Wait, you’re telling me we shouldn’t cruise Alaska!? Yes, I sure am. This might be one of the top three debatable topics I’ve covered, along with whether you should visit Seward, Homer, or Valdez and why you should visit Alaska before you retire, but I feel like if you take an Alaska cruise you’re really missing out on so many things. Since I want you to get the most out of your Alaska travel experience, I’m going to try convince you to not take an Alaska cruise, or at least not yet!
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Why shouldn’t I take an Alaska cruise?
There are a variety of reasons I feel like you shouldn’t take an Alaska cruise, and I’ve picked the top five reasons to tell you about here.
Rushing
When you think of Alaska, do you think of the hustle and bustle? Nope, you sure don’t! But, that’s what you get with cruising. There’s a time you load up. There’s a time you disembark. There are scheduled excursions in between, and you get to do all of this with a ship and/or bus full of people. Now, to an extent, that doesn’t sound bad. Having a schedule is nice and having planned excursions is nice and having others to do them with is nice. Truly, I just don’t feel like that’s the best way to experience Alaska, though.
When we travel I like to try experience what it might be like to live in that place. Visit off the beaten places. Eat at more local establishments. Check out the neighborhoods. Meet the locals. Get a feel for the pace of the place. If that’s what you like to do too, cruising isn’t the way to go for you. Alaska isn’t rushed. Yes, there’s the normal hustle and bustle, and things do get crazy in the summertime trying to cram all the to-dos into just a few months, but usually the Alaskan pace is a just a bit more relaxed than other places.
Meeting Locals
As I just mention above, I think meeting locals is one of the more important experiences to have when visiting a new place. When you’re on a cruise, yes, you may meet locals while you’re in port, but more than likely you probably won’t meet too many in the places you’ll be visiting, and in the timeframe you’ll be doing your activities. I feel like this is important to note because local’s have the insider knowledge to give you the scoop on the best activities and areas, and many of us (like myself!) want you to love your visit to Alaska so we’d love to help you find the best ways to enjoy it!
Just two days ago I met a group of people while we we were out on a day trip to Cooper Landing. They had some questions about Soldotna, where I live, so we got to chat a bit. It was so fun, and I hope interactions like that leave a good impression of Alaskans for visitors because I’d like to think we truly are a kind a welcoming state. I feel like if you spend most of your trip on a ship or a bus you’re missing out on that friendly, hometown element of the 49th state.
Scenery
What are you looking at when you’re on an Alaska cruise? Beautiful blue water, tree lined shores, epic glaciers? Yes! The coast of Alaska is incredibly beautiful, and you definitely shouldn’t leave visiting Southeast Alaska out of your travel plans. Those views are such a perk of cruising, but you can also see some of the coast on a day cruise. By taking a cruise, unless you’re doing a bus tour as well, you’re missing out on the variety Alaska has to offer. Now, there’s no way you can see all the variety of scenery, but by solely seeing the coast you’re missing out on the tundra views, the majestic mountains of the interior, and much more. “Variety is the spice of life”, so add a little spice to your travels and check out some different regions of Alaska during your trip.
Time
I do understand you’re not stranded on the boat or a tour bus the whole time, but a cruise is a cruise, and to cruise you need to spend some time getting from place to place. But, are you spending too much time traveling, and not experiencing the places you’ll be stopping at? I think you are. You can’t really get the feel for a place in just the time it takes to check out souvenir stores, enjoy a local restaurant, and go on an excursion.
Now, I know I just said to check out different areas of Alaska, so what you just read seems a little contradictory. Do you take a cruise and try see half a dozen places, but only see them for a short time, or do you want to visit a few different places, but really be able to experience those places? The choice is yours, but I recommend picking two or three places (depending on the length of your trip) in different areas so you can see more variety and enjoy your time in each place. For example, if you have a week to travel, check out Denali National Park to see the Interior, and then head to Seward or Valdez to visit the coast.
Touristy
Maybe this is just from the outside looking in since I haven’t taken an Alaska cruise myself, but I feel like cruises and tours are very touristy. Looking up the word “touristy”, one definition suggested its meaning as lacking authenticity, and I guess that’s what I’m getting at here. Between the rushed nature of it, all the planned out activities, lack of spontaneous adventures and conversations with locals, it just feels like you’re getting a very watered down version of what Alaska really is, and you’re missing out on the real adventure of Alaska.
What should I do instead of taking a cruise?
So now that I’ve maybe convinced you to not take a cruise, how should you travel through Alaska? Here are some options for you.
Camping and RVing
Rent a camper, RV, or tent it out and go camping! It’s a great way to really experience Alaska’s natural beauty, meet locals who are out camping in the midnight sun, and you can travel at your own pace. This method of travel is convenient because, unless you’re tent camping, you don’t have to pack up everything whenever you head to your next destination, which gives you more time to enjoy Alaska. Also, you can do some of your own cooking to save a bit of money, and if you RV you won’t need to worry about how far the next restroom is!
Road Trip and Lodging
Find a hotel, lodge, or Airbnb, stay awhile, and then explore a new area. Travel just like you would anywhere else, except just do it in the Last Frontier. This option allows you to have more time to explore an area, you won’t be as rushed, and you can check out more local activities and adventures. There are so many great local options as far as lodges and Airbnbs go, and in bigger cities and towns you’ll find many hotels, too. Just don’t make the mistake of booking too late.
When should I take a cruise?
If your options are to do a cruise or not to visit Alaska, just take the cruise. If you can, though, try add some time on a tour bus to your trip package so you can see more of Alaska. Seeing some of Alaska will always be better than seeing none of it! And if it’s your second trip to Alaska, a cruise might be a good option for you.
I still would recommend that you shouldn’t take an Alaska cruise, that you should try to hit the open road at your own pace and save cruising for a second trip to Alaska, but I understand if that doesn’t work for you. Who knows, maybe I’ll end up taking an Alaska cruise someday, too!
If you have questions about visiting Alaska, feel free to leave a comment below, sign up for the Everyday Alaska newsletter, or send me an email. You can also join the Everyday Alaska Travel Tips, Information, and Advice group, and/or our New to Alaska Tips, Information, and Advice group to ask any questions you may have. I’m happy to help you get the most out of your time in our beautiful Last Frontier, and I hope you enjoy Alaska as much as we do!
