Though the pandemic has caused an unfortunate stalling of the cruise industry, Miami-based Royal Caribbean International is looking forward to 2022 cruises. Itineraries to Alaska will allow cruisers to experience the state’s nature and culture in the towns of Haines and Sitka, Seward’s wild natural beauty, and the majestic vistas of the Inside Passage and Hubbard Glacier.
The vacation offering is part of a longer summer program, featuring 7-night cruise vacations departing from Seattle; Seward, Alaska; and Vancouver, British Columbia. Cruisers can choose from Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, Quantum, Radiance and Serenade of the Seas, offering a host of exciting adventures. Ovation of the Seas – the first of the cruise line’s game-changing Quantum Class to sail the Last Frontier – will be joined by sister ship Quantum of the Seas to sail 7-night roundtrip itineraries from Seattle. The Quantum Class ships will bring guests to more scenic cities and towns along the Northwest coastline, including Victoria, British Columbia; Sitka, Skagway, Ketchikan and Juneau, Alaska. Travelers will feel a warm welcome in picturesque towns, where native tradition and original Russian architecture are folded into daily Alaskan life, and the awe of the region’s lush landscape, wildlife-filled fjords and gigantic glaciers like the 30-mile-long Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier – best viewed from the North Star, a glass observation capsule unique to Quantum Class that rises 300 feet above sea level.
Radiance and Serenade of the Seas will further expand Royal Caribbean’s reach with a fresh take on 7-night itineraries anchored by visits to Haines, Sitka, Ketchikan, Juneau and Seward, Alaska. Sailing alternating, open-jaw itineraries between Vancouver and Seward, Radiance will introduce a second northbound itinerary that includes a visit to Icy Strait Point – a port owned and operated by native Alaskans – celebrated for its genuine native Tlingit hospitality, diverse landscape and active wildlife. Southbound sailings will introduce an evening call to Haines, among the Inside Passage’s most scenic towns and home to a thriving arts community. Paired with a day spent in Skagway, guests can take advantage of the long, summer daylight hours in the state’s adventure capital that is located along the continent’s longest and deepest fjord.
Sister ship Serenade, departing roundtrip from Vancouver, will similarly hero Haines with a full-day visit to the destination known for whitewater rafting and spotting the North American brown bear. Guests can also enjoy twice the ice with an itinerary that features both the Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, and the Hubbard Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier in North America.
Guests on board Serenade can extend their stay with Royal Caribbean’s signature CruiseTours, a series of 2- to 6-night pre- or post-cruise land tours led by local experts. Travelers can witness the notorious American Brown Bear hunting as part of the Katmai Bear Trek, or learn more about “The Last Great Race” and the team of sled dogs on the Family Tundra Express experience. Royal Caribbean also offers 5- to 6-night Canada CruiseTour options with visits to Banff, Calgary and more.
Royal Caribbean’s 2022 Alaska cruises open for bookings on Wednesday, Nov. 11; Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members are able to book today.
Pictured above: Radiance of the Seas
