Alaska or Canada?

I have a choice of several itineraries (all 7-night cruises):

• At Sea | Juneau, AK | Cruise Glacier Bay | Sitka, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Victoria, BC
  
• At Sea | Cruise Glacier Bay | Haines, AK | Juneau, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Cruise Inside Passage
  
• Puget Sound, WA | At Sea | Juneau, AK / Scenic cruising Stephens Passage | Cruise Hubbard Glacier / Sitka, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Victoria, BC
  
• Cruise St. Lawrence River | Quebec City, QC | Cruise Gulf of St. Lawrence | Charlottetown, PE | Sydney, NS | Halifax, NS | Bar Harbor, ME
  

I visited Sitka/Ketchikan/Skagway years ago on an AK cruise and wasn't too impressed. Victoria BC is amazing. I've heard Quebec City is too.

Recommendations/comments?

I have a choice of several itineraries (all 7-night cruises):

 

• 
   
  
• At Sea | Juneau, AK | Cruise Glacier Bay | Sitka, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Victoria, BC
   
  
• At Sea | Cruise Glacier Bay | Haines, AK | Juneau, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Cruise Inside Passage
   
  
• Puget Sound, WA | At Sea | Juneau, AK / Scenic cruising Stephens Passage | Cruise Hubbard Glacier / Sitka, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Victoria, BC
   
  
• Cruise St. Lawrence River | Quebec City, QC | Cruise Gulf of St. Lawrence | Charlottetown, PE | Sydney, NS | Halifax, NS | Bar Harbor, ME
   
  

I visited Sitka/Ketchikan/Skagway years ago on an AK cruise and wasn't too impressed. Victoria BC is amazing. I've heard Quebec City is too.

 

 

 

Recommendations/comments?

Having sailed to both locations with HAL I personally would choose the Canada/NE cruise. The itinerary is wonderful but I would go in early to Quebec City, very beautiful and a must see! Enjoy

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would choose Canada also. Quebec is amazing, Halifax is lovely too. Not much in Sydney.

Alaska and Eastern Canada are our two favorite cruise destinations. We just got home from our fourth Canada/New England cruise and will cruise to Alaska next year.

I, too, would choose Canada/New England if I were you, since you have already seen Alaska. We like to start our Canadian cruises in Montreal and the second day of the cruise visit Quebec City. Either way, you should enjoy a Canadian itinerary.

We have done quite a few Alaskan cruises and we do love all those itineraries.

We have also done several Canada/New England -- various itineraries.

Since you have done Alaska, go for the Canada.New England cruise.

I'm sure which ever one you do, you'll enjoy it. Bon Voyage.

Allan

Forgot to mention two things: cruises are in June, and DD12 has never been to Alaska or Canada. She loves wildlife excursions.

Forgot to mention two things: cruises are in June, and DD12 has never been to Alaska or Canada. She loves wildlife excursions.

Since they are June I assume you start in Montreal and end in Boston so going early to Quebec will not work. Great itinerary though!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

East Coast for sure with a few extra days in Quebec City, (stay in the old part if you can).

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I would choose Canada also. Quebec is amazing, Halifax is lovely too. Not much in Sydney.

]

Both are wonderful b ut knowing nothing a bout you makes it near imposible to suggest oe n over the other.

I have a choice of several itineraries (all 7-night cruises):

 

 

 

• At Sea | Juneau, AK | Cruise Glacier Bay | Sitka, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Victoria, BC
  
• At Sea | Cruise Glacier Bay | Haines, AK | Juneau, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Cruise Inside Passage
  
• Puget Sound, WA | At Sea | Juneau, AK / Scenic cruising Stephens Passage | Cruise Hubbard Glacier / Sitka, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Victoria, BC
  
• Cruise St. Lawrence River | Quebec City, QC | Cruise Gulf of St. Lawrence | Charlottetown, PE | Sydney, NS | Halifax, NS | Bar Harbor, ME
  

I visited Sitka/Ketchikan/Skagway years ago on an AK cruise and wasn't too impressed. Victoria BC is amazing. I've heard Quebec City is too.

 

Recommendations/comments?

Personallly, I prefer Quebec City in ealy Augrust and have enjoyed fabulous weather there. The city is so floral 'in season' an the window boxes, p;lanters etc add so much charm Quebec City. They are so beautiful when in full bloom.

While I love cruising and visiting Alaska and British Columbia AND the New England/Canada cruises as well, your comment in your post earlier today - I would say your DD12 would much prefer the Alaska cruise in terms of wildlife! Good chance of seeing lots of wildlife versus the Eastern cruises - not so much. IF that is important to her I think your choice is clear - Alaska. Otherwise, for me I would lean toward the East Coast cruise as I have spent much time in Alaska - land and cruise.

Even if you had not already done an Alaskan cruise, I would recommend the Canadian itinerary. We did the Canada cruise 3 years ago and just got back last week from the Alaska cruise. While we did see some amazing scenery in Alaska ( we were lucky with the weather), it was too early in the season for much wildlife and all of the excursions were so expensive! (We ended up doing self-guided tours and hiking in each of the ports.)

My concern is that the weather can be iffy in Alaska in June and there might not be much wildlife out yet.

On the other hand, we found gorgeous weather and plenty of neat things to do on the Canada cruise that were free or low-cost. For example, we rented a car in Charlottetown and drove to some interesting places, ending up at the delicious COWS Creamery for ice cream. (Plus there's the whole "Anne of Green Gables" thing if your GD is into that.).

And while Sydney itself is not too interesting, there are some good places to go that are nearby. We went to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum which was fascinating and we took out some of their free kites to fly!

Quebec is not to be missed and there are some wonderful hikes in Acadia NP at Bar Harbor (plus a real old-fashioned drug store soda fountain in Bar Harbor.)

We had amazing cruise on Veendam from Boston to Montreal in the beginning of September.

But for us it is not a question of "or", but "and".

I was going to recommend the NE/Canada cruise until you mentioned your DD loves wildlife. Much better chance of seeing wildlife in Alaska than on the NE/Canada itinerary.

In June Alaska will be daylight almost all of the 24 hours, if not sunlight. The long, lingering twilights that seem to go on forever are a delight around the summer solstice. Take a night to try to stay up until the sky gets dark!

I have a choice of several itineraries (all 7-night cruises):

• At Sea | Juneau, AK | Cruise Glacier Bay | Sitka, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Victoria, BC
  
• At Sea | Cruise Glacier Bay | Haines, AK | Juneau, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Cruise Inside Passage
  
• Puget Sound, WA | At Sea | Juneau, AK / Scenic cruising Stephens Passage | Cruise Hubbard Glacier / Sitka, AK | Ketchikan, AK | Victoria, BC
  
• Cruise St. Lawrence River | Quebec City, QC | Cruise Gulf of St. Lawrence | Charlottetown, PE | Sydney, NS | Halifax, NS | Bar Harbor, ME
  

I visited Sitka/Ketchikan/Skagway years ago on an AK cruise and wasn't too impressed. Victoria BC is amazing. I've heard Quebec City is too.

 

Recommendations/comments?

I would do something you have never done before. The St Lawrence was interesting. You will love Quebec City and PE as well as Halifax and Bar Harbor. In Halifax you must do the Titanic Cemetary tour combined with Peggy's Cover. and Bar Harbor is so dang charming and nice shopping.

Another vote for the Canada/NE cruise, unless wildlife is a deal-breaker for your DD. Go into the booking process and look for the page where they offer you the PDF of the excursion brochure. See what excursions are offered in the various Alaska ports and whether they would be important to her. Even if you don't intend to use HAL's excursions, it gives you an idea of the kinds of things that are available.

One problem with some of the 7-day Alaska cruises is odd port times, like not getting to Juneau until afternoon or Victoria late afternoon. Of course, June will give you long days, so that might help with the late arrivals.

Alaska is wild and beautiful but except for the glaciers a lot of it looks the same. Canada is interesting, so much to see and do, lots of variety in things to do. Did you and/or your daughter ever read Anne of Green Gables? If so, that's a must-do on PEI. Halifax has many good options, including a wonderful maritime museum. I think Bar Harbor has whale watch trips, although I don't know what the best season is for seeing whales in the northeast. And if you take this cruise, there will be plenty of opportunities for LOBSTAH and CHOWDAH!!! On one of our Canada/NE cruises, I made it my mission to have lobster roll in every port!

Another thought... if the trip is planned August or later.... I recommend skipping Alaska's wet and storm season. There's a reason AK cruises get cheap in August.

Sent from my BBB100-1 using Forums mobile app

Having cruised a few Alaska and East Coast Canada/New England itineraries and had to choose between the two, I would recommend the Canada/New England cruise.

You would be starting in Montreal, one of my favorite places, I would suggest arriving a few days early to visit the sights and explore. Prince Edward Island another exceptional place to visit, especially the lighthouses.

Halifax, another of my favorites, much to see and explore as well.

But, if it is wildlife you are looking for, then I would suggest Alaska, maybe one that visits Tracy Arm and the twin Sawyer Glacier.

Which ever you choose, it will be exciting.

I'd vote for Alaska over Canada/New England--but I love the scenery and never get tired of it. But if you end up choosing Canada/New England, you can plan on a whale watching excursion for your daughter. I know they do them from Bar Harbor and may do them in other ports.

Forgot to mention two things: cruises are in June, and DD12 has never been to Alaska or Canada. She loves wildlife excursions.

Are you asking about June of 2018?

If it is 2018 I would suggest Canada, but your DD will most likely not see any wildlife there..

If you want to see wildlife then go to Alaska, but 7 days is really not enough time to spend in Alaska... Alaska is wonderful & if you can see your way clear, & can afford it I would suggest you take a land tour first & then do the cruise.. :cool: