Carnival Cruise Line in Alaska: Guide & what you need to know (2024)

Carnival Cruise Line is the largest cruise line in the world, with an impressive 26 ships sailing by the end of 2023. Although they are known for their fun Caribbean itineraries, Carnival has numerous sailings to Alaska with a good selection of ports of call and excursions.

Carnival has four Spirit-class ships, which were built specifically for all-weather sailing and are well suited to the cooler climate of this northern region. No matter which Carnival ship you pick, expect the cruise line’s signature attractions and venues, including a number of family-friendly activities with their usual focus on fun.

With 19 different itineraries to the Last Frontier, Carnival gives guests the option to choose from a variety of scenic itineraries that voyage to top-rated Alaska ports as well as spectacular scenic cruising of glacial landscapes.

Since there are quite a few different options for a Carnival cruise to the Land of the Midnight Sun, here is a breakdown of what you need to know when picking Carnival for an unforgettable Alaska cruise vacation.

Carnival's sailings to Alaska

Carnival has four ships sailing to Alaska, including Carnival Miracle, Carnival Legend, Carnival Luminosa, and Carnival Spirit, spread across varied itineraries over the next couple of years.

Embarkation ports include major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco in California, as well as Seattle, which provides many convenient flight options. As all their cruises start in the United States, each sailing has one stop in Canada, in ports such as picturesque Victoria, British Colombia.

Many of Canival’s offerings focus on 7-day cruises out of Seattle, as well as longer ones, as much as 14 days. They do not offer one-way cruises, starting or finishing in Alaska, and don’t have add-on land tours, unlike other cruise lines like Princes Cruises. However, they do have a wide range of ports as well as scenic cruising of glaciers and fjords.

Alaska itineraries

Many of the Carnival’s cruises sail the calmer waters of the Inside Passage, visiting ports such as Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Haines, and Sitka. They also visit Victoria and Prince Rupert in Canada. Although Victoria is quite common on Alaska sailings, Carnival has added Prince Rupert, a northern Canadian town known for its natural wildlife, fishing, and rainforest.

In addition to numerous ports of call, Carnival’s Alaska cruises provide lots of scenic cruising to spots such as Tracy Arm Fjord, Endicott Arm Fjord, and the Hubbard Glacier. There are a few longer cruises that head up to the Hubbard Glacier, Valdez, and Seward.

Among their most unique sailings are 14-day cruises leaving from Seattle or Los Angeles. While most of their cruise itineraries focus on the Inside Passage, these sail further north across the Gulf of Alaska to Prince William Sound, with access to College Fjord and Anchorage.

Alaska excursions

In keeping with their mission to deliver fun vacations at sea and ashore, Carnival offers a sizeable range of excursions for a variety of activity levels, ages, and interests. In addition to this, many of the ports are well suited to do-it-yourself tours, with plenty of local transportation to attractions.

Highlights of Carnival’s Alaska cruise excursions include:

• There are plenty of options to see the incredible abundance of wildlife that call Alaska home, including humpback and orca whales, other marine animals, and Alaska’s Big Five — moose, caribou, grizzly bears, wolves, and Dall sheep. You can even try your hand at dog sledding, one of the state’s most iconic modes of transportation.
• Alaska is known for its fjords and glaciers, and there are many ways to see and explore these wonders of nature, such as seaplane and helicopter tours. There are also many tours along waterways with stunning waterfalls, icebergs, and calving glaciers.
• There is a wide range of activities, such as canoeing, kayaking, hiking, fishing, water rafting, and biking, to name a few.
• Ample opportunity to explore Alaska, which is rich in history and heritage, with visits to museums and interactive experiences.
• Revisit the Gold Rush era by learning about this dynamic time, visiting some historic buildings that still stand today, and even trying your hand at gold panning.
• Indulge in a true Alaska feast and try some of the state's famous seafood at a local salmon bake or crab feast, and, of course, there are plenty of craft breweries.

Carnival ships sailing to Alaska

All of Carnival’s ships sailing to Alaska are part of the cruise line’s Spirit Class, built in the early 2000s. These ships are much smaller than Carnival’s mega-ships of recent times, like Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration, which are more than twice the size of Spirit Class ships.

These “smaller" ships still welcome around 2,000 passengers, a far more intimate experience by today’s cruise ship standards but large enough to offer amenities and activities that modern cruisers love. One major perk of this class of ships is that they have retractable roofs over the pools that can be closed during cooler weather.

These ships still offer lots of fun entertainment and activities that Carnival is famous for, like waterparks, slides, family venues, adult areas, and much more.

Carnival Spirit

• The namesake of this class, Carnival Spirit, was originally built in 2001 but was refurbished in 2019. It has a capacity for 2,124 guests with 930 crew. It was the first in the Spirit class of ships.
• This ship sails mainly out of Seattle on 7-day cruises, although it has a few longer ones, including a 14-day cruise that ventures to the Gulf of Alaska.

Carnival Legend

• Carnival Legend was launched in 2002 and last refurbished in 2014 and welcomes 2,124 passengers. This ship was recently switched to Alaska sailings and now sails exclusively out of San Francisco on 10-day cruises, a great option for those in the California region.
• Similar to other ships in this class, it has a greater number of balcony cabins than the fleet average but also has many inside cabins that are well-priced.

Carnival Miracle

• The ship was built in 2004 and updated in 2020. It has a guest capacity of 2,124 and a crew of 934, a good ratio for service. It is currently homeporting in San Francisco and Los Angeles for the 2024 Alaska cruise season.
• Of the Carnival fleet, Carnival Miracle offers a higher percentage of cabins with ocean views, with 64 percent of the cabins having a balcony (fleet average of 50%). A balcony view is a great asset for such a scenic tour.

Carnival Luminosa

• Built in 2009, Carnival Luminosa moved over from Costa Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation, that sails out of Italy. It joined Carnival in 2022, at which time it was refurbished. It is similar in design to the other Spirit-class ships, although it is about 5% bigger in gross tonnage, welcoming 2,260 guests onboard with 926 crew. It sails out of Seattle, mostly on 7-day cruises of the Inside Passage region of Alaska.

Carnival's onboard offering

Carnival celebrates its fleet as “The World’s Most Popular Cruise Line,” carrying over a million passengers each year. Their focus is on fun and offering customers great value. They have some of the most competitive prices in the market and lots of choices for cruisers on every budget. Their “fun” ships possess plenty of amenities and activities for adults sailing on their own or for families and multigenerational trips. Here’s what to expect on a Carnival ship:

• A diverse selection of inclusive dining options like Guy’s Burger Joint, BlueIguana Cantina, Seaday Brunch, and Pizza Pirate, along with the standard buffet and main dining room fare.
• Specialty dining venues such as sushi, steakhouse, and Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast .
• Extensive entertainment options such as live musical productions, comedy shows, and theme parties, including favorites like Lip Sync Battle
• Family activities - waterparks, Twister water slides, arcades, Build-A-Bear Workshop, parades, and much more
• Adult activities include a variety of bars, lounges, nightclubs, spas, adult-only retreats, live entertainment, karaoke, Lip Sync Battle, Comedy Club, Comedy Club Deck/ theme parties, and casinos.
• Lots of additional onboard activities like basketball, volleyball, and mini-golf, numerous pools and hot tubs
• Variety of cabin categories with lots of balcony options for scenic viewing
• Complimentary kids clubs for kids ages 2-17, with a dedicated kids area.

What to know when picking a Carnival cruise to Alaska

Carnival ships sailing to Alaska were designed for all-weather conditions, adding to the comfort of the guests. These smaller ships still have a good variety of onboard venues and dining options, which might be perfect for families or cruisers who love the fun vibe. There are a couple of important points to consider when considering a Carnival cruise vacation to Alaska, as they differ from other cruise lines sailing to Alaska.

Carnival is famous for its great prices, and their cruise fare includes basic drinks like non-bottled water, lemonade, coffee, and tea, a number of complimentary dining venues, and much of the entertainment. They do not have all-inclusive packages, but rather, drinks and wi-fi are separate. So, while the cruise fares have great advertised prices, add-ons should be considered when budgeting a cruise to Alaska.

They have a good number of itineraries sailing the Inside Passage, but they don’t offer one-way cruises with land tours. However, these Inside Passage cruises can be a great introduction to Alaska cruising with a balance of fun things to do onboard in renovated ships.

Ships like Carnival Miracle have more balconies than the fleet average, a plus for Alaska cruises. The cruise lines do not have the same suite selection that other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line are known for in their vast fleets.

Carnival's mid-sized cruise ships provide a good balance of activities to suit both kids and adults, although some are at an additional cost, such as the Seuss-themed brunch and Deal or No Deal game show. With little significant differences between the ships (beyond age), itineraries and prices may be the bigger driver when booking the ultimate Alaska cruise vacation.