As someone that cruises a lot, I surprised myself when I realized it had been too long since my last Alaska cruise.
Alaska is one of those places that should be at the top of everyone's must-do cruise list because it's a beautiful destination and is arguably best seen by ship (rather than on land).
It's been four years since my last cruise to Alaska, and I truly was shocked how long it had been since I went. I think because I started cruising to Europe, the cruises requiring long haul flights were taken up. Nonetheless, I was determined to go back.
I selected a 7-night roundtrip sailing on Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas that departed from Vancouver and would take us to three Alaskan ports.
Here's why it was such a standout trip.
I saw beautiful scenery every day from my balcony.
I don't always book a balcony room on every cruise, but I made a point to have one for this trip.
There are plenty of places to see all the scenery around us from public areas on the ship, but having a balcony is a special experience. This is especially true on glacier day.
Being able to step outside anytime I want and see mountains, waterfalls, and (hopefully) marine life is why the higher cost of a balcony is worth it for this type of sailing.
On the morning we visited Dawes Glacier, I sat outside with my coffee and watched as you traversed Endicott Arm. If I started feeling the chill, I could easily hop back inside and then watch from the comfort of my bed.
I was able to see eagles soaring from the comfort of my room, and then the approach to the glacier was incredible. It made the balcony cost worth immediately worth it.
The opportunity to see whales, seals, and eagles is unlike any other tour.
I visited three ports in Alaska: Ketchikan, Sitka, and Juneau, and there was no shortage of animals to see.
While I love experiencing the culture and learning about the history of places I visit elsewhere, seeing the big game wildlife in Alaska is unparalleled.
Excursions aren't cheap in Alaska, but I'm so glad we spent the money for a private boat tour of Sitka sound, where we got to see humpback whales, seals, sea otters, and grey whales.
My kids were enthralled by seeing these animals close-up, and it was the family bonding experience that made the price tag worth every penny.
Captain Patrick even kept us out late past our tour time because he wanted us to be able to see more whales.
In Juneau, we rented a Jeep and drove around to see various sights, including Mendenhall Glacier.
Even if my girls were there for the Instagram-worthy photos, I loved the memories we made along the way (including a stop at McDonalds because the french fries are "fire").
I booked a highly-rated tour in Ketchikan to visit waterfalls and see more marine life. Once again, the connection with animals is something you don't get in the Caribbean or Europe.
I love the relaxed pace of an Alaska cruise.
Being on a smaller cruise ship and the fact we docked in almost every port in the afternoon meant we had slow starts to every day.
I'm so used to being on Caribbean sailings where there are a lot of early starts to get to the beach, or we're trying to squeeze in all the amazing things to do on Royal Caribbean's big ships. My family loved sleeping in and taking their time before it was time to head out.
There's no question there is a quieter atmosphere on an Alaska cruise, and that's largely because of the focus is on where you're going and what you can see outside.
Plus, the cooler weather outside limited the typical pool deck activities that you'd find in the tropics.
It's clear people didn't book this cruise for a party like you'd find on a short Utopia of the Seas sailing. Instead, everyone seems to be all about what's happening outside.
We had amazing weather every day of our cruise.
You can't ever bet on the weather in Alaska, but we lucked out with how perfect the weather was every day of the sailing.
The only significant rain was on embarkation day in Vancouver. After that, the sun was shining and there was barely any rain the rest of the voyage.
In fact, we visited Ketchikan and Prince Rupert, British Columbia, which are two places well-known for how much rain they receive. Prince Rupert Canada's "wettest city", while Ketchikan gets about 149 to 160 inches of rain per year.
Both days were sunny for us, and it was very comfortable being outdoors to enjoy touring.
Even on our glacier visit, we got bursts of sunlight and very little ice to impede our approach to the glacier.
Since we were cruising in early June, temperatures barely got above 60 degrees on any day, but I relished every minute of it.
As someone that lives in Florida and has to deal with seemingly never ending sweltering humidity, I was very happy to enjoy crisp and refreshing temperatures.
Alaska is notorious for how extreme the weather can change, but we had consistently beautiful conditions every day.
The time zone differences was the one big problem for me.
I don't know how all you west coasters can deal with being three and four hours behind east coast time, because I always felt like the world had passed us by.
The time difference meant trying to keep up with the news cycle was a real challenge. I had to wake up every morning at 6am so I could not miss any news, which is a product of the fact I work from cruise ships.
I recognize not everyone is remotely working while on a Royal Caribbean ship, but the time difference was a challenge when talking with friends and family back home, as well as having time to watch sports.
Personally, it felt like I was always behind what was happening "in the real world", and it's the only reason I don't book more Alaska cruises.
Overall, cruising to Alaska was a bucket-list trip.
While it wasn't my first Alaska cruise, this voyage will easily be one of the best I've taken in a while.
It was so special to see glaciers, watch whales swim near us, and explore the Alaskan countryside. Plus, when we got to enjoy one of the most underrated cruise ships in the fleet.
Without a doubt, I loved this itinerary and mad at myself for not returning to Alaska sooner. I need to make sure my next trip out here isn't so many years away.
