With immense joy, I have found myself aboard my favorite cruise line sailing to the ultimate destination: Alaska. Known as the Last Frontier, you will not see any landscape as wild, rural, or majestic in the United States. This itinerary is very special. Beauty is all around you while you are sailing through the majestic fjords of Tracy Arm or walking through the stunning town of Ketchikan. The Disney Wonder Alaskan cruise itinerary is one of the best they have to offer.
Alaskan cruises are great beginner cruises who have fears about sailing. The Disney Wonder Alaskan cruise itinerary follows the standard Inside Passage route. You are rarely far from land. You sail at a slower pace which eliminates heavy movement on board and the sun sets very late which means you can enjoy longer days and avoid those fears of dark water. My mother is very scared of cruise ships, but this is one itinerary she can handle. Having land in sight for the bulk of the journey is very comforting for those afraid of open ocean.
Onboard the Disney Wonder, there are some major differences to sailing in Alaska. I will go over the specialty Alaskan rules and I will let you know about all the 25th anniversary specials onboard! But first, let’s go in depth about the incredible Alaskan cruise itinerary.
Alaskan Cruise Itinerary- Sailing the Inside Passage
Skagway
While in the beautiful little town of Skagway, there are plenty of great excursion options. I highly recommend that whatever you choose to do, something that will give you a maximum amount of nature viewing will be wonderful. My favorite is to take the train through the White Pass & Yukon Route. The train was built for the gold rush and the views can’t be missed. You can enjoy the views from your seat or you can get up and stand outside on the train platforms and feel the cool, crisp breeze while you take in the view or photos with an uninterrupted view. This excursion is great for the entire family and for those looking for maximum nature with minimal exertion.
Juneau
The capital city of Alaska has plenty to offer in town, as well as beautiful nature excursions. Visit the massive ravens that hang out near the cruise docks, take a walk around the city to explore, pop into the public library for free wi-fi, or take the gondola up the mountain for panoramic views of the city.
Those seeking nature, visit Mendenhall Glacier. Just 13 miles away, it is a short bus ride to your destination. Once there, you can spend your time hiking one of their many trails. Take a guided tour, ride bikes and even kayak. Mendenhall Glacier is Juneau’s most popular attraction for a reason. The majesty of nature can’t be missed.
Ketchikan
Ketchikan is my personal favorite place on the inside passage cruise route. Creek Street oozes with charm. This wooden boardwalk has plenty of shops and restaurants. If you are in town during salmon season, you can get the best views them over on creek street’s salmon ladder! Take a walk along Married Man’s Trail! Explore this beautiful town as much as you can!
There are plenty of great options for excursions. Recently, I did a city tour by trolly. Our guide had plenty of knowledge of the town. We got to visit the Saxman Native Village and watch their master carver working on a new totem pole. We learned about the craft of carving and got to see the world’s largest collection of totem poles.
Previously, I went kayaking in Ketchikan. It was much further out of town, but the views were beautiful. It was very cold, but we saw bald eagles, minks and we even had to stop paddling because a humpback whale and her calf were swimming by us! In any location you visit, kayaking is a beautiful way to spend the day in Alaska.
Tracy Arm Fjord
The best day aboard the ship is also your very first destination on the Disney Wonder Alaskan cruise. The reason you go on an Alaskan cruise! The most stunning, can’t look away, sit in a lounger and watch it all go by day! There are two paths the captain can take, and it will all be weather and ice dependent. Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm are both stunning so whichever you end up in, enjoy! We went through Tracy Arm. The fjords are larger than you can imagine. You’ll find yourself taking photos, looking at them and thinking, “this doesn’t do it justice!” A truly magical experience.
On board, talking us through the experience was a naturalist from the area who was explaining key sections of the fjords that enriched the day.
Head up to the top deck for 360-degree views. Eat your lunch at Cabanas and snag a spot outside to feel surrounded by the fjords and waterfalls.
The most comfortable lounge chairs are on deck 4! Head there for up-close views while staying in the shade. I highly recommend this location; it was by far the least crowded. And don’t worry about only seeing one side, the ship turns around and you’ll be able to see the other side as you sail back out of Tracy Arm.
Binoculars are a must on this day. Be sure to add them to your packing list! You can see whales, seals and keep your eyes to the land for glimpses of bears! Plan to do nothing else this day but soak in the view. You will be surprised at how fast the day goes by.
While this is an onboard destination, meaning you never leave the ship, there is one excursion available for this day. You can get aboard a smaller ship and sail closer to the glaciers and fjords. The boats dock alongside the Disney Wonder and then take you on your journey. Don’t fret if you don’t book this excursion. The views from the ship are breathtaking.
Disney Cruise Line’s 25th Anniversary
Disney Cruise Line is currently celebrating their 25th anniversary on select cruises. If you are sad that you’re missing a 25th anniversary cruise, I will say, don’t fret, not much is different, and you will still have an amazing time. If you are going and expecting a lot of new things, I would lower your expectations.
My experience with the 25th anniversary cruise is specific to the Disney Wonder; it may vary with the other ships. There was lovely 25th decals all over the portholes, photo ops in the atrium that say 25 and the characters have new 25th anniversary outfits.
In terms of merchandise, there was only one table of new items. You want the ears or mini backpack? Good luck! We didn’t have any on our ship beyond day 1.
The refillable beer mug was our favorite 25th anniversary exclusive. It is way better than the standard mug and makes a gorgeous deep clinking sound when you “cheers”. You will feel like you are drinking in Gaston’s Tavern when you are holding it.
You won’t be finding the bulk of the specialty sweets shown on the Disney Cruise Line website or Instagram aboard the Disney Wonder. The difference between the smaller ships is that there are not sweet shops like Vanelope’s Sweet Shop so without a premium location to buy them, they won’t be served.
You will get to hear the new song during the Sail-A-Wave party which is very cute. Toasting with free champagne at the 25th celebration party in the atrium is also a delightful gathering that replaces the captain’s night champagne toast.
Our Castaway Club gifts were fantastic. A very cute and convenient large tote bag that I carried with me everywhere was the ultimate gift. The updated lanyards are adorable, and I am glad to still be at silver status because it looked the best in that color.
Midway through the cruise we were also given a commemorative piece of framed art showcasing Captain Mickey by Joe Kaminski.
Special Alaskan Cruise Rules
If you are taking an Alaskan cruise there are some major differences from Disney’s other ports of call. Sound ordinances will mean movies on the top deck are muted in port and in specific areas of sailing. Or they are not playing at all. Pools will be less accessible as well. The pools were closed during moments of heavy rain, but we lucked out with very good weather for the bulk of the trip and only had one sailing day with rain. The later you go into the Alaskan season, the less likely this is to happen.
Fireworks are prohibited in Alaskan waters which means Pirate Night is replaced with Freezing the Night Away with Ana and Elsa. Pirate Night is a favorite amongst Disney Cruisers. Sadly, Freezing the Night Away is not nearly as good. Leave your pirate gear at home and bring something festive that you may find in Arendelle because Frozen night extends to the dinner theme and various onboard activities like the maypole dance in the atrium.
I miss the days of sailing to Alaska where we still had Pirate Night without fireworks. A Disney cruise doesn’t feel complete without it.
If I can recommend one cruise itinerary for someone to take, I always tell people, “You have to see Alaska”. No matter what cruise line you choose, Alaska is unmissable. Undoubtably a unique destination and experience. I hope that one day, you all can find yourselves exploring the last frontier.
