Help! First time cruisers trying to decide which line to take to Alaska

Hi there!

I'm planning to gift an Alaskan cruise to my partner for Christmas. We're a young, gay couple - I'm 27, he's 30 from Chicago. For years we've talked about how pretty and memorable a cruise to Alaska would be…so I figured, "what a great Christmas gift!"

As far as what we're looking for in a cruise - it's pretty simple: we want to be able to see beautiful Alaska and relax. I'm generally exhausted and ready for bed by midnight, but he's more of a night owl…that being said, I definitely want the option to stay up late and party-hardy if we're in the mood (errrr...just in case I get forced to stay up and party-hardy)! It'd also be nice if there were other GLBTs on board so we don't feel out of place.

We're looking to cruise sometime in September 2014… In doing some of my own research and talking to agents at Travelocity, Orbitz and the cruise line's themselves, I think I've narrowed it down to Norwegian or Princess, but I need help from some expert cruisers to make my final decision!

Norwegian seems appealing because of their Freestyle cruising, whereas Princess seems like they're a little more modern and sophisticated (not that that's a bad thing). My fear is that Princess might have a slightly older crowd. I've also read that Princess ships typically shut down after 9:00pm.

Any recommendations? Any other cruise lines I should consider?

On a semi-unrelated note, I'm also trying to decide between an Oceanview and a Balcony. Any tips?

We have only cruised on Norwegian so far, but have been happy with the product. We have found the environment very gay friendly, and GLBT gatherings were well advertised and attended.

We like the Freestyle concept, and that is what drew us to NCL.

We have also only cruised in a balcony cabin, so we would recommend. But get what you can afford and will make you happy. It is important to remember you will spend little time in the cabin.

Entertainment on NCL is quite good, and there is always somewhere to go if you don't want to head to bed. Whatever you decide, have a great cruise. We started last year, and now we are hooked.

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Alaska for sure is up at the top of the list of most scenic cruises. Which cruise line is the best match for you has a lot to do with personal preferences so read some of the reviews here in Cruise Critic, replies you get to your post, and you can also search the prior posts on Alaska cruises in this forum.

On Alaskan cruises the crowd tends towards older but that doesn't mean there is no life onboard after 8 ....remember the bars and casino are the money maker of the ship. We've always found enough to do at nights. Consider too your shore excursions, they are an awesome part of the trip but far less enjoyable with a hangover. As for NCL Freestyle that really applies more to dinning not the atmosphere of the whole cruise. Most all lines now have anytime dining options and on every ship there is always the options of their buffet dinning, cafes, and specialty dinning.

We have no connection with Pied Piper Cruises or Aquafest Cruises but another option you might want to consider. They both have hosted GLBT Alaska cruises at the end of August on Celebrity Solstice. Even if you do not want to sail as part of the group, on those two trips you at least know you'll be among some family.

As for balcony vs oceanview - for this cruise, Balcony! For us it was worth the price difference because there were so many sights and scenic views through out the trip. That said, weather in September is a crap shoot - temps are starting to drop a bit but rain fall is more likely.

Not sure if you are planning to make this a surprise trip or just a cruise gift. If I were to make one suggestion it would be to give your partner a picture or toy boat for the Christmas present but keep the plans open until you can both participate in the arrangements. I made all the plans for a surprise trip for our first ever cruise and never again - it was too much stress trying to do all the planning, keep the dates free, and hiding the deposits. The countless trips we have made since then have been that much more enjoyable because we both plan and work on the arrangements together.

What ever you decide, the philosophy we have found that really makes or breaks the joy of the trip - make an informed decision, but decide and embrace it, then commit to having a great time no matter what little bumps come up along the way. Part two of that philosophy is buy trip insurance. Twice we had to cancel last minute - the second time having the trip insurance was far less painful - small price to pay considering how much money you tie up on a trip planned out so far in advance.

All the best - have a great cruise!!

The Celebrity Solstice is such a great ship, and they do a better job with everything than NCL. Better food, nicer cabins and definitely a nicer ship. I also agree that taking a balcony would be better than ocean view. Being able to pop out of your cabin when passing something gorgeous is worth the extra money.

Our one experience with Aquafest was great, so I would also suggest you look into that option. Their hosted cruise leaves Seattle on Aug 29, 2014. Google Aquafest Alaska 2014 for details.

Hi Todd,

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Having been to Alaska, I want to suggest to you that you start with itineraries and not cruise lines, and find an itinerary that interests you the most. Cruising to Alaska really is about Alaska, and not as much about the ship or cruise line (not that you shouldn't pick those carefully).

I would also encourage you to do a one-way cruise (not a round trip out of Seattle or Vancouver), so that you can spend some time in Alaska pre-or post-cruise (assuming that you have the time and the resources). Even a day visiting Denali, or a day spent in Seward taking a small boat tour in the Kenai Fjords National Park, would be a day well spent. You can rent a car and travel independently; also, some of the cruise lines offer a land tour option as an add-on.

I think the advice above about involving your partner in the planning is good advice, particularly if you may be able to do something pre- or post-cruise in Alaska; this isn't about just picking a restaurant for dinner.

Unless cost is prohibitive, I would get a balcony rather than an OV. There's nothing like stepping outside when you wake up, or at night before bed. It makes being on a ship even more special.

Whatever you work out, have a great trip!

Thanks for those tips! Good, so I've made one decision: a balcony is the way to go!

I've read through a number of the reviews on Cruise Critic and it seems like it's hit or miss for both - you either love the cruise line or your hate it. Some say the food is terrible, others say the food is amazing. Some say the service is terrible, others say the service is outstanding. And same goes for other aspects of the experience.

It's tough to make a decision when the reviews are so divided!

Based on the itinerary alone, I think I might go NCL. That one visits Glacier Bay. Princess is going through Tracy Arm Fjord. Based on what I've read, Glacier Bay seems to top the list of 'most beautiful sight ever!'

Living in Seattle, we have done Alaska four times now, twice on NCL and twice on Princess. I would recommend NCL. We usually love Princess, but had bad experiences on both Alaska cruises with them. The last trip was in September for our honeymoon and we had items go missing from our cabin on the Golden Princess. We did Alaska on the Norwegian Pearl a few years ago and had a wonderful time. I highly recommend the itinerary that goes into glacier bay.

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As an "older" Princess cruiser...yeah, I'd never sail Princess for the nightlife, and though Princess skews older than NCL, average age depends on the season and duration of the cruise. By September, should be an older crowd.

Honestly, I'm quite happy that if there aren't a bunch of young kids running around, and my Alaska port days are generally so active that it makes for a perfectly satisfying day without an Onboard Disco Experience. I find Princess to be relaxed, romantic, and kind of elegant without being stuffy. But if party hardy is your thing, forget it.

Princess and Holland are, FWIW, the two lines recognized as the specialists in Alaska, especially when it comes to land-based tours. I've done two rt Princess cruises out of San Francisco and am thinking about a third this year. I don't know what your budget and priorities are, but if you're not doing a cruise-tour, combining a round-trip cruise and a few days in SFO might appeal.

Also, don't know about NCL, but I'd have to say that both Princess' staff and passengers are remarkably queer-friendly. Even if you don't bond with a lot of other gay folks, you won't feel out of place. I've never had a steward steal a thing. However, on my one Celebrity cruise, I returned to the cabin to find the door propped open and the steward nowhere to be seen. Not good, but certainly not ship's policy.

Edit: And, not to argue, but if there's a sizable price difference, I'd go for the oceanview on this one. By September the weather up there can be too cold and blustery to sit outside much...and for scenic cruising, it's nice to go topside instead of being restricted to seeing whatever's in front of your balcony. Is it worth a grand to you to be able to step outside when you first wake up? If so, then by all means go for it. Oh, and yes, Glacier Bay for sure.

As an "older" Princess cruiser...yeah, I'd never sail Princess for the nightlife, and though Princess skews older than NCL, average age depends on the season and duration of the cruise. By September, should be an older crowd.

 

Honestly, I'm quite happy that if there aren't a bunch of young kids running around, and my Alaska port days are generally so active that it makes for a perfectly satisfying day without an Onboard Disco Experience. I find Princess to be relaxed, romantic, and kind of elegant without being stuffy. But if party hardy is your thing, forget it.

 

Princess and Holland are, FWIW, the two lines recognized as the specialists in Alaska, especially when it comes to land-based tours. I've done two rt Princess cruises out of San Francisco and am thinking about a third this year. I don't know what your budget and priorities are, but if you're not doing a cruise-tour, combining a round-trip cruise and a few days in SFO might appeal.

 

Also, don't know about NCL, but I'd have to say that both Princess' staff and passengers are remarkably queer-friendly. Even if you don't bond with a lot of other gay folks, you won't feel out of place. I've never had a steward steal a thing. However, on my one Celebrity cruise, I returned to the cabin to find the door propped open and the steward nowhere to be seen. Not good, but certainly not ship's policy.

 

Edit: And, not to argue, but if there's a sizable price difference, I'd go for the oceanview on this one. By September the weather up there can be too cold and blustery to sit outside much...and for scenic cruising, it's nice to go topside instead of being restricted to seeing whatever's in front of your balcony. Is it worth a grand to you to be able to step outside when you first wake up? If so, then by all means go for it. Oh, and yes, Glacier Bay for sure.

Everything Shepp said. ;) Alaska is about the itinerary much more than the ship. Also, Princess (along with HAL, which you won't be happy with based on the "very mature" demographics) are the Alaska experts. Forget Celebrity for this cruise since they don't go to Glacier Bay. If you're planning one trip to Alaska it should include Glacier Bay, it's truly incredible!!

Two other thoughts. If possible you might want to try to cruise earlier than September. The weather, which is always iffy in Alaska has a much greater chance of being colder and wetter. Also, depending on how late you go, you might find some of the tourist oriented sites and facilities closed for the season. Plus it gets dark earlier.

Second, if it's in your budget I heartily recommend you add a land portion (preferably before the cruise) and do it on your own. It's so worth it (e.g. Denali, Seward) and remarkably easy to plan. Driving is easy (there really aren't too many roads to get lost on) and you can see exactly what you want, when you want and for as long as you want. I would ditch the cost of the balcony if it allowed you to do a land trip. As said, you're going to want to be on deck for most scenic cruising.

BTW, Princess is very gay friendly. Although we don't usually go, they have an LGBT Get Together pretty much everyday and have never experienced the slightest homophobia.

Have fun whatever you decide (or already decided).

1. First ask yourself Am I wanting to see Alaska on a cruise or do I want to take a cruise that is just going to Alaska?

if the focus is on seeing Alaska, look at a company that offers a smaller ship. if you just want to take a cruise that is going to Alaska, then choose a cruise line and ship with amenities that you would like.

Lots of good advice here. Let me throw in mine. I have cruised Alaska twice and have another one planned for this May. I have been aboard both Princess and Celebrity. While I usually prefer Celebrity, Princess has the better itinerary. Someone put it perfectly, you CANNOT miss Glacier Bay and Celebrity doesn't go there. Princess isn't as old a demographic as HAL which I wouldn't recommend. As far as NCL, I only have my travel agent's opinion to go on and he isn't pushing it at all.

And definitely get a balcony. It's nice to have breakfast in your room sometimes and just enjoy the view as you sail by or maybe catch sight of a dolphin over morning coffee. Princess is also LGBT friendly and has a meeting posted in their daily newspaper. How many other guys will be onboard is never certain but there almost always are. The gym is also good on Princess. Princess has anytime dining so it's close to Freestyle.

You didn't say whether you plan on the land options at the end or beginning of the cruise but Denali was fantastic.

One other item, Princess and HAL have been doing Alaska for years and tend to get the better berths when in port. Hope all this helps

Do take a look at the Aquafest cruise in August.

Our closest friends Johnny and Randy will be the hosts for this sailing.

They just hosted the Panama Canal cruise in December and everyone raved about how much fun they had.

You will feel like you are traveling with "family".

Check out Aquafest on Facebook.

Have a terrific experience:D

Joe

September is considered the shoulder season for Alaska and when the ships and Alaska will be shutting down for the winter. It will be colder that time of year so you might want to consider an August cruise. There is a reason the September cruises are cheaper!

Definitely get a balcony cold or not. We went in September r/t out of Seattle and even though it was cold and rain, we went out on the balcony many times with binoculars and/or camera in hand. Rest of the time we watched throught the large window and sliding glass door on the Princess.

Princess goes into Glacier Bay (Tracy is the alternating cruise). Make sure NCL goes into the actual Bay as some do not since they don't have NPS permission. Watching the glaciers calf (large pieces breaking off) is a sight not to be missed. We did Tracy the last AK cruise and it was a waste of time indeed.

As you can see I have been on a few Princess ships and have not found the evening activities to be dead. It all depends on who is on board however. I am a night owl and enjoy the late night entertainment.

Thanks for all the great tips! It's official - we're going to Alaska on Norwegian in a Balcony stateroom from 9/14-9/21.

We're really looking forward to it!

Now onto the shore excursion booking... wish me luck :)

That's awesome Todderfic!! Hope you guys have a great time!! :)