Four Royal Caribbean cruise ships will sail to Alaska in 2023. Each ship offers itineraries to Alaska’s stunning sights and plenty of onboard amenities, but how do they compare?
If you’re considering an Alaska cruise for the 2023 season or beyond, you might be wondering which Royal Caribbean ships sail to Alaska.
In 2023, you can find Alaska cruises on Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Radiance of the Seas, and Brilliance of the Seas. These ships were specifically designed to sail in cold climates, so you’ll find a nice balance of indoor and outdoor activities and amenities on each cruise ship.
Related: Ultimate Alaska cruise guide
The Alaska cruise season runs from May to September 2023. The vast majority of cruises are 7-night roundtrip sailings, although one ship will offer one-way cruises to and from Alaska.
Here is a breakdown of the four ships sailing to Alaska in 2023 so you know what to expect from each ship.
Quantum of the Seas
Homeport: Seattle, Washington
Ports: Sitka, Skagway, Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, Juneau, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Victoria (ports vary by sailing)
After a successful 2022 cruise season in Alaska, Quantum of the Seas will return to Seattle to offer 7-night Alaska Glacier cruises departing on Mondays.
Alaska Glacier cruises visit three Alaska cruise ports and include a scenic sightseeing experience at Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier. Every roundtrip sailing from Seattle will also include a stop in Victoria, British Columbia.
Related: How to choose the right Alaska cruise itinerary
Each itinerary visits Juneau, Alaska, but other cruise ports differ. Some itineraries visit the charming gold-rush town of Skagway whereas others visit Sitka, the former capital of Russian Alaska.
Regardless of which ports you visit, you’re guaranteed to have an enjoyable time visiting Alaska on one of Royal Caribbean’s most family-friendly cruise ships.
Highlights of Quantum of the Seas:
- North Star observational pod
- FlowRider surf simulator
- RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator
- Izumi sushi, Chops Grille, Jamie’s Italian, Wonderland restaurants
- Two70 theater offering 270 degree views from floor-to-ceiling windows
- SeaPlex indoor sports center
- Indoor pool for all ages & adults-only indoor Solarium
- Adventure Ocean children’s programming & nursery
- Outdoor movie screen
Why choose Quantum of the Seas
Quantum of the Seas is a large cruise ship, with a capacity of around 4,900 passengers at double capacity. Because of this, she offers an impressive amount of onboard activities, dining options, and entertainment to fit any cruising style.
Kids and adults alike will enjoy the unique “I can’t believe they put that on a cruise ship” activities found onboard, such as the RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator or bumper cars.
If relaxing is more your style, you’ll find the indoor Solarium or Two70 entertainment venue to be the perfect spaces to kick back with a view.
Plus, Quantum of the Seas sails from Seattle, and this can be a more convenient port option for Americans compared to Vancouver.
Ovation of the Seas
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Homeport: Seattle, Washington
Ports: Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, Victoria, Sitka, Ketchikan (ports vary by sailing)
Ovation of the Seas will also return to Alaska for the 2023 cruise season to offer 7-night Alaska Glacier cruises departing on Fridays. She will sail roundtrip from Seattle, Washington.
7-night Alaska cruise itineraries on Ovation of the Seas consist of two Alaska cruise ports, one scenic sightseeing day at Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, and one day in Victoria, British Columbia.
Related: 50 Alaska cruise tips you should use
Select itineraries will swap the visit to Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier with a third port in Alaska, such as Sitka or Skagway. All itineraries visit Juneau.
Highlights of Ovation of the Seas:
- North Star observational pod
- FlowRider surf simulator
- RipCord by iFLY skydiving simulator
- Izumi sushi, Chops Grille, Jamie’s Italian, Wonderland restaurants
- Two70 theater offering 270 degrees of floor-to-ceiling windows
- SeaPlex indoor sports center
- Indoor pool for all ages & adults-only indoor Solarium
- Adventure Ocean children’s programming & nursery
- Outdoor movie screen
Why choose Ovation of the Seas
Like Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas is also a Quantum Class cruise ship, meaning she offers the latest and greatest of Royal Caribbean’s features and activities.
Related: All about Quantum Class ships
Quantum Class ships were designed to sail in both cold and warm climates, so passengers can enjoy two separate indoor pools and a variety of hot tubs on the ship. Weather in Alaska can, of course, be unpredictable, so having access to several indoor pools is a plus of Ovation of the Seas.
Foodies will love a cruise on Ovation of the Seas, as you can choose from mouthwatering Italian food at Jamie’s Italian to unique creations at Wonderland—a restaurant themed by the tales of Alice in Wonderland—and everything in between.
Related: Food on a Royal Caribbean cruise
Ovation of the Seas offers itineraries to many of Alaska’s highlights, whether you want to go whale watching in Juneau or ride the White Pass & Yukon Railway in Skagway. You certainly won’t find yourself bored whether in port or onboard the ship!
Just like Quantum of the Seas, booking a roundtrip cruise from Seattle can be a convenient option for Americans, as direct flights to Seattle are more common (and cheaper) than those to Vancouver.
Radiance of the Seas
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Homeports: Vancouver, British Columbia and Seward, Alaska
Ports: Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan, Haines (ports vary by sailing)
Radiance of the Seas spends nearly every summer in Alaska, making it one of the region’s most consistent cruise ships. Of all Royal Caribbean ships in Alaska in 2023, Radiance of the Seas offers the most port-intensive itineraries.
Related: All about Radiance Class cruise ships
Not all Alaska cruises are roundtrip. Some ships sail one-way itineraries which start in Vancouver and end in Seward, Alaska (and vice versa). This allows ships to visit more ports on a 7-night cruise and allows guests to enjoy land tours in Alaska or Canada pre or post-cruise.
Radiance of the Seas will offer these one-way Alaska sailings in 2023, offering 7-night Northbound and Southbound cruises. Four Alaska ports will be visited on these itineraries along with a scenic viewing day at Hubbard Glacier.
Radiance of the Seas cruises depart on Fridays.
Highlights of Radiance of the Seas:
- Solarium indoor pool for adults
- Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi Sushi, Samba Grill
- Champagne Bar
- Rock climbing wall and mini golf
- Children’s pool area with small slide
- Adventure Ocean children’s programming & nursery
- Indoor movie theater (and outdoor movie screen)
- An abundance of glass walls and windows to provide views of the outdoors
- Helicopter pad access for scenery viewing
Why choose Radiance of the Seas
While Radiance of the Seas is considered a small cruise ship by Royal Caribbean standards, she is still a large vessel that holds nearly 2,500 guests at double capacity. Many guests enjoy the size of a Radiance Class ship for the combination of having enough activities to do while maintaining a more personal feel.
Radiance of the Seas was built to sail in all types of climates, so you’ll be able to enjoy both indoor and outdoor spaces during the cruise. Whether you choose to relax in the beautiful adults-only Solarium or catch a movie in the indoor cinema, you’ll find plenty of ways to pass time on a chilly day at sea.
Related: Best things to do on an Alaska cruise
The biggest benefit of sailing on Radiance of the Seas to Alaska, though, is having the opportunity to book a one-way cruise itinerary. Alaska is a massive, stunning state that offers so much to see not only by cruise, but also on land.
With a one-way itinerary, you can choose to spend time sightseeing in Alaska’s interior before or after the cruise. You can plan your own land tour or opt for one of Royal Caribbean’s land-based Cruise Tours to visit destinations like Anchorage or Denali National Park and Preserve.
Brilliance of the Seas
Homeport: Vancouver, British Columbia
Ports: Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Haines, Tracy Arm Fjord, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Hubbard Glacier (ports vary by sailing)
Brilliance of the Seas will sail from Vancouver for the 2023 Alaska season to offer two itineraries: 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience cruises and 7-night Multi-Glacier Experience cruises. Brilliance of the Seas cruises depart on Sundays.
The 7-night Alaska Glacier Experience itineraries visit four ports in Alaska along with a visit to Tracy Arm Fjord for glacier viewing. Exact ports vary by itinerary, but every Brilliance of the Seas cruise includes a stop in Alaska’s capital of Juneau.
Related: Local's guide of what to do in Juneau, Alaska
The 7-night Multi-Glacier Experience itinerary, on the other hand, includes a visit to not only Tracy Arm Fjord, but also Hubbard Glacier. This impressive glacier stands 400 feet above the ocean's surface and, due to its remote location, is usually only found on one-way Alaska cruise itineraries.
Therefore, the Multi-Glacier Experience itinerary makes Brilliance of the Seas an excellent ship choice for those hoping to visit Hubbard Glacier on a roundtrip sailing from Vancouver as opposed to sailing on a one-way cruise.
Highlights of Brilliance of the Seas:
- Solarium indoor pool for adults
- Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, Izumi Sushi
- Vintages wine bar
- Rock climbing wall and mini golf
- Children’s pool area with small slide
- Adventure Ocean children’s programming & nursery
- Indoor movie theater (and outdoor movie screen)
- An abundance of glass walls and windows to provide views of the outdoors
- Helicopter pad access for scenery viewing
Why choose Brilliance of the Seas
Brilliance of the Seas, like Radiance of the Seas, offers a more intimate feel to an Alaska cruise compared to a larger ship.
There is an abundance of windows found on Brilliance of the Seas, making it the perfect ship for those wanting to relax with Alaska’s stunning scenery out the window.
Many guests find this to be the biggest benefit of sailing on a Radiance Class ship; they don’t have to spend time on a frigid outdoor deck in order to view the glaciers and mountains that make Alaska so special!
Related: 20 Radiance Class cruise ship tips and secrets
While Brilliance of the Seas may not offer as many family-friendly activities as a ship like Quantum of the Seas, she still offers more than enough to keep kids occupied. From Adventure Ocean programming to mini golf, rock climbing, and an indoor movie theater, you’ll find plenty to do onboard.
Lastly, Hubbard Glacier is one of the most famous glaciers in Alaska, and sailing on Brilliance of the Seas means you can experience this magnificent wonder without the hassle of a one-way cruise.
More Alaska cruise info
Want to learn more about a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska, as well as helpful tips and secrets? Check out these blog posts:
