From Sea to Shore: How We Planned the Ultimate Alaska Cruise

Have you ever been on a cruise? If not, do you have any desire to go on a cruise? My friend, Chloe is super-platinum status on her cruise line as she is relatively close to the port where it departs and arrives. Going on a cruise is a treat with others doing the driving, cooking, cleaning, all while happily serving you.

My husband, Scott has a big birthday this year (December) and has always wanted to go on an Alaskan cruise. He’s been there before, fishing with his father and our son, but the lure of a cruise has been on his bucket list. A perfect surprise birthday present and an opportunity for a family vacation.

With adult children who have job responsibilities and life commitments, it’s challenging to get everyone together for a full week out of state. I start planning this trip nearly a year in advance, all the while wondering if this will even become reality. Fortunately, by giving our children and their significant others enough notice, the trip planning is a go.

Picking a Cruise Line

Researching the right cruise line for your needs is an important first step. I started the search for a cruise company that would cater to our needs~clean and adequate accommodations, educational and intriguing excursions, a strong reputation in safety, customer service and amenities. No drunken booze cruises for us. I narrow the cruise lines selection to Seaborn and Celebrity. US News lists Celebrity Edge as the #1 Best Cruises to Alaska.

Covering the expenses for 8 of us to travel, Seabourn, though lovely, is cost prohibitive. After consulting with a cruise specialist from Our Vacation Center by Marriott, he reinforces the positive reputation of Celebrity Cruise line and their Alaska offerings.

We did not travel on the Celebrity Edge, a larger, more modern ship. Our ship, Celebrity Summit, while smaller and part of the older Millennium class, has undergone significant renovations to offer a more contemporary experience.

Determining a Date

Since there are multiple choices on length of cruise, different ports, and departure dates, I pick the 7-Night Southbound Glacier itinerary, beginning in Seward, Alaska and ending up in Vancouver, Canada.

Alaska cruises only run during the summer months, starting at the end of May. Since I wanted a cruise while most schools are still in session, our departure date is May 28. An added benefit is the slight discount when traveling early in the summer season.

Selecting a Cabin Class

Full disclosure, I do not like small, tight spaces. At all. The travel agent listened to my concerns about claustrophobia. A small port hole window in a tiny cabin with little light or view, would not work for me. Below the waterline? No thank you.

The travel agent suggests we upgrade to the Aqua Sky Suites, which includes:

• Spacious veranda
• Floor-to-ceiling sliding-glass doors
• King-size bed with Cashmere mattress and upgraded bedding
• Pillow Menu and bathrobes
• Plentiful storage space
• Spacious sitting area with sofa
• A Welcome bottle of bubbly
• Premium Wi-Fi package

In addition, this class of service includes:

• Dedicated butler Service to assist with everything from packing and unpacking, making spa appointments, dining reservations and shore excursions.
• Dedicated experts to help you make the most of your time ashore
• Suite-to-car escort to private journey excursions
• Premium bath and body products
• Priority departure and embarkation at most destinations
• Reserved theatre seatings
• Complimentary beach towel service, shoeshine, umbrellas and binoculars
• Complimentary fitness classes
• Unlimited Premium Drink Package
• Complimentary minibar stocked with soda, beer and water daily
• Full in-suite breakfast, lunch, dinner service, and daily delights
• Afternoon tea event hosted in The Retreat Lounge

Making Payments

A percentage of the total cruise cost is required in order to secure a reservation and select your cabin. Since I reserved 4 rooms almost a year in advance, it was not without some trepidation. As we know, a lot can happen in a year, especially with 8 travelers. But I put the charges on a credit card that has limited insurance and worst case, if we had to cancel, refunds are allowed with enough notice.

In February, about 3.5 months before our departure date, the balance of the payment is due. It was at this time, I purchased extra travel insurance. You can obtain insurance coverage through the cruise line, but the cost is based on a percentage of the total cruise payment. I determined I could research insurance and purchase a separate policy to cover the total cost of the trip, as a lesser rate. It is worth spending the time to understand coverage, costs and how to file a claim, if necessary.

Getting There

Orchestrating the travel plans for 8 people traveling from Chicago, Austin, and Phoenix to Anchorage, Alaska is small feat. The goal is to have everyone arrive around the same time. Unfortunately, flight delays occurred for us, delaying our arrival by 3 hours~making it a late night for half our group.

With a quick overnight at the Marriott Anchorage hotel, we all board an early morning train, the Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic to Seward, Alaska, where we will board the ship. Listed as one of the most scenic train rides, we spot moose, eagles, and other wildlife during the visually attractive 5 hour journey.

This is a very well-run operation, providing food and beverage and a dining car for the 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 trip. With an early start time, we are happy to have a delicious breakfast in the dining car.

Boarding the Ship

I am always amazed on how efficient and effective cruise ships handle their approximate 2200 customers. Our luggage is whisked away and is waiting outside our rooms. With complimentary bubbly in each of our suites, we quickly unpack and meet up in one of our rooms to celebrate the beginning of our trip.

Surprisingly we all have the same suite class, but my daughter, Julianna and her boyfriend, Dalton’s room is spectacular. Much larger than ours with an impressive large deck, this becomes the new family meeting place!

Leave it to the children to discover all the amenities ~ especially the outdoor jacuzzi on the upper deck where they gather as we start our first evening at sea.

I am very happy with the spacious feeling of our room. Beautiful views materialize outside the sliding doors as the ship navigates through fjords. My fear of tight spaces quickly vanishes.

Dining Options

One of the benefits of upgrading our suite class is the option to dine whenever we want. Of course, if we did want to line up at the buffet, we could, however, we have our own smaller dining room, Luminae, which serves 3 meals a day with no reservations. Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Boulud creates delicious dishes each day.

During the day, our family did their own thing and we would meet up at dinner and share our stories then. Food and wine choices are excellent and our server (had the same person throughout the trip) is very attentive and fun. The attire in the restaurant is smart casual, except on the “chic” nights, where a more formal attire is encouraged.

We also enjoy the small spa cafe dining option, which was handy after our morning workouts. There you can get a healthy smoothie, avocado toast, fresh fruit and any coffee drink.

OnBoard Activities

As you can imagine, there is a plethora of activities to do on the ship. I took advantage of the spa and had a much need massage (well, actually 2 massages~a splurge!). The work out facilities and amenities are first-class with state of the art machines and a variety of classes (pilates, yoga, stretch, spin). From the rooftop deck to the various lounges and shops, there is something for everyone.

We did attend a theatre performance one evening which rivals any professional productions. They even have a silent disco where you wear headphones! We did a ship tour filled with interesting information as to how they handle trash, laundry, meals, and how navigation and security are handled for over 2000 passengers and 1000 crew members.

Shore Excursions

Every family member is responsible for selecting and funding their own shore excursions, from biking down the Klondike Highway to taking a vintage train ride and panning for gold. Collectively we did choose one excursion to do together, Canoeing to Mendenhall Glacier. The fitness level is listed as “strenuous” but my son convinces me that this designation was based on the average cruise customer and not a realistic assessment.

I envision my husband and I in a small canoe rowing at a leisurely pace, surrounded by my children in their own canoes. Wrong. This is a very large (and heavy) canoe that holds 12 people.

Adding the rubber boots, rubber pants, jackets, and a life vest the tour company provides, we are feeling a bit bulky. Unfortunately, the 2 couples who make our 8 into 12 are not able- bodied, nor did they like to paddle. The bulk of the rowing is left to our family unit, hauling the dead weight of the other four adults for a 6 mile rowing trip (3 miles out and 3 miles back)…..The return trip to the shore involves paddling in the pouring rain, which my Elisabeth loves.

When we got to the glacier, our guides suggest, since we are a healthy group, that we hike to the top of the mountain for a better look at the glacier. Sigh. Normally, they view the glacier from the shore. But we make the climb up treacherous, shale-strewn paths in our rubber boots.

The good news is that we do get some fabulous pictures! And yes, the excursion is definitely strenuous. Many of us had sore muscles the next day. Fortunately, Scott and I did not fall into the category of slackers and held our own.

An Extra Special Birthday Present

As a pre-birthday surprise, I did book a helicopter tour for just Scott and I to visit a dog-sledding training camp on the top of a glacier. What an interesting trip as we learned about the historic Iditarod, an annual long distance dog-sled race that is over 1,000 miles in length.

This training camp is set up for 3 months in a remote area on top of a glacier. Before finalizing and setting up camp, they prod the 10 foot snow base to make sure they are not pitching tents over dangerous glacial fissures or crevasses.

This tour is filled with interesting information about the sledding equipment, the daily responsibility of the mushers during the 8 to 15 day race, the dog breed, how the dogs are selected, trained and fed, and then we observe a dog sledding team in action.

The highlight is meeting and holding husky puppies!

Exploring Alaskan towns

Meandering around the pretty Alaskan coastal towns of Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau, Icy Straits is such a treat. Did you know that Juneau, Alaska’s capital city can only be reached by sea or plane? There are no interior roads to this beautiful city.

My favorite is Ketchikan where we visit the Totem Bight State Historical Park, a local brewery and pizza place. The weather is picture-perfect on this day and we are able to capture some gorgeous photos.

Special Invitations

A few days into the trip, we receive invitations from the captain to join him for various social functions. Whether it is due to our class of service or the fact that we met the handsome Greek ship Captain (!) over coffee one morning, I do not know. Here we are enjoying cocktails on the ship’s helipad, compliments of the captain.

It is exciting to get a special invitation from the Captain slipped under your cabin door!

Final Destination: Vancouver, Canada

We arrive in Vancouver in the early morning hours and get to spend time there before our afternoon flights home to Phoenix.

Last time I was in Vancouver, it was during Elisabeth’s Spring break from college in 2020. We just managed to leave Canadian airspace when they closed the country’s border due to the pandemic. It was nice to visit some of the places again that we enjoyed back then, especially the Granville Island Public Market.

What I love about this trip

• There is something for everyone on the ship. Spa, work-out facility, art auctions, afternoon tea, shopping, a martini bar, food choices galore, theatrical performances, long walks on the promenade, or just sitting in a comfortable chair staring at the water (or whale watching).

• Having our own individual suites provided privacy and space for us and our adult children so we didn’t feel on top of each other
• Selecting ship and shore excursions where we didn’t have to do everything as a family, removing any complaints or annoyances.

• How clean the air is in Alaska! Living in a Valley where we have air quality alerts, you forget what clean, fresh air is~I couldn’t take enough deep breaths.
• Stunning landscape of Alaska. Snow-capped mountains, majestic views and a deep reverence for the land.
• We had nearly perfect weather, ranging from cold temperatures to warm sunny days.
• Spacious bedroom, bath and deck with luxurious amenities
• The ship’s staff and crew are attentive, polite and spoiled us at every turn

Tips to Consider

• If you have any mileage programs, you may want to see if you can apply points to the cost of this trip. We have Marriott vacation club points that helped reduce the cost of one cabin, American Express and United Club points that defrayed the costs of some of the airline flights and hotel rooms. Every little bit helps.
• Plan for travel delays. It was disappointing our flight departing to Anchorage was late, but fortunately our leg from Phoenix to Portland arrived on time. Sitting for 3 hours in the Portland airport was less painful with the local wine bar/restaurant available.
• Book seats for the Alaska Railroad’s Coastal Classic train early (thank you, Benjamin for this information). There are only so many seats and this is the most convenient and enjoyable way to get from Anchorage to Seward.
• Taking the first cruise of the season works in our favor. We lucked out with good weather. It was chilly but not freezing and we had clear, warm days too. The buggy season had not started yet but we heard that can be really unpleasant.
• Double check your reservations for everything ahead of time, especially when traveling with a larger group.
• Even though the majority of our cruise is in the United States, mobile carriers have additional international cruise fees which can significantly increase your phone bill. Wish I knew this ahead of time.

I hope you enjoyed this overview of our cruise. If you have any more information to share, please do so in the comments below.