TravelMamaBear23

Thanks to all of you for the information and suggestions. @Heide13, I appreciate the questions that you offer. They will help to narrow down our focus. Plus, I learned new acronym ! Is there a way to find out which ships offer RHIB/Zodiac tours off the ship or is it a matter of checking the flag of each ship? For example I did a quick google search of the Seabourn Odyssey which sails in Alaska and learned that it is sailing under the flag of the Bahamas. So not Zodiacs off the ship, I assume? Good point, @Coral about the demographic. Do you think that Seabourn type cruises will have mostly older people even in the summer?

Thank you, for the suggestion. I had forgotten about Viking but I will do some research there. I know that their cruises are usually older but that on some itineraries (usually in the summer) they have a younger average age of passengers. Definitely worth investigating!

Husband and I would like to plan a trip with our four twenty-something "kids" to Alaska this summer, if availability permits. We have not cruised before b/c we don't love crowds and usually like to spend extended time in one place/village/town. It seems, however, that the best way to see some of the wildness of Alaska is a cruise so we are finding our way. We are most interested in wildlife, photography, the outdoors and also good food and comfortable (even luxurious) cabins. Some of us are more active(kayaking, hiking, etc) and some would like to spend some afternoons onboard relaxing, reading, etc. Our first thought was an expedition cruise by Lindblad or similar might be good fit but the ship that was suggested (Quest) has cabins of 155 sq ft (tight for two large"kids" to share or spending an afternoon "in"), one restaurant and a single indoor communal space. I am trying to learn about small ships(under about 400) that have a mix of both comfy accommodations and good food with high quality guides/naturalists and activities. Ease of access of expeditions and avoiding large crowds to do activities is also a priority. I have read recommendations that Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier are don't miss places but am a newbie when it comes to Alaska! I would be most appreciative to hear recommendations from those of you with experience in this area. Is there such an animal as a luxury cruise with a good number of expedition options that are easy to access and high quality? I have read some articles about "luxury expedition cruises" (Seabourn, Windstar, ACL) but can't get a feel for the expeditions and would appreciate any first hand experience.

Many thanks to all of you for your suggestions and advice. I think that you are all correct that we will need to focus on either more expeditions or more luxury. I was wondering about posting on the Alaska Ports of Call forum-will do that, too!

So my husband and I would like to travel with our four twenty-something "kids" to Alaska either this summer ('23) or next if availability is an issue. Our usual travel style is to avoid resorts/crowds and instead immerse ourselves in a small town or region, which is why we haven't tried a traditional cruise ship. We are most interested in learning about wildlife, geology, etc and also photography as opposed to on-board entertainment. From what I have learned thus far about Alaskan cruises, we think an expedition cruise on a smaller ship where we can get in close and see wildlife, etc. will be a good fit. That said, we are a bit spoiled by comfortable, and in some cases luxurious, accommodations. Also, we are from New Orleans so food is important to us. Lastly, while we like options for excursions, some downtime will also be important and some of us will take some time to just chill in the cabin often. I reached out to an Alaskan cruise planner who suggests a Lindblad-Nat Geo cruise on Quest in early July "Exploring Alaska's Coastal Wilderness" that includes Glacier Bay. My concern is that the cabins top out at 165 square feet, which is small for sharing by two 6 ft plus young men (cruisecritics review gives the cabins a 3.5 out of 5) so certainly comfortable but nothing to get excited about. Also, there is only one restaurant which gets decent but not great reviews. I am wondering if the ship is a good fit for us, especially for those in our family who like more downtime and fewer excursions? My research turned up Seabourn Alaskan cruises but the itineraries in June and July this year are on the Odyssey not their dedicated expedition ship Venture. Also, I am not 100% sure I am understanding those itineraries completely but it looks like they include only a day or two dedicated to "excursions". Do any of you have experience with some sort of hybrid expedition cruise that is also somewhat cushy and relaxing?