SamWhen people want to travel Alaska, they think of one of two things: a cruise or a roadtrip. While these are definitely two of the best ways to see Alaska, it can be hard to choose between the two. Both are going to give you an amazing experience. However, there are a lot of factors to consider for your vacation to ensure it fits you!
If you don’t know where to begin, here are the questions you can ask yourself to determine what style of travel would best suit you!
1. How long do you want to travel Alaska?
Alaska is big. But not everyone has the luxury of time to explore the vast landscapes that the Last Frontier has to offer.
Cruises in Alaska typically range anywhere from 7 days to 14 days. This makes the experience excellent for those that are limited on time, or simply don’t want to spent a long time traveling. You will be able to see many places in the state in a short period of time.
However, if you would prefer the slow travel life, and want to spend a good chunk of time in Alaska, it may be more worth your time to roadtrip! You can customize how long you are traveling for, and how long you spend in each location, allowing you to really explore everything Alaska has to offer.
2. Do you prefer to travel more freely, or would you rather it be planned for you?
Some people love planning travel (like myself), and others love for it to be planned for them. If you like planning things on your own and going wherever the wind takes you, a roadtrip is definitely a better option for you. You can wander down random roads, and stop whenever you please. It’s a great way to travel if you don’t want to be on an agenda, or if you don’t want to be on someone else’s agenda.
On the contrary, I know a lot of people like to put minimal effort into planning their travel. In this case, a cruise would be a great option. Other than shore excursions, which the cruise line can help schedule for you, the cruise is a fully planned vacation all in one.
3. Where do you want to visit?
Where you want to visit will play a major role in the most efficient way to spend your travels. The two most travelled parts of Alaska are the Inside Passage and Southcentral Alaska.
The Inside Passage includes a large number of coastal towns each on a separate island, including Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, and Ketchikan. This area is great for exploring the stunning fjords and lots of unique towns. However, if this area is where you primarily hope to visit, it is impossible to do so entirely by land. They are each on separate islands within the Inside Passage. Cruising the Inside Passage is the most popular route of Alaskan cruises, and an absolutely stunning journey.
Southcentral Alaska is composed of the area that a majority of roadtrippers spend their time exploring. From Denali down to Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula, this entire area is connected by essentially one continuous highway. Every new town to explore is about 2 hours from one another, and there is so much to do and see along the way. If places like Seward, Homer, Talkeetna, and Denali National Park are on your list of places you want to visit, then roadtripping Southcentral Alaska is likely for you!
4. What are some of your bucket-list items for Alaska?
This might be the most important question you should ask yourself. What are my bucket-list items that I want to do while in Alaska? For a majority of people, going to Alaska is a once in a lifetime trip. I encourage you to do research on what things you want to do that will make the trip unforgettable.
A lot of the Alaskan bucket-list activities are either in the mountains or on the coast. However, not everything on the coast is accessible by cruise. Cruises stick mostly to the Inside Passage.
If most of you’re bucket-list items are outside of the inside passage, I would urge you to consider a roadtrip rather than a cruise. Elsewise you may be left disappointed.
I should note that there are a handful of cruises that offer secondary land portions of the ‘cruise’ that include going up to Denali National Park. While this is definitely a less affordable option, it can be a great choice if a cruise checks all your boxes other than Denali (which is a gem!).
If you don’t have any ideas, check out my other posts on traveling Alaska for inspiration!
5. What is your budget ?
No matter how you travel Alaska, it is going to be expensive. However, if you are operating on a budget, cruises offer an ‘affordable’ way to see many parts of Alaska. Whereas a roadtrip can very quickly accumulate in price. Car rentals are incredibly expensive, and once you add in gas, accommodation, and food, you will be spending a pretty penny for your Alaskan vacation (and that doesn’t even include adventures!). This is certainly not attainable for everyone.
In contrast, cruises offer a lot more affordable options that are more attainable for the average person. With cruises starting as affordable as $600, and often ranging around $1,000-2,000, cruising can be a financially accessible way to travel Alaska. There are plenty of Alaskan cruises that are much more expensive than this, however, cruises allow for more options at an affordable cost.
Summary
Best Overall Way to Travel Alaska: Roadtrip
If you have the time and the money for it, roadtripping is the best way to travel on your time, allowing you to see and do everything that you want! While the two major downsides of this form of travel are the high cost and the inaccessibility of certain areas in Alaska, the pros far outweigh the cons. Alaska has so much to offer, and taking a roadtrip will allow you to soak every bit of it in!
Most Attainable Way to Travel Alaska: Cruise
Cruises are definitely the best option for beginning travelers! There is minimal planning involved beyond deciding what excursions you would like to go on, and the price is attainable for the average person. While you are limited to what areas you will visit, it will undoubtably be incredible.
