030, so if you want to make Glacier Bay a part of your cruising experience you can look to book with one of these cruise lines.

Holland America Line and Princess Cruises make up a large part of cruise itineraries sailing to Glacier Bay.

Your cruise ship will spend 9-10 hours in Glacier Bay, during which a park ranger will be onboard to offer insights and answer question along the way.

Ship Size Limitations

Bigger does not mean better when it comes to cruise ships sailing to Alaska.  Larger cruise ships with a gross tonnage of 150,000 or greater cannot dock at certain ports because of their size.  In fact, certain fjords and passageways are inaccessible to some of the mega-ships.

If you’re sailing on one of these larger ships just realize that you may have to skip some of the smaller ports or will have to travel further on land to get there. 

For instance, Norwegian Bliss (a 167,000 gross ton ship) docks at Ward Cove when visiting Ketchikan.   This is about 7 miles north of the downtown Ketchikan area,

Royal Caribbean offers some of the largest ships to the region as well, with two Quantum-class ships (Quantum and Ovation of the Seas) sailing to some of the larger ports in Alaska like Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka.  

These ships carry over 4,000 passengers at double-capacity so it also means some of the tours taken through the ship may be fairly large groups.

If you’re wanting to visit some of the more quaint and less tourist-traveled areas of Alaska a smaller cruise ship will be a better choice.

But if you want to spend more time on the ship and just want the highlights of an Alaskan cruise then one of the larger ships would make sense.

As you can see, individual preference plays a large role in determining what is the “best cruise to Alaska”.

After 116 days into 2024, Royal Caribbean Group’s CEO just announced, “We only have about 12% of load factor left for the year.”

During the Q1 conference call, CEO Jason Liberty touted an “exceptional” year already saying,

“We’re getting close to the point where we’ll soon be taking more bookings for ’25 than we are for 2024.”

Understanding “Load Factor” and Capacity on Cruise Ships

It’s important to note, however, that the “load factor” of a ship can and usually does go beyond 100%. 

100% capacity means that each cabin has at least two passengers.

But since many cabins (especially on a family-focused cruise line) will have three and four passengers, it’s typical for a cruise ship to sail at 105% or 108% capacity during peak season.  

With over 98,000 beds across 27 cruise ships in the fleet, Royal Caribbean has the largest number of berths in the business.

The word “berth” gets thrown around a lot in the cruise industry, but in this context, it simply means the number of lower beds in each cabin.

Read more: Which cruise lines have the most capacity across the fleet (total berths)

Financial Performance and Fleet Expansion

Q1 revenue for the cruise company was up 29% year-over-year, reaching $3.73 billion in the first few months.

Bookings in 2024 are outpacing last year even with less inventory currently available. 

Strong demand in the cruise industry hasn’t exactly taken Royal Caribbean by surprise, though. 

The company currently has two more Icon-class and two Oasis-class ships on order or being built, with the 5,668-passenger Utopia of the Seas debuting in July of this year.

2025 Bookings on the Rise Despite Dwindling 2024 Inventory

Even with a dwindling supply of cabins in 2024, bookings are not slowing down.    April bookings have been rolling in at double the rate of the first quarter.

Cruise Fever ran a recent poll in which we asked our readers, “How far in advance do you book your cruises?”  48% said they book 6-12 months out, with 30% saying 1-2 years out.

So, it makes sense that more bookings will start coming in for 2025 than 2024, especially with slim pickings still available in cabin categories.

Of course, there is still that 16% that said they book their cruises less then 6 months in advance that will fill up 2024 rather quickly.

But with 2024 filling up fast, more cruise travelers are booking further in advance, adding to bookings in 2025 and 2026.

“And so when we look into the booking behavior, one, the booking window continues to extend. So guests are making their decisions much further out,” Liberty said on the earnings call.

Royal Caribbean Group owns three cruise lines: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.