A Farewell Written in Ice and Light: Cunard’s Final Season in Alaska
Alaska is an awakening. Vast, elemental, and profoundly moving, not simply in the mind but quite literally, in creeping glaciers and massive ice floes. It is a destination that begs slowing down beneath towering icebergs, where the sea carries ancient songs, and where nature commands reverence.
In 2026, Cunard Cruise Line invites you to experience this rare majesty one last time aboard its iconic ship, Queen Elizabeth, during a farewell season that celebrates Alaska in all its untamed elegance.
The Spirit of Alaska
You’ve dreamt it. Now see it. Glittering icefields that stretch to the horizon, deep cobalt fjords that cut through jagged mountains, and snow-dusted peaks that rise like sentinels above the sea. And while you have many choices for how to experience Alaska, none are so extraordinary as Cunard’s farewell season.
The renowned Queen Elizabeth unveils Alaska at a pace that allows you to soak up every awe-inspiring moment. Whether you are watching whales surface at dusk from the open deck or enjoying afternoon tea as glaciers drift past panoramic windows, expect gracious and intuitive White Star Service that considers your every comfort. It is your last opportunity to see Alaska through Cunard’s eyes: elegant, enriching, and memorable.
Scenic Voyages Through the Last Frontier
We’re drawn to Alaska for its majestic scenery and the allure of lands untouched. Cunard’s itineraries have been carefully designed to showcase nature’s finest work. Each sailing is a veritable highlight reel, all viewed from the comfort of your ship or the privacy of your own balcony.
The Inside Passage: Sailing Alaska’s Inside Passage is one of the world’s great maritime journeys. This intricate network of over 1,000 islands, bays, and fjords offers ever-changing vistas. Sip your morning coffee as you gaze at emerald forests cascading to the water’s edge. Find a favorite lounge chair on deck to ponder mist-laced mountains, and enjoy cocktails and refined cuisine as you sail through channels so serene you feel like the only human who has ever been there.
Tracy Arm Fjord: Accessible only by sea or seaplane, Tracy Arm Fjord feels like a secret whispered by the wilderness. Sheer granite walls soar more than a mile high, waterfalls tumble from unseen heights, and some of the largest icebergs in Alaska drift silently through jade-colored water. Wildlife abounds, and the sense of scale is humbling.
Ice Giants: Alaska’s Legendary Glaciers
No Alaska cruise is complete without close encounters with its powerful glaciers.
Hubbard Glacier
The largest tidal glacier in North America, and stretching for miles and towering hundreds of feet above water, Hubbard Glacier is a living monument to time. If fortune smiles, you may witness a thunderous calving event as a building-sized chunk of ice breaks free and crashes into the sea. Put away the camera and simply soak it in. No amount of technology can adequately capture the thunderous roar.
Glacier Bay National Park
Often called the crown jewel of Alaska’s Inside Passage, Glacier Bay National Park spans 3.3 million acres of pristine wilderness and is part of a vast UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are more than 1,000 glaciers here, as well as some of the highest coastal peaks on Earth. From the deck or your stateroom balcony, watch towering ice cliffs shimmer in the light as wildlife, from seals to whales to seabirds, make fleeting appearances in this protected paradise.
Treat Yourself, On Us
Enjoy a $600 onboard credit per stateroom to spend on spa treatments, shopping, shore adventures, and more. Grill Suites also include a Drinks Package and covered service charges for extra ease.
Available on most voyages from April 2026 to December 2027. Book between December 9, 2025 and February 25, 2026.
Immersive Shore Experiences and Cultural Discovery
Cunard’s Alaska voyages go beyond scenery, offering meaningful connections to the people, stories, and traditions that shape this great land.
Alaska Native Heritage Center: Near Anchorage, the Alaska Native Heritage Center provides an absorbing introduction to Alaska’s Indigenous cultures. Set across 26 acres of lakes and woodland, the center features traditional dwellings, dance performances, and storytelling that reveal the enduring heritage of Alaska Native communities.
The Klondike Highway: Follow in the footsteps of fortune-seekers along the Klondike Highway, tracing the path of the 1898 Gold Rush. Dramatic mountain passes, the Yukon River wilderness, and historic towns bring this pivotal chapter of history vividly to life.
A Culinary Journey Inspired by the North
Alaska’s bounty extends from sea to table. Savor freshly caught salmon (including the prized Copper River Red Salmon), local halibut, and world-famous Alaskan King Crab. Tuck into game dishes featuring reindeer for a taste of tradition, and enjoy craft beers and desserts made with wild local berries that reflect Alaska’s creative spirit.
Back on Queen Elizabeth, Cunard’s celebrated dining venues ensure that every meal is an event, from elegant multi-course dinners to casual bites.
Enrichment at Sea: Cunard Insights®
Through the Cunard Insights program, Alaska comes alive through guest speakers, including explorers, historians, wildlife experts, and cultural specialists. These presentations and discussions deepen your understanding of the region’s past, present, and future.
If Alaska awakens your spirit with glaciers and grandeur, a Caribbean cruise offers the perfect counterpoint. This radiant addition to your travel calendar brings warm trade winds and turquoise horizons.
Experiences We Love: Savor a traditional English lunch at the Golden Lion Pub. Indulge in Cunard’s iconic Afternoon Tea, elevated with Champagne if the moment calls for celebration. Between ports, be inspired by Cunard Insights® guest speakers as actors, astronauts, Broadway performers, producers, and visionaries share stories from extraordinary lives and careers. Slow the pace, savor the details, and experience Cunard’s Caribbean.
Where You’ll Sail
Juneau: Nestled beneath an ice field that never melts, Juneau is one of the most striking capitals in the world. The nearby Mendenhall Glacier is a must-see, while the surrounding wilderness offers opportunities for hiking, wildlife viewing, and flightseeing adventures.
Kodiak: Known as Alaska’s “Emerald Isle,” Kodiak Island glows with lush green mountains and sapphire-blue waters. Two-thirds of the island is protected national parkland, home to the famous Kodiak brown bear. History, craft breweries, and scenic hiking trails round out this unforgettable port.
Skagway: Once a lawless gold rush outpost, Skagway remains the gateway to the Klondike. Historic streets, mountain railways, and access to the White Summit Pass connect visitors to Alaska’s adventurous past.
Ketchikan: Tiny yet vibrant, Ketchikan is famed for its bustling waterfront and rich Indigenous heritage. Home to Alaska’s largest collection of totem poles, it offers a powerful glimpse into Tlingit and Haida culture, alongside some of the freshest seafood in the state.
Sitka: Set against snow-capped mountains on Baranof Island, Sitka blends Russian, Tlingit, and American influences. Art, history, and nature converge here, making Sitka one of Alaska’s most picturesque and culturally rich ports.
Northern Lights, Seasons, and Alaska’s Ever-Changing Sky
Alaska is one of the best places in the United States to witness the aurora borealis. While sightings depend on conditions, the thought of rippling curtains of neon light dancing across the night sky adds an extra layer of magic to any Alaska journey.
Cunard’s Alaska cruises typically sail in June and July, when daylight stretches long into the evening, and temperatures are at their mildest. Though ice and snow abound, routes remain well south of the Arctic Circle, offering surprisingly comfortable conditions and endlessly luminous days.
Wildlife Encounters that Stir the Soul
Alaska’s wildlife is as legendary as its landscapes. Whales breach and spout in the distance, their songs sometimes audible across the water. Bald eagles circle overhead, brown bears forage along tidal flats, and seals lounge on drifting ice.
Seven Days at Sea? Not on Cunard.
A transatlantic crossing is not time to fill. It’s time to savor. Onboard Queen Mary 2, days at sea mean valuable time for discovery, indulgence, and inspiration.
One moment you may be attending a Cunard Insights® lecture, the next enjoying a fencing class, a wine tasting with expert sommeliers, or losing yourself in the largest library at sea.
From elegant Gala Evenings and Broadway-style performances to quiet pleasures like afternoon tea, stargazing on deck, or simply watching the Atlantic roll by from a steamer chair, there is always something to anticipate — and never a need to rush.
Worried you’ll run out of things to do? Explore Cunard’s guide to 101 Things to Do on a Transatlantic Crossing and discover just how richly rewarding life at sea can be.
A Final Invitation to Cunard’s Alaska
Don’t miss the final opportunity to see Alaska as Cunard presents it: elegant yet adventurous, immersive yet serene. From the hush of Glacier Bay to the thrill of whale sightings, from cultural encounters ashore to quiet reflection on deck, every experience will resonate long after you return home.
Join Cunard Cruise Line aboard Queen Elizabeth in 2026 and be captivated by the spellbinding beauty of Alaska’s majestic frontier. Discover the extraordinary, and let Alaska leave its mark on your soul.
