Help appreciated by tomorrow! Grandpa's 1st and last cruise.

We are booking a cruise tour last minute to Alaska. I have 2 options on hold and would appreciate feedback on which you believe is best. Grandpa just lost his wife and is finally cruising for the 1st time at 87yo. I am pregnant and a 1st timer, too! We don't hike or drink, we go to bed early and we LOVE food. ;) Dock times are similar for the following 10 day cruise tours:

Holland America Noordam D8L (website refuses to give me details on itinerary) vs Princess Golden CB3

Day 1 Fairbanks vs Fairbanks

Day 2 Denali(coach) McKinley Chalet vs Fairbanks(gold pan and riverboat)

Day 3 Seward vs Denali Wilderness Lodge

Day 4 at Sea vs Whittier (Rail through princess)

Day 5 Glacier Bay vs Hubbard

Day 6 Haines vs Glacier Bay

Day 7 Skagway vs Skagway

Day 8 Juneau vs Juneau

Day 9 Ketchikan vs Ketchikan

Day 10 Inside Passage vs "at sea"

Day 10 Vancouver vs Vancouver

Is the railway a must?

The biggest differences I see are that Princess has the gold/riverboat/railway scheduled on land and visits hubbard whereas holland visits haines. I know both ships are very old (we don't care about this unless there are major issues) and have heard quite a few complaints about the golden. I haven't seen recent noordam posts. Any help is greatly appreciated. This will likely be Grandpa's first and last cruise. Thank you so much for your input.

I can't attest to either cruise specifically, but a 10 day cruise is a big one for the first time! Just my opinion of course. Alaska tends to be very active in their excursions and ports. I know there are lower activity things, but a lot of it is hiking, boat trips, airplane rides, helicopters, etc... I just hope that you're both ready for that, no matter what you decide to do in each port. It may be very limited in what they offer that you're both comfortable doing. Hopefully someone can give you more specific info on each cruise.

One thing I will say is to make sure your grandpa has his passport. I've said it before, but when we went, the hotel concierge was telling us about a family from earlier who had to leave grandpa behind because he had no idea he needed a passport to take an Alaska cruise. He hadn't traveled in decades, and had never needed it before.

Thank you! I figured the trip will be exhausting but will prepare him, too. We are actually in the process of applying for his (rush) passport because he didn't think he would need one! haha. Good information and thanks!

You said you were pregnant. Be sure and determine with the cruise line if you are too far along to be allowed to travel.

If you dont want to do "active" excursions, there are still those to be had. We did Holland Eurodam in May. We highly recommend Glacier Bay. Get a balcony on starboard side if available. Glacier Bay is an entire day of cruising. Inside Passage vs "at sea" same difference. FWIW, we dont drink or hike either and had a wonderful time. Ours was a Seattle round trip.

I’d do the second one, but I really enjoyed the glacier (Hubbard) and the rail when we went a couple weeks ago. Although we did the rail to Seward. I did not go to Haines. I don’t hike either, but took a fair amount of wildlife viewing boats because I really wanted to see whales :)

I don’t think you can make a bad choice here, though. We took my uncle, who lost his wife in March, and I think he really enjoyed it. He said it was the first time he could talk about my aunt without crying.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would lean towards Princess since you get both Glacier Bay and Hubbard plus the train ride, which is nice.

As others said, check with the cruise line regarding their pregnancy policy to ensure you will be allowed to sail. I would also suggest getting a good travel insurance policy that not only covers trip cancellation, but also offers medical coverage and medical evacuation as well. I’m not suggesting anything will happen, but it is a small cost vs potential benefits if needed. We get this each time, just to be safe.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I would skip the cruise tour and maybe just explore for a few days on your own and then do the cruise of your choice. It is easy to drive around Alaska.

Way too much territory to cover for a 3 day land tour, esp if you start in Fairbanks ! You'll spend most of your time travelling with little time to enjoy anything at each destination. That's particularly true at Denali; unless you have 2 nites there you won't have time for the bus trip into the park.

I agree with Coral ... rent a car. It will give you more flexibility in your travels and schedule. OR if you just want to visit Denali, take the train and/or bus. Both companies will even make hotel reservatiaons for you.

https://www.alaskarailroad.com/

http://www.alaskacoach.com/

Oh my goodness, thanks everyone! I will definitely look into more denali time,renting a vehicle & ditching the land tour. Our limit is the tiny timeframe within which we can sail. I have been cleared to sail by both the companies and my dr (thank you for checking though!) and will definitely get an insurance policy. The rooms we have on hold are starboard (phew - I didn't know this when booking!). @celoplyr I'm sorry to hear about your aunt, but what a wonderful, memorable, experience you had with your uncle. Thanks again for all your input. Hoping to finalize plans today!

Sorry about the HAL website. D8L is not a good itinerary. HAL shows it as 10 days and one day is Fairbanks and one is Denali and there is a very long bus ride from Denali to Seward. Skagway is more interesting than Haines for a first cruise. I’m not familiar with the Princess itinerary. Glacier Bay is great and Hubbard Glacier is huge!

Also - if you rent a car, you are best to do RT out of Anchorage and then do a ship's transfer to Seward or Whittier. Rentals out of Seward and Whittier can be very expensive. I would look at either going to Denali or Seward (based on what Grandpa wants) for a few days (one or the other) with your time frame.

I wouldn't worry what side of the ship you are holding a cabin with - there is scenery on both sides and during important days (glacier days), I would be out on deck so that you can move around.

Are there just the two of you? You will get to meet others if you do the Princess cruise tour and it's so much easier than driving. I can't imagine a pregnant lady and an 87 year old grandfather on a self driving trip to a place neither has been before...plus this is last minute. Let Princess show you a bit of Alaska.

I can't attest to either cruise specifically, but a 10 day cruise is a big one for the first time! Just my opinion of course. Alaska tends to be very active in their excursions and ports. I know there are lower activity things, but a lot of it is hiking, boat trips, airplane rides, helicopters, etc... I just hope that you're both ready for that, no matter what you decide to do in each port. It may be very limited in what they offer that you're both comfortable doing. Hopefully someone can give you more specific info on each cruise.

 

 

 

One thing I will say is to make sure your grandpa has his passport. I've said it before, but when we went, the hotel concierge was telling us about a family from earlier who had to leave grandpa behind because he had no idea he needed a passport to take an Alaska cruise. He hadn't traveled in decades, and had never needed it before.

If you are starting and ending the cruise in the US, I don't believe you need a passport?

If you are starting and ending the cruise in the US, I don't believe you need a passport?

Still needed it, we sailed out of Seattle and returned there.

Thanks, everyone! I went with the princess itinerary! I honestly don't have much time to plan (almost 30 days until the trip!) and have 3 babies at home, so I just decided to do the land/cruise as planned. If I had more time, I would definitely research planning my own land portion (in fact, I bought fodors guide to do this!) Thanks for all your help. I am SO excited!

Good choice. Have a great time!

Still needed it, we sailed out of Seattle and returned there.

Passport Requirements - US Citizens. If you are a U.S. Citizen and your Alaska cruise begins and ends in the same US port (Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles) you are not currently required to travel with a passport to Alaska. All cruise lines and WMPH Vacations highly recommend you carry a valid passport.

You do NOT need a passport to start and end in a US port if you are a US Citizen

have a wonderful time...don't worry about doing everything, just enjoy what you & he are up to each day & the time together...

Thanks, everyone! I went with the princess itinerary! I honestly don't have much time to plan (almost 30 days until the trip!) and have 3 babies at home, so I just decided to do the land/cruise as planned. If I had more time, I would definitely research planning my own land portion (in fact, I bought fodors guide to do this!) Thanks for all your help. I am SO excited!

 

You do NOT need a passport to start and end in a US port if you are a US Citizen

You do if the cruiser intends to take the White Pass railroad excursion into British Columbia and/or the Yukon.

You do if the cruiser intends to take the White Pass railroad excursion into British Columbia and/or the Yukon.

That is correct, but to simply go on an Alaskan cruise, you do not need a passport if you are US citizen and it begins and ends in the same US port

If you are starting and ending the cruise in the US, I don't believe you need a passport?

The cruises the OP mentioned are one way cruises from Whittier or Seward to Vancouver so that's not relevant.

That is correct, but to simply go on an Alaskan cruise, you do not need a passport if you are US citizen and it begins and ends in the same US port

But this thread is asking about cruises that start in a US port and end in Canada.

The cruises the OP mentioned are one way cruises from Whittier or Seward to Vancouver so that's not relevant.

I was referring to post 2 and 14--

14 states (which is not true--just trying to clarify)

Still needed it, we sailed out of Seattle and returned there.

But this thread is asking about cruises that start in a US port and end in Canada.

I was referring to post 2 and 14--

14 states ...

"Still needed it, we sailed out of Seattle and returned there"

That is not true and just trying to clarify that part

Certain cruise lines (RCI has been reported) might have passport requirements for boarding beyond what US immigration requires.