Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Disney Alaska cruise: 10 things to know before sailing north

disney alaska cruise

This is how you imagine stepping back in time would feel like. The Glacier Explorer Disney excursion will take you by catamaran to get you even closer to the glacier. Even though this is a stay on the ship day, there is an excursion that you can book if you want to get even closer to the glacier. This isn’t a port – it is an experience sailing around the Dawes Glacier at Endicott Arm. This is an amazing experience and is often the highlight of a Disney Alaskan cruise. To be able to get up close and see the amazing scenery is an experience not to be missed.

disney alaska cruise

featuring Skagway

Although it is nice to walk around the towns it doesn’t provide the Alaska experience most of us picture when planning. When completing online check-in you signed up for a port arrival time. This port arrival time window is when you complete the in-person check-in and then wait to board the ship.

Do cruise ships stop in Skagway?

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I’ve written elsewhere about why I book Disney trips with a travel advisor, but it’s worth adding specifically for cruises that it’s nice to have help booking excursions and onboard activities. As for picking your itinerary…I don’t want to get too into the weeds here because things like your personal schedule and pricing are going to be bigger factors than the specific itinerary. Basically, you want a balance of days at sea, ports that you’ll enjoy just walking around in, if you choose, and ports that offer excursions you want to do. If you have to see the Mendenhall Glacier, probably don’t pick an itinerary that skips Juneau, for example.

Icy Strait Point — Best Port Adventures

I’d do this in Skagway over the Mendenhall Glacier Dog Sledding because I found there to be more to do in Juneau than Skagway, and also no shortage of interesting ways to experience Mendenhall Glacier. For our Alaska cruise, we did the White Pass Scenic Railway at our first stop in Skagway. We were on the fence about this excursion prior to the cruise and decided to make a game-day decision based upon the weather. It was gorgeous when we arrived in Skagway, so we opted to buy tickets. You can purchase these directly from the White Pass & Yukon Route ticket agent at the train, which is maybe 100 yards from where the ship docks.

The earlier you book, the better chance that you get a lower rate. It is very rare that there are any late availability discounts on any Disney Alaska Cruises. This is subject to actually being able to access the glacier as for part of the cruise season it is too icy to actually pass close to Hubbard Glacier.

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On a return trip, we’d probably only stay two nights, though we think three or four is better for a first visit. As with booking activities, your online check-in day will vary based on Castaway Club status. The General Public Online Check-In date is 30 days before your cruise embarks. We’re Castaway Club Silver, so we were able to check in 33 days in advance.

Juneau is Alaska’s state capital — the only state capital which can’t be accessed by roadway (ship and planes only)! For cruisers, it’s home to one of the widest varieties of shore excursions in Alaska. Of course, you’ll find plenty of whale-watching opportunities here (though Icy Strait Point may be a better bet if your Disney Cruise itinerary travels there, too).

Disney Cruise Line Sense Spa and Salon Offerings

On our Disney Alaska Cruise we met Tiana, Belle, Ariel, and Cinderella in just a few minutes. We mostly explored Ketchikan on our own, visiting Creek Street, museums, and Salmon Ladder. However, we did opt for one super touristy excursion in Ketchikan, The Exclusive Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. The White Pass Railway runs along the same tracks used during the Gold Rush with incredible views of the Alaskan wilderness. Guests can sit inside the train car and watch through the large windows or stand on outside train platforms for an even more exciting experience. Glacier dog sledding via a helicopter is another excursion that sells out quickly despite the high price and risk of same-day cancellation due to weather.

Picking Our Alaska Excursions

Throughout our Disney Cruise there were characters everywhere. The Disney meet and greet limitations for the Disney Cruise Line had been recently lifted and we experienced a completely normal character meet and greet experience onboard our cruise. Many times throughout our trip I would be walking from one activity to the next and bump into a character just wandering. Multiple times I saw Thor wandering the hallways looking for someone to engage with.

There’s also a 10 minute walking path between Ocean Landing and Wilderness Landing. There’s also a store and a few small food / beverage options, though none were open when we were around. For lunch, I cobbled together options from some of the smaller quick service restaurants onboard. Besides Cabanas, there are three smaller quick service options, all on Deck 9. Our customary practice for travel nights, particularly on Disney trips, is to alternate who goes out and who stays with Zoe and does bedtime. As the cruise went on, we started letting Zoe stay up later and later, but one this first day—a long day with no nap—we had no interest in trying a late night.

I’m sure it’s something a travel advisor could help with, but honestly I think the variety is great enough that you should at least dedicate an evening to browsing everything to see what’s available. I recommend you start by filtering by “Ports of Call.” Make a list of ones you’re interested in each day and then start honing it into a schedule. Onboard activities can be some of the toughest things to mentally sort through when it comes to Disney cruises.

Today, it serves classic American dishes, has a fully stocked bar, and even has a brothel museum. Located on the corner of 2nd and Broadway, it’s just an 11-minute walk from the cruise port. For those with limited time or looking to explore further afield, shuttle services and taxis are available from the cruise port. As we will explore in greater detail, many cruise lines also partner with local excursion providers, including transportation to and from the port. Seabourn strives to offer a more tasteful Alaskan cruise and not only because it’s an ultra-luxury cruise line. There are some tourist stores, a couple of bars and a museum which is worth checking out.

Another convenient way to get from Vancouver International Airport to the cruise port is by taking the Canada Line Rapid Transit SkyTrain. The station is located between the international and domestic terminals. A covered walkway (with escalators and elevators) makes walking to the station easier, even with baggage. Disney Cruises to Alaska sail out of Vancouver, so Vancouver’s airports are the obvious choice for flights. But travelers with a bit of extra time — and a little wanderlust — might instead opt to fly into Seattle-Tacoma Airport (SEA) a day or two in advance of their cruise.

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