When planning family vacations, it’s important to include activities that will be fun and engaging for all age levels and interests. Parents might need some upscale R&R, complimented by fine dining. Grandparents love scenic beauty and kids want non-stop activity, simple food and a pool. Adults want some quality family time and educational value for the kids. Kids are most interested in the fun factor. An Alaska cruisetour offers a great mix of luxury and adventure, relaxation and activity; so kids can have fun experiences and parents can enjoy the adventure in comfort.  An Alaskan experience is the perfect adventure for active, outdoor-loving families.

What is a Cruisetour?

Just as it sounds, a cruisetour is a vacation that combines land and sea elements. Alaska cruisetours typically include a seven day one-way cruise between Vancouver, British Columbia and Seward, Alaska, but the land portion can take place before a southbound cruise or after a northbound cruise. In 2013, Royal Caribbean International (RCI) has a 13-night cruisetour designed specifically for families called “Alaska Family Style” on the Radiance of the Seas. Families enjoy a cruise through the spectacular scenery of the Inside Passage and then travel to the interior by Wilderness Express glass-domed railcar, overnight in the cosmopolitan city of Anchorage, spend two nights in the famed Denali Park and end in the “Golden Heart City” of Fairbanks.

During the cruise segment of the trip, RCI offers full service day care for children six to 36 months as well as their award winning Adventure Ocean program for kids 3 to 17. Kid’s menus cater to young palates and youth-only dinners are hosted occasionally in the specialty restaurants. Mom and Dad can enjoy some vacation time alone with peace of mind because each staff member involved with children has a college degree in education or recreation or equivalent qualifications with youth. RCI also offers plenty of onboard activities to engage the whole family on their journey together.

Family-Friendly Alaska Adventure

Although there are excellent family oriented shipboard programs and activities, the Alaskan adventure really begins on shore. Here are some family-friendly shore adventures that Valerie Ambrose, Covington Vacation Advisor recommends: 

• Musher’s Camp and Sled Dog Experience in Skagway
• The White Pass Scenic Railway in Skagway
• The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan
• Misty Fjords Floatplane Adventure in Ketchikan
• Whale Watching and Wildlife Quest in Juneau
• Historic Gold Mining and Panning Adventure in Juneau 

Alaska Family Cruise Tips

 

Covington Cruise Specialist Sheri Layne recommends doing the land portion of a cruisetour prior to a southbound cruise for two reasons that parents will appreciate. First, by definition, the land portion of the trip will involve motorcoach or train transportation to the interior, changing hotels, opening and closing suitcases and making dining choices. A luxury tour is far from grueling, but many families prefer to start with the more physically demanding land travel then relax with the inclusive dining and high service levels of the cruise on the second half of the trip. The second reason is that a northbound trip will usually end in Fairbanks, where east coast families will have an overnight flight back home. Southbound cruises end in Vancouver and east coast residents can make daytime flights home. Red-eye flights are certainly manageable, but can be difficult on kids’ sleep patterns.

If an Alaska adventure sounds like a good fit for your family, Covington Travel vacation and cruise specialists can help you choose the right cruisetour. Your family memories are just waiting to be made.