What to Expect On A Southeast Alaskan Cruise

On a family trip back in 2022, I had the absolute privilege of experiencing the wonderful state of Alaska while taking a cruise through the Southeastern region. By taking a 7-day cruise, it was the perfect way to see nature's ambiance up close while gliding through Alaska's river channels and not to mention, rare wildlife spotting's such as Orca whales, Bears, & seals you might not otherwise get to capture.

Starting out with a departure in Juneau, read along to find out where a Southeast Alaskan cruise will take you and what to expect in these destinations!

1. Juneau

Alaska's capital and third most populated city, Juneau is a must-see and experience town with its quaint ambiance, picturesque charm, & spectacular food all at your convenance. 

Even if you're trip is not tailored around the Southeast region, I still highly recommend spending some time in the area for a day or two. There are many activities worth doing to fully take in the Alaska experience such as whale watching, taking a ride on the Goldbelt tram, or simply walking around the town and grabbing a bite of some fresh sea food. You can also visit the wonderful, Mendenhall Glacier just 12 miles from Juneau where you can get a great view of the impeccable glacier and take a short hike to Nugget Falls.

Mendenhall Glacier

Nugget Falls

2. Glacier Bay

If you though the Mendenhall Glacier was as good as it gets, there's more icebergs coming your way. Glacier Bay quite literally lives up to its name as you cruise right up to a stunning icy-blue glacier with a top-tier background.

Haines was by far my favorite stop on the cruise as you may guess from the vibrant atmosphere you are greeted with. The greenery from the road-side forest compliments the skylight palette of blues and whites reflected onto the clear waters. As if a breathtaking view isn't enough, this town offers a chance to see wildlife up close in their habitats with bald eagles resting in their nests and Bears catching some salmon for some midday lunch.  to make the stop even better. 

3. Haines

Haines was by far my favorite stop on the cruise as you may guess from the vibrant atmosphere you are greeted with. The greenery from the road-side forest compliments the skylight palette of blues and whites reflected onto the clear waters. As if a breathtaking view isn't enough, this town offers a chance to see wildlife up close in their habitats with bald eagles resting in their nests and Bears catching some salmon for some midday lunch. 

4. Wrangell Narrows

You will notice on your cruise itinerary some "stops" aren't actually where you get out and stop at a port. In this instance, the ship will be cruising for a day straight, but "floating" stop as I call it is well worth not being on land for a day. The Wrangell Narrows was also a favorite sight of mine as the landscapes could be misleading as a boat tour in Europe. The mountains and waterfalls streaming alongside the aqua blue waters was a view I couldn't stop filming. And while you can experience many of Alaska's destinations by vehicle, the convenience of the cruise allows you to get up close to these landmarks with the mobility of the ship to move in & out of small passages.