Five reasons to sail Alaska with Princess Cruises

Alaska is one of the world’s most popular cruise destinations – and it’s easy to see why. Glaciers that calve into the sea with a crack like thunder. Humpback whales surfacing close enough to feel the mist. Bald eagles banking overhead while you're still holding your morning coffee.

As with all popular destinations, cruisers are spoilt for choice with a multitude of lines sailing there. But which is right for you? While there are plenty of good options, Princess Cruises has been voted Best Cruise Line in Alaska 22 times.

Here’s why you should book your next Alaska cruise with Princess Cruises.

Princess Cruises has sailed in Alaska longer than most

First and foremost, it comes down to experience. Princess Cruises has been sailing Alaska's waters since 1969. Over the years, it has developed connections with the Great Land that few other lines possess.

Its award-winning North to Alaska programme, for example, brings local personalities, culture and food to the guests. North to Alaska includes educational events and entertainment to foster a real understanding of the US state.

In 2026, North to Alaska will include exciting events such as:

• The Glacier Experience: a scenic cruise with close-up glacier views, expert Park Ranger commentary and access to VIP viewing areas
• Après Sea: a post-excursion experience in an après-ski inspired lounge for a happy hour with panoramic views of Alaska's landscapes
• Fire & Ice: a candlelight concert with performances by Alaskan singer-songwriters

Events such as the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show and Deadliest Catch return to Princess in 2026. Guest speakers include Rachel Moreno, the first woman elected Vice Chair of the Tlingit tribe; Nick Jans, one of Alaska’s best-known authors; and Daryl Pederson, an Alaskan photographer who has spent over 30 years capturing the beauty of the Northern Lights.

Good to know: all experiences, events and speakers are featured on all sailings. Check for specifics before you book.

With Princess Cruises, Alaska can be more than a holiday at sea

Not content to just sail Alaska's waters, Princess Cruises offers you a chance to extend your stay with a land tour. Five Princess Wilderness Lodges – at Denali, Copper River, Fairbanks, Kenai, and Mount McKinley – sit in some of Alaska's most remote and wildlife-rich corridors.

These are among the best possible locations to wake up inside the Alaska wilderness. Plus, you’ll experience the same high-end Princess Cruises experience on land as you do at sea.

Then there's the private rail service. Princess Cruises dome-car trains run directly from the cruise ship pier to Talkeetna for the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge and Denali for the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. The Direct-to-the-Wilderness Rail Service picks you up in Whittier, and the Princess Rail Service runs from Anchorage. The Alaska Railroad service extends its reach to Fairbanks for the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge. With this service, you can get to some of the parks on the same day you disembark - no wasted time.

In total, you can choose from 28 cruisetours, which include a cruise, a scenic train journey and stays in one or more Princess Wilderness Lodges.

Princess Cruises offers excellent Glacier Bay access

Glacier Bay National Park is, for many travellers, the defining moment of an Alaska cruise. More than 50 glaciers, 700 miles of shoreline, 600 species of wildlife, and the kind of blue-ice scenery that you’ll remember for a lifetime.

Access to it is permit-controlled by the National Park Service, which limits the number of ships that can enter and how often they can enter. Princess Cruises holds more sailing days in Glacier Bay than pretty much any other cruise line.

Several Princess Cruises itineraries also include Hubbard Glacier on the same voyage, giving passengers two distinct glacier experiences in a single sailing. Hubbard is the largest tidewater glacier in North America and one of the few that is still advancing rather than retreating.

Good to know: Not every Princess Cruises Alaska itinerary includes Glacier Bay. Inside Passage roundtrips from Seattle, for instance, instead sail through Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier. Check the specific itinerary before booking.

Princess Cruises has a wide range of ships and itineraries

With a fleet of 17 ships, Princess Cruises can position several vessels in Alaska every year, giving you access to a large selection of itineraries. This year, eight ships will be sailing the Great Land from May to September, with departures from Anchorage, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver.

What’s particularly attractive about the Princess Cruises Alaska programme is the depth of experience offered by these eight ships. Those interested in smaller, more traditional ships can sail on board Coral Princess, the smallest vessel in the fleet with a capacity for 2,000 guests. And if you’re looking for the newest in the fleet, Star Princess – which launched in late 2025 and has a capacity of 4,300 – is also sailing in Alaska.

The range of itineraries is equally varied. Shorter week-only sailings include the one-way Voyage of the Glaciers between Anchorage and Vancouver, and traditional round-trip Inside Passage cruises from Seattle and Vancouver. Longer voyages of two weeks or more are also available, including a 20-night round-trip Ultimate Alaska Solstice with Glacier Bay National Park journey from San Francisco.

You can immerse yourself in Alaska with Princess Cruises' excursions

Alaska excursions are where itineraries become memories, and Princess Cruises' programme is excellent. Explore Misty Fjords on a wilderness cruise from Ketchikan. Admire Mendenhall Glacier and enjoy a traditional salmon bake from Juneau. Ride the Yukon and White Pass railway before panning for gold in Skagway. Visit the Fortress of the Bear near Sitka.

And for something even more immersive, look out for the excursions in the Local Connections programme. These are hosted by local experts and designed to give you a more authentic and personal experience. These include a photo safari with a nature photographer in Ketchikan, a White Pass rail and Yukon adventure with a train historian in Skagway and a whale-watching and wildlife boat trip with a local family in Juneau.

Good to know: popular excursions can sell out months before departure. If you’re interested in something specific, we recommend booking early.

So, is Princess Cruises good for Alaska?

It’s not just good; it’s exceptional. Princess Cruises has decades of experience and excellent access to Glacier Bay National Park. It owns lodges and a scenic rail service to extend your holiday beyond your time at sea. Its North to Alaska programme makes the destination itself feel alive in a way that generic onboard programming doesn't. And it offers a wide range of ships and itineraries.

Princess Cruises is simply one of the top choices for Alaska. And that’s not just us saying it: 22 Best Cruise Line in Alaska awards speak louder than we ever could.

For more information or to book an Alaska cruise, visit the Princess Cruises website or call 0330 173 7090.