The 6 Best Luxury Cruises To Take In Juneau Alaska

While big cruise liners won’t be coming to Juneau until 2021, you’ll find an abundance of smaller luxury cruises to choose from in Juneau, mainly due to the capital city’s unique location nestled between Mount Juneau and the Alaskan panhandle. Many of the secluded waterways are best navigated by small boat and these luxury cruises are a fantastic way to view the wildlife, glaciers, coves, and inlets of this rugged Alaskan terrain, which is often referred to as the “last frontier.”

Of course, you’ll want to take some time to explore all that downtown Juneau has to offer either before or after your luxury cruise. Our boutique Juneau Hotel is a perfect location to the dock where the luxury cruises arrive and depart, so it really takes the worry about how and when you’ll need to leave to make your ship on time.

Let us be your home base while you eagerly await your lovely small boat luxury adventure. In case you need a resource parsing through all of the luxury cruises of the area, here’s a list to make that a bit easier. First things first, you’ll want to book a room at our Downtown Juneau Hotel.

The 6 Best Luxury Cruises for Touring Alaska in Style

Downtown Juneau is a hub of activity. It looks a little bit different when all of the large cruise ships are docked, but it’s the small boat luxury cruises that really catch our attention. These types of small boat tours paired with a stay at our Juneau Hotel will remain on your list of BEST vacations for years to come.

1. Alaska Dream Vacations: As far as Alaskan luxury cruises go, Alaska Dream Vacations is the only locally-owned company. They have a fleet of 6 vessels varying in size and expedition routes. For example, the Ultimate Glacier Bay, Wilderness, and Wildlife package aboard a tastefully renovated Bering Sea crab fishing boat, the Kruzof Explorer, will take guests through humpback and orca whale territory, a secluded area of Glacier Bay, a stop in the small town of Pelican and exploration of the remote Chichagof Island. All of their expeditions have some focus on the history of the areas, sustainability, and cultures.
2. UnCruise Adventures: As the name suggests, this isn’t going to be a traditional-style cruise. These luxury cruise itineraries combine the thrilling adventure of exploring glaciers and wilderness with the educational aspect of conservation, sustainability, and responsible travel. Departing from downtown Juneau, guests can pick from 7, 12, and 14-night expeditions that include kayaking, hiking, whale watching, and northern lights viewing.
3. The Boat Company: This non-profit company, is offering luxury eco-cruises with flexible itineraries tailored to the main interests of the guests onboard. With two boats in the fleet, both have that classic luxury cruise feeling with cozy cabins, dining areas, and spacious decks for taking in the scenery. Guests are encouraged to follow their own adventure path, be that hiking in the Tongass National Forest, fishing for King salmon or Halibut, or kayaking the serene inlet waters.
4. Lindblad Expeditions: Small ship luxury cruises mean a more intimate experience in lesser explored areas in Alaska. Also, finishing off a day of exploration with a cocktail hour or the daily “recap” as they call it on this luxury cruise, doesn’t sound too shabby. For those who also have an interest in what’s under the boat, one element to these expeditions is a video feed from a diver in cold water gear bringing you a special underwater view of the habitat below.
5. Northwest Navigation Co.: Come aboard the David B for this luxury cruise. The converted 1929 tug-boat maxes out at 8 guests per expedition, so this will be an intimate and private sailing. One option is the nature and wildlife packages paired with photography classes, it’s hard to take a bad picture from the deck of a luxury cruise, but learning some pointers couldn’t hurt.
6. Wild Dawn Alaska Yacht Charters and Cruises: If you’re really looking for a private adventure on the water, chartering your own yacht trip would be the way to do it. The Wild Dawn is a 98-foot custom yacht with 4 guest rooms. The rooms offer a mix of sleeping arrangements, so this might be one of the best options for families looking to take a small boat luxury cruise. The large deck has plenty of room for outdoor dining and relaxation in the fresh Alaskan sea air.

We also have a more detailed look at luxury cruises to Juneau with Seaborn Cruises here – though these crusies are now on hold until 2022. These options might be exactly what you’re looking for in a big adventure through Alaska.

Relax After Your Luxury Cruise at Our Juneau Hotel

Before or after you galavant through Alaska on the luxury cruise of your choosing, you’ll want to stay with us at our Downtown Juneau Hotel. Not only are we the only boutique-style hotel in downtown, but our historic building, modern decor, deluxe amenities, and a one-of-a-kind breakfast service will calm those weary sea legs.

Our location could not be better for so many reasons. We’re under 10 minutes from the Juneau airport, within walking distance to more than 20 fine dining and casual restaurants, and not to mention the distilleries and breweries. After a culinary adventure on the town, there’s nothing better than a dip in our rooftop hot tub with a glass of bubbles. Get those vacation plans in the books and make your reservation today!