When we booked our Alaska cruise, we picked a northbound sailing for one practical reason: one of us gets seasick. The Inside Passage is protected water, the ride is smoother and the port days run longer. That one decision shaped our whole trip. It’s also the kind of choice that’s easy to miss when you’re comparing dozens of sailings that all promise glaciers.
I’ve updated this guide for the 2027 season with the ships, routes and Denali changes that matter. If you’d rather hand the comparing to someone else, let’s chat. I plan Alaska cruises for travelers all over the U.S. and Canada.
Best Alaska Cruises for 2027 at a Glance
- Best for Glacier Bay: Princess, with 85 Glacier Bay calls planned for 2027, including every seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers sailing between Vancouver and Anchorage (Whittier).
- Best small-ship luxury: Viking’s 10-night Alaska and the Inside Passage voyage between Vancouver and Seward on ships carrying about 930 guests.
- Best all-inclusive: Regent Seven Seas on Seven Seas Explorer, seven nights between Vancouver and Whittier with shore excursions included.
- Best for food lovers: Oceania Riviera, sailing seven- to 11-day voyages from Seattle and Vancouver with stops in smaller towns like Wrangell and Haines.
- Best cruise and Denali combo: a Princess or Holland America cruisetour, now that the full Denali Park Road reopens to buses in 2027.
What’s New for Alaska Cruises in 2027
Denali’s Road Reopens
The Pretty Rocks Bridge was finished in 2026. In 2027, park buses are planned to run the full road to Kantishna for the first time since 2021. The Eielson Visitor Center stays closed in 2027. Bus reservations for 2027 open December 1, 2026, at ReserveDenali.com.
More Glacier Bay Than Ever on Princess
Princess is sending eight ships to Alaska in 2027 with 85 Glacier Bay calls. Northbound sailings also get a late-night “More Ashore” stay in Juneau.
Luxury Ships Return
Oceania Riviera returns with Seattle and Vancouver sailings. Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer runs 16 Alaska voyages. Viking sails Viking Orion and Viking Venus between Vancouver and Seward.
Juneau Has Daily Limits
Juneau now has voluntary daily limits of 16,000 cruise passengers on most days and 12,000 on Saturdays. A Saturday in Juneau usually means a lighter day in town.
Holland America is also marking 80 years in Alaska with six ships and a $70 million expansion of its Denali Lodge, set to be complete before the 2027 season.
4 Things to Decide Before You Choose an Alaska Cruise
Every good Alaska plan starts with the same four questions. Answer these first and the list of sailings gets a lot shorter.
- Where you start and how long you have. Do you need to fly in and out of the same city? Seven nights, 10 nights or longer?
- Cruise only or cruise plus land. Do you want every night on the ship, or time in Denali, Fairbanks or the Kenai Peninsula too?
- The ship itself. Are waterslides and go-karts part of the fun, or are you choosing for the ports, service and scenery?
- Glaciers and ports. Is Glacier Bay a must? Do you want a train ride, totem poles or a whale watch?
Departure Cities and Cruise Length
Most Alaska cruises are seven nights, with 10- to 14-night options for a slower pace. The main departure cities for 2027 are Seattle, Vancouver and Anchorage through the ports of Seward or Whittier. Princess also has a few longer roundtrips from San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Roundtrip Cruises: Seattle or Vancouver
A roundtrip is the easiest choice for flights. Here’s how the two cities compare.
| From | What to Expect | Good For |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | Larger ships with more onboard activities. Ships sail outside Vancouver Island, so you’ll have more time at sea. Most include a stop in Victoria, B.C. | Easy domestic flights and travelers who want big-ship amenities |
| Vancouver | More mid-size and smaller ships that sail the Inside Passage. Often longer port days and more scenic cruising. | Scenery lovers and anyone prone to seasickness |
Royal Princess with Glacier Bay
Seven-day roundtrips every Saturday with a full day in Glacier Bay National Park. If you want Seattle and Glacier Bay, this is the one to look at first.
Star Princess
Princess’s newest Sphere Class ship returns for its second Alaska season. Read the itinerary carefully, because the Sunday sailings visit Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier instead of Glacier Bay.
Norwegian Encore, Bliss and Joy
Three big ships built with Alaska viewing in mind, with seven-day roundtrips from Pier 66.
Princess Grand Adventure
Princess pairs a northbound and southbound Voyage of the Glaciers into a 14-day roundtrip from Vancouver, with Glacier Bay included.
One-Way Cruises: Vancouver to Seward or Whittier
One-way cruises sail the full Inside Passage and reach glaciers farther north, like College Fjord and Hubbard Glacier. They also make it simple to add Denali, Anchorage or the Kenai Peninsula afterward.
- Northbound (Vancouver to Seward or Whittier): you finish in Alaska, ready for a land add-on.
- Southbound (Seward or Whittier to Vancouver): do your land time first and end with the cruise.
We went northbound for the smoother ride and longer port days. I’d make the same call again for anyone who worries about seasickness.
Princess Voyage of the Glaciers
Seven days with two glacier-viewing days, including Glacier Bay National Park, on Coral, Island, Crown or Discovery Princess.
Norwegian Jade
Seven-day one-way sailings from May 10 to September 20, 2027, with scenic cruising at Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier on every voyage.
Celebrity Cruisetours
Celebrity sails from Seattle, Vancouver and Seward in 2027 on Celebrity Edge, Solstice and Summit, with optional cruisetours to Denali, Talkeetna and Anchorage.
Holland America Glacier Discovery
Holland America guarantees glacier viewing on every Alaska cruise. Its one-way sailings pair easily with Denali and the Yukon.
Before Your Cruise: Where I Stay in Vancouver
My favorite pre-cruise hotel in Vancouver is the Pan Pacific, mostly for how easy it makes sailing day. It sits right at Canada Place with direct access to the cruise terminal, so you’re steps from the ship with no taxi and no luggage shuffle.
The lounge is awesome, with great food and great views over the harbor. I also love walking around the waterfront the night before the cruise.
Pro tip: if you want the lounge, book a Pacific Club room. Plan to fly in the day before, too. Flights get delayed and the ship won’t wait.
Luxury and Small-Ship Alaska Cruises for 2027
If your focus is longer port days, getting closer to the scenery and fewer lines, a smaller ship is the way to go. You give up waterslides and rock walls. You gain a slower pace, more space per guest and more personal service.
Alaska and the Inside Passage
Viking Orion and Viking Venus sail between Vancouver and Seward in both directions, with about 930 guests and a veranda in every stateroom. Ports include Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point and Valdez, plus scenic cruising at Hubbard Glacier on the sailings I’ve checked.
Seven Seas Explorer
Sixteen 2027 voyages between Vancouver and Whittier with Hubbard Glacier scenic cruising. Shore excursions are included. Regent also offers rail-and-sail packages that add Rocky Mountaineer through the Canadian Rockies before your cruise.
Oceania Riviera
Seattle and Vancouver sailings that pair Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau and Skagway with smaller towns like Wrangell, Klawock and Haines. It’s the ship to pick if the food matters as much as the glaciers.
Celebrity Edge
Not quite luxury, but a polished option with an extended fourth Alaska season in 2027 and the Retreat suite class if you want a little more space and privacy.
Most of my Alaska clients choose Viking for the smaller ship and the service. If Glacier Bay is non-negotiable, though, check the itinerary first. Viking holds a Glacier Bay permit, but the sailings I’ve looked at feature Hubbard Glacier instead.
Big Ships With More Onboard
Ships with go-karts, waterslides and big production shows mostly sail roundtrip from Seattle. They’re too large for the narrowest parts of the Inside Passage, so they sail outside Vancouver Island. That means more time at sea and shorter port days, but plenty to do when you’re onboard.
For 2027, look at Norwegian Encore, Bliss and Joy, Princess’s new Star Princess and Celebrity Edge.
Alaska Cruise and Land Tours for 2027
A cruise shows you Alaska’s coast. A cruisetour adds the interior, with Denali, Fairbanks and the rail lines between them. The cruise line handles every transfer, lodge and train in between.
For a cruise and land package, I recommend Princess or Holland America. Both have been in Alaska for decades, own their own lodges and run their own rail cars, so the hand-offs are smooth.
Off the Beaten Path or Denali Explorer
Princess cruisetours can include up to four national parks: Glacier Bay, Denali, Kenai Fjords and Klondike Gold Rush in Skagway. Its lodges include Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, about a mile from the park entrance.
Denali and the Yukon
Holland America is the only cruise line that takes guests into the Yukon to Dawson City. Its 2027 cruisetours ride the glass-domed McKinley Explorer to a newly expanded Denali Lodge. Booking early can add a complimentary cruisetour dining package.
Add the Alaska Railroad After Your Cruise
If your cruise ends in Alaska, don’t head straight to the airport. The Alaska Railroad is one of the best add-ons you can book. It turns the trip to Anchorage into part of the vacation.
We spent time in Seward, took the Major Marine boat tour into Kenai Fjords, then rode the Coastal Classic up to Anchorage in GoldStar. The glass-dome car and the outdoor viewing platform made the ride feel like part of the vacation instead of a transfer.
| Train | Route | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Classic | Seward to Anchorage, along Turnagain Arm. GoldStar available. | Viking, Celebrity and other cruises that end in Seward |
| Glacier Discovery | Whittier to Anchorage. Adventure Class only, with no GoldStar on this route. | Princess, Norwegian, Regent and Holland America cruises that end in Whittier |
| Denali Star | Anchorage to Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks. GoldStar available. | Adding Denali on your own after the cruise |
GoldStar tickets include meals and soft drinks, plus a dome seat and the upper-level outdoor platform. Summer trains run daily from mid-May to mid-September. On a Princess or Holland America cruisetour, the train is built in and the cruise line runs its own domed rail cars to Denali.
Pro tip: if you’re on a northbound Viking sailing, you finish in Seward with this whole plan right there. Book the Kenai Fjords boat tour and your GoldStar seats as soon as you book the cruise, because summer dates fill up.
Alaska’s Glaciers: Where Each Cruise Goes
Every Alaska cruise includes at least one glacier, but which one depends on your cruise line and route. Weather decides how close the ship can get. That’s only known the day of.
Glacier Bay National Park
Only six cruise lines are authorized to enter Glacier Bay: Princess, Holland America, Norwegian, Seabourn, Cunard and Viking. No more than two cruise ships can go in on any day, so not every sailing on those lines includes it. Look for the words “Glacier Bay National Park” on the itinerary before you book.
You stay onboard all day while a park ranger narrates from the ship. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spending a full day sailing through it was a highlight of our trip.
| Glacier | What Makes It Special |
|---|---|
| Glacier Bay | A full day with multiple tidewater glaciers, snowy peaks and a ranger onboard. The classic Alaska cruise highlight. |
| Hubbard Glacier | Known for deep blue ice and dramatic calving. Viking, Regent and many one-way sailings feature it. |
| College Fjord | Prince William Sound, lined with glaciers named for East Coast colleges. Usually on one-way routes. |
| Tracy Arm Fjord | A narrow, steep-walled fjord ending at the Sawyer Glaciers. Generally open only to smaller ships. |
| Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier | Waterfalls and floating ice in a long fjord. A common substitute when Glacier Bay isn’t on the route. |
Packing for glacier days is its own art. Here’s my Alaska cruise packing list.
Top Alaska Cruise Ports
If a train ride is a must, pick a cruise that stops in Skagway. For totem poles, choose Ketchikan. For whales, sled dogs and Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau is the port.
| Port | Why Go |
|---|---|
| Juneau | Alaska’s capital and the port with the most to do: Mendenhall Glacier, whale watching and sled dogs. See my Juneau excursion ideas. |
| Skagway | Home of the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway into the mountains and a well-preserved Klondike Gold Rush town. Here’s how to choose a Skagway excursion. |
| Ketchikan | A rainforest town known for totem poles, salmon and Creek Street. My Ketchikan excursion guide has the details. |
| Icy Strait Point | A Native-owned port near Hoonah with whale watching, a gondola and the ZipRider zipline. |
| Sitka | Russian history, Tlingit culture, the Fortress of the Bear and the Alaska Raptor Center. |
| Valdez | A smaller port on Prince William Sound with big mountain views, on Viking’s 2027 route. |
My Picks for the Best Alaska Cruises in 2027
Best overall: Princess Voyage of the Glaciers, northbound
Glacier Bay and College Fjord on two glacier days, the smoother Inside Passage route and an easy Denali add-on from Whittier. Get a balcony for this one. See sailings
Best luxury: Viking Alaska and the Inside Passage
Ten nights, a small ship, Valdez and Hubbard Glacier, then Seward for the Kenai Fjords boat tour and the Coastal Classic in GoldStar to Anchorage. Start with a night at the Pan Pacific in Vancouver. Explore the voyage
Best cruise and land: Princess or Holland America cruisetour
In 2027, buses run the whole Denali Park Road for the first time since 2021. Pair it with a Glacier Bay cruise and you’ve seen the best of both. See the Off the Beaten Path tour
Best from Seattle: Royal Princess on a Saturday
Domestic flights, a roundtrip and still a full day in Glacier Bay. Bring your passport, since Seattle roundtrips usually stop in Victoria, B.C.
Alaska Cruise Questions for 2027
What is the best Alaska cruise for 2027?
It depends on what matters most. For Glacier Bay National Park, Princess and Holland America have the most sailings. Princess plans 85 Glacier Bay calls in 2027. For a smaller, more inclusive luxury ship, Viking, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania all sail Alaska in 2027. Travelers who want Denali should look at a Princess or Holland America cruisetour.
Which cruise lines go to Glacier Bay National Park in 2027?
The National Park Service authorizes six cruise lines to enter Glacier Bay: Princess, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Seabourn, Cunard and Viking. No more than two cruise ships can enter the park per day, so not every sailing on these lines includes it. Travelers should confirm the words Glacier Bay National Park appear on their itinerary.
Is the Denali Park Road open in 2027?
Yes. The Pretty Rocks Bridge was completed in 2026. Bus service is planned to return along the full Denali Park Road to Kantishna for the 2027 summer season for the first time since 2021. The Eielson Visitor Center is expected to stay closed in 2027. Bus and campground reservations for 2027 open December 1, 2026, at ReserveDenali.com.
What is the best month for an Alaska cruise?
Peak season runs from mid-June through August, with the longest daylight and warmest weather. May and September sailings usually have fewer crowds and lower fares, with cooler temperatures and a better chance of rain.
How many days do you need for an Alaska cruise?
Most Alaska cruises are seven nights. Viking’s Alaska and the Inside Passage voyage is 10 nights. Cruisetours that add Denali or the Yukon run about 9 to 17 days.
Is a roundtrip or one-way Alaska cruise better?
Roundtrip cruises from Seattle or Vancouver are easier for flights. One-way cruises between Vancouver and Seward or Whittier usually spend more time in the Inside Passage, reach glaciers farther north like College Fjord and Hubbard Glacier and make it easy to add Denali or Anchorage after the cruise.
Can you add an Alaska train ride to a cruise?
Yes. The Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic connects Seward and Anchorage, the Glacier Discovery connects Whittier and Anchorage and the Denali Star runs from Anchorage to Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks. GoldStar Service with glass-dome cars and included meals is available on the Coastal Classic and Denali Star. Princess and Holland America cruisetours include rail travel to Denali.
Which luxury cruise lines sail to Alaska in 2027?
Viking sails 10-night voyages between Vancouver and Seward on Viking Orion and Viking Venus. Regent Seven Seas Cruises sails seven-night voyages between Vancouver and Whittier on Seven Seas Explorer. Oceania Cruises sails seven- to 11-day voyages from Seattle and Vancouver on Oceania Riviera. Seabourn and Cunard also hold Glacier Bay permits.
Do I need a balcony on an Alaska cruise?
A balcony is not required, but it is worth it on glacier days and for wildlife spotting from your cabin. On Viking and Regent, every stateroom or suite has a veranda. Travelers who skip a balcony can watch from the outdoor decks and observation lounges.
Want Help Choosing Your Alaska Cruise?
Tell me how you like to travel and I’ll narrow 2027 down to the two or three sailings that fit, then handle the cabin, the land add-ons and every transfer in between.
Let’s Chat Join My Facebook GroupWhich Alaska cruise are you looking at for 2027? Tell me in the comments.
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