Greetings, Robert!
I'm so excited to hear that you are considering an Alaska cruise for 2022, especially for birthday SAIL-abration! My family was totally keyed up about visiting
Alaska for the first time. Being familiar with Disney Cruise Line, we knew that we could expect so much entertainment and activities onboard, the kids would never be bored. Quite the contrary, it’s often hard for them to keep up with all the fun options plus the varied offerings in the
Youth Clubs.
My kids were 16 and 12 at the time of our Alaska voyage (in fact, my daughter celebrated her sweet 16th birthday onboard), and the both absolutely LOVED it! Of course, they enjoy meeting other kids and making new friends when we cruise. They have managed to keep in touch with so many people they have met!
Your 20-year-old can participate in a group called the 1820 Society to give young adults ages 18 to 20 (hence the name) a chance to meet one another and make connections. Frankly, I’m excited for my now 19-year-old to go on her first cruise after graduating from the Youth Clubs to see how she likes it. I think the fact she can accompany us to
Palo and book spa treatments at
Senses Spa & Salon makes up for it!
I’m assuming when you ask about
Adventures by Disney, you mean booking the
Adventures by Disney 7-Night Alaska Cruise Package. This is an add-on to your cruise reservation and would include 2 Adventure Guides, exclusive activities on and off the ship, and special VIP experiences. Check out
this link to see what is specifically included in this Cruise Package.
If you select an Adventures by Disney Cruise Package, then you would already have pre-arranged experiences in each port. That said, you may prefer to select your own Port Adventures in Alaska. I’d suggest that you compare the options offered with the Adventures by Disney Cruise Package (as those experiences have been curated and pre-selected) versus Port Adventures you select and see which one sounds more like your cup of tea.
Whether you choose an Adventures by Disney Cruise Package or
Port Adventures with Disney Cruise Line, I believe that these excursions are the heart and soul of what makes an Alaska cruise so special. The hard part is narrowing it down because we found there were at least 2-3 that really appealed to us in each port. I’ve answered a few questions in the past about Alaskan Port Adventures involving
float planes,
ziplines and whale watching, so check some of these out as part of your research.
I truly hope that this helps you decide whether an Alaska sailing would work for your family. Naturally, I hope your family says YES to Alaska and Captain Mickey. If I can be of assistance at any point in your decision making, I would be glad to help here at planDisney!
SEA ya real soon!
Sherry