Alaska, known as America’s “last frontier,” is one of the most popular places to cruise. You can escape for a luxury Alaska cruise on Celebrity Cruises. Adventure, along with plenty of pampering and relaxation, awaits on Celebrity. There’s no question why it was named the 2018 “Best Cruise Line” Alaska by Cruise Critic’s Cruisers’ Choice Awards. Here is how you can find your own wow moments during an Alaska cruise on Celebrity Cruises.

Celebrity Cruises to Alaska

No words describe the thrill you feel the first time you glimpse a whale breaching on the horizon. May through September is the prime whale-watching time in Alaska. Celebrity Cruises has sailings during those months on three ships during 2019: Celebrity Eclipse, Celebrity Millennium, and Celebrity Solstice.

Cruise The Inside Passage with Celebrity Eclipse

Celebrity Eclipse is new to Alaska. She carries 2,850 passengers and sails round-trip from Vancouver through the Inside Passage. You’ll have a chance to visit Hubbard Glacier, Ketchikan, and Juneau. Celebrity Eclipse has a fitness center, salon, and Canyon Ranch® Spa. Ample dining options include an international café, main dining room, and intimate dining at Blu Restaurant.

BLU Restaurant onboard Celebrity Eclipse. Photo courtesy Celebrity Cruises

Cruise From Seward to Vancouver on Newly Refurbished Celebrity Millennium

Celebrity Millennium is returning to Alaska after a beautiful refurbishment. She carries 2,138 passengers, cruising from Seward in Alaska to Vancouver, British Columbia (or vice versa). Celebrity Millennium has gorgeous, renovated staterooms and public areas. All new staterooms are fitted with Celebrity’s eXhale bedding featuring exclusive luxurious cashmere mattresses, RFID locks, pervasive Xcelerate, and Bluetooth capabilities. For the ultimate experience, book your Alaska cruise in The Retreat. This exclusive class includes The Retreat Sundeck and The Retreat Lounge. Enjoy dinner at BLU and other familiar Celebrity restaurants, or choose a culinary treat at Qsine. Here, you’ll find unique twists on your favorite flavors.

Veranda Stateroom in Celebrity Millennium. When redesigning the accommodations, every detail was carefully thought through with guest comfort at the front of mind. Celebrity collaborated with renowned international hospitality design firm Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) to transform the staterooms on Millennium Class as part of THE CELEBRITY REVOLUTION. Photo courtesy Celebrity Cruises

Cruise Roundtrip from Seattle to Alaska Onboard Celebrity Solstice

Celebrity Solstice offers roundtrip cruises from Seattle with visits to Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan for 2,850 passengers. This trip gives you an up-close, breathtaking cruise through the Tracy Arm Fjord. It is a luxurious home at sea with shopping, dining, entertainment, a spa, and comfortable staterooms.

A signature suite onboard Celebrity Solstice. Photo courtesy Celebrity Cruises

Ports of Call in Wild Alaska

Cruising Alaska allows you to experience the wilds of Alaska and the towns and cities along the way. There are 13 possible ports of call, depending on which cruise you choose.

Alaska cruises on Celebrity Cruises depart from Vancouver, British Columbia, Seward in Alaska, and Seattle, Washington. All of the departure ports are in friendly, walkable cities. It’s a great way to start or complete your journey. Be sure to see all the great ideas Wander writers have for what to do in Seattle and things to explore in Vancouver.

Other call ports allow you to discover plenty of wow moments. The breathtaking Inside Passage is a complex series of fjords, bays, and islands. It’s home to ample wildlife you can spot during your visit.

The Hubbard Glacier is the world’s longest tidewater glacier. This massive river of ice towers more than 30 stories above the water line. Watch the majesty from the deck of the Celebrity Eclipse. Each day, large chunks of ice dramatically crash into Disenchantment Bay as you watch from the comfort and safety of your ship. An onboard naturalist fills in all the details as you experience this incredible phenomenon in the pristine setting.

Hubbard Glacier in Alaska.

Another favorite port is Icy Strait Point. This is one of the few privately owned ports on the cruise. Located near the village of Hoonah, Icy Strait Point is owned by 1,350 Alaskan Natives of the Huna Totem Corporation. There’s a restored salmon cannery with a museum and fascinating details on this industry. For those ready for a bit more adventure, Icy Strait Point is also home to the world’s highest zip line.

Visit the capital city of Juneau, situated next to the Gastineau Channel. Juneau is unique as a capital city—no roads are connecting it to any other city! You can go hiking, shopping, or charter a boat on Auke Bay. This is the perfect chance to book a whale-watching tour during your cruise. The waters around Juneau are filled with massive whales each summer.

Explore Juneau during an Alaska cruise. Photo by Quentin Bacon, courtesy Celebrity Cruises

While in Juneau, you can also get off the beaten path by booking a helicopter visit to the Juneau Icefield.

Book a helicopter tour to the Juneau Icefields. Photo courtesy Celebrity Cruises

Tracy Arm Fjord is a 27-mile pathway that leads through 3,000-foot cliffs. The scenery is spectacular, and you get a beautiful view of waterfalls, rock walls, and glaciers as you traverse the fjord.

Celebrity Solstice cruising the Tracy Arm Fjord. Photo by Michel Verdure, courtesy Celebrity Cruises

Extend Your Alaska Experience with a Cruisetour

One of the best parts of cruising to Alaska is touring the surrounding areas. Now, when booking an Alaska cruise with Celebrity Cruises, you can extend your visit with a tour of the Canadian Rockies.

These allow you to explore inland. Journey to Denali National Park and get views of the tallest peak on the continent. Mount Denali stands at more than 20,000 feet above sea level.

Visit Denali National Park when you extend your Celebrity Cruise with a CruiseTour.

The tours strive to connect you with the locals, so you’ll have a chance to eat in area restaurants, see unique museums and cultural sights, and experience Alaskan artisans. You can even ride on the railway connecting Anchorage to Fairbanks, experiencing the breathtaking scenery.

Now is the time to book your luxurious vacation for 2019 with an Alaska cruise on Celebrity Cruises. Be sure to let me know what amazing wow moments you discover along the way!