If you love big ships, there's a new way to see more of Alaska than ever before on Royal Caribbean.
Cruisers can now book their 2026 Royal Caribbean sailing to Alaska, and they've changed their lineup by having one of their megaships do open-jaw runs instead of a smaller ship.
Ovation of the Seas is one of four Royal Caribbean ships just announced to sail to Alaska in 2026, and the voyages are open for booking on the Royal Caribbean website or by speaking with a travel agent.
Following in the tradition of previous deployments, Royal Caribbean will send four ships of the fleet to Alaska.
In addition to Ovation, Royal Caribbean will also deploy Anthem of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, and Serenade of the Seas to the Last Frontier.
Read more: I went on a 7-night cruise to Alaska. Here are 16 things that surprised me the most.
Take a look at the 2026 cruises to Alaska
The 2026 Alaska cruises are available to book between May and September 2026.
The most notable change is Ovation of the Seas will sail open-jaw sailings out of Vancouver.
This Quantum-Class mega-ship is scheduled to cruise 7-night Northbound Alaska and Hubbard Glacier itineraries.
Between May and September of 2026, the vessel will visit ports such as Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Seward, Icy Strait Point, with views of the Hubbard Glacier.
This means you can sail from Vancouver to Seward, or Seward to Vancouver and see more of Alaska than ever before because you can combine the sailing with a Cruisetour.
Cruisetours are pre- and post-land trips you can add-on to a cruise that are operated through Royal Caribbean and can take you to inland places, such as Denali National Park and Preserve and Banff National Park.
New CruiseTours available in summer 2026 include a 9-night Destination Denali CruiseTour, 12-night Kenai Trek and Inland Wildlife CruiseTour and a 13-night Homer Adventure and Interior Wildlife CruiseTour.
These sort of sailings have traditionally been only offered by much smaller ships.
The change to have a big ship such as Ovation of the Seas is related to a $137 million cruise ship port that is being built in Seward, Alaska that should be ready for the 2026 cruise season.
Anthem of the Seas will sail roundtrip, 7-night voyages out of Seattle, Washington.
Voyager of the Seas will also homeport in Seattle, offering 7-night sailings to popular Alaskan ports.
Both ships will visit popular ports such as Skagway, Juneau, Sitka, and Icy Strait Point. Alaskan sailings out of Seattle also offer cruisers the opportunity to view Dawes Glacier, as long as the weather permits a sighting.
Itineraries will vary depending on the sailing.
Read more: I cruised on the oldest and newest cruise ships to Alaska: here’s how they compare
Returning to Alaska in 2026, Serenade of the Seas will cruise 7-night roundtrip sailings from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
One notable change is Serenade will visit Prince Rupert, British Columbia, which is located on Kaien Island near the Alaskan panhandle.
Repositioning cruises are also open for booking
Royal Caribbean has also added two repositioning cruises to its 2026 Alaska deployments.
Voyager of the Seas will cruise a 25-night Transpacific itinerary, departing on April 14th from Brisbane, Austrailia.
The sailing will call at Papeetee, Tahiti; Moorea, French Polynesia; Honolulu, Hawaii; Hailua Kona, Hawaii; and Hilo, Hawaii, before reaching Seattle, Washington.
Anthem of the Seas also offers a repositioning cruise: a 18-night Transpacific sailing departing on April 14th.
The Quantum-Class ship will sail from Sydney, Australia, to New Zealand; Papeetee, Tahiti; Moorea, French Polynesia; Raiatea, French Polynesia; and Honolulu, Hawaii.
What is an open-jaw cruise?
An open-jaw sailing is essentially a one-way cruise that embarks in one port and disembarks in another.
Open-jaw cruises are a popular choice to sail to Alaska because of the beautiful land views the state offers.
Cruisers find that the more remote ports and inland areas of Alaska provide the most authentic view. For those who value the landscapes and wildlife of the Last Frontier, an open-jaw cruise provides more opportunities to sight-see.
These sailings visit more ports than round-trip cruises and allow you to book land tours before or after the cruise in different locations.
However, one-way sailings come with additional logistics questions and often cost more in transportation to and from the cruise ports.
For example, you'll have to book two one-way flights instead of round-trip airfare. These two flights will often be more expensive, in addition to the extra cost of travel to and from the airports.
For example, if your cruise begins or ends in Seward, Alaska, you'll have to account for a 2+ hour drive to the airport.
Another disadvantage of open-jaw sailings is that they require a valid passport. US citizens cannot use a birth certificate or government ID for these sailings.
Book earlier for the best price
Alaskan cruises are more expensive than Caribbean sailings, but you can get a better price by booking early.
Typically, the lowest pricing for an Alaska cruise is found right when itineraries are released.
Especially if you'd like to sail during the peak of the cruising season, with warmer weather (in June and July), you should book your cruise as soon as possible.
Read more: The worst months to cruise to Alaska
The shoulder season (the months of May and September) offers good deals on occasion but worse weather.
Plus, specific cabins can sell out quickly on popular sailings. For example, if you want to book a suite or aft balcony cabin on Serenade of the Seas, you'll need to book as early as possible to ensure your preferred category.
As a rule, placing your initial deposit as soon as you can gets you the best price.
Booking your Alaska cruise:
- How to choose the right Alaska cruise itinerary
- 50 Royal Caribbean Alaska Cruise Tips
- Royal Caribbean Alaska excursions: Recommended tours for each port
- What Is an Alaska Inside Passage Cruise?
- What is the most useful time to cruise to Alaska?
- Best things to do on an Alaska cruise
- Alaska cruise packing list: What to pack for your sailing
