Table Of Content
Some activities, like kayaking, whale watching, and ziplining, tend to be easier with a shore excursion than without, as all equipment, lifejackets, transportation, etc. is provided for you. Others, like hiking, visiting museums, and trying Alaska’s cuisine can easily be done without a pre-booked excursion. In fact, some passengers prefer to explore on their own to have maximum freedom over activities, dining, and travel pace. While excursions are an “easy” option due to the fact that all logistics are handled by the tour operator instead of yourself, they can be a bit too limiting for some travelers.
Cheap and free things to do in Juneau
Tour packages are numbered and lettered with “A” for Cruisetours that occur after the cruise or “B” for tours that occur before the cruise. If you're interested in the Midnight Sun, the longest day of the year is June 21, when you can experience close to 20 or more hours of sunlight in some parts of the state. If you're more interested in the Alaska Northern Lights, the earlier sunset in later summer will allow more contrast and better views of this natural wonder. Planes are plentiful in Alaska, where they're a common form of transportation across the state.
Hone your photography skills prior to sailing
Royal Caribbean almost always announces new Alaska cruises in late November for the season to come in two years. Those cruising to Alaska in the peak of summer may find the weather surprisingly warm, making it comfortable to wear just a t-shirt during the day. Those cruising in the shoulder seasons, on the other hand, will want to make sure they have warm layers in case of inclement weather. Like any cruise ship, there may be a better ship choice for your family depending on what you are looking to do and experience as part of your vacation. Most ships Royal Caribbean sends to Alaska offer plenty of indoor features, meaning the ship can be enjoyed in all types of weather. From each ship’s enclosed, temperature-controlled Solariums to the indoor pools on Quantum Class ships, guests can enjoy their ship even in the chilliest of temperatures.
ALASKA’S GOLDEN HEART CITY
You should allocate around an hour to visit the building, as it features museum exhibits and offers a guided tour. We recommend visiting in the early morning to sign up for a time slot, as there’s no guarantee a walk-in will be accepted. If you visit both sites with the shuttle bus, the cost is $50 per adult, which is cheaper than any shore excursion offered. This area is the top of the Mount Roberts tramway, which takes guests from downtown Juneau up the mountainside on a cable car. At the museum visitors can enjoy exhibits on the region’s history, including information and artifacts from the Gold Rush era.
Which port has the train excursion? Is it handicap accessible?
Due to this, you might want to consider taking a Royal Caribbean shuttle or the train from Seward to Anchorage, which must be scheduled in advance. In addition to airfare, you’ll also want to figure out transportation logistics on land, which can vary from one embarkation city to another. More often than not, flight prices will increase significantly as your travel date approaches.
Deciding whether to start your cruise in Seattle, Vancouver, or Seward is one of the first decisions you make when planning an Alaska cruise. Learn about Tlingit culture on Chichagof Island with a visit to Icy Strait Point in Alaska. Seeing a whale emerge from the water right in front of you is a once-in-a-lifetime moment—and Alaska is home to eight different species you could spot. One must-do before you board an Alaska cruise in 2024 is to pre-purchase these add-ons.
THE UNTAMED BEAUTY OF DENALI
In Juneau, food tours have become popular; think King crab bisque and Alaska salmon. You should at least walk its main street (Broadway), with its wooden-board sidewalks. If you're a craft beer fan, like me, you also might want to sample a Spruce Tip Blonde Ale at the Skagway Brewing Company. In Juneau, for instance, you can get an outdoor experience with a relatively inexpensive trip to the nearby Mendenhall Glacier. The bus will set you back an astounding $45 per person, round-trip, which I find an intolerable gouge (but … it is what it is).
If you could, would you do a one-way sailing over a roundtrip cruise? It seems to give much more time exploring Alaska.
The 8 Best Alaska Cruises For Every Travel Style 2024 - Forbes
The 8 Best Alaska Cruises For Every Travel Style 2024.
Posted: Tue, 08 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Radiance Class ships have an indoor Solarium for adults, an indoor movie theater, and lounges with floor to ceiling windows looking toward the ocean. Quantum Class ships also have plenty of indoor areas, including an indoor pool for all ages, adults-only indoor Solarium, and indoor sports court. The vast majority of Royal Caribbean Alaska cruises are 7 nights, although you may occasionally find a 6 or 8-night itinerary.
Top 10 things to do in Juneau, Alaska
Conversely, when the sun is out, it can reach the upper 70s in northerly Fairbanks. June through August is considered the high season in Alaska, and Alaska shines during this period, with endless hours of daylight due to the midnight sun. Still, the shoulder season has its advantages, beyond fewer crowds and lower prices. And don't be too disappointed if you never see the mountain, as only 30 percent of the park's visitors are lucky enough to glimpse it. Each and every possible destination on an Alaskan land tour is unique, so be sure to choose wisely.
A helpful tip when looking for a shore excursion is to filter by “Activity Level” on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner website. This can be helpful to ensure an excursion fits within the fitness capabilities of yourself or your group. In the warmer months, consider a Bike and Brew tour in Juneau, where you will bike along a series of trails through the Mendenhall Valley and Tongass National Forest with a visit to Mendenhall Glacier. And, just as the name implies, these bike tours end with a stop at a brewery in downtown Juneau.
Once a boomtown during the gold rush, Fairbanks today remains a destination for adventure seekers, as the gateway to Alaska’s northern wilds and some of its most isolated terrain. In the warmer months, the city’s riverfront areas are abuzz, thanks to promenades, outdoor dining, kayaking, canoeing and old-fashioned sternwheelers cruising by. This is the big city of the interior and the cultural hub for this sparsely populated region. The acclaimed Museum of the North showcases Alaska’s geological, natural and cultural history through fascinating exhibits that include Blue Babe, the 36,000-year-old mummy of a steppe bison. A cruise to Alaska is less about the activities offered on a specific ship and more about the destination. Royal Caribbean takes very scenic routes through Alaska’s inside passage, meaning that a day “at sea” can also mean a day of sightseeing.
Search for shore excursions on websites like GetYourGuide.com and ShoreExcursionsGroup.com, and compare them to what you see on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner. If prices are lower, or if there’s availability on a tour that’s sold out on the Cruise Planner, there’s no harm in booking through a third party. Whether you’re confused about what to pack or overwhelmed with the dozens of shore excursion offerings, the planning process can quickly seem more stressful than enjoyable. Check out one of our round-trip Alaska cruise tours that depart from and arrive at an Alaskan port.
The Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway brings riders from 56 feet above sea level to 1,800 feet up Mount Roberts (about halfway up the mountain). Many cruisers have been able to board Alaska cruises despite having a DUI, however, provided they sail from Seattle and not Vancouver. Because the process can vary from person to person, we advise doing extra research on whether or not you will be able to board an Alaska cruise. While there’s no right or wrong direction to book for a one-way cruise, a southbound itinerary may be more relaxing. Southbound itineraries travel from Seward to Vancouver, meaning you can spend time in Alaska’s interior before the cruise begins.
No comments:
Post a Comment