Ahoy Jessica,
Thank you so much for coming to planDisney with your question. My family was able to experience an
Alaskan cruise aboard the amazing
Disney Wonder. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience! There are so many opportunities to see wildlife on an Alaskan cruise - I am sure that your children will find many opportunities to do so. Even simply watching from the decks of the ship while you are underway, you are close enough to shore to sometimes see wildlife not only in the water, but also on the shore.
There are so many varied
Port Adventures available for the Alaskan cruises. When I peruse Port Adventures, I like to do so by port. I would go to that list and select, for example, Juneau from Ports of Call to narrow down the possibilities. You can also narrow down by type of excursion, so you might want to use "nature" as a further filter term to see the Port Adventures that might include animals.
Speaking of Juneau, the absolute thrill of a lifetime for my daughter and I was to go on the
Dog Sled Adventure by Helicopter. We were able to take a helicopter ride out to a glacier where we interacted with dog sled teams. We were able to interact with the dogs as well as the people who cared for and worked with them. The helicopter ride was breathtaking, and working with the dogs and taking a sled ride with them was peaceful and amazing. There are other opportunities for interacting with dog sled dogs, including
Dog Sledding Summer Camp. Also in Juneau, there are many whale-watching Port Adventures that your children might enjoy. In Ketchikan, you could try the
Wildlife Safari and Beach Bonfire, on which you head out on a boat looking for all sorts of wildlife, including whales and eagles.
When you are checking for Port Adventures, do be sure that you are checking age restrictions. Your children are young and there are some Port Adventures that they cannot go on due to their age. I did check the excursions that I suggested above, and they do accept children of the ages of yours!
I hope that these thoughts are helpful for you, Jessica. Have a wonderful time planning your magical cruise, and feel free to sail on back with any further questions you may have!
~ Mona Leigh