Advice on a cruise to Alask from Northern Washington State....

Hello,

I am new to this site, and to cruising. I'm happy to be here.

Would someone be able to give my husband and I advice on booking a cruise to Alaska? This is our first cruise ever and I am feeling slightly overwhelmed.

General Questions-

1. We do not have children, (and although we love kids) we would prefer a cruise line that is more "adult-friendly". Does this exist?

2. Should we leave from Vancouver or Seattle? (We live equidistant to both).

3. We were thinking of a room with a balcony. When you book this room type, are they all "created equal"? How do you know which deck to pick?

4. We are hoping to go this fall. Do we still have time to book?

5. Is it best to book via the cruise line directly? Some discount sites seem to have good discounts. But I'm Leary of getting on board and not getting what I expected. Can anyone recommend a site? Should I call the cruise line directly?

Thank you so much!

MB

2. Only round trip cruises are available from Seattle. Vancouver has both round trip and one-way (north or southbound). Some who want a round trip like the fact that round trips from Vancouver sail in more of the inside passage whereas Seattle sailings usually offer one day each way in the open sea west of Vancouver Island.

3. Balconys are fine but some find them too cold to enjoy for long periods. The ship is moving unless docked so there is a breeze equal to the outdoor temperature.

4. Yes, in fact there are several sales in progress right now as it seems that the Alaskan voyages have been supplied with more ships than there was a demand for. Suggest you sail before September as weather problems, rain, fog, etc can impair your enjoyment of the trip as the season progresses.

5. Discount sailings are not bad. Once on the ship, everyone is treated the same. Princess and HAL both have some very attractive pricing right now. And both offer Glacier Bay on their itineraries. Using a Travel Agent or booking direct is a personal decision. I would add that most cruise lines do not allow discount fares to be advertised, so beware that you are seeing the full cost before you decide on this TA or that one. Many advertise the base fare and then, when you begin booking, tell you about things like taxes and port fees. Just make sure it is apples to apples.

You still have plenty of time to book for a fall cruise.

Of the mainstream cruise lines, Holland America is probably the most "adult-friendly" although in September you are not going to find scads of kids on any line (Alaska cruise season ends in September).

Balconies are not all created equal. It is usually best not to pick a deck that is right above or right below a public deck. Some ships have "obstructed view" balconies which are a bit cheaper but you will not get a full view (likely looking at parts of the lifeboat).

We cannot recommend travel agencies on Cruise Critic but you could google "travel agencies that specialize in cruises" and get some ideas. Call a couple and see what they are offering. You can certainly book directly with the cruise line but many travel agencies give perks that the cruise line does not.

If you leave from Seattle you will make a stop in Canada. If you leave from Vancouver all of your stops will be in Alaska.

Hope you find a great cruise.

Hello,

 

I am new to this site, and to cruising. I'm happy to be here.

 

 

 

Would someone be able to give my husband and I advice on booking a cruise to Alaska? This is our first cruise ever and I am feeling slightly overwhelmed.

 

 

 

General Questions-

 

 

 

1. We do not have children, (and although we love kids) we would prefer a cruise line that is more "adult-friendly". Does this exist?

 

 

 

2. Should we leave from Vancouver or Seattle? (We live equidistant to both).

 

 

 

3. We were thinking of a room with a balcony. When you book this room type, are they all "created equal"? How do you know which deck to pick?

 

 

 

4. We are hoping to go this fall. Do we still have time to book?

 

 

 

5. Is it best to book via the cruise line directly? Some discount sites seem to have good discounts. But I'm Leary of getting on board and not getting what I expected. Can anyone recommend a site? Should I call the cruise line directly?

 

 

 

Thank you so much!

 

MB

You can use the search feature on this website and find tons of threads that will answer your questions.

That said, hard to make recommendations without knowing your accommodations/food/etc preferences (among other things).

Nonetheless, I'll save you a lot of research.

Want adult oriented line with excellent food and service, cabin amenities, smoking restrictions, mostly inclusive (e.g., airfare) and does Alaska from both Seattle and Vancouver on ships with only several hundred passengers?

Oceania.

Find a good TA (check out Condé Nast Traveler recommendations and/or google "cruise specialists", and start interviewing folks) who is an Oceania Connoisseurs Club member and who will rebate to you anywhere from 5-8% of the commissionable fare on top of whatever "best deal" the cruise line is offering .

One final recommendation: read through various Cruise Critic threads about behavior on different cruise lines and you will quickly come to recognize which line(s) most closely match your means and needs.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

My preference would be for a Vancouver departure as you can stay at the Pan Pacific hotel right next to the cruise port. The Pan Pacific hotel is just gorgeous and has a great spa and wonderful food plus amazing views of the harbor. The next day you can simply check out, walk out the front door of the hotel and walk to the cruise terminal with your luggage to check in for your cruise - so simple.

Look for a Alaska cruise which includes Glacier Bay. Glacier Bay is one of the best days of cruising anywhere as it is quite spectacular. In September there will not be a lot of kids on any cruise. There are quite a few options for more adult oriented lines:

Mainstream lines:

Celebrity

HAL

Luxury Lines:

Silversea

Seabourn

Oceania

Ponant

You might also consider Small Ship Adventure cruising in Alaska:

http://www.adventure-life.com/alaska

Hello,

I am new to this site, and to cruising. I'm happy to be here.

 

Would someone be able to give my husband and I advice on booking a cruise to Alaska? This is our first cruise ever and I am feeling slightly overwhelmed.

 

General Questions-

 

1. We do not have children, (and although we love kids) we would prefer a cruise line that is more "adult-friendly". Does this exist?

 

2. Should we leave from Vancouver or Seattle? (We live equidistant to both).

 

3. We were thinking of a room with a balcony. When you book this room type, are they all "created equal"? How do you know which deck to pick?

 

4. We are hoping to go this fall. Do we still have time to book?

 

5. Is it best to book via the cruise line directly? Some discount sites seem to have good discounts. But I'm Leary of getting on board and not getting what I expected. Can anyone recommend a site? Should I call the cruise line directly?

 

Thank you so much!

MB

I'm new to cruising myself and went through a similar process in March when I booked my first cruise. I ended up with Holland America Lines "Great Alaskan Explorer" -- 14 days -- Seattle --> Seattle, ms Amsterdam, a mid-sized ship accommodating ~1380 passengers, sailing September 11, 2017.

Here's how I answered your questions for myself when I was going through the process:

1. I asked a number of friends who are avid cruisers, and every one of them recommended HAL for my first cruise, especially to Alaska. They seem to cater to a more "mature" crowd, although there are activities for children as well. But sailing in September for 14 days means there will be fewer kids onboard. And HAL has a long history with Alaska cruises, too -- their itineraries are interesting and this 14-day trip hits all the "high points" for me (Kodiak, Sitka, glaciers, sea days, etc.).

2. I live in Bellingham, so I'm in a similar situation re: location, although a little closer to Vancouver. I decided to sail from Seattle primarily because I know the city and traffic there better than Vancouver. I'll likely be sailing out of Vancouver in the future (I'm considering a Hawaii/South Pacific cruise sometime in 2019, assuming I decide I really like cruising).

3. I'm a little concerned about claustrophobia -- I've never had it, but there's always a first time. Due to that, my friends said I needed a window at the very least, preferably a balcony. Once I decided that a balcony was the way to go, it was a matter of size and location. HAL has several options available, all of them nice. I finally decided to splurge on a Neptune Suite directly across from the elevator near the rear of the ship. It's a little larger than a standard balcony room, and has some extra "perks" that are attractive. I'm more interested in food/wine/etc. than in shows/partying, so the location is perfect. From there, it's one floor up to the Lido (casual dining) and two floors down to the main dining room. Other specialty restaurants are not far away, either.

4. I'm sure there's still time to book. I just booked mine in March and there were a lot of rooms still available.

5. I booked through Holland America directly. Initial contact was via the website by email; then all follow-ups have been by phone (they're based in Seattle, so .... ). I probably could have gotten a better deal elsewhere, but I want this to go as smoothly as possible, and I figured dealing directly with the cruise line would give me better odds. My HAL Personal Cruise Consultant has been wonderful -- she really listened to my concerns and helped me to select a cabin that should work perfectly, never "pushy" or overselling. She's been great at answering questions, too. I don't know any travel agents, so this worked nicely.

So that was my process -- I'm sure you'll find what works for you.

Lana

1. We do not have children, (and although we love kids) we would prefer a cruise line that is more "adult-friendly". Does this exist?

Yes, especially on an Alaska cruise in fall. Honestly, any line going to Alaska is going to be low on children. The one-way cruises and longer than 7 days for sure. You didn't mention your age but HAL is going to be older. My 57 year old aunt went on a HAL Alaska tour last year and complained that everyone was "old". She was the youngest person on her assigned bus. The next-youngest person was her husband who is around 65. We did Celebrity to Alaska in the middle of summer and there were around 50 people under age 18 on board total. Even Carnival, RC and NCL have only a few hundred under-18s on their Alaska cruises.

2. Should we leave from Vancouver or Seattle? (We live equidistant to both).

Seattle is round trip, Vancouver is 1 way. I'd do 1 way, but that is me.

3. We were thinking of a room with a balcony. When you book this room type, are they all "created equal"? How do you know which deck to pick?

Try to get an aft/ aft-wrap for the best views, or mid-ship for least movement but any balcony is nice.

4. We are hoping to go this fall. Do we still have time to book?

Yes, but the sooner you book, the better the deals.

5. Is it best to book via the cruise line directly? Some discount sites seem to have good discounts. But I'm Leary of getting on board and not getting what I expected. Can anyone recommend a site? Should I call the cruise line directly?

We prefer to book direct and have always gotten the best deals this way.

If you start or end your cruise in Vancouver, you'll need a passport. Some people don't realize that fact.

As you can see, it makes little difference whether you start in Seattle or Vancouver. They are not terribly far apart, and if you leave from Seattle, you will be stopping in Vancouver on the way back, as foreign-flagged ships must stop in one foreign port if they start and end in the U.S. Pick the ship that has the itinerary that you want and go with whichever port it uses!

That being said, if you have the time I would strongly suggest that you do a one-way trip, and then do a tour in Alaska. Some of the cruise lines do cruise-tours, and operators like Gray Line and others offer tours that will match up as well. We loved our cruise, but the land tour was much better. We started in Fairbanks, went to Denali, and then onto Anchorage and caught the ship in Seward. The Denali tour (8 hour bus tour) was nothing short of incredible. You will see tons of grizzlies, Dall sheep, etc. The next best thing of our entire trip was the Kenai Fjords tour in Seward. It is about a five hour tour on a 100-150 passenger boat that took us to see lots of wildlife, and then got up close (1/2 mile) to a glacier. Sure the Glacier Bay tour is great, (and so was College Fjord) but when you get real close to the glacier (a cruise ship stays about a mile away), you appreciate the enormity a lot more, you see some calving up close and personal, and you can hear all of the noises that a glacier makes all the time. The tours in Fairbanks were excellent too.

Some other things I would suggest: walking on a glacier (helo trip) in Juneau and the whale watch on a small boat (6 - 12 passengers) in Juneau. We saw so many whales that I finally stopped taking pictures! Bald eagles are everywhere. We took a float plane in Ketchikan (Misty Wings) and had a fantastic time. We did the trip to the Yukon from Haines/Skagway and that was OK, but a lot of driving.

Holland America and Princess (same company as Carnival) have been doing the Alaska thing the longest and have it down pat.

As for a veranda, I always have a veranda, but I did not use our much in June in Alaska as it was too cold out there to stay long. Even the morning in Vancouver, it was too cold to enjoy breakfast out there. Nevertheless, I suggest a veranda, as it gives you your own place to go outside if you want.

I also strongly suggest that you spend a good bit of time on the Ports of Call section of Cruise Critic and just read a good bit to get a flavor of who are the best tour operators in each of the ports, and then make your own arrangements. You can join the roll call for your cruise, though there are lots of families on Alaska cruises and they don't use the Roll Call as much, but you can likely find others to share a private tour in a port and save money.

Alaska is great though no matter how you see it.

My gosh,

Thank you all for your detailed and informative replies.

It's as if you knew my husband and I, and you answered so many questions fro us! I am so grateful. Thanks again!

Several quick issues-

1. Is "HAL" is Holland American Line?

2. It is my understanding that there are *round trip* cruises to Alaska that leave from Vancouver, correct? So you can do round trip both from Seattle and Vacancour?

3. If we decided to drive from Whidbey Island to the ship port leaving in Vancouver, where do we park our car? She we stay the night before? I don't want to miss the departure dues to Canadian customs.

The idea of staying at the Pan Pacific sounds lovely. But can we park there? If not, where would we park?

It seems like HAL and Princes and Norwegian are more of the..."mature types" of cruise lines? I have yet to see Silverseas Seabourn or Oceana. But I will look into them if people think that they are elegant.

Thank you all in advance.

MB

My gosh,

Thank you all for your detailed and informative replies.

It's as if you knew my husband and I, and you answered so many questions fro us! I am so grateful. Thanks again!

 

Several quick issues-

1. Is "HAL" is Holland American Line?

2. It is my understanding that there are *round trip* cruises to Alaska that leave from Vancouver, correct? So you can do round trip both from Seattle and Vacancour?

 

3. If we decided to drive from Whidbey Island to the ship port leaving in Vancouver, where do we park our car? She we stay the night before? I don't want to miss the departure dues to Canadian customs.

 

The idea of staying at the Pan Pacific sounds lovely. But can we park there? If not, where would we park?

 

It seems like HAL and Princes and Norwegian are more of the..."mature types" of cruise lines? I have yet to see Silverseas Seabourn or Oceana. But I will look into them if people think that they are elegant.

 

Thank you all in advance.

MB

Hi again!

Glad you're getting your questions answered. It's sometimes overwhelming the amount of info out there! It'll ease up once you decide on your cruise.

1. HAL = Holland America Lines

2. Yes, there are Holland America round trip Alaska itineraries that originate and end in Seattle and others that originate and end in Vancouver. HAL has Vancouver round trips this fall on Sep 13, Sep 16, and Sep 17. I'm taking the Seattle round trip leaving on Sept 11. The difference is that the Vancouver round trips are 7 days; the Seattle round trips are either 7 or 14 days. I opted for 14 days mostly because this is a bucket-list thing for me (both the cruise as well as seeing Alaska).

3. I just did a quick check of the Pan Pacific Hotel website and they have a special Alaska Cruise Package that includes optional on-site parking as well as luggage transfer, etc. I plan to drive to Seattle on the day before departure and spend the night with a friend (I'll leave my car there, too). I'll catch a shuttle or car service to get from the house to the cruise terminal. No worries about traffic issues/etc.

I'm also booked on an Oceania cruise in October 2018: San Francisco --> Miami via the Panama Canal, 18 days, including a stop in Havana. It's a smaller ship (maxes out at 684 passengers), and my first trip on what is considered a "luxury" line. Should be interesting! The fact that Jacques Pepin is in charge of cruise cuisine for Oceania is a big selling point for me. I'm a foodie at heart, so for me, service + itinerary + food are the most important.

Once you narrow down your choices, ask your friends. I was amazed at how many of my friends are regular cruisers, and I never knew. They helped me decide on Holland America and recommended going for a longer cruise (> 7 days) to get a real feel for the experience. Once you decide on the specific cruise, then you'll look at space requirements, budget, etc. Fun stuff!

Lana in Bellingham

If you live on Whidbey Seattle is way closer, and has many more transit options than the border crossing.

Even with Nexus, we waited 30 mins on Sunday to cross at Blaine into Canada.

Ferry to Muk -> bus to Seattle gets rid of the parking issue.

Since you are researching and gathering information on going on a cruise to Alaska here is another idea for your consideration. We just finished a Back -2-Back cruise that started in Vancouver, sailed down to Seattle (one night), stayed in the same cabin and then sailed round trip from Seattle for 7 nights.

We stayed in the Fairmont Hotel, right across the street from the Cruise Terminal in Vancouver. The Bell Hops took our luggage over to the Terminal for us and turned them over to the luggage porters. Real easy.

From Seattle we had one sea day then visited Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketcikan, and Victoria.

We sailed on the Ruby Princess and we dealt direct with Princess in setting this up. They arranged Air Transportation, ground Transportation, and the Hotel for us.

A Princess Rep met us at the Vancouver Air Port and escorted us out to the Cab Ranks and put us in a Taxi for a ride to the Hotel.

At Seattle we had to depart the ship so Customs could clear the ship. We were give a In Transit pass that allowed us to go back on the ship with out going through the regular check in procedures.

All in All the process work fairly easy.

Bob

1. We do not have children, (and although we love kids) we would prefer a cruise line that is more "adult-friendly". Does this exist?

Holland America (HAL) and Celebrity would be my initial recommendations. HAL will focus on an older (50+) age range while Celebrity will be a bit more diverse in terms of ages. Both lines focus, and cater primarily to adults. Oceania was mentioned above, and while I've heard great things, they are more expensive than HAL or Celebrity.

2. Should we leave from Vancouver or Seattle? (We live equidistant to both).

Either works fine. I would not let this be a deciding factor.

3. We were thinking of a room with a balcony. When you book this room type, are they all "created equal"? How do you know which deck to pick?

This is a bit of a complicated question. In short, most balcony rooms are about the same size, with about the same balcony. If price is a factor, I would go with one of the least expensive balconies and expect to have a great time.

With that said, I would be sure that the deck right above you will be quiet - avoid booking under a pool or gym or whatever. Mid-ship rooms tend to be the best if you are at risk of getting sea sick as they do not sway as much as rooms in the front or back.

4. We are hoping to go this fall. Do we still have time to book?

You're golden. Once you know what specific ship/itinerary you're taking, I would book sooner than later. But, if you're at all flexible, you're still in great shape.

5. Is it best to book via the cruise line directly? Some discount sites seem to have good discounts. But I'm Leary of getting on board and not getting what I expected. Can anyone recommend a site? Should I call the cruise line directly?

Typically, a travel agent can provide some extra hand holding, and will not cost you any more than booking directly. For a first time cruiser, I would encourage you to use a travel agent rather than booking directly.

Whether you use a traditional or discount travel agent/site depends on the level of service from that person that you want. There is right or wrong answer here, just don't use a traditional agent and expect discount site prices. Or, don't use a discount site and expect top-end service. With that said, once you get on-board the ship, no one knows or cares who you booked with so the experience is identical. But, the planning and lead-up can be both fun and helpful.

The Cruise Critic site does not allow specific travel agent or site recommendations.

Several quick issues-

1. Is "HAL" is Holland American Line?

2. It is my understanding that there are *round trip* cruises to Alaska that leave from Vancouver, correct? So you can do round trip both from Seattle and Vacancour?

 

3. If we decided to drive from Whidbey Island to the ship port leaving in Vancouver, where do we park our car? She we stay the night before? I don't want to miss the departure dues to Canadian customs.

 

The idea of staying at the Pan Pacific sounds lovely. But can we park there? If not, where would we park?

 

It seems like HAL and Princes and Norwegian are more of the..."mature types" of cruise lines? I have yet to see Silverseas Seabourn or Oceana. But I will look into them if people think that they are elegant.

 

Thank you all in advance.

MB

I disagree with the earlier post that there is little difference between round trip Seattle and Vancouver itineraries. Vancouver is better for several reasons. One, you cruise through a better leg of the Inside Passage. Seattle trips go offshore so the scenery is not nearly as nice. Two, Seattle trips have an obligatory foreign stop, which is usually either Victoria or Vancouver. This means 1 less day committed to Alaska, which is the whole reason for the cruise to begin with. If you live in the area, why cruise to a port that is such close driving distance. In other words, definitely pick Vancouver.

No, NCL is not one of the more "mature type" cruise lines. NCL, Royal Caribbean, Disney and Carnival are family lines and are more likely to have more kids. That said, if you are booking late in the season, you're far less likely to have kids on any of the cruise lines. If you want good entertainment on your cruise, look a little closer at Royal Caribbean.

Like the majority of others, I recommend Holland America (HAL) based on your criteria. Pick an itinerary out of Vancouver than includes Glacier Bay. And yes, definitely book a balcony. Princess is nice, but I have found their ships to feel crowded and very dated in decor. Plus, HAL has a nicer indoor lounge with panoramic views for those days when the weather isn't too great.

Celebrity is also a great line for your criteria. The only downside is they don't do Glacier Bay.

Also, I recommend ignoring the recommendation to read about typical behavior across the various lines. For numerous reasons, Alaskan cruises are not the party cruises like in the Caribbean.

We are Bellinghamsters and cruise often (4-5 times a year). Just completed the Vancouver to Whittier on Star Princess. I am a very frugal traveler. When we cruise from Vancouver, we take the Bolt Bus from Bellingham. Fares are cheap, parking is free (must call Whatcom Transit Authority and leave license plate number) and crossing the border is easy. All you need is enhanced drivers license. We arrived at the port at 11:20 am. Three ships, apx 8000 passengers. We have Nexus cards and were able to bypass the main lines and were on board prior to 12 pm. Those who went through the normal process had about a 1.5-2 hour process. I would highly recommend arriving early, say 10am, when multiple ships in port at Canada Place. We find the age group on Princess a good fit. I just turned 50 (in Glacier Bay) and DH is 60.

Due to an added cruise with the adult kids this past March, we switched from a Balcony to Obstructed Ocean View. Missed the balcony only for the larger window and the availability of fresh air. For the views, we would not have used the balcony much as we enjoyed walking from side to side on the outside decks. We chose the cabin carefully and had only a few lifeboat supports outside our window.

Whatever you choose...ENJOY

WOW!

Thinfool, scrapnana, Flatbush, suitetraveler, Lana (:)), Lerin, Darcie, Bbwex, afwminseattle, Bob, Aquahound, and Robinson:

Thank you ALL for the incrediblly informative replies that your took the time to write. I printed out all 34 pages from this one thread. Then I curled up with my highlighter to read over all of your replies. As I mentioned, I am a neophyte when it comes to crushing and I was truly intimidated by the thought of trying to book a cruise. But you all have given me such an incredible about of highly specific information that I feel much more confident and a lot less overwhelmed with this process.

I have narrowed down my search and will let you know which cruise line we end up choosing.

Honestly, I wouldn't have been able to even attempt to book this trip without this wonderful site!

You're a group of amazing people!

Again, thank you for taking the *time* to write out such thorough replies.

My husband and I greatly appreciate it.

MB