{"id":69966,"date":"2023-03-15T05:00:57","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T12:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/?p=69966"},"modified":"2023-11-28T17:55:39","modified_gmt":"2023-11-29T01:55:39","slug":"samantha-browns-tips-for-cruising-alaska","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/cruise-planning\/samantha-browns-tips-for-cruising-alaska\/","title":{"rendered":"Samantha Brown’s Tips for Cruising Alaska"},"content":{"rendered":"

We asked Samantha Brown, celebrated travel expert, what her tips would be for first-time cruisers to Alaska<\/a>. Here\u2019s what she had to say!<\/p>\n

Note: <\/em>Holland America Line<\/em><\/a> is a proud sponsor of \u201cPlaces to Love.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Cruising the Inside Passage of Alaska was one of the most incredible bucket-list adventures my family and I have experienced in my many years of travel. During our Holland America Line<\/a> cruise, we were able to learn more about Alaska\u2019s indigenous culture, see some truly jaw-dropping sites, and dine on the freshest sustainable seafood you could imagine. It\u2019s a trip we still remember fondly today. If you\u2019re planning to go, here are some of my top tips for cruising Alaska so your vacation can be as seamless as ours.<\/p>\n

Picking where to go<\/strong><\/h4>\n

As the largest state in the United States (it\u2019s over twice the size of Texas), there are a lot of potential routes you could cruise to Alaska. Holland America Line alone offers over a hundred different award-winning options that range from 7 days to 28 days. The best part is that they\u2019re all great for multiple generations so the whole family can come along to enjoy.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Travel<\/span><\/div>

For our 7-day Inside Passage Cruise<\/a>, we traveled with our kids and my in-laws. That\u2019s three different generations to cater to! Because of the way the cruise was designed, everyone could split up to do what they wanted to do, and we all met back to share our stories over dinner. For example, while my mother-in-law, daughter, and I boarded the Aleutian Ballad to learn more about crab fishing, my father-in-law, husband, and son joined Baranof Fishing Excursions to catch us some dinner. And when my in-laws wanted to relax a bit over some oysters and champagne, we took the kids for a cultural experience at Sealaska Heritage.<\/p>\n

Even on the ship itself, Holland America Line has the Kids Club<\/a> for ages 3-17 and is run by full-time, professional staff. They put on a ton of different activities for each age group.<\/p>\n

Packing for your cruise<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Though your Alaska cruise will likely be during warmer months, that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019ll always be warm out! We were there when it was unseasonably warm for July, but temperatures still dropped down to 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit. That means less swimsuits and flip flops and more layers and sneakers.<\/p>\n

With this in mind, you\u2019ll want to pack for two occasions:<\/p>\n

Outdoors<\/span>
\nMany of our excursions included getting outdoors both on land and on water. From dogsledding to whale watching, we always wanted to make sure we were comfortable. This meant wearing layers! I recommend packing a long-sleeved shirt, sweater and a lighter, waterproof jacket. If you tend to get cold, consider adding another layer.<\/p>\n

As far as footwear goes, we also made sure to pack sturdy, waterproof shoes meant for walking thousands of steps, and nice thick socks to keep our feet warm and dry.<\/p>\n

It can\u2019t hurt to have gloves, a hat and a scarf for extra warmth and protection against the wind.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Travel<\/span><\/div>

Indoors<\/span>
\nYou\u2019ll have a variety of dining options to choose from, and that can influence attire. Check out dinner dress tips<\/a> for more information. Just remember no shorts in the dining room during formal nights.<\/p>\n

Cruise Dining<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Speaking of dining, did you know Holland America Line has a team of world-class celebrity chefs? From steaks and seafood at Pinnacle Grill to French dishes at Rudi’s Sel De Mer, you will have plenty to choose from for specialty dining. And if burgers and fries are something you crave, you\u2019ll find those dishes onboard as well!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Travel<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Planning for Excursions<\/strong><\/h4>\n

I recommend booking excursions when booking your cruise, as popular ones like dogsledding are more likely to fill up fast. A personal cruise consultant<\/a> should be able to help you navigate what\u2019s available based on the ages of those in your group, the destination, and any safety concerns you may have.<\/p>\n

Also, check out their \u201cHave It All\u201d Premium Cruise Package<\/a>. This helps you maximize the cruise experience while saving some money at the same time.<\/p>\n

Choosing your room\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Cruise ships typically offer a variety of room options, and the most inexpensive options are any interior rooms that won\u2019t have any views. If there\u2019s one cruise you want to enjoy with a view, it\u2019s Alaska, so spend a little extra to upgrade your room. Contact a personal cruise consultant<\/a> to determine what offers may be available for upgrades.<\/p>\n

Download your cruise\u2019s app<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Most cruises have an app that makes the whole experience more seamless. Holland America Line has the Navigator<\/a> app which helps you access your digital boarding pass, make dining or shore excursion reservations, order food, plan your daily activities, chat with others onboard and more. \u00a0It really makes it easier having these options in the palm of your hands.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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I hope these tips for cruising Alaska help you as you prepare for your own cruise. If you have any questions or any tips to add, comment below!<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Travel<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1984,"featured_media":69973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,4197],"tags":[4232,4193,2368],"class_list":["post-69966","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cruise-planning","category-preparations","tag-alaska","tag-travel-insight","tag-travel-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1984"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69966"}],"version-history":[{"count":38,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69966\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70011,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69966\/revisions\/70011"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/69973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}