Cruising to Alaska is an incredibly fun, leisurely vacation. To make it even easier, cruise lines welcome families and provide a ton of onboard activities and entertainment, as well as kid-friendly excursion options, for an even better cruise vacation.
We have found some of the best family cruises available, with modern ships that have plenty of fantastic onboard amenities. These top-rated itineraries offer families the chance to explore nature and the incredible Alaska scenery, including glaciers, fjords, spectacular wildlife, and historic sports. These are some of the top reasons why cruising to Alaska is so popular for family vacations.
These cruises are designed for kids, with an array of kid-approved foods, complimentary kids' programs, and family-sized cabins. Port excursions are tailored to various activities, levels, and interests, making it easy to find something that every family will love.
Read more: Alaska cruise tips
Here are our top picks for the best Alaska cruises for families.
Royal Caribbean
7 Alaska Adventure Cruise – Quantum of the Seas
Royal Caribbean is known for its fun and award-winning ships that welcome cruisers of all ages, and it is the perfect cruise line for plenty of adventure both on and off the ship while sailing the scenic routes along the rugged coastline of Alaska. Quantum of the Seas is described as the boldest ship to sail to the Last Frontier and lots for families of any age.
The ship’s 7-night Alaska Adventure Cruise has a spectacular itinerary that features port stops in Sitka and Skagway, as well as scenic views of Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier. This popular, well-rated cruise sails roundtrip from Seattle, a convenient (and often more affordable) departure point throughout the Alaska cruise season.
Quantum of the Seas has all guests expect from a Royal Caribbean ship and a few extras. The SeaPlex hosts many activities, including the ever-popular bumper cars, pickleball, soccer, roller skating, and volleyball. The ship’s skydiving and surf simulators are also popular with guests, in addition to Royal Caribbean entertainment. Cruisers will never go hungry with a wide selection of dining options, including a sizeable buffet, sushi at Izumi, Chops Grille, and Italian, not to mention all-day pizza.
Carnival Cruise Line
7- Day Alaska Cruise – Carnival Spirit
Famous for their “fun” ships and great prices, Carnival Cruise Line is another popular option for families wanting to explore the Last Frontier. Carnival Spirit offers numerous dates for its popular 7-day cruise that sails from Seattle to Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria, Canada.
The namesake of this class, Carnival Spirit, was built in 2001 but refurbished in 2019. For those who like the more intimate feel of a “smaller” ship, it has a capacity for 2,124 guests with 930 crew but still packs in lots of fun.
Carnival Spirit gives families plenty of activities and entertainment. Highlights include the Waterworks park, mini golf, Seuss at Sea program, arcades, slides, and much more. They have plenty of fun food options and several inclusive dining options like Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, and Pizza Pirate, along with the standard buffet and main dining room fare. Extensive entertainment options include live musical productions, comedy shows, and theme parties.
Disney Cruise Line
7- Night Alaska Cruise - Disney Wonder
Disney, known for its theme parks, has brought the same magic to cruising with its growing fleet of Disney cruise ships. These ships capture everything that fans love about the family-friendly brand, and they offer several sailings to Alaska.
For 2024, the cruise line offers a 7-day Alaska cruise with glacier viewing at Stikine Icecap and port visits to Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan from May to September. Families can enjoy kid-friendly excursions, which capture all the magic and fun that Disney is known for. Guests appreciate the calmer waters of the Inside Passage from this itinerary that starts in Vancouver, Canada.
Disney Wonder is a fan favorite. The ship has had several refurbishments, which have kept its elegant style with updated dining venues and onboard amenities. With its Marvel Superhero Academy, Frozen musical, fantastic kids’ programs, theme dining, and a range of port excursions, families will have oodles of fun onboard Disney ships.
Norwegian Cruise Line
7-Day Cruise Glacier Bay, Skagway & Juneau
Norwegian Encore
Another popular cruise line with families, Norwegian Cruise Line, offers numerous itineraries to Alaska. Guests love their relaxed, free-style approach to cruising with flexible dining options, as well as their onboard amenities which make life easy for families.
Sailing on the Norwegian Encore, this 7-day roundtrip cruise from Seattle heads to Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria, Canada. It also offers the incredible opportunity to visit majestic Glacier Bay and historic ports.
Notably, Norwegian Encore received the 2020 Best New Ship award from Porthole Cruise Magazine. It is a good-sized ship with a capacity of 3,998 passengers and 1,735 crew, and it is well known for providing fun activities for adults and kids alike. There are tons of fun onboard activities like laser tag, mini golf, fun times at the waterpark, and kids programs, not to mention their racetrack that lets you race on the top of the ship as you pass Alaska’s epic glaciers.
Princess Cruises
7 - Day Inside Passage - Majestic Princess
This may be a surprising choice for some, but Princess Cruises' extensive Alaska offerings, as well as their partnership with Discovery and Animal Planet channels, make it a fantastic option for families. The cruise line’s 7-day Inside Passage cruise is an ideal option for a family vacation. Sailing out of Seattle, the Majestic Princess visits the five ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria (Canada) and sails to Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier.
Princess Cruises’ exclusive kids' programming and excursions feature some one of the kind of experience. Families get the opportunity to cuddle sled dog puppies in the ship's Piazza, see the Northern Lights in the planetarium, and learn how to carve a totem pole. There are lots of other fun events, such as stargazing and youth/teen clubs.
Majestic Princess is a mid-sized ship known for its relaxed vibe and offers several amenities and activities catering to adults and families. They offer a variety of inclusive and specialty dining options, such as Italian, steakhouse, and gastropub, with flexible dining times. Other highlights include a sports courts, movies under the stars, and onboard entertainment that includes original shows. The ship does feature kids’ and teens’ clubs, family-friendly movie nights, and evening shows, including magicians.
