Alaska is the cruise destination I keep coming back to, and Oceania Cruises just gave me another reason to go. The line announced November 5, 2026 that Oceania Riviera will spend the 2027 season in Alaska. The ship will sail 7-, 10- and 11-day voyages from Seattle and Vancouver between May and September. The season blends the ports everyone knows, Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau and Skagway, with smaller ones bigger ships cannot reach. Wrangell, Klawock and Haines are on that list. Scenic cruising runs to Hubbard Glacier or through the Holkham Bay Glacier Fjords. And then there is the outlier. A 27-day voyage from Vancouver to Tokyo starts in Alaska and ends in Japan. I have not sailed Oceania Riviera. I have not done an Alaska cruise with Oceania either. So this is a first look at the season, the sailings, and the shore excursions that stood out to me.
The season at a glance
The shape of the season is simple. Riviera sails from Seattle and Vancouver from May through September 2027. Departures run from May 13 to September 2, and the Tokyo voyage leaves September 13. Seven-day sailings run weekly through the summer. The 10- and 11-day options stretch further into the Inside Passage and add the smaller ports. Every sailing includes scenic cruising. It runs past Hubbard Glacier or through the Holkham Bay Glacier Fjords, where steep mountains and forested shorelines frame the ship. The ports tell the story of the season. Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau and Skagway anchor the itineraries. Wrangell, Klawock, Haines and Icy Strait Point show the Alaska that the big ships sail past. Victoria, British Columbia, closes most of the roundtrips and one-ways. No fares were included in the announcement, so I am not quoting prices here. What follows is the shape of the season and why it caught my eye.
Nine voyages, one standout
Oceania highlighted nine voyages for 2027. Here they are, in order.
Worlds of Wonder, 11 days, Vancouver to Seattle, May 13, 2027. Inside Passage and Holkham Bay Glacier Fjords, calling at Ketchikan, Sitka, Haines, Juneau, Wrangell, Klawock and Victoria.
Alaska Discoverer, 10 days, roundtrip Seattle, May 24, 2027. Holkham Bay, with Ketchikan, Wrangell, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Klawock and Victoria.
Dramatic Alaska, 11 days, roundtrip Seattle, June 3, 2027. Holkham Bay, with Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Haines, Wrangell, Klawock and Victoria.
Trails of Ice & Fire, 10 days, roundtrip Seattle, June 14, 2027. Inside Passage and Holkham Bay, with Ketchikan, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Haines, Wrangell and Victoria.
Visions of Alaska, 7 days, roundtrip Seattle. Weekly departures: June 24 and July 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, plus August 5, 2027. Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Victoria.
Alaskan Dreamscapes, 11 days, Seattle to Vancouver, August 12, 2027. Holkham Bay, with Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau, Klawock, Wrangell and Victoria.
Gold Rush & Glaciers, 10 days, Vancouver to Seattle, August 23, 2027. Inside Passage and Holkham Bay, with Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Wrangell and Victoria.
Alaska Fjords & Forests, 11 days, Seattle to Vancouver, September 2, 2027. Holkham Bay, with Ketchikan, Sitka, Haines, Juneau, Klawock, Wrangell and Victoria.
Glaciers, Geishas & Gyoza, 27 days, Vancouver to Tokyo, September 13, 2027. Hubbard Glacier, with Ketchikan, Sitka, Icy Strait Point and Anchorage (Whittier), then on to Japan. This is the one I would book if I could only pick one. It pairs the Alaska coast with a Pacific crossing, and nothing else on the list does that.
The excursions that caught my eye
The shore excursions are where this season earns its name. In Ketchikan, a chef leads a tour of the Hump Island Oyster Co. floating farm, followed by a 60-minute cooking class, capped at 18 guests. The same port runs the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen’s Tour. It sails on a real king crab boat from Deadliest Catch, the only place in the world that tour operates. In Juneau, a helicopter drops you on Mendenhall Glacier for dog sledding on a 13-mile river of ice. A separate fly-in trip pairs a hike on Norris Glacier with a packraft across the Juneau Icefield. Skagway goes a different direction entirely with the Ghosts and Goodtime Girls walking tour. A costumed actress plays a madam. It ends with a Champagne toast and the Red Onion Saloon Brothel Museum. In Sitka, the Salty Sitkan class lets you plasma-cut a metal fish and take the sculpture home. These are not the standard bus-and-overlook tours. They are small, specific, and built around people who actually live in these towns.
Before and after the ship
Oceania is also selling land programs that bookend the sailings. Discover Denali adds three nights in Anchorage and Denali National Park, with the Deluxe Dome Rail in between. Rocky Mountaineer: Western Wonderland runs seven nights through Calgary, Banff, Kamloops and Vancouver. Lake Louise, Yoho National Park and the Spiral Tunnels are along the way. Vancouver: City, Sea & Summits is a three-night stay. It covers the Sea-to-Sky Highway, a gondola ride above Howe Sound, a False Creek cruise and Granville Island. If you are flying a long way to Seattle or Vancouver anyway, one of these turns the sailing into a proper trip. It becomes more than a port-to-port run.
The ship itself
Riviera carries 1,250 guests with 800 officers and crew, and she was re-inspired in 2022. Standard staterooms run 291 square feet, and the ship measures 66,084 gross tons. She was built in 2012, which makes her a known quantity rather than a brand-new unknown. Oceania is an adults-only line. It calls itself the home of the finest cuisine at sea, which is the part I want to test for myself. The line sails to more than 600 ports in over 100 countries. It has five Sonata Class ships on order, with the first due in 2027. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. Jason Montague, Oceania’s Chief Luxury Officer, put it this way: “A cruise in Alaska offers the chance to explore and enjoy some of the most incredible scenery in the world. Guests can embrace a true sense of adventure throughout the day, knowing they will return to the elegant comfort of Oceania Riviera. Whether enjoying an exceptional meal, a perfectly crafted cocktail or simply watching the scenery unfold from a private veranda, the experience combines Alaska’s untamed beauty with the relaxed luxury that defines Oceania Cruises.” That is a fair summary of the pitch. The ship is the comfortable base, and Alaska does the rest.
Who it is for
This season is for the traveler who has already done the big-ship Alaska run. It is for someone who wants the smaller ports and the longer itineraries, with food that matters as much as the scenery. It is also for anyone planning a first best Alaska cruise. That traveler would rather start on a 1,250-guest ship than a floating city. The 27-day Tokyo sailing is the wild card. It will not suit everyone, but it is the most interesting itinerary Oceania has put out for Alaska in years. I have not sailed Riviera. I have not done Alaska with Oceania. So I will not pretend this is a review. It is a first look at a season worth watching. The sailings go on sale now, with the first departure on May 13, 2027.
