Alaska itinerary ???????????

Blu doesn't have the big aft windows like the MDR and unless you're seated at a window or one table in, you won't really have a view to the water.

Thanks. Must be like Infinity and Summit.

Went on Infinity last summer to Hubbard Glacier via the Inside Passage. Absolutely beautiful, the highlight of our Alaska cruise!

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I'm really happy we finally made the decision to visit Alaska. We've talked about it many times. I'm glad we're doing this itinerary.

If you were going to do just one cruise to Alaska, which route would you choose? One that does Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier.

Thinking about an Alaskan cruise this summer and I'm trying to decide which would be the best option. Any other helpful tips would be appreciated.

Just my opinion, but we've been to Hubbard, Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay. They were all great, but if I had to pick one it would be Hubbard. It was big, active, and had non-stop action. The Sawyer Glacier at the end of Tracy Arm was also very active, but just not as big as Hubbard.

If this is a one time trip, I definitely recommend the Millie. We have been to Alaska 5 or 6 times, first on the Infinity years ago and most recently on a B2B on Millie round trip from Vancouver. One of our favorite cruises ever! In Alaska, especially for first or one time only cruisers, it's all about the itinerary. The more ports the better. The more time in port the better. The better glacier - Hubbard by far (at least as respects what one imagines when one thinks of glaciers). We've done the Solstice and it was very nice, but you just don't get enough Alaska on that cruise IMHO. We loved our B2B so much that we booked another one, exactly the same, for next May. Can't wai.

If time and $$ permit, add a few days pre or post cruise to go into Denali. We did that the first time, using a local (meaning Alaska) travel agent to book our 3 day add-on. We saved $300 per person over the ship's prices for almost exactly the same trip. We took a bus to Denali, and then rode the train back. The bus was actually very nice, but the train is amazing and if I ever do it again I will do the train both ways. So scenic, so peaceful - I can't say enough good things about it.

We have done a RT Seattle (on Explorer of the Seas-Royal Caribbean, June 2016) and a one way with cruise tour (Summit, July 2002). Had a great time on both, but itinerary on the 2002 cruise was exceptional. I'd do either again, but would opt for a back-to-back if I had the time (and I do but if we are traveling with family they don't). Can't really compare anything other than the itinerary since there have been so many changes to sailing with Celebrity in the 14 years. Some good, some unfortunate. And cruise fatigue is a real thing. I think one's expectations increase with age.

We got real close in last week of August and even closer when we got on the catamaran...

What catamaran trip were you on ?

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How cold would it be in may on an Alaskan cruise from being outside walking around on the ship while cruising to how cold out on an excursion to a glacier ? Not sure how to pack for it.

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How cold would it be in may on an Alaskan cruise from being outside walking around on the ship while cruising to how cold out on an excursion to a glacier ? Not sure how to pack for it.

 

 

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Pack layers! Plan on cold if you are on/near the glacier.

We did the Tracy Arm small boat excursion, we were bundled up...we peeled away the layers as we got closer to Juneau where it was in the 80s, DH was glad he had shorts.

How cold would it be in may on an Alaskan cruise from being outside walking around on the ship while cruising to how cold out on an excursion to a glacier ? Not sure how to pack for it.

 

 

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Smallfamily: Packing for a visit to our state is frequently discussed on the Alaska Cruise Critic forum, which is located under "Ports of Call." Also, just use the CC search forum to search for "Alaska packing list." You should easily find a number of posts, many with lists.

Please tell me more about the Alaska Rail. I hope to book early this week and I know there's limited availability. I think we'll do early June. We're booked for the Med in Sept.

 

Thanks for all the other input. Nice to know about MDR on the Millie. We've never sailed on that ship.

Smithsonian tv channel has a series on Alaska Rail.

What catamaran trip were you on ?

 

 

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On the Solstice as you get to the Glacier, you get on a Catamaran which then takes you back to Juneau where you meet the boat. When we did it we got real close to the glacier and then we went up a pass to another part of the Sawyer Glacier that you definitely cannot get to on the ship. We then went back to Juneau and saw loads of whales. You need to dress warm and this trip can only be done through Celebrity since it's starting point is the ship itself. It was a bit expensive but one of the best excursion we have ever taken anywhere.

We have sailed Alaska 10 times. Personally, I prefer the southbound itinerary, but they are all great. I have reviews of the ports and a pro/con review of the different glaciers on my travel blog....http://www.zest4travel.wordpress.com Hope you find some helpful information there!

We have sailed Alaska 10 times. Personally, I prefer the southbound itinerary, but they are all great. I have reviews of the ports and a pro/con review of the different glaciers on my travel blog....www.zest4travel.wordpress.com Hope you find some helpful information there!

We're doing the southbound. Thanks for the link...much appreciated.

How cold would it be in may on an Alaskan cruise from being outside walking around on the ship while cruising to how cold out on an excursion to a glacier ? Not sure how to pack for it.

The two times I went in May it was warm. Almost hot in Juneau. If you go to Hubbard, it will be cold. I find that a good fleece and a waterproof/windproof layer on top can handle just about anything in Alaska. Hat & gloves good for glacier viewing. You can also grab a blanket to add additional warmth, or step inside for a bit. Layers are definitely the key in Alaska.

At the risk of offending some on the X section of the forums... you may want to take a look at Princess too. I really enjoy sailing Celebrity (as shown by my recent sailing history), but the prices for the Alaska 2017 season (at least for the sailings I looked at) were much more expensive on X (~25-33% price premium). I also liked the idea of Glacier Bay versus Tracy Arm Fjord or Hubbard (we're going earlier in the season, and ice is a higher risk of affecting the itinerary at TAF or Hubbard vs GB).

 

Also as was mentioned already, a multi-city (Home-YVR; ANC-Home) or two 1-way tickets is often not much more expensive than r/t Seattle. Two 1-way tickets can make it easier to fly 2 different airlines if you're finding that flights for Airport #1 are much cheaper with Airline X, while Airport #2 is much cheaper on Airline Y. The benefit of the 1-way cruise is that you get more time sailing in Alaska, and you skip the need for the brief Vancouver stopover if you're going r/t out of Seattle.

Thank you for posting about the one way tickets. I ended up booking two one way tickets. It wasn't just the price but the flight times. Alaska air was more than I wanted to pay but all in all the it was less expensive to book twomone way tickets.

I did look at Princess. Again, it was a better rate with X and we did get perks. Princess would have been more costly.

Thank you for posting about the one way tickets. I ended up booking two one way tickets. It wasn't just the price but the flight times. Alaska air was more than I wanted to pay but all in all the it was less expensive to book twomone way tickets.

I did look at Princess. Again, it was a better rate with X and we did get perks. Princess would have been more costly.

I'm glad the airfare part was helpful!

I wish X was cheaper (or priced comparably) on the itin I was looking at... c'est la vie. Now I'm looking forward to giving Princess a try again. With X pulling Summit out of SJU most of the winter for charters I'm curious to compare P vs X for a Florida departure cruise option for next winter.

I'm glad the airfare part was helpful!

 

 

I wish X was cheaper (or priced comparably) on the itin I was looking at... c'est la vie. Now I'm looking forward to giving Princess a try again. With X pulling Summit out of SJU most of the winter for charters I'm curious to compare P vs X for a Florida departure cruise option for next winter.

Actually X was a lot cheaper, plus we have the drink package and $300 OBC.

The staff on the Summit are fantastic. That makes Summit our favorite X ship. Hope we're as happy on the Mellinneum.

Looks like X has dropped on the itin I was looking at and is now a much more reasonable price point (although after final payment, and I was using booked-on-board deposits so couldn't wait til after final payment to book). Even with the price drops though, my specific sailing is still running ~$600 more pp on X, and X leaves on Friday while P leaves on a weekend so I'll use one less vacation day.

One benefit of cross-shopping X and P is that X's final payment is 90 days out, while Princess is 75 days out. That leaves a ~2 week window where you can see if X prices drop after their final payment deadline and move from P over to X without any penalty during the window.

Another thing to keep in mind is that excursions whether through the cruiseline or not are going to be expensive.

Another thing to keep in mind is that excursions whether through the cruiseline or not are going to be expensive.

Yes, but you don't need to take an excursion in every port. All of these ports are easily explored on foot by yourself with a minimum of research. Or local transport--the bus to Mendenhall Glacier, for example.

I looked at both X and Princess for our Alaska cruise this summer. I've sailed Princess once before and never X. For what I'm paying for AquaClass on X I could have had a Club Class mini-suite on Princess. On Princess all I would have gotten was OBC, whereas on X I have all 4 perks for that price. The weekend departure and extra space were draws to Princess, but ultimately having drinks/internet/gratuities included wins. Plus, as I said, I've sailed Princess and liked it, but I think I like the look of the S class ships better and I think the S class will appeal more to the husband for whom this will be a first cruise.

I did debate hard on the Hubbard Glacier itinerary vs. Tracy Arm. We are doing Tracy Arm because I think we will enjoy the S class ship. We have been to Alaska before and spent much time up close and personal with calving glaciers, humpback whales and other wildlife and this won't be our last Alaska trip, either. So, for us I went with the ship. If you think you'll only go once, itinerary will be everything. (But I bet you won't only go once after you've seen Alaska's charms! ;))

If you were going to do just one cruise to Alaska, which route would you choose? One that does Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier.

Thinking about an Alaskan cruise this summer and I'm trying to decide which would be the best option. Any other helpful tips would be appreciated.

Having done both, I would choose Hubbard over Tracy Arm - only because your ship will probably be too large to actually get up to either of the Sawyer glaciers. Most cruise lines will offer an excursion where a smaller charter boat will actually sail up to your big ship, pick you up, and get you as close as possible to the Sawyer glaciers, but they always sell out quickly as space is very limited. My preference would be an itinerary with a visit to Hubbard Glacier AND a stop in Juneau - that way you are guaranteed to see at least one glacier (the Hubbard). In Juneau you could book an excursion where you would sail out of Juneau on a charter boat and approach Sawyer the same as described earlier. This is usually an all day excursion but it's so worth it. When we did it in May of 2013, we got as close to the face of the south Sawyer glacer as was safely possible and were able to see some calving, along with a TON of adorable seals. It remains one of my favourite cruise memories ever!

Isn't the inside passage supposed to be the one that is most scenic?

The inside passage is scenic. However, we went in August last year and had fog the entire time, so didn't see

much of anything. Found out when we got home that mid-July to mid-Sept is prone to fog. Several years ago,

we did the exact same cruise in late May and had spectacular weather. As you know, though, weather is

always iffy anywhere!

We did choose the southern glacier cruise and will be going to Hubbard Glacier and Juneau. We have a whale watching excursion booked in Juneau. We also have excursions booked in Skagway and Ketchikan. I'm super excited about this cruise.

I appreciate everyone's input on this thread. Thank you.