Celebrity Cruises is known as an award-winning cruise line that provides upscale cruise experiences, and their sailings to Alaska are no exception.
They offer their guests the opportunity to discover the wild beauty of the Last Frontier with 6 and 7-day cruises along with optional land tours for a more immersive experience and the chance to explore the wonders of the Last Frontier.
With its growing fleet, Celebrity is sending three ships to Alaska for the upcoming cruise season, including the acclaimed Celebrity Edge, the first in its revolutionary series of ships that has won many awards. With 8 different itineraries, sailing both the Inside Passage and the Gulf of Alaska, there are ample ways to explore Alaska's ports of call and see its majestic glacial landscapes.
Since there are quite a few different options for a Celebrity cruise to Alaska, here is a breakdown of what you need to know when choosing an unforgettable Alaska cruise vacation.
Celebrity’s sailings to Alaska
For the upcoming Alaska cruise season, Celebrity has three of its award-winning ships sailing to Alaska, including Celebrity Solstice, Celebrity Summit, and Celebrity Edge. All of these ships provide incredible onboard amenities and activities, including the cruise line’s renowned food and dining experiences.
With a number of cruises of the Inside Passage as well as sailings farther north to the Gulf of Alaska, Celebrity visits numerous fantastic ports of call as well as scenic viewing of glaciers such as Hubbard Glacier and Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier.
All of Celebrity's cruises to Alaska are 6 or 7 days, although there is the option to add land tours on southbound or northbound itineraries, with as much as a week to explore the interior region and Alaska in more depth. Embarkation for Celebrity’s Alaska cruises includes major port cities like Seattle and Vancouver or Seward, Alaska, for southbound sailings. Seattle can be very convenient for departure as it has many affordable flight options. For those who depart from Vancouver, a passport is required to fly into this Canadian port from the United States.
Celebrity’s Alaska itineraries
Celebrity has numerous sailings throughout the Alaska cruise season with 8 different itineraries that sail both the Inside Passage and Gulf Of Alaska.
Most Celebrity's cruises are weeklong cruises, sailing roundtrip from Seattle or Vancouver. Celebrity also has its “Alaska Dawes Glacier" cruises, which are one-way cruises, either northbound or southbound, starting or ending in Seward, Alaska. The cruise line also offers a 6-night sailing.
Celebrity sails to several ports of call, including Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Victoria, and Vancouver, Canada, with numerous excursion options. Scenic cruising of the incredible 30-mile Endicott Arm fjord to face Dawes Glacier, a 600-foot-tall wall of ice, is a can't-miss opportunity to see one of Alaska's top natural wonders. Other Alaska cruise highlights include charming coastal towns and plenty of chances to see local marine and animal life, including whales and bears.
Celebrity’s Alaska excursions
Celebrity offers a huge variety of excursions for guests to enjoy. They are categorized as sustainable, multi-day, wellness, culinary, cultural, adventure, aquatic, sightseeing, wildlife, flightseeing, and accessible. They also have Private Journeys, where the cruise line can create your own specific excursion that meets your interests and schedule. Another good option are their smaller group tours, which enhance the onshore experience without the hassles of dealing with being part of a larger group. Some highlights include:
- Visit the Tongass National Forest, which covers close to half of the state and includes the largest temperate rainforest in the world.
- See, learn, and interact with wildlife, including the majestic whales of the region, such as humpbacks and orcas, with a number of guided excursions on luxury catamarans, Zodiacs, and special safari vessels that visit well-known feeding grounds for whales.
- Thrill-seeking activities, such as flightseeing, get the most majestic views of the rugged landscape, fjords, and glaciers. How about a helicopter ride to a glacier or ride the world’s longest ZipRyder at Icy Strait Point?
- Enjoy world-class fishing and get the catch of a lifetime – salmon, halibut, Arctic Char, and others, depending on the season and location.
- Explore the history and rich culture of Alaska with exceptional immersive excursions to watch, listen, see, and taste the story of the ancient Tlingit tribe through tours of villages and clan houses, totem carving demos, storytelling, and sampling of native foods.
- Try some of the tastiest local cruising, including feasting on the freshest line-caught salmon, grilled to perfection and served in park-like outdoor settings or rustic lodges in view of a massive glacier.
Celebrity’s add-on land tours
Celebrity's add-on land tours, "cruise tours" as they refer to it, give guests the opportunity to extend their cruise by as much as a week. On land, cruisers stay in authentic lodges and travel remote roads and railways in deluxe motor coaches and on a luxurious train with domed glass ceilings enough to places like Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, Fairbanks, Homer, and Alyeska.
Accommodations for land tours are among the best lodgings available in the Alaksa interior with boutique style and local properties range from the luxurious Alyeska Resort, whose amenities include a heated pool with mountain views, to the charmingly rustic Denali Park Village, whose buildings are tucked into a forested 20-acre site along the Nenana River.
Another highlight for land tours is the Wilderness Express, where passengers travel from Anchorage to Fairbanks with 360-degree windows and onboard cuisine.
Celebrity ships sailing to Alaska
Celebrity Edge
Launched in December 2018, Celebrity Edge was the first in the newest class of ships, which redefined Celebrity ships with their bold new and innovative style. The ship can accommodate 2,918 passengers, moderate by today’s standards, but it is the largest of Celebrity's ships sailing to Alaska.
The ship has won numerous awards thanks to its sophisticated design and upscale cruising experience, including numerous food and beverage options. The outward-focused ship has incredible floor-to-ceiling windows in its atrium, along with Eden and Magic Carpet spaces, making for great viewing opportunities of Alaska’s incredible scenery.
Celebrity Solstice
Celebrity Solstice was launched in 2008, has a capacity of 2,852, and is about 7% smaller than Celebrity Edge. It has also won several awards, specifically for its food and wine. There are numerous cabin options, including the cruise line’s celebrated Retreat area, as well as Concierge and Aquaclass staterooms. It was last refurbished in 2016, adding a number of enhancements and updates. Cruisers love its spacious open areas and rooftop spaces, including a real grass lawn. Inside, guests can enjoy and relax in the solarium, which has its own waterfalls.
Celebrity Summit
The oldest of the three ships sailing to Alaska, the Celebrity Summit was launched in 2001 but was revolutionized (Celebrity’s term for refurbished) in 2019. It received brand new staterooms, reimagined venues, as well as the Retreat class of suites and dedicated spaces. Celebrity Summit is one of the first resorts at sea to receive a Recommended Rating from Forbes Travel Guide, a prestigious honor.
It has a capacity of 2,218 guests and a tonnage of 91 003, making it 44% smaller in size than Celebrity Edge. Despite its smaller size, guests can still expect top-rated entertainment, venues, and entertainment, including fun activities like pickleball and archery.
Celebrity’s onboard offerings
Celebrity’s reputation for innovation and superb onboard experiences gives guests lots of ways to enjoy their time onboard when sailing on an Alaska cruise.
Guests can expect comfortable staterooms, friendly staff, top-notch venues, and amenities when sailing with Celebrity Cruises. These ships do not have the bells and whistles like waterparks, slides, racetracks, and ziplines like some other cruise lines, but rather rooftop gardens with plenty of relaxing spaces with a good selection of good entertainment onboard. Highlights include:
- A variety of inclusive and specialty dining options. Celebrity Edge features four different themed main dining rooms to provide even more choices. Specialty dining includes sushi, Italian, and a steakhouse.
- Extensive entertainment like live music and other productions
- Specialty programs like wine and whiskey tasting, lawn bowing, and glass-blowing
- Complimentary kids programs, Camp at Sea – more than 500 activities
- Adult activities include a variety of bars, lounges, nightclubs, spas, and casino
- Pool, hot tubs, fitness center and classes
- Variety of cabin categories with lots of balcony options for scenic viewing
- Numerous suite options, including the suite-only area – The Retreat, with dedicated spaces, lounge, dining, rooftop sun deck, and butler service.
Celebrity has an all-inclusive pricing option, with drinks and wi-fi, for those who want a more relaxing approach to cruising.
What to know when picking a Celebrity cruise to Alaska
Celebrity is known for its sophisticated ships and focus on service. For those who love upscale ship amenities while cruising Alaska, Celebrity is a great choice. The cruise line provides for a more quiet and relaxed cruise experience. With a couple of different ships to choose from, including the popular Celebrity Edge, it can make for a perfect Alaska cruise vacation. Some points to consider when booking a Celebrity cruise for your Alaska cruise vacation:
- Many Celebrity cruises tend to be popular with the 40/50+ age demographic, but families are welcome. While they do have complimentary kids programs onboard. Their ships do lack many of the bells and whistles, such as sky-high slides, waterparks, splash pads, and rock climbing. This is something to consider for families traveling with kids who may miss those signature onboard activities found on Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Royal Caribbean ships.
- Celebrity cruise fares can be higher priced than the other major cruise lines, but they do offer a number of ongoing promotions, which makes it more affordable than people might think. Currently, there are cruises for the 2024 Alaska season that start as low as $295 per person for a weeklong cruise.
- North or southbound cruises provide add-on tours, which can be a great way to explore in more depth, especially areas in the interior that are farther from cruise ports of call. Celebrity arranges all of the transportation, including trains, high end logging, and expert guides to accompany the tours.
- Celebrity has a wide variety of cabin options, including luxurious suites, for those who want to splurge, with incredible in-cabin views of Alaska.
