Caribbean vs Alaska in July

Hiya.

We're going to book a cruise sometime next year in June or July and not sure where to go. It's our first cruise.

What would be better? We really aren't sure what we're looking for. I've heard Alaska will have less kids during the Summer months and looks like it would have much more beautiful landscapes.

The Caribbean is not very popular in the summer time so there are far less sailings there in July versus say in the fall and winter and spring months. Some of the ships are moved to Alaska which is very popular in the summer months. While you will see less children on Alaska cruises than in the Caribbean there still will be children on board in the summer months.

Alaska is certainly very beautiful and I would highly recommend it. There is a lot to see and do.

You might want to visit the Alaska Ports Of Call Board to get ideas for Alaska to get ideas.

Cruise lines that have been sailing Alaska for many years now include Princess, Celebrity and Holland although several other lines sail the area.

Keith

The Caribbean is not very popular in the summer time so there are far less sailings there in July versus say in the fall and winter and spring months. Some of the ships are moved to Alaska which is very popular in the summer months. While you will see less children on Alaska cruises than in the Caribbean there still will be children on board in the summer months.

 

Alaska is certainly very beautiful and I would highly recommend it. There is a lot to see and do.

 

You might want to visit the Alaska Ports Of Call Board to get ideas for Alaska to get ideas.

 

Cruise lines that have been sailing Alaska for many years now include Princess, Celebrity and Holland although several other lines sail the area.

 

Keith

Thanks.

Cruises are so expensive in July but it's the only time we can go :(.

We will probably take a 5 day Caribbean cruise on RCI and even its over our budget.

Personally I would go for Alaska. Absolutely beautiful scenery and a very relaxing and enjoyable cruise.

It is going to be very hot in the Caribbean in July if you like that kind of weather. In July, I would head for Alaska. In the summer you are going to have kids on board wherever you cruise (fewer on longer cruises) but many ships have adult areas for you to get away.

Which is BETTER is only something you can decide. Totally, totally different. The weather, sites, activities, experiences they can't be compared to each other. Kind of like if someone was asking which is a 'better" land vacation, Europe or Asia.

Alaska has much better weather in July than the Caribbean (too hot and humid). Price out the cost of flying to Seattle or Vancouver vs. Florida. You maybe able to do a 7 night instead of a 5 night - there are several cruises that go round trip from Seattle and Vancouver.

Alaska is something worth seeing. In July there are many ships sailing from Seattle, Vancouver and other ports, while there are few ships sailing the Caribbean in July - where it is very hot and humid, and the ships will be crowded with young children -- cheaper, perhaps, but you get what you pay for.

Just back from Alaska we went early August. The weather was rather warm and the animals were not as active. I known folks that went in june/july other yrs and were very cold and rainy. I is hard to say what the weather is like. As for children there were a lot on the cruise as it was vacation time and a cheap cruise out of Vancouver /Seattle. For the cruise tour we had one child but I did see a lot of children in Fairbanks, Whitehorse and Denali.

It is going to be very hot in the Caribbean in July if you like that kind of weather. In July, I would head for Alaska. In the summer you are going to have kids on board wherever you cruise (fewer on longer cruises) but many ships have adult areas for you to get away.

It was 40 celcius the week of July 14 th in Toronto this year and it was no hotter than 32 celcius during our July 13-28 Southern Caribbean cruise and St. Maarten vacation.

Haven't read the replies so hope I'm not duplicating. One thing you need to keep in mind with a Caribbean cruise in July is hurricane season. You'll be smack-dab in the middle of it. That can mean that the itinerary you think you're going to be going on will change very last minute. Also, you would need to be aware of what airport/port you fly into and out of. If it's a bad enough hurricane, you might not be able to fly out of the airport or not have a car if you're parked at a port.

That is not said to frighten you away from cruising the Caribbean -- I grew up in hurricane country and as frightening as they can be, the really big bad ones are not all that common. But it is something you need to take into consideration -- and you'd have to be flexible. The cruise line is going to change their itinerary to go around a storm so you might lose different ports, et cetera.

That being said if I had the opportunity to go to Alaska again, I'd go but it's very easy for me to get a Caribbean cruise at any time of the year I want so that's a little unfair for me to say:D But that's also another consideration: You can only cruise Alaska at certain times during the year -- May through September, I think. So you could always do Alaska during hurricane season and the Caribbean outside of hurricane season.

Since you live in California, Alaska would not cost as much in airfare and maybe you could take a cruise with a short land tour. Denali is a special area of Alaska.

My vote is Alaska.

Have been there may times and love it.

Alaska is amazing! I want to go again! Make sure you have Glacier Bay on your itinerary! There's a reason it's a National Park! The scenery is just mind blowing! If you're interested, I did a trip report last year. unfortunately, I started it before I figured out how to embed large photos in the post, but I got it figured out before I started posting Glacier Bay:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1705322

If, as you previously stated, you are on a tight budget do not book an Alaska cruise. You cannot appreciate Alaska unless you go on excursions in each port and the excursions are expensive. In the Caribbean you do not need to pay for excursions. You can get off the ship and take a cab to a beach.

Remember that cruises are almost all inclusive. You will have to pay for gratuities. Everything else is optional (drinks, gambling, excursions, spa treatments, specialty restaurants).

If, as you previously stated, you are on a tight budget do not book an Alaska cruise. You cannot appreciate Alaska unless you go on excursions in each port and the excursions are expensive. In the Caribbean you do not need to pay for excursions. You can get off the ship and take a cab to a beach.

 

Remember that cruises are almost all inclusive. You will have to pay for gratuities. Everything else is optional (drinks, gambling, excursions, spa treatments, specialty restaurants).

That's not true at all. While the excursions are amazing, there are still lots of things to see in each port without spending a dime, or just for minimal costs. For one, the scenery while on the ship is worth the cruise alone, particularly Glacier Bay. I would still enjoy an Alaskan cruise even if we skipped every port. There are usually self-guided walking tours of historical sites you can do on your own without spending a dime. We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the Alaskan Historical Park in Sitka and along the Inner Harbor Path in Victoria without spending a dime. If you like hiking, there are hikes in every port. And there's always exploring the touristy shops in every port. It may not your ideal dream vacation or what you would really prefer to do in each port, but you can certainly still have a great time, without spending much money. JMO

Haven't read the replies so hope I'm not duplicating. One thing you need to keep in mind with a Caribbean cruise in July is hurricane season. You'll be smack-dab in the middle of it. That can mean that the itinerary you think you're going to be going on will change very last minute. Also, you would need to be aware of what airport/port you fly into and out of. If it's a bad enough hurricane, you might not be able to fly out of the airport or not have a car if you're parked at a port.

 

That is not said to frighten you away from cruising the Caribbean -- I grew up in hurricane country and as frightening as they can be, the really big bad ones are not all that common. But it is something you need to take into consideration -- and you'd have to be flexible. The cruise line is going to change their itinerary to go around a storm so you might lose different ports, et cetera.

 

That being said if I had the opportunity to go to Alaska again, I'd go but it's very easy for me to get a Caribbean cruise at any time of the year I want so that's a little unfair for me to say:D But that's also another consideration: You can only cruise Alaska at certain times during the year -- May through September, I think. So you could always do Alaska during hurricane season and the Caribbean outside of hurricane season.

I thought hurricane season ran from June to the beginning of December and that late August through to the end of October is the most active time. Is this not correct?