A small ship Alaska cruise allows you an even closer look at the beautiful scenery and exotic wildlife than most large or mid-sized Alaska cruises. There are several cruise lines with ships that carry from a dozen up to 500 passengers on Alaska cruises. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the advantages of 100 or less cruisers exploring Alaska, enjoying excursions, or even just going ashore in the small Alaska towns like Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. Two or three thousand visitors from one ship really makes a difference in a small town!
The smaller ships can also visit some places that the larger ones can only dream about like the Misty Fjords National Monument near Ketchikan, Tracy Arm fjord, or the Dawes Glacier. If you are looking for a more exotic, out-of-the-way itinerary, a small ship Alaska cruise might be the best choice. One word of caution. These smaller ships are usually more expensive and often fill up fast. For this extra cost, you'll probably get smaller cabins and less entertainment on board, but the trade off of a closer look at Alaska is worth it to many of us! In addition, small ships have many organized activities included, so the total fare may not be any more than on a large ship if you plan to take many wildlife or glacier viewing shore excursions.
Let's look at some of the small ship Alaska cruises. In addition to those detailed below, there are also many other small yachts offered for charter that cruise Alaskan waters. The accommodations on these range from bare-bones rustic to luxurious.
Most small ships do not offer private verandas or luxurious accommodations. However, if you are looking for ultimate luxury on board, the Silversea Cruises' Silversea Silver Shadow will sail 7 to 11 day Alaska voyages between Vancouver and Seward. With 382 passengers, she is much larger than the other ships in this category, but the Silver Shadow provides more amenities and is still considered "small".
Silversea's third expedition ship, the Silver Discoverer, also visits Alaska in 2015. As one might expect from a 128-guest small luxury ship, the Silver Discoverer will sail three unique 12- to 18-day itineraries--the first from Japan to Seward, the second between Seward to Nome, and the third back to Japan.More »
The Boat Company operates two small ships sailing Southeast Alaska. This company has been in operation since 1979 and currently sails 7-day cruises between Sitka and Juneau. I sailed on the luxurious yet comfortable 24-passenger M/V Mist Cove on an amazing soft adventure eco-cruise that had marvelous daily opportunities for exploring, hiking, kayaking, and fishing from Alaska streams or bays on its 20-foot skiffs.
Unlike other cruise lines, The Boat Company ships have a fishing license, so anyone who loves fishing for halibut or salmon will especially appreciate a journey on one of these two ships. In addition, the company is owned by a non-profit educational organization dedicated to SE Alaska conservation. This non-profit status means that some of your cruise fare is even tax deductible.More »
Un-Cruise Adventures has six ships sailing in Alaska in 2015 - the 36-guest Safari Explorer, 22-guest Safari Quest, and 84-guest Safari Endeavor are marketed as the company's "luxury" adventure ships and the fare includes bar drinks like spirits, wine, and beer; shore excursions, and port fees. The 76-passenger Wilderness Discoverer, the 60-passenger Wilderness Adventurer, and the 74-passenger Wilderness Explorer are marketed as the "active adventure" ships. The shore excursions are included with their basic fare, but the bar drinks and port fees are extra.
Eight different 7-, 14-, or 21-day soft adventure expedition itineraries explore Southeast Alaska between Juneau and Ketchikan, or Juneau and Sitka, or roundtrip from Juneau.
Repositioning voyages of 11- or 12-nights sail the Inside Passage between Juneau and Seattle in April, May, August, and September.
All the Un-Cruise Adventures' itineraries feature plenty of opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and other activities.
I loved our Wilderness Discoverer adventure cruise between Ketchikan and Juneau and the many off-the-beaten paths we explored, as well as the great wildlife viewing and adventure activities.More »
The smaller ships can also visit some places that the larger ones can only dream about like the Misty Fjords National Monument near Ketchikan, Tracy Arm fjord, or the Dawes Glacier. If you are looking for a more exotic, out-of-the-way itinerary, a small ship Alaska cruise might be the best choice. One word of caution. These smaller ships are usually more expensive and often fill up fast. For this extra cost, you'll probably get smaller cabins and less entertainment on board, but the trade off of a closer look at Alaska is worth it to many of us! In addition, small ships have many organized activities included, so the total fare may not be any more than on a large ship if you plan to take many wildlife or glacier viewing shore excursions.
Let's look at some of the small ship Alaska cruises. In addition to those detailed below, there are also many other small yachts offered for charter that cruise Alaskan waters. The accommodations on these range from bare-bones rustic to luxurious.
•Alaskan Dream Cruises
Small ship company Alaskan Dream features several different Alaska cruise itineraries, departing from either Ketchikan or Sitka. The itineraries run from 8 to 13-days on one of three different small ships.More »
•American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines operates the 92-passenger American Spirit on seven-day roundtrip cruises from Juneau. These cruises will visit Glacier Bay, Icy Strait, Sitka, Petersburg, and Tracy Arm. At the beginning and end of the season, the ship sails between Seattle and Juneau on 10-day cruises.More »
•Fantasy Cruises
Fantasy Cruises operates the 32-passenger Island Spirit on Inside Passage cruises of the Alexander Archipelago. These nine-day cruises are all-inclusive and primarily sail from Sitka, St. Petersburg, or Juneau. The ship also has repositioning cruises at the beginning and end of the Alaska cruise season between Seattle and Juneau.More »
•Lindblad Expeditions
Lindblad Cruises partners with National Geographic to have two itineraries in Alaska in 2015. The 62-passenger National Geographic Sea Bird and National Geographic Sea Lion sail two itineraries -- a 14-day cruise of Alaska, British Columbia, and the San Juan Islands between Seattle and Sitka, and a 7-day cruise of Alaska's Inside Passage between Juneau and Sitka.More »
•Ponant Yacht Cruises
Ponant Yacht Cruises sends the 264-guest L'Austral to Alaska for the first time in 2015. The small ship primarily sails a series of 7-night cruises between Vancouver, B.C. and Juneau. In August and September, L'Austral features three itineraries that visit Eastern Siberia (Russia).More »
•Silversea Cruises
Most small ships do not offer private verandas or luxurious accommodations. However, if you are looking for ultimate luxury on board, the Silversea Cruises' Silversea Silver Shadow will sail 7 to 11 day Alaska voyages between Vancouver and Seward. With 382 passengers, she is much larger than the other ships in this category, but the Silver Shadow provides more amenities and is still considered "small".
Silversea's third expedition ship, the Silver Discoverer, also visits Alaska in 2015. As one might expect from a 128-guest small luxury ship, the Silver Discoverer will sail three unique 12- to 18-day itineraries--the first from Japan to Seward, the second between Seward to Nome, and the third back to Japan.More »
•The Boat Company
The Boat Company operates two small ships sailing Southeast Alaska. This company has been in operation since 1979 and currently sails 7-day cruises between Sitka and Juneau. I sailed on the luxurious yet comfortable 24-passenger M/V Mist Cove on an amazing soft adventure eco-cruise that had marvelous daily opportunities for exploring, hiking, kayaking, and fishing from Alaska streams or bays on its 20-foot skiffs.
Unlike other cruise lines, The Boat Company ships have a fishing license, so anyone who loves fishing for halibut or salmon will especially appreciate a journey on one of these two ships. In addition, the company is owned by a non-profit educational organization dedicated to SE Alaska conservation. This non-profit status means that some of your cruise fare is even tax deductible.More »
•Un-Cruise Adventures
Un-Cruise Adventures has six ships sailing in Alaska in 2015 - the 36-guest Safari Explorer, 22-guest Safari Quest, and 84-guest Safari Endeavor are marketed as the company's "luxury" adventure ships and the fare includes bar drinks like spirits, wine, and beer; shore excursions, and port fees. The 76-passenger Wilderness Discoverer, the 60-passenger Wilderness Adventurer, and the 74-passenger Wilderness Explorer are marketed as the "active adventure" ships. The shore excursions are included with their basic fare, but the bar drinks and port fees are extra.
Eight different 7-, 14-, or 21-day soft adventure expedition itineraries explore Southeast Alaska between Juneau and Ketchikan, or Juneau and Sitka, or roundtrip from Juneau.
Repositioning voyages of 11- or 12-nights sail the Inside Passage between Juneau and Seattle in April, May, August, and September.
All the Un-Cruise Adventures' itineraries feature plenty of opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and other activities.
I loved our Wilderness Discoverer adventure cruise between Ketchikan and Juneau and the many off-the-beaten paths we explored, as well as the great wildlife viewing and adventure activities.More »
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