alaska cruising

[voyager_X_]

Have recently completed our first cruise on Holland America Nieiw Amsterdam around the Meditteranean.
Had an amazing time and cannot wait for our next cruise. We have considered Alaska as being the cruise of choice after speaking with others on the ship about their most enjoyable destination.
I would appreciate some feedback as to which specific cruise we should consider. We anticpiate anything up to 14 days would be the go, so all comments will be terrific.
Voyager

[dirtgirl]

Have recently completed our first cruise on Holland America Nieiw Amsterdam around the Meditteranean.
Had an amazing time and cannot wait for our next cruise. We have considered Alaska as being the cruise of choice after speaking with others on the ship about their most enjoyable destination.
I would appreciate some feedback as to which specific cruise we should consider. We anticpiate anything up to 14 days would be the go, so all comments will be terrific.
Voyager


I live in Vancouver, and sell oodles of Alaska cruises. Since you are in Australia, you will want to get more bang for your buck, and do more than just a 7 day cruise. You can do a cruise tour that combines a land portion in Alaska with a 7 day cruise. You could also stay on longer and tour around Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler. You can only do one way cruises out of Vancouver. Do not go out of Seattle - it is an inferior itinerary, the seas are rougher, and it is less scenic. Plus they only do round-trips from there. If Princess ever offers their 14 day round-trip cruise from Seattle again - now that is one I would recommend, but certainly not the 7 dayers from Seattle.

Even the 7 day round-trip HAL cruises from Vancouver go to 2 glaciers. They sell early, though. I wouldn't wait to book, as HAL's itineraries for Alaska 2012 are already out and selling.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Would highly recommend HAL's 14 day itinerary on the Amsterdam. Did it last May 31st and will embark on this great trip again Aug. 5th. We've sailed to Alaska on HAL three times now - the first two on 7 day roundtrips on the Oosterdam, and then last year on the 14 day (also round trip from Seattle). The ports of Kodiak, and Homer are little visited by cruise ships and this year, they have added Icy Strait Point instead of Skagway, so there will be another "new" port for us. Sailing right up Cook Inlet to the city of Anchorage itself was a thrill and having a long port time there (7AM-11PM) provides for great opportunities for touring. Last year, our glacier sailing included Hubbard (magnificent!) and Glacier Bay (so serene and beautiful!), but this year, its Hubbard and Tracy Arm, which we've never experienced before. The Amsterdam is a gorgeous, elegant, smaller ship that we just fell in love with - easy to get around, lots of "quiet" spaces for just reflecting on your day and scanning the sea for marine wildlife. If you're coming all that way, definitely do this trip - the longer the better in the most beautiful place on earth. Good luck in your planning, that is half the fun!;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

noticed that you mentioned you wanted to cruise 14 days in alaska

choices are:
vancouver to seward for 7 days -- stay on the same ship for the return trip -- 7 days seward back to vancouver -- sadly you do repeat some ports on this cruise

or you can do the amsterdam's 14 day cruise out of seattle -- all different ports

[Okie1946]

HAL also offers a 19/20 day trip that takes you from Vancouver round trip. You start either by ship going up to Ketchikan, Juneau, Haines/Skagway, Glacier Bay, College Fjord, Kenai Fjords and Seward - You then go inland to Anchorage, 2 days at Denali - then on to Fiarbanks, Tok, eagle, Dawson City and Whitehorse and back to Vancouver. The land trip is by Delux Motor Coach or by River cruise.

You can also start in Vancouver and take the land portion first then the sea portion. Either way, you start and end in Vancouver.

[AZNative2000]

I live in Vancouver, and sell oodles of Alaska cruises. Since you are in Australia, you will want to get more bang for your buck, and do more than just a 7 day cruise. You can do a cruise tour that combines a land portion in Alaska with a 7 day cruise. You could also stay on longer and tour around Vancouver, Victoria, and Whistler. You can only do one way cruises out of Vancouver. Do not go out of Seattle - it is an inferior itinerary, the seas are rougher, and it is less scenic. Plus they only do round-trips from there. If Princess ever offers their 14 day round-trip cruise from Seattle again - now that is one I would recommend, but certainly not the 7 dayers from Seattle.

Even the 7 day round-trip HAL cruises from Vancouver go to 2 glaciers. They sell early, though. I wouldn't wait to book, as HAL's itineraries for Alaska 2012 are already out and selling.Agree with Carol! (dirtgirl) The smooth seas and gorgeous scenery starting on DAY 1 are why when we do Alaska again we will only consider Vancouver departures. And yes, book early.:):)

[goodroe]

Have recently completed our first cruise on Holland America Nieiw Amsterdam around the Meditteranean.
Had an amazing time and cannot wait for our next cruise. We have considered Alaska as being the cruise of choice after speaking with others on the ship about their most enjoyable destination.
I would appreciate some feedback as to which specific cruise we should consider. We anticpiate anything up to 14 days would be the go, so all comments will be terrific.
Voyager
Did a cruisetour w/ Princess 2 yrs ago. Would agree that a land tour is not to be missed in Alaska. There is an incredible amount to see on land. We actually did the tour by bus up to Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic ocean. It was absolutely amazing.

Whatever you decide, have a great time.

[voyager_X_]

Thanks carol.
Thats great info. Sounds like I better get going on this advice.
Cheers.

[voyager_X_]

Thanks heaps.
Our preference is for a 14 day crise as our Med trip was for 12 days and finished oh so quickly. All these locations sound fascinating and dont want to miss a thing.
Many thanks

[voyager_X_]

THanks for that.
It would seem that a 14 day would be our choice so far. Would like some land content as well as the sea voyage.
Cheers mate.

[lilly4350]

Have recently completed our first cruise on Holland America Nieiw Amsterdam around the Meditteranean.
Had an amazing time and cannot wait for our next cruise. We have considered Alaska as being the cruise of choice after speaking with others on the ship about their most enjoyable destination.
I would appreciate some feedback as to which specific cruise we should consider. We anticpiate anything up to 14 days would be the go, so all comments will be terrific.
Voyager

We did a 7 night cruise and had a fantastic time. Would certainly recommend the Alaskian cruises. The 14 night cruise/tours do sound good. We did our cruise then self-toured Canada for a couple of weeks. If you want to do a cruise/canada land tour, there are plenty of packages available. Check your travel agent. On the cruise we did, of the 1200 passengers, 300 of them were Aussies. Most of them were on package deals.

Diane

[CruiseRev]

My two cents: Do a land tour and a cruise. Make sure you spend two days in Denali. HAL calls them "Double Denali" cruise tours. Include at least the Tundra Wildernesss Tour at Denali. Go as far into the park as your time and resources allow. Take the train between Fairbanks, Denali and Anchorage.
Arrange your tour so you do the land portion first, then cruise seven days back to Vancouver, or fewer days if you do the long tour that board the ship in Skagway.

No matter what, have a great time.

[janmcn]

We did a 7-day Vancouver to Seward on the Veendam, stayed over 2 nights on our own in Seward which was wonderful, then sailed back (diff itinerary) on the Volendam Seward to Vancouver. Perfect way to do it in our opinion!
No matter what you do, Alaska is always one of our favorites.
Tip: we like May travels...you get more snow on the mountains...but less wildlife. Later you see more "brown" mountains.

[voyager_X_]

Thanks for that. WE will definately be doing some land content. Putting together some good notes from these great replies. There is just so much to see and so many places to try and fit in with the time available.
Cheers.

[jamax]

We toured the Rockies for 10 days or so before the 7 -day Inland Passage cruise from Vancouver. That was a pretty good trip.