Alaska Travel

Glaciers, fjords, brown bears, and the kind of light that doesn't exist anywhere else. Planned by advisors who know which itinerary is actually worth your time.
“The beauty of Alaska changes every season, and we know exactly which version is worth experiencing.”

Alaska is all about the details: the right cruise line, ports, excursions, and whether to include a Denali land tour. We’ve helped countless clients navigate these choices, and we’ve experienced Alaska ourselves many times—so we know exactly how to make your trip unforgettable.

Certified Alaska Cruise Experts

Credentials That Elevate Your Journey

As certified cruise specialists for leading Alaska cruise lines, including Holland America, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean, we don't just book trips. Our advanced destination training and direct supplier relationships help secure the right stateroom for your travel style, valuable onboard perks, and a seamlessly coordinated Denali land-and-sea experience.

Sun Day Travel Group | Anchorage certified travel specialist badge

Cruise + Land Expertise

A cruise shows only a fraction of Alaska. We create combined cruise-and-land journeys so you can truly experience the glaciers, Denali, and more.

The Right Itinerary

Inside Passage, Gulf crossing, southbound, northbound. Each route shows a different Alaska. We pick the one that matches what you actually want to see.

Excursions That Matter

Helicopter glacier landings, brown bear viewing, dog sledding on ice fields — we know the operators worth booking and the ones to skip.
Most Popular

Inside Passage Cruises

Round-trip from Seattle or Vancouver. Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, glacier-day. The classic Alaska cruise — and for good reason.
Plan a Cruise
Expedition

Small-Ship Expedition Cruises

Under 250 passengers. Get into the bays the big ships can't. Kayaks off the back deck, naturalists onboard, and itineraries that change with the wildlife.
Explore Options
01

Tell Us What You Want to See

Wildlife, glaciers, train rides, cruise comfort? We start with what matters to you and work backward to the itinerary.
02

We Build the Itinerary

Cruise line, ship, route, cabin location, pre/post-cruise nights, land extensions, excursions. All locked in before you book.
03

Sail North

You travel; we monitor. Your advisor stays in your corner from embarkation to the moment you fly home.

Cruise Booking

All major Alaska cruise lines — Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, Disney Cruise Line, Cunard — plus expedition lines like UnCruise and Lindblad. We also book Virgin Voyage, Windstar, and Viking.

Cabin Strategy

Which side of the ship to book for glacier-day. Which decks see whales most often. The cabin choice matters more in Alaska than anywhere else.

Shore Excursions

Helicopter glacier walks, Misty Fjords flightseeing, Mendenhall by canoe, brown bear charters. Booked through operators we trust.

Rail & Lodge Stays

Alaska Railroad bookings, Princess and Holland America wilderness lodges, Talkeetna roadhouse stays — the land tour built into your trip.

Pre & Post Stays

Seattle, Vancouver, Anchorage hotel nights — booked at properties we know, in neighborhoods worth being in.

On-Trip Support

Connections, baggage, weather changes, schedule shifts. We're your point of contact start to finish.
★★★★★

Jen and Sun Day Travel were amazing to work with in planning a Caribbean cruise for our group of 30 people. She was very knowledgeable about all aspects of the trip keeping in mind everyone’s budget, needs, and what we each wanted to experience. Jen took care of the smallest of details and provided great travel tips to ensure the best possible stress free experience for everyone in our group and any questions we had were answered in a timely and professional manner. I highly recommend Jen and Sun Day Travel for any of your individual or group travel needs!

— Lynn S, Client Google Review

Common questions
about Alaska Travel

Which type of cruise is right for me?

Most travelers do great with a 7-night Inside Passage cruise — glaciers, fjords, three or four ports, and no hotel changes. Premium lines like Princess, Holland America, and Celebrity are particularly strong here, with itineraries built around the cruise itself rather than the inland add-on.

Want to see Denali and the interior too? Add a cruisetour (cruise + 3–5 nights on the rail and at the wilderness lodges). And if you want bear viewing, kayaking up to a calving glacier, and ports the big ships can't reach, look at a small-ship expedition (UnCruise, Lindblad, Hurtigruten).

When's the best time to go?

Alaska's season runs May through September. May and September are the value windows — fewer crowds, lower fares, and surprisingly stable weather. June through August is peak: warmest temps, longest daylight, and the most wildlife activity, but also the highest prices.

For salmon runs and bear viewing, target July. For fewer ships in port and northern-lights chance on land tours, lean late September.

How far in advance should I book?

10–14 months out for peak summer sailings, especially balcony cabins and suites — Alaska's premium inventory sells out earliest of any region we plan. If you're adding a cruisetour with rail and wilderness lodges, lean toward the longer end of that window; the best lodges book a year ahead.

Shoulder-season May and September sailings are easier to grab inside 6 months, sometimes with promotional pricing.

Port or starboard — which side of the ship?

Depends on the direction. Northbound sailings (Vancouver/Seattle to Seward/Whittier): starboard hugs the coast. Southbound: port side. For round-trip Seattle sailings, it's a wash because you see both sides at different points.

For glacier days (Glacier Bay, Hubbard, Tracy Arm) the ship usually rotates so both sides get a view — but a balcony is still worth it for the in-cabin coffee moment when the captain quietly slips into the bay at 6am.

Do I need to add Denali, or is the coastal cruise enough?

Coastal Alaska and interior Alaska are different trips. The cruise covers glaciers, fjords, coastal towns, and marine wildlife — for most travelers, that's a full and satisfying Alaska experience on its own. Denali and the interior add tundra, grizzly bears, caribou herds, and the mountain itself (weather permitting — it shows up about a third of the time).

If it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip and you have the days to spare, the inland add-on is worth it. If it's a focused getaway built around the ship and the scenery, the cruise alone is plenty.

Alaska Season Books Early

Let's Start Planning

Best cabins on summer Alaska sailings sell out 12+ months ahead. The earlier we start, the better we plan.