Glacier Bay is different from almost every other day on an Alaska cruise. There is no cruise terminal, excursion meeting point, or town to explore. The ship becomes the viewing platform for glaciers, mountains, wildlife, ranger commentary, and scenery that changes as the ship travels deeper into the national park. We have not sailed through…
Seattle can be one of the easiest cruise embarkation cities to enjoy before sailing, especially when your ship leaves from Pier 66. The terminal sits directly on the downtown waterfront, close to Pike Place Market, hotels, restaurants, and several of the city’s best-known attractions. The confusing part is that Seattle has two major cruise terminals,…
An Alaska cruise can look straightforward when you first start shopping: choose a ship, pick a week, and start counting down. Then the questions begin. Which month has the best weather? How cold will it feel on the ship? Do you need a balcony? How much should you budget for excursions? What should you pack…
The easy answer is that a balcony is the more convenient cabin for an Alaska cruise. The more useful answer is whether that convenience is worth $500, $1,000, $1,400, or whatever the actual upgrade costs for your sailing. We had a balcony on our first cruise, a May 2025 Norwegian Bliss sailing to Alaska. It…
Norwegian Cruise Line offers enough packages, promotional benefits, future-cruise credits, and onboard credits that the original cruise fare can quickly stop telling the full story. Free at Sea may cover drinks, specialty dining, Wi-Fi, and part of an excursion. Free at Sea Plus adds several premium benefits and prepaid daily service charges. CruiseFirst and CruiseNext…
An Alaska cruise itinerary can look simple when you first compare sailings. Most include some combination of coastal ports, scenic cruising, and days at sea. The differences become more important once you look beyond the port names. One cruise may visit Glacier Bay while another sails through Endicott Arm toward Dawes Glacier. One may begin…
Alaska is one of the easiest cruise destinations to overspend on before the ship ever leaves the first port. Whale watching, helicopter rides, glacier landings, dog sledding, scenic railways, floatplanes, fishing trips, wildlife tours, and “best of” packages can all sound like essential parts of the experience. When several excursions cost hundreds of dollars per…
Alaska is one of the best cruise destinations for wildlife, but that does not mean every sailing includes a perfectly timed whale breach, a bear catching a salmon, and a bald eagle posing beside the ship. Wildlife sightings are unpredictable. Some happen during a dedicated excursion. Others happen while the ship is entering port, sitting…
By the time this article goes live, we should be on our way to the airport for San Diego. This is one of those trips where packing is not just about clothes. It is a beach trip, a Hotel del Coronado trip, a July 4th weekend trip, and Melanie’s birthday weekend all wrapped together. We…
Updated July 2, 2026: We originally published this recap with Day 1, Day 2, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, and Day 7 from the May 3, 2026 Norwegian Encore Alaska sailing. We later added a Day 3 Juneau example from a different Encore Alaska sailing so readers could see what that missing day may…
