Travel Tips: Alaska Cruise

Travel Tips - Alaska Cruise (RTD) by swimwearlover featuring

My travel tips for a trip/cruise around Alaska.

-I would recommend flying in at least a day early to your cruise departure city. Flights can be cancelled or delayed, and that could cause you to miss your ship.

-Whatever city you will be departing from (mine was Seward, Alaska), search the reviews on google for the best restaurants and also any fun activities you might want to do. We flew in a day ahead of schedule, and visited the SeaLife Center, which was so much fun.

-Book early for the cruise. There are varying opinions on whether to book early, or late, but my parents always book a year or more in advance. If you wait until last minute, you may not get the room you want or in the location you want. However, you may find better prices if you wait until closer to the cruise date. Most of the good rooms will already be sold out though.

-Book a room with a balcony, if you can afford it. You can see whales or other marine life not to mention the spectacular views. Make sure to bring binoculars and a good camera to capture these moments.

-If you're in a hallway and unsure where the front of the boat is, look at the carpet. The fish are swimming towards the front of the boat. (I'm not sure if this is on all cruise lines).

-On my ship, reservations for any specialty (a-la-carte) restaurants book up soon. Make sure to reserve a reservation a couple of days in advance. The main dining rooms is always included in the price of your cruise, and generally do not need reservations.

-Bring a rain jacket or a poncho. In Alaska, it rains quite a bit, a good rain jacket can keep you dry while you go ashore. Hunter boots are a must too if you plan on going on excursions!

-Pack and dress in layers for your cruise. Even in  Summer, Alaska is still chilly. Make sure to bring comfy shoes, because there is a lot of walking and a rain jacket. It rains quite a bit, and you don't want rain to stop you from going in to port.

-Alaskan cruise ships don't have that many activities for families with kids. There is a youth center for teens and a children's center but beyond the pool ,there is not much entertainment for kids or teens.

-Excursions: This is one area you might want to splurge. Zip lining, dog sledding, hiking, helicopter tours, whale watching, scenic railway, or gold panning; the options are unlimited and more than likely you won't be returning to Alaska.

-Plan your trip in the summer months, if you don't want to freeze. It is still chilly though, so pack accordingly.

-Make sure to pack Dramine for sea-sickness.

-Bring a surge protector for all of your chargers and what not, because there aren't many outlets on board.

-Some key essentials for cruising in Alaska are: Passports; Driver's License; alarm clock (most rooms don't have these); gloves and hats, raincoat, medication for sea-sickness; hunter boots; lanyard (for around your neck); medical card; credit cards and money.