Pacific Northwest Cruises
Islands, orcas and the Inside Passage on a small ship.
Get Free US Coastal Cruise QuotesPacific Northwest cruises on small ships are about islands, orcas and evergreen shores. From Seattle, ships thread Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands, where the Cascades and Olympics rise on either side and ferries and sailboats share the channels.
Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands
American Cruise Lines’ Puget Sound & San Juan Islands cruise is an eight-day, seven-night round trip from Seattle. Typical calls include Anacortes and Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, and some itineraries add Victoria, British Columbia, for its harbor and gardens. Between ports the ship sails close to wooded islands, and the San Juans are known for resident and migrating orcas, seals and bald eagles.
- Seattle: Pike Place Market and the waterfront before you board.
- Friday Harbor: the main town of the San Juans and a base for whale watching.
- Anacortes & the islands: ferry country, kayaks and small farms.
- Victoria, B.C.: on some sailings — bring your passport.
North to Alaska on a Small Ship
The Inside Passage is the Pacific Northwest’s great extension: a protected route of channels and fjords running up the coast of British Columbia into Southeast Alaska. Big ships sail it from Seattle and Vancouver — Cruising America covers those round trips — but small ships see it differently, slipping into narrow inlets and stopping for kayaking and shore walks.
UnCruise Adventures
UnCruise Adventures runs small U.S.-flagged ships in Southeast Alaska in summer, built around kayaking, hiking and wildlife rather than shopping ports.Lindblad Expeditions
Lindblad Expeditions, in partnership with National Geographic, sails expedition ships in Alaska with naturalists and photo instructors aboard.Alaskan Dream Cruises
Alaskan Dream Cruises is an Alaska-based small-ship line sailing Southeast Alaska’s islands and villages.American Cruise Lines
Also sails Southeast Alaska itineraries alongside its Puget Sound program.
Alaska’s small-ship season runs roughly from late spring to September. Planning shore days? Alaska Port Excursions covers excursions in every major Alaska port. On the river side of the region, the Columbia and Snake have their own fleet — see Columbia River Cruising.
Pacific Northwest Questions
What do Pacific Northwest cruises include?
On a small ship, usually Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands from Seattle, sometimes with a call in Victoria, British Columbia. Longer itineraries continue north through the Inside Passage to Southeast Alaska. River cruises on the Columbia and Snake are a separate trip.
When is the Pacific Northwest cruise season?
Late spring to early fall. Summer brings the driest, longest days and the best odds of calm water and whale sightings.
Do I need a passport for a Puget Sound cruise?
If the itinerary includes Victoria or any other Canadian port, bring a passport. Itineraries that stay in Washington waters do not cross a border, but check your line’s document rules.
Packing for the Northwest
Even in July, mornings on Puget Sound can be cool and breezy, and Alaska’s Inside Passage can turn wet at any time. Pack a waterproof shell, a warm mid-layer, a hat and binoculars; the wildlife is often a little too far for a phone camera. Our sister site Cruising Checklist has full packing lists.
Sail the Pacific Northwest
Puget Sound, the San Juans or the Inside Passage — our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will compare the small ships for your summer.
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