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Alaska Small Ship Cruise Tours & Travel Packages 2025/2026
3 Alaska Small Ship Cruise trips. Compare tour itineraries from 3 tour companies. 3 reviews.
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Top Alaska Small Ship Cruise Attractions
- Viewing a breaching humpback whale from the ships
- Sampling fresh Alaska salmon during fancy dinner aboard your cruise ship
- Exploring the culture of Alaska’s native americans in Sitka
- Taking a stroll through Ketchikan, which is not accessible by car
- Spotting a bald eagle soaring through the skies
Alaska Small Ship Cruise Tours & Travel Guide
Alaska Small Ship Cruise Attractions & Landmarks Guide
An Alaska cruise is perfect for travelers who want a combination of comfort and convenience combined with lots of outdoor activity. Alaska cruises offer plenty of amazing opportunities for wildlife viewing and adventurous outings like hiking or zipline. The ports of call are also great for those seeking some cultural and historical ventures, to learn about Alaska's native population and unique place in exploration as the “Final Frontier”.
Common Ports of Call on an Alaska Small Ship Cruise
1. Anchorage
Many Alaska cruises depart from Anchorage, Alaska's largest city. If you can, try to arrive a day early and give yourself some time to explore before embarking! Perhaps plan a half day whale watching excursion or simply take a stroll through the vibrant downtown area where you can visit museums and art galleries to learn more about Alaska’s native heritage and culture.
2. Glacier Bay
Bundle up! Glacier Bay National Park is a standard stop on Alaska cruises. It’s here that you can observe walls of ice and floating icebergs and learn about how they’ve changed over the years. You’ll sail through picturesque and dramatic fjords and have many wildlife viewing opportunities: seals, seabirds, geese, porpoise, black bear, and many other sightings are possible!
3. Juneau
Alaska’s capital, this picturesque city is a fun stop for getting some cultural insight into Alaska’s history. Shopping and museums are popular activities, or you can elect for something a bit more extreme like a helicopter tour to the Juneau ice field or whitewater rafting near Mendenhall Glacier.
4. Ketchikan
This unique town is in fact only accessible via cruise or plane - there is no automobile accessibility in or out of Ketchikan. This is the place to be for diving into Alaska’s indiginous culture. There are more totem poles here than anywhere else in the world! Ketchikan is super compact, so it’s possible to see pretty much everything on foot and in a day. There’s lots of hiking nearby or you can enjoy a peaceful afternoon of shopping for local crafts and visiting galleries.
5. Sitka
The aesthetically pleasing city of Sitka is another popular port destination for Alaska cruises. For you history buffs, this is the place to be! There are numerous historical sites to visit in Sitka such as Castle Hill which has served many purposes but began as a stronghold for the Kiksadi clan, and Japonski Island - a WWII military headquarters for Sitka servicemen.
Popular Alaska Cruise Excursions and Activities
1. Wildlife Viewing
If there’s one thing Alaska is known for it’s the incredible wildlife viewing opportunities. Get ready to spot brown bears, whales, bald eagles, and maybe even a moose. If you start or end your Alaska vacation with a trip to Denali, you may also have a chance to see herds of Caribou depending on the time of year. See the top Alaska wildlife trips »
2. Fly Fishing - Get your waders ready! Fly fishing is an extremely popular activity in Alaska, and most cruises will offer a half day excursion to test your mettle with this patience-required elegant sport. Embrace the slow life and get into the Alaska wilderness spirit.
3. Historic walks - Besides the many outdoorsy and adventurous activities, there are many chances to dive deeper into Alaska's native cultures. Explore the meaning behind totem poles and other interesting facts about the indiginous people of Alaska. See all history-focused trips in Alaska »
4. Ziplining - If the chance to soar through Alaska's pristine forests and walk over canopy-high bridges sounds like your cup of tea, then you should definitely partake in a zipline excursion! The guides are great for pointing out wildlife!
5. Photography - Alaska’s landscapes are catnip for photography enthusiasts from the novice to professional level. Some excursions might involve working with a professional photographer to learn more about capturing the incredible beauty to be found in Alaska. You might also learn the best way to capture a fleeting moment like a whale breach or bald eagle flying in the distance. See all photography-focused trips in Alaska »
Best time to see Whales on an Alaskan Cruise
5 primary whale species can be spotted in Alaska throughout the year: Grey Whales, Beluga Whales, Humpback Whales, Blue Whales, and Orcas.
Here are the best times to see these incredible species in the wild:
1. Grey Whales - Visit in the Spring, between April & May for Grey Whales. Some of the best viewing areas can be found in Ketchikan, Sitka, Kodiak, and Seward.
2. Beluga Whales - If you’re in southern Alaska, Belugas can be spotted year round, near the Shelikof Strait. During spring and fall you can see them around the Cook Inlet.
3. Humpback Whales - Summer is the peak time for catching a glimpse of these gentle giants. In particular you should visit Alaska’s inside passage, which is an extremely popular cruise route, and where over 500 Humpbacks make their home.
4. Blue Whales - Late summer in the northern and eastern parts of the Gulf of Alaska is when and where to see Blue Whales. You’ll definitely want a cruise as opposed to a whale watching day trip for the best chance as they prefer the open water and are rarely seen near the shore.
5. Orcas - Pods of Orca’s are generally seen between early May to early June, it’s a short window, but you might also have a chance to see them between June and September. Seward Alaska is one of the best places to view Orca’s.
Alaska Small Ship Cruise Reviews
The Best Way to See the Inside Passage
We absolutely loved out 10 night cruise on the American Constellation, round trip out of Juneau, AK this summer. There were so many highlights - scenery, wildlife, ...
Unique way to experience Alaska
My 11-day cruise on the Constellation, American CruiseLine, was fabulous! Such a great experience. The small ship is the best way to really experience Alaska. I soun...
Stay Away - Class Action lawsuit for ripping off children
This greedy and unethical company is being sued for keeping money from school children and their parents after the company canceled trips due to Coronavirus. They ...
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