Cruising to Alaska with kids

Cruising to Alaska with kids

by JULIE HANSON

Should you take an Alaska cruise with kids? Absolutely!

That is, if you like wildlife, spectacular scenery, pampering and all the food you can eat. Several cruise lines depart regularly from Seattle (and Vancouver, B.C., an easy trip from Seattle) on various Alaska itineraries. Children sometimes travel fairly cheaply with fare-paying adults. You may be crammed into the tiniest room you’ve ever seen, but you’ll make it work. Here are a few tips:

Make use of Kids’ Club (or whatever they call it on your cruise). Kids can make friends from around the country (and the world!) while playing games, doing crafts, exploring the ship, making pizza and decorating cupcakes, to name just a few of the free activities our daughter and her cousins (ages 11 and 12) enjoyed. Typically the kids are divided by age group and the facility has set hours, with extras like meals and late-night care available for an additional fee. This program allowed the adults in our group to go wine tasting, exercise and nap, among other “grown-up” activities.

Think about how much freedom you want your kids to have. Especially if you’re on a mega- (or even mini-mega) ship, it’s possible to get lost or separated. I did not anticipate that at my daughter’s age (11) the kids’ program would let her sign herself out. This privilege required parental OK, and we decided not to give it.

Unpack. Most cruises are seven days (the time flies by, trust me) and with most rooms being pretty, ahem, cozy, there’s no room to leave suitcases lying around.

Read the daily event listing. There is so much going on. It’s not all bingo and shopping. There is no excuse for being bored on a cruise — unless you want to be.

Bring binoculars and be on the lookout for wildlife. There were whale sightings on our cruise, and the Inside Passage route often travels close enough to shore to witness animals that might be active there.

Plan (but don’t overplan) for the weather. Yes, it’s Alaska. No, it’s not the Arctic. Unless you’re taking a more exotic excursion than we did, you’re likely not going to need boots, hats and fleece-lined jackets. In fact, don’t forget to pack your swimsuit. Our late-June trip featured lots of swimming (outdoors for the kids) and there was a covered, indoor adults-only pool, too.

Think about screen time, Wi-Fi and so on in advance. Our phone carrier charges extra for use in Canada (or in international waters). Many ships offer Wi-Fi packages for an extra charge. I was surprised to catch myself thinking, on more than one occasion, “If only I could text my husband.” The ships are big, but I always found him!

Meeting spot: Speaking of separation, make some sort of plan in advance as to where, if there’s an unexpected separation or failed rendezvous, everyone should gather.

And a final warning: After a week of always-available buffets, nice dining rooms and twice-daily housekeeping service, coming home can be brutal. But you’ll survive.

Several cruise lines have voyages departing from Seattle or Vancouver, B.C., including Celebrity, Princess and Norwegian. Holland America is based in Seattle.

Take a taste of sailing

Want to see if a cruise is a good fit for your family, or get on the water without blowing through a week of vacation time? Consider a two-day trial on a Princess Cruises

Pacific Coastal voyage from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. Spend your evening at sea enjoying the ship’s family-friendly entertainment, and wake up in Vancouver. Then stroll Granville Island and explore downtown before hopping on a short flight back to Seattle. For a more scenic ride home, take Amtrak’s Cascades train.