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Alaska Small Ship Cruises
with AdventureSmith Explorations
Our team of Alaska cruise specialists have lived, worked and explored the region in depth. Let us help you create a rare and unique adventure through our firsthand experience and expertise.
- Personalized Planning: Work one-on-one to research, purchase & prepare for your cruise.
- Largest Cruise Selection: Aboard 25+ small Alaska expedition ships.
- Added Value & Deals: Our buying power means you save.
- Pioneers: Our founder, a former guide, helped develop Alaska adventure cruises in the 1990s.
How Small Is an Alaska Small Ship?
On average, about 45 guests is what you’ll find with our curated Alaska small ship cruise vessels. But look for options up to 100 and as few as 4 passengers.
There are many reasons to choose an Alaska small ship vs big ship, but at the top is that small ships to Alaska focus on immersive, off-ship activities in wilderness areas. Large ships just cruise (fast) past it all. Instead enjoy a flexible schedule, capitalizing on wildlife encounters and the collective whims of the group. The atmosphere is casual and all inclusive in cost. Sound like your style of cruising? Let’s go.
Small Alaska Cruise FAQs
We send hundreds of passengers on small ship cruises to Alaska each year; thus, we answer a lot of questions about Alaska cruising. We’ve put together this list of FAQs and considerations to guide you in finding the top small ship Alaska cruises for your needs.
Each cruise’s inclusions vary but a commonality of small ship cruising is included, guided off-ship excursions like hiking, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and more. Plus, these activities are typically right from the ship vs. in port like you find on larger cruise ships. Fares often also include port fees, beer & wine, group transfers to/from ship and any park fees.
The cruise season runs April through September, so choosing a month or week depends entirely on your personal goals. June to August is peak season, with warmer weather and the best wildlife viewing. April and May offer fewer crowds and drier weather. Read more in our best time to visit Alaska guide or find climate charts on our Alaska travel climate page.
Like any wilderness-oriented trip, the longer you stay in the backcountry, the better chance you have of seeing animals. But consider: 5–6 days: Good for short getaways or pairing with land tours like Denali. 7–12 days: The most popular length cruise, offering in-depth exploration. 14+ days: Great for combining cruise routes or adding overland adventures.
Most small ship cruises depart from Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Petersburg or Anchorage. Some longer repositioning cruises also depart from Seattle, offering extended voyages through British Columbia and the Inside Passage. Learn more about the cruising regions.
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6 to 9 months in advance is ideal. Small ship Alaska cruise departures are limited, the season is short, vessels are small and spaces fill up fast. The most popular small boats and dates are often sold out 6-9 months in advance.
Late summer/early fall, you can often find early-booking deals for the next cruise season: see our Alaska small ship cruise deals for tips. Plus, you’ll save on hotels and flights by booking early. Any last-minute deals are typically offset by these higher costs.
Is the cruise family friend or adult oriented? Look at activity levels and included guided activities. Does the ship have the amenities you seek? Turn toward Alaska luxury cruises if larger cabins, gourmet cuisine and balconies are more your style. And consider an Alaska yacht charter to fully customize the trip for your needs.
Yes. From multigenerational trips to single families with young kids, we have a small cruise for every need. Six and older is typically the best suggested age, but read more about Alaska family cruises to learn more.
Our experts can pair a visit to Denali National Park with any of our Alaska small ship cruise routes. But if your limited for time, you’ll want to likely consider a cruise in Prince William Sound to avoid added flights. This keeps Anchorage as your single flight hub.
The answer to this depends on your priorities. If it’s glaciers, look to routes with Glacier Bay National Park, Tracy Arm or Prince William Sound. If bears top your list, you will want to consider more niche places like Katmai. Get a primer on Alaska cruise itineraries and ports.
We’ve tested them all and list a few favorites in our best small Alaskan cruises and cruise lines blog. But there’s no one size fits all. Talk one-on-one with our experts to find your best match.
We pride ourselves on being the most savvy advisors when it comes to Alaska small ship cruises. Read all about what’s new in 2026 Alaska cruising to see some of our latest insights.
Choose Where to Cruise in Alaska
Another key step in deciding how to pick a small Alaskan cruise is where you would like to cruise. Coming to our specialists with a good idea of which region you’d like to visit allows us to determine which small ship Alaska cruises are best for you. Then you can hone in on which itineraries and ships offer the level of activity, comfort and amenities that fit your travel style. Here’s a primer on some key cruise regions to consider when choosing an Alaska small ship cruise:
Southeast Alaska – Inside Passage & Glacier Bay
Southeast Alaska is by far the most popular cruise destination in Alaska. It’s the closest region for North American travelers since it’s located on the arm of land that hugs the shoreline of northern British Columbia.
Southeast Alaska hosts the majority of cruises in the state, so there are numerous options here. The coastal mountain ranges, glaciers and islands make for excellent wildlife viewing (bald eagles, bears, whales & otters). Plus, there are opportunities for outstanding boating, fishing, kayaking, hiking and cultural visits.
Learn more about the vast region: Inside Passage cruise small ship itineraries number more than 20 in this iconic location, and Glacier Bay cruises & tours tally more than 15.
Southcentral Alaska – Prince William Sound & Katmai
Like the Southeast, Southcentral Alaska offers remote wilderness, but it is better linked via roads. The numerous communities here serve as base camps for Alaska land tours. Numerous options to explore beyond your cruise include world-class fishing on the Kenai Peninsula or further exploration inland to Denali National Park.
In fact, this region is home to over half of Alaska’s population, so small Alaska cruises here embark from unique road-accessed port towns like Whittier and Homer, with the city of Anchorage being the hub for your travel.
Southcentral Alaska’s terrain ranges from volcanic landscapes in Katmai National Park, home to an impressive population of brown bears, to the windswept Aleutian Islands that make a 1,000-mile sweep toward Asia. In between lies a massive bay of blue ice, which can be experienced on a Prince William Sound glacier cruise reaching farther to Valdez and Cordova. This is the region for the adventurous!
Alaska Small Ship Cruises to/from Seattle
Looking to embark or disembark in Seattle? Look to find small Alaska cruise ships positioning to and from Seattle primarily in the spring and fall.
These “positioning” cruises offer a longer expedition (typically 13-15 days) covering the entire Inside Passage as well as British Columbia and often the San Juan Islands. And they are often a significant value.
Alaska & Beyond
For a more epic route, consider a Northwest Passage cruise or an Aleutian Island cruise. These expeditions are longer and provide rich culture, unique and abundant wildlife, and dramatic coastline.
A Note about Your Travel Days
Take note when making your itinerary comparison that there are a variety of ports where small Alaskan cruises begin and end. These include Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka and Anchorage. Some require more time or logistics to arrive and depart.
Flights to Juneau and Anchorage are common, while the smaller ports used by many Southeast Alaska small ship cruises may require a bit more padding on your travel days. A pre-cruise overnight is always recommended in case of delays. Travelers east of the Rockies will certainly require one in order to safely embark their Alaska small ship cruise on time.
