Alaska Cruise

[jubjang]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm a new member here. Alaska cruise is my dream vacation. I need all the help I can get to make this dream unforgettable. I assumed from the review that HAL is one of the best cruise for Alaska. Could anyone help providing more information such as:

 

- When would be the best time to go? Will September be too cold ?( esp. for someone from Houston and easily get cold)

- I'm planning to be on board at Seattle. What will be the best way to go to the port?

- Which section of the ship should I book for my room?

- What excursion should I book and how?

- etc.

 

Appreciate all help. Thank in advance.

[Krazy Kruizers]

September will be cooler and more rainy (did it once then) than in late June, July, and the first part of August. The sun is higher the end of June and July and the glaciers tend to calve more then. We loved our Alaskan cruises that we did the end of June and those in July.

 

Seattle - sounds like you are planning a round trip. They have buses that do go to their but you would be better to take a taxi - depending on traffic and accidents it could take anywhere from an hour to two hours to get to the pier. What time were you planning on arriving?

 

What port will you be visiting? What kind of tours are you interested in?

 

We have done the whale watching tours in both Sitka and Juneau. Juneau also has tours to Mendanhall Glacier.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Ketchikan - Saxman Village - Totem Bight State Park - Creek Street (Dolly's House) - Lumberjack show - we have done them all and loved them all. One year we even did a harbor cruise.

 

Skagway - we have done the White Pass Summit Scenic Railway tour a couple of times - loved it. The town itself is great to walk around. Stop by the Red Onion Sallon.

 

Juneau - after touring all day stop by the Red Dog Saloon and become a part of the show in the afternoon - usually around 1:30 - 2.

[DFD1]

KK: I just learned a lot from you. Thanks. We're trying to sort out whether we're going to cruise Alaska this year .

[Without Tessa]

I am going to Alaska in May and learned SO MUCH from the Alaskan board (under ports of call). There are some extremely informative posts that you can find by doing searches - there are some very helpful posters there.

 

I can't give you first hand experience but I have done lots of research and booked the Yukon Horseback Adventure in Skagway, Whale watching in Juneau (Capt. Larry is highly recommended) and a Totem Bight/Saxman Village combo tour with Sourdough in Ketchikan.

 

Planning is part of the fun stuff - have a great time!

[Nanner]

Jubjang, I would strongly suggest you also hang out at the Alaska destination board here on Cruise Critic. I am going on a HAL cruise tour of Alaska in May, and learned a great deal about what excursions to consider there.

 

One thing I've learned is that the Vancouver sailings are supposed to spend more time on the Inside Passage than those out of Seattle. You should research the ports and decide which are most important to you and go from there. Have fun planning!

[MaryEllen1952]

I agree with Nanner as to the time and cruise line. From research I did for several weeks I found: May is a better month due to less kids on the ships; weather is dryer and better for Inside Passage; going out of Vancouver allows more cruise time rather than waiting at port if going into Seattle; Holland America is a smaller ship and better suited for someone age 40+ and not the party atmosphere as ships like Princess and they are very single traveler-friendly. So I booked on HAL for Alaska May Inside Passage/Glacier Bay.

[Time2sail]

Any and all questions have been asked and answered on the Alaska board--type in the "key" word on the thread and read away.

 

Will be going on our first Alaskan cruise May 29 from Seattle (roundtrip) on the Amsterdam. I have several reasons for leaving from Seattle and this is what I chose to do. A day at sea is just fine with me and I want to be on the Amsterdam. I wanted to see Glacier Bay and many of the ports on this cruise so that sealed the deal.

 

Regarding excursions--all are named and how people like them and how much they cost and where to find them are on the Alaska board. I booked mine from the many wonderful suggestions according to my likes and what I really wanted to see. There is something for everybody and the conventional wisdom is get out and see Alaska. Don't just walk around in the shops and miss the beauty of Alaska.

 

The anticipation and planning has been tons of fun. Now, I can't wait until we cruise.:)

[SeaCruiser_1]

I have sailed HAL both from Vancouver Inside Passage and the Seattle Alaskan Explorer (The Amsterdam) They both were remarkable cruises.

 

Cruising the inside passage was interesting and a scenic experience but we also enjoyed Victoria Island and Sitka offered by the Seattle departure. Flights were more reasonable to Seattle from the value point of view.

 

As far as cabin selection goes I had 28 people in the group that I had organized. Catagory choices ranged from MM to Suite (and many in between)all based on their travel budgets. I can assure you that those participants that had economy accommodations had just as good of time as those who were in the suite. ALL absolutely were thrilled with their onboard experience!

 

Enjoy planning your trip!

 

Sea..

[Cauvet]

We went on the O last June (last week) out of Seattle and I assume this is the cruise you will be taking. We booked transfers through the Grey Line to the ship which turned out to be a big hassle and would suggest you book transfers through HAL. Grey Line took you to a hotel where you had to wait for another bus which didn't come for about an hour. If you are staying in a hotel prior to sailing, take a cab--the piers aren't too far from downtown. The NCL ship actually docks right downtown.

 

The O tries really hard to cater to families and a younger crowd on this 7 day cruise and the average age of passengers was far younger than on other HAL cruises. Many families.

 

We booked "last minute" and got an ss suite for cheaper than regular verandas were going for. We were on the port side but think starboard had better views when docked.

 

We have cruised in June and September. It is colder in September and more drizzly although we also have had great weather a couple of days. Last year, you may recall, Alaska had a heat wave that lasted for a couple of months. The weeks before we left, the temp was in the 90's! Our week was a little more seasonable--60's. It stays light really late. I took a great pic of a sunset and it was after 11 pm. I like September because it just seemed more like Alaska should be, plus the prices come down. While you are cruising around Hubbard Glacier, they pass out hot pea soup to warm you up. Nice touch. I just thought it was eerie being light all the time.

 

We took a walking tour in Sitka which was very interesting and informative. The guide was great. In Juneau, we took the Brewery Tour. If you like beer, Alaska Brewery has great beers. A couple of years ago, we took the city bus there, but it was much easier on the tour! You can book tours online once you have paid for the cruise. You can check out the shore excursions online at any time. Bon Voyage!

[jubjang]

KK:

Thank you so much for your response.

 

Tell you the truth, this is an early stage of my Alaska research. I even can't tell you what I expect from Alaska. But I wish I could see the real Alaska, the beautiful and unique scenic and culture. I'm not much interesting in shopping.

 

I'm new to this country and will be here for only 2 years. So this might be the " Once in a Life Time" chance for me. I welcome all suggesstions you think it will make my trip more joyful.

 

I can't thank you enough.

 

 

 

 

Ketchikan - Saxman Village - Totem Bight State Park - Creek Street (Dolly's House) - Lumberjack show - we have done them all and loved them all. One year we even did a harbor cruise.

 

Skagway - we have done the White Pass Summit Scenic Railway tour a couple of times - loved it. The town itself is great to walk around. Stop by the Red Onion Sallon.

 

Juneau - after touring all day stop by the Red Dog Saloon and become a part of the show in the afternoon - usually around 1:30 - 2.

[Bookish Angel]

Hubby and I went to Alaska last September 11 - 18 and the weather was wonderful and the ports less crowded. Cool (upper 40's during the day) and not much rain except for Ketchikan which made for a chilly, wet tour of the totem village but I hardly noticed as the art was so beautiful.

 

Definitely see the State Museum in Juneau. It is a terrific place to learn about and see First Nation culture and art. It is only about 2 miles from the port (as I recall) and made for a nice, invigorating walk. All of the ports are small enough to comfortably walk and thus save taxi fares.

 

Skagway: The White Pass Railway was terrific. We spent a lot of time out on the platform to get a better view. After the train ride, we bummed around downtown Skagway which was very windy but warm. Got some great hot pretzels there at a little place run by a young couple and near the post office (I think!).

 

Prince Rupert. What a lovely and friendly little town and the best port on the cruise, in my opinion. We went to the museum there as well and saw First Nation dances, ceremonies and art. We also did our own walking tour of the town (hubby and I are big into walking!) and met some nice folks in the shops. The Safeway there is surprisingly interesting as there are many imported foods there. It was so warm in Prince Rupert that I bought a t-shirt and stowed my long-sleeve shirt and fleece I'd been wearing in my backpack.

 

A warning about souvenirs: many are not made by native folks. If authenticity and supporting native peoples' work is important to you, ask for authenticating info before buying. Galligaskins in Juneau had some terrific imports such as Tibetan-design woolens, etc. as well as higher-end stuff. I got 2005 Alaska calendars for 50 cents each at another store in Juneau. Lots of bargains in September.

 

We had a balcony cabin and would never cruise any other way as long as we can afford that perk. Alaska's scenery is so inspiring that we spent a great deal of time on our balcony. I packed a special blanket just for balcony-sitting, but only used it once. I was amazed at the number of rainbows we saw in that week!

 

We read copiously about Alaska before the trip to economize our time in order to see what was important to us. I'd recommend Frommer's Alaska 2004 or later as a good guide.

 

Seattle is a great town! Lots of ethnic restaurants, public art and a stunning central library full of minimalist architecture that I could have spent many more days exploring. Cafe Copacabana at Pike Market has the best Bolivian food I have ever tasted and if the weather is good, you can sit out on their verandah and smell the fresh flowers from the market across the street.

 

Have a great time in Alaska; everyone should feel dwarfed by nature now and again!

[Budget Queen]

Yes head over to the Alaska board, all your information is there. But for clairfication- overall there are VERY few kids on board compared to the Caribbean - that shouldn't be a factor with booking. Sept- has the potential for the worse of the season sailing weather, last 2 seasons were exceptional, but the averages are NOT over the past 10 years. Dusk by 7pm mid Sept is also a big negative. May can be wonderful, but not for a one way cruise and interior touring, at least not before the end of May. Denali Park is a highlight for most, you do not have good access until June 1. If going one way, I never recommend it without at least another week for interior touring, vastly different than the cruise and worthwhile, Alaska isn't a frequent destination for most, take advantage of being there. :) Head to your library, the more you know the better. :)