Our Family Adventure: Seattle & An Unforgettable Alaska Cruise

This summer, my family and I enjoyed a brilliant adventure: a stay in Seattle followed by a cruise to Alaska. It was a lovely mix of city exploring, time together on board and jaw dropping incredible scenery.

We stayed for a few days in Seattle, which felt very relaxed and easy to get around. We wandered along the waterfront, watched the ferries and explored Pike Place Market where if you are a Starbucks fan you won't want to miss the original coffee shop!, The kids loved seeing the famous fish‑throwing which is something that I have always wanted to see. We also went up the Space Needle for great views over the city, the water and the distant mountains, which gave us a little taste of what was to come.

From Seattle we headed to the port to board our Alaska cruise. There is always something special about that first sight of the ship and getting settled in. The children were excited to explore the pools (heated) and activities, and we quickly found our favourite spot on deck to watch sail‑away.

Cruising works so well for families because you only unpack once, there is plenty to do for all ages, and so much is included that it feels very easy. We loved waking up somewhere new most days without having to travel and repack constantly.

Alaska itself was the real highlight. Sailing through fjords, with forests and mountains on either side, was amazing. One of the stand‑out moments was viewing a glacier from the ship, wrapped up warm with hot chocolates as we watched the bright blue ice and listened for the cracks and rumbles when pieces broke away into the water. We were also lucky enough to spot whales, sea lions and bald eagles, which the children found really exciting.

In port, we visited small Alaskan towns with wooden boardwalks, local shops and lots of history to discover. It felt very different to anywhere we had been before, and we enjoyed just strolling around, learning a bit about the area and trying some local food. Totally recommend sampling crab!

Sea days gave us time to slow down. The kids made the most of the pools and clubs, while we could relax, read and simply enjoy the views from the ship. Evenings were spent having dinner together, trying different restaurants, and then maybe watching a show or walking out on deck.

Putting Seattle and an Alaska cruise together worked really well. Seattle gave us a fun city break at the start, and the cruise took us into some of the most impressive scenery we have ever seen, without any stress. It felt like two holidays in one and gave us lots of special memories as a family.

If you like the idea of combining a short stay in Seattle with an Alaska cruise, I can help you choose the right ship, itinerary and timing to suit you and your family, and put everything together in a simple, stress‑free way.