hjd36

We are from the UK and did the Alaska trip in August 2016. We didn't do a land portion in Alaska but did do the Rocky Mountaineer. We were very limited on holiday dates as my OH works in a school and I am employed part-time in a factory which closes for 2 weeks in the summer, so that's the 2 weeks we had to take. It involved a sprint for OH leaving school on the last day of term to get to Heathrow for the Friday evening flight!

I have the full spreadsheet of everything we did; I booked it all myself directly.

Fri 22/7/16 flight Heathrow to Calgary, stayed overnight Calgary.

Sat 23/7 transfer bus Calgary to Banff, stayed 1 night Banff.

Sun 24/7 board Rocky Mountaineer Banff to Kamloops, overnight Kamloops.

Mon 25/7 Rocky Mountaineer Kamloops to Vancouver.

Mon 25/7 to Sat 30/7 Vancouver. Did a lot, would be happy to go back again, loved Vancouver.

Sat 30/7 boarded Star Princess Northbound. Wonderful cruise, I booked activities for every port day.

Sat 6/8 left Star Princess, transfer to Anchorage, stay overnight.

Sun 7/8 fly Anchorage to Seattle, fly Seattle to Heathrow (arrive Mon 8/8)

Wed 10/8 back to work for me.

We decided to fly back via Seattle as we thought going from USA to Canada to UK could be more hassle than USA-USA-UK. Also more choice of flights. Flight out to Calgary was direct with BA, Anchorage to Seattle with Alaska Air, Seattle to Heathrow with BA.

It certainly wasn't cheap but was the holiday of a lifetime.

I was in C722 on the Star Northbound end July/start of August this year.

Think we probably got first view of some sights but honestly don't think it matters. You are sailing to Alaska and you have a balcony. What more could you want??

We went whale watching on M/V Scania - Adventures in Alaska - and would thoroughly recommend it. Saw killer whales as well as humpbacks, plenty of bubble feeding, and the ubiquitous sealions. There were only 6 passengers on the small boat and had a great time.

http://www.whalewatchingjuneau.com

We have just come back from the Star Princess northbound cruise. On 1 August (docked at Ketchikan) we went bear watching with Carlin Air - floatplane to Traitor's Cove. Cost $369pp. Would definitely recommend it.

http://www.carlinair.com/Ketchikan-tours/Ketchikan-bear-viewing-tours

We saw bears just sitting in the middle of the stream feeding plus a mum and cubs walking across where our path was about to go, and in the undergrowth.

We were on the Star Northbound 30 July to 6 August and then did the 26 glacier tour before going to Anchorage. The tour boat docked between 5.30 and 5.45. We had to get in the coach and queue up for the 6pm tunnel opening, which we made.

Whittier is very compact and the cruise terminal is immediately next to the boat dock.

I just received a message from Princess to come to Canada Place in Vancouver early (between 10am and 12 instead of 1-3) because of multiple ships in port that day and problems with customs.

 

Can anyone provide some recent information on embarkation in Vancouver?

How long did it take?

What should I expect?

Also who exactly takes your luggage when you show up?

 

Thanks everyone!!

We left Vancouver on Saturday 26 July. There were 2 ships in dock. We had exactly the same message. Turned up just before 11am. Took best part of an hour from arrival to being in the holding lounge to board, then probably 20-30 minutes till it was our turn to board.

However, the longest wait by far was for immigration. As we are UK citizens this took very much longer than for the US citizens. US citizens would have been at least 20 minutes faster.

We arrived by taxi; the taxi was directed to an area in the car park and there were people ready there to take the luggage.

Blocks of £65 still available booked cruise in April for Sept28th sailing.

Bought 6 blocks to day £395 😀

You were robbed - should have been £390...

After reading this thread, I bought OBC this morning at £65 per $100. Just logged in again and it is still at that rate for me. Cruise leaving in 5 weeks - maybe different for cruises further away?

Thanks to those who posted this or I wouldn't have known.

Nor for the UK.

Try allclearcruise.co.uk who will give quotes from various different companies. I have several conditions and have got cover with them for an Alaskan cruise (cover was actually with all clear but did have other options).

Also see the guide here

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/pre-existing-travel-insurance

Have you read this guide?

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/pre-existing-travel-insurance

I managed to get insurance for a cruise in 2013 which was 3.5 months after a heart bypass. It was more than 6 weeks after the op, which seemed to be their cut off point.

Last year just for a normal European holiday had more problems as I was awaiting tests for stomach pain and it's the under investigation bit they don't like.

Insured with All Clear this year, with several medical conditions, for an Alaskan cruise. All Clear have a specialist cruise department (allclearcruise.co.uk ) which will give you a choice of insurers.

Buffet - tea bag in the cup. Dining room and International Cafe - in a teapot. At least that what I found on the ships that we've been on. We're going to be on the Star for the first time in a few weeks so I don't know for sure about that ship yet.

Thanks.

Has to be in a pot for me!

Can anyone tell me if tea is served in a teapot or as a teabag in a cup please? Thank you.

(On the Star in Alaska this summer).

We have chosen the Star Northbound because we have very limited time/dates available, and it fits!

To be honest, it's the cruise of a lifetime - we are coming from the UK - and expensive but since we have only ever done one cruise before, on Celebrity, we don't have any Princess cruises/ships to compare with.

We are going to enjoy it and I am sure we would do so whatever the ship.

That's the exact cruise we have booked, leaving Vancouver 30 July.

Sounds very similar to what we have in mind, may I ask who you're booking your trip through?

We're doing it all ourselves.

Cruise booked direct with Princess (no offers but only £50 deposit till end Feb).

Rocky Mountaineer direct as well.

We were thinking of flights through Princess but since we are arriving a week before the cruise and not leaving till the day after we disembark, we reckoned it was going to be OK. We can get a good rate on the flights elsewhere and insurance is sorted.

We are also from the UK and are doing our first Alaska cruise this July. We were very limited on dates, due to work. Also wanted to do Rocky Mountaineer and spend some time in Vancouver. We had the choice between Princess Northbound and Celebrity Infinity round trip.

We have cruised once before, Norwegian Fjords on Celebrity Infinity. Would have been very happy to sail on Infinity again, but in the end decided we wanted Glacier Bay and would prefer one way to RT.

We fly into Calgary, take the Rocky Mountaineer to Vancouver, spend some time in Vancouver then cruise on the Star Princess. After cruise probably a day around Anchorage (that's all the spare time we have) before flying home from Anchorage.

Still busy planning! Have booked cruise and Rocky Mountaineer, just finalising flights.

Let us know what you decide.

Booked the cruise!

30/7 Star Princess Voyage of the Glaciers Northbound.

In a Caribe Deck aft balcony.

Thank you for your help!

Thanks. Nothing facing the aft available. If the only reason for the extra cost is the fact that it's nearer the middle, I would go for one like C714. Great to know we wouldn't be missing out on anything by paying the extra.

Narrowing the choice down!!

We have decided on our cruise - now need to pick the cabin!

There is nothing above a balcony available, but we will be very happy with a balcony. Some floors sold out.

I understand that Caribe deck balconies are larger than Baja deck ones. Baja ones are covered - are Caribe deck balconies partially covered? I have been viewing youtube videos but not sure.

Would prefer to be aft/mid-aft.

So, possibilities include - C616, described as a Premium balcony, category B2; alternatively C714/C742 are ordinary balconies, category BD. Does anyone know what the difference is (apart from £150 more per person?) - both types shown as the same floor area.

Any assistance would be great. Thank you.

If you are going to Victoria - then it won't be a problem. I would consider spending a night or two there. It is pretty long for a day trip there, do able but long.

Thanks - we haven't gone into too much detail on the activities yet, just wanted to make sure the main itinerary stood up first.

We'll definitely be going to Victoria and also have old friends to look up in Vancouver, so don't think the amount of time there will be a problem.

Whistler is a possibility.

Thank you.

The Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver is only 2 days/1 night, so you would arrive in Vancouver on Monday evening. Vancouver is a great city, but I wouldn't spend 4 days/5 nights there, at the expense of time in the Canadian Rockies. The July 27 Banff to Vancouver train is an option, allowing you more time to see Banff, Lake Louise, and maybe Jasper. However, that would give you only 2 nights and one full day in Vancouver.

 

Post cruise - since you don't have to be home until Tuesday the 9th, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to go to the airport when you disembark on the 6th. See a bit of Alaska and catch up on your sleep later!

Well spotted - missed that bit!

Later train doesn't give enough time in Vancouver for what we want, though.

Re flying back at the end - maybe another day in Alaska but not more than that - with jet lag need some time to recover before going back to work.

Well, we have been discussing this and have come up with the following:

Fri 22/07 fly London to Calgary (early evening flight) - shuttle to Banff, stay 2 nights in Banff.

Sun 24/07 am leave Banff on Rocky Mountaineer

Tues 26/07 eve arrive Vancouver. Stay in Vancouver for 4 nights. Sightsee and trips.

Sat 30/07 leave Vancouver to cruise on Star Princess Voyage of the Glaciers Northbound.

Sat 06/08 arrive Whittier early am. Transfer to Anchorage airport (via wildlife centre?)

Sat 06/08 early pm flight from Anchorage to London, with one change, probably Seattle.

Sun 07/08 early pm arrive London.

Does this look do-able?

We would have preferred to fly out on Sat 23/07 but flights arrive late pm that day and Rocky Mountaineer leaves early Sunday morning, so there would be no time built in for contingencies. OH finishes work lunchtime Fri 22/07 and we live pretty close to Heathrow, so that should work out.

Is it worth staying one night in Calgary and one in Banff rather than two nights in Calgary? Two nights in the same place is less disruptive (and with less unpacking!), but it will have been a long day already due to the 9 hour time difference with the UK.

Cruise with Princess means we get to see Glacier Bay.

At the end of the cruise, it seems that an early afternoon departure from Anchorage wouldn't be too rushed. Don't know how much in advance you have to check in. Some of the flights on Expedia give only just over 1 hour in Seattle which seems too short to me. Is 2 hours a reasonable time to allow for transit or should it be longer? There are various options.

Hope some of you will be able to comment on the practical points and thanks for reading.

Before this thread turns into an argument about train vs. bus vs. car - the OP has stated that she and her husband want to take the train! I have no bones to pick with those who choose the Rocky Mountaineer. My sister and brother-in-law were on the Rocky Mountaineer several years ago and loved it. If they had offered to pay my way - I'd have been more than happy to go, too! :D ;)

Thank you, yes - that bit is non-negotiable!