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This Royal Caribbean ship will be the largest ever to combine a cruise with a Denali land tour

Oct. 25, 2024
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4 min read
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This Royal Caribbean ship will be the largest ever to combine a cruise with a Denali land tour
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Royal Caribbean is about to take more than 4,000 passengers even farther northwest into Alaska. Starting in spring 2026, Ovation of the Seas will become the line’s largest-ever ship to sail one-way voyages to The Last Frontier, offering both cruises and cruisetours — something that wasn't available to Royal Caribbean passengers before on a big ship.

The Quantum Class ship, which is part of the line’s third-largest class of vessels, will replace Radiance of the Seas on weeklong one-way voyages between Seward, Alaska, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The ship will call on the ports of Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point and Sitka, Alaska. Ovation will also traverse the top part of the Gulf of Alaska between Hubbard Glacier and Seward during its sailings, opening up access to Anchorage and Alaska's interior.

For that, passengers have the option to tack on up to six additional nights for land-based exploration, featuring Alaskan destinations like Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna and Alyeska. Tundra trekking and glass-dome train rides are among the excursion selections.

What's notable about Ovation of the Seas' cruisetours is that the ship dwarfs the other vessels offering one-way sailings with cruisetour add-ons. That's because most cruise lines put their biggest Alaska ships on round-trip Seattle cruises and save older, smaller ships for the one-way runs. When Ovation begins these itineraries in 2026, megaship fans who want to spend time in Alaska's interior before or after their cruise won't have to choose between their preferred ship size and their desired itinerary.

Although one-way itineraries provide travelers with a way to explore places ships can't reach, travel to and from a one-way Alaska cruise is often more expensive. That's because you'll need to book two one-way flights, including one from an Alaskan city, which can be pricier than round-trip Seattle or Vancouver flights. This can affect your bottom line if you're on a budget.

For the 2026 season, Ovation of the Seas, a regular on the Alaska cruise scene, will join 4,180-passenger classmate Anthem of the Seas and 3,602-passenger Voyager Class fleetmate Voyager of the Seas in the region. (This season will be Voyager's first sailing Alaska.) The latter two ships are set to operate weeklong sailings round-trip from Seattle. Ports of call include a mix of Juneau, Sitka, Skagway and Icy Strait Point with scenic sailing offered for Alaska's Endicott Arm Fjord and Dawes Glacier.

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A fourth ship, 2,143-passenger Serenade of the Seas — a member of the Radiance Class of vessels — is scheduled to sail seven-night cruises round-trip from Vancouver during the 2026 Alaska season. Ports include Sitka, Juneau, Icy Strait Point and Ketchikan in Alaska and Prince Rupert in British Columbia, plus scenic sailing through the Inside Passage and to Alaska's Tracy Arm Fjord.

Find out more about Royal Caribbean:

Featured image by MICHEL VERDURE/ROYAL CARIBBEAN
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.