**Small Alaska ships are not impacted by the Canadian ban on cruises as they do not transit or have destinations in Canada.
Whether or not you are ready to travel, please enjoy this VIDEO and we hope you will plan to book with us for your small ship experience. Contact us for further information for your small ship Alaska Cruise!
At Alaska Cruises & Vacations, small ship cruising is our passion! We know that small ship cruises through the pristine waters and glacier carved islands of the Inside Passage will get you up close to what we think you are coming to Alaska to see, the real Alaska! Scenic wonders, marine wildlife, outdoor adventure all can be had from the comfort of your ship and give you more of an Alaska experience than just a trip!
Whether you are interested in wildlife viewing, family adventures, history and culture or just relaxing and soaking in the views, there are many great cruise lines with itineraries & activities to fit every need.
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These small ship cruises are operated by ships that can access the smaller bays and passages, inlets and coves that the large ships cannot. Most of the ships take less than 100 guests, are 150 ft or less in length and have a ‘draft’, which is the part that sits down under the water, that is far less than big ships so they are able to access these smaller areas.
These ships fall into two broad categories. The Adventure Class category is like a floating base camp, with all types of great off ship exploration like kayaking, hiking, shore exploration by smaller shore craft like Zodiacs, but perhaps with fewer creature comforts and usually smaller cabins. There is also a more upscale class that has upgraded linens, larger cabins, higher level of amenities as well but still all the same great wilderness exploration opportunities. Of course there are variations but those are the basics.
Alaska is huge. The Inside Passage is just a small part of the whole state yet still larger than many states and has more coastline than just about anywhere else! But some of the most amazing experiences are up close in tiny out of the way areas in this part of Alaska. Most of these gorgeous locations are sprinkled across the Inside Passage, hidden from the traditional larger ships. In a big ship not only will you cruise right past in a bigger ship, you won’t even know these areas are there. You want to come to Alaska for it’s grandeur, raw beauty and wildlife opportunities right? Why not actually get out WHERE you can really immerse yourself and SEE the Alaska you envision!
We’re glad you asked that. A small ship cruise is an all inclusive, highly immersive vacation wrapped up into one. We do point out that although a small ship cruise is generally more expensive than a large ship cruise, it is easily 10 times the experience. So if you are an experiential traveler and want an up close, personal Alaskan adventure, a small ship cruise will certainly blow you and your guests away immersing you in everything Alaska’s Inside Passage has to offer.
Small Ship cruise costs typically start in the $3500-4000 per person range for the 7 night itineraries in off-peak seasons of early spring and late fall. Peak season starts in the $4500 per person range all the way to the upper ranges for higher end luxury and longer trips at 10K or more. Don’t worry there are many great small ship cruise companies so there’s a ship and itinerary for every price, activity level and style. What’s your budget? $10,000, $15,000 ...or more! Let us know and we’ll put a package together for you!
First, here is what Christopher Elliott says to answer this question, as written in the May 14, 2020 edition of Forbes:“Travel is radically and almost unrecognizably different after the COVID-19 pandemic. That is why you need a travel advisor, say experts. A travel expert can handle any emergency that may arise when you're on the road — everything from a missed flight connection to a hotel that closes unexpectedly.”.
The number of Alaska small ship cruise lines and the different itineraries they offer are overwhelming, it’s a lot of research and very time consuming to wade through all the detail and make comparisons. Because Alaska Cruises & Vacations specializes in Alaska small ship cruises, we are more intrinsically familiar with these cruise lines and itineraries including the style of each. We’re confident that once we learn more about your Alaska small ship dream vacation, we can match the right cruise to meet your needs.
Great!! We can help! We’ll design a land package to compliment your cruise! Maybe go to Denali or flight see and land on a glacier! We can help you plan additional land adventures excursions throughout our great state. Just let us know what is of interest and we’ll do the rest!
Streamlined booking. Instead of filling out forms and booking everything independently, for every accommodation and excursion you might be considering, with Alaska Cruises Vacations we do most of this for you! Once we get to know you and together we develop your perfect plan, we take care of the rest!
Alaska Cruises & Vacations strives to make it easy to work with us. Answer a few quick questions and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible to get started!
