Why Royal Carribean to Alaska?

[lovetotraveltx]

We and another couple are planning a cruise in Alaska in 2015. Was leaning towards 2 other cruise lines but just got off with a travel agent I've known for awhile and he thought Royal Carribean was one of the top 3 lines to Alaska.

 

Haven't considered them because they can't do Glacier Bay. He, however, thought that would be fine.

 

Thoughts on why you picked it to Alaska and what were the pros/cons upon return.

 

Thank you!

[cruiserdudebobby8]

there is a possibility that Quantum III might go there bc she is an all weather ship

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[lovetotraveltx]

Have you done Royal to Alaska? Have you been on that ship?

[cruiserdudebobby8]

Have you done Royal to Alaska? Have you been on that ship?

 

ive never been to Alaska, seen pictures and read cruise reviews and it seems Royal has some good Alaska Cruises, also Quantum Class ships are currently under construction

[ryano]

Have you done Royal to Alaska? Have you been on that ship?

 

That ship isnt built yet :)

[cruiserdudebobby8]

That ship isnt built yet :)

 

i cant wait for them to come out though, im from Pa, so id like to go to NY Harbor to see Quantum arrive on her maiden arrival on 10, November, 2014

[ace1zoe2]

We've done Alaska twice both on RCI. First on Rhapsody & this past June on Radiance. Much preferred Radiance due to all the glass/views from the ship.

 

I personally doubt the new ships being built will do Alaska due to the size of the ships. To visit the glaciers & get close to them requires a smaller ship size. But that's just my personal opinion.

 

Alaska is fabulous and I think you would be happy no matter what ship you take!

[ryano]

i cant wait for them to come out though, im from Pa, so id like to go to NY Harbor to see Quantum arrive on her maiden arrival on 10, November, 2014

 

Unless they send one of them to FL, chances are I will never see one :(

 

I cannot imagine Ft Lauderdale NOT getting one of these ships full time.

[cruiserdudebobby8]

Unless they send one of them to FL, chances are I will never see one :(

 

I cannot imagine Ft Lauderdale NOT getting one of these ships full time.

 

it would be nice! there is just soo many rumors on where these new ships will go and re-positions of the current fleet!

[TravelerThom]

Unless they send one of them to FL, chances are I will never see one :(...

I thought Port Everglades had been announced as Anthem's winter homeport.

[cruiserdudebobby8]

I thought Port Everglades had been announced as Anthem's winter homeport.

 

that is true! Anthem Replaces Independence with the Southampton and FT Lauderdale homeports

[luvscruising2007]

We and another couple are planning a cruise in Alaska in 2015. Was leaning towards 2 other cruise lines but just got off with a travel agent I've known for awhile and he thought Royal Carribean was one of the top 3 lines to Alaska.

 

Haven't considered them because they can't do Glacier Bay. He, however, thought that would be fine.

 

Thoughts on why you picked it to Alaska and what were the pros/cons upon return.

 

Thank you!

 

We took Radiance to Alaska and it was a wonderful cruise. The ship goes to Hubbard Glacier and was beautiful. Unfortunately for us it was on a cold, misty day. The ship's captain goes in as close to the glacier as safely possible. As a previous poster said, I don't think the ship or line matter that much. Alaska is the star of the cruise.

[TravelerThom]

...I cannot imagine Ft Lauderdale NOT getting one of these ships full time.

Actually I can. They spent money on these ships enclosing the Solarium, etc so that they could comfortably cruise cooler climes. Why do that, and then put it in warm weather full time?

 

Which leads us back to Alaska. If RCI gets four Q-class ships, I could easily see one staying in the Pacific doing Alaska and Australia.

 

Thom

[ryano]

Actually I can. They spent money on these ships enclosing the Solarium, etc so that they could comfortably cruise cooler climes. Why do that, and then put it in warm weather full time?

 

 

Why do Radiance class ships sail in warm weather? :)

 

I didnt mean full time. I wasnt aware that the winter port of Anthem would Pt Everglades BUT I havent really been following the news on these new ships because they will be out of my price range for several years.

 

I still havent experience all that is Oasis class.

 

But as far as Alaska and Quantum ships goes, arent they too large? Serious question because I dont know.

Edited February 27, 2014 by ryano

[jaspersmommy]

I've booked Alaska on Radiance for June 2015. The itinerary is identical to the one we did on Celebrity 3 years ago. Hubbard Glacier is spectacular - you won't miss Glacier Bay at all.

 

I originally booked the June 2015 Alaska cruise with Celebrity. Once I looked at the Royal Caribbean itinieraries, I was really surprised at how much less their prices were than Celebrity's (at least in the suite categories). So, I thought to myself, why not try something new? I cancelled the Celebrity cruise and booked with Royal Caribbean. I hope I made the right decision!

Edited February 27, 2014 by jaspersmommy

[xxoocruiser]

In August of 1999 the State of Alaska charged RCCL with seven counts of violating state laws governing oil and hazardous waste disposal. In January 2000, RCCL pled guilty to dumping toxic chemicals (including dry-cleaning fluid) and oil-contaminated water into the state's waters. In addition to paying a $3.5 million fine, RCCL was also banned from entering Glacier Bay.

 

If Glacier Bay is the main focus of the cruise than OP needs to look at other cruise lines. RCCL only goes to Tracy Arms and Hubbard Bay. IMO if only planning to ever cruise Alaska once than Glacier Bay is a must see .

[sunsetbeachgal]

Glacier bay was the highlight of our Alaska cruise...the captain gets the ship very close to the glacier and National park rangers come on board to narrate and pint out wildlife sightings and sights. I would go with Princess, Holland America or any cruise that visits Glacier Bay.

Edited February 27, 2014 by sunsetbeachgal

[subtchr]

We chose Royal (Radiance) for our Alaska cruise last summer because we had sailed Serenade (sister ship) and loved it, and because we know we enjoy Royal's food, service, etc.

 

As for the itinerary, we had long port days and great timing everywhere. Even though we could not get very close to Hubbard because of an extensive ice field, the view even from a distance was beautiful.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I will not argue the merits of Glacier Bay vs Hubbard Glacier. We took the last NB cruise on the Radiance in 2012. I did a live thread from the trip. I included lots of pics. You might find it interesting.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1697232

 

I do not feel deprived by not going to Glacier Bay. JMHO

[TravelerThom]

Why do Radiance class ships sail in warm weather? :)

 

I didnt mean full time. I wasnt aware that the winter port of Anthem would Pt Everglades BUT I havent really been following the news on these new ships because they will be out of my price range for several years.

 

I still havent experience all that is Oasis class.

 

But as far as Alaska and Quantum ships goes, arent they too large? Serious question because I dont know.

Sorry - did I quote "I cannot imagine Ft Lauderdale NOT getting one of these ships full time" out of context?

 

Royal Caribbean Cruses Ltd has been running Celebrity Solstice, a 1033 foot long ship, successfully in Alaska. Q-class is 1144 feet long, less than 5% longer. If Solstice can do it, I don't see why Q-class would have a problem.

 

BTW, I'm with you in feeling that current Q-class fares are higher than I'm willing to pay. Maybe in a few years...

 

Thom

[ryano]

Sorry - did I quote "I cannot imagine Ft Lauderdale NOT getting one of these ships full time" out of context?

 

 

Thom

 

Nah, I did type that didnt I :o You got me :D

[SJS]

Dragonoftheseas, I just read your Alaska review and WOW. I really want to go but wonder how much all of it costs pp? I know prices today will be higher than when you went but could you give an approximate cost of such an amazing vacation?

[ace1zoe2]

Below is a link to the review of our 2013 13 Night Cruise Tour (6 nights on land & 7 nights on ship) thru RCI:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1852077

 

 

It is VERY long, and has a ton of planning information, ways to save money by planning ahead and doing some things on your own.

 

Alaska is VERY different in comparison to Caribbean cruises. There are no "discount" private excursions for the most part you will pay the same amount for a private tour that you will pay for a cruise excusion. The difference is that private tours are smaller and you normally get way better service. Also just about every tour you will have to pay for up front when booking it. The cruise season is very short for Alaska providers and they only have about 4-5 months to earn their entire year's income. If there is something you want to do, book early or you will be disappointed later on when the tours are full up.

 

I would be happy to answer any questions you might have. I believe my review has most of the expenses listed and what we paid for most tours, rentals, etc.

 

There are a ton of pictures as well. Please feel free to ask questions... if you will post them on the review I will receive a notification and will be sure to answer.

 

Cindy

Edited February 27, 2014 by ace1zoe2

[subtchr]

Dragonoftheseas, I just read your Alaska review and WOW. I really want to go but wonder how much all of it costs pp? I know prices today will be higher than when you went but could you give an approximate cost of such an amazing vacation?

 

Cindy's review (linked above) is great, with lots of cost details, and I also created a blog about our Alaska cruise, with links to many planning sites, etc. Here is a link: SUMMER SOLSTICE IN THE LAST FRONTIER

 

There is an extremely wide variance in what you would/could pay for an Alaska trip and cruise. Do you have frequent flyer miles for your flights? For the land portion, how long do you plan to tour? DIY or cruisetour? For the cruise, do you want a balcony, or will an inside cabin do? Where do you want to stay pre- and/or post-cruise, and for how long? And most importantly, what kinds of excursions do you plan to take, either on land or from the cruise?

 

If you just want to hike around the ports, maybe use some local transportation, generally do things on your own, it won't cost much more than the cruise fare. However, as you have probably started to discover, if you want to do flightseeing or whale watching or other options, it runs to several hundred dollars per excursion per person.

 

We will never forget the excursions we took -- such amazing, unique experiences with breathtaking scenery. To us they were worth every penny. In fact, we would not have taken the trip if we could not have afforded the excursions we did.

 

But those are personal decisions each traveler must make. Do your research, ask questions on the boards, and however you decide to approach your trip, don't have any regrets!

[Yorkshire-Pudding]

We and another couple are planning a cruise in Alaska in 2015. Was leaning towards 2 other cruise lines but just got off with a travel agent I've known for awhile and he thought Royal Carribean was one of the top 3 lines to Alaska.

 

Haven't considered them because they can't do Glacier Bay. He, however, thought that would be fine.

 

Thoughts on why you picked it to Alaska and what were the pros/cons upon return.

 

Thank you!

 

Booked July 2013 cruise on Radiance as a gift for my husband's 50th birthday and it was more than a year in planning. I booked the cruise in January 2012. The cruise was centre piece of a 3 week holiday to Alaska during which we travelled DIY as far north as the Arctic Circle. As we were flying from the UK the overall costs were significant and though I had a generous budget, we did exceed it.

 

I did look at Celebrity as well as Royal. In the end I decided on Royal for the following reasons:

 

1. Sailing with Royal would make us Platinum level in C&A this in turn would give us Select on Celebrity (trying them 2015).

 

2. There is also a significant cost difference between both lines and the ports of call very similar so could see no reason to spend the extra on Celebrity and would instead spend it on tours.

 

3. A Grand Suite on Royal (we had 1556) has a better layout for us than the equivalent Celebrity Suite.

 

4. Sailed with Royal once before and "knew" their product and it would be one less thing to worry about.

 

I spent more on the tours than on the cruise for 3 of us. If I could give one tip it would be to spend on your tours if you can afford to. We did a mix of private tours and one ship tour. The ship tour was called Glacier Wilderness Safari which husband and son though was excellent during which they were able to touch a glacier. In fact, they saw more whales on that trip than I did on a whale watching tour on the same day. The best private tour was to Bear Island (I have forgotten the name). On that tour, my husband and son were flown by seaplane to an island with a bear population of approximately 1200 and human population of less than 20. They had a guide for the day and came within 15 feet or so of wild bears and some truly memorable photographs and video.

 

Hubbard Glacier was amazing to look at and to drink. We got within 0.5 mile of it on a clear day. We did not see any calving but the sheer majesty of the glacier more than made up for this. The captain got Radiance close enough for crew to recover a piece of glacier onto the ship which was made into an ice sculpture that was displayed in the Windjammer. We managed to get a piece which we used in drinks that evening. As we were suite guests there is a separate observation deck which offered some of the best views of the glacier and it was worth every penny.

 

As another poster has noted, Alaska needs to be booked early but was an amazing place and truly a holiday of a lifetime. As Subtchr has noted, do lots of research. You won't be disappointed.