Talk me into an Alaska cruise

[dr28326]

I hear Alaska is beautiful. I want to go but can't picture going on the deck with a coat and being cold. Talk me into going!!! What is the best time of year to go? Is it worth a balcony if weather is cold?

[maltman]

Alaska in one word is Amazing. It’s not cold during the summer months but it is cool. You simply need to layer your clothing.

 

Seeing Bald Eagles fly past your balcony or whales breaching make Alaska an excellent vacation (provided you enjoy wildlife). Go in late June or July to see the salmon running.

[gra2172]

I hear Alaska is beautiful. I want to go but can't picture going on the deck with a coat and being cold. Talk me into going!!! What is the best time of year to go? Is it worth a balcony if weather is cold?

 

We just went in early June because thats when the whales are there raising calves. If you want to see whales, go in June or go to Hawaii in September.

Otherwise, the wildlife is something you wont see anywhere else. We saw whales, seals, sea lions and tons of bald eagles. People who took more activities in the woods saw bears, moose and mountain lions.

 

The weather is cool, but not so cold youll need a heavy coat. Wear layers because when the sun comes out, youre going to warm up really quick. The only place I was actually "cold" was in Skagway and that was because the wind is blowing there. Once you get away from the port, its not windy anymore.

 

Then theres the views. Mountains with snow, glaciers at the bottom. A state capitol with 30,000 people in it, the entire state has 700, 000. :eek: We're from pa, we have 6 million so it was sooo peaceful.

 

You can expect to encounter all 4 seasons of weather in a week. Around Seattle it was gloomy and rainy, Ketchikan was fall like, Skagway was windy and cold, on the glacier it was snowing, near victoria we went swimming in the pool because it was sunny and warm. (The pools are heated BTW)

 

I would say that Alaska was a very unique and memorable place to go. Its just beautiful and that makes up for any discomfort from the cold.

 

Of course the ships (Jewel or Pearl) are awesome themselves!

 

Youll love it! :)

[RetiredRich]

We have been on 9 cruises and Alaska was the first on the Spirit. It spoiled us for all the rest as it was by far the best. I like to say everywhere you look is the best picture you ever took. Pay the extra to get a balcony on the starboard side. Then when the ship sails past the glaciers you can be taking pictures from your balcony and not the back of someones head topside trying to get shots. We went in august and it was cool but not cold. I used shorts and short sleeve shirts and the wife had a sweater she used. That was our retirement trip I planned for years. We took 10 days to drive from Kentucky to Seattle...7 days on the Spirit.. then 10 days to get home. We went thru many national parks along the way. Since then all our cruises have been to the Carribian... the one to Panama was great...but nothing will ever cap the Alaska cruise.

[garycarla]

About 95% or maybe even more of feedback regarding Alaska is positive.

 

Really.

 

Can not promise you will love it, but it sure seems that just about everyone does.

[dmelman4]

Our very first cruise was to Alaska and we loved it. We cannot wait to book another. We had an Aft penthouse Suite. It was the best. We sat out there every evening watching the sites go by. We stayed on our balcony for the glacier sail-by and it was magnificent. We did not have to vie for a spot on deck to take pictures.

We went the last week of July and had excellent weather. Needed a light jacket in the morning, but then t-shirts were good in the afternoon. I say go, you will not regret it. We went on the Star and had a great time.

[Unknotted]

Whew, I am not the OP but you guys have really talked me into this. I've been wanting to go anyway, but my hubby is from the high Colorado Rockies and says he doesn't feel the need to see any more snow and glaciers. I've never tried very hard to talk him into an Alaskan cruise, but that changes today!

 

Thanks for the info!

[deladypilot]

Whew, I am not the OP but you guys have really talked me into this. I've been wanting to go anyway, but my hubby is from the high Colorado Rockies and says he doesn't feel the need to see any more snow and glaciers. I've never tried very hard to talk him into an Alaskan cruise, but that changes today!

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Come join us next year on the Sun from Vancouver to Whittier. You will not be disappoionted.

 

To the OP - Words can not express an Alaskan Cruise. DH and I went last year on the Star r/t Seattle. We loved it so much that when we got back we waited on the 2013 sail dates to show up and booked another Alaskan Cruise the day the bookings opened.

 

We saw so much wildlife and such beautiful things. As for the weather. We went in August the last time. I typically wore jeans and a sweater or long sleeve shirt and a light weight rain jacket. If it got warmer, I would take the jacket off and tie it around my waist. I get cold very easy and had no problems what so ever. I took gloves with me, but the only time I used them was when we were standing on top of Mendenhall Glacier. It does rain alot, mostly drizzle but it does not ruin the trip or the views.

 

Go and have fun.

[deladypilot]

I hear Alaska is beautiful. I want to go but can't picture going on the deck with a coat and being cold. Talk me into going!!! What is the best time of year to go? Is it worth a balcony if weather is cold?

 

 

One more note. We had a Mini-Suite last year. I get cold very easy but found myself sitting on the balcony every morning very early and every night until we went to sleep. Never got cold.

[jaja]

All I can say is that Alaska was our first cruise (though not on NCL)--and I was awe struck at the beauty of Glacier Bay...and Alaska in general...

I am so happy to have done it..and hope to do it again...someday.....

[ute_fan]

Hard to tell if you'd like Alaska or not. What do you enjoy doing on vacation? We enjoy looking at beautiful scenery and viewing wildlife, and going to Yellowstone is our other favorite vacation. If you enjoy those things at all, I can pretty well guarantee you'd like Alaska. If you only vacation to warm sunny beaches, it might not be your thing.

 

We love Alaska, and 3 of our 8 cruises have been to Alaska -- and I can't wait to go back again.

[Carolina Daisy]

We're going on our very first cruise in a month and it's to Alaska. Our family has never thought about cruising, but a friend mentioned that we might want to consider going on an Alaska cruise so we looked into and now we are so excited and can't wait. We got a balcony so we can just sit and watch the scenery and the wildlife! It's going to be amazing - I don't care what the weather is like - when I realize where I am and what I'm seeing, I will know how fortunate we are just to be there. (Plus right now, it's 100 degrees here and the cool air will be welcomed....)

[CapeCodCruiser]

The whales alone would be worth it! When we lived on Cape Cod we went on many, many whale watches. Every time, the beauty and majesty of these graceful, gentle giants made me cry. One woman I met on a whale watch said to me "It just fills me up watching them", I knew exactly what she meant.

[DMH15]

I have never met a single person who regretted an Alaskan cruise!!!

 

Heck, to get out of the Texas heat to the cool majestic beauty of Alaska is always tempting!

 

You should try it.

[wroughtironron]

I hear Alaska is beautiful. I want to go but can't picture going on the deck with a coat and being cold. Talk me into going!!! What is the best time of year to go? Is it worth a balcony if weather is cold?

 

You get free ice.

[Northern Bear]

my hubby is from the high Colorado Rockies and says he doesn't feel the need to see any more snow and glaciers.

 

We live in Canada and my wife says the same thing.

"If I am going to use a week or two of holidays its going to be to go somewhere hot."

Doesn't help when we have wildlife in our front yard either. Not a big draw for her.

 

So we won't be on an Alaska cruise for quite some time. Probably after retirement when 'weeks of holidays' don't matter.

 

:)

[Cubechick]

Alaska was one of our best cruises (heck, trips!) ever.

 

We went the first week in June and yes, at times it was cold out on the balcony (Glacier Bay day especially), but the sights were simply amazing. The snow capped mountains everywhere...the whales (I think we spotted over 50 whales just from our balcony) sea lions, porpoises...

 

Our first morning, we were on our front balcony (the upsell fairy suprised us with an Owner's Suite!) and a pod of at least a hundred dolphins came leaping towards us.

 

It was truly one of our most stunning vacations ever. If you like nature at all you will LOVE this cruise!

 

Oh and I would definitely get a balcony (on the port side for Glacier Bay day). You can always go inside if you get chilly, but there's nothing like a front row seat for the panorama that is Alaska!!!

[weltek]

I'm in the same boat (ship? LOL) as the OP. I really like sipping beers and tropical cocktails near the pool on flawlessly sunny days while onboard a cruise ship. I don't think the difference in the "land" part of the trip would bother me, but I worry about the cruise ship experience being disappointing.

[pookey1265]

I have done 2 Alaskan cruises, going on 3rd in May. Every other cruise is usually Alaska. I am hooked. So beautiful.

[t-bird.tim]

You sound like my wife!!! "I don't want to go on a cold cruise" but she is the first to say it was the best cruise we have been on!! We had an AFT facing balcony in late September and were out on it in our t-shirts!!! It was great! It was the last cruise to alaska for the season (DISCOUNTS on everything in port) we got back on the ship and sailed down to LA.

[jimswims]

My wife had wanted to do an Alaska cruise and every year I said NO WAY!!! I would never go. I could not imagine what the big deal was. I love warm weather cruises where I can go to the beach, swim, enjoy the islands.

 

Two things happened that changed my mind. First, Cubechick went to Alaska and did this amazing review with pictures. Read this review and look at the pictures! The second was the fact that I went back to school for a doctorate and also worked full time. This put a huge burden on my wife. It took 6 years to get through the program. So, I told her that she could pick the family vacation for the summer 2010 and I would not argue. She chose Alaska but let me pick the ship and the date. After seeing cubechick's pictures we chose the Pearl and I chose 8/8/10 so we would be on a cruise for my wife's birthday.

 

We had amazing weather in Seattle before and after. We had a bit of drizzle in Juneau. We had 80-high 90 degrees the rest of the cruise. Glacier Bay was amazing with 80's and not a cloud in the sky you really could not go wrong. It felt like we were on a warm weather cruise as many enjoyed the pool, slides, and unusually warm weather.

 

We had the balcony cabin on deck 10 stern, 10668. What an amazing view we had of the glaciers. I would book that cabin or the suites on Deck 10 again without question.

 

It is now my favorite cruise so far. I am secretly planning another cruise back to Alaska for my wife and I. I do not know when it will be but it will happen :)

[OceanDreaming2]

I hear Alaska is beautiful. I want to go but can't picture going on the deck with a coat and being cold. Talk me into going!!! What is the best time of year to go? Is it worth a balcony if weather is cold?

 

Come talk with us when we're on the Star together. We're going on our third Alaska cruise next month. :)

[sdmike]

I worked in Alaska on a project for over a year and got to experience SO many things that I just had to take my entire family at some point. This was before the advent of digital cameras, and what I have most are amazing mental pictures of the things that I did... float planes over the glaciers, whales breaching, bald eagles in the tall pines, catching king salmon in the passage, etc. The weather in the summer is generally mild, especially along the coast. Like other said, it's about layers

 

In 3 weeks I get to take the rest of my family. I'm hoping they appreciate the majesty of the place as much as I do.

[roger001]

Alaska was our first cruise. It was so wonderful that we did another Alaska cruise last month. Last week of May, temps were mostly mid 50s, usually some clouds, rain occasionally. Looked like Alaska should look. The first time it was 75 and sunny the entire time. THat was a once in five year week of weather. You'll never know what weather you will get from week to week. My sister asked, after hearing about the Alaska cruise, what months does that get really warm. I said it's Alaska. She probably won't ever go then....must have warm sun to bask in.

[searoses]

i was dragged kicking and screaming to alaska with 19 family members. i finally gave in at the last minute and had to take whatever cabin i was assigned.....an aft balcony where the views were 180 degrees and astonishing....it was an awesome trip and the weather

was in the low 80s and sunny most of the time in early aug. don't hesitate to go.....my family will only cruise on the aft since then. they were so jealous of our cabin...lol