The 8 Top Alaska Cruise Lines of 2024

Posted onAuthorChris Owen

A cruise vacation to Alaska is an incredible adventure that offers a profound experience. The natural beauty of the state, with its rugged wilderness, massive glaciers, and endless opportunities for wildlife viewing, is something that many travelers can only experience once in a lifetime. Additionally, cruise ships can reach remote parts of the state, including Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, which is one of the world’s most significant (and picturesque) marine and wildlife sanctuaries.

With the destination’s ever-growing popularity and an extended cruising season (some lines now travel to Alaska between April and October), more ships are heading north to the shores of The Great Land. With these expanded itineraries, there’s more than ever to consider when booking your Alaska cruise.

According to U.S. News, there are top cruise lines to consider across five categories like best options for families, luxury-seekers, and adventurers. To help develop a list of the top cruise lines sailing to Alaska, U.S. News consulted data provided by Cruiseline.com and our 2024 Best Cruise Lines rankings.

Now, let’s get up close with Holland America Line and Princess Cruises, our two favorite big ship options in Alaska:

Best Overall: Holland America Line and Princess Cruises

Holland America Line

Holland America Line's Westerdam in Glacier Bay, Alaska.

COURTESY OF HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

Alaska cruise ships: Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam, Zaandam
Departure cities (cruises and cruisetours): Anchorage, Fairbanks and Whittier, Alaska; Seattle; Vancouver, British Columbia
Starting from: $379 per person for seven-night Alaska Inside Passage cruise on May 1, 2024, or Sept. 22, 2024. Round-trip from Vancouver.

Holland America Line has been cruising through Alaska’s pristine glacial waters for over 75 years, which is longer than any other cruise line. Additionally, the line offers more voyages to Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve than its competitors. Seven-night round-trip sailings are available from Seattle or Vancouver, while cruisetours – Holland America Line’s sea and land-based packages – depart from several cities and extend each trip to nine to 18 days.

If you’re planning a first visit to Alaska, consider booking the 14-day Yukon + Denali cruisetour. This Alaska adventure includes a voyage aboard Koningsdam, plus a three-night stay at Holland America’s exclusive lodge in Denali National Park. While there, you’ll have the opportunity to see Alaska’s big five: moose, caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheep, and wolves. You can also book bucket list activities like flightseeing over Denali. If it’s a picture-perfect day, your pilot might even be able to land on the tallest mountain in North America, also known as “The Great One.” Other excursions include meeting dog mushers from the Iditarod, landing on the Yanert Glacier, heli-hiking, or embarking on a covered wagon adventure on the Alaska tundra. The Yukon Territory portion of this trip is exclusive to Holland America; while there, visit the mining town of Dawson City and learn about Northern Canada’s Klondike Gold Rush of August 1896.

Sailing Alaska with Holland America offers many benefits, including the Alaska Up Close program. This program provides guests with expert-led lectures and exciting excursions both on board and on shore. In terms of food, Holland America is the only cruise line that has obtained Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) certification. This means that guests can enjoy certified sustainable wild Alaska seafood on board, including Alaskan king crab legs and fresh salmon. Additionally, guests may access culinary excursions in collaboration with Food & Wine magazine, as well as special offerings such as Alaska salmon bakes.

Princess Cruises

View from the deck of a Princess Cruises ship in Alaska.

COURTESY OF PRINCESS CRUISES

Alaska cruise ships: Grand Princess, Sapphire Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Majestic Princess, Discovery Princess, Crown Princess
Departure cities (cruises and cruisetours): Seattle; Anchorage, Alaska; Vancouver, British Columbia; San Francisco; Fairbanks, Alaska
Starting from: $398 per person for seven-night cruise from Anchorage (Whittier, Alaska) to Vancouver on May 18, 2024.

Princess Cruises has a long history in Alaska, with more than 50 years of sailing to the Great Land. Cruise itineraries last between seven and 14 nights, and many visit the Inside Passage. Princess Cruises also owns and operates five wilderness lodges for guests of its cruisetours, plus exclusive “Direct to the Wilderness” rail service to those properties. The line’s wide selection of cruisetours includes independent adventures and off-the-beaten-path destinations, like Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, the largest national park in the U.S. For travelers seeking the highest level of service and the most time on land, the Connoisseur cruisetour is a good option, including up to 10 nights ashore following the seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise. The Connoisseur trip is hosted by a tour director and includes select sightseeing outings and most meals in the fare.

There are two new Princess cruisetours to consider for 2024. The 15-night National Parks Tour includes a seven-day cruise, visits to five national parks, scenic rail travel and a total of eight evenings across four Princess wilderness lodges. Meanwhile, the Katmai National Park Tour is a nine-day adventure that takes guests to the famed Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park & Preserve to see bears feasting on wild salmon in Alaska’s wilderness.

But What About Cunard?

Our fabulous summer 2023 experience on board Queen Elizabeth was one of the best and deserves a highly-placed mention before we move along. I’ll let our production from that stellar event speak for itself: