National Alaska Cruise Week
August 16-22, 2026
A nationally recognized week dedicated to helping travelers understand Alaska cruising, start planning earlier, and make better decisions before they book.
Founded by Meredith & DeWayne Tudor of Alaska Cruise Planning.
Why We Created National Alaska Cruise Week
Alaska is one of those vacations where timing can make a meaningful difference. .
Many travelers begin seriously looking at Alaska AFTER some of the cabin categories, itineraries, cruise tours and popular excursions they would have preferred may already be limited or filled.
That doesn’t mean you should rush into booking something just because it’s available.
It means you want to understand your options while you still have options.
That’s why we created National Alaska Cruise Week.
Our goal is simple:
Help travelers start earlier, ask better questions and make more informed decisions about their Alaska vacation.
National Alaska Cruise Week is officially recognized by National Day Calendar and will be celebrated annually during the third week of August.
The 2026 National Alaska Cruise Week Schedule
Sunday, August 16
Opening Day
We officially kick off the first National Alaska Cruise Week designed to walk you through the 5 most important decisions you can make when planning your Alaska cruise.
Look for:
- how to enter our giveaway
- a preview of everything happening during the week
- our Facebook & Instagram for Alaska Cruise Planning tips & tricks throughout the week
Monday, August 17
The Ship
Today we dive into: how do you actually choose between all those Alaska cruise ships?
Big ship or small ship? Family-focused, traditional, premium, luxury or expedition?
There isn’t one “best” Alaska cruise line.
The right ship depends on the kind of experience you want, who is traveling with you and what matters once you’re onboard.
Follow along on Alaska Cruise Planning Facebook & Instagram Stories where we will answer YOUR questions about all the ship options in Alaska.
Special Live Event
Join Alaska Cruise Planning and Kathy Killen from Royal Caribbean for a live conversation on Facebook page about who Royal Caribbean fits best in Alaska
Monday, August 17 at 7:00 PM Eastern
Tuesday, August 18
The Itinerary
Where your ship goes matters.
Today, we’ll break down:
- roundtrip vs. one-way
- Seattle vs. Vancouver
- glacier experiences
- port combinations
- cruise-only vs. cruise tour
Follow along on Alaska Cruise Planning Facebook & Instagram Stories where we will answer YOUR questions about itinerary options, cruise tours, and embarkation/debarkation ports.
Special Live Event
Join Alaska Cruise Planning for a live conversation on our Facebook page about all the itinerary options out there and how to choose the right one for you.
Tuesday, August 18 at 7:00 PM Eastern
Wednesday, August 19
The Cabin
A cabin isn’t just where you sleep in Alaska.
Today we dive into a very important question: Does your cabin even matter in Alaska?
Follow along on Alaska Cruise Planning Facebook & Instagram Stories where we will answer YOUR questions about selecting cruise cabins and which Alaska cruise cabin upgrades are really worth it.
Thursday, August 20
The Excursions
Your excursions may become some of the moments you remember most from Alaska, so we think they deserve to be part of the planning conversation from the beginning.
How much should you spend?
What should be booked first?
Which excursions are worth a splurge?
And what happens if everything you want is already sold out?
Thursday is all about making smarter decisions in port.
Follow along on Alaska Cruise Planning Facebook & Instagram Stories where we will answer YOUR questions about excursions and highlight some of our favorites in every major port.
Friday, August 21
The Budget
Alaska can be done at very different price points.
Today we dive into the true cost of an Alaska cruise vacation.
We’ll talk honestly about:
- what the cruise fare does and doesn’t include
- excursion costs
- airfare
- cabins
- cruise tours
- premium and luxury options
- deciding where to spend more and where to save
Follow along on Alaska Cruise Planning Facebook & Instagram Stories where we will answer YOUR questions about budgets, costs, and what is and is NOT worth the investment for your Alaska cruise.
Saturday, August 22
Celebrating Alaska
We’ll wrap up the inaugural National Alaska Cruise Week by celebrating the destinations, businesses, partners and people who make an Alaska vacation what it is.
We’ll also recap the biggest lessons from the week and answer one final question:
What should you do next if Alaska is on your list?
National Alaska Cruise Week Giveaway
Celebrate the first National Alaska Cruise Week with us.
We’re giving away 8 Alaska-ready prizes during the inaugural week.
Grand Prize
Juneau Whale-Watching Excursion for Two
Approximate retail value up to $500
Second Prize
White Pass Rail Excursion for Two
Approximate retail value up to $400
Third Prize
Rain Jacket Set for Two
Approximate retail value up to $200
Plus
Five binocular winners
Giveaway Entry Period
August 16–23, 2026
No purchase or cruise booking is necessary to enter or win. Must be 18 or older and a legal resident of the 50 United States or District of Columbia. Void where prohibited.
Excursion prizes may be redeemed only in connection with an eligible 2027 Alaska itinerary visiting the applicable port and are subject to provider availability and terms.
Get the 2027 Alaska Cruise Planning Guide
Not sure where to start?
Start here.
We created our 2027 Alaska Cruise Planning Guide around the same five decisions we use when helping our clients:
Ship. Itinerary. Cabin. Excursions. Budget.
The guide is designed to help you understand the choices before you begin narrowing down cruises.
Our 2026 National Alaska Cruise Week Partners
We’re incredibly grateful to the cruise lines that believed in the inaugural National Alaska Cruise Week and helped make it possible.
Founding Partners
Royal Caribbean
Norwegian Cruise Line
Featured Partners
Celebrity Cruises
Disney Cruise Line
Holland America Line
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Silversea
Explora Journeys
A Note About Our Partners
Partner support helps us create National Alaska Cruise Week. It does not determine which cruise line, ship or itinerary we recommend to travelers. One of the central ideas behind Alaska Cruise Planning is that there isn’t one Alaska cruise that fits everyone. Our recommendations are based on the traveler, their priorities, itinerary preferences, budget and the experience they want to have.