Why a Small Ship Cruise in Alaska Should Be Your Next Trip

In Alaska, trade a megaship for something more intimate.

A Summary

• Small ship cruises are the most immersive way to see Alaska from the water
• Reasons to sail range from up-close wildlife encounters to access into waterways off-limits to larger vessels
• Small ship cruise itineraries give you the option to explore many different parts of Alaska from the Inside Passage to more far-flung destinations

Cruising is undoubtedly one of the best ways to visit Alaska. From your position down on the water, you're embedded in the intimate atmosphere of vast fjords, surrounded by mountains and traveling towards glaciers. And small ship cruises in Alaska only heighten it all, adding in a touch of adventure while they're at it.

Credit: Visit Anchorage / Ashley Heimbigner

Small Ship Cruises vs Major Cruise Lines

Small ship cruises vs major cruise lines largely come down to what you're looking for out of your vacation. If you're looking for extensive onboard amenities, then major cruise lines are unbeatable. However, if you're looking for a more adventurous trip where you'll explore Alaska more deeply, small ship cruises are undoubtedly the best option.

Major cruise ships have bigger pools, onboard theaters, multiple dining options, and all manner of additional experiences in the ship itself. But, at a cost, they have bigger crowds, less itinerary flexibility, and a smaller scope of where they can physically visit. In Alaska, that runs headfirst into the issue that many of the state's most beautiful places were never built for 1,000-foot ships or 4,000 passengers at once. If you're looking for scenic cruising with an emphasis on floating resort-style care, this isn't a problem.

Credit: Uncruise

Small ships, on the other hand, excel at wilderness experiences. That means incredible wildlife watching, active adventures launched from the ship itself, a relaxed atmosphere and a dynamic itinerary — if coastal brown bears come wandering past, or humpback whales choose to breach alongside the ship, you'll have the flexibility to stop to watch.

If you're traveling up a fjord to visit a hidden glacier, there's a much higher chance of the vessel fitting through small gaps (and uncovering lesser-known marvels as a result) and pulling up close to the glacier itself. And, once you reach the quiet head of a fjord, you'll be able to launch kayaks, paddleboards, and skiffs right from the ship to explore further.

So, for a small ship cruise, Alaska is unbeatable with all its narrow, wildlife-rich channels and opportunities for adventure.

Top 5 Reasons to Take a Small Ship Cruise in Alaska

Cruising Alaska on a small ship is a wonderfully different experience from the one most people picture when they imagine a cruise.

If you’re looking for Alaska vacation ideas, these are the five reasons to choose a small ship for your next Alaska vacation.

Credit: Uncruise

5. The Intimate Onboard Experience

With so few guests aboard, a small ship cruise feels less like a standard cruise and more like a sailing adventure. Over your time onboard, you'll get to know your crew and your fellow passengers well. And, joined by a common love of an authentic Alaska experience, guests often become friends by the end of their voyage. Dining is typically a single seating taken together in a single dining room. And with only two or two and a half passengers to each staff member, you'll get an incredible quality of care the entire time.

Compare that to other cruise lines where you'll share the ship with several thousand strangers. Not only are the onboard experiences less intimate, the sights you see also become less intimate by default. On a small ship, you won't be fighting for a spot at the railing when whales surface.

Credit: Uncruise

4. Up-Close Wildlife Encounters

Small ship itineraries are more adaptable than big ships in many ways, but flexibility in regards to wildlife encounters is one of the most impactful. Small ship cruises will change course when a pod of orcas is spotted, or a coastal brown bear appears on shore, something a major cruise line's fixed schedule rarely allows. And if they happen across a pod en route, they'll happily wait a while so you can watch.

Many small ships also carry onboard naturalists who narrate wildlife sightings in real time and lead shore excursions in small groups. That makes whale-watching, bear-viewing, and spotting wildlife of all kinds far easier.

But one point that is often overlooked is that, on a small ship, you're far closer to the water than you'd ever be on a major cruise line. That means, if you get the chance to be up close to a whale breaching, you'll actually be right there with it. If you spot sea otters or sea lions, you'll be able to see them blinking up at you rather than small grey specks in the water.

Credit: Uncruise

3. A More Immersive Pace

'Slow travel' has become a familiar idea to seasoned travelers, and while both big and small cruises let you indulge in free time between attractions, small ship cruising excels at it.

Rather than racing between the most ports possible, small ship itineraries tend to linger, spending an entire day in a single bay (or even two in the case of our Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise package), anchoring overnight near a glacier, or adding an extra excursion instead of another port stop.

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Days are built around exploration, leaving time to launch kayaks and a skiff from the ship and explore iceberg-filled bays at each guest's own pace, rather than filling every hour with organized entertainment.

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Time off from activities and excursions typically involves relaxing in social lounges, stargazing from the ship's bow, chatting with onboard expert guides, and unwinding over multi-course meals and drinks (all included in the cost).

As a result, the trip feels more like embedding yourself in Alaska's waterways and coastline, living among it as you travel.

Credit: Uncruise

2. Ports Without Crowds

Small ships, carrying a fraction of the passengers that the larger vessels do, don't put the same strain on the ports they visit. As a passenger, that means no crush of passengers released into small Alaskan towns hitting the boardwalks and main streets all at once. And as a result, you’ll be treated to a more relaxed Ketchikan, Juneau, or Sitka.

But, beyond the iconic stops, small ships also dock at additional small ports — ones that never see the big ships in the first place. You'll be welcomed into small communities and have the chance to experience Alaska's many local cultures and, ultimately, have a much more immersive experience of the places you visit.

Credit: Uncruise

1. Access to Places Big Ships Can't Go

The single biggest advantage of small ship cruising is that these vessels can go where the big ships physically can't.

Places like Tracy Arm, Endicott Arm, and parts of Misty Fjords National Monument are too narrow, too shallow, or too icy for a 3,000-passenger ship to enter safely. Small ships, by contrast, can pull right up to a calving glacier or weave through a fjord barely wider than the ship itself.

Not only does that mean access to pristine wilderness made up of temperate rainforest, glass-clear waters, and massive tidewater glaciers, but it means you'll be some of the only ones there.

What are the Best Small Ship Cruise Itineraries in Alaska?

Our favorite small ship itineraries in Alaska mix famous destinations with smaller stops.

Credit: Uncruise

Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise with 2 Days in Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay National Park is a gem in any Alaska cruise. And, while it is one of the regions that's accessible to both big and small cruise ships, it is far better on a small ship cruise. That's because, while most Alaska cruise itineraries visit Glacier Bay, few spend the night there.

This route anchors just outside the national park boundary so that you'll have beautiful views of the silent bay to yourself. And for the rest of your eight days, you'll explore Alaska's majestic landscapes, towering glaciers, and abundant wildlife as you weave between world-famous destinations and magical hidden gems.

Credit: Uncruise

Northern Passage with Glacier Bay & Sitka

Alaska's Inside Passage is a world-renowned cruising destination for a reason. Across eight days, you'll weave through Southeast Alaska's islands, exploring narrow passages and discovering vast glaciers.

As you go, you'll learn about Indigenous cultures and explore narrow channels that most cruises will never see. This itinerary splits iconic Inside Passage spots like Juneau, Sitka, and Glacier Bay National Park, and pairs them with lesser-known gems like the coastal brown bear hotspot of Baranof Island and the Krestof and Nakwasina Sounds.

Credit: Uncruise

Aleutian Islands Adventure with Dutch Harbor and Kodiak

This is one of the most in-demand routes for our small-ship cruises, and one of the most extraordinary voyages you can take. You'll spend 11 days voyaging along the vast Alaska Peninsula and far-flung Aleutian Islands, discovering a rarely visited frontier. As you go, you'll kayak, hike, and skiff through rugged, pristine wilderness; meet welcoming villages; and visit the island with the world's biggest brown bears.

These are landscapes few ever have the pleasure of experiencing. When seen on the exclusive, 18-cabin Safari Explorer, you'll have front-row seats to the very best of it all.

Credit: Alaska By Design

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FAQs

What is included in a small ship cruise in Alaska?

Our small ship cruises in Alaska include your cabin, all onboard meals and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and daily excursions — such as skiff tours, kayaking, or guided hikes — led by onboard naturalists or expedition guides.

How is a small ship cruise different from a major cruise line?

The biggest difference between a small ship cruise and a major cruise line is the passenger count. Our small ships in Alaska carry anywhere from 22 to 86 guests, compared to several thousand on a major cruise line. This allows small ships to enter narrower waterways, gives passengers a more personal experience with the crew, and results in far smaller, quieter shore excursions at each port.

When is the best time to take a small ship cruise in Alaska?

The best time to take a small ship in Alaska is between June and August, when the weather is best and the daylight hours are longest. However, Alaska's small ship cruise season generally runs from May through September, with late May and September sailings tending to see fewer passengers overall but offering better wildlife viewing as animals move to different feeding grounds. For the most intimate small ship cruise trip, we'd recommend these wildlife shoulders in May, June, and September.

Are small ship cruises more expensive than major cruise lines?

Per-day rates on small ships are often higher than a major cruise line's base fare, largely because so much more is included: meals, excursions, gear, and expert guiding, on a ship carrying a fraction of the guests. However, the value is typically comparable or better, once you account for the excursions and add-ons that cost extra on a large ship.

Do small ship cruises still visit popular ports like Juneau and Ketchikan?

Yes, many of our small ship cruise itineraries include stops in well-known ports like Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan. In addition, small ship itineraries also frequently add stops in smaller communities and remote anchorages that major cruise lines never visit at all.

Feature Image Credit: Uncruise