When Royal Caribbean was offering a nicely discounted cruise to Alaska, we took advantage of the opportunity. We decided on the Inside Passage itinerary, which departs from Vancouver, BC with the Serenade of The Seas:
Cruise Travel Tip: Call to see if there are options to upgrade your cabin when you're only a couple of weeks out. We initially booked an inside cabin, but upgraded to a balcony cabin for only $150 extra! I have to think if you're doing an Alaska cruise, then splurging on a balcony cabin is an easy upgrade decision.
Our Strategy for Points/Cash Savings: We stretched my American Airline points by redeeming flights one way from CMH to YVR, then one way flights back to CMH from SEA. By doing it this way, we saved over 50,000 points and $200 in airline taxes. We simply booked a ride from Vancouver to Seattle the day before our flight out, which was relatively inexpensive.
Haines was our favorite port stop - slightly over Juneau. We walked a mile to get to this beautiful, isolated location:
Day 6: Tracy Arm Fjord 7am to 8am, then cruising
Day 7: Day At Sea
Day 8: Return to Vancouver - 7am arrival
Closing Thoughts:
If you've never been to Alaska (like me before this trip), then I would highly recommend taking at least a 7-day cruise to see the beauty of our 49th state. If you have a larger budget and more leisure with your days, I'd try to plan for a 10+ day cruise to see more of the Northern areas of Alaska.
Through the years, I've discovered that I like both, relaxing and adventurous vacations. With this being a cruise, it was very nice not having to worry about additional food expenses by going out to eat, or preparing a meal. That being said, I prefer to explore (on my own terms) at the place we're vacationing. As great as the cruise was, it felt 7 days wasn't enough (especially with 2 days at sea) to really indulge in Alaska's landscape.
I'm super grateful to have this opportunity, so if you have it on your list, I would highly recommend.
