Bears, whales and harbour seals: best ways to see wildlife in Alaska with Princess Cruises

Calling all wildlife seekers, a cruise to Alaska with Princess Cruises will certainly quench your desire to see more of the world and its glorious animals.

Alaska is your one-stop shop for ticking off your animal-themed bucket list, especially when it comes to whales, with the addition of bears, moose, mountain goats and more.

What’s more, with Princess Cruises you don’t have to get your explorer gear out and tackle the terrain by yourself, there are a whole host of thorough, informative (and most importantly, fun) excursions which will bring you to a range of sea life, animals on land as well as birds with ease.

Now, prepare yourself for some seriously adorable pictures of the wildlife you could encounter on a cruise to Alaska – you won’t be able to resist booking…

Memorable marine animals in Alaska

Starting where we all know and love, the water. Marine life in Alaska is rife with a variety of stunning whale species – from orcas to humpbacks.

Now, the time of year decides which type of whale you see, with sailings in April giving you an increased chance of spotting grey whales, May brings around more orcas with humpback whales arriving in June.

Essentially – as long as you sail between May and September, you will be in peak whale season.

Luckily for you, Princess Cruises offers plenty of sailings within this period so you can increase your chances of seeing the sea life that you want – handy right?

It won’t come as a surprise that there is more wildlife to see in Alaska than just whales, with a host of orcas, sea otters, sea lions, salmon and more.

Did you know that there are five species of salmon found in Alaska (King, Red, Silver, Chum and Pink salmon), with the largest King salmon caught on rod and reel weighing a massive 97 pounds in the Kenai River in Alaska?

In addition to this, sea otters can be spotted during your cruise and are a hybrid between the sea and land.

Floating on their backs in the water when they sleep and holding hands with each other to prevent drifting away, it could be argued that sea otters are the most adorable creature you’ll come across.

Princess Cruises Alaska excursions

Princess Cruises offers a wide variety of Alaskan itineraries to spot many more types of animals – from four to five-day sampler cruises to 14-day adventures, the choice is yours.

For example, the line’s excursions in Alaska are tailor-made to maximise wildlife sightings – take the ‘Local Connections: Whale Catching & Wildlife Quest Created By The Allen Family’ excursion where you will be taken to a jet-powered catamaran specially designed for wildlife viewings by a local family company to admire sea lions, harbour seals, Dall’s porpoises, bald eagles, occasionally bears and of course whales.

Another impressive excursion option is the ‘Prince William Sound 26 Glacier Cruise’ in Anchorage, Alaska, where you will embark on a five-hour glacier cruise covering an expansive 140 miles of fjords and scenery you will remember for a lifetime.

After coming face to face with humongous sheets of ice and listening to the magical sound of glaciers moving, cast your eye towards the impressive wildlife – such as sea lions, Dall’s porpoise, sea otters and harbour seals.

What’s more, ensure you look up to spot a gliding bald eagle, and bird lovers will be happy to learn that this excursion includes a visit to a bird rookery where you can admire thousands of birds.

The ‘Alaska Nature & Wildlife Expedition' excursion certainly lives up to its name, with the opportunity to see brown bears, mountain goats and bald eagles in the stunning Chilkoot Valley.

You will then head over to Chilkoot Lake where you can get a better look at the likes of mountain goats and bears.

So, what are you waiting for? Princess Cruises is the cruise line to bring you to Alaska to be wowed by an array of diverse wildlife – make your 2023 wild.