Southbound Alaska Cruises are one way voyages that begin near Anchorage in Seward or Whitter and travel south through the Gulf of Alaska and end in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Southbound Alaska Glacier Cruises
While there are similarities between a a roundtrip Inside Passage Cruise and a one-way Glacier cruise, there are a number of differences as well. These provide unique benefits which give you a chance to enjoy more of Alaska.
Visitors arrrive in Anchorage either the day of the cruise or after completing an land tour into Alaska's Interior. At least one overnight hotel stay in Anchorage before your cruise is recommended to ensure the most rest and early arrival times to the ship. Guests then transfer by motorcoach or train to Seward or Whittier. The 120 mile ride goes by quickly as visitors enjoy one of the most scenic drives into any departure port. Since Southbound Alaska Glacier cruises are one way trips, your cruise will not repeat its route by doing a U-turn back to the orginal departure port. Each day can provide a new opportunity to see glaciers, mountains, wildlife and scenery without repeating a segment of your journey.
A Southbound Alaska Cruise will head down the Alaska Coast, visit glacier areas, into the small waterfront communities and then sail through the Inside Passage to Vancouver, where passengers disembark the ship. Depending on the cruise line and ship, Alaska Glacier Cruise passengers not only visit the same ports and attractions they would've seen on the Inside Passage Cruise, but they may also visit College Fjord for breathtaking glacier views, or Valdez for yet another day in port.
Compared to a roundtrip Alaska Inside passage cruise, Southbound Alaska cruises have fewer days at sea. This allows the guest to spend more days in Alaska ports or National Glacier Parks. If you only have a week and want maximum glacier viewing and time on land, a Southbound or Northbound cruise is your best choice for an Alaska Cruise Vacation.
Depending on your cruise line and ship, these cruises typically visit four or more of these ports and sights:
- Juneau
- Ketchikan
- Skagway
- Haines
- Sitka
- Vancouver
- Glacier Bay National Park
- Hubbard Glacier
- College Fjord
- Valdez
- Seward / Whittier / Anchorage
Once the ship arrives in Vancouver, passengers may transfer to the airport for their flights home, or extend their stay with tours of Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, or even a train ride into the Canadian Rockies.
Pre-Cruise Options in Anchorage
Most visitors to Alaska elect to take an Alaska Cruisetour which combines a cruise with a land tour into the Interior of Alaska. Most cruise lines operating Southbound Glacier Cruises offer these cruisetours from Anchorage, Denali National Park, or Fairbanks that include motorcoach and domed rail cars. Read more about these Alaska Cruisetours on our website.
Post-Cruise Options
Another benefit of a Southbound Alaska cruise is the flexibility to fly home from either Seattle or Vancouver. Seattle is three and a half hours from Vancouver and there are a variety of transportation options including motorcoach and train to get you there. Both cities are so different, first time visitors could enjoy touring Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver after their cruise. Others may even consider a Victoria or Canadian Rockies rail package after their trip.
When to take an Alaska Glacier Cruise
The Alaska Cruise season begins in late April and continues through September. Whether you cruise when the Inside Passage is blanketed with spring wildflowers or ablaze with fall foliage you'll be awed at Alaska's natural wonders. Spring whale migrations, fall bald eagle gatherings, winter trumpeter swans - exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities and substantial savings can be found during spring and fall.
| Month | Number of Cruises | From Price |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | 4 cruises | $6,998 |
| May 2026 | 19 cruises | $659 |
| Jun 2026 | 31 cruises | $786 |
| Jul 2026 | 30 cruises | $704 |
| Aug 2026 | 34 cruises | $725 |
| Sep 2026 | 12 cruises | $719 |
| Apr 2027 | 8 cruises | $1,724 |
| May 2027 | 21 cruises | $775 |
| Jun 2027 | 33 cruises | $825 |
| Jul 2027 | 31 cruises | $899 |
| Aug 2027 | 29 cruises | $787 |
| Sep 2027 | 13 cruises | $786 |
| Mar 2028 | 1 cruises | $16,998 |
| Apr 2028 | 3 cruises | $4,999 |
| May 2028 | 4 cruises | $5,499 |
| Jun 2028 | 3 cruises | $5,499 |
| Jul 2028 | 3 cruises | $5,499 |
| Aug 2028 | 3 cruises | $5,499 |
| Sep 2028 | 1 cruises | $5,499 |
| 12 Night Denali Explorer Tour IB5 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
Island Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/15/26; 5/29/26; 6/12/26; 6/26/26; 7/10/26; 7/24/26; 8/7/26; 8/21/26; 9/4/26; 5/14/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Mount McKinley, Talkeetna, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel... |
12 Nights |
$2,084per person
(double occupancy) |
| 12 Night Denali Explorer Tour IB5 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
Discovery Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/11/26; 5/25/26; 6/8/26; 6/22/26; 7/6/26; 7/20/26; 8/3/26; 8/17/26; 8/31/26; 5/17/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Mount McKinley, Talkeetna, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel... |
12 Nights |
$2,694per person
(double occupancy) |
| 11 Night Denali Explorer Tour EB4 Cruise and Land Tour from Anchorage | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Discovery Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/12/26; 5/26/26; 6/9/26; 6/23/26; 7/7/26; 7/21/26; 8/4/26; 8/18/26; 9/1/26; 5/18/27; See More Starting Port: Anchorage, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Anchorage, Mount McKinley, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
11 Nights |
$2,004per person
(double occupancy) |
| 11 Night Denali Explorer Tour EB4 Cruise and Land Tour from Anchorage | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Island Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/16/26; 5/30/26; 6/13/26; 6/27/26; 7/11/26; 7/25/26; 8/8/26; 8/22/26; 9/5/26; 5/15/27; See More Starting Port: Anchorage, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Anchorage, Mount McKinley, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
11 Nights |
$2,374per person
(double occupancy) |
| 11 Night Denali Explorer Tour GB4 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Island Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/16/26; 5/30/26; 6/13/26; 6/27/26; 7/11/26; 7/25/26; 8/8/26; 8/22/26; 9/5/26; 5/15/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
11 Nights |
$1,904per person
(double occupancy) |
| 10 Night Denali Explorer Tour BB3 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Discovery Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/13/26; 5/27/26; 6/10/26; 6/24/26; 7/8/26; 7/22/26; 8/5/26; 8/19/26; 9/2/26; 5/19/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Mount McKinley, Talkeetna, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel... |
10 Nights |
$1,860per person
(double occupancy) |
| 10 Night Denali Explorer Tour CB3 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Island Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/17/26; 5/31/26; 6/14/26; 6/28/26; 7/12/26; 7/26/26; 8/9/26; 8/23/26; 9/6/26; 5/16/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
10 Nights |
$2,024per person
(double occupancy) |
| 10 Night Denali Explorer Tour AB3 Cruise and Land Tour from Anchorage | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Island Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/17/26; 5/31/26; 6/14/26; 6/28/26; 7/12/26; 7/26/26; 8/9/26; 8/23/26; 9/6/26; 5/16/27; See More Starting Port: Anchorage, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Anchorage, Mount McKinley, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
10 Nights |
$1,854per person
(double occupancy) |
| 10 Night Denali Explorer Tour AB3 Cruise and Land Tour from Anchorage | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Discovery Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/13/26; 5/27/26; 6/10/26; 6/24/26; 7/8/26; 7/22/26; 8/5/26; 8/19/26; 9/2/26; 5/19/27; See More Starting Port: Anchorage, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Anchorage, Mount McKinley, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
10 Nights |
$2,104per person
(double occupancy) |
| 10 Night Denali Explorer Tour CB3 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Discovery Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/13/26; 5/27/26; 6/10/26; 6/24/26; 7/8/26; 7/22/26; 8/5/26; 8/19/26; 9/2/26; 5/19/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
10 Nights |
$2,294per person
(double occupancy) |
| 10 Night Denali Explorer Tour BB3 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Island Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/17/26; 5/31/26; 6/14/26; 6/28/26; 7/12/26; 7/26/26; 8/9/26; 8/23/26; 9/6/26; 5/16/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Mount McKinley, Talkeetna, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel... |
10 Nights |
$1,840per person
(double occupancy) |
| 7 Night Voyage of the Glaciers with Glacier Bay (Southbound) Cruise from Whittier | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Island Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/20/26; 6/3/26; 6/17/26; 7/1/26; 7/15/26; 7/29/26; 8/12/26; 8/26/26; 9/9/26; 5/19/27; See More Starting Port: Whittier, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Whittier, Cruising Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Vancouver |
7 Nights |
$704per person
(double occupancy) |
| 7 Night Glacier Discovery Southbound Cruise from Whittier | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
Nieuw Amsterdam 18 Sail Dates: 5/24/26; 6/7/26; 6/21/26; 7/5/26; 7/19/26; 8/2/26; 8/16/26; 8/30/26; 9/13/26; 5/23/27; See More Starting Port: Whittier, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Whittier, Cruising Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan... |
7 Nights |
$844per person
(double occupancy) |
| 7 Night Voyage of the Glaciers with Glacier Bay (Southbound) Cruise from Whittier | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Discovery Princess 18 Sail Dates: 5/16/26; 5/30/26; 6/13/26; 6/27/26; 7/11/26; 7/25/26; 8/8/26; 8/22/26; 9/5/26; 5/22/27; See More Starting Port: Whittier, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Whittier, Cruising Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Ketchikan, Vancouver |
7 Nights |
$825per person
(double occupancy) |
| 7 Night Glacier Discovery Southbound Cruise from Whittier | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
Westerdam 18 Sail Dates: 5/17/26; 5/31/26; 6/14/26; 6/28/26; 7/12/26; 7/26/26; 8/9/26; 8/23/26; 9/6/26; 5/16/27; See More Starting Port: Whittier, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Whittier, Cruising Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan... |
7 Nights |
$814per person
(double occupancy) |
| 12 Night Denali Explorer Tour IB5 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
Coral Princess 16 Sail Dates: 5/22/26; 6/5/26; 6/19/26; 7/3/26; 7/17/26; 7/31/26; 8/14/26; 8/28/26; 5/21/27; 6/4/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Mount McKinley, Talkeetna, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel... |
12 Nights |
$2,454per person
(double occupancy) |
| 11 Night Denali Explorer Tour GB4 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Coral Princess 16 Sail Dates: 5/23/26; 6/6/26; 6/20/26; 7/4/26; 7/18/26; 8/1/26; 8/15/26; 8/29/26; 5/22/27; 6/5/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
11 Nights |
$2,354per person
(double occupancy) |
| 10 Night Denali Explorer Tour CB3 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Coral Princess 16 Sail Dates: 5/24/26; 6/7/26; 6/21/26; 7/5/26; 7/19/26; 8/2/26; 8/16/26; 8/30/26; 5/23/27; 6/6/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
10 Nights |
$2,074per person
(double occupancy) |
| 10 Night Denali Explorer Tour BB3 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Coral Princess 16 Sail Dates: 5/24/26; 6/7/26; 6/21/26; 7/5/26; 7/19/26; 8/2/26; 8/16/26; 8/30/26; 5/23/27; 6/6/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Mount McKinley, Talkeetna, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel... |
10 Nights |
$1,970per person
(double occupancy) |
| 10 Night Denali Explorer Tour AB3 Cruise and Land Tour from Anchorage | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Coral Princess 16 Sail Dates: 5/24/26; 6/7/26; 6/21/26; 7/5/26; 7/19/26; 8/2/26; 8/16/26; 8/30/26; 5/23/27; 6/6/27; See More Starting Port: Anchorage, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Anchorage, Mount McKinley, Denali National Park, Direct-to-the-Wilderness Train Travel, Whittier... |
10 Nights |
$2,004per person
(double occupancy) |
| 7 Night Voyage of the Glaciers with Glacier Bay (Southbound) Cruise from Whittier | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Coral Princess 16 Sail Dates: 5/27/26; 6/10/26; 6/24/26; 7/8/26; 7/22/26; 8/5/26; 8/19/26; 9/2/26; 5/26/27; 6/9/27; See More Starting Port: Whittier, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Whittier, Cruising Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Vancouver |
7 Nights |
$848per person
(double occupancy) |
| 17 Night Denali and Yukon Tour Y1L Cruise and Land Tour from Vancouver | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Nieuw Amsterdam 9 Sail Dates: 5/14/26; 5/28/26; 6/11/26; 6/25/26; 7/9/26; 7/23/26; 8/6/26; 8/20/26; 9/3/26; See More Starting Port: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Ports of Call: Vancouver, Dawson City, Fairbanks, Land Travel, Denali National Park... |
17 Nights |
$5,104per person
(double occupancy) |
| 17 Night Denali Escorted Tour VB1 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Discovery Princess 9 Sail Dates: 5/12/27; 5/26/27; 6/9/27; 6/23/27; 7/7/27; 7/21/27; 8/4/27; 8/18/27; 9/1/27; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Gold Dredge No 8, Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Train Travel, Talkeetna... |
17 Nights |
$5,955per person
(double occupancy) |
| 17 Night Connoisseur Escorted Tour VB1 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
Grand Princess 9 Sail Dates: 5/13/26; 5/27/26; 6/10/26; 6/24/26; 7/8/26; 7/22/26; 8/5/26; 8/19/26; 9/2/26; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Gold Dredge No 8, Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Train Travel, Talkeetna... |
17 Nights |
$5,344per person
(double occupancy) |
| 15 Night Connoisseur Escorted Tour UB8 Cruise and Land Tour from Fairbanks | Duration | Priced from |
|---|---|---|
|
Grand Princess 9 Sail Dates: 5/15/26; 5/29/26; 6/12/26; 6/26/26; 7/10/26; 7/24/26; 8/7/26; 8/21/26; 9/4/26; See More Starting Port: Fairbanks, Alaska, United States Ports of Call: Fairbanks, Gold Dredge No 8, Fairbanks, Denali National Park, Princess Rail Train Travel, Talkeetna... |
15 Nights |
$4,354per person
(double occupancy) |
