Alaska in June on the Legend

We've never done an Alakan cruise, but have talked about it for years. I'm vaguely looking at June, and thinking about the possibility of booking while on board the Ecstasy in April.

From what I've read, June will be cool, but plenty of daylight and spring flowers and sights to see, so I feel fairly confident in the time of year (tell me if I'm wrong, though).

My main question is, the prices seem VERY consistent; is this typical? With Caribbean cruises, the number of ships vary, the amenities vary, the ports vary, and therefore the prices are all over the place. It looks like the only Carnival ship doing Alaska is the Legend, and every sailing in June is within $20pp. It's a more expensive itinerary, so I'm just wondering about people's experiences, and if my observations are correct. Is that average of $930pp for an interior about what I can expect to pay? I feel like Alaska might be the place I'd want our first balcony, but at $1400pp, I don't think I can sell my other half on it. :eek:

I know it's beautiful and a radically different experience, but it's hard to go somewhere colder than Ohio in June (especially after the winter we're having) for more than twice the price I could go somewhere warmer! :)

We did Alaska in June 2 years ago. I thought the weather was perfect! We had one cool overcast day. I live in the Seattle area and June is usually cooler and overcast. I am always looking at Alaska cruise prices and I find that the prices are higher than a Caribbean cruise. I think it's because the season is so short. We splurged on a balcony (1st time) and I'm glad we did. We spent a lot of time out there. The inside, water view, public areas were always very crowded and it was hard to find a place to sit sometimes. Being a cooler weather cruise, people don't hang outside much. We were on the Miracle. There was a naturalist on board who let everyone know when there were whale sightings. I have to say, it was beautiful and one of my favorite cruises.

I highly recommend that you look at what other cruise lines have to offer. With only one ship in Alaska, Carnival's prices tend to go up (because of less supply). Other cruise lines, with multiple ships and itineraries, tend to have price drops closer to departure.

We sailed to Alaska in June 2013 aboard Holland America, and we took advantage of several price drops, onboard credit, complimentary upgrades, and even a kids sail free promotion. By the time it was all said and done we paid about $700pp for a BALCONY, and that price was with all taxes and port charges included. Even though Carnival looked cheaper initially, we ended saving over $1,000 for the family with much better accommodations.

In addition to the prices, more established cruise lines like Holland a America and Princess know Alaska like no other cruise lines. They have more itineraries, and to better destinations. For example, both cruise lines have permits to sail to Glacier Bay all season long, while Carnival only gets two permits total for the entire season. Carnival visits less breathtaking (and often inaccessible) Tracy Arm instead. With other cruise lines you can also visit more "off the beaten path" destinations like Sitka, which for us was absolutely amazing.

Do some research and don't assume that because Carnival offers budget prices in the Caribbean that the budget prices will follow in Alaska.

I echo Tapi's comments. I have been on 5 Alaska cruises, 2 on Carnival, 2 on HAL and 1 on RCI. I have been to Glacier Bay on 3 of the cruises and Tracey Arm on the other 2. I will undoubtedly take more Alaska cruises, but I would only consider one that includes Glacier Bay. It's far more spectacular than Tracey Arm. HAL and Princess offer Glacier Bay throughout the season, so those are the lines I would look for. Your original question was whether the prices usually remain stable throughout the season on Carnival, and yes, they do. But other lines that have more ships in Alaska may offer price reductions closer to sailing. About the weather, Alaska is so unpredictable that you could get good or bad weather on any given day. All of my Alaska cruises have been in late August/early September and the weather has been glorious most of the time. Regarding a balcony, it would be great to have one for Alaska if the price is right, but I have always had ocean view and just dealt with the crowds on the decks. Have fun--it's a great cruise!

Thanks for your feedback, as well as the specific suggestions on itinerary and lines! Although Carnival is all we've sailed on, we're definitely not brand-loyal to a fault. I actually think HAL might suit us pretty well from what I've read.

Thanks, too, for letting me know I don't want to miss Glacier Bay. :-) This type of help is what CC is great for!

Thanks for your feedback, as well as the specific suggestions on itinerary and lines! Although Carnival is all we've sailed on, we're definitely not brand-loyal to a fault. I actually think HAL might suit us pretty well from what I've read.

Thanks, too, for letting me know I don't want to miss Glacier Bay. :-) This type of help is what CC is great for!

Would not pay that for the Legend. You can get it later season for half that, and Princess in season for almost 25 percent less.

Carnival only does the inside passage; thus, I'd recommend another cruise line that will at least take you to one of the ports near Anchorage. Preferably, I'd suggest a cruise/tour that would include a few days in Danali. We did 14 nights with HAL that took us up through the Yukon Territory, over to Fairbanks, down to Danali and ended up with an extra two days in the Kanai Peninsular. It was a magical trip and we did it in June. It was 85 f. when we got to Fairbanks and still light at midnight.

You might find our pics interesting. HAL Zaandam - Jun 2007 Alaska Cruisetour 12+2 days Alaska CruiseTour Pics

So, bottom line is to do what you can afford as you will enjoy any Alaska option. John

I suggest you find out about Alaska first. Head to your library and take out Alaska travel books, especially Port's of Call books. Look at each of the inside passage ports and determine which are of interest to you, there are 6. Glaciers- again if of interest. With the Carnival itinerary- I do highly recommend the add on ship excursion in Tracy Arm, otherwise it is not likely that you would get any more than a partial, way off view of a glacier. The add on tour is "necessary" in my opinion.

After you work out what you want out of your trip, THEN look for the cruise that will offer this. A significant factor about traveling Alaska, is to budget fully and not skimp on tours. In my opinion they are half of your trip.

 

In addition to the prices, more established cruise lines like Holland a America and Princess know Alaska like no other cruise lines. They have more itineraries, and to better destinations. For example, both cruise lines have permits to sail to Glacier Bay all season long, while Carnival only gets two permits total for the entire season. Carnival visits less breathtaking (and often inaccessible) Tracy Arm instead. With other cruise lines you can also visit more "off the beaten path" destinations like Sitka, which for us was absolutely amazing.

 

.

I see this given as a "reason" which I find slanted and not true. Carnival has been sailing Alaska for over 15 years. They aren't newbies and have one of the top three ship naturalists sailing Alaska. You mention one trip to Alaska? Have you sailed Tracy Arm?

I see the claim that only Glacier Bay is worthwhile and a "must". Something more I don't agree with. EVERY Alaska cruise will offer a great trip- if chosen with some knowledge about what you are booking.

It isn't a simple selection, again only my opinion. Every cruise will be a compromise. But, first find out the details of what you are looking at in itineraries. then the right choices will be easier to make.

Carnival prices, in this case are up there. Have other cruises been compared? Late bookings can offer very low rates, but it's necessary to be very flexible. Alaska cruises will be priced according to supply and demand. :)

We are booked on an Alaskan trip on the Legend in July. This will be our 1st Alaskan Cruise also. Luckily, we got in on the pack and play offer and scored a balcony for 4 people for $1600 so I'm good with our price. Honestly, Alaska has never been high on my list, but DH wants to go.

My question for those experienced Alaskan cruisers is what can we expect? We have 2 sons ages 6 and 9. This will be their 9th cruise, but I have a feeling that this will be quite a bit different for them. Are the waterslides open? Someone asked that on the destination board and someone answered and basically ripped them a new one saying how could you want to ride a water slide when you are surrounded by all of that nature. Uh, well, if you're 6 and 9 and have been wanting to ride the green thunder slide, you don't care. You just want to slide.

Does anyone have any "not to miss" excursion ideas? They are all pretty expensive and we will end up spending significantly more on excursions than on the cruise itself. I hate flying so all of the helicopter trips are out for us.

Sorry to hijack OP, but I saw your thread and got excited because I have been meaning to get on here and start some research.:)

Best deals for Alaska cruise are in May, 1st week of June & Sept. Once kids are out of school, it's no discount retail price.

We've never done an Alakan cruise, but have talked about it for years. I'm vaguely looking at June, and thinking about the possibility of booking while on board the Ecstasy in April.

 

From what I've read, June will be cool, but plenty of daylight and spring flowers and sights to see, so I feel fairly confident in the time of year (tell me if I'm wrong, though).

 

My main question is, the prices seem VERY consistent; is this typical? With Caribbean cruises, the number of ships vary, the amenities vary, the ports vary, and therefore the prices are all over the place. It looks like the only Carnival ship doing Alaska is the Legend, and every sailing in June is within $20pp. It's a more expensive itinerary, so I'm just wondering about people's experiences, and if my observations are correct. Is that average of $930pp for an interior about what I can expect to pay? I feel like Alaska might be the place I'd want our first balcony, but at $1400pp, I don't think I can sell my other half on it. :eek:

 

I know it's beautiful and a radically different experience, but it's hard to go somewhere colder than Ohio in June (especially after the winter we're having) for more than twice the price I could go somewhere warmer! :)

Hi I am also from OHIO. We did Alaska in 2008 on Diamond Princess. Our favorite cruise ever and people onboard were transformed by the experience. We had a Aft Balcony cabin and while I don't think you always need a Balcony but on an Alaskan Cruise its really a must. There is so much scenery to be seen you just cant stop watching. Our cruise was late June and because of Summer Solstice the daylight hours were amazing long!!! Best Trip ever. Congrats and Enjoy. Definitely take layers of clothing; light jackets; even a raincoat as the weather can fluctuate significantly.

We are booked on an Alaskan trip on the Legend in July. This will be our 1st Alaskan Cruise also. Luckily, we got in on the pack and play offer and scored a balcony for 4 people for $1600 so I'm good with our price. Honestly, Alaska has never been high on my list, but DH wants to go.

 

My question for those experienced Alaskan cruisers is what can we expect? We have 2 sons ages 6 and 9. This will be their 9th cruise, but I have a feeling that this will be quite a bit different for them. Are the waterslides open? Someone asked that on the destination board and someone answered and basically ripped them a new one saying how could you want to ride a water slide when you are surrounded by all of that nature. Uh, well, if you're 6 and 9 and have been wanting to ride the green thunder slide, you don't care. You just want to slide.

 

Does anyone have any "not to miss" excursion ideas? They are all pretty expensive and we will end up spending significantly more on excursions than on the cruise itself. I hate flying so all of the helicopter trips are out for us.

 

Sorry to hijack OP, but I saw your thread and got excited because I have been meaning to get on here and start some research.:)

I sailed Alaska three times on Carnival last year, and never saw the slides open. I would suggest you plan on them not being open. I am a multi time Alaska visitor, with me, being in a jacket when outside- always during sailing time. There are large numbers of unprepared passengers with their attire. As the week moves on, you see more and more, jackets from the cruise line and ports. :)

There are hundreds of excellent tours, with enough "not to miss" for 10 cruises. You need to go over a shore excursion list and narrow down your interests. I would suggest you give them all a look, instead of jumping toward the "popular" tours. There is so much more in Alaska.

Did Alaska twice over the summer solstice. First time it was Capri and tshirt weather. The second it was 40 and wet.

We sailed on HAL.

John Heald will be the CD. On the Legend in Alaska.

You mention one trip to Alaska? Have you sailed Tracy Arm?

 

I see the claim that only Glacier Bay is worthwhile and a "must". Something more I don't agree with. EVERY Alaska cruise will offer a great trip- if chosen with some knowledge about what you are booking.

Hi Budget Queen:

Let me start by saying that your expertise and advice was extremely helpful when we were planning our 1st cruise to Alaska in 2013. Many of the decisions we made were based on your suggestions, so for that, thank you. We had an absolutely wonderful time![emoji4]

With that said, the suggestions and opinions that I gave the OP on my previous post were based on, not only my personal experience, but also based on 3 years of incessant reading, comparing, and on hundreds of reviews and replies to threads that I started with similar questions to the ones that the OP has now. The opinions about Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm were overwhelmingly consistent from those who had more experience than I had.

If we hadn't done any research and we had selected a cruise to Tracy Arm, I'm sure that we would've found it breathtaking. But I'm so glad that I followed the advice of the vast majority who suggested Glacier Bay. Getting THAT close to multiple glaciers including pulling up to the face of Margerie Glacier was an experience beyond compare and something that would've not been possible had we sailed Tracy Arm instead.

Some people have the luxury of traveling to Alaska frequently, and I'm sure that for them it's nice to try different locales because whatever they miss this time they can see on the next cruise. But for that first time Alaska cruiser, or for those who will only be able to do it once in their lifetime, I think it's good advice to recommend a place that will be vastly different than anything they may have seen before.

We did Alaska this past May, and I have to say that the balcony is a must, IMHO. Also, we did NOT go Carnival, but rather Princess. I believe it was comparably priced, if not cheaper than CCL, and has a more classy, elegant feel which for us is very consistent with being in this serene wilderness. Also, Princess has the advantage of the large balcony on the Carib deck which is half covered and half open. Perfect. I want to say we ended up paying $1150-1200 pp for the balcony, max.

Weather was amazing to us - even though the air temps were in the 50's and low 60's it felt much warmer; we were in shirt sleeves when ashore during the day - we would start in layers in the morning but a t-shirt and jeans was enough during the day. Now be prepared to have lots of layers and a winter jacket - at night and on deck can be downright cold, but it is very beautiful and quite worth the experience. The sailing is very different because it is calm inside waters that are often smooth as glass.

As for excursions, we traveled with our kids and didn't have the budget for more than one major shore excursion. But, what we did do was all excellent - we opted for Totem Pole and Bight park in Ketchican followed by a walk around town. In Juneau we spent the money for a private boat whale watching tour that dropped us off and Mendenhal. In Skagway, we rented a car and drove to Carcross Desert and Emerald Lake - perhaps one of the most beautiful drives we have ever taken. And then we spent money to do a ship tour to Victoria Gardens (evening) - amazing - even my boys 10 and 16 were enthralled. So we didn't spend a ton of money - though many suggested we must do dog sledding, flights etc. We don't feel we missed anything - sure we may go back and do those things some day but this was still a fantastic trip.

Although we've been to Alaska three times on land vacations, we are doing our first Alaska cruise in July but on Holland America. We chose this because we wanted to do a land tour first and then the one way southern cruise. Carnival only sails round trip from Seattle so you don't get to do the land Alaska. Since Carnival sails from Seattle it spends more time in rougher water than if you leave/return from/to Vancouver.

I would recommend a cruise/tour if possible on Holland America or Princess. We chose Holland America because the people in our group have sailed on Carnival so we're all considered past guests on Holland and are entitled to the One Star Mariner benefits. Princess and Holland both looked good and couldn't make up my mind but the past guest benefits swayed us.

The most important thing to remember is to layer your clothes. It can be cool or warm and often both on the same day. When you're sailing by the glaciers it will be very cool/cold so be prepared. You also have to look out for the giant mosquitoes which are everywhere in the summer. It can also be rainy so bring a rain suit. It will be light almost all the time so you get more from your day but it may be harder to get to sleep. Also be prepared for higher prices on everything including food . Alaska and Hawaii are the only two places where the menus at Denny's had the prices crossed off with new and higher prices written in.

I would choose a different line than Carnival for Alaska. In fact, we chose a Princess Carib balcony and combined the cruise with a land tour.

Carnival is good as a Caribbean budget line, heck, I've sailed them almost to diamond level. But for perhaps a once in a lifetime experience like Alaska or the Mediterranean, IMO, Princess, HAL or Disney are the standout cruise lines.

So we didn't spend a ton of money - though many suggested we must do dog sledding, flights etc. We don't feel we missed anything - sure we may go back and do those things some day but this was still a fantastic trip.

Our group consisted of 14 family members on different budgets, so we agreed to split up in port and do different excursions based on our budgets. My sister and brother in law went "all out" and did helicopter tours combined whih dog sledding on the glaciers, flight seeing tours, whale watching tours and kayaking. Their photos were absolutely amazing and absolutely enviable. Their helicopter/dog sledding tour alone was almost as much as our entire cruise fare! :eek:

Since we were on a tighter budget and traveling with very small children, we opted for less expensive tours, but still managed to have an absolutely fantastic time. In Juneau, we planned to take the Glacier Express to Mendenhall Glacier ($8pp each way). In Sitka, we hiked through the Sitka National Forest (walking distance from the pier) and visited the Alaska Raptor Center where we saw up close rescued Bald Eagles. In Ketchikan we took the Ketchikan Duck Tour (our most expensive tour, at $49pp). And in Victoria, we took a cab to the Parliament and the Fairmont where we had dinner at one of the nearby restaurants.

So yes, I agree with you. We didn't spent a lot of money but don't feel as if we missed out because what we did was still very enjoyable. Yes, it would've been amazing to do all the tours that my sister and her family did, but we still managed to have an absolutely wonderful time on our limited budget. Doing some research in advance went a long way! :)

Hi Budget Queen:

 

Let me start by saying that your expertise and advice was extremely helpful when we were planning our 1st cruise to Alaska in 2013. Many of the decisions we made were based on your suggestions, so for that, thank you. We had an absolutely wonderful time![emoji4]

 

With that said, the suggestions and opinions that I gave the OP on my previous post were based on, not only my personal experience, but also based on 3 years of incessant reading, comparing, and on hundreds of reviews and replies to threads that I started with similar questions to the ones that the OP has now. The opinions about Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm were overwhelmingly consistent from those who had more experience than I had.

 

If we hadn't done any research and we had selected a cruise to Tracy Arm, I'm sure that we would've found it breathtaking. But I'm so glad that I followed the advice of the vast majority who suggested Glacier Bay. Getting THAT close to multiple glaciers including pulling up to the face of Margerie Glacier was an experience beyond compare and something that would've not been possible had we sailed Tracy Arm instead.

 

Some people have the luxury of traveling to Alaska frequently, and I'm sure that for them it's nice to try different locales because whatever they miss this time they can see on the next cruise. But for that first time Alaska cruiser, or for those who will only be able to do it once in their lifetime, I think it's good advice to recommend a place that will be vastly different than anything they may have seen before.

I try to be informative and factual. I have to clarify that with Tracy Arm- I always suggest, strongly, the "necessary" need to add the add on ship tour, which is costly. Your mention above of getting "close" to a glacier in Glacier Bay is not true in that case. There are no add on tours for Glacier Bay, cruise ships are a much farther distance away than any of the small boat tours, anywhere in Alaska, including Tracy Arm. Referring only to my trips last year, I have been right up to glacier faces several times, including twice in Tracy Arm at both the north and south Sawyer Glaciers, far closer than my 4 trips into Glacier Bay, all were last year.

Alternatively with those doing one way tours- Prince William Sound boat tours and Kenai Fjords boat tours also offer far closer glacier experiences.

We've never done an Alakan cruise, but have talked about it for years. I'm vaguely looking at June, and thinking about the possibility of booking while on board the Ecstasy in April.

 

From what I've read, June will be cool, but plenty of daylight and spring flowers and sights to see, so I feel fairly confident in the time of year (tell me if I'm wrong, though).

 

My main question is, the prices seem VERY consistent; is this typical? With Caribbean cruises, the number of ships vary, the amenities vary, the ports vary, and therefore the prices are all over the place. It looks like the only Carnival ship doing Alaska is the Legend, and every sailing in June is within $20pp. It's a more expensive itinerary, so I'm just wondering about people's experiences, and if my observations are correct. Is that average of $930pp for an interior about what I can expect to pay? I feel like Alaska might be the place I'd want our first balcony, but at $1400pp, I don't think I can sell my other half on it. :eek:

 

I know it's beautiful and a radically different experience, but it's hard to go somewhere colder than Ohio in June (especially after the winter we're having) for more than twice the price I could go somewhere warmer! :)

I was right there with you about wanting to do Alaska for years, and noticed how late June and July seemed like the good weather times. I finally decided to book this year when I luckily received the Pack and Play offer from the casino. Had I not gotten that and still decided to do Alaska this year I feel like I would have gone with another line for this cruise. Not that there's anything wrong with Carnival, I always enjoy myself, but I wanted to go on a line that gave me many cruise options with ports and sail dates. I still chose Carnival, again because of the free cabin offer which I couldn't pass up. After reading many reviews though and talking to people who have sailed Alaska it almost seems like a 50/50 when it comes to a Balcony. A lot of people have mentioned that half the time you got better views up on the top deck because if something was on the Starboard side and your cabin is Portside you will be missing what the naturalist is telling you about, then you're missing out running up to the deck to see what she was just saying. I'm sure a balcony is great, but I would much rather have that money to spend on excursions as they are quite costly on these sailings. Another reason to maybe not get a balcony is because if it is really cold you will probably want to be up in the lido buffet area with INSIDE with all those windows.

I'm extremely excited for my upcoming cruise and am just happy I'm going regrardless of the cruise line I selected. This will be an amazing experience that I look forward to sharing with my father. If we absolutely love it and decide we need to go back again we will probably do a one way with a land tour added on, but this was so last minute(just unexpected) we had to act fast and we just went for it. If you feel like you're going to stay with Carnival though it may be a good idea to book while you're on your cruise to get the OBC, but I would keep checking cabin availability/locations so you know whats there and if the price does go up its worth booking because the higher cost could negate the OBC plus not as great of a cabin location. You have lots of options and just do lots of research to make sure your getting out of Alaska what you want from it with all the time and money that goes into making this trip unforgettable!

Also don't forget about Seattle! I don't know if you've been or if you're interested in visiting but there's also an entire other portion of the trip to plan if you choose to fly in a few days early to visit. Plus Seattle is very expensive from all my research I've been doing so that's another cost factor too that you need to look at. I'm flying in from Florida so I need to make the trip to the West at least worth my time by staying there for a few days pre cruise to visit all of the sights that city has to offer.

Have fun, and if you do choose Carnival I'm on the 6/23 sailing. Plus we will have the infamous John Heald as our CD. I read his blog occasionally and have heard he is a very fun CD who is truly interested into making your cruise the best cruise, which seems rare fro CD's now adays

Alaska around Solstice is great fun, we've done 2 cruises about then.

Though I can't speak to CCL, we did Celebrity and HAL, both times the prices went down quite significantly as the date got closer. Since we could drive to Seattle we got somewhat last minute deals. The HAL cruise was only around $300. Celebrity was more, but even that we only booked about 3 months out and it was well under a grand, maybe it was $600? If your schedule allows, I'd suggest booking closer to June.

Alaska around Solstice is great fun, we've done 2 cruises about then.

 

Though I can't speak to CCL, we did Celebrity and HAL, both times the prices went down quite significantly as the date got closer. Since we could drive to Seattle we got somewhat last minute deals. The HAL cruise was only around $300. Celebrity was more, but even that we only booked about 3 months out and it was well under a grand, maybe it was $600? If your schedule allows, I'd suggest booking closer to June.

That's actually super helpful to know about booking closer rather than further out. That really gets to my initial question about consistency of prices. We do have some flexibility for summer. Though we have to fly across the country, we both work in schools and have the summer off. I was looking at the first week of June, but really, we could go pretty much any of about 6 weeks. I'm so used to booking way ahead because we are spring break cruisers that it didn't occur to me that we we could manage last minute--just not the habit! Flight might be expensive, but I think that'll be the case from Ohio to Seattle no matter when I buy tickets.

I did a quick browse on a travel site to compare lines, and Carnival is significantly more, which I just didn't expect. I was only thinking about it now because I was considering booking on board, but that thought is fizzling out, and I'm going to do more research. Loving all the suggestions about ports and the experiences of others. It's so helpful to gain sight in terms of even deciding what we would WANT out of this vacation, which I hadn't been thinking about beyond, "ooh, pretty Alaska! Whales! Nature!"

But then, I also have my eye on the Splendor repositioning cruise...so... ;)

Thanks for talking and thinking through this with me, all!

If you look at Carnival price up front vs others without actually doing a mock booking it may seem like a lot more because doesn't Carnival always show the full price including taxes?

Taxes in Alaska are much much higher than other places.

We just booked an Alaska cruise and our taxes were about $200 per person