Alaska Cruise Deals

Which Is the Best Alaskan Cruise?

A cruise can be the time of your life or a total nightmare. So how can you be sure you’ll have wonderful memories to share when you get back, and not a week of terrible food and a dirty pool?

Start by asking yourself what you really want out of your vacation. Do you want a calm, luxurious experience or an exciting party boat with something going on at all hours?

These tools will help you narrow down what you’re looking for in a cruise:

Bliss Filters

Cruisable’s “Bliss Filters” tools help line up your cruise priorities. Using sliding scales you can find the cruise line with the best food if you’re a foodie.

The best entertainment if you love concerts and comedians.

And even how social you want the environment to be. This is the perfect starting spot for travelers who’ve never been on a cruise and don’t know what to expect.

If you’re a veteran cruiser you know what a pain it can be to get stuck on a party cruise when you’re looking forward to a relaxing week or vice versa.

Dunhill Travel Deals

Another great resource for comparing more than just price, Dunhill brings up a huge list of cruise lines and highlights their best features.

You can see destinations, insurance availability, and even what excursions are available from each cruise line faster than you’ll get seasick sitting port side.

When you decide on your favorite cruise line Dunhill is ready and waiting with deals from the top third-party travel sites.

What Is the Best Month to Take an Alaskan Cruise?

August offers some of the best weather but it’s also peak cruise season. If you’re looking to avoid the crowds stick to the earlier and later months of the season.

July and August also come with lots of humidity and rain. May is the driest month of the season with only a 25% chance of rain.

Unfortunately, most of the Alaskan snow doesn’t begin to melt until late June, so if you plan on doing any hiking be sure to stay only on designated routes.

The last thing you want on your vacation is to get stuck in an icy crevice waiting for help. But if you’re a fan of wildlife and bird watching, the earlier the better when it comes to Alaskan cruise deals.

The trees won’t have all their foliage until the summer, so spotting moose and other wildlife are much easier.

Peak Season

While you can find the best Alaska cruise deals towards the beginning and end of the season, please don’t let that discourage you from visiting during the summer.

Yes, the ship will be at maximum capacity, but the sights of summer in Alaska are well worth the crowds and higher prices.

Also Read: When is the Best Time to Cruise Alaska?

You can still find some great deals on summer cruises, but even a discounted ticket will most likely be more expensive than the upper end of ticket prices for May and September.

By using one of the tools listed above, Dunhill Travel Deals offers cruise tickets as low as $449 for May, but the cheapest ticket on the site for the month of August is almost double at $844.

So what makes Alaska in the summer worth it? Glad you asked.

Hiking and exploring nature get easier and safer the less snow there is. Mt. Marathon holds their annual race to the top of the mountain where thousands of visitors from all over the planet come to make the intense ascent.

The race takes runners 3,000 ft straight towards the sky. The ascent is covered in less than a mile, making it an intense 3-mile round trip.

If working out on vacation isn’t your thing, don’t worry. Alaska has some of the best small plane and helicopter tours in the world.

You can fly over Mt. Denali, the highest peak in North America and be back down at the ship in time for a fresh king salmon dinner.

What Is the Average Cost of an Alaskan Cruise?

Alaskan cruises can start as low as $430 per person on up to $6,000 or more depending on the cruise line, time of year, and room.

This doesn’t include the cost of hotels while traveling to and from the ship. If you’re leaving from Seattle, one of the most popular starting ports, the average price for a hotel room in the city is between $179-$261 per night depending on the time of year. And a hotel in Anchorage will run you about the same.

If you have a one-way cruise ticket and plan on heading back via flight from Alaska, you can expect to spend at least $470 on a plane ticket back to the west coast. East coast travelers should expect to spend at least $600 on their ticket home.

Are you planning extra excursions while the boat is docked? Is it an all-inclusive plan or will you need to remember to bring your wallet to the bar with you?

These are the questions you need to ask on top of all the given costs like hotels and airfare.

So let’s talk budget first. If the price is your main concern, don’t worry. You can still land a spot on an awesome cruise.

Room Location

Exterior rooms and balcony rooms go for a premium, but if you think an interior room might tickle your claustrophobia, it may be worth the extra cash.

But keep in mind the lower the room, the less you’ll feel the boat moving. This is important if you’re prone to seasickness.

And while balcony rooms are almost always bigger, most of the added square footage comes from the veranda. The actual room isn’t going to be a whole lot bigger.

The amenities are pretty much the same too. Rooms are almost always set up for two, with two twin beds that can be pushed together to make a queen.

Most bathrooms will only have a shower since having bathtubs in every room would put too much strain on the ship’s desalination system.

“How Can I Save Money on Alaskan Cruise Costs?”

You can shave costs off your vacation without having to sacrifice quality. One way to do this is by letting travel agents fight for your business.

Work with a Travel Agent

If you’ve worked with a travel agent before you’re wondering how hiring someone to plan your vacation could possibly save you money.

But Cruise Compete does just that. You anonymously submit your desired cruise and hundreds of travel agents will begin competing for your business.

You can compare quotes and there’s zero obligation to buy — travel agents won’t even have your personal information until you give it to them, so your inbox won’t get flooded with travel agents begging for your business.

Save Pocket Money Effortlessly

Still need to save a little more cash before splurging on a cruise? No problem. Digit is an app you can install right on your phone and start saving money without having to think about it. How?

Their software analyzes your spending habits and only stashes money away when you can afford to. But why use an app like digit instead of just putting the money in a separate account?

Digit doesn’t have any minimums or maximums when it comes to your savings. If you had a few rainy days this month and don’t have anything left for your cruise fund Digit won’t take anything out.

It’s an easy way to save a little extra spending money for port days and excursions.

Airfare

Don’t forget to budget for airfare if you don’t live by a popular Alaskan cruise port. Unless you live in Seattle, Vancouver, or Anchorage you’re going to have to fly to get to your ship.

Remember that the cruise is the real destination. A red-eye flight on a budget airline might not be your idea of a vacation getaway, but it’s just a small portion of your trip.

Seattle is one of the cheapest options for cruise ships to set sail from. Sometimes the lowest price airplane tickets are only available through the airline’s website, so don’t just check the usual discount sites.

Use Port Days for Spa Treatments

Planning on a few deep-tissue massages while you’re at sea? You might want to plan your spa time around port days.

Cruise ship spas charge extra for the convenience of not having to leave the ship. But you can get the same if not better treatment on the mainland.

You May Not Need to Tip

We’re not advocating for stiffing your bartender on a tip. Most cruise ships automatically add a tip on to your bill.

If you’re using a credit card there will still be a place to add a tip like on a traditional bill, but check to make sure the venue hasn’t already added a tip for you.

Take Advantage of Alcohol and Dining Packages

We all know drinks at the bar can add up fast. So can eating out for every meal. That’s why major cruise lines offer alcohol and dining packages that cover most, if not all restaurants and bars on board.

We took a look at three popular cruise lines’ meal and alcohol packages:

Most Expensive: Norwegian Cruise Line $89 for three meals, $100/day unlimited alcohol
Least Expensive: Holland America $50 for three meals, no unlimited package
Mid-Range: Royal Caribbean $75 for three meals, $55/day unlimited alcohol

Holland America is the only cruise line that doesn’t provide an unlimited alcohol option, but they still give you a chance to save money. Their fountain drink card is only $25 for $50 worth of beverages.

You can always splurge on for-fee restaurants on the ship and there will be plenty of food and alcohol to choose from on port days as well.

Does Your Fantasy Cruise Line Offer a Payment Option?

Cruise lines know they’re a luxury buy for most customers. It’s why most of them offer payment plans to make it even easier for you to book your room.

Most of these plans will require a deposit of a few hundred dollars to reserve your spot while you continue to pay for your ticket.

For reference, Royal Caribbean’s “Uplift” program requires a $500 deposit for cruises lasting 6-9 nights. You can make payments on your own schedule as long as the bill is paid off in total no less than 75 days before departure.

How long Is an Alaskan cruise?

Too short! Make sure to plan extra time for traveling to and from the ship and any extra activities you plan on doing on land.

Most cruises last 1-2 weeks. If you live in a port town and want to get away for a few days look into a 4-day cruise.

Longer cruises can last a month or more, making them best for retirees with plenty of spending money for food and drinks while at sea.

Related: What to Pack for an Alaska Cruise (More Than 50 Items!)

Find Alaska Cruise Deals Now!

You can see the port from your balcony. Has it really been 2 weeks already? Between the chef-prepared meals, endless entertainment, and sliding down a pitch black water slide the time flew by.

But there’s no denying you had the time of your life. The shows, food, and excursions were all well worth the time and money.

You’ve spent months, maybe even years saving for this trip. But that doesn’t mean you have to blow the whole budget by paying the sticker price.

You can put the money we’ll save you towards extra activities and dining. So why spend more than you have to? Head to our deals page now and find Alaska cruise deals now!