Dumb question - too many "at sea" days in Alaska?

[Travel Travel Travel]

I am planning an Alaskan cruise next year with DH, 2 teenagers, and our three sets of parents. Lots of different preferences! It appears we'll have to do a Round trip cruise, as some are not willing to pay the airfare for a one way. :( My fear is that there is so much time spent on the ship for the RT tours. I was looking at some from Vancouver and including the Glacier cruising days, there can be 4 ship days. This is a stupid question, but do people get bored? On the Glacier days (Hubbard, Glacier Bay) you don't get off the ship at all, right?

 

Please excuse my ignorance. I just want to book a trip that makes the whole group happy.

[fsdj1097]

On the R/t Seattle, the first full day is at sea, and the last day ends with a short stop in Victoria, BC. There is so much to do on a cruise ship, that being bored is almost impossible. All cruise lines have kids clubs that will have the youth doing things like scavenger hunts, designing tie-dye t-shirts, cooking classes, etc. Holland America has a series called Enrichment at Sea that teaches everything from culinary classes to computer classes. There are group games, bingo, libraries, workout facilities, internet access, wi-fi access for your laptop, spa facilities that offer manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, thermal pools, and other beauty shop services. R/t Vancouver iteneraries are true inside passage cruises. We try and spend quite a bit of time soaking in the beauty of the temperate rainforest and watching for passing pods of whales and other aquatic wildlife.

 

To us, the sea days are the best as you can do as much or as little as you like. Boredom is never an issue for us.

[KansasCityTBone]

It depends on your Itinerary. If you're doing 2 weeks and there's only 4 sea days, not a big deal. Hubbard Glacier is beautiful - you'll love that day.

 

The teenagers most likely will be in the teen club texting other teens on the ship or playing video games - I promise they won't be bored if they are sociable!!!

 

I think you'll be allright - just wear them out with long excursions on the port days and they will be gratefull they can relax on the sea days!

[bqkali]

I have to take the other side of the issue...I am not a fan of sea days. For me, boredom is not an issue (there is enough to do onboard - meeting new people, watching the scenery go by, reading, enjoying the pool, music and other entertainment, etc) BUT I can do all these things at home and would rather spend my vacation time on tours/sightseeing. I don't go on vacation to relax, I go on vacation to travel to new places and see/do new things. This is NOT the priority for a large segment of cruisers and that's okay :) That's why there's a wide variety of cruises available.

 

But I digress...

 

Yes, there will be sea days on any Alaska itinerary, and more so on round-trip cruises due to the distance that must be covered. Some of this time at sea will be very enjoyable - I loved Hubbard Glacier, even though prior to my cruise, I had expected that to be a "waste" of a day. It was beautiful and a great experience. I did enjoy several other hours on deck watching the scenery of Vancouver Island/Alaska and looking for whales. BUT several days worth was more than I personally needed.

 

Keep in mind that every ship itinerary is different, and while you can't avoid time at sea entirely, you can try to maximize your time in port if that is important to you. For a round-trip cruise, to me the "best" option would be departing out of Seattle with a full day in Juneau, a full day in Skagway (or Sitka), half a day in Ketchikan, and half a day in Victoria, with a day in Glacier Bay for good measure :) That "only" leaves you with a full sea day at the beginning, your day at Glacier Bay (no, you don't get off the ship but you'll be mesmerized anyway...), half a day at sea after stopping in Ketchikan, and most of the day before arriving in Victoria. Check Golden Princess, NCL Pearl, HAL Oosterdam. Yes, there is more scenic sailing out of Vancouver, but if you depart from Seattle you get a few hours in Victoria - a better fit for me as I get antsy onboard. Not necessarily the best choice for everyone.

 

Luckily, if this isn't a good fit for you, there are plenty of other Alaskan itinerary variations and one of them is surely something that will work for you :D

[bbwex]

The best answer is that it depends. What do your teenagers enjoy doing? Weather permitting, they may be able to take part in some sports out on deck. Some ships have covered pool areas. Most have activities all the time, and there will likely be some that will appeal to them. We were on a cruise in Scandinavia on Oceania, so most of the passengers were adults, but the few teenagers were winning all of the trivia games and having a ball! We have taken a few games that travel well, i.e. cards, Bananagrams, etc. You can check with your cruise line to see what exactly they will offer.

 

As has been mentioned, being in Glacier Bay, College Fjord or Hubbard Bay will technically be sea days, but since they are glacier sightseeing days, they are part of the reason for going to Alaska, and hardly count as sea days.

 

There are some people who get bored on a single sea day. There are others that prefer sea days to port calls. As I said, it depends.

[Travel Travel Travel]

I have to take the other side of the issue...I am not a fan of sea days. For me, boredom is not an issue (there is enough to do onboard - meeting new people, watching the scenery go by, reading, enjoying the pool, music and other entertainment, etc) BUT I can do all these things at home and would rather spend my vacation time on tours/sightseeing. I don't go on vacation to relax, I go on vacation to travel to new places and see/do new things. This is NOT the priority for a large segment of cruisers and that's okay :) That's why there's a wide variety of cruises available.

 

But I digress...

 

Yes, there will be sea days on any Alaska itinerary, and more so on round-trip cruises due to the distance that must be covered. Some of this time at sea will be very enjoyable - I loved Hubbard Glacier, even though prior to my cruise, I had expected that to be a "waste" of a day. It was beautiful and a great experience. I did enjoy several other hours on deck watching the scenery of Vancouver Island/Alaska and looking for whales. BUT several days worth was more than I personally needed.

 

Keep in mind that every ship itinerary is different, and while you can't avoid time at sea entirely, you can try to maximize your time in port if that is important to you. For a round-trip cruise, to me the "best" option would be departing out of Seattle with a full day in Juneau, a full day in Skagway (or Sitka), half a day in Ketchikan, and half a day in Victoria, with a day in Glacier Bay for good measure :) That "only" leaves you with a full sea day at the beginning, your day at Glacier Bay (no, you don't get off the ship but you'll be mesmerized anyway...), half a day at sea after stopping in Ketchikan, and most of the day before arriving in Victoria. Check Golden Princess, NCL Pearl, HAL Oosterdam. Yes, there is more scenic sailing out of Vancouver, but if you depart from Seattle you get a few hours in Victoria - a better fit for me as I get antsy onboard. Not necessarily the best choice for everyone.

 

Luckily, if this isn't a good fit for you, there are plenty of other Alaskan itinerary variations and one of them is surely something that will work for you :D

 

Thank you so much for the thoughts. I think we are very like minded on cruising. I shouldn't have used the word bored - who could be bored? I just want to maximize my Alaskan experience. You offereed great suggestions - thank you!

[mapleleaves]

I also wouldn't rule out a NB or SB cruise due to the cost of one-way airfare. Open jaw tickets don't typically cost THAT much more. Why not price a ticket from your home to Anchorage or Fairbanks, then a return flight from Seattle.

[Tricia724]

I just want to book a trip that makes the whole group happy.

 

Now that is what I call a daunting task! Ya know, no matter how hard you try, there's always someone......(I'm sure you already know who that is.)

 

There are many great choices to fit a wide variety of tastes and interests. It is tougher when you have such a diverse group, but if they are relative cruise or Alaska newbies, there will be many things to investigate and enjoy, both on and off the ship, whether round trip or one way. Good luck to you.

[mr green]

I am planning an Alaskan cruise next year with DH, 2 teenagers, and our three sets of parents. On the Glacier days (Hubbard, Glacier Bay) you don't get off the ship at all, right?

 

Please excuse my ignorance. I just want to book a trip that makes the whole group happy.

 

In most cruisers opinions, Hubbard, and Glacier Bay, are the highlights of the cruise. Having seen those, I could care less as to whether I get off the ship for a tour or not.

 

john

[chipmaster]

FWIW a cruise for my family is mostly about the port lineup. After almost every cruise we almost always wish for a few more relexing sea day.

 

We did an Alaskan roundtrip last year and though it perfect with the 2+ full sea cruise days. I guess you can count the scenic cruise day as another sea day but pick the right scenic cruise and its just as enjoyable as any port day. Some days you just want to lounge around and have 3 full sitdown meals and tea :D

[vbmom87]

When pricing your airfare are you selecting the "multi-city" option. I know the year we went to Alaska there was minimal difference in pricing for round trip or multicity. I found the same a few years ago from California. It was actually a little bit to cheaper to fly into one city and home from another. Naturally, prices change often, and one day it might be more money for a multicity routing, but the next day it could be cheaper.

 

Normally people don't consider Glacier Bay and Hubbard to be "at sea days." For Glacier Bay we were literally on deck or in the lounge with the panoramic view from 7:00 a.m. until about 5:00 p.m. We were simply enthralled with the scenery around us.

 

If you are after scenery, HAL's round trip out of Vancouver is probably the jackpot, with both Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm Fjord.

 

When planning vacations with teenagers it really is helpful to get them involved. Find them some books to read about the ports and glaciers. Let them pick some of the excursions to do in port. When they feel part of the planning, they will be looking forward to what they chose to do. Frommers and Fodors Cruise Books are a good place to start. Most libraries carry copies of these books.

 

If you are concerned about "boredom" on the ship, look at itineraries with the longest times in port.

[bqkali]

Thank you so much for the thoughts. I think we are very like minded on cruising. I shouldn't have used the word bored - who could be bored? I just want to maximize my Alaskan experience. You offereed great suggestions - thank you!

 

Once you find an itinerary that suits you, careful planning will help you maximize your Alaskan experience. :) Maybe you're compromising on the itinerary you want, but you can still make the most of it!!

 

Choose excursions that interest you (even if that means splitting up the group) so that you are using your time in a way that will make the trip memorable for YOU. In some ports, you may even have time for multiple excursions. Wake up early so you can get off the ship right away and plan on spending the whole day in port instead of reboarding the ship early...I had a lot of fun just getting a unique beer from the Skagway Brewing Company rather than a Bud Light on the ship! Eat lunch in town rather than heading back to the ship - you can save time by getting a sandwich from the local deli and picnicking or you might be able to sample regional dishes and/or meet the locals if you dine in a restaurant. Get maps ahead of time and pre-book excursions, so you don't waste time looking around for what to do in port. Shop for local items instead of at Diamonds International. Read about Alaska (its history, nature, and culture) before you go (or even on your first sea day ;)) so that the places you visit have more meaning. Spend your time onboard near the windows/open decks during sea days so you don't miss the scenery. Learn which parts of the cruise routing are most likely to be whale feeding grounds, and be prepared with binoculars.

 

Most of all, don't stress about too many days at sea. Instead, go with the flow and enjoy the time you get in this beautiful part of the world and make the most of it!

[Travel Travel Travel]

Thank you everyone! What a great resource you are. What did people do before Cruise Critic?

[Travel Travel Travel]

When pricing your airfare are you selecting the "multi-city" option. I know the year we went to Alaska there was minimal difference in pricing for round trip or multicity. I found the same a few years ago from California. It was actually a little bit to cheaper to fly into one city and home from another. Naturally, prices change often, and one day it might be more money for a multicity routing, but the next day it could be cheaper.

 

Normally people don't consider Glacier Bay and Hubbard to be "at sea days." For Glacier Bay we were literally on deck or in the lounge with the panoramic view from 7:00 a.m. until about 5:00 p.m. We were simply enthralled with the scenery around us.

 

If you are after scenery, HAL's round trip out of Vancouver is probably the jackpot, with both Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm Fjord.

 

When planning vacations with teenagers it really is helpful to get them involved. Find them some books to read about the ports and glaciers. Let them pick some of the excursions to do in port. When they feel part of the planning, they will be looking forward to what they chose to do. Frommers and Fodors Cruise Books are a good place to start. Most libraries carry copies of these books.

 

If you are concerned about "boredom" on the ship, look at itineraries with the longest times in port.

 

 

Thank you! I didn't really know what to expect on the Glacier Bay and other glacier days. I thought you'd watch for an hour or so. But you make it sound like an all day or at least mult-hour experience. That is really good to know and changes the way I think about the itinararies!

[kennicott]

 

Normally people don't consider Glacier Bay and Hubbard to be "at sea days." For Glacier Bay we were literally on deck or in the lounge with the panoramic view from 7:00 a.m. until about 5:00 p.m. We were simply enthralled with the scenery around us.

 

 

Yes, I most certainly agree, there is a huge difference between true “at sea” days and specific interest sightseeing from the ship proper. Usually when a day involves observing scenic wonders and/or historic aspects of a particular location, without going ashore, commentators use the ships PA system and an almost continuous narration takes place regarding what is unfolding as the ship moves, usually very slowly, in the area of interest. Lectures and most on board events are suspended or canceled during those times. I for one am usually riveted to the deck taking in all aspects of the sights and the expert comment. This is true for many voyages. Examples of specific interest days are transits of the Suez Canal or Panama Canal, navigating in and around Cape Horn, or navigating around the Antarctic Peninsula, touring Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm, Guadalcanal and Iron Bottom Sound, Iwo Jima, the list goes on and on.

 

A true at “sea day” involves the ship moving at optimum cruise speed in order to travel from point A to B, this often involves multiple consecutive sea days. On those days, lectures abound, formal dinning takes place as well as a laundry list of various events and shows. Examples: Crossing the Atlantic, New York to Azores, crossing the Pacific, Los Angeles to Hawaii, San Francisco to Victoria B.C., Valdez to Skagway, Buenos Aires to Antarctica, Mombassa Kenya to Oman (pirate country, 4 sea days along Somalia, full speed for the ship), Sydney to Fiji, etc.

[BroncoLvrs]

I don't go on vacation to relax, I go on vacation to travel to new places and see/do new things.

 

LOVE IT! That's exactly how my husband and I feel :D

[hexdragon]

I am cruising on Disney this summer. We start / stop in Vancouver. There is one day at sea each way and a day for Tracy Arm.

 

I haven't priced the cruise (my friends decided that they HAD to go on Disney...) I believe that it is more expensive, but worth it...

[vbmom87]

I am cruising on Disney this summer. We start / stop in Vancouver. There is one day at sea each way and a day for Tracy Arm.

 

I haven't priced the cruise (my friends decided that they HAD to go on Disney...) I believe that it is more expensive, but worth it...

 

Just so you know, this itinerary is not for someone who has glacier viewing as a priority. Tracy Arm is a very beautiful fjord. However, the Sawyer glaciers at the end of the fjord are not always reachable by cruiseships due to extensive icing in the fjord. BQ says only about 25% of the time.

[fsdj1097]

Just so you know, this itinerary is not for someone who has glacier viewing as a priority. Tracy Arm is a very beautiful fjord. However, the Sawyer glaciers at the end of the fjord are not always reachable by cruiseships due to extensive icing in the fjord. BQ says only about 25% of the time.

 

If you really want to get up and close to a glacier, iteneraries that only visit Tracy Arm is definitely not the one for you. Choose an itenerary that visits Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier to maximize your changes of seeing a glacier. We've been up Tracy Arm twice and still haven't had a peek at the Sawyers.

[itzmered]

If you are doing the 7 day cruise on any of the mainline cruises you will only have 3 major port days in Alaska whether you do the one out of Seattle or the ones that leave from Vancouver or Whittier. We also struggled with this choice and chose to go with the Seattle one on Princess because of the cheaper flights. We chose the Golden Princess it has a covered pool so we will be able to utilize that on our first Sea Day among the many other things the ship offers. I look at our first day onboard the ship for this cruise as the one I get to enjoy all the amenities the ship has to offer and then the rest of the cruise I get to enjoy Alaska with a day to wind down at the end enjoying the scenery before heading back home to reality :D