Kind of off topic but what is first day at sea like?

[tootsiescurly]

Can any of you who have cruised out of Seattle tell me what the first day at sea is like. We are sailing to Alaska in September. Wondering if the conditions on the Pacific are choppy. Thank you for any info!!!

[Texas Tillie]

Can any of you who have cruised out of Seattle tell me what the first day at sea is like. We are sailing to Alaska in September. Wondering if the conditions on the Pacific are choppy. Thank you for any info!!!

 

I've done one Seattle roundtrip - the first day was fine, however, the last day was 20 foot seas and 60 MPH winds!:eek:

[Yukon]

Can any of you who have cruised out of Seattle tell me what the first day at sea is like. We are sailing to Alaska in September. Wondering if the conditions on the Pacific are choppy.

 

Sea conditions are just like the weather - it could be anything from calm to 40-foot seas. If rough seas bother you, you've picked both the worst time and the worst itinerary.

[tootsiescurly]

Sea conditions are just like the weather - it could be anything from calm to 40-foot seas. If rough seas bother you, you've picked both the worst time and the worst itinerary.

Is it choppy in the inland passage as well? They don't really bother me that much. Just thought the inland passage was a little tamer.

[Yukon]

Is it choppy in the inland passage as well? They don't really bother me that much. Just thought the inland passage was a little tamer.

 

The Inside Passage is a series of somewhat sheltered channels, so is calmer. Sailing out of Seattle, most of your first day and a half and the last day are in the open ocean.

[tootsiescurly]

The Inside Passage is a series of somewhat sheltered channels, so is calmer. Sailing out of Seattle, most of your first day and a half and the last day are in the open ocean.

The first stop is Juneau,followed by Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan. It ends in Vancouver thus we only have one way to deal with the weather or swell.

[chipmaster]

A bit harsh to call it worst itnerary :D You could get rough seas anytime but Sept is obviously less than the best of times on a more exposed route.

Sea conditions are just like the weather - it could be anything from calm to 40-foot seas. If rough seas bother you, you've picked both the worst time and the worst itinerary.

[Yukon]

A bit harsh to call it worst itnerary

 

It is what it is....

[PennyAgain]

I agree with Yukon. Out of Seattle or returning there can be rough. I much prefer Vancouver for many reasons, but the better sea conditions are high on my list as my poor husband gets sea sick easily.

[june18susy]

A bit harsh to call it worst itnerary :D You could get rough seas anytime but Sept is obviously less than the best of times on a more exposed route.

 

i am not sure that your return trip is evan in the inside passage, i have done this a few times, and it can be "anything", be prepared, and have fun!

[martinsfo]

We sailed out of SF and the first day was very interesting. About midway through the day, the seas calmed right down. The roughest seas I've ever encountered were south of San Diego on the way to Mexico's Pacific coast. That day had its serious ups and downs.

[Putterdude]

I have to agree, the Seattle itinerary is a poor cousin to the Vancouver itinerary. The reason the Seattle itinerary is often preferred by the American market is because it generally cheaper to fly to Seattle rather then Vancouver and it saves having to cross the border.

[tootsiescurly]

I have to agree, the Seattle itinerary is a poor cousin to the Vancouver itinerary. The reason the Seattle itinerary is often preferred by the American market is because it generally cheaper to fly to Seattle rather then Vancouver and it saves having to cross the border.

You are absolutely correct!!!

[kennicott]

Can any of you who have cruised out of Seattle tell me what the first day at sea is like. We are sailing to Alaska in September. Wondering if the conditions on the Pacific are choppy. Thank you for any info!!!

 

 

Hey, Just kidding. Actually, you can expect a non-event sea-wise even in September. But in the rare occurrence you don’t, enjoy it, much more fun. If you like to dance, you have the floor(s) all to yourself.

 

As a kid, we used to travel from central Alaska to Seattle all the time. Some of it in outside (Gulf) waters, never experienced anything significant, darn. Mom was more worried about the new radars on the ships then, if they went out chances of hitting a rock in the inside passage was a great concern of hers, (hindsight now, as it never was that big a deal.). Always calm then, and who knows, did the radar work or not?

 

Last spring, May, we did Alaska, two weeks, begining in San Fran. outside in the ocean almost all of the way, except when on the inside for the obligatory southeast port and glacier visits. Far north port was Valdez. Mill pond all the way north and south. I had more problems with getting sunburn at the glaciers than worrying about rough seas.

 

Recently, we figured out that we have been on the oceans, since 1990, a total of close to a full year. All the way south to all the way north (heck, we are all the way north, so no big deal there). Lots of crossings and circumnavigating of, the two big ponds. During 90% of our sea travels, the captain could have taken my wife water skiing.

 

You know what, only one rough trip, or, the first three days of a month long cruise then, which was in 1997 on a north Atlantic crossing from New York to Gibraltar, in mid April. First three days out was something. We thought we were the only ones on the ship for a while. The bed in the stateroom would bottom out at night when we started coming up out of the deep troughs. But after three, it really calmed, then we found out the dance floor and dinning room were packed. We really loved it, during the rough that is.

 

Mill pond oceans are by far the norm.

 

Quit worrying and enjoy.

[tootsiescurly]

Hey, Just kidding. Actually, you can expect a non-event sea-wise even in September. But in the rare occurrence you don’t, enjoy it, much more fun. If you like to dance, you have the floor(s) all to yourself.

 

As a kid, we used to travel from central Alaska to Seattle all the time. Some of it in outside (Gulf) waters, never experienced anything significant, darn. Mom was more worried about the new radars on the ships then, if they went out chances of hitting a rock in the inside passage was a great concern of hers, (hindsight now, as it never was that big a deal.). Always calm then, and who knows, did the radar work or not?

 

Last spring, May, we did Alaska, two weeks, begining in San Fran. outside in the ocean almost all of the way, except when on the inside for the obligatory southeast port and glacier visits. Far north port was Valdez. Mill pond all the way north and south. I had more problems with getting sunburn at the glaciers than worrying about rough seas.

 

Recently, we figured out that we have been on the oceans, since 1990, a total of close to a full year. All the way south to all the way north (heck, we are all the way north, so no big deal there). Lots of crossings and circumnavigating of, the two big ponds. During 90% of our sea travels, the captain could have taken my wife water skiing.

 

You know what, only one rough trip, or, the first three days of a month long cruise then, which was in 1997 on a north Atlantic crossing from New York to Gibraltar, in mid April. First three days out was something. We thought we were the only ones on the ship for a while. The bed in the stateroom would bottom out at night when we started coming up out of the deep troughs. But after three, it really calmed, then we found out the dance floor and dinning room were packed. We really loved it, during the rough that is.

 

Mill pond oceans are by far the norm.

 

Quit worrying and enjoy.

Thank you!!! You made me smile!!!

[aussiegav]

what are the seas normally like at the end of May to start of june I have booked a cruise round trip from Seattle and do get bad sea sick and are starting to get a bit worried thanks

[SeattleCruiselover]

what are the seas normally like at the end of May to start of june I have booked a cruise round trip from Seattle and do get bad sea sick and are starting to get a bit worried thanks

 

Early and late in the season have the most potential to be rough, due to winter storms. Be glad you are not out there today, in the midst of our big snow storm, with winds up to 50-60 knots at the ocean beaches before the end of the day.

[Yukon]

what are the seas normally like at the end of May to start of june I have booked a cruise round trip from Seattle and do get bad sea sick and are starting to get a bit worried thanks

 

The precise time you're coming is when I usually recommend that people come because it's the sunniest part of a normal cruise season. Despite what SeattleCruiselover, April is when the seas are bad, not late May.

[Budget Queen]

, April is when the seas are bad, not late May.

 

I'll add, that my trip in 2008, had VERY rough sailing in late May, with a boatload of sick passengers and barf bags posted everywhere, both directions.

[Budget Queen]

what are the seas normally like at the end of May to start of june I have booked a cruise round trip from Seattle and do get bad sea sick and are starting to get a bit worried thanks

 

You need to get to your health care professional and determine what preventions are available.

 

You are VERY likely to have rough sailing at some point.

[Yukon]

I'll add, that my trip in 2008, had VERY rough sailing in late May, with a boatload of sick passengers and barf bags posted everywhere, both directions.

 

And that's why we always say that you can work the odds but still need to "hope for the best and be prepared for anything".

[Budget Queen]

I've sailed Alaska many times, since 1994. It isn't just "round trip Seattle" you have to worry about, IF you are prone to motion sickness. I have experienced some extremly rough sailings on my round trip Vancouver cruises. There is NO way to predict and you are on water. EXPECT motion, that's the ONLY prediction you can get.

[reefgirl]

It's all a matter of perspective. I chose a Seattle round trip this June because I liked the itinerary and it doesn't bother me to be out in the open ocean. I welcome a little rough weather. Makes me feels like I'm on a ship.

[AlanAllyn]

On our round-trip Seattle last June on the Amsterdam, we sailed east of Vancouver Island going north. When I woke up the first morning, I thought I could throw a baseball to land in either direction (though it was not quite that close). We had much open sea later in the trip but were fortunate that the seas were quite calm.

[Yukon]

On our round-trip Seattle last June on the Amsterdam, we sailed east of Vancouver Island going north.

 

You got lucky - on our Amsterdam out of Seattle we did the usual open-ocean first day (but had good sea conditions). It's great being in the narrow channels, isn't it?