Round-Trip Alaska Cruises From Seattle: Everything You Need to Know

On round-trip cruises from Seattle to Alaska, you’ll spend seven days visiting ports like Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway and sailing through the stunning Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier and the Inside Passage in Alaska, as well as Victoria, British Columbia, before returning to Seattle.

Read: Best Alaska Cruise Itineraries

Ketchikan

Sailing north along the lower Inside Passage, you’ll reach Ketchikan, your first port of call on a round-trip Alaska cruise from Seattle. Here, you’ll be introduced to the culture of the Tlingit, native Alaskans whose expressive totem carvings tell stories of their history and traditions.

Ketchikan is the salmon capital of the world, and you’ll have multiple opportunities to experience why that’s true. Shore excursions will take you to the best things to do in Ketchikan, ranging from fishing expeditions to hatchery tours and the popular all-you-can-eat salmon bakes.

See blue and sperm whales, humpbacks, and orca on an Alaskan whale-watching cruise.

Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier

Cruise through Endicott Arm Fjord, where you’ll be awestruck by the ice-blue and stark-white beauty of floating icebergs, with waterfalls and wildlife all around.

Keep your eyes peeled for brown bears on the shore, harbor seals in the water, and bald eagles soaring overhead. When your ship sails close to the 600-foot tall Dawes Glacier, one of the best glaciers in Alaska, you’ll get eye-popping views of active calving (ice chunks shearing away from the glacier) as your ship makes a complete turn for optimum viewing.

Juneau

Arriving in Juneau, Alaska’s capital, the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier dominates the landscape. See it up close on the ground at the superb visitor center, in the air on a helicopter tour, or explore its crevasses from atop the glacier.

See how dogsled pups are trained and ride a dogsled through a wilderness forest. Foodies will enjoy a culinary tour that showcases Alaska’s delicious food and those who catch it, grow it, and sell it, led by one of our onboard chefs.

Skagway

When you stop in Skagway, Alaska’s Klondike Gold Rush history is front and center. Learn all about the gold rush and its cultural and historical significance by riding the restored White Pass & Yukon Railroad that traces the steep, mountainous White Pass trail of the 1896 gold rush.

See the beauty and wonder of the Tongass National Forest, the nation’s largest national forest, on wildlife tours, wilderness hikes, and bike tours through the Tongass temperate rainforest.

Inside Passage

Inside Passage

Sailing the Inside Passage is a serenely beautiful experience as your ship glides between forested islands against a backdrop of craggy mountains and distant glaciers. Experiencing this pristine environment gives you a real sense of just how remote Alaska is; for miles, you’ll see just wilderness, with no sign of human intervention.

The Inside Passage is prime whale-watching territory, so keep your eyes peeled for pods of orca and the blow of humpbacks.

You can also spot bears here, foraging on the stony beaches. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, too. They’re relatively easy to see because of the white plumage on their heads.

Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria, British Columbia’s capital and your final port of call, is a charming and lively place to visit with lots to see and do. Explore Butchart Gardens, a jewel box of vivid floral displays and themed gardens.

One of the top things to do in Victoria is to tour the oldest Chinatown in Canada, stopping for dim sum and shopping for herbal remedies. For a historical and cultural perspective of Victoria and Western Canada, tour the Royal British Columbia Museum. While you’re in a British state of mind, stop for afternoon tea at the iconic Fairmont Hotel.

You’ll sail roundtrip from Alaska to Seattle on the award-winning Celebrity Edge, a ship that’s made for taking in all those spectacular views.

Sip hot chocolate on the Magic Carpet, cantilevered over the side of the ship with uninterrupted views of forests, glaciers, and mountains.

On warm days, enjoy lunch al fresco at the Rooftop Garden, breathing in the fresh air. Head for the Sunset Bar as you leave port and sip cocktails as you watch for whales and dolphins.

There are wonderful places from which to take in Alaska’s beauty on cooler days, too. Leafy Eden has floor-to-ceiling glass, while the Solarium is the place to lounge in tropical warmth as you glide between forested islands.

Choose an Edge stateroom with an Infinite Veranda and enjoy the sensation of being right at the water’s edge at the touch of a button.

Elevate your experience with The Retreat and you’ll enjoy a beautiful suite, an exclusive sun deck and pool, a luxurious lounge, and dining in the exquisite Luminae at The Retreat.

Celebrity offers round-trip cruises to Alaska from Seattle May through September. June through August are peak cruise times, and if you’re tied to a school schedule, this may be the best time to visit Alaska on a cruise. Cruising to Alaska during May or September offers fewer crowds and cooler weather.

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