Visiting Alaska was on my bucket list for quite some time. I wanted to take an Alaskan Cruise once in my lifetime. I was lucky enough to do so in June 2019. I love cruising, so I thought visiting Alaska this way would be a great way to see some of the major tourist areas and it would satisfy me. I was so wrong!

7-nights was not enough. I was amazed at everything I did see and wanted more. I sailed with Disney Cruise Line and embarked from Vancouver. We visited the Dawes Glacier, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before returning to Vancouver.

Taking an Alaskan Cruise is a great way to get a taste of the beautiful state. Cruises normally sail from May to September each year. The best time to visit would be June through late August/early September. The best weather will be June – August and the best deals will be in May and September.

Daytime weather can range from the 60s-80s, but be prepared! Don’t just bring long pants and coats! During my trip, it was in the mid-80s most of the days!

If you want to visit Juneau, the capital of Alaska, it is important to note that you cannot drive there. You must take a ferry or plane. There are multiple ways to see this beautiful state while visiting. Trains, seaplanes, helicopters, ferries, boats, RVs, bush planes, cars and more will allow you to see all the beauty this state has to offer.

Juneau and Skagway offer many dog sledding adventures, as well as multiple gold panning and mining tours.

Skagway offered so many amazing excursions. The White Pass Railroad was an amazing way to learn about the Gold Rush, White Pass & Yukon Route; however, we found the Skagway Street Car tour to be a phenomenal way to learn more of the little known history of this great city with stops along the way at the best photo spots, including the Welcome to Alaska sign.

Ketchikan is another popular port and it s famous for it’s salmon and it’s also one of the most rainiest cities in America! So be sure to pack your raincoat when visiting.  Some of the popular tours and excursions here are their lumberjack show, wildlife viewings, and many fishing expeditions, including those you can cook your catch. Aside for salmon, there are many halibut tours, too.

Seeing a glacier up close is a magical experience. The cruise ships get as close as possible, but many ships also offer Glacier Exploration tours, where you board a smaller boat and tour the glaciers up close while coming up close with glistening icebergs.

Each port has areas to purchase souvenirs and other merchandise. We found Ketchikan to have the largest area to do this. 

I would have originally recommended Alaska for adults only trips; however, after visiting saw how much there actually was to do for my son who was 9. I was able to explain what we would see, but once he actually saw it, he couldn’t get enough and was constantly looking for wildlife.

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