Several cruise companies now operate Seattle to Alaska cruise routes.
These cruises generally either sail a round-trip route from Seattle up the Inside Passage and back, or they sail one-way between Seattle and Anchorage.
While many ships still depart from Vancouver, more and more people are taking a Seattle to Alaska cruise.
There are several advantages to sailing in or out of Seattle rather than Vancouver, especially for those originating from the United States.
These advantages include:
Lower priced flights from within the U.S.
No hassles going through airport customs.
Greater flight availability.
The disadvantages include:
A longer cruise time to Alaska
The route heads through much more choppy open ocean
Personally, I find that just avoiding the sometimes long, tedious customs lines at the Vancouver airport makes it worthwhile to book a cruise out of Seattle.
However, I know that other travel agents prefer booking cruises out of Vancouver, preferring both the port and the itineraries offered out of this city.
If you do have issues with seas sickness, then you might want to consider a cruise out of Vancouver, as Seattle cruises frequently sail on the ocean side of Vancouver Island, rather than on the protected eastern side, where the water is much more calm.
One other potential upside to the Seattle route is that many of these cruises stop in Victoria on Vancouver Island.
Victoria is really a beautiful city with some of the friendliest people you'll meet anywhere, and it's a great place to spend a day in port.
The following cruise lines offer Alaska cruises out of Seattle:
Celebrity Cruises
Holland America Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Royal Caribbean
Princess Cruises
Several excellent ground tours are available as an add-on to Seattle cruises, including a wonderful Canadian Rockies excursion, which includes the incredible Banff National Park, a personal favorite.
Ultimately, both Seattle and Vancouver are beautiful cities and offer a large number of Alaska cruises sailing comparable itineraries.
So whether you plan a Seattle to Alaska cruise or one originating from Vancouver, you are bound to have a wonderful time.
