No clue where to begin with Alaska

In June 2014 we plan to take my mother on an Alaskan Cruise. It will probably just be four adults (mom and 3 daughters). This is something my mother has always wanted to do. We don't know where to begin really. We do not know the best Itinerary to take (willing to port out of wherever gives us the best cruise), and we do not know what ports are a must see. Do we go southbound, northbound, roundtrip? We want the ports/itinerary to be our overall deciding factors, but we also need help deciding ship/cruise line. (We have experience with DCL and Carnival). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. FYI- We all have passports : )

4 women -- get 2 cabins.

The popular ports that most cruise lines go to are Juneau and Ketchikan. We also like Sitka and Skagway.

Choose a cruise that goes to either Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier.

Check out the Alaskan ports of call board here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

You all really need to go together to talk to a travel agent and talk about what you want to see and do.

Princess and HAL have been in the Alaskan business for years.

4 women -- get 2 cabins.

The popular ports that most cruise lines go to are Juneau and Ketchikan. We also like Sitka and Skagway.

Choose a cruise that goes to either Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier.

Check out the Alaskan ports of call board here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

You all really need to go together to talk to a travel agent and talk about what you want to see and do.

Princess and HAL have been in the Alaskan business for years.

Thanks!! We do plan on getting two cabins ;). Thanks for the link.

You are welcome.

I would definitely do a one way - you get more ports that way. If you can swing the cost a pre or post cruise land portion is wonderful - you get to see a bit of the inland part of Alaska.

We did a 5 day land tour starting in Fairbanks and ending in Seward where we boarded Royal Caribbeans Radiance of the Seas. 7 days from there to Vancouver, Canada. An incredible trip that hooked us on cruising.

Have fun with all the planning. :)

A TA that has actually cruised Alaska and books a lot of Alaska cruises

will quailfy you to the best itinerary/ship for you .

Always interview your TA as to experience , fees if any ,before ever booking.

The choices for Alaska Cruise/Tours are even more confusing.

4 adults in 1 cabin can be strenuous .Spend the extra $$ and go for 2 cabins .

You will need to decide whether you want to do a two way cruise such as Vancouver which I would recommend over Seattle.

I would do one way if you want to spend time in Alaska before or after the cruise.

Keith

Thanks! I noticed RCCL has cruise tours, any experience with these?

Thanks! I noticed RCCL has cruise tours, any experience with these?

The place to find people with experience in RCCL tours is the RCCL board, here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=83

And some reading on the Alaska board, which you already have.

Ollychelle,

Here is a super inclusive, very detailed review of Cindy and Charlies Alaskan trip. She is a wealth of knowledge, writes a great review and should be a professional photographer and travel writer! She will be glad to answer any and all questions for you! Have fun! Lauri

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1852077&highlight=ace1zoe2

I would consider a smaller ship that is more geared to adults. We've been looking at Regent as well as The National Geographic cruises.

Thanks for info

Thanks! I noticed RCCL has cruise tours, any experience with these?

I did a cruise tour with RCI several years ago - very enjoyable. My one suggestion for you if you do a cruise tour is to do the land tour part first [which usually includes Talkeetna and Denali] and then take the south bound cruise. That way you can relax and enjoy after the land tour!

The White Pass Railroad out of Skagway is thrilling.

Enjoy!

My "must see" for Alaska (3 cruises/tours) is always Glacier Bay!

I too suggest north to south if you're doing a land tour + cruise -- much more restful.

For cruise only, a round trip will probably be cheaper because of better airfare choices (1-way fares are higher), but you won't see as much of Alaska.

Princess & Holland America do have the most experience/ships there. We had great experiences w/Princess.

All that said, I don't think there is a 'bad' trip to Alaska -- it's such a fabulous place!

You'll love it -- ENJOY!

As someone suggested, it'll be a good idea to sit down with a "cruise specialist" who can help you out.

It sounds like you want to tack on a cruisetour to your cruise and several cruise lines (think Princess and Holland, too, as they're considered the leaders when it comes to Alaskan cruises) do these. If you want to do the tour first, then you'll want to do a southbound, and tour last, a northbound. Your flights will be more complicated than if you're doing a round trip (these are from Seattle, Vancouver, and San Francisco).

My key word of advice: either you or your TA book your flights, and make sure you're flying in at least a day ahead. I've seen too many posts from people on this site who let the cruiseline book their air, and the flights have been for the same day, or otherwise not getting them there in time to make the cruise. And if you're starting your cruise in Vancouver, the ship can't always wait for latecomers (some problem with tides, I believe, or another similar concern), and you won't be able to just fly up to the first Alaskan port and be able to do the rest of the cruise due to the Passenger Vessels Services Act (all of Alaskan sailings must include Vancouver or Victoria to be legal unless it's a small American cruise line).

We have taken two Alaska cruises so far. Both times we were there in mid August. The first one in 2009 was a round trip from Seattle on the Star Princess. Our ports of call were Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. We had a great time but wanted to go back again, which we did last summer.

We sailed on the Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas last August on the southbound route. We loved it! We had four ports of call, Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Icy Strait Point located in the Alaskan town of Hoonah.

The ship is fantastic and the cruise was the best we have ever had. The itinerary includes 4 ports of call. Icy Strait Point was and still is our favorite. We went on the Bear and Whale watch combo excursion through RC. We saw two bears catching Salmon and countless whales! It was absolutely breathtaking!

When we went through the Hubbard Glacier area, we witnessed numerous "calving" which is when great chunks of ice break off with loud cracking and rumbling then fall into the water.

You might be interested in seeing my wife's picture slideshows. Click on the links below. The slideshow will start when you click on the link, but you can also go through the pictures if you want to by clicking on the thumbnails one at a time.

HAPPY SAILING! It's a great way to explore the world!

If I were you, these are the things/questions you should settle first because then your options will already be limited by your answers.

1) Is budget an issue? This not only effects the cruise/cabin choices but also pre-cruise and post-cruise and flight/port options.

2) How much time can you all 4 take for the entire trip? Only time for a 7 night cruise plus a pre-travel day or more?

3)If you have time for an inland Alaska trip, are you more of a go with the herd/like to have everything arranged for you or do you prefer to go at your own pace and not be in a crowd? If the former is your style, a cruise/tour would be good. If the latter is it, then rent a car, book your own lodging and train tickets and go it on your own.

4) Are there any ports any of the 4 of you specifically must do or a type of excursion?

Thanks everyone!! We probably need to chat as a group. Good advice and food for thought.

In case your mother has mobility issues (or for anyone else who is referring to this thread for inspiration,) check out the disabilities forum for ways to cope with travelling with disabilities which many seniors have in one form or another. Cruiselines can make accomodations such as large print menus in the MDR and wheelchair assistance for boarding (you avoid standing in long lines.)

Going to Alaska was my MIL's dream and we were able to make it come true four yrs ago. We made a list of all of the things that we wanted to see and do and then figured out which ports were the best one to accomplish it. Our list included whale watching and visiting the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, the White Pass Railway and a private tour in Skagway and a visit to see the totem poles at Totem Bight State Park in Ketchikan.

It can be overwhelming to narrow down your options as you will probably want to do it all (as we all do :D,) but unless your Mom is a young senior who still has a lot of stamina, keep in mind that she will probably only be up to one maybe two excursions per port. My MIL often returned to the ship shortly after the excursion and rarely wandered around the port as she wasn't up to it. You may want to consider getting an ocean view or balcony cabin for your Mom so that she won't miss the scenery even if she goes back to the cabin for a rest. Happy planning and have a great trip.

I highly recommend a southbound Inland Passage cruise from either Seward or Whittier. You would fly into Anchorage if you choose not to do a land portion.

The biggest advantage is returning home from Vancouver after traveling over 1,300 miles. That means 1,300 miles closer to home and fewer hours on the plane after a wonderful cruise.

You can take the cruise line transfers by bus or train or engage a private service from Anchorage.

No one has mentioned Celebrity but they also sail to Alaska and have land tours as well. We've sailed them as well and were extremely happy with both the ship and the itinerary.

No matter which ship you choose after finding your preferred itinerary, plan to fly in at least a day prior to sailing and do not attempt a return flight from either Seattle, Vancouver or Anchorage until after noon, as most cruise lines recommend.

Please use the Alaska forum for the best up-to-date information on excursions. Then join the Roll Call for the sailing you choose.

You will love Alaska.

In June 2014 we plan to take my mother on an Alaskan Cruise. It will probably just be four adults (mom and 3 daughters). This is something my mother has always wanted to do. We don't know where to begin really. We do not know the best Itinerary to take (willing to port out of wherever gives us the best cruise), and we do not know what ports are a must see. Do we go southbound, northbound, roundtrip? We want the ports/itinerary to be our overall deciding factors, but we also need help deciding ship/cruise line. (We have experience with DCL and Carnival). Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. FYI- We all have passports : )

This ship was built for Alaska with lots of glass. You can walk out of the Windjammer buffet area and eat or have coffee on the aft enjoying that gorgeous scenery. Our Alaskan cruise was on Princess. It was fine, however, you'll find an older age group on both Princess and Holland America. We flew into Vancouver 3 days prior to our cruise and booked an excursion to Victoria Island on Day 2. We've traveled in Canada so we did not book Denali. Here's a fun thread on the Radiance: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1714541 And, here's a link for information specific to the Radiance: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1867335 Study the deck plans and try to find a balcony on the "hump" (middle section) or even better, an aft balcony (those that run across the back of the ship.) Sandwich your stateroom between two passenger decks avoiding balconies right under the Presidential Suite as it has a piano. For the past 9 months, I've helped a friend plain their Alaska cruise down to the last detail. This is a trip that takes lots of advance planning. Alaska is a once in a lifetime trip ... please let us know which ship you choose.

Thanks everyone! Is glacier bay a must? I have read several places it is.

Thanks everyone! Is glacier bay a must? I have read several places it is.

Glacier Bay is a National Park for a reason, it rates right up there with Denali! JMHO! Tracy Arm is a pretty fjord with lots of water falls, but not very good viewing of Sawyer Glaciers. Glacier Bay shows you maybe 4 or 5 glaciers. I haven't been to Hubbard (so can't speak to that one).

I like to start a graph chart for my cruises. I put the cruiseline/ship across the top, then the things that are important to me (cost, size of ship, cabin type, ports, time in ports, tours offered, etc). As you do your research, put an "X" in the conjoining boxes. As you near the end of your research, one should have more x's than the others.

I've never used a travel agent for any of my cruises. I'm fairly competent at reading and understanding what is in the cruiseline brochures. The only time I've had any problems was my Med cruise, where anything and everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.

As previously posted, the 4 of you need to get together. Possibly 1 of you could visit the library and check out some Alaska travel guides (Frommer's, Fodor's, etc). Then when the 4 of you get together you can discuss and see what's available to do. I also like to look at the cruiseline tours and viator dot com to see what tours are available that you might like. You don't have to book with them, there are lots of options.

Have a great trip!

Thanks for the info!!

Good choice and I wish I could go with you...need another daughter/guide?

Here is my thinking:

Unless you don't have a budget, look very carefully at the cost difference between one ways and the RT. The reality is that a RT from Seattle is usually less expensive for airfare for most cruisers in the USA. The others require more logistics and expense.

I used a travel agent in my early years of traveling and cruising and found most of them pretty inexperienced and not a great value. The info on this site has been great and has helped me save $ and make good decisions. TA's are best for folks who want someone else to help make decisions for them and are the best value if you book a suite. They can give you more comps if your cruise costs more. This is just logical. Many people book an inside cabin and there just isn't much in the margins to kick back with benefits.

I've been there three times- first on the NCL Sun, then the NCL Pearl and then HAL's Westerdam. I'd say that the trip on the Pearl was the best overall. We went to Glacier Bay and Skagway. Westerdam went to Sitka which is a nice little town but the time in port is short (in at 7AM, onboard at 2PM and we tendered. We had even less time in Ketchikan. NCL gave a very long day in Skagway which is a great port to visit the Gold Rush days and the train or drive to the Yukon is fabulous! So, check and compare how long you will be in port. Now that I have experienced both Sitka and Skagway, I say Skagway is the most interesting port hands down, although Sitka was very sweet.

Glacier Bay is highly preferred over the other Glacier sites but only about 4 cruise lines have permits to go in GB. They allow only two ships in a day and really, it is your pilot and naturalists that come onboard (Park Service specialists) that help to make the day really great! All the ships stop in front of the Marjorie Glacier (she's the queen of the glaciers) and then turn around for an almost equal time on the other side (usually starboard). It is true that HAL and Princess have most of the permits, but don't let that stop you from checking other cruise lines. I believe NCL and Celebrity also hold some. I believe DCL and RCCL don't qualify for about 5 more years.

We went in early June, 2013 and in July, 2006 and 2009. I prefer July, but earlier times can be wonderful and with their own unique opportunities. May can be pretty chilly, but just layer and don't let that make you hesitate. You may be dealing with a bit of snow in May!

Check out if you will be tendering in any port. I saw that Celebrity Solstice had to tender when we were in Juneau and that put them at a real disadvantage.

I don't think it matters all that much if a cruise line has been sailing a long time in Alaska. I translate that to mean it isn't their experience, but the seniority privileges they receive, like berth positions and Glacier Bay permits.

Read some of the reviews for Alaska on this site and get a sense of the experience. Eliminate the negative reviews that say the food was inedible and also the first timers who rate everything with a 5+stars. It is good to confer with people who are positive, but also use discernment and that what cruising experience will give you! There are some lines that have rabid cheerleaders who defend their lines to the hilt and one quickly learns that these folks have the highest level of benefits which translate into free goodies and rewards that the majority of cruisers don't receive. I have stayed with about four lines and have no significant loyalty to any of them. I like RCL and NCL a bit more than others. Someday...

Let us know the age ranges and activity level that will help as people give advice. What to do in each port depends on your interests and physical mobility. I imagine you want adventures that people who are about 40-70 would enjoy?