Did you know Alaska has at least 100,000 glaciers?? It’s also home to famous fjords, stunning coastlines, charming seaside towns, beautiful mountain ranges, spectacular wildlife and SO much more! The entire state feels like one giant postcard that is almost too good to be true. An Alaska Cruise offers you an opportunity to see some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world! So it’s no surprise guests are eager to book excursions to get more of an intimate look at Alaska. With so many options to choose from, let’s talk about the best Alaska cruise excursions worth booking!
This guide will cover Alaska cruise options at each port and help you decide which excursion is worth skipping and which one is worth the splurge. Now let’s get started!
If you are asking yourself where should I book the best Alaska Cruise excursions, you’ve come to the right place! The truth is there is more than one option to choose from depending on factors like budget, protection and variety. Let’s discuss some options on where to book excursions below.
CRUISE LINE: Often times, cruise lines will provide credit you can use towards excursions as long as you book through them. Another advantage is that the cruise lines will make special accommodations to ensure you have transportation to and from the ship and arrive back in time. You also get some extra protection in case the cruise is delayed or the excursion needs to be cancelled due to bad weather. Most of these cruise lines will use local operators to run these tours.
Some cruise lines even offer exclusive tours directly through their tour line that you won’t find anywhere else. For example, I know Princess Cruise line offers Discovery and Animal Planet exclusive shore excursions. Make sure to check with your cruise line to see if they offer any exclusive tours you can take advantage of.
Disadvantage: Excursions through your cruise line can often be more expensive, so if you are on a tight budget you may not want to go this route.
LOCAL OPERATORS: Cruise lines will use local operators to provide excursions to their guests, but if you are looking to save some money you can also book with the local operator directly. I have included information on local operators at each port below.
THIRD PARTY SITES: This is a great option if you are looking for a smaller, more exclusive tour that is free from the cruise crowds. You can often customize your tour for your group. Some great third party sites include GetYourGuide, Airbnb Experiences and Viator.
We fell in love with Ketchikan, because it’s one of those places that feels like it was just picked out of a movie! It oozes so much charm. This seaside town is found in the heart of Alaska and can only be accessed by sea or air. It’s the first port on the cruise itinerary, because it’s located on the southern tip of the inside passage and a great way to kick off your voyage through Alaska. Ketchikan also happens to be home to our favorite state park and excursion! Don’t believe me? See the best Alaska cruise excursions down below!
If you only have the budget for one Alaska cruise excursion, let it be this one. This is the BEST Alaska cruise excursion and absolutely worth every penny.
The Misty Fjords National Monument is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and can only be accessed by plane or boat but your time is limited in Ketchikan and I recommend going the plane route. This will leave you some time to explore the town of Ketchikan before boarding. Besides, the views are truly incredible by air!
INSIDER TIP: Make sure the tour you book includes landing in the national monument. Some tours will only fly over it, but trust me you will absolutely want to land and see the Misty Fjords National Monument up close. And keep your fingers crossed for some rain or at least overcast weather. We got rain in 2018 when we visited and seeing the mist surround the mountains was much more beautiful than the sun shining down on this landscape although still beautiful.
COST: $350/person
DURATION: 2 Hours
TOUR COMPANIES: We have done this tour twice, and we used this company because they offer a good price and include a 30 minute stop to view the Misty Fjords on land. We booked directly through them.
Tongass National Forest covers 16.7 million acres making it the largest U.S. National Forest!! What makes this forest especially unique is that it’s home to temperate rain forest and endangered species. Because of the sheer size of this park, it is recommended you go with a tour/guide especially if you’re not an experienced hiker. You can find many tour options available. Let’s cover some of the best ones below:
I am going to let you in on a little secret, you don’t need to book any excursions here to enjoy Juneau. We actually found that much of what we wanted to see didn’t require booking expensive tours. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t good excursions here. Sharing all the best Alaska cruise excursions and popular spots found in Juneau below.
Let’s face it, travel expenses can add up quickly and it’s hard not to indulge when traveling to a bucket list destination but there are so many great things you can see in Juneau for free! Just see for yourself:
Want to feel like you’ve walked into Elsa’s backyard? Mendenhall Glacier is a MASSIVE river of ice that spans over 13 miles and is up to 1,800 feet deep. This glacier is surrounded by incredible waterfalls and lush forest. And the visitor center here is considered world class given the spectacular views and fascinating exhibits. And good news, you don’t need to book an expensive Alaska cruise excursion to enjoy this park. Here is everything you need to know on how to get here from the cruise ship:
Riding Mount Roberts Tramway is one of the best ways to take in the views of the city and enjoy some hiking trails at the top. The ride does cost $50 roundtrip for adults and $35 for children that are between 3-12 years old. Within just 5 minutes you are taken 1,800 feet up, so it’s easy to see why the views are truly spectacular. Once at the top you will find a cute gift shop, Timberline Bar & Grill, am art gallery and Chilkat Theatre. INSIDER TIP: Avoid visiting the tram when you first arrive, because the line gets quite long.
Perhaps one of the most popular things to do in Juneau is book a whale-watching tour. I have to confess we booked this tour and 2018 and were left disappointed, because it simply wasn’t a good day for seeing wildlife. Obviously, tours can’t control the wildlife that is seen so keep that in mind when booking this tour. It’s always best practice to cross-check tour prices with your cruise and third parties, but you can find some tour options here, here and here.
Skagway is a charming little town in Alaska that is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. And although much smaller than the other ports, Skagway has SO much to offer. Fun fact: Skagway is actually considered the “sunshine capital” of southeast Alaska because it receives far less rain than its neighbors. This is good news for those who are visiting and looking to escape some of the rain often found in Alaska. Some of the best Alaska cruise excursions can be found in Skagway, and I can’t wait to share more!
The best part about traveling to Alaska is that there is so much to see, and you can enjoy much of what Skagway has to offer without spending a lot of money. Here are some free things to do in Skagway:
Alaska is known for its state sport of dog-sledding, so it’s no surprise there is actually an opportunity for visitors to try it out for themselves! You will get the opportunity to visit a dogsledding summer training camp, take a ride on a sled pulled by specially trained dogs and you might even get a chance to meet some cute puppies.
I have to confess we booked this tour in 2018 and although we enjoyed meeting the cute dogs and seeing all the training that goes into preparing them for this sport, there is just something about getting pulled on a cart in mud during the summer that doesn’t quite feel the same as it does in snow. We wouldn’t book this tour again, simply because we would rather experience dog sledding on snow and I just think the money is better spent on the train in Skagway. But if you are still interested in checking this out, you can find some great tour options here, here and here.
The valley of Skagway was actually formed due to the movement of glaciers that surround it. So it should come to no surprise you can book a glacier tour here as well. Experience more of the beautiful glaciers Alaska has to offer up close. So if you have it in your budget and want to see another glacier up close, this may be one of the best Alaska cruise excursions to book (although I have to admit my vote is still for the train). But you can find some great tour options here.
Considered the most scenic railroad in the world, the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad definitely lives up to the hype! And this is absolutely one of the best Alaska cruise excursions you can book. I promise you it is absolutely worth the money! I don’t think I have ever fully recovered from the spectacular views we found here. Here is everything you need to know about this train ride:
COST: The White Pass Summit Excursion costs $142/adult and $71/child
DURATION: You’ll spend 2.75 – 3 hours on the train covering 40 miles and taking in the most BEAUTIFUL views
INSIDER TIP: Hop in the last train car, so you have no obstructed views from the back of the train
HOW TO BOOK: We booked directly through our cruise, but you can find more information on the train here.
I hope this guide has helped you find some of the best Alaska cruise excursions that are worth booking and save you some money along the way. Enjoy your time in Alaska and safe travels!
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