Ready to go on an adventure? These 5 Tips for the Best Alaska Cruise will make sure you have a great Princess Alaska Cruise experience and enjoy everything Alaska has to offer!
This post is sponsored by Princess Cruises. All opinions and text are 100% my own.
This summer I was able to take the most amazing trip to Alaska with my husband Casey. I’ve done my fair share of traveling, but after our Princess Alaska Cruise, I will forever hold a special place in my heart for this northern wonder. The 7-Day Voyage of the Glaciers was everything we were hoping it would be and more. The views from the cruise ship were incredible, we were able to go on all kinds of different excursions and really get a feel for Alaska, and I left already planning the next time we could go back with the kids.
5 TIPS FOR THE BEST ALASKA CRUISE
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This was our first Alaska cruise and I learned a few things on our trip that I feel are must know items for anyone heading out on their first Princess Alaska Cruise. These 5 easy tips will help maximize your experience and let you really enjoy yourself in the moment and while reflecting on memories you made while in Alaska.
Tips for the Best Alaska Cruise
#1 – Pack for all Weather
We had warm sunny days in the upper 60’s and we had cold rainy days. Layers are the key to staying comfortable. It was easy to tie a jacket around my waist in case I needed it later, which I usually did, or to build the layers up so I wasn’t easily chilled over the Gulf of Alaska.
We packed wool socks, leggings, jeans, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. We invested in a warm raincoat from North Face. They are on the pricey side but worth it. The coat is so thin but super warm and waterproof. Don’t forget your gloves too! I usually run colder than Casey and my hands always get chilly. Gloves were a lifesaver!
Since I knew we were going to be having dinner on the cruise ship and cocktailing it up with friends, I made sure to bring my DIY travel jewelry roll for a little sparkle. Packing for all weather means comfy cruise ship areas too!
My friend Jenn has a great list of specific things to pack for an Alaska Cruise if you want some more ideas.
Oh! Don’t forget to grab these printable travel tags for your luggage. You can customize them with fun backgrounds to make it easy to find your luggage.
#2 – Go with Friends!
I went on this Alaska cruise with my husband and a big group of other couples. We had time for both romantic one-on-one couple time, but we also had a blast being with friends.
We had the best time in the lounge every night with everyone enjoying cocktails and chatting. Next time I think we’re going to bring a game like Cards Against Humanity or Watch Ya Mouth too. They’re fun group games and everyone will laugh their butts off.
It was also nice knowing we’d have some friends along with us on the excursions so we could snap couples pictures for each other or ooooh and aaaah together.
#3 – Book a Balcony Room
It’s amazing to wake up and sit on your balcony and watch the glaciers. The views are incredible on the entire cruise, and it’s an entire experience in itself. We had breakfast just about every morning on the balcony.
Princess Cruises also offers a champagne balcony breakfast. Make sure to schedule that for a day you’ll be viewing the glaciers from the ship. You won’t regret it!
#4 – Explore all there is to do on the ship
We went to the spa for a couples massage, we went to a fun show, and we were regulars at the lounge every night and it was great! There is so much to do!!
There were times we missed fun activities because we hadn’t looked at the schedule ahead of time. Every night Princess Cruises gives you a schedule for the following day. Check it out and make loose plans, but be sure to stay flexible!
We loved visiting the bridge of the Island Princess to see how everything worked and talk to the captain.
Then we were able to visit the kitchens and see the meals being prepared. The food on our cruise was fantastic and being able to execute gourmet meals on that level is mindboggling to me. The kitchen staff does such an amazing job and it really shows in the end result. Every meal, dessert, and food decor piece left us feeling like we were being served at a high-end restaurant.
It was incredible to see what it takes to run a cruise ship first hand.
#5 – Plan your Excursions
Try to pick activities that just scream Alaska. Whale watching, seaplanes, and glaciers seemed like activities we just had to do while in Alaska.
We loved going on a seaplane to see the Gulf of Alaska, glaciers, and the forests. It was incredible to see everything from a bird’s eye view.
Lunch at the Taku Lodge in Juneau was one of the best meals all trip. The king salmon was so fresh and we loaded our plates with sides too. A black bear even stopped by looking for lunch!
The waterfall hike was gorgeous. We love hiking at home and being out in nature. The journey to the falls wasn’t too hard of a hike and it was wonderful being able to spend the day outdoors with friends.
Bringing a Phone Gimbal is a must for your trip. It’s a device you pop your smartphone into and it keeps your phone steady while you record. I have the Smove and LOVE IT!
Trust me, you will be doing a lot of video from the cruise ship, tour boat, or airplane and it will look so great with this tool. Not bumpy or bouncy, just a nice smooth video that doesn’t make you seasick to watch it.
With these 5 Tips for the Best Alaska Cruise, you’re sure to have a trip you’ll never forget and come home feeling like you really got to experience all Alaska has to offer!
What are your favorite cruise tips or must see places in Alaska?
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Janice in Alaska says
August 14, 2018 at 9:01 amAs a resident of Alaska I would like to add this to your tips.
RESPECT Realize that what you see on your cruise/land tour is not put there just for you. The flora and fauna that you see is there 24/7 365. We speak English, no we don’t have pet polar bears or walruses. You don’t need to go to the nearest bank to exchange American money for the money we use. We don ‘t experience six months of darkness. We don’t l live in igloos. These are some of the stupid, yes STUPID questions we get asked year after year after year. Treat each place that you visit like you would have a visitor treat where you live. Realize that people such as myself call Alaska HOME.
BE AWARE The town where I live has had to employ crossing guards during the tourist season. In 2007 a tourist walked out of a building on the cruise ship dock, put their head down and walked straight into the path of a moving vehicle. That area was still being pressure washed the next day. Tourists seem to think it’s their right to cross the street where ever they want. Know that the bears, moose you might see are wild animals, not pets. Don’t attempt to walk up to them and pet them or take a selfie.
HOMEWORK Yes you are on a cruise to learn about Alaska, but doing a little homework before you go will make your trip all the better. Visit a town’s chamber of commerce website for instance, do a image search of the places you will be visiting. You will find that what Alaska is really like is different from what you might have heard or seen on those so called “reality” tv shows 🙂
Aubrey Cota says
August 14, 2018 at 6:40 pmThank you for sharing.
Gary Puntman says
February 22, 2019 at 8:30 amI would love to go on a Alaska cruise. I think that would be a unique vacation. It would be really fun to get a group of friends to go with me. It would make things even more entertaining, like you said.
Aubrey Cota says
February 27, 2019 at 9:53 amYou won’t regret it for just the views alone. The experience was terrific, and I’m always looking for excuses to go on another one.