Seattle & Alaskan Cruise 2023

Corey and I have always had Alaska on our destination bucket list. After plenty of research, we decided the most efficient way to tackle it with kids would be on a cruise. We sailed with Royal Caribbean on the Ovation of the Seas, and it was certainly a trip to remember! First though, we spent a few days exploring the port city of Seattle which was well worth it. You will find our (pared down) itinerary below, as well as some notes about what we learned along the way.

(Pro tip: Use a web-based service like Google Docs to create, share and store itineraries. In doing so, you can have access to your itinerary on your phone at all times and update it as needed. Corey and I find this helps us to stay on the same page and allows us both to own the planning process.)

Our Itinerary:

Day 1

• STL to SEA via Alaska Airlines

• Check-in at Kimpton Hotel Monaco Downtown Seattle

  • We thoroughly enjoyed this hotel. It was beautifully furnished, clean and offered a perfect location for walking the city, which we try to do as much as we can when traveling.

• Dinner to go from Serious Pie

  • 12 minute walk from hotel

Day 2

• Breakfast at Ben Paris 

  • Such a gorgeous restaurant and the food was delicious! Our kids shared the Ricotta Pancakes and a side of bacon.

• Seattle Aquarium

• The aquarium is not that large, but it is in such a cool location and takes advantage of that. Our kids enjoyed it.

• We also considered going to the Woodland Park Zoo, but ultimately decided on the aquarium because we could walk.

• Pike Place Market for some lunch and exploring

  • We ate at Lowell’s, which is a classic choice for fresh seafood and a beer with a view of the water. They do not accept reservations. We waited in line for about 20 minutes, but it was worth it!

  • Before your trip to Pike Place Market, check out the website! You will find day planning tool, which is helpful if you want to spend a large chunk of time there. You could easily spend a whole day eating and shopping.

  • Of note, the market can be extremely crowded and the walking paths are narrow. It’s not the most stroller friendly place. If bringing a baby, I would recommend baby wearing!

• Seattle Center Monorail to the Space Needle

  • The Monorail is a must do. We walked from the market to the Westlake Center Monorail Station and headed to the only other stop, Seattle Center, where we could easily walk to the Space Needle.

  • After a ride to the top of the Space Needle, we let the kids run around at the the Artists at Play Playground, which is pretty epic. Our kids did not want to leave.

  • Check out the Seattle Center website for more details about its other attractions!

Day 3

• Corey and Graham walked to Retro Coffee for a light breakfast and brought it back to our hotel. Graham loved the coffee shop, because they so kindly gifted him a Hot Wheels car!

• Headed to port to board the ship!

Day 4

• Cruising day

Day 5

• Juneau

• We stepped off the ship and had some time to kill before our excursion. Just steps off the boat was the Goldbelt Tram, which takes you 1,800ft up Mount Roberts. We decided to go for it! The views at the top were great, and we were able to see a film celebrating the culture of the native Tlingit people.

• After our tram ride, we needed to head to our planned excursion, which we booked through the cruise. We visited the Macauley Salmon Hatchery followed by a whale watching boat ride. Whale watching was very memorable. We saw several Humpbacks, including a baby playing in kelp right off shore.

Day 6

• Skagway

• Our excursion in Skagway was the White Pass & Yukon Route scenic railway, which we booked through the cruise. Our kids love a train ride, and this one was INCREDIBLE! Twist and turn through the mountains and watch the terrain change as elevation rises. The views are amazing. The crew will walk you through the history of the railway, which was completed in 1900 as a result of the Gold Rush.

• When we got off the train, we meandered through Skagway for some shopping and then quickly hit Klondike Brewing Company to sample some beers. A late lunch was next at Skagway Brewing Company. The fish and chips were divine!

Day 7

• Sitka

• In Sitka, we planned our own excursions rather than book through the cruise. Let me just say, Sitka is stunning! The coastal views are so beautiful, and the town is a combination of historical and modern. Sitka is where the US bought Alaska from Russia, and it was Alaska’s first capital city.

• We toured the Sitka Sound Science Center/Sheldon Jackson Hatchery. I enjoyed this hatchery experience more than the one in Juneau. We learned so much about what it means to raise salmon sustainably from the scientists who are so concerned about preserving our natural resources. Highly, highly recommend!

• There was an amazing playground next door, so we stopped for a bit and let the kids run wild.

• We then meandered to Sitka National Historical Park, which is known for its Tlingit and Haida totem poles. The totem poles can be seen along coastal trail of the park. The trail was flat and very easy for our kids to navigate. This was a very cool experience.

• We ended our day in Sitka with some shopping and ice cream in town.

Day 8

• Cruising Day

Day 9

• Victoria, British Columbia

• Water Taxis

• We booked a city bus tour & tour of Craigdarroch Castle through the cruise. The bus tour was a good way to see the city with kids, but I’m not sure I would recommend the castle. It was pretty underwhelming. The other significant attraction in Victoria that many people from our cruise visited is The Butchart Gardens, which is highly recommended but will likely take your whole day.

• After our excursion, we took a water taxi to the Fisherman’s Wharf area for lunch on the water. Great food in a very cute, casual setting.

• Of course we found another playground and let the kids play before we walked around the city for some shopping and treats.

• There is so much to see and do in Victoria. It is truly a stunning city. I felt like we needed way more time here, so I want to go back!

Day 10

• Home

• We arrived at the Seattle airport with time to spare before our flight, so we headed to the Centurion Lounge so we could eat and spread out a bit.

Notes

• Alaska is wet and chilly in September. Bring all the rain gear and layer so you can enjoy your time outside.

• When you can, walking is always a good idea when it comes to viewing a city in a short amount of time. Try it with your kids-they’re more adaptable than you may think.

• If you don’t like the excursions that your cruise offers, know that you can choose to do activities on your own as long as you are confident you’ll be back on the ship at the required time.