Roundtrip Alaska: Seattle via NCL Pearl or Vancouver via HAL Zuiderdam?

[metsfan47]

We are planning to cruise Alaska in June, 2012 and we are trying to choose between cruising roundtrip from Seattle on the NCL Pearl or roundtrip from Vancouver on the Holland America Line Zuiderdam.

We have cruised with NCL before and enjoy the "freestyle" dining and atmosphere.

Is cruising on Holland America Line a much more formal experience?

 

Is it worth traveling to Vancouver to cruise from there?

[Smokeyham]

We are planning to cruise Alaska in June, 2012 and we are trying to choose between cruising roundtrip from Seattle on the NCL Pearl or roundtrip from Vancouver on the Holland America Line Zuiderdam.

 

We have cruised with NCL before and enjoy the "freestyle" dining and atmosphere.

 

Is cruising on Holland America Line a much more formal experience?

 

Is it worth traveling to Vancouver to cruise from there?

 

I have travelled on the Pearl, and we had a great trip. It wasn't to Alaska, but if NCL offered a "one-way" in Alaska, we would have signed up for that.

 

Unless your heart is set on a round trip, you might look at a "one-way" (northbound or southbound) since you will likely get to see more, and have more glacier time.

 

I also have heard that HAL is a slightly more formal experience. I went to Alaska on the Rotterdam V in 1993, but that was a lifetime ago, and so much has changed!

 

It would be great to hear from someone who has done Alaska with both NCL and HAL, and to get their perspective.

[LEtue]

We are planning to cruise Alaska in June, 2012 and we are trying to choose between cruising roundtrip from Seattle on the NCL Pearl or roundtrip from Vancouver on the Holland America Line Zuiderdam.

 

We have cruised with NCL before and enjoy the "freestyle" dining and atmosphere.

 

Is cruising on Holland America Line a much more formal experience?

 

Is it worth traveling to Vancouver to cruise from there?

 

I haven't traveled on NCL but I can tell you that my one Alaska cruise on the Oosterdam was not any more formal than my 2 Alaska cruises on Princess. So, I don't think this is much of an issue. However sailing from Seattle is. Vancouver is definitely worth traveling to since the RT itineraries from Seattle have sea days where land is barely visible. The Amtrak train to Vancouver is very nice too!

[rayliang]

based on the two ships' itinerary, I would go HAL. Glacier Bay should not be missed.

[Bars7816]

What ever line you choose, definitely take the Glacier Bay itinerary. For us, Sawyer Glacier is just not as scenic.

[metsfan47]

Both itineraries go to Glacier Bay. The Holland America Line itinerary also includes Tracy Arm (also a glacier?). Otherwise, both cruises include Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. While the Holland America Line itinerary goes through the inside passage both going and coming back, NCL only mentions it on the way to Alaska.

[rayliang]

oh... I didn't see Glacier bay mentioned when I look up Norwegian Pearl on Orbitz :P

 

Tracy Arm = Sawyer Glacier.

[Krazy Kruizers]

JMO -- I would choose the Zuiderdam out of Vancouver which does the Inside Passage -- beautiful scenery!!

[Backstage Traveler]

We have sailed on the Pearl to the Caribbean, and it is a great ship. We have taken several NCL cruises in the past and like their freestyle cruising. We decided to go with HAL Zuiderdam for our Alaska cruise this past July, though, because it sails out of Vancouver, and we wanted to go through the Inside Passage out of Vancouver again. The Pearl does go to Glacier Bay, and we hesitated a lot before choosing the Zuiderdam, but we are more than happy with our choice. The half day in Tracy Arm was a total bonus, since on either cruise we would have gotten Glacier Bay. However, Tracy Arm is very scenic and I am really happy we got to see it (pics and review here).

 

Many people say the cruising is not as scenic out of Seattle. We have not done this, having only sailed out of Vancouver twice now, but I love spending the first sea day going through the Inside Passage out of Vancouver. The Zuiderdam cruise allowed us to see this twice, both on the way out and back to Vancouver.

 

I have put up many mini-reviews of our cruise and excursions on my blog, which might give you a better idea of what an Alaskan cruise on the Zuiderdam will be like. Everyone in our group really enjoyed the cruise, though, and I highly recommend it.

[Putterdude]

The Zudy out of Vancouver sails entirely in the Inside Passage where the scenery is non stop and the seas tend to be much calmer. With the Pearl you sail on the west side of Vancouver Island in the Pacific, you will see very little in the way of scenery for a day in either direction and you risk much rougher seas. There is no question the HAL is by far the better itinerary.

[Budget Queen]

I have sailed both itineraries, and by far, HAL is superior. It is a big difference sailing out of Vancouver vs Seattle on the round trips.

 

HAL has open dining and buffets just like any cruise. "Formality" ??? If you want that, the only line still going out with that is Cunnard in my opinion. :) None of the major lines is formal like years ago. :)

 

Another big plus for HAL is their noted excellent ship naturalists (but I get get a dud last year :( ) NCL does not have naturalists.

[Countrygirl44]

Sailed Golden Princess R/T Seattle in May. A very nice cruise/ In the past have sailed Anchorage to Vancouver or Vancouver to Anchorage, which are better in my opinion.

Next year we are going on the POA to Hawaii. On the back burner are plans to do Alaska again in 2013 R/T Vancouver on the Zuid if it is available. It does Glacier Bay and also Tracy Arms. We have seen Glacier Bay on all our cruises and either Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord on the others except the R/T Seattle.

I understand there is a smaller boat that you can board as you enter Tracy Arms that can get all the way to Sawyer Glacier (most of the time), then you reboard the ship in Juneau.

I have never sailed NCL before so the POA will be our first. Also if we are able to do the R/T Vancouver 2013 on the Zuid, that would be our first on HAL,

[Cruise Junky]

Does it have to be June? Princess has two retun Vancouver trips in May. I think HAL has a great itinerary, but we had a ton of issues on that ship that I can't recommend it

[Budget Queen]

Does it have to be June? Princess has two retun Vancouver trips in May. I think HAL has a great itinerary, but we had a ton of issues on that ship that I can't recommend it

 

I'm not sure what cruise this is refereing, but if it's a one way, going southbound in May AND if Denali Park is a visit, it is a big negative not to go northbound for more access into Denali Park. Mid May isn't going to get you very far into the park with a land tour prior to a south bound cruise. Depends what the touring itinereary is, if spending the time on the Kenai Peninsula, works out fine, but Denali is all about access into the park. The farther the better.