Alaska cruises 2028

Why Alaska cruises in 2028 are worth planning now

Alaska draws cruisers for its scale and wildness — glaciers that reach the sea, fjords carved by ice, and ports that sit at the edge of some of the most dramatic scenery on earth. The 2028 sailings bring together an unusually broad range of lines, from mainstream to ultra-luxury, with itineraries running from short 4-night tasters to extended 140-night voyages that take in far more than Alaska alone. Roughly half run as round trips, letting you begin and end at the same port; the other half are one-way voyages, typically finishing in a different city, connected home by a short domestic flight.

Where do Alaska 2028 cruises sail?

The overwhelming majority of 2028 sailings are concentrated in Alaska and West Canada, covering the classic inside passage routes and glacier-country ports that make this region so sought after. Alongside those, a significant group of sailings follow transpacific routes — long ocean crossings that use Alaska as a gateway between the Pacific and the North American coast, often running between Japan and Canada. A very small number of sailings touch the USA West Coast as part of longer itineraries.

Alaska and West Canada

This is where most 2028 sailings are focused. Itineraries run through some of the most celebrated cruising waters in the world, calling at ports including Juneau, Seward and Whittier. Glaciers, wildlife and dramatic coastal scenery are the constant. Whether you choose a round-trip sailing that returns to your embarkation port or a one-way voyage that ends in a different city, there is a departure pattern to suit most travel plans.

Transpacific sailings

For travellers who want more than Alaska, the transpacific sailings extend the journey across the Pacific, connecting ports in Japan with Canada or the US West Coast. These are long-haul voyages suited to those who want to cruise between continents rather than simply visit one region. Cruise1st can book the connecting flights and hotels either side of these longer crossings, so the whole trip sits on one itinerary rather than several separate bookings.

Which ports do Alaska 2028 cruises depart from?

Vancouver is the dominant embarkation point for Alaska 2028, with more sailings starting or finishing there than any other port. Seattle is the next major departure city, offering a solid range of itineraries from the US side of the border. Further into Alaska itself, Seward and Whittier serve as embarkation or disembarkation points on one-way itineraries, particularly those that begin or end deep in Alaskan waters. San Francisco appears on a smaller number of sailings, and Tokyo features as the Pacific starting point for transpacific crossings.

For most travellers reading this from Australia, a flight is part of the journey — Vancouver, Seattle, Tokyo and San Francisco are all international gateways. Cruise1st can book those flights, along with hotels for any nights you need either side of embarkation and transfers between airport and port. If you’re starting or ending in different cities on a one-way itinerary, we can connect those legs too, so you’re not left to piece it together yourself.

Which cruise lines sail Alaska in 2028?

Princess Cruises leads the 2028 Alaska roster and is the natural starting point for many travellers — the line has deep roots in this region and offers more departures than any other. Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Line each bring strong programmes, with distinct styles: Holland America is known for its classic, measured approach to Alaska, while Norwegian’s Freestyle model means no fixed dining times and a more relaxed daily rhythm. Explora Journeys and Royal Caribbean both sail Alaska in 2028 as well, the former bringing a boutique luxury angle, the latter its signature larger-ship energy. Silversea Cruises rounds out the luxury end of the offering.

If you’re still deciding between lines, our Australian cruise experts can walk you through the differences in style, inclusions and itinerary — seven days a week, before you commit to anything.

Ships to know for Alaska 2028

These are the ships with the most Alaska sailings in 2028, each with something specific to offer.

Seabourn Encore — Seabourn

Seabourn Encore is built around understated luxury: the design feels closer to a five-star hotel than a cruise ship, and that carries through to the service. Elegant dining is included as standard — there are no cover charges and no upsell menus. The atmosphere is classical and exclusive, suited to travellers who want genuine quiet and attentive service rather than organised activity. For cabin options including the Grand Wintergarden Suite — at approximately 115–120 m², the largest suite on board, with a private hot tub — see the Seabourn Encore cabins and deck plans.

Norwegian Joy — Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Joy gives families and groups plenty of room to operate at their own pace. The Haven is a private, key-card-access enclave within the ship — its own pool, its own restaurant, and 24-hour butler service — so you can have the scale of a large ship without feeling part of a crowd. Outside The Haven, Freestyle Dining lets you eat at Cagney’s Steakhouse, Le Bistro or La Cucina whenever you like, with no fixed sittings and no dress code. Solo travellers have their own Studio cabins and a dedicated Living Room lounge, which is Norwegian’s signature approach to independent cruisers. Norwegian Joy carries a wide range of cabin grades:

• Family Inside cabin — 12.5 m², sleeps 4, with Pullman beds in addition to the double bed, suited to families who want the lowest fare and don’t need a window
• Ocean-view cabin with sea view O4 — 22.3 m², sleeps 5, with a large ocean-view window providing natural daylight where inside cabins have none
• Balcony cabin with large balcony B6 — 30.8 m², sleeps 4, with a 14 m² balcony — nearly 5 times the outdoor space of a standard balcony cabin
• Family suite SP — 47.6 m², sleeps 6, one of the roomiest standard suites on board
• The Haven Premier Owner’s Suite — 197.9 m², sleeps 8, with 3 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms and a private hot tub

For the full layout, see the Norwegian Joy cabins and deck plans.

Riviera — Oceania Cruises

Riviera is an intimate 1,250-guest ship that carries close to 800 crew — a ratio that shows in the quality of service. Six gourmet restaurants are included in the fare, among them Polo Grill, Toscana and Jacques, with no surcharges ever. The Culinary Center is a working cooking school at sea, with hands-on classes run by expert chefs — a feature found on very few ships anywhere. For cabin details, see the Riviera cabins and deck plans.

Seven Seas Splendor — Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Seven Seas Splendor is built around the idea that nothing should be extra. Space at sea is generous, the fare covers a wide range of inclusions, and the style of exploration is immersive — suiting travellers who want the destination to feel like the point of the voyage rather than the backdrop. See the Seven Seas Splendor cabins and deck plans for full grade detail.

Silver Muse — Silversea

Silver Muse delivers Silversea’s signature style: personal, exclusive service on a ship that keeps guest numbers low enough for staff to know you by name. The experience is built around high-end consistency rather than headline amenities. For cabin options, see the Silver Muse cabins and deck plans.

What do Princess Cruises fares include?

Princess Cruises offers 2 main fare tiers for Alaska 2028 sailings:

• Princess Standard — the base cruise fare covering the voyage itself. The Princess Plus and Princess Premier packages, which add beverages, Wi-Fi, crew appreciation and casual dining, are available to add on separately.
• Princess Plus — builds on Standard by including 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to A$15 each with a daily limit of 15 drinks, MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi, pre-paid crew appreciation, unlimited digital photographs plus 3 prints, and reserved theatre seating.

If you’re weighing up which tier to book, our team can run through what each one means for your specific sailing and travel style. Princess Cruises sailings in 2028 can also be booked as part of a Princess 2027–2028 season package — see the full release for the range of itineraries available.

What do Norwegian Cruise Line fares include?

Norwegian Cruise Line structures its fares in tiers, so you can choose how much to include upfront:

• Lowest Fare (Just Cruise) — the base rate, covering the voyage without packages. Suited to travellers who prefer to manage their own spending on board.
• Free at Sea — adds a Premium Beverage Package, a Speciality Dining Package, a Wi-Fi Package and shore excursion credits of US$50 per port for guests 1 and 2.
• Free at Sea Plus — extends the dining package to all guests on the reservation, with the number of included restaurant meals scaled to the length of the cruise.

Are there discounts on Alaska 2028 cruises?

Many 2028 Alaska sailings carry a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade, so booking early can secure a lower fare before it moves. Discounts of up to 40% are available on individual departures — though that figure applies to a single sailing, and most reduced fares sit closer to around 10% off. Our Best Price Guarantee means that if you find the same cruise cheaper elsewhere after booking with Cruise1st, we’ll match it. It’s worth asking our team which sailings currently carry the strongest reductions.

What does an Alaska cruise itinerary look like?

Roughly half of the 2028 Alaska sailings are round trips, beginning and ending at the same port — Vancouver and Seattle are the most common for these. The other half are one-way voyages, where the ship starts at one port and finishes at another. On a one-way sailing, you’ll need to connect between the two cities, and Cruise1st can arrange that domestic or international flight as part of your booking, along with any hotel night before departure or after arrival.

Voyage lengths in 2028 range from 4 nights up to 140 nights, with the middle of the range sitting around 9 nights. That makes a 9-night one-way sailing from Vancouver to Seward a useful benchmark, but the range is genuinely wide — from a long weekend taster to an extended transpacific crossing that begins in Tokyo and finishes in Canada.

Getting to your Alaska cruise from Australia

Vancouver, Seattle and the Alaskan ports are all international gateways, so for most travellers this is a fly-cruise rather than a drive-to-the-ship trip. If you’re based close to your home city’s international airport, a direct or one-stop flight gets you to the embarkation port. If you’re travelling from a smaller city, a short domestic hop to Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane connects you to the international service.

On one-way itineraries, the ship finishes in a different city from where it departs — Seward and Whittier, for example, are different end points from Vancouver or Seattle. Cruise1st books the connecting flight between those cities as part of your holiday package, so there’s no loose end to sort out yourself. We can also add hotels in Vancouver or Seattle for the night before you board, or the night after you disembark, and arrange transfers between the airport and the port at each end.

Our Cruise1st Packages bundle the cruise with flights, hotels, transfers and tours in one booking — a practical option when the logistics involve multiple cities across two countries.

Solo travellers on Alaska 2028 cruises

Alaska in 2028 has options specifically designed for solo travellers, not just double-occupancy fares with a supplement. Norwegian Joy’s Studio cabins are a named, purpose-built product — compact individual cabins with access to a dedicated Studio Living Room lounge where solo guests can meet others travelling alone. That’s a different proposition from simply booking a standard cabin and paying extra for occupying it alone. If you’re travelling solo and want to know which sailings and fare tiers handle the single supplement most fairly, our team can point you to the right ones.

Also sailing in 2028

If you’re planning a 2028 cruise and Alaska is one option among several, there are other itineraries and regions worth considering. Princess Cruises from Sydney in 2028 cover a different part of the world entirely, as do Princess Cruises around Australia in 2028 — both worth a look if you’re open on destination. Crown Princess 2028 sailings sit alongside the Alaska options on the Princess roster. For a different region in the same year, 2028 cruises from Sydney and 2028 cruises from Melbourne cover a wide spread of destinations departing from Australian ports. If you’re weighing up a 2028 sailing that involves Vancouver to Alaska specifically, see our Vancouver to Alaska 2028 page for the sailings on that route. Travellers who’ve been considering Sydney to New Zealand in 2028 will find a comparable voyage length and a similar no-long-haul-flight proposition. And if the transpacific crossings have caught your eye, transpacific cruise deals bring together the full range across all years.

For something closer to home or a different season, Princess Cruises from Brisbane in 2027 and Princess Cruises around Australia in 2027 are also available, as is Royal Caribbean’s Christmas cruise in 2027 from Australia.

All of these sit under our broader 2028 cruises collection if you want to browse across regions and lines in one place.

*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.