Alaska Cruises 2028

What to Expect from an Alaska Cruise in 2028

Alaska draws more cruise lines each year, and the 2028 season brings a wide mix of itineraries — from compact short breaks to extended voyages that cross the Pacific. Most sailings run as round trips, so you return to the same port you left from, though a significant share are one-way — ending at a different port from where they began, which means planning a flight or onward journey home. Durations range from 4 nights to 140 nights, with a median of 9 nights, so there is a length to suit most holidays. The centrepiece is Alaska itself, with a smaller but distinct group of transpacific itineraries that use Alaska ports as a starting or finishing point for longer journeys across the ocean.

Where Do Alaska Cruises Sail From in 2028?

Every sailing departs from a port in North America or Japan, so a flight from the UK is part of every trip. The good news is that Cruise1st can arrange that flight alongside your cruise — along with a hotel the night before, transfers and any tours — so the whole journey sits on one booking.

The main embarkation ports for 2028 sailings are:

• Vancouver, British Columbia — the single busiest departure point, with the majority of Alaska sailings setting off from Canada Place. The terminal is central, well connected to the airport, and easy to reach the day before sailing.
• Seattle, Washington — a strong second, with departures from the Bell Street Pier cruise terminal. Many guests choose to spend a night or two in the city beforehand, and Cruise1st can arrange that hotel stay as part of your package.
• Tokyo, Japan — the departure point for transpacific sailings that cross to Alaska or continue further. A pre-cruise night in Tokyo is well worth building in, and we can include it.
• Seward, Alaska — a smaller port used for one-way itineraries, often paired with Vancouver or Seattle as the other end of a northbound or southbound sailing.
• Whittier, Alaska — similarly used for one-way sailings, with road access to the wider region.
• San Francisco, California — a handful of sailings depart from here, giving guests on the US West Coast — or those who want to extend their trip with a few days in the city — a convenient option.

Because a meaningful share of the sailings are one-way — ending at a different port from where they started — plan your return flight from the disembarkation port, not the embarkation one. The most common end points are Vancouver and Seattle, with a smaller group finishing in Tokyo, Seward or Whittier. Our team will flag this when you book and make sure your return travel is sorted.

Which Cruise Lines Sail Alaska in 2028?

Six cruise lines dominate the 2028 Alaska programme, each with a distinct style and pitch. Here is what sets them apart:

• Holland America Line — long established as Alaska’s most recognised operator, with a programme built around the destination rather than the ship. Classic itineraries, strong shore excursion options and mid-size ships that can access ports larger vessels cannot.
• Norwegian Cruise Line — freestyle dining and an energetic on-board experience, with the Haven suite complex offering a genuine ship-within-a-ship for those who want privacy and butler service in Alaska waters.
• Explora Journeys — a newer luxury line with a boutique feel, positioning its Alaska sailings as slow-travel experiences with excellent cuisine and generous suite space.
• Royal Caribbean — large-ship energy with broad entertainment options, fare types that include last-minute offers and early-booking incentives, and a range of cabin grades from interior to suite.
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises — ultra-luxury all-inclusive sailing, where excursions, drinks, speciality dining and gratuities are folded into the fare.
• Celebrity Cruises — a modern premium line with a strong reputation for food and design, offering Alaska sailings that appeal to guests who want a refined experience without going to the top of the luxury spectrum.

If you are still deciding between lines, our expert advisers can walk you through the differences in style, inclusions and itinerary shape — and match you to the one that fits how you like to travel. You can also browse the full cruises listing to compare across lines and dates.

Which Ships Are Sailing Alaska in 2028?

Several ships from across the spectrum are confirmed for the 2028 Alaska season. Below are the ones we know most about.

Seabourn Encore

Seabourn Encore brings 16 sailings to Alaska in 2028, and it is a ship designed around calm and comfort rather than scale. The interior carries the feel of a five-star hotel — understated, well-proportioned, nothing ostentatious. Every cabin is a suite with a private balcony, so the views of glaciers and coastline are yours from the moment you wake up. The spa includes thermal suites, and the ship’s size means you feel the destination as much as the vessel.

The standout accommodation is the Grand Wintergarden Suite, which runs to around 115–120 m² of living space and includes a private hot tub — significantly larger than the Owner’s Suites at 67 m² and the Penthouse Spa Suite at 83 m². See the full Seabourn Encore cabins and deck plans for the complete range.

Norwegian Joy

Norwegian Joy brings 13 sailings to Alaska for 2028, and it is one of the more versatile ships in the programme. The Haven enclave — a private complex with its own pool, restaurant and 24-hour butler service — sits at the top of the ship and is largely invisible to everyone outside it, which is exactly the point. Solo travellers have their own answer in the Studio cabins: compact, well designed, with access to a dedicated lounge where you can meet other solo guests. Dining runs across Cagney’s Steakhouse, Le Bistro and La Cucina, with no fixed sittings — you eat where you like, when you like.

Cabin grades on Norwegian Joy cover a wide range:

• Family Inside cabin — 12.5 m², sleeps 4, with two Pullman beds in addition to the main double. More sleeping space than a standard inside cabin, suited to families travelling with children.
• Ocean-view cabin O4 — 22.3 m², sleeps 5, with a large sea-view window that brings natural daylight in — something Inside cabin guests do without.
• Balcony cabin B6 — 30.8 m², sleeps 4, with a 14 m² balcony — nearly 5 times the outdoor space of a standard balcony cabin. Room to sit, read or watch the scenery pass.
• Family Suite SP — 47.6 m², sleeps 6, the roomiest of the standard suites and almost twice the space of a Penthouse Suite.
• The Haven Premier Owner’s Suite — 197.9 m², sleeps 8, with 3 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms and a private hot tub. The largest suite on board.

You can review the full layout on the Norwegian Joy cabins and deck plans page.

Eurodam

Holland America’s Eurodam brings 7 sailings to Alaska in 2028. It is a mid-size ship with a genuine focus on on-board enrichment — the Music Walk spans 3 show venues covering different musical styles, the Culinary Arts Center runs cookery classes, and the Digital Workshop offers hands-on technology sessions. For guests who like to come back from a cruise having learned something as well as seen something, Eurodam has a strong case. Check the Eurodam cabins and deck plans for cabin options.

EXPLORA III

EXPLORA III from Explora Journeys represents the line’s continuing expansion, with sailings in the 2028 Alaska season. At the top of the accommodation range sits the Owner’s Residence OR1 — a two-bedroom residence spanning 183 m² of living space plus a 132 m² outdoor terrace, making it the largest unit on board and nearly twice the size of a Cove Residence. For guests who want a true home-at-sea experience, it is the ship’s defining statement. Browse the full EXPLORA III cabins and deck plans for the complete grade list.

Other Ships in the 2028 Programme

Several more ships contribute to the 2028 Alaska season. Serenade of the Seas from Royal Caribbean is well suited to Alaska, with a hull designed for scenic cruising — see the Serenade of the Seas cabins and deck plans. Norwegian Jade from Norwegian Cruise Line also features in the programme — full details on the Norwegian Jade cabins and deck plans page. Celebrity Equinox from Celebrity Cruises rounds out the selection — see the Celebrity Equinox cabins and deck plans for grades and layouts. Oceania’s Riviera also sails Alaska in 2028 with 9 sailings: it carries 6 gourmet restaurants — Polo Grill, Toscana, Jacques and more — all included in the fare, plus the only cooking school at sea, the Culinary Centre, with hands-on classes run by expert chefs. At around 1,250 guests and 800 crew, the staff-to-guest ratio is among the highest afloat. Seven Seas Splendor from Regent Seven Seas Cruises also appears in the 2028 programme, with 9 sailings, offering an extensively inclusive luxury experience.

What Do the Fares Include?

Fare inclusions vary significantly by cruise line, and understanding what each tier covers before you book can make a meaningful difference to your overall cost. Here is how the main lines structure their fares for 2028 Alaska sailings.

Norwegian Cruise Line — Fare Tiers

Norwegian gives you a choice of how much to include upfront. The entry-level Brochure fare covers the cruise itself — clean and simple, with no packages added. Step up to the Free at Sea tier (NCLATSEA) and guests 1 and 2 receive a beverage package and a speciality dining package, plus a Wi-Fi package and shore excursion credits of US$50 per port. The Free at Sea Plus tier (NCLATSEAPLUS) extends the dining and beverage inclusions to all guests on the reservation, not just the first two, and increases the dining allowance based on voyage length — useful for longer sailings. If you like the flexibility of Freestyle Dining across venues such as Cagney’s Steakhouse, Le Bistro and La Cucina, the higher tiers mean less to pay on board. See the full Norwegian Cruise Line 2028 cruises programme for all available sailings.

Royal Caribbean — Fare Tiers

Royal Caribbean’s fare structure includes a standard cruise fare, a solo fare for guests travelling alone, and promotional fare types such as last-minute offers and group-booking incentives. The line runs various promotions throughout the year — current examples include early-booking bonuses with on-board credit. Because these offers change, the best approach is to speak to our team about what is live when you are ready to book, rather than locking yourself to what is advertised today. Browse Celebrity Cruises 2028 if you are also considering Celebrity as a Royal Caribbean Group option.

Explora Journeys — Fare Tiers

Explora Journeys offers both cruise-only fares and package fares that include international flights, private transfers and hotel stays either side of the voyage. The Sky & Sea fare packages these elements together — the journey fare, return economy flights from selected European airports, transfers and hotels — making it an airport-to-airport booking. For guests flying from the UK, this model works well as a starting point; Cruise1st can then build UK-departure flights around it. See the Princess Japan and Southeast Asia 2027–2028 page if you are also considering Asia-Pacific itineraries for the same travel window.

When Is the Best Time to Sail Alaska?

Alaska’s cruise season runs through the warmer months, and the 2028 sailings reflect that concentration — most departures cluster through the main season, with a smaller number of sailings either side. Longer voyages, including transpacific crossings, sometimes operate outside the core Alaska window. If your dates are flexible, a short conversation with our team will quickly identify which departures best match the experience you are after, whether that is wildlife viewing in calmer waters, glacier scenery, or simply the best combination of dates and price.

Shorter itineraries of around 7–10 nights tend to cover the headline Alaska ports and suit guests with a fixed holiday allowance. Longer sailings — including transpacific crossings that run to several weeks — suit travellers who want Alaska as part of a wider journey. The median sailing runs to 9 nights, which is a useful benchmark.

Beyond Alaska: Transpacific Sailings in 2028

A significant portion of the 2028 programme consists of transpacific itineraries — sailings that cross the Pacific Ocean, using Alaska ports as a waypoint between North America and Asia. These one-way voyages are among the longest on the page, and they suit travellers who want to combine Alaska with a broader journey rather than focus on a single region.

Tokyo is the main Asian gateway in this group, appearing as both an embarkation and disembarkation point. If you are ending — or starting — your cruise there, a few nights in the city before or after the sailing is straightforward to arrange. Cruise1st can book the flights, the Tokyo hotel and the transfers as part of the same package, so nothing is left open-ended. For more dedicated Japan itineraries in the same travel window, the Japan cruises 2028 from Tokyo page is worth a look.

Transpacific sailings are almost always one-way, which means your outbound and return flights will be to different destinations. Our team will help you plan both legs so the logistics work together rather than against each other.

What Shore Experiences Can You Expect in Alaska?

Alaska’s appeal on the water is matched by what you can do at the ports the ships call at. Juneau is accessible only by sea or air, and it gives you immediate access to glaciers within a short distance of the dock. Seward sits at the edge of a national park and is a starting point for wildlife-focused excursions by boat and by land. Whittier is a smaller, quieter port — less visited and all the more rewarding for it. Shore excursion availability and options vary by cruise line and sailing date; your itinerary details will confirm which ports your sailing calls at and what is offered there.

Some cruise lines include shore excursion credits in their fare tiers — Norwegian’s Free at Sea package, for example, gives US$50 credit per port — while others leave excursion booking entirely to you. If you want excursions arranged before you travel, our team can add them to your package at the time of booking.

Making It a Holiday: Flights, Hotels and Transfers

Because all 2028 Alaska sailings depart from North American or Japanese ports, getting there requires a flight from the UK. That flight is not a complication — it is part of the trip — and Cruise1st can put it on the same booking as your cruise. We can add:

• Return flights from UK airports to your embarkation port
• Hotels the night before departure — or after the cruise ends, if you are disembarking at a different port
• Airport and port transfers at both ends
• Shore tours and excursions at the ports your sailing visits
• Travel insurance

One booking, one point of contact, no gaps. That is what Cruise1st Packages is for. Our cruise specialists are on hand to build it around your specific sailing, your preferred airline and your travel dates.

Prices and Availability for 2028

Alaska cruise sailings in 2028 start from £448 pp*, with a wide spread depending on ship, duration, cabin grade and cruise line. Discounts are available on selected sailings — up to 32% off the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, though that maximum applies to a single departure; most reduced sailings carry a more modest reduction of around 4%. The best way to see the live availability against your preferred dates is to search and then speak to our team about what fits.

Cruise1st is rated 4.5/5 on Trustpilot from over 7,000 reviews. We are ABTA and ATOL protected, so your money is covered whether your booking includes a flight or not.

Thinking About 2027 or Other Destinations?

If 2028 does not quite work for your schedule, or if you want to compare what is on offer across different regions and years, there is plenty to browse. The cruises 2028 hub covers the full year across all destinations. For the Mediterranean in the same year, Mediterranean cruises 2028 is the place to start. If you are travelling with P&O, P&O 2028 cruises has the full programme.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s 2028 programme extends well beyond Alaska — Norwegian Cruise Line 2028 cruises covers the full year, and all-inclusive Norwegian Fjords cruises 2028 is worth a look if you are drawn to Europe as an alternative. For guests considering Princess Cruises, the Princess Cruises 2028 programme is extensive, including Princess Japan and Southeast Asia 2027–2028 itineraries that share some of the same transpacific routes as the Alaska crossings here. Celebrity Cruises 2028 covers Celebrity’s full year-round programme if you want to explore beyond Alaska.

For guests who sailed in 2027 and are planning ahead, the all-inclusive Norwegian Fjords cruises 2027 page gives a useful comparison of what that type of itinerary looks like across the two years. Norwegian Fjords 2027 cruises from Southampton and Royal Caribbean Japan cruises 2027 are also popular points of comparison for guests weighing up regions and timing.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.