Choose Your Own
Alaska Cruise Adventure

Family + Glacier Bay

Princess

Your best fit to consider

Princess is my strongest Glacier Bay recommendation for families and multigenerational groups. It combines extensive access to the park with children’s programming, entertainment and the familiar amenities of a larger cruise ship.

It is also particularly well positioned for travelers who want to add time in Denali or another part of interior Alaska through a land-and-sea cruisetour.

The important fine print: Not every Princess Alaska sailing visits Glacier Bay. Make sure your exact itinerary lists Glacier Bay National Park, rather than assuming it is included because you selected Princess.

Family without Glacier Bay

Disney or Royal Caribbean

Your best fits to consider

Disney is my number one choice for family cruising—my family has sailed with them twice to Alaska. There is a price premium, but the experience is unmatched for its excellent youth clubs (longer operating hours), additional inclusions and family entertainment (including first-run movies). You may trade Glacier Bay for destinations such as Tracy Arm, but for many families, the Disney experience is the priority.

Royal Caribbean is a more budget-friendly—but less inclusive—option for families. Ship selection matters: Anthem and Quantum offer the strongest resort-style experience, while Royal’s older Alaska ships have fewer headline attractions.

Traditional Glacier Bay

Princess or Holland America

Your best fits to consider

Princess and Holland America are the granddaddies of Alaska cruising. Holland America has been exploring the region since 1947—before Alaska was a state—and Princess followed in 1969. That history has allowed both lines to build something few competitors can match: extensive Glacier Bay access and a fully integrated Alaska operation that extends well beyond the ship. Their itineraries also often feature favorable port hours and convenient downtown berths.

Both offer cruisetours combining a cruise with glass-domed rail travel and stays at their own wilderness properties. Princess owns five Alaska lodges, including two in the Denali area, while Holland America owns its 60-acre Denali Lodge near the entrance to the national park. This makes either line a particularly strong choice for travelers who want to pair Glacier Bay with Denali and experience Alaska by both land and sea.

The distinction is largely onboard. Choose Princess for a livelier, generally larger-ship experience with more entertainment and organized activities. Choose Holland America for generally smaller ships, a quieter atmosphere and a stronger emphasis on wildlife, cultural enrichment and scenic viewing.

Luxury Glacier Bay

Seabourn or Viking

Your best fits to consider

Seabourn and Viking both offer a refined, smaller-ship alternative to the traditional Alaska cruise lines—but they are not interchangeable. Seabourn is the more genuinely ultra-luxury choice. The 600-guest Seabourn Encore offers all-suite accommodations, highly personalized service, premium wines and spirits throughout the day, gratuities and even caviar as part of the fare. Its Alaska program also incorporates an onboard expedition team and optional Zodiac and kayak outings on selected sailings. Seabourn offers considerably more itinerary flexibility, with departures ranging from seven to 15 days and selected 2027 and 2028 voyages that explicitly include Glacier Bay.

Viking is better described as upper premium: polished, serene and destination-focused, but less indulgent and personalized than Seabourn. Viking operates its Alaska itineraries aboard its Ocean ships—not its more extensively outfitted, purpose-built Expedition ships. Its 930-guest ships are adults-only, every cabin has a veranda, and the fare includes an introductory excursion in each port, Wi-Fi, specialty dining, access to the Nordic spa, and beer and wine with lunch and dinner. Its Alaska choices are fewer and generally longer. Most importantly, Viking’s standard 11-day 2027 and 2028 Alaska itinerary visits Hubbard Glacier—not Glacier Bay. Glacier Bay appears on certain much longer Viking grand voyages.

Expedition Glacier Bay

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions or UnCruise Adventures

Your best fits to consider

If your vision of Alaska involves getting off the ship whenever possible, an expedition cruise may be a better fit than even the loveliest luxury vessel. These cruises trade elaborate restaurants, production shows and spacious suites for Zodiacs, kayaks, hiking trails and the flexibility to follow wildlife or weather. The ships are considerably smaller, the atmosphere is casual, and naturalists—not cruise directors—help set the rhythm of the day.

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions is my choice for travelers who want the richest educational component. Its expedition teams include naturalists and other specialists who interpret the wildlife, geology and ecosystems encountered along the way, while certified photo instructors help guests capture what they are seeing. The experience is polished and expertly guided, but the emphasis remains on discovery rather than traditional luxury.

UnCruise Adventures is the more casual—and often more physically active—choice. Its exceptionally small ships carry as few as 22 guests, although some vessels accommodate approximately 60 to 80. Expect daily opportunities to kayak, hike, paddleboard, take skiff rides and occasionally bushwhack. Its standout seven-night Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise spends two full days inside Glacier Bay National Park, something few cruise itineraries can match.

Best fits to consider: Choose Lindblad for exceptional naturalists, photography guidance and a more intellectually layered expedition. Choose UnCruise for a highly active, intimate and unpretentious adventure—particularly if two full days in Glacier Bay is the deciding factor.

One material nuance: neither company includes Glacier Bay on every Alaska itinerary, so check the itinerary carefully.

A larger ship with extensive amenities

Celebrity or Virgin Voyages

Your best fits to consider

Celebrity is the more familiar upscale choice, combining contemporary design and polished service with plenty of dining and entertainment. Travelers who want a quieter, more luxurious experience can book The Retreat, Celebrity’s “ship within a ship.” Suite guests receive access to a private restaurant, lounge and sundeck, along with dedicated concierge and butler service. The Retreat is available aboard Celebrity’s Alaska ships, although its features vary by vessel.

Virgin Voyages, which began sailing Alaska aboard Brilliant Lady in 2026, is the livelier and less conventional alternative. It is strictly adults-only, with more than 20 eateries, included group fitness, inventive entertainment and considerably more nightlife. There is no main dining room, traditional buffet, assigned seating or formal night—and all specialty dining (Korean barbecue, anyone?), gratuities, Wi-Fi and basic beverages are included.

Best fits to consider: Choose Celebrity for a sophisticated but familiar cruise, particularly if The Retreat appeals to you. Choose Virgin for an adults-only experience with creative dining, nightlife and a younger outlook.

A smaller ship with a more inclusive luxury experience

Explora Journeys, Silversea or Regent Seven Seas

Your best fits to consider

These three lines all offer spacious accommodations, attentive service and fewer than 1,000 guests—but their versions of luxury feel quite different.

Explora Journeys is the most contemporary choice. Its 922-guest EXPLORA III begins sailing Alaska in 2027 with the atmosphere of an upscale resort rather than a traditional cruise ship. All accommodations are oceanfront suites with private terraces, and the fare includes dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi and gratuities. Shore excursions generally cost extra. Explora is best for travelers attracted to modern design, wellness and a relaxed approach to luxury—but its Alaska program is new and therefore less proven than its competitors.

Silversea offers the most intimate and service-oriented experience. Its Alaska ships carry approximately 600 to 730 guests, with all-suite accommodations, butler service and a more classic interpretation of luxury. Silversea also distinguishes itself through excellent dining and its destination-inspired S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) culinary program. Choose it when personalized service, food and a genuinely small-ship atmosphere matter more than having every excursion bundled into the fare.

Regent Seven Seas is the most comprehensively all-inclusive option. Its approximately 700- to 750-guest Alaska ships are elegant and all-suite, with fares that include unlimited shore excursions, specialty dining, premium beverages, Wi-Fi, gratuities and valet laundry. The experience feels more traditional than Explora and somewhat less intimate than Silversea. Regent is particularly compelling for travelers who plan to take several excursions and appreciate knowing most of the vacation cost upfront.

Best fits to consider: Choose Explora for contemporary resort-style luxury; Silversea for intimacy, dining and highly personalized service; or Regent for the broadest collection of inclusions.

Boutique and destination-intensive

Azamara or Windstar

Your best fits to consider

Azamara and Windstar both place the destination ahead of elaborate onboard attractions, but they deliver very different experiences.

Azamara is the more traditional boutique-cruise option. The approximately 700-guest Azamara Pursuit offers the amenities of a comfortable small hotel, while its 10- to 13-day Alaska itineraries provide more time to explore than a typical seven-day cruise. Azamara is known for extended port days—often 10 hours or longer—and occasional late-night stays. Choose it if you value time ashore, a relaxed onboard atmosphere and a longer itinerary more than nightlife or resort-style amenities.

Windstar is the much smaller and more adventurous alternative. The 224-guest, all-suite Star Seeker can navigate closer to Alaska’s shorelines and carries an onboard expedition team. Optional Signature Expedition outings launch directly from the yacht by Zodiac or kayak in destinations such as Kenai Fjords, Misty Fjords and Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm. The experience remains more comfortable and cruise-like than Lindblad or UnCruise, making Windstar an appealing middle ground between a boutique cruise and a true expedition.

Best fits to consider: Choose Azamara for longer itineraries and more time in port. Choose Windstar for a highly intimate yacht experience with more active ways to explore Alaska.

One final—and important—note

Book the itinerary, not merely the cruise line

These are curated recommendations, not a complete list of every cruise line sailing in Alaska. Glacier Bay access, port hours, docking locations and scenic-cruising time can vary by departure, so always review the complete itinerary—not merely the cruise line’s Alaska brochure—and confirm that your priorities appear on your exact sailing.

I also recommend booking Alaska at least a year in advance. The most desirable itineraries and cabins—particularly balconies, suites and connecting rooms—often disappear first. Early-booking offers from lines such as Princess and Holland America may also include valuable extras that are not available later.

Booking early does not necessarily mean missing a future sale. Before final payment, I can often have an eligible reservation repriced or rebooked if a better offer appears, after confirming that the new promotion will not sacrifice benefits or change the deposit terms. In Alaska, early booking generally provides the best combination of choice, value and flexibility.

I hope this has helped you choose your own Alaska cruise adventure! When you’re ready to turn it into a real trip, reach out. I’ll help you confirm the right sailing, find any available perks and make sure the itinerary lives up to the adventure you’ve chosen.

Happy adventuring,

Ruth