Ahoy, fellow froggy adventurers and Disney enthusiasts! Are you ready to embark on the ultimate voyage to the Last Frontier? We're talking about none other than the Disney Alaskan Cruise, where breathtaking glaciers, majestic wildlife and Disney magic come together for an unfrogettable journey. In this blog, we're ready to get toadally lost as we cover the epic Alaska-specific offerings on these cruises as well as our tips and tricks for any guests going on the Alaska Disney cruise. Before you set sail, we can't help but "break the ice" to share that Undercover Tourist now offers exclusive Disney Cruise Line savings with no booking fees ... and that's snow joke! :)
Hop To
- Overview
- Unique Offerings
- Port Adventures
- Kids-Only Experiences
- Adults-Only Experiences
- How to Pack
- Top Tips
Overview of the Alaska Disney Cruise
We have had an amazing time on all of the Disney cruises we have been on, but our frog favorite by far is the Alaska Disney Cruise. Disney's Alaska cruises provide the perfect mix of adventure and Disney magic. As with all Disney cruises, guests receive world-class service with special Disney touches which are then combined with amazing ports of call and stunning views throughout Alaska.
The Alaska Disney cruises are currently on the Disney Wonder cruise ship. For more details about the Wonder cruise ship amenities including the various stateroom options, dining options and more, be sure to hop over to our full Disney Wonder guide.
Itineraries Available
Disney currently offers 5-night, 7-night, 8-night and 9-night Alaskan cruises from Vancouver. This means that all Alaska cruises start and end in the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. Most of the Alaska Disney cruises are 7 nights, and this was the length of our specific cruise. With the majority of the 7-night cruise itineraries, you will have two days at sea and a day each at the Dawes Glacier, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. This itinerary provides a great mix of time on both the cruise ship and time exploring Alaska.
Our 7-night cruise was marvelous, but we're really looking forward to trying the 8 or 9-night cruises next! We think they'll be an amazing experience too. Plus, the longer cruises have extra stops in Icy Strait Point and Sitka.
Be sure to check the current cruise bookings for the most up-to-date itineraries available.
With any Disney cruise, we always recommend staying within driving distance of the port of departure the day before your cruise is scheduled to leave. With the Alaska cruises departing from Canada, this is especially important to make sure that you arrive in Vancouver and minimize the chance of missing your cruise. While this adds an extra night to your trip, there are plenty of hotel options within walking distance of the Vancouver cruise terminal. An additional benefit of arriving early is that the port is in downtown Vancouver. You may have some time to explore the city before getting on the cruise ship.
Unique Disney Alaska On-Ship Offerings
Character Meet & Greets
The Alaska Disney cruise has characters in unique outfits that are adorable and can only be found on these cruises. Our photos with Mickey and Minnie on the day that the ship went up to the glacier are some of our favorite Disney character photos. Goofy, Donald and Daisy also had unique glacier day outfits. In addition to the glacier day outfits, the characters can be found in fun outfits throughout the duration of the cruise. We spotted Goofy in a lumberjack outfit for our day in Ketchikan because he was helping with the local lumberjack show. The cruise may also have special appearances from rare Alaska-related Disney characters such as Koda from the Disney movie "Brother Bear."
Park Ranger Informational Talks
Throughout the cruise, there are seminars that share information about the history, nature and wildlife in Alaska. The talks are given by a specialist who has a wealth of knowledge about the region. Several of the seminars on our cruise were given by a former park ranger. We attended two of the talks and we loved the presentation and the information we learned about Alaska.
Themed Door Decorations
One froggerific detail found on a Disney cruise is guest room door decorations. The stateroom doors are magnetic, so guests will bring everything from simple door magnets to elaborate decorations to put up for the duration of the cruise. While door decorations are common on all Disney cruises, on the Alaska cruise, many of the decorations are themed around Alaska. Here is an example of the door decorations we made at home and brought with us for our Alaska Disney stateroom doors.
Frozen Night and the Freeze the Night Away Show
While the Caribbean Disney cruises might have Pirates Night, the Alaska Disney cruises have a "Frozen" night, themed after the "Frozen" Disney movies! This night includes a "Frozen"-themed menu at dinner as well as a special "Frozen" show which takes place outside on the top deck of the cruise ship. The Freeze the Night Away show includes singing and dancing from several of your favorite "Frozen" characters. This show is very cute, and Flora and I both agree that it is geared towards the tadpoles on the ship.
Regional Dining Menus
Disney has three rotational dining locations that you get to experience throughout your cruise. While they each have amazing Disney theming, we were excited to see that the menus included regionally-inspired dishes. The dishes change throughout the cruise, and the offerings are a perfect way for Disney to incorporate regional cuisine and the unique aspects of Alaska into the cruise experience.
Glacier Day Extras with Hot Cocoa
The day that the cruise ship sailed up to the glacier was one of our favorite Alaska cruise experiences. While taking in the scenery, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Disney served hot cocoa and cookies for guests to enjoy. These were the perfect way to warm up and have a treat while enjoying the views from the top deck. For an additional cost, you could add alcohol to your hot cocoa or enjoy a hot mulled wine.
Alaska Disney Merchandise
If you’re looking to find a unique souvenir, the Disney Alaska cruise has you covered. Not only is there the standard Disney cruise merchandise, but there is a variety of Disney Alaska-specific merchandise. Some of our favorite items included the stuffed Mickey and Minnie in their Alaska outfits, Disney Alaska Cruise pins, Alaska holiday ornaments, as well as Disney cruise-themed hats and gloves. As with all Disney cruises, the shops are only open when the ship is at sea, so be sure to plan and get your souvenirs when the ship is not in a port.
On the first night of our cruise, the shops were very busy with people wanting to get specific items. However, we learned from our experience that there was no need to worry. Our ship had plenty of merchandise and it was restocked every day, so it was easy to get any merchandise that was on our wish list. With that being said, there's always the chance that something could sell out, so if there is an item that you really want, it is always a good idea to get it earlier in your cruise.
Port Adventures (Excursions)
Disney Cruise Line offers a variety of Alaska port adventures that you can book directly through Disney. Booking your Disney port adventures depends on your Castaway Club membership level. Castaway Club is a free club that all guests magically become a member of after they take their first Disney cruise. Your Castaway level is determined by how many cruises you have taken. First-time guests can book their port adventures 75 days prior, Silver Club members 90 days prior, Gold 105 days prior and Platinum 120 days prior. Regardless of your Castaway membership level, Concierge Club members may book their port adventures 120 days prior to their sail date. If doing specific Disney excursions is very important to you, this can be a big perk of staying in a Concierge room.
There are hundreds of port adventures listed for Alaska by Disney Cruise Line. This means there is something for everyone. The specific port adventures offered will depend on the specific port that you are stopping at (and potentially by time of year). The minimum age requirement for the port adventure will also vary by activities, with many of them listed for "All ages" or for guests "ages 10 and up." The Alaska cruise port adventures include but are not limited to salmon bakes, nature walks, rail adventures, ziplining, helicopter rides, glacier hikes, lumberjack shows and much more. The cost of the port adventure is typically listed per guest and varies depending on the excursion.
On our trip, we had three ports of call and booked one excursion for each stop. Our first port of call was Skagway. The train tour is a popular port adventure here and it gave us the opportunity to see a lot of the Alaskan and Yukon natural beauty before ending with some time to enjoy Skagway. Skagway is a short walk from the cruise ship dock. We highly recommend leaving some time to explore the cute shops and we also enjoyed drinks at the Skagway Brewing Company and Red Onion Saloon.
Our second stop was in Juneau. Here we took a beautiful helicopter ride up to a glacier. Once we got to the glacier, we got to experience a dog sled ride before taking the helicopter back down to Juneau. Our last port of call was Ketchikan. Here we ventured on an ATV tour before coming back to Ketchikan to walk and enjoy the shops and beauty of the town.
The most unique Disney port adventure is the Glacier Explorer for the day at the Dawes Glacier. This is the only port adventure offered for the Dawes glacier day and it has to be booked through Disney as there isn't a third-party offering. This adventure sails guests up close to the glacier where you'll get amazing views of nature and the cruise ship as it meets back up with it afterwards.
The biggest consideration when booking an excursion is that you will likely miss Mickey and friends on the top deck of the cruise ship with the mountains and glaciers in the background. You will also miss any other cruise activities that take place during this time (such as hot cocoa and cookies on the top deck). The truth is that both options are really frogtastic, so you should choose what is best for you and your travel party.
Are Disney Alaskan Cruises Kid-Friendly?
As with any Disney cruise, the Alaska Disney cruise is a great option for families with kids who are looking for a unique Disney vacation. The ship has many amenities designed specifically for kids. The most popular kids' areas of any Disney cruise ship are the kids' clubs. The kids' clubs are specific parts of the ship (three separate clubs in total) dedicated to kids of a specific age ranging from 3 years old up to 17 years old. Adults are only allowed in these areas during scheduled open houses or when picking up or dropping off their tadpoles.
The Disney Oceaneer Club & Lab offers plenty of kid-friendly activities including character meets. Additional character meets include everything from classic Mickey and Friends characters to Disney Princesses. Characters also make special appearances during some of the meals and live-action shows. Movies and other kid-friendly activities are also available throughout the cruise. Leap over to our detailed Disney Wonder guide for all the ins and outs of the kids' clubs aboard.
While the Alaska cruise has plenty of kid-friendly activities, during our cruise we noticed more pre-teen/teenager kiddos and fewer tadpoles than the other Disney cruises we have taken in the Caribbean and Mexico. That isn't to say that there weren't plenty of little ones still enjoying the ship, but we did notice more teenage guests.
Are Disney Alaskan Cruises Fun for Adults?
Absolutely! We went on our Alaska Disney cruise with another froggy couple and the four of us had one of the best trips of our lives! The Disney Alaska cruise has the perfect mix of adventure, relaxation and, of course, Disney magic. The cruise ship has plenty of bar and lounge options for adults to sit back and relax. There is the spa and the adults-only area available on the upper deck. Lastly, there are Broadway-style shows and entertainment throughout the cruise for all guests to enjoy. One of the Alaska-specific activities geared toward adults is the park ranger talks. While all guests can join, the majority of the guests in attendance were adults.
The cruise offers a variety of excursions, from those that are family-friendly to some that may be best suited for adults. (And you can always book an excursion with a third party, but we love booking directly through Disney for security and peace of mind.) Since we mentioned our port adventures above, we should also note that every port of call we went to had a local saloon, brewery or coffee shop, and most offered both amazing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. The ports also offer a variety of local shops to explore. This cruise is truly a magical vacation for any adult.
How to Pack for an Alaskan Disney Cruise
The weather in Alaska can vary greatly over the summer. Not only will you see big differences in the temperature month-to-month, but precipitation and temperatures can vary greatly on your cruise as you sail between your various ports of call. We recommend continuing to check the weather as it gets closer to your cruise date in order to have an idea of what the forecasted temperatures are. Our number one packing tip is to pack layers for your outfits. Being able to add an extra sweatshirt or take off a jacket if you’re warm is essential for an Alaskan cruise.
A rain jacket is another essential for your Alaska Disney trip. While we got very lucky with the weather for our Alaska cruise, some of the ports will often get rain. Having a rain jacket available is helpful to ensure that you can have a great time even if there is rain in the forecast.
Binoculars are a great item to pack for when the cruise ship is going through the Inside Passage and up to the glacier. Having a pair of binoculars makes it easier to get a close look at the wildlife such as eagles, whales and seals. If you have a balcony room, it is especially nice to have binoculars available to take a closer look if you spot any wildlife.
Even though Alaska can have cooler weather, we still recommend packing a bathing suit. The pools and water slide will likely be open. There are also whirlpools located on the pool deck that are perfect to relax in. Lastly, there is the spa and rainforest room which you may want a bathing suit for.
Disney Cruise to Alaska — Our Top Tips
Motion Sickness
When it comes to motion sickness, we know that every person is different. Also, how much the ship moves depends on the weather for your specific cruise. However, the Alaska Disney cruise spends a large portion of the cruise sailing through the Inside Passage. The Inside Passage is known for calmer waters and you may be sailing between islands, fjords and through other waterways which are very different from the open ocean. Because of this, we personally found the motion on this cruise to be minimal.
Get a Room with a Balcony & Spend Time Outside
Having a stateroom with a verandah (balcony) was magical for the Alaska Disney Cruise. Why? Because you’re able to see amazing wildlife from the comfort of your room. One morning we were having coffee on the balcony and a pod of whales swam past our ship. Guests are also able to bring alcohol onto the ship or you can order beverages to be delivered to your room (alcohol is an additional cost).
The current Disney policy is "Guests 21 years and older may bring a maximum of 2 bottles of unopened wine or champagne (no larger than 750 ml) or 6 beers (no larger than 12 ounces) on board at the beginning of the voyage and at each port of call." We had a bottle of wine and we spent an afternoon relaxing on our balcony, drinking the wine and taking in the Alaskan scenery. While we loved having a balcony and highly recommend it, these rooms are more expensive than the inside staterooms.
If you are looking to save money on your stateroom or if you prefer an inside stateroom, we still recommend spending as much time as you can outside. We often would have breakfast at Cabanas which offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Even though it was a little cooler to sit outside for breakfast during the morning, one morning we were eating Mickey waffles as bald eagles were flying overhead. It was an amazing experience and something we likely would have missed if we were sitting inside.
While it isn’t guaranteed that you will see certain wildlife, the views alone are worth soaking in as much as possible while on the Alaska Disney cruise. There are so many activities provided on the Disney cruise, many of which take place inside, that it is easy to forget the beauty that is outside. Be sure to take advantage of the beauty you sail past and spend time outside on your cruise.
Don't Miss the Characters
The character meet and greets on any Disney cruise are a ton of fun, but Alaska has the characters in outfits that are unique to these Disney cruises. Even if you have someone in your crew who doesn't normally prioritize character meetups, their outfits are so cute that we highly recommend at least meeting one character on your cruise.
Book Your Port Adventures Early
The excursions for the Alaska ports of call are very popular. Personally, we found many of the Alaska port adventures to book up quicker than the excursions for the Disney cruises in the Caribbean and Mexico. We recommend booking any Disney excursions that you are interested in as soon as your booking window opens. If the activity you want is full, you can always join the waitlist when you board the ship, or you can look for a third-party tour company that may offer something similar.
Explore Every Port of Call
Each port of call included with the Alaska Disney cruise is unique in its own magical way. Since your cruise will already include days at sea, we recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to explore Alaska during the ports of call. All the ports of call are either a short walk from the ship or a complimentary bus provides a ride to downtown (this was the case for us in Juneau). The ports of call have amazing activities, food, drinks and shops which we highly recommend exploring.
Check the Weather and Pack Layers
Be sure to check the weather right before you leave for your cruise and while on your cruise. The Alaskan weather can vary greatly both in temperature and precipitation. Even over the course of a day, we found the temperature could vary greatly with it being chilly in the morning and then hot by midday. For us, it was essential to wear layers, so that we could easily add a fleece or jacket when it was cooler out and then take it off when it got hot. Even if rain is not in your forecast, we would recommend packing a rain jacket. We also brought light waterproof pants with us for our glacier excursion and to have in case of rain. Making sure that we had a variety of options to layer throughout the trip was the trickiest part of packing.
Alaska Disney cruises are a froggerific experience! We had high expectations prior to our cruise, but the magic provided by Disney combined with the beauty and adventure of Alaska resulted in the trip far exceeding all our expectations. We had a trip of a lifetime and we can't wait for you to experience this amazing adventure. If you're headed on a Disney Cruise to Alaska, let us know in the comments!
Related: Everything You Need to Know About the Disney Cruise Line
Related: The Adventurous Details of the New Disney Treasure Cruise Ship
Keep hopping!
