advice on alaska, where to board and what to see

We're thinking about an Alaska cruise and have a couple of questions for those who are seasonedAlaska cruisers.

1) Is it better to board in Seattle or Vancouver and cruise to Alaska, or vice versa?

2) Are there "must see" places that we should be sure to include in the itineary, such as Glacier Bay?

Thanks in advance for your advice and suggestions.

BTW--we are in our early 60's and continue to be moderately active in retirement. We like Princess and RCI best, and have never cruised on NCL ships.

1. Doesn't really matter.

2. Must see:

Glacier Bay

Denali National Park

Dog sledding

whale watching

If you want a one-way cruise to Alaska you have to sail from Vancouver. No cruise line offers one-way cruises from Seattle as it isn't legal under US law. We've sailed from both Seattle and Vancouver and have found the scenery to be vastly superior the first and last days on the Vancouver itineraries.

An itinerary which goes to either Glacier Bay or Hubbard glacier will enable one to see tidewater glacier calving. If the cruise doesn't go to either, but to Tracy Arm instead you'll have a lovely 'fjord experience' but will have missed a highlight of an Alaskan cruise.

The Alaska forum here is a good place to ask further questions.

1. Doesn't really matter.

 

Oh yes it does.

If you embark or disembark is Seattle rather than Vancouver it is very unlikely that your ship will sail the true Inside Passage between Vancouver Island and British Columbia. Though it is true that not every Vancouver departure does so.

A northbound Vancouver to Whittier cruise on Princess will have cruising of College Fjord in addition to all of the other highlights. But whichever direction (northbound or southbound) or line you prefer it is preposterous to me why someone would travel all that distance to take a round-trip from Seattle or Vancouver with the first and last days being redundant sea days on the dreary open waters of the Pacific--or round trip San Francisco with first and last two days similarly useless. I say this as a big fan of sea days: Alaska is the exception; you want most every day to be either a port call or glacier cruising.

We're thinking about an Alaska cruise and have a couple of questions for those who are seasonedAlaska cruisers.

1) Is it better to board in Seattle or Vancouver and cruise to Alaska, or vice versa?

2) Are there "must see" places that we should be sure to include in the itineary, such as Glacier Bay?

 

Thanks in advance for your advice and suggestions.

 

BTW--we are in our early 60's and continue to be moderately active in retirement. We like Princess and RCI best, and have never cruised on NCL ships.

Have you discovered the Alaska forum on CC? If you read there, you will get some wonderful information. That's the best place to ask your questions.

Most people will tell you that it is best to cruise round trip from Vancouver for the scenery.

We did Seattle round trip on HAL's 14 day Alaska cruise and were perfectly satisfied with the scenery.

Glacier Bay is definitely a 'must see'. Princess and HAL are chief for that.

For me, I prefer to sail from Vancouver. My first time to Alaska, I did a B2B from Whittier. I flew in the day before...But the flights from Coastal GA were a killer. Due in at 12:30am, plane was two hours late, checked into hotel at 3:30am. Flight home from Anchorage was a red eye, but better than the flight there. the second time, I had learned my lesson. I was taking my sister for her first visit, and we flew into Vancouver two days early and spent a day touring the area. Did B2B Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver (Princess again) and flew home from Seattle.

But it also depends on how long a cruise you want. 7 days? 10 days? 14 days?

You shoudl sail on a line that includes Glacier Bay at least once. that means Princess, HAL or NCL. Carnival includes Glacier Bay on their first and last cruises (usually). EM

2) Are there "must see" places that we should be sure to include in the itineary, such as Glacier Bay?

And if your itinery does involve Vancouver. Budget extra days there pre/post cruise! There's more to see than all the Alaskan ports combined... and you don't need a cruise ship!

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• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txO8VK4LaLQ
  
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Depending on your dates...

• Fireworks competition?
  
• MLS game?
  
• Dragonboat races?
  
• Pride activities?
  
• International Air show?
  
• Fifa Womens?
  

fyi.... You can get to Seattle with a $50 shuttle from Vancouver.

If you do go into Tracy Arm Fjord - I would recommend getting off the ship and onto one of the sightseeing boats that take you close to the glaciers. The ship stays miles away and around the corner from all the good stuff. We did this our last Alaska cruise holiday and it was amazing.

Here are some pictures from Tracy Arm -

Oceania Regatta - Vancouver to Seattle. Hubbard Glacier up close and personal. Great food and amenities including free air or credit.

For excursions, definitely do a dehavilland float plane. Skip the helicopters and save that excursion for the NaPali Coast on Kauai when you go to Hawaii.

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Thanks so much for all the good information. We're just beginning to think about this cruise so the information will be very helpful.