Traveling to Alaska on a cruise is the best option to experience the natural beauty and wildlife of the state. For many, planning for an Alaska cruise can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to budgeting. Having been on many Alaska cruises now, we are here to help. We have put together this complete breakdown of Alaska cruise prices for 2023. This way, you will know the exact Alaska cruise cost before setting sail.

How Much Does an Alaska Cruise Cost?

First, it’s important to understand that the costs of an Alaska cruise can vary widely depending on several factors, like your cabin category. Not to mention, there will be associated costs not tied directly to the cruise fare.

Plus, how far in advance you book the trip and the time of year you cruise can also affect the Alaska cruise price. So, you could easily spend anywhere from $2,000 a person to several times that amount depending on your choices.

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When putting together your budget, be sure to know all of the associated costs of an Alaska Cruise. The most important items to budget for include:

• Cruise fare (plus taxes and fees): This is largely impacted by the itinerary, cruise line, time of year, and the type of cabin.
• Airfare/Transportation: Most cruisers will need to fly to the Pacific Northwest to board an Alaska cruise. Even if you are local to a departure port, you will still incur expenses traveling to and from the port, parking, etc.
• Shore Excursions: While the cruise fare covers most of the onboard charges, you will also need to budget for activities ashore. Keep in mind that Alaska cruise excursions are among the most expensive and can vary greatly in price.
• Onboard Purchases: These are additional amenities and experiences on your cruise ship not covered in the cruise fare.
• Hotel Accommodations: Given the travel time to get to Alaska, some cruisers might need to extend the trip. This could mean a night or two at a hotel before or after the cruise.
• Travel Insurance: For an Alaska cruise, this is especially important. Travelers should make sure this trip is protected for any unforeseen circumstances. These costs tend to be around $150 to $300 a person, depending on the coverage.

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How Much Are Cruise Fares on an Alaska Cruise?

When it comes to choosing the right cruise ship for your Alaska cruise, cost will vary by cruise line. Currently, we have seen a trend of cruise prices increasing across the board in 2023, when compared to previous years.

Mainstream cruise lines, like Carnival Cruise Line, offer Alaska cruises in 2023 starting as low as $890 a person (double occupancy) for a seven night roundtrip cruise out of Seattle. Still, on that same ship, Carnival Luminosa, the voyage jumps up to $3,000 a person for a suite.

Competitor cruise line Royal Caribbean is advertising cruise prices for the 2023 Alaska cruise season starting as low as $770 a person (double occupancy) for a similar itinerary. Yet, a suite on the ship will cost just under $2,000 a person for the same week.

Premium cruise line Celebrity Cruises’ least expensive roundtrip Alaska cruise from Seattle starts at $807 a person (double occupancy). A suite in the ship’s exclusive Retreat is going for over $4,000 a person. Although, this fare includes many upgrades, like a drink package, exclusive restaurant access, WiFi, and gratuities.

Although, the family-focused Disney Cruise Line is one of the most expensive Alaska cruises. A roundtrip cruise from Vancouver starts at $1,050 per person for a family of 4 (or $1283 per person at double occupancy). If the same family of 4 wants to sail in a concierge level cabin, the total cost is $5875 per person (or $8950 per person at double occupancy).

So, as you can see, Alaska cruise prices do vary based on the cruise line and even by cabin category on the same ship.

Keep in mind the prices above are just to give you a sense of the relative pricing. Prices are subject to change.

Comparing Alaska Cruise Costs by Cabin Category

Regardless of cruise line, most ships offer similar types of staterooms or cabins. Typical cabin categories include Inside, Outside, Balcony (Verandah), and Mini-Suites/Suites.

So, it might be better to begin your budget around the type of cabin.

Some cruisers do not care about accommodations and want to book the least expensive room. Others will want a balcony cabin to admire the views.

Similarly, some might want the upgrades of a suite. Once you know the ballpark for these room categories, you can begin investigating cruise lines.

Based on our research, Alaska cruise fares for 2023 (inclusive of taxes and fees) have the following ranges.

• Inside Cabins – $700-$1200 a person
• Ocean Views – $800-$2000 a person
• Balconies – $1100-$2800 a person
• Mini Suites/Suites – $1500-$3500+ a person

These are approximate values on reviewing several cruise lines and ships for 7-night roundtrip cruises from Seattle at double occupancy. Of course, you might find rates cheaper (or more expensive) depending on the factors above.

Many cruise lines do discount the second and third person in the room. This discount is usually around 50% off the cruise fare of the first and second passenger. Note, they will be paying full prices for taxes and fees, which are usually $200 to $400 per person.

Thus, the per person fare will be different when averaged across all of the passengers in a stateroom.

For instance, an inside cabin on a roundtrip cruise on Princess Cruises’ Royal Princess out of Seattle, WA leaving on April 30th starts at about $720 a person at double occupancy. For a family of 4, the cabin is $2484 for a total of $621 a person.

A standard balcony cabin on the same sailing is currently $1,017 a person at double occupancy. So, an increase of 30% from the inside room rate. A family of four in the same balcony cabin would be paying over $3,600 for the cabin, so an average of $900 a person.

Of course, you may stumble upon a deal or promotion, like “kids sail free” or free perks with certain bookings making one cruise line a better option.

Alaska Cruise Costs by Time of Year

By and large, the cheapest times of year to go on an Alaska cruise are the shoulder seasons. This is the beginning and the end of the cruise season. Thus, sailings during late April/May and September/early October usually have the lowest Alaska cruise prices.

The most expensive time to cruise to Alaska is the middle of the season, usually July. This is the peak time of year as there is the warmest weather and coincides with summer vacation.

For instance, if you wanted to go on the same Princess cruise above in July, a balcony cabin for two people is just over $2,000 a person. Likewise, for a family of four, the total for a balcony cabin would be $6,392 (or $1,598 per person).

So, if you have your heart set on sailing during the middle of the summer, make sure to budget accordingly.

Does an Alaska Cruise Cost More for Certain Itineraries?

When going on an Alaska cruise, travelers have the option to sail either one-way or roundtrip itineraries.

One-way cruises start in one port, usually Vancouver, and end in another destination (like Whittier, Alaska). The two most common departure ports for roundtrip cruises are Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC.

Comparing fares, one-way trips generally have lower starting fares than roundtrip itineraries. But, there is a good chance that you will pay more for flights on one-way cruises.

For roundtrip cruises, comparing seven-day itineraries from both Seattle and Vancouver, we do not find a discernible pattern.

Essentially, the prices are very close, and vary from week to week and from cruise line to cruise line. Thus, there is no benefit to picking one departure point over the other when it comes to Alaska cruise prices.

Ultimately, when deciding on an Alaska cruise itinerary, it really comes down to picking the option with the ports you want to visit.

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How Much are Shore Excursions on an Alaska Cruise?

If all of these Alaska cruise costs are making you feel a little stressed out, then the pricing of Alaska shore excursions might just put you over the edge.

On our Alaska cruises, we have done a mix of land-based walking tours, as well as helicopter rides and float plane adventures. Not to mention glacier viewing, bear watching, zip lines, whale watching, and even visiting a bald eagle preserve.

Sure, there are plenty of reasonably priced tours that give you the authentic Alaskan experience, or you can even explore some of the small Alaskan towns on your own for free.

For instance, you can book a city tour with a stop at Mendenhall Glacier for around $70 a person. But, if you want to upgrade to include a full day of sightseeing, whale watching, and a salmon bake, that will cost over $200 a person.

For the ultimate experience, you can take one of the helicopter tours to see the nearby icefields in Juneau. These start at around $450 a person. If you want to combine a helicopter tour with a dog sledding adventure, that will easily be over $600 a person.

The most popular shore excursion in Alaska is the White Pass Summit railroad in Skagway. Alone, this tour is around $140 per person for the roundtrip ride. There are also several combo tours that cost over $200. Still, you can take a walking tour of Skagway or a bus tour for between $70 and $100 per person.

During our trips, we have averaged around $150 to $200 per person, per port for our shore excursion costs. So, with 4 to 5 ports of call, cruisers can easily spend upwards of $500 to over $1,000 on excursions.

Budgeting for Airfare for an Alaska Cruise

This is obvious, but depending on where you live and your departure port, you will need to calculate in the cost of flights.

If you are taking a one-way cruise either leaving or ending in Seward, Alaska, you will need to fly to Anchorage. Let’s just say that it’s not cheap or convenient. Not to mention, the increasing costs to fly in 2023.

Even if you are cruising round-trip from Seattle, WA or Vancouver, BC, flights are not as abundant as popular cruise ports in Florida. 

A good rule of thumb is to budget between $500 to $1000 per person for airfare for an Alaska cruise.

Although, at peak times, you could spend more than that to get to more remote departure points.

Don’t forget to factor in luggage fees and other related costs, like airport parking, and transport to and from the cruise port.

Given the time travel, many cruisers will want to consider spending at least one pre-cruise day at a hotel, and possibly even a post cruise day. For popular departure ports like Seattle, WA or Vancouver, BC, even a modest hotel during Alaska cruise season can go for $200 to $300 a night.

Hotels with more amenities, better locations, or premium brands can run upwards of $500 a night.

What are Additional Costs for an Alaska Cruise?

Gratuities

Except for luxury cruise lines, your fare will not include onboard gratuities. These typically run $13-$18 a person, per day, depending on your cabin category.

Also referred to as “service charges”, these additional daily costs go to your room attendant, dining staff, and other crew members who work hard to make your cruise a special vacation.

Many cruise lines now give you the option to pre-pay these charges before cruising so you can budget accordingly. If you do not get that option or chose not to pre-pay, expect $100 or so per person in general gratuities to be added to your bill at the end of the cruise.

Alcoholic Beverages

Unless you are sailing on a luxury cruise line, odds are your cruise fare does not include alcoholic beverages. Of course, you can pay a la carte. Most cruise lines price beer around $7, cocktails between $9 and $15, and a variety of wines around $9 to $15 a glass.

Or, you could opt for a drink package. Often, drink packages run between $75-$125 a day, per person, depending on the drink package and cruise line.

Each cruise line has slightly different packages and inclusions. Still, if you do like to enjoy a few cocktails while on vacation, investigating these packages could save you money in the long term.

Now, some cruise lines offer package deals that include drink packages for certain room categories. So, upgrading your room could pay for itself if you get one of these free perks.

Specialty Dining

On most ships, there are plenty of complimentary dining venues and food offerings. However, if you do want to try out some of the specialty restaurants, you could easily spend a few hundred dollars more on dining.

Many cruise lines now also offer dining packages to help reduce the costs of specialty dining. Most lines will let you buy a drink package and/or a dining package during the first few days of your sailing, so you don’t have to make that decision before boarding.

WiFi

If you want to stay in touch while onboard, you will need to purchase the cruise line’s WiFi. The additional costs for internet tends to run between $15 to $25 per day, per device. Prices vary based on internet speed and number of devices.

Although, when cruising in Alaska you should check with your mobile provider. If you have coverage when docked at the ports of call, you might not need to purchase internet for the few sea days.

Souvenirs or Onboard Purchases

Like any vacation, you could rack up additional costs for things like souvenirs, meals and snacks ashore, or any other general shopping or gaming while onboard. How much to allocate for these additional purchases varies for all travel parties.

We collect ornaments and t-shirts from the destinations we visit. So, the wife and I always budget around $100-$200 for these purchases.

Alaska Cruise Tours

Sometimes, travelers to Alaska extend the entire trip with a Cruisetour. A cruisetour adds extra days to your cruise, on either the front or the back end, with a portion of your trip occurring on land. These often include scenic rail tours with overnights in nearby lodges and hotels.

These cruisetours can add several hundreds of dollars per person to the cruise fare. The only good thing is that all of your tours and transfers during the land portion will be included and arranged for you.

For instance, Princess Cruises offers a 10-day Alaska cruise tour that includes 3 days on land with a 7-day cruise. These depart from Vancouver, with one way travel Northbound to Whittier, then a 3-day land rail to Denali National Park. Or vice versa.

Comparing a few dates for the Alaska Cruisetour, the per person costs for a couple is about $1300, close to double the cost of the cheapest roundtrip cruise.

Complete Breakdown of Alaska Cruise Costs

To recap, Alaska cruise costs vary greatly depending on the cruise line you choose, the cabin type you pick, the time of year you sail, and the onboard purchases and upgrades you opt for during your cruise.

However, below are some general pricing guidelines for the principal costs of an Alaska cruise.

Cruise Costs	Price Ranges
Cruise Fare	$800-$3,000
Airfare/Hotels	$500-$1,000
Shore Excursions	$500-$1,000
Travel Insurance/Additional Costs	$200-$400
Per Person Estimate	$2,000-$5,400

So, we think it is reasonable to budget anywhere between $2,000 to upwards of $5,000 a person for an Alaska cruise. Thus, it is not too crazy to think that an Alaska cruise could cost a family of 4 close to $10,000 on the cheap end, once all costs are considered.

This is especially true if you are traveling from far away to get to the departure point. Or, if you opt for an upgraded shore excursion or two while traveling.

But, cruising to Alaska is well worth the costs! It is truly an unforgettable trip.

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