The best luxury small ship cruises to Alaska

1. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best for: travellers who want every excursion included

Regent makes a strong case in Alaska because almost everything is included in the fare, including a generous selection of shore excursions. On a 7-night itinerary, you can choose between 40 and 50 included trips, which adds up quickly in a region where you will want to be off the ship most days. The 746-guest Seven Seas Explorer sails here in summer 2026 and 2027, with Seven Seas Splendor taking over for the 2028 season, both offering spacious suites and a wide spread of dining. There is a family programme too, so this is one of the better luxury options for a multi-generational holiday. Many voyages can be paired with Regent's pre-cruise land programme aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, a journey through the Rockies from Banff to Vancouver in glass-domed rail carriages with GoldLeaf service, with hotel stays included.

2. Silversea

Best for: food lovers who want refined, all-inclusive sailing

Silversea offers an intimate, stylish experience with attentive service and fares that include flights, transfers and, with some fare types, a credit towards shore excursions. The 596-guest Silver Moon spends summer 2026 and 2027 in Alaska, joined by the smaller 392-guest Silver Whisper, the two running almost identical 7-night routes between Seward (the port for Anchorage) and Vancouver. Sailings can be combined into a longer 14-night voyage. Silver Moon also carries the line's S.A.L.T. programme, a food and culture concept that ties the dining, a dedicated kitchen and the shore experiences to the regions you sail through, which gives this ship the edge for anyone who travels with their appetite. Excursions ashore cover whale watching, kayaking, cultural tours and hikes, so there is plenty of choice alongside the comfort and space onboard.

3. Seabourn

Best for: active travellers drawn to unusual routes

On Seabourn, the style is relaxed and refined, with close to one crew member per guest, aboard the 600-guest Seabourn Encore, which sails Alaska in 2026, 2027 and 2028. Its routing is more unusual than most, with 7-night sailings between Vancouver and Juneau that can be combined into a 14-night voyage with no repeated ports. The line leans into active exploration through its Ventures by Seabourn programme, an optional collection of guided hikes, kayak tours and Zodiac outings led by an expedition team, alongside Seabourn Conversations talks on subjects from photography to ornithology. There is also a new Denali Experience land journey to add before or after a cruise. In 2028, the 7-night sailings are joined by two longer June voyages between Whittier and Vancouver. Ventures and classic excursions are charged separately.

4. Windstar Cruises

Best for: small-ship access and the widest choice of itineraries

Windstar's newest ship, the 224-guest Star Seeker, joined the fleet at the end of 2025 and has just started her Alaska programme, with 2027 and 2028 now on sale. Her size lets her reach smaller ports such as Wrangell and Haines and get in close to the Sawyer Glaciers. The choice of itinerary is broader here than with most lines, ranging from 7 to 8 nights up to 10, 12 and 15 nights, with the option to add a land tour to Denali National Park. Accommodation includes Infinity Suites with floor-to-ceiling windows and an opening upper half to create a balcony, and many suites have private verandas. Experts give talks on board, and the optional Signature Expeditions take small groups out on foot, by kayak or in a Zodiac. Shore excursions are at an additional cost.

5. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

Best for: design-led yacht living and quieter ports

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection began sailing in 2022 and has grown quickly, with the 452-guest Luminara its newest and largest yacht and the first to sail beyond Europe and the Caribbean. Luminara spends the summer of 2026 in Alaska and repeats the programme in 2027, sailing from either Whittier or Vancouver, and her small size lets her call at lesser-visited ports, including Wrangell and Klawock. The look and feel is contemporary and yacht-like rather than traditional cruise ship, and every suite has a private terrace for taking in the scenery and watching for wildlife. A range of shore excursions is available to book. This is a strong choice for anyone who wants a design-led space and a more relaxed, less formal style at sea.

6. Explora Journeys

Best for: contemporary design and comfort, whatever the weather

Explora Journeys is the newest luxury name to reach Alaska, with its maiden season in 2027 aboard Explora III. Early in the season, from May to July, the ship runs Vancouver round trips of 9 to 12 nights, and from July it switches to the more familiar Vancouver-to-Seward route through early September. The 2028 season follows the same pattern, also on Explora III, starting in May, with the Vancouver-to-Seward sailings beginning in late June. The design suits Alaska well, with ocean-facing suites and a main pool that can be covered, so it stays usable even when the weather turns, which isn't uncommon in Alaska. The overall feel is contemporary and relaxed, a good fit for anyone who finds traditional luxury a little stiff.

7. Oceania Cruises

Best for: adults-only value and standout dining

Oceania became an adults-only line in January 2026, welcoming guests aged 18 and over, which sharpens its appeal in Alaska, a region that draws a lot of family travel on the bigger ships. It also includes a drinks or shore-excursion credit in the fare, and it remains one of the better-value routes to a Alaska cruise. Dining is the signature here, with a long-standing reputation for the food on board. Riviera, larger than the yachts above but still a world away from the mega-ships, sails Alaska in 2027 and 2028. Routes include 7-night Seattle round-trip flights, convenient for the direct flight from the UK, just as Vancouver is. There are also 10 and 11-night Seattle round-trip sailings, plus one-way sailings between Seattle and Vancouver in both directions.

Expedition cruises in Alaska

For travellers who want to go deeper still, small ship expedition cruising is a different way to see Alaska. These ships carry far fewer guests and are built to reach places with no docks or infrastructure at all, putting you ashore on remote beaches and into wilderness that the larger luxury ships cannot reach, with more of each day given over to exploring on foot, by kayak or by Zodiac. It is a more active and more rugged style of travel, with excursions as an integral part of the experience, which are included in the fare. Our sister company Mundy Adventures, specialises in this kind of voyage, so explore expedition cruises in Alaska to see what is possible.

Whichever appeals, the right ship makes a real difference to an Alaska cruise. Speak to us and we will help you find the best luxury small ship Alaska cruise for the way you like to travel.