Cruising in Alaska is a one-of-a-kind trip. Each day is prettier than the next, each port more exciting. No matter what cruise line you sail, or which itinerary you take, your journey will undoubtedly take you from the quiet waters of the bay to the metropolitan areas that give Alaska its charm. And because of this, there are just so many things to do on an Alaskan cruise.
Whether you want to learn some history, see some wildlife or experience the culture, cruising in Alaska has it all. But that leaves you with a dilemma: Which experiences should you prioritize? To make sure that you have the trip of a lifetime, here is a checklist of eight things you absolutely must do while in Alaska
What This Post Covers:
1. Wake up early to see wildlife
When you take a cruise to the Caribbean to the Bahamas, there might be a chance to swim with a trained dolphin or a group of stingrays. And while these opportunities are certainly once-in-a-lifetime, these animals are usually semi-domesticated or at least used to humans. But Alaskan cruises? Every day, at every juncture, there will be plenty of chances to see animals around your cruise ship in their natural habitat.
I am someone who gets bored going to a zoo – once you have seen one animal, you have seen them all. But even I was fascinated with the wildlife you could see while on the cruise. Alaskan cruises typically travel by a naturalist on board who will assist cruisegoers in finding and identifying the local wildlife that pop-up around the ship. Our naturalist put a map in the ship’s atrium that listed what animals we would see at what times during the cruise. The best times to see animals were as the sun was coming up, but we’d often see animals as we sailed between ports as well.
So, every morning, my family would get up at the crack of dawn (or sometimes even earlier) and head down to the front of the ship to see the seals basking in the sun, the puffins flying by or the fish jumping out of the water. And we’d also do the same each afternoon as we pulled out of each port. All the while, the naturalist would be pointing out the different animals passing by, guiding guests as to which side of the ship or deck to see them on. Seeing wildlife in their natural habitat is something you can’t miss during your cruise.
2. Get up close and personal with a glacier
Imagine standing on the deck of your cruise ship and feeling an ice-cold breeze coming off the short. You can see birds flying by and seals playing in the water and then, “crack!” you hear a piece of ice fall off of the nearby glacier. This is a common sight on an Alaskan cruise and one that you should not miss.
No matter what cruise route you take, there will be at least one chance (but probably multiple chances) to get up close with a glacier. Most cruise itineraries have a day where the whole destination is to get as close as legally possible to a glacier and then stay there. The cruise ship will then circle around as many times as possible so that all passengers can see (and feel!) the glacier. My favorite part was that the closer the ship got, the colder it was (we were in the middle of a heatwave, and it was an odd feeling to be in 90-degree weather, but feel the cold breeze coming off a glacier).
But in addition to cruise ships stopping at glaciers, many of the ports have excursions that will bring you either to a glacier or on top of one. As part of our whale watching excursion in Juneau, we were dropped off at Mendenhall Glacier. We only had an hour but were still able to make the mile walk and get surprisingly close to the glacier and its falls.
There are plenty of opportunities to get a chance to be close to a glacier and you shouldn’t turn down any of them. They’re an experience that is completely unique to your cruise and one of the most popular things to do in Alaska.
3. Drink in a historical saloon or local bar
Alaskans are notorious in their love for a good drink. Because of this, no Alaskan cruise is complete without trying a local watering hole! One of the best things to do on an Alaskan cruise is to try out each port’s historic saloon. Most of them have been around since the town was founded, and they are usually still decorated and operating as though they are speakeasies and taverns.
The saloons are easy to find – look around at the advertisements as soon as you get off the ship. There will also probably be someone holding a sign or dressed as a barmaid or a Tavernier. Some popular choices include Red Dog Saloon in Juneau and Red Onion Saloon in Skagway.
But don’t spend all day in just one saloon. In each port, there will be different bars and restaurants that will have just as much color as the saloons. If you find yourself wanting another drink, explore the town! One of the best places we had a drink while in Alaska was at a local’s pub down the street. The bartender was full of color, the beers were cheap and local, and we even tried Alaska’s lottery.
4. Explore each port
When you take a Caribbean cruise, a lot of ports on the itinerary are usually very small and full of touristy shops. Once you make your way past the shops, you will often find that there is not much to the town than the port itself. Because of this, it can be hard to experience the town’s culture and really get a local feel.
However, that is not the case when you’re on an Alaskan cruise – Alaskan ports only get better once you leave the tourist area. In addition to finding our favorite bars once we explored further in each port, we also found fun shops, met locals that were more than willing to chat with us and tried some of the best food. Take some time to go past the jewelry stores and historic sites and learn as much as you can about each port – it will be a great way to truly understand Alaska culture.
5. Try Alaskan-exclusive foods
You’re onshore, exploring the ports when all of a sudden, hunger strikes. But you want something more exciting than a burger and fries. That’s why you need to seek out some of the iconic foods that Alaska is known for! As you explore the different ports, keep an eye out for foods that you can only try while in Alaska. Here are some of the foods to try:
- Salmon-anything – While a pretty obvious choice, it is famous for a reason. Try some of the freshest salmon you’ve ever had in your life. There will be no shortage of this delicacy at every port on your cruise.
- Reindeer dogs – These delicacies are usually found as street food. Though they sound odd, they taste just like hot dogs and are worth a try!
- Frybread – A Ketchikan specialty that is similar to elephant ears or fried dough. The fry bread we had at Klondike Doughboy was made fresh right before our eyes.
- Sourdough – Alaskans love sourdough bread so much that it’s a nickname for locals who still live in the area. But thanks to that love, it’s also specialized all throughout the state – visit a bakery and try a fresh piece.
- Anything with berries in it – Berries grow all over Alaska, which means anything made with berries in it will be extremely fresh. This includes jams and jellies – which would also go great on a piece of sourdough!
6. Go on an excursion (or two!) unique to Alaska
No matter where you sail, cruises usually have the same set of excursions that include expeditions like Jeep exploration adventures to private island reservations. And while these options are still available on an Alaskan cruise, this is your opportunity to try an excursion that is unique to the area! Some of our recommendations include whale watching, dog sledding, taking a helicopter to a glacier, riding the White Pass Railway, deep-sea fishing or, my favorite, snorkeling in Alaska.
And, hey, when else are you going to get the chance to say, “I went snorkeling/fishing/whale watching while in Alaska?” Try to find an excursion you would never be able to do on another cruise!
7. Participate in Alaska-specific onboard activities
One of the best parts of cruising is the wide variety of options of activities you can choose from when you’re onboard. From trivia to contests to meet-ups and game shows, there are always activities to suit everyone’s activity and interest levels. But Alaskan cruises have onboard activities that are specific to their itineraries, such as the onboard naturalists, lectures by Alaskan experts, meet-and-greet with famous Alaskans and even the opportunity to meet Iditarod husky puppies! Keep an eye on your daily cruise planner for these special opportunities.
8. Watch Alaska Sail By
No matter where you are sailing in Alaska, and no matter what activities you participate in during your trip, there is one thing that is a must-do: sit on the top deck and take in the scenery of Alaska. There will be plenty of times where your ship will be sailing between destinations or leisurely making its way through a national park. And if you were on a Caribbean or European cruise, all you would see at these moments would be water. But on an Alaskan cruise? There will be gorgeous scenery, such as mountains and glaciers, forests and wildlife as far as the eye can see.
Because the landscape is so unique, it is worth it to take some time to pause and watch Alaska sail by. So, head up to the top deck, grab a drink (alcoholic, preferred) and watch Alaska go by. You won’t regret it.
Other Alaskan Cruise Tips
If you can’t tell by the abundance of posts on my blog, I loved my time on our Alaskan cruise. When we traveled to Alaska, I was ready to be bored. But I found the trip to be one of my favorite cruises that I have ever taken! That’s why I highly recommend going on one, and why I highly recommend that you make sure not to miss these eight things when you do.
Are you ready for your once-in-a-lifetime Alaskan cruise? As you continue to prepare, here are some other helpful posts and resources:
Additional Cruise Tips
Any Questions?
No matter which Alaskan cruise you pick, there will be plenty of options available to you that you can only do while in the 49th state. If you have any questions, though, feel free to ask in the comments and I will get back to you ASAP!
Want to see more of our time on our Alaskan cruise? Take a look at my Instagram stories and look for “Alaskan Cruise” (there are three parts). Have you been on an Alaskan cruise? What was something you found that someone shouldn’t miss? Leave a comment below!
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