I have been researching the Alaska itinerary for about six months. This started because Alan said casually, one evening after we got home from our third Bahamian sailing, that he wanted to do something different next time. Something with glaciers.
I should say upfront that I have not done the Disney Wonder Alaska cruise. Everything I know about it, I know from research, from other families who have done it, and from the kind of deep dive into itineraries and ports that I do when I am interested in something. This article is what I have learned and what I am weighing for our family. If you are in a similar place, maybe it helps.
The Disney Wonder in Alaska
The Disney Wonder sails Alaska itineraries in the summer, typically from May through September. The ship departs from Seattle or Vancouver depending on the specific sailing and week, and routes vary, but the most common itinerary is a 7-night cruise calling at ports including Juneau, Skagway, Sitka or Ketchikan, and Tracy Arm Fjord.
Tracy Arm Fjord is not a port stop in the traditional sense. It is a scenic sailing through a fjord that ends at the Sawyer Glacier. The ship slows down and passengers watch from the decks and their staterooms as the glacier comes into view. From every account I have read, this is the defining moment of the Alaska sailing. People describe it as unlike anything else on a Disney cruise.
The Disney Wonder itself is one of the older ships in the fleet, launched in 1999 and refurbished multiple times. It is smaller than the Fantasy or the Wish, which changes some things about the experience but is worth knowing before you book.
Why Alaska Is Different From Bahamian Sailings
The most obvious difference is the weather. Alaska in summer is not Bahamas-warm. Daytime temperatures in the ports are typically in the 50s and 60s Fahrenheit. It can rain. It does often rain. You are packing layers and rain gear rather than swimsuits and rash guards.
The second difference is that the private island beach days that define Caribbean sailings are not part of Alaska. There is no Castaway Cay. The experience is more about the land and the landscape and the wildlife rather than the beach. On the Alaska itinerary, the ports are small towns with genuine character. Juneau is the state capital and accessible only by boat or plane. Skagway has a preserved Gold Rush history. Ketchikan has the totems and the Creek Street boardwalk.
The third difference is wildlife. From everything I have read, seeing humpback whales, orcas, sea otters, bald eagles, and bears is a realistic expectation on an Alaska sailing, not a best-case scenario. This is a significant draw for our family. Gracie is currently in a whale phase that has lasted longer than any previous animal phase, and the idea of her seeing a humpback breach from a ship deck is something I keep thinking about.
The Ports
Juneau. The most accessible port for family excursions. The Mendenhall Glacier is the big draw, and there are excursion options ranging from a shuttle bus to the visitor center (manageable with toddlers) to helicopter tours (spectacular but expensive and not practical with very small children). Whale watching excursions are extremely popular out of Juneau and most report a high success rate.
Skagway. A small, preserved Gold Rush-era town. The White Pass Scenic Railway is the famous excursion here, a narrow-gauge train that climbs through dramatic mountain scenery. I have read mixed things about how this goes with kids under 4. Some families love it. Others find a 3-hour train ride hard with toddlers who want to move. Worth considering based on what your specific kids can handle.
Ketchikan. Known for its totem poles and its rain. The Totem Bight State Historical Park is a short drive and genuinely worth seeing. Creek Street, the old boardwalk, is a short walk from the pier and has shops and a salmon ladder where you can watch fish. Gracie would probably enjoy the salmon ladder more than she would admit.
Sitka. Not on all itineraries but beautiful when it is. Russian Orthodox history, wildlife everywhere, a raptor center with eagles and owls. The smallest and least touristy of the Alaska ports.
Tracy Arm Fjord. Not a port, but a full day’s sailing into the fjord ending at the Sawyer Glacier. This is the thing people come for. It is not a warm day and you will need all your layers, but from the accounts I have read, it is remarkable. One person I talked to said it was the most memorable day they had ever spent on a ship.
Is Alaska Practical With Toddlers?
This is the question I keep coming back to. Gracie will be 4 and Rory will be 3 by the time we could realistically do this. That changes things.
The honest answer from families I have found online who did Alaska with kids under 4: it depends heavily on what your kids are like. The ship experience is similar to any other Disney cruise. The Oceaneer Club is available. The shows and the pool and the rotational dining are all there, just on a smaller ship.
The port experiences are where it gets tricky with very small kids. A lot of the iconic Alaska excursions involve long drives, long hikes, or extended time in outdoor cold and rain. A 3-year-old and a 2-year-old are not going to get as much from standing at the edge of a glacier as a 6 and 8-year-old would.
But: whale watching works with toddlers. The kids’ areas on the ship work with toddlers. The general atmosphere of Alaska, the scale of it, the way it looks from the water, is visible to everybody on the ship regardless of age.
My current thinking is that we would probably wait one more year. At 5 and 4, Gracie and Rory would get significantly more from the port experiences and would be better equipped for the cold weather days. If we went now, it would be a wonderful trip but some of the best parts of it would be for Alan and me rather than for the kids.
Cost Comparison to Caribbean Sailings
Alaska sailings typically cost more than comparable Bahamian itineraries, and they are 7 nights instead of 4 or 5. The longer itinerary means more cruise fare and more nights of expenses. Flying into Seattle adds cost versus driving to Port Canaveral. And the popular shore excursions in Alaska, like helicopters and whale watching boats, can add up quickly.
We are looking at this as a more expensive undertaking than our current sailings, which affects the timeline for when we can realistically do it.
What I Am Going to Do
I am keeping Alaska on the list for two or three years out. In the meantime I have set a fare alert and I am watching itineraries and departure dates so I know what booking looks like when we are ready.
Alan has a photo of the Sawyer Glacier as his computer wallpaper. He found it somewhere online and put it there without telling me. I noticed it and I understood it completely. It is the kind of place that makes you feel like some trips are worth planning a long time toward.
