Last min cruise possibly to Alaska need help???

I am normally a planner. Our family lives in PA and we were invited out for something on a Thursday and Friday in Seattle Washington.....since it is a long flight prior to accepting this offer we are looking into making a vaca out of this and staying either in Seattle area on vacation or looking at taking an Alaskan cruise since we have not yet done that! It will be my hubby and I am our two teen sons.

We have to be in seattle on the 13 and 14th, so we are limited to leaving on a cruse the 15th or 16th. Would consider a Seattle round trip or a Vancouver round trip or even one way passage. I need lots of help in knowing which cruise line, which route, if we go to Vancouver the easiest way to get there from Seattle etc. I called NCL and they have a Seattle RT but the cost for 4 of us in a balcony room was over $6000!!! That seems really high doesnt it? Can someone advise or am I jumping in on this way too last min and should stick to Seattle?

Also we have mostly cruised Royal Caribbean and Princess once. I am open to any line suggested but keep in mind we do have teen boys going along.

Thank you in advance.

I am normally a planner. Our family lives in PA and we were invited out for something on a Thursday and Friday in Seattle Washington.....since it is a long flight prior to accepting this offer we are looking into making a vaca out of this and staying either in Seattle area on vacation or looking at taking an Alaskan cruise since we have not yet done that! It will be my hubby and I am our two teen sons.

 

We have to be in seattle on the 13 and 14th, so we are limited to leaving on a cruse the 15th or 16th. Would consider a Seattle round trip or a Vancouver round trip or even one way passage. I need lots of help in knowing which cruise line, which route, if we go to Vancouver the easiest way to get there from Seattle etc. I called NCL and they have a Seattle RT but the cost for 4 of us in a balcony room was over $6000!!! That seems really high doesnt it? Can someone advise or am I jumping in on this way too last min and should stick to Seattle?

 

Also we have mostly cruised Royal Caribbean and Princess once. I am open to any line suggested but keep in mind we do have teen boys going along.

 

Thank you in advance.

Wow, as also a 'planner' myself. This is a bit of a challenge. Personally, I would probably start by doing a search on something like Expedia just to see the options laid out and compare prices. Generally speaking, August is an expensive month for Alaska cruises so that quote isn't too crazy, it is also a popular time so some sailing could be sold out.

Seattle only has round trip options. I see over those dates there is the NCL Jewel, Pearl. Crown Princess, and the HAL Westerdam or Amsterdam. Being the peak season there might not be much difference age-wise on any of the ships.

Vancouver has one way and RT options. The Grand Princess and Oosterdam are doing one ways, and the Celebrity Infinity and HAL Noordam are doing RT on those dates. You can save $$ on a one way, but factoring in last minute air fare it might not make a difference. There are bus and train options to Vancouver from Seattle. You can find several forums dedicated to those on here.

Even though I would love for you all to visit beautiful Vancouver! Logistically speaking with your time restraints I would personally probably go with one of the RTs right from Seattle.

If you don't chose a cruise be sure to some see us north of the border!

The above list is your reference. Take a look at those. Plus there will be a list of Southbound cruises- that could work as well? You don't have any issues with flights and have the ability to fly in/out of Anchorage?

If you are looking at a quad cabin, 2 doubles, could be a better value so compare those. With your balcony selection- yes, your $6000 could be the rates. Was this 1 or 2 cabins?

With 4, a one way Seatac to downtown Vancouver is the most efficient. Otherwise there is Quick Shuttle, Amtrak, Bolt/Greyhound bus, cruise line bus transfer.

Thank you everyone. This is for 1 room for all 4 of us. I actually went with a guaranteed mini suite with all gratuities, taxes etc it is $6800 for 4 of us and I got that promo for my hubby and I to have the unlimited beverage package included. Wow d I have a lot to study and prepare in a little bit of time! I will catch up on your posts later tonight. I am looking at flights now and on hold with NCL. I need to fly out on the day we arrive into port at 1130am to fly home affordably.......do they have an early self disembark for early flights?

SOOOOOOO what are the dont misses at these ports and are you booking things independently? I typically dont book excursions through the cruise line, so Id love to hear what your plans are.

OMG I am so excited! How are you packing?? I assume we will NOT be able to use pools or have warm weather?

Thank you everyone. This is for 1 room for all 4 of us. I actually went with a guaranteed mini suite with all gratuities, taxes etc it is $6800 for 4 of us and I got that promo for my hubby and I to have the unlimited beverage package included. Wow d I have a lot to study and prepare in a little bit of time! I will catch up on your posts later tonight. I am looking at flights now and on hold with NCL. I need to fly out on the day we arrive into port at 1130am to fly home affordably.......do they have an early self disembark for early flights?

 

SOOOOOOO what are the dont misses at these ports and are you booking things independently? I typically dont book excursions through the cruise line, so Id love to hear what your plans are.

 

OMG I am so excited! How are you packing?? I assume we will NOT be able to use pools or have warm weather?

Ok so you have selected a round trip Seattle? An 11:30am flight is doable, with self disembarking.

What ship is this? You need to narrow your interests, by taking a look at your shore excursion lists. Just about any tour can be booked independent, BUT you have to select the type of tour first. Again, a ship shore excursion list, is a good comprehensive place to start. Be willing to split up- if different interests and budget fully. :) There are hundreds of excellent tours, take a look at them all. AND do not feel "funny" if you somehow, aren't interested in the popular tours that some posters will claim you must do. :)

Im sorry when I replied I thought I was on a different board. Doing things a little quick today :) I am booked on the Norweign Jewel RT from Seattle. So the stops are Ketchikan, Juneau, Sawyer Glacier, Skagway, and Victoria BC

Im sorry when I replied I thought I was on a different board. Doing things a little quick today :) I am booked on the Norweign Jewel RT from Seattle. So the stops are Ketchikan, Juneau, Sawyer Glacier, Skagway, and Victoria BC

IF glaciers are a priority, this sailing, with Tracy Arm, is FAR superior with the add on ship excursion. Grossly superior compared to the ship transit. In my opinion, considered "necessary".

As mentioned, take a close look at your shore excursion list.

Thank you! Yes one by one I am going through them all. I don't know what you mean by the add on ship excursion......or are you just saying book that excursion through the ship? I see they offer this and it is vague. Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer

See the very best of the Tracy Arm wilderness area and an exciting close-up view of the majestic twin Sawyer Glaciers in the comfort of a luxurious catamaran.

Starting from ADULT $199 CHILD $149

I found Adventure Bound offers a full day tour for $160PP. Is there something I should be aware of when choosing one over the other??

Schedule for ship says this below. How does this effect me booking the Tracys arm or does it just mean I need to book with the ship to do it....sorry for all the questions this is all so confusing.

Tue Juneau, Alaska 7:00 am 1:30 pm

Cruise past Sawyer Glacier --- ---

Wed Skagway, Alaska 7:00 am 5:30 pm

Im sorry when I replied I thought I was on a different board. Doing things a little quick today :) I am booked on the Norweign Jewel RT from Seattle. So the stops are Ketchikan, Juneau, Sawyer Glacier, Skagway, and Victoria BC

Glad you got it worked out. Excursion ideas, here are some thoughts. They are on the more 'popular activities', so like the Queen said don't feel like you can't go off on your own and also have a great adventure!

Juneau is best known for the Mendenhall Glacier, which is not too far from town. There are multiple shuttle buses that leave from the cruise ships area for $20 per person round trip. Also, Juneau is probably your best bet for Whale Watching. There are several private companies that offer it, we went with http://www.juneautours.com/ and were happy. I have heard many positive mentions of http://www.harvandmarvs.com/ on CC as well. This year we are doing the Gold Panning and Salmon Bake offered through our cruise line, just to try something new.

Skagway is a very cool old 'wild west' town from the Gold Rush days. It is awesome just to walk around, stop by the National Park Service and get maps and trail guides etc... We did that last year, as well as rented bikes from a local shop. Many people take all day tours up the Yukon from here also via train or bus. We're going to see the Dog Musher Camp outside of town https://www.alaskaexcursions.com/sled-dog-adventure/ because it looked like fun, and the sled dog experience on the glacier was a bit too spendy for us.

Ketchikan is best known for fishing tours, not our cup of tea but I hear it is a great place to go do it! Also, a great place to see totem poles. We did a Kayaking tour last year http://www.kayakketchikan.com/. It was a very well run tour, and we got amazing close to Eagles.

We've been to Victoria many times, since we have family there. So if you need help with something let us know!

Just a few random thoughts!

Schedule for ship says this below. How does this effect me booking the Tracys arm or does it just mean I need to book with the ship to do it....sorry for all the questions this is all so confusing.

 

Tue Juneau, Alaska 7:00 am 1:30 pm

Cruise past Sawyer Glacier --- ---

Wed Skagway, Alaska 7:00 am 5:30 pm

By the way...The Sawyer Glacier is in Tracy Arm. That might help with the confusion ;) I think that what she's referring to is that most cruise lines offer an 'excursion' where a smaller boat takes you from the ship to view the glacier up close. Where the cruise ship can only get you so close.

Hope you planning is going well!

Thank you! Yes one by one I am going through them all. I don't know what you mean by the add on ship excursion......or are you just saying book that excursion through the ship? I see they offer this and it is vague. Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer

See the very best of the Tracy Arm wilderness area and an exciting close-up view of the majestic twin Sawyer Glaciers in the comfort of a luxurious catamaran.

Starting from ADULT $199 CHILD $149

 

I found Adventure Bound offers a full day tour for $160PP. Is there something I should be aware of when choosing one over the other??

It is rare for cruise ships to get much of a glacier view in Tracy Arm. NCL offers a tour, that involves leaving the cruise ship and getting on a small boat, operated by Allen Marine. This skirts along shore lines, and gets closer to the glacier/s. Sorry, you can not take Adventure Bound with the cruise you have booked.

Lucky You! We did the roundtrip out of Seattle two years ago, and it was a wonderful experience. I would consider the White Pass Railway tour for Skagway. You can do it through the ship, but we booked through a private company instead. Price was similar, but the private company did the train one way and a motor coach back, which was much better than the large bus used by the cruise line. We visited the dog camp on that same tour. Hope your have a great trip.

You may be better off with the ship excursion for Tracy Arm. It is one way and rendezvous with the cruise ship. You don't have to back track as you do with a private tou. It is popular. It may already be full. You might want to check asap.

A great tour we took in the past and are taking again this time around is the Neets Bay Bear Watch. It leaves out of Ketchikan. Great if you like wildlife. Your teens might really enjoy.

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A great tour we took in the past and are taking again this time around is the Neets Bay Bear Watch. It leaves out of Ketchikan. Great if you like wildlife. Your teens might really enjoy.

 

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we are very interested in Bear Watching in Ketchikan. Will be in Ketchikan Sept 4th, 2016. Any advice would be very welcome.

Thanks,

Mary

but we booked through a private company instead. Price was similar, but the private company did the train one way and a motor coach back, which was much better than the large bus used by the cruise line. We visited the dog camp on that same tour. Hope your have a great trip.

busy one can you tell me what private company you used?

Thank you for the clarification about not being able to take Adventure bound but rather must book with ship. I am going to go online and do that now. That tour is $209pp with the ship it appears. What do you suggest in Juneau before then? It would be nice to see the other glacier and whales but with paying this price for the Gjord for 4 of us I want to keep a 2nd excursion reasonable. Is there a way to see those affordably? Or is something else suggested?

We used Chilkoot, and they were great. We chose the option for train first. They picked us up at the port and took us to the train station. They had a car reserved just for Chilkoot clients. The motor coach picked us up from the train we went on from there. We stopped for photos in front of a beautiful lake, the Yukon sign, the Welcome to Alaska sign, Carcrosse Desert, Emerald Lake, and the dog mush area. When we spotted a mother bear with three cubs, the driver parked on the shoulder across the road so we could all watch them without interfering with them. The guide told us all about the gold rush history. They took us back and gave us the choice of getting off in town to look around more or being dropped off at port and were very mindful of what time we needed to be back. I would not hesitate to use them again if I were back in the area.

You may be better off with the ship excursion for Tracy Arm. It is one way and rendezvous with the cruise ship. You don't have to back track as you do with a private tou. It is popular. It may already be full. You might want to check asap.

 

A great tour we took in the past and are taking again this time around is the Neets Bay Bear Watch. It leaves out of Ketchikan. Great if you like wildlife. Your teens might really enjoy.

 

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This poster HAS to book a Tracy Arm tour from the cruise ship. No other option.

we are very interested in Bear Watching in Ketchikan. Will be in Ketchikan Sept 4th, 2016. Any advice would be very welcome.

 

Thanks,

Mary

Having also gone to Neets Bay, twice, my preference is Traitor's Cove. I highly recommend Southeast Aviation. Neet's Bay is contracted by Pro Mech.

Thank you for the clarification about not being able to take Adventure bound but rather must book with ship. I am going to go online and do that now. That tour is $209pp with the ship it appears. What do you suggest in Juneau before then? It would be nice to see the other glacier and whales but with paying this price for the Gjord for 4 of us I want to keep a 2nd excursion reasonable. Is there a way to see those affordably? Or is something else suggested?

You do have a chance of seeing humpbacks on the Tracy Arm boat tour. IF you wanted a budget option, and glaciers of interest, then consider going to Mendenhall. With 4 people, taking a cab, is going to be the quickest for your short time. Either arrange a cab pick up in advance, have the phone numbers, and call a cab, about 1/2 hour+ prior to needing it from Mendenhall. Especially if a nice day- a family walk of the Nugget Falls trail, would be wonderful. :)

After you reboard your cruise ship, leaving Tracy Arm- stay out, (I skip a lot of meals in Alaska :) ) since you are going through some humpback areas, that offer, some good sightings, since it's a narrow waterway.

busy one can you tell me what private company you used?

I highly recommend Dyea Dave for Skagway/Yukon tours. Does a great job with a White Pass RR combo.

we are very interested in Bear Watching in Ketchikan. Will be in Ketchikan Sept 4th, 2016. Any advice would be very welcome.

 

Thanks,

Mary

Last September, my husband and I used Island Wings (http://www.islandwings.com) in Ketchikan to fly to Traitor's Cove for bear watching. The company has permits to view bears from a watch-site above Anon Creek. In two hours we saw 8 adult bears fishing while 6 cubs cavorted nearby, plus a male bear who was chased off by the enraged mommas. Best of all, only twelve people are allowed on the watch-site at one time so it was nowhere near as crowded as some of the cruise-chartered sites. (Alaskan volunteers were there to make sure the allotment wasn't exceeded). Expensive, but truly a once in a lifetime experience.

Last September, my husband and I used Island Wings (http://www.islandwings.com) in Ketchikan to fly to Traitor's Cove for bear watching. The company has permits to view bears from a watch-site above Anon Creek. In two hours we saw 8 adult bears fishing while 6 cubs cavorted nearby, plus a male bear who was chased off by the enraged mommas. Best of all, only twelve people are allowed on the watch-site at one time so it was nowhere near as crowded as some of the cruise-chartered sites. (Alaskan volunteers were there to make sure the allotment wasn't exceeded). Expensive, but truly a once in a lifetime experience.

You have wrong information- you do not need permits for Traitor's Cove, like you do for Anan, and it isn't on "Anan Creek". It is on Margaret Creek, No where near Anan. IF you went in Sept, you did NOT go to Anan. You have a very mixed report here, with points from each location? Did you go on this tour? What "cruise chartered" reference? They take people to Traitor's Cove too. "Volunteer's" have never been seen on my trips either.

BudgetQueen: I may have the creek name incorrect, but I am hurt that you seem to insinuate I did not go on this Island Wings tour. We certainly did. I will quote from Island Wings brochure that I saved and put in my scrapbook. " Tours in Traitors Cove include a guided 1/2 mile walk on a trail through old growth rainforest to the observation deck built above a waterfall where salmon congregate". As far as the volunteers, they were definitely there: A nice couple staying nearby in a trailer for the season. I had a long talk with the wife and she is the one who told me about the permits.

As for the cruiseship tours to Traitors Cove, I was told by another passenger who went that the observation post was 'crowded'