Glacial Thaw – Juneau & Skagway from San Francisco

About this cruise

By May 1, 2027 you'll be ready for this. 10 nights out of San Francisco, visiting Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm Fjord and Prince Rupert, and nothing on the agenda except showing up. It starts gently with sea days, so by the time you reach the first port you'll have explored the ship and actually feel on holiday. Even the open-water days are scenic here, with mountains on either side and blue ice in the distance. You get around 8 hours in each port, which is enough for an excursion, lunch, and some wandering around on your own. When you're not ashore, Ruby Princess takes the food seriously, with 11 restaurants to choose from. 6 are included, and the rest are worth the splurge. One of the underrated parts of a longer cruise: you actually get to know people. The couple from dinner, the group at trivia, the bartender who remembers your drink. If you like having options (restaurants, bars, activities, entertainment), a big ship delivers that. Pro tip: fly in the day before. San Francisco has plenty to offer, and you'll board relaxed instead of rushed. A May departure catches that sweet window of warm-enough weather before the summer rush. Good route, good ship, good timing. It all lines up.