From just six days to more than two weeks, Lindblad has a unique mix of itineraries, including stops like Juneau, Ketchikan, Glacier Bay, Alert Bay, Haida Gwai, Katmai, Kodiak and Lindblad's signature stop in the Inian Islands, where wildlife is rich. Learn more and book the White Pass Train tour for your Skagway port date! Im Tamaraand Im an obsessive travel planner who incorporates unique cultural experiences, fun outdoor adventures, local foods, and boutique accommodations into each of our trips. If we could have help with which ship caters more to kids/teens we could easily pick the best itinerary within that particular cruise line. Learn more and book the Whale Watching tour for your Juneau port date! Daniel first saw Alaska at age nine, after a weeks-long drive up the Alaska highway in a weathered RV. Guests with Wi-Fi Packages will receive instructions for Wi-Fi access in their staterooms on the first day of the cruise. 3. From selecting a ship and embarkation port to reserving the best shore excursions, there's a lot to know before your cruise begins. The 6 Best Kid-Friendly Shore Excursions and Alaska Family Tours Since we had the longest time in port in Skagway, we really wanted to use that time to get into the interior of Alaska and see some of its raw beauty. It doesnt get much better in terms of the family-friendly shore tours Skagway has to offer: The Sled Dog Adventure and Mushers Camp Tour, besides being a one-of-a-kind means of exploring the stunning Alaskan outdoors, provides guests of all ages with an exciting glimpse into Alaskan culture and tradition! If you are considering (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Kids will enjoy holding the pups, while parents can meet their handlers. Its two-level go-cart track is a hit with families and a chance to test your driving skills against a family member in a friendly competition. Misty Fjord features a hull modeled after Alaskan commercial fishing boats, while Kruzof Explorer is a converted Bering Sea crab fishing vessel. The best Alaska cruises for every type of traveler Based on our experience and the advice of a few of my trusted fellow family travel bloggers, Ive put together a list of the best family-friendly Alaska cruise excursions and grouped them below by Alaska cruise ports to help you narrow down the wealth of choices. So, youll want to avoid these lines with young children. You can also learn tips on capturing amazing images of Alaskas landscape from photographers Daryl Pederson, Kim Heacox, and Mark Kelly. If you are adventurous, you may even have branched out and booked some excursions direct with outfitters in port. Unlike the massive ships that ply the waters of the Gulf of Alaska and Inside Passage, small Alaska cruises can dock in isolated bays and fjords or picture-perfect small towns far from the crowded tourist trail. Many cruise lines travel through the Inside Passage, but if you really want to get the best views, instead of a shore excursion, consider small ship cruising. Related: Small Ship vs. Big Cruise in Alaska: Which Is Right for You? I then share these custom-crafted itineraries to make travel planning easier for you! $3,695 USD Avg Per Person. The Treehouse caters to kids 3 to 7, The Lodge 8 to 12, and 13 to 17-year-olds have a group called The Beach House. Truly a perfect day in Denali National Park. With a covered area at the ships bow, you can enjoy the Alaskan landscape regardless of the weather. Our boys had a great time dressing up in a mushers jacket and huge mittens and standing behind a sled, imagining what it must be like in winter for these intrepid racers. The larger, newer National Geographic Quest( added in 2016) and National Geographic Venture (launched in 2018) carry 100 passengers apiece. Wildlife tours are available in every port. Weve, Planning your Alaska excursions for the short time you have in each port can be overwhelming. Purpose-built for expedition cruising, Quest and Venture were designed with special touches including a shallow draft and state-of-the-art twin expedition craft landing platforms for getting out into the water for even closer encounters. Its SeaPlex is an innovative indoor space with multi-purpose use. Be active? Be sure to leave yourself a little leeway on the timing. Later, having helped the canine athletes complete their training circuit, youll have time to tour the racers glacier base before climbing back aboard your chopper. We saw marine life including seals and eagles, but unfortunately couldnt make it close enough to see the Mendenhall Glacier through the fog as they sometimes can. Larger cities like Ketchikan, Skagway and Haines, as well as Thorne Bay, Kasaan, Wrangell, Gustavus and Glacier Bay will feature on Alaska Dream Cruises itineraries. Next to the surf simulator, RipCord by iFly allows guests to try skydiving in a wind tunnel. Fairbanks. Keep those binoculars handy; you might see one fish, two fish, red fish, or blue fish during your cruise! Small Ship Cruising has many advantages,but the best advantage is getting places and staying where not many people ever get to visit. It would be our first cruise ever do you think 10 days is too much? anywhere. There are no traditional port calls on these cruises; your time is almost entirely spent on the water, with stops for hiking, wildlife-viewing and from-land fishing. Although several variations exist on Juneau whale watching tours, the standard 3-hour outing tends to be especially friendly for young guests, as it doesnt entail the additional stops that can make for a long day with toddlers. The activities such as scavenger hunts, sports tournaments, and fun parties are created for the age group. Families can explore tide pools and borrow Discovery Pack backpacks that included buckets, digging tools and magnifying glasses. They will recount their thrilling and often dangerous jobs of trying to catch king crabs in the Bering Sea. Related: Alaska Cruises: Everything You Need to Know for a Perfect Bucket-list Adventure. Top 7 of the Best Alaskan Cruises for Families It was an amazing excursion and even left us time to get a lunch of crab legs back in town before heading back to the ship. While we had many memorable experiences throughout our magical two weeks, meeting the hard-working dogs and adorable puppies melted our hearts and stayed in our memories more than any other. On board, you'll find . Upstairs in the SeaPlex, the fun continues with Foosball, ping pong, air hockey, and Xbox games. Alaska cruise experts share their intel on how to pick the best Alaska cruise. Since my husband has wanted to go on a float plane since watching Fantasy Island as a kid, we knew a float plane excursion had to be on our list. Part of what makes Juneau whale watching excursions such effective Alaska family tours is that whale sightings are not just likely, but guaranteed, so your little ones will without a doubt return to shore with special memories! The line has traditionally drawn an older crowd more interested in ports than adventure, and its Alaska sailings are heavy on narrated boat, coach and walking tours. With sustainability front and center, expeditions are focused on local culture, regional cuisine and nature. It ended up raining hard when we arrived so we were really thankful for their raincoats, kayak skirt (to cover the opening), and boots, as ours werent as waterproof as we thought! The Best Alaskan Cruise for Families - Price - Amaysing Alaskan Cruises Whats more, with the Helicopter Dogsled Extra Landing variation, you wont be heading back to Juneau just yet. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. We enjoyed walking the one-mile loop Totem Trail through the temperate rain forest. Majestic Princess. Children of all ages are welcome on the Hovercraft Eco Adventure. On the Celebrity cruise, for example, we learned that the fifth Edge-class ship -- known internally . 4. Since many children have grown up with a love of Mickey and all his friends, its no wonder a cruise on a Disney vessel is a bucket list adventure. If you can narrow down the top experiences you want to have, then you can figure out how to prioritize and fit them in. Each night Captain found a small inlet to tuck into and the course may change day-by-day based on the 24 passengers desires, another one of the great advantages of small ship cruising. But, dont overlook a lazy day hike in the rainforest. But no matter where you cruise from, there are cruise ships to suit an entire family, depending on your budget and age group of children. Guests with Wi-Fi Packages will receive instructions for Wi-Fi access in their staterooms on the first day of the cruise. Toddlers and grown-ups alike will melt at seeing these future champions while hearing tales of glory and survival from seasoned Iditarod mushers! A nice feature for which most lines charge an additional cost. If you have older kids, allowing them to be part of the planning can add to the excitement. Also, a couple of the "independent" tours last 3 hours on the water instead of the usual 2 hrs. Alaska cruise guide: Best itineraries, planning tips and things to do People getting off the ship those two days won't have the chance to book that particular tour. The train was late so I was very glad we booked through the ship and I knew the boat would be waiting for us. We3Travel is a registered trademark of Red Giant Media LLC. The only downside (besides the weather) was that they were all tandem kayaks so you may get paired with someone that you have trouble synching up with. At just under 3 hours in length, this activity is a perfect match for folks excited to see stunning Yukon Territory but apprehensive about a lengthy day of travel. For example, on our flight plane/bear-watching excursion, we had to wait to return because of the weather. This program is included with the cruise, but also has a charge of $7.00/hour after 10 pm. Relatively short, budget-friendly, and exhilarating, Juneau whale watching tours are a perfect option for families looking to see stunning Alaskan mammals firsthand! 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. .css-18jw8gc{-webkit-appearance:none;-moz-appearance:none;-ms-appearance:none;appearance:none;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;-webkit-user-select:none;-moz-user-select:none;-ms-user-select:none;user-select:none;position:relative;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:middle;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;line-height:1.2;border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-md);transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-normal);height:auto;min-width:var(--chakra-sizes-10);font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);background:none;border:0;color:black;display:inline;margin:0px;padding:0!important;font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-Roboto);font-weight:500;padding-top:0.625rem;padding-bottom:0.625rem;-webkit-padding-start:1rem;padding-inline-start:1rem;-webkit-padding-end:1rem;padding-inline-end:1rem;}.css-18jw8gc:focus-visible,.css-18jw8gc[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-18jw8gc:disabled,.css-18jw8gc[disabled],.css-18jw8gc[aria-disabled=true],.css-18jw8gc[data-disabled]{opacity:0.4;cursor:not-allowed;box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-none);}.css-18jw8gc:active,.css-18jw8gc[data-active]{border:var(--chakra-borders-none);background:none;}.css-18jw8gc:hover,.css-18jw8gc[data-hover]{border:var(--chakra-borders-none);background:none;}.css-18jw8gc:focus,.css-18jw8gc[data-focus]{border:var(--chakra-borders-none);outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-none);}Cookie Consent, Small Ships in Alaska: A Guide to Cruising Off the Beaten Path (Photo: Lindblad Expeditions), Expedition ship in Alaska (Photo: Lindblad Expeditions), American Constellation (Photo: American Cruise Lines), Top deck of American Queen Voyages' Ocean Victory (Photo/Peter Szyszka), Small Ships in Alaska: A Guide to Cruising Off the Beaten Path, Alaska Cruises: Everything You Need to Know for a Perfect Bucket-list Adventure, 6 Things You Need to Know About Alaska Cruise Tours, The Best Time to Cruise Alaska Month by Month.