Alaskan Cruise 2016

I am in the process of planning an Alaskan cruise for my OH significant birthday in May next year. However I know nothing of the destinations/ports of call and am looking for advice/information on best choice: Hubbard Glacier/Tracy Arm Fjords/North/South Glaciers. I don't mind the choice of ship.

I would appreciate your views.

Thanks in advance

I am in the process of planning an Alaskan cruise for my OH significant birthday in May next year. However I know nothing of the destinations/ports of call and am looking for advice/information on best choice: Hubbard Glacier/Tracy Arm Fjords/North/South Glaciers. I don't mind the choice of ship.

I would appreciate your views.

Thanks in advance

The ports of call are limited in Alaska . All cruise lines stop at the major ports . You have to decide where your doing a land cruise as well.

Don't know what you mean by North/South Glaciers .

There are three glaciers that ships visit Hubbard , Glacier Bay and Tracey Arm.

Coming from the UK I would suggest a land tour followed by 7 day cruise south to Vancouver BC.

I highly recommend you going to the Alaska forums here on cruise critic. Great information there.

We have taken two round trip from Seattle Alaska cruises on Infinity. Gorgeous state, and has to be seen many times in my opinion.

We tend to do active things like get off the White Pass Railroad halfway up and hike 3 miles up the Laughton Glacier (out of Skagway) and kayak on the beautiful lakes out of Ketchikan. Whale watching is a great thing to do. A plane ride to a glacier somewhere is fabulous.

I recommend that you do the excursions independently, through people on your roll call, once you select a cruise.

You'll need to dress in layers and for the cruising day at the glacier/fjord you'll need to wear all your layers at once, especially something for your head and your gloves. We pack all this stuff in one of those space bags that you can compress and suck out the air. Saves space in the suitcase.

If you do decide to do a land tour as well, it's easily done on your own. You can see more, do more, have total flexibility, and just drive it yourself. Again, get the information you need to be very confident over on the Alaska forums. There is really only one road going everywhere in Alaska so you really can't get lost. ;)

I also highly recommend not spending a bunch of time shopping. It's a place to be seen and experienced, it's beyond gorgeous. You go to Alaska to feel it, to get into the beauty of it. Not shop for trinkets.

I highly recommend you going to the Alaska forums here on cruise critic. Great information there.

 

We have taken two round trip from Seattle Alaska cruises on Infinity. Gorgeous state, and has to be seen many times in my opinion.

We tend to do active things like get off the White Pass Railroad halfway up and hike 3 miles up the Laughton Glacier (out of Skagway) and kayak on the beautiful lakes out of Ketchikan. Whale watching is a great thing to do. A plane ride to a glacier somewhere is fabulous.

 

I recommend that you do the excursions independently, through people on your roll call, once you select a cruise.

 

You'll need to dress in layers and for the cruising day at the glacier/fjord you'll need to wear all your layers at once, especially something for your head and your gloves. We pack all this stuff in one of those space bags that you can compress and suck out the air. Saves space in the suitcase.

 

If you do decide to do a land tour as well, it's easily done on your own. You can see more, do more, have total flexibility, and just drive it yourself. Again, get the information you need to be very confident over on the Alaska forums. There is really only one road going everywhere in Alaska so you really can't get lost. ;)

 

I also highly recommend not spending a bunch of time shopping. It's a place to be seen and experienced, it's beyond gorgeous. You go to Alaska to feel it, to get into the beauty of it. Not shop for trinkets.

Agree with everything . Except if your not comfortable with driving in a foreign country then take a land tour from the cruise line.

Pretty much ditto to all of the above too.

As someone else who learned to drive in Scotland you'll find the only dodgy thing here is the 'wrong side of the road' aspect. Even the crappiest surfaced road in Alaska is going to be wider than most country roads back home, better signposted, and of course all the cars are automatic. So dinnae be feart tae rent a car!

I just got home from mine, Millennium north bound.

We did the following:

Ketchikan: Bering Sea Crab Fisherman (booked privately, although the ship sells it).

Icy Strait Point: Exclusive Whale Watch (Hoonah Travel Partners, booked privately).

Juneau: Harv and Marv's Whale Watch tour (private). Also rented a car so we could visit the Mendenhall glacier and Alaska Brewing Company (actual brewery).

Skagway: Ocean Raft Wildlife Adventure (had to book through Celebrity). Rented car and drove to Emerald Lake in BC, CA. Stopped at Chilkoot Trail Authentic Sourdough Bakery (Yukon, CA) on way back for some tasty snacks. Also stopped at the Yukon Suspension bridge to get our passports stamped and get some snacks, but did notpay to cross the bridge.

Both whale tours were awesome, but the Harv and Marv tour was better. The other tours were great as well although the Ocean Raft Wildlife Adventure isn't for everyone (read the Celebrity description for details).

Overnight in Seward and did:

Kenai tours 8 hour tour (did on day of disembark)

Seavey's Iditarod tour

Alaska SeaLife Center

On way to Anchorage:

Indian Valley Mine (panned for gold)

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Stopped at wildlife viewing area (only one I saw between Seward and Anchorage) - watched spawning trout

Stayed overnight in Eagle River (outside Anchorage, late arrival) on way to Denali.

If going to Denali, buy your groceries in Wasilla (or Anchorage). You'll need a disposable cooler to keep things cold during the trip but it will pay for itself.

In Denali (2 nights):

12 hour bus tour to Kantishna (excruciating, but worth it)

Denali visitor center

49th State Brewery (10 miles further down the road)

I can't think of anything I would have changed. Came home dead to the world but it was worth it.

in May next year. However I know nothing of the destinations/ports of call and am looking for advice/information on best choice: Hubbard Glacier/Tracy Arm Fjords/North/South Glaciers.

Yes plan extra days in Vancouver/Seattle pre/post cruise. It's bigger than all the Alaskan ports combined.

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