In the last few years, Alaskan cruises have become a popular way for people to visit Alaska and enjoy its natural beauty. The cruises provide a combined ability for travelers to enjoy the beauty of Alaskan lands and take part of many entertainment activities that are available on cruise ships.
The two most popular routes for Alaska cruises are the Vancouver roundtrip and Seattle roundtrip. Cruises with those two routes generally take 7 days and have various stop points in Alaska depending on cruise lines, ships, and itineraries. However, there are many other routes for Alaska cruises. Some of the other popular routes are San Francisco roundtrip, Whittier to Vancouver, Vancouver to Whittier, Seward to Vancouver, and Vancouver to Seward.
There are many cruise lines that offer Alaska cruises ranging from some of the biggest cruise lines in the world to small cruise companies with 1 or 2 ships that offer custom Alaska cruises. Princess Cruises and Holland America Cruise Line have the most comprehensive Alaskan cruise offerings. Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises are also fairly well represented in the Alaska cruise market.
Generally, Alaskan cruise season runs from May to September of each year. In other months, the weather in Alaska and surrounding region is too cold for a fun cruise vacation. Most of the rooms on cruise ships are usually booked by the end of March. Thus, the earlier one decides and buys a cruise, the more opportunities there would be for room choice. Also, travel agencies sometimes offer promotions or discounts for early birds.