During the past few years, interest in sailing to Alaska has soared. It’s not hard to see why.
Alaska is known at the “Last Frontier,” and like any frontier, it can be difficult to traverse. With a limited amount of roads and other transportation, the easiest way to get around the picturesque coastline is via boat or plane. Luckily, that’s also the best way to view the natural scenery.
And as word spreads about the beauty of taking an Alaskan cruise, more and more people are considering taking a trip.
The good news is that with increased interest in cruises to the region, cruise lines are sailing more ships. Today, there is a staggering amount of Alaskan cruises to choose from across every budget, cruise line, and itinerary.
If you’re looking for cheap Alaskan cruises, however, then you need to be prepared to shop around. Trips to this area are seasonal — sailing from April through October. Since there is only a limited window of time to cruise, prices are considerably higher than similar Caribbean cruises you might be familiar with. As well, prices change frequently.
Below, we highlight some of the cheapest 2024 Alaskan cruises. The prices for these trips start at just $249 per person. But before we get too far, here are some tips on how to find the most affordable trips to this region…
How to Find the Cheapest Alaskan Cruise Deals (Best Deals Below)
Sail Early in the Season
The Alaskan cruising season is short — usually only five months long, although some lines are extending that season. Running from April through October, your opportunities to sail are limited, although there are a number of ships sailing at any given time.
If you want to save the most, look for cruises that sail April/May. These trips early in the season are before the busier summer travel season. That means the pool of available passengers is smaller. In order to fill the ships, cruise lines slash prices. A cruise departing in May can be hundreds of dollars less than the same trip leaving in July.
Sail Late in the Season
Didn’t we just say to sail early in the season to save? Well, the same logic applies to sailing late. If you can wait until September/October, cruise fares to Alaska are much cheaper. With school back in session, the summer season largely over, and the bulk of the sailing season already past, you can find deals that are hundreds of dollars less than sailing just a few weeks earlier.
Sail One-Way or from Different Ports
Most cruises sail round-trip, departing ports like Vancouver or Seattle. But if you look around, you can find one-way trips or that that depart from one port and let passengers off in another (such as departing Vancouver and returning to Seattle or sailing from Seattle for seven days and ending in Alaska before another seven-day cruise home). Since these cruises are less convenient for most passengers, they tend to be cheaper.
Search an Aggregator Website
It only makes sense that if you go to a specific cruise line’s website to search for cruises, they will only show you their sailings. But every major cruise line sails Alaska. That’s why we suggest going to a site that searches across all cruise lines to search for deals.
Sites like AvoyaTravel.com or Orbitz allow you to search by cruise lines, destination, dates, and more to find the trip that matches your schedule and budget. Since the sites are the same, it’s not a huge difference which line you sail.
With all of these tips in mind, here are some of the cheapest Alaskan cruises for 2024. Note that prices may change depending on when you book.
Cheap 2024 Alaskan Cruises (One-Way/Alternate Ports)
As we mentioned above, cruises that are one-way journeys mean you will need to find transportation back from the endpoint of the cruise (usually with a return cruise). Still, you can save a ton. Below, we’ve listed some of the cheapest one-way Alaskan cruises we’ve found. Prices are based on the per-person cruise fare for an interior cabin.
7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver aboard Celebrity Summit (One-Way)
Date: May 10, 2024
Price: $349 per person
A one-way trip from Vancouver to Seward, Alaska, this trip starts at just $349 per person and leaves in early May. The cruise is aboard Celebrity Summit, making it ideal for those wanting a more luxurious experience than what you normally find on mass-market lines. It’s among the cheapest trips to Alaska you’ll find, and stops in Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, and more. The return trip starts at $377 per person. Combined, that’s about $750 in cruise fare for a two-week Alaskan trip. That’s not bad at all.
7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver aboard Norwegian Jewel (One-Way)
Date: April 29, 2024
Price: $399 per person
For 2024, we’re finding lots of low prices sailing from Vancouver — especially if you sail one-way (often the return voyage is also fairly inexpensive). In this case, Norwegian Jewel is heading from Vancouver to Seward on a week long trip. On the way there, it will visit Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard Glacier and Seward. So you get an entire tour of Alaska starting at just $399 per person. The return trip costs around the same amount.
7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver aboard Radiance of the Seas (One-Way)
Date: August 23, 2024
Price: $416 per person
Royal Caribbean is known for its large ships with lots to do. While Radiance of the Seas is a little older than others in the fleet, it still has a lot to offer for those days at sea.
On this cruise you’ll depart Vancouver on a 7-night trip to Seward. Along the way you’ll sail the Inside Passage, visit Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, Skagway, see Hubbard Glacier and end the cruise in Seward, Alaska. That’s essentially seeing all the major cruise ports starting at $416 per person.
From there you will need to book a southbound trip back to Vancouver (or fly home). That southbound let currently runs $368 and features stops in the same ports giving you more time to explore.
Cheap 2024 Alaskan Cruises (Round Trip)
While one-way cruises often offer the cheaper fares, for 2024 we’re finding more deals in round trip cruises, which are much more convenient for travelers. The following cruises are all round trip from a single port.
5-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver aboard Noordam
Date: April 30, 2024
Price: $249 per person
Technically, Holland America calls this a “Pacific Northwest” cruise. But it leaves Vancouver, sails through the Inside Passage to Ketchikan, Alaska, and then stops in Prince Rupert before making its way back to Vancouver. So you can get to say that you visited Alaska, but also do it on a low budget and for a trip that’s shorter than the traditional week-long itinerary. Consider that this price is cheaper than many budget trips to the Caribbean for just three days!
The trip departs early in the season as well, giving another reason why it’s among the cheapest deals your find to sail to the region.
9-Night Alaskan Cruise from Seattle aboard Norwegian Jewel
Date: October 10, 2024
Price: $499 per person
Sailing late (or early) in the season is a great way to find cheap Alaska deals. So is sailing an older ship. In this case, the two come together for a nine-night cruise to the state that starts at less than $500 per person.
This trip aboard Norwegian Jewel takes you from Seattle to Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria before returning home. That also gives you two extra days to explore Alaska compared to a typical cruise, yet the price is something that won’t break the bank. Cruising Alaska for just $55 per day is nearly unheard of.
6-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver aboard Brilliance of the Seas
Date: May 6, 2024
Price: $458 per person
Royal Caribbean fans have plenty of options for the season with four different ships sailing to Alaska. However, prices can soar, with some trips on the newest ships and at peak season starting around $900 per person. This cruise, however, is much less expensive.
On the six-night cruise you’ll sail from Vancouver and sail up the Inside Passage. From there, it’s the capital city (Juneau), Skagway, and the Tracy Arm Fjord before returning back to Vancouver. It’s not that many days in port but if you’re wanting to see some dramatic landscapes and are a Royal Caribbean fan, this might be the trip for you.
7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver aboard Nieuw Amsterdam
Date: April 28, 2024
Price: $429 per person
Holland America offers a number of deals, especially if sailing from Vancouver. This particular sailing departs British Columbia and sails up to Juneau where you can explore the Mendenhall Glacier. From there, it’s Skagway and the Endicott Arm, followed Ketchikan and then sailing back down the Inside Package to return to Canada.
This type of cruise is normally hundreds more during the peak of the season. Sail early, however, and you can go starting at $429 per person. One thing to note is that balcony cabins on this particular trip are considerably more expensive, starting at $929 per person.
7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Vancouver aboard Ruby Princess
Date: May 7, 2024
Price: $398 per person
When it comes to the least expensive week-long round trip cruise to Alaska, this is the cheapest we found. Set sail in May (before the more expensive summer peak) and you can visit the “Last Frontier” for under $400 per person before taxes and fees.
Just because this cruise is a deal doesn’t mean you’ll miss anything. It will visit Juneau and Skagway, followed by scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park. The trip wraps up with a stop in Ketchikan, Alaska prior to returning to Vancouver.
Consider that at the peak of the season, this same cruise is $648 and you can see the deal you’re getting.
7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Seattle aboard Majestic Princess
Date: May 19, 2024
Price: $598 per person
If you notice, many of the cruises featured depart from Vancouver. But for many travelers, flying or driving into Seattle is much cheaper and convenient. So even if you pay a little more for the cruise, you’ll still come out ahead overall.
This trip is among the least expensive we could find for a round trip sailing from Seattle. Starting at about $600, it hits the highlights of Alaska cruises. This includes Ketchikan, Dawes Glacier, Juneau, and Skagway, along with a stop in Victoria, British Columbia before returning to Washington.
The same cruise runs nearly $800 during the peak of summer.
7-Night Alaskan Cruise from Seattle aboard Norwegian Bliss
Date: September 28, 2024
Price: $599 per person
One nice thing about sailing a large ship is that it offers a lot to see and do both inside and out. That can be great if your trip is to Alaska where days at sea can be breezy and cold. In this case, this trip sails on Norwegian Bliss, a ship in NCL’s Breakaway-Pluss class and built just a few years ago. That means you’ll get to sail a big ship with all the latest amenities as you hit all the highlights.
Ports of call on this trip include Alaska’s capital city Juneau, former gold mining town Skagway, and Ketchikan. It also visits Victoria, BC, which we think is one of the most underrated ports in the area. Prices for the cruise start at roughly $600 per person, but keep in mind that taxes and fees will increase the price significantly.
More on Sailing Alaska:
- The Best Cruise Lines for Sailing Alaska (2024)
- 44 Must-Have Alaskan Cruise Tips, Tricks, and Secrets
- 29 Must-Have Things to Pack for an Alaskan Cruise (11 You’d Never Think Of)
Is there a way I can be notified if a drinks pkg goes on sale for my upcoming cruise on the Westerdam from Sept 3 2024 Vancouver to October 24 Seattle ?
Thanks
Not that I know of.
Been on 6 Cruises on board the USS Nimitz and almost a Dozen Cruises with the Family.
Good Info in this Article about Alaskan Cruises.
Are there any repositional ships from Alaska to Miami?
We’re not sure of every ship, but if you search you will find some. For example, Norwegian Joy sails from Seattle on October 6, debarks in Los Angeles on October 11, and then sails on a 16-day trip from LA to Miami. For more, look at the ships sailing from Alaska and see what their schedules are in September and October (when the Alaskan season ends and the ships move on).