Alaska is an incredible destination for cruise vacations. This magnificent state is filled with wildlife, adventure, beautiful scenery and fun experiences for all ages and interests. Imagine going on a thrilling dog sled ride, watching humpback whales breaching, ziplining or hiking off the beaten path in Alaska’s rainforests, fishing for salmon, and seeing massive grizzly bears prowling along the shoreline.

Cruises are a fantastic way to experience Alaska, and vacationers dreaming of a reasonably priced trip can take heart. Cruise lines are offering last-minute discounts on Alaska voyages, and several cruise lines are offering special packages and deals this year. Prices on Alaska cruises can be more than 65% off regular fares on some voyages. Sites such as VacationsToGo.com, Cruises.com and others make it easy to find great cruise deals, or you can contact your favorite travel agent for assistance.

Travel shoppers can find Alaska cruise deals on voyages with cruise lines such as Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, and Princess Cruises. Cruise fares on select departures are currently less than $650 per person for a seven-night Alaska cruise. Daily meals, activities, and entertainment are also included.

If you're considering an Alaska cruise, here are money-saving tips to help you find affordable sailing, as well as some sample itineraries and cruise deals.

1. Shop Around
If you’re interested in a specific cruise or itinerary, start keeping tabs on prices right around the time final payments are due to take advantage of any price drops and discounts. Look for the lowest available rate ranges before doing comparison shopping. VacationsToGo.com, Cruises.com, and other cruise-oriented online sites can be good places to start your search.

Many sites may quote prices without port charges, taxes and fees, fuel surcharges and other costs, so completely calculate any planned cruise purchase before comparing prices. In addition, sign up for deal newsletters and cruise line deal alerts, plus follow cruise lines on social media to learn about sales and discounts early.

2. Talk With A Good Travel Advisor
Cruise travel agents can help you find the best Alaska cruise, save money, and monitor sales after booking to get upgrades and more. Talk with your travel agent about your vacation goals, budget, and the kinds of activities sought on shore and at sea.

Both the ship and the itinerary are important in Alaska. Your agent can suggest the best ship and cruise options for your needs and assist with flights and shore excursions. In addition, they may be able to find special pricing for you, such as state resident discounts, military discounts, and other offers. At CruiseCompete.com, vacation shoppers can anonymously submit the ship and sailing date they're interested in and let hundreds of cruise agents bid for their business.

3. Be Flexible
Being willing to try something new or different can open up a variety of deal options, not to mention wonderful vacation memories. Consider all the available choices that fit your needs instead of being fixated on a specific cruise line, ship or itinerary. When possible, be open to a variety of stateroom choices as well. Just make sure the savings are worth any vacation trade-offs you’re making. If you can’t stand being confined to small spaces without windows, don’t book an inside cabin because it’s cheaper. After all, a great deal isn’t great if you don’t enjoy your vacation.

4. Check Airfares Before Finalizing Your Itinerary
Flights to Alaska can be expensive. Price out air travel options to and from popular cruise embarkation ports, including Seattle, Vancouver and the Anchorage area, to see what works best for you before choosing your cruise. Seattle is served by several low-cost airlines. Some low-cost airline flights don't appear on popular booking sites, so check their websites. If you have airline frequent flyer miles, this trip might be the time to use them. Make sure to book flights early for the best availability and itineraries and plan to arrive at your embarkation port at least one day before departure.

5. Look For Added Value
Ask the cruise line or your travel agent about packages and potential free upgrades. Onboard credits can be offered on some Alaska sailings, providing a set amount in your shipboard account to use for shore excursion purchases, spa treatments, drinks, specialty restaurant charges, and other times. Other bundled packages and added value deals can include free gratuities, free shore excursions, complimentary Internet packages, free beverage packages, free specialty dining packages, and other incentives.

6. Search For Kids Sail Free Offers
Alaska cruises are great vacation options for families and multigenerational groups. Some cruise lines, such as Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and others, offer special promotions that include complimentary cruise fares for third and fourth guests on select Alaska cruises. Six Holland American Line ships will sail in Alaska this year, with voyages departing from both Seattle and Vancouver. The cruise line is an exceptional choice for multigenerational groups. Royal Caribbean also offers kids sail free promotions at certain times on selected cruises.

7. Find Buy One, Get One Free Alaska Deals
If two or more of you are sailing on an Alaska cruise together, research purchasing the Alaska TourSaver coupon book. Available in a booklet form or via a smartphone app, this resource offers 110 money-saving coupons and two-for-one deals on many of Alaska's top tours, hotels, car rentals, shore excursions, flightseeing experiences and attractions. Airline and rail travel discounts are available as well. This resource can save travelers hundreds of dollars, but booking early is important. Many tour operators only allow a limited number of Alaska TourSaver coupons to be used each day.

8. Cruise With A Group
Traveling with friends and family can help save big. Significantly lower Alaska cruise fares are generally available for group bookings of eight cabins or more. This can often be achieved by traveling with friends and family. It’s also easy to do if you can travel with a local club, members of your local sports team, or another affinity group. If you don’t have a group, contact cruise travel advisors to see if they have a booking group that you can join.

Sample Alaska Cruise Deals And Itineraries
Advertised cruise fares change constantly, and well-priced Alaska cruises can sell out rapidly. It’s essential to be prepared to make decisions quickly. Here is a sample of some of the best June and July Alaska cruise vacation deals that were available at time of publication. Fares may have changed, so check with your travel advisor, favorite online sites and cruise lines for the best current rates.

Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Jade: Sailing from Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska to Vancouver, Canada. This itinerary visits Hubbard Glacier, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan. Advertised base rates for a seven-night June sailing have been advertised as low as $558 per person, excluding taxes and fees.

Holland America Line, Noordam: Sailing from Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska to Vancouver, Canada. This itinerary visits Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. Advertised base rates for a seven-night June sailing have been advertised as low as $599 per person, excluding taxes and fees.

Princess Cruises, Caribbean Princess: Sailing from Vancouver, Canada to Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska. This itinerary visits Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. Advertised base rates for a seven-night June sailing have been advertised as low as $601 per person, excluding taxes and fees.

Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Summit: Sailing from Vancouver, Canada to Anchorage (Seward), Alaska. This itinerary visits Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Icy Strait Point and Hubbard Glacier. Advertised base rates for a seven-night June sailing have been advertised as low as $602 per person, excluding taxes and fees.

Holland America Line, Zaandam: Sailing round-trip to Alaska from Vancouver, Canada. This itinerary includes Tracy Arm (Twin Sawyer Glaciers), Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve and Ketchikan. Advertised base rates for a seven-night July sailing have been advertised as low as $686 per person, excluding taxes and fees.

Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Luminosa: Sailing round-trip to Alaska from Seattle, Washington. This itinerary visits Tracy Arm (Twin Sawyer Glaciers), Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Victoria, Canada. Advertised base rates for a seven-night June sailing have been advertised as low as $801 per person, excluding taxes and fees.

Norwegian Cruise Line, Norwegian Encore: Sailing round-trip to Alaska from Seattle, Washington. This itinerary visits Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Ketchikan and Victoria, Canada. Advertised base rates for a seven-night June sailing have been advertised as low as $873 per person, excluding taxes and fees.