When I first started looking at Alaska cruises, I thought choosing one would mostly come down to finding the right cruise line, ship and dates.
Then I started comparing itineraries.
One of the biggest decisions isn’t which ship to sail on at all. It’s whether to take a roundtrip cruise from Seattle or Vancouver or a one-way cruise between Vancouver and Alaska.
Both can give you an incredible Alaska experience, but the logistics are very different. I’ve sailed to Alaska roundtrip from Seattle twice, but this time we’re doing something different: a one-way cruise from Vancouver to Alaska.
Planning this trip has made me realize how many additional decisions come with a one-way itinerary and, if I were starting over, there are a few things I would consider much earlier in the process.
Roundtrip or One-Way: What’s the Difference?
A roundtrip Alaska cruise begins and ends in the same city. Seattle and Vancouver are the two departure ports you’ll see most often, and these itineraries are usually seven nights.
A one-way cruise travels between Vancouver and Alaska. You can sail northbound from Vancouver to Whittier or Seward or reverse the trip and sail southbound from Whittier or Seward to Vancouver.
That distinction may not seem particularly important when you’re looking at the cruise itself. But it can make a big difference when you start planning the rest of the trip.
Why Choose a Roundtrip Alaska Cruise?
For pure convenience, roundtrip cruises have a lot going for them.
You fly into one city, board your cruise and return to the same city a week later. That makes airfare much easier to shop because you’re looking for a traditional roundtrip ticket instead of coordinating flights from two different places.
Seattle can be particularly convenient for U.S. travelers because there are so many domestic flight options. Vancouver requires an international flight or another way of getting into Canada, but it is also a popular starting point for Alaska cruises.
If your primary goal is to experience Alaska by cruise and then head home, a roundtrip itinerary can be the simplest choice. But don’t choose one based on convenience alone. The actual route still matters, including where the ship sails, which glaciers it visits and how much time you have in each port.
We’ll dig much deeper into those differences in another article.
Why Choose a One-Way Alaska Cruise?
A one-way cruise can be a great option if you want to see more of Alaska or simply prefer the itinerary it offers. Instead of returning to your original departure port, you’ll sail between Vancouver and Alaska, with most itineraries beginning or ending in Whittier or Seward.
For travelers who want to add Denali or another inland Alaska experience, a one-way cruise makes that especially easy. You can cruise north from Vancouver and continue exploring Alaska afterward or do the land portion first and then take a southbound cruise to Vancouver.
We’re taking a northbound cruise from Vancouver on this trip, although we’re not adding a land tour afterward. When we booked, I was primarily focused on the cruise itinerary itself. As I’ve worked through the rest of the travel arrangements, however, I’ve realized there is another option I didn’t fully appreciate when we first started planning: doing the entire route in reverse.
You Can Do the Whole Trip in Reverse
One-way Alaska cruises also sail southbound. You can fly into Alaska first, spend time exploring inland and then board your cruise in Whittier or Seward for the trip south to Vancouver.
We’re traveling with friends who have already done a southbound Alaska cruise but haven’t sailed northbound. Choosing the northbound itinerary gives all of us a chance to experience something new together, which was one of the reasons we chose it.
In hindsight, though, I probably would have given the southbound option more consideration.
Why?
Because getting to your cruise and getting home from your cruise are two separate travel considerations.
With our northbound itinerary, getting to Vancouver has been fairly straightforward. The more challenging piece has been finding a flight home from Anchorage that doesn’t involve an itinerary I really don’t want, particularly an overnight flight.
Had we reversed the trip, we could have handled the flight to Alaska at the beginning of our vacation, cruised south and ended in Vancouver.
Would I change our trip now? No. I’m excited about the way we’ve planned it. But if I were starting from scratch, I would compare the northbound and southbound options before deciding.
A Quick Note About Whittier, Seward and Anchorage
This is an important detail for first-time Alaska cruisers because cruise listings can make the geography a little confusing.
You may see itineraries marketed as traveling to or from Anchorage, but large cruise ships don’t actually depart from Anchorage. Most one-way cruises use Whittier or Seward as their Alaska turnaround port, and you’ll need transportation between the cruise port and Anchorage.
The distance matters, too. Whittier is approximately 60 miles from Anchorage, with a typical motorcoach transfer taking around two hours. Seward is farther south, approximately 125 miles from Anchorage, and the motorcoach trip generally takes about three hours. I looked at Seward itineraries when we were planning our trip, and the additional travel time was one of the logistics I had to consider.
Depending on your cruise, transportation may be available through the cruise line, or you can arrange it yourself. Either way, it’s worth looking at the transfer time and cost when you’re comparing itineraries.
Your cruise may end in “Anchorage” on Saturday morning, for example, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be standing at the Anchorage airport shortly after you walk off the ship. Where your ship actually docks matters when you’re planning the rest of your travel day.
Seattle or Vancouver?
If you’re considering a roundtrip cruise, you’ll likely find plenty of options from both Seattle and Vancouver.
Seattle has an obvious advantage for many U.S. travelers: ease of access. There are often more flight choices, and you don’t have the added international travel considerations of beginning your trip in Canada.
But Vancouver shouldn’t be ruled out simply because Seattle is easier to reach.
Another difference worth considering is the actual sailing route. Many Seattle departures travel along the western side of Vancouver Island, while Vancouver sailings often follow the more sheltered waterways of the Inside Passage. That can mean different scenery and potentially different sea conditions. It’s worth comparing the route maps rather than assuming every Alaska cruise follows the same path.
So rather than asking, “Which departure city is better?” I would ask:
Which departure city gives me the itinerary I want while still making sense for the rest of my trip?
That’s a much more useful question.
Look at the Whole Trip Before You Book the Cruise
This is probably the biggest lesson I’ve learned from planning ours.
It’s very easy to shop for an Alaska cruise as though the vacation begins when you step onto the ship and ends when you step off.
It doesn’t.
Before booking, look at the entire trip.
How will you get to the embarkation port? What does airfare look like? Where will you stay the night before the cruise? If you’re taking a one-way cruise, how will you get between Whittier or Seward and Anchorage? Are you adding Denali or another land experience? And most importantly, how are you getting home?
I would actually search the flights before putting down the cruise deposit. You don’t necessarily need to book airfare that early, but seeing the available routes gives you a much better understanding of the logistics involved.
A cruise that looks perfect on paper may be less appealing once you add complicated flights, transfers and extra hotel nights. On the other hand, those extra logistics may be completely worth it if a one-way cruise allows you to experience more of Alaska.
So, Which Alaska Cruise Should You Choose?
If you want a relatively simple seven-night Alaska vacation, I’d start by looking at roundtrip cruises from Seattle and Vancouver. I’ve sailed roundtrip from Seattle twice, and there is definitely something to be said for the simplicity of flying in and out of the same city.
If you want to add Denali or spend more time exploring Alaska before or after your cruise, a one-way itinerary gives you more flexibility. But a land trip isn’t the only reason to choose one-way. You may simply prefer the itinerary, ports or scenic cruising offered on those sailings.
If you’re considering a one-way cruise, compare both northbound and southbound options before you book. Think about the cruise itinerary, but also consider the flights, transfers and logistics on both ends of the trip.
Neither direction is inherently better. The better choice is the one that works for your entire vacation, including how you’ll get there, where the ship begins or ends and how you’ll get home.
And once you’ve decided between roundtrip and one-way, there’s another question waiting for you: which Alaska itinerary should you actually choose?
Because even when the ports look almost identical, they aren’t necessarily the same cruise.
Thinking About an Alaska Cruise?
Choosing between roundtrip and one-way is just one part of planning an Alaska cruise. I can help you compare itineraries, think through the travel logistics and find the option that fits the way you want to experience Alaska.
Voyage with Amy
Expertly Planned. Personally Crafted.
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