Is a Cunard Queen Elizabeth Alaska Cruise Worth It?

This is a guest post by Karen Hosier, an Alaska travel expert and a cruise enthusiast.

I must admit I’m a cruise addict with two dozen voyages and counting. But there’s one place I travel often, and that’s Alaska. Having cruised with all the major cruise lines, I jumped at the chance to experience a new voyage on Cunard Queen Elizabeth.

Whether you’re a past cruiser or considering a leap of faith in a floating hotel, I share my experience with Cunard. Then, you can decide if it’s a good fit for your family:

About Cunard Cruise

Cunard, a British cruise line, is known for its white-glove service and more formal attire in the dining room. Having emigrated from England, I wondered how I’d feel about stepping back in time and “dressing my best” for dinner or wearing a ball gown on gala nights.

Cunard offers attractive itineraries of ten to eleven days. My ten-day itinerary sailed roundtrip from Vancouver, British Columbia. 

It included the ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, and Victoria, British Columbia. There were two glacier viewing days at Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Like Holland America Line, Cunard attracts an older crowd and few children. The onboard experience was relaxed and serene, allowing me to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. 

My Ten-Day Alaska Itinerary

An Alaska itinerary is about the destination, not the cruise ship. Although, the vessel plays a role in the overall experience. 

Imagine icebergs floating by your room and humpback whales accompanying the voyage. However, they tend to do so at a distance. Alaska offers this and much more.

On embarkation day, I knew my experience on Cunard would be different. From the red-carpet welcome to the bottle of champagne in my stateroom, I felt pampered like a suite guest without paying for a suite.

Ketchikan

Ketchikan, often called the first Alaskan city because it’s the first reached from the south, is known for many things. Its colorful welcome sign proclaims it’s the “salmon capital of the world.”

Being the southernmost Alaskan city, it’s also known for its rain and has a liquid sunshine gauge outside the visitor center. With a waterproof jacket and rainproof shoes, I never worry about the weather. 

It rained the morning I was in Ketchikan, but it didn’t stop me from getting in my steps. Cunard provided large umbrellas and rain ponchos in case guests needed them.

Ketchikan is a port that is best explored on foot. The highlights include a collection of totem poles and Creek Street, once a red-light district. Its colorful boutiques lead the way to the salmon ladder and Married Men’s Trail, a backdoor route used during prohibition.

I booked an afternoon excursion on the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour. The rain had subsided by then, although the vessel had covered, heated seating. Of the many excursions I’ve taken in Alaska, this one is rated one of the best.

Not only did I get to hold different crabs and learn about the perils of crab fishing, but I witnessed dozens of eagles. Now I have the bragging rights of cruising on the Aleutian Ballad, a vessel featured in the TV series “The Deadliest Catch.”

Juneau

Alaska’s port of Juneau, offers a variety of activities, from dog sledding on an icefield to glacier viewing, mountain climbing, and whale watching. And I must admit, I’ve done them all.

With five ships in port, I had to tender ashore using smaller boats. Since it was a clear day, I rode the Mount Roberts Tramway. At the peak, I hiked to Father Brown Cross, and enjoyed views of Gastineau Channel, downtown Juneau, and the Queen Elizabeth ship.

While I hiked in July, there were still snowy patches, and mosquitoes were rampant. It was a lesson learned for next time.

My afternoon consisted of a visit to Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and a hike to Nugget Falls. In my fifteen years of exploring the area, I was astonished at the retreat of this Juneau Glacier.

Inside the visitor center, exhibits track the rate of retreat, and a large model shows the icefield from above. Black bears are often seen when the salmon are running in Steep Creek. Although I didn’t witness any, I did spot a porcupine.

Glacier Bay National Park

The highlight of most Alaska cruises is the day spent in Glacier Bay National Park. Queen Elizabeth spent nine hours cruising the waters. Unlike my previous experiences, I enjoyed the scenery in a T-shirt.

A park ranger boarded my vessel and narrated the journey. While there are multiple glaciers, the ship visited Lamplugh, Margerie, and Grand Pacific Glaciers but skipped Johns Hopkins.

Margerie Glacier is the most photogenic, and I marveled at its turquoise hues and watched her magnificent calving (when the ice breaks off and falls into the water).

I enjoyed the evening in the thermal suite watching the sunset from the heated tiled loungers.

Hubbard Glacier

My day at Hubbard Glacier outshone my experience in Glacier Bay. The waters of Disenchantment Bay were riddled with icebergs and created a National Geographic moment.

The slow approach of the cruise was beautifully silent, only broken by ice against the ship’s hull and noisy sea lions barking near the glacier.

Time spent at Hubbard was much colder, and I felt the chill even in my Columbia 3-in-1 jacket. Nearing the glacier’s terminus, I spotted numerous harbor seals basking on ice, and they seemed undeterred by the large cruise ship.

The amount of ice in the water, weather conditions, and the captain’s skill will determine how close a ship gets to Hubbard. On this day, my captain didn’t disappoint. Astonishingly, she positioned the ship within 1,000 feet of the glacier’s face.

Hubbard Glacier, nicknamed the “galloping glacier,” is advancing. As it pushes forward, it creates lots of calving action. This calving event has made Hubbard Glacier my favorite place to visit in recent years.

Icy Strait Point

Icy Strait Point is Alaska’s newest port, located on Chichagof Island. There is no real town or city where the ships dock. The island boasts the greatest density of bears globally in relation to its land. Here, the brown bears outnumber the people.  

Stepping off my cruise ship, I was surrounded by wilderness, and the trees were a haven for bald eagles. The Wilderness Landing Excursion Center sells a variety of tours. 

Whale watching, bear excursions, and the ZipRider are the most popular activities. The 1300-foot zip line drop was right up my alley, but I found the 90-second ride a little pricey at around USD 180.   

Instead, I walked the oceanfront boardwalk, browsed the Cannery Museum, and took the Icy Strait Gondola to Hoonah Mountain. While I have taken many whale-watching tours in Alaska, this time, I was fortunate to watch a humpback breach close to the boardwalk. 

In the afternoon, I took a short shuttle ride to Hoonah, a small native Tlingit settlement. Rustic might be the best word to describe this fishing village.

Skagway

Skagway, at the northern end of the Lynn Canal, is one of my favorite ports. Born out of the Gold Rush era, it still exudes a Gold Rush feeling.

The White Pass and Yukon Route scenic rail journey is the town’s most popular excursion, and I enjoyed it on this voyage. While the train offers two daily runs, I was happy I chose the morning since it was 83F that day, and the carriages lacked air conditioning.

The journey I chose was shy of three hours. While some might prefer a longer route, I had booked electric bikes for the afternoon. I liked Klondike Electric Bicycles’ commitment to sustainability and later rented one of their electric cars on a subsequent Alaska cruise. 

I rode to the Gold Rush Cemetery behind the train yard in my two-hour window, walked to Lower Reid Falls, and rode partway to Dyea. It was the perfect self-guided tour for a hot day.

Victoria, British Columbia

My port day in Victoria was twelve hours. Since roundtrip Alaska cruises from Seattle stop for four to five hours, I was thrilled to enjoy a whole day.

Cunard arranged complimentary shuttle buses to reach downtown. My planned itinerary included Craigdarroch Castle, the British Columbia Parliament Building, the Inner Harbor, the Royal British Columbia Museum, and Fisherman’s Wharf.

Being British, castles fascinate me. While Craigdarroch wasn’t on the scale of Windsor Castle, it has its own charm, and I loved reading about the Dunsmuirs who made it their family home.

Visiting the BC Legislature inside the Parliament Building was fantastic, with volunteers narrating the tours. The stained-glass windows particularly impressed me, along with the legislative assembly itself.

The Royal British Columbia Museum is a must-visit, and I could have spent all day there. The exhibits constantly change, but I particularly enjoyed the BC Natural History section, which featured the province’s wildlife.

I ended my day at Fishermen’s Wharf, a floating community with colorful homes. The restaurants here have the freshest seafood, and I was thrilled to find one that served gluten-free fish and chips.

Queen Elizabeth Cruise Ship

My experience with Cunard was very different from that of its competitors. Firstly, their vessels are modeled as ocean liners, built to handle ocean crossings.

One of the unique features of Cunard’s Alaska Cruise is the onboard naturalist, who provides expert commentary and insights into Alaska’s wildlife and environment. Throughout the cruise, a whiteboard in the Garden Lounge documented marine wildlife sightings daily. 

Some of the extras I enjoyed on Cunard:

• Complimentary slippers and a bottle of champagne.
• Complimentary self-serve laundry with supplied soap and fabric softener.
• Handmade chocolates after dinner each evening.
• The Golden Lion Pub had traditional British foods like Ploughman’s Lunch and Sticky Toffee Pudding.
• Complimentary champagne on White Ice Gala Night.
• Croquet and Bocce Ball on the Lido Deck.

My Balcony Stateroom

My guaranteed balcony cabin was assigned on deck five mid-ship. My stateroom was spacious, with a queen bed, couch, desk, mini-fridge, and plenty of storage space.

One of the small extras I appreciated was the in-cabin tea and coffee station that my room steward replenished daily with tea, coffee, cookies, or Scottish shortbread.

My bathroom was stocked with luxury Penhaligon products, which smelled heavenly.

The Ship’s Venues 

Cunard Queen Elizabeth has a traditional décor with an abundance of wood. I thought the Queen’s Room was particularly lovely, and it included a portrait of the former Queen of England.

On sea days, the venue hosted high tea, which was always well attended. The meal included finger sandwiches, pastries, and scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream. 

The library, with its stunning spiral staircase, was another standout venue. The ship’s theater, reminiscent of London’s Royal Albert Hall, has luxury box seating that anyone could use.

The Food Onboard

The food on the Queen Elizabeth was fantastic. Fresh sushi (including Sashimi) and smoked salmon were featured daily at the buffet.

Being a smaller vessel, she only has one specialty restaurant, the Steakhouse at the Veranda. But I didn’t miss the variety of venues since the complimentary food was so good.

I tried the steakhouse one evening, and the service and food were terrific. All steak orders came with a steak knife menu. Who knew there was such a thing?

One of Cunard’s standout features is its complimentary full breakfast room service. Breakfast arrived on time and was piping hot. I was surprised at the selection; eggs my way, two kinds of bacon, three sausages, baked beans, and a British classic, blood sausage.

After breakfast, I could order room service any time without being billed an additional fee.

While most cruise lines cater to food allergies, Cunard was above the rest. The buffet featured five kinds of milk and an extensive gluten-free section.

Cunard’s Dress Code

One aspect of Cunard that sets it apart from other cruise lines is its tradition of dressing for dinner and formal dress codes on gala nights. Their dress code is enforced.

Before taking my cruise, I knew of the more formal experience. So, my husband purchased a tuxedo and I bought a white evening gown to comply with their “White Ice Gala Night.” The second gala night was “Roaring 20s,” which was a lot of fun.

Outside of dinner hours, Cunard is informal. Jeans, T-shirts, and sweats are acceptable attire for daywear.

Final Thoughts

While I have taken numerous Alaska cruises, this one stood out the most. Purchasing shore excursions through Cunard costs the same as purchasing from the tour operators directly. 

While I have taken several more Alaska cruises since my Cunard experience, my beautifully appointed stateroom, impeccable service, and incredible food have made it a cruise that’s hard to beat.

About the author: Karen is the content creator of Alaska Trippers. She shares her love of the
49th state, a destination she visits annually. Get insider travel tips, reviews on Alaska excursions
and packing recommendations, whether traveling by land or on a cruise ship.