first Alaska cruise: need help choosing

[ardt64]

I have been on a number of Caribbean cruises and have always found cruisecritic to be of huge help. This coming up summer my dad and step mom are going to take my sister and I on an Alaska cruise. We are celebrating her retirement (sis and I are leaving our kids and husbands at home). Parents have never been on a cruise before, their normal vacation is going to their time share in New Hampshire for a week in Sept and then visiting my family down South for a few days. I want to make this a trip of a lifetime for us all.

I have spent hours on CC and the web researching, and have a good idea of what I want, but would still appreciate a little more advice. I do apologize if these questions have already been asked and answered.

 

1. We definitely want to see Glacier Bay: looks like for summer 2015 only NCL, HAL and Princess have this on their itinerary- am I correct?

 

2. We want an aft cabin. It is always my favorite place on the ship, but seems even more important for Alaska not just for the views, but because it will cut down on the wind in an already coolish trip. For the aft cabin, does it make a difference to do Northbound or Southbound? Dad seems to think Southbound would be better for the sun will not be in our eyes and pictures and also we might be able to see the Northern Lights-maybe. Any thoughts on this?

 

3. Oy, I know there is a 3, 4, and 5 question. But for now I guess it is just the 2 above. Need to book the cruise, then figure out further details.

 

Lisa

[CruiserBruce]

I have been on a number of Caribbean cruises and have always found cruisecritic to be of huge help. This coming up summer my dad and step mom are going to take my sister and I on an Alaska cruise. We are celebrating her retirement (sis and I are leaving our kids and husbands at home). Parents have never been on a cruise before, their normal vacation is going to their time share in New Hampshire for a week in Sept and then visiting my family down South for a few days. I want to make this a trip of a lifetime for us all.

I have spent hours on CC and the web researching, and have a good idea of what I want, but would still appreciate a little more advice. I do apologize if these questions have already been asked and answered.

 

1. We definitely want to see Glacier Bay: looks like for summer 2015 only NCL, HAL and Princess have this on their itinerary- am I correct? Basically this is true every year, the other cruise lines have very few permist to enter Glacier Bay.

 

2. We want an aft cabin. It is always my favorite place on the ship, but seems even more important for Alaska not just for the views, but because it will cut down on the wind in an already coolish trip. For the aft cabin, does it make a difference to do Northbound or Southbound? Dad seems to think Southbound would be better for the sun will not be in our eyes and pictures and also we might be able to see the Northern Lights-maybe. Any thoughts on this? Doesn't matter in the least, realistically. Very, very slim chance of seeing Northern Lights.

 

3. Oy, I know there is a 3, 4, and 5 question. But for now I guess it is just the 2 above. Need to book the cruise, then figure out further details.

 

Lisa

 

Lots of info just down the board for you.

Edited December 8, 2014 by CruiserBruce

[AlanAllyn]

Book soon! Aft facing balcony cabins generally sell out quickly. Indeed, you might be too late for this coming summer.

 

On the other hand, most of the best viewing is from gthe deck, where you will want to move around.

[travgurl]

Come on Holland July 26 out of Seward on the Oosterdam. We have a great itinerary, that is why we picked it after a lot of research. We are doing the cruise tour beginning in Fairbanks on the July 22. Good luck with your decision!

[Glaciers]

1. We definitely want to see Glacier Bay: looks like for summer 2015 only NCL, HAL and Princess have this on their itinerary- am I correct?

 

As of a couple years ago these were the lines that had permits for Glacier Bay.

Alaskan Dream Cruises

American Cruise Lines

American Safari

Carnival

Crystal

Hal

Norwegian

Princess

Lindblad

[ardt64]

Thanks everyone. Helps to narrow down my search.

 

Lisa

[knbcruisers]

When you start to compare prices you may find southbound a little more expensive than northbound. DH and I are on northbound Coral Princess 6/10/15. Coral does not have full aft balconies but last cabin aft does have wider view looking aft. I booked this for view although we do risk rain as those last balconies are uncovered. (Will need to do no rain chant for the week :) ) If you are going to Glacier Bay the consensus seems to be to book portside for best views on approach.

[Cargill]

Hi

 

We took a Norwegian Sun cruise southbound (Whittier to Vancouver) in August this year, and it was outstanding. We had an inside cabin (at a very good price) and were more than happy with it.

 

It did not visit Glacier Bay, however on a brilliant calm day the captain took the ship right up close to Hubbard Glacier, and it was outstanding indeed ... and several people commented it was better than Glacier Bay.

 

The rest of the itinerary was also excellent, including Skagway (we rented a car for the day and drove the Klondike Highway into the Yukon Territory), Juneau, Icy Strait, Tracy Arm, and Ketchikan - all very good - in fact outstanding - for this first-timer.

 

And last but not least, we really like the ship.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Cargill

[Cheryl H]

We were aft on a northbound last time. Loved the view...however I wished we had done southbound. That way we could have gotten that long long flight out of the way first. Instead, we were exhausted by the time we were to come home. I think I would have rather flown home from Vancouver, than from Anchorage. Plus it would have been fun to get to Anchorage a couple days early and see some sights before time to cruise!

 

Have fun planning. I planned a cruise for my parents once and my dad hated it. So sad. He's a tinkerer...has to be working in his workshop all the time. It would have been a better experience if I had gone with them. I think they had trouble each day finding their cabin too so that didn't help matters. At least if you are aft, they just have to head to the back of the ship.

[MOcruiserman]

We're going on Aug. 15th on the HAL Noordam, round trip from Vancouver. We like HAL but we chose it largely for the itinerary - Vancouver, The Inside Passage, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, The Inside Passage and Vancouver.

[cruisinlover1414]

We are doing our first Alaskan cruise this next summer as well- we just booked this week :) we are doing northbound on the Star Princess. We just got an interior room because of the price, and that way we could spend 4 days in Seattle before and a few in Vancouver :) happy planning! I have been researching nonstop!

 

 

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[Cheryl H]

We are doing our first Alaskan cruise this next summer as well- we just booked this week :) we are doing northbound on the Star Princess. We just got an interior room because of the price, and that way we could spend 4 days in Seattle before and a few in Vancouver :) happy planning! I have been researching nonstop!

 

 

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Fun! We did Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver prior to our Alaska cruise too. Are you tacking some tour time at the end of your cruise too? There's so much to see. Have fun!

[cruisinlover1414]

Fun! We did Seattle, Victoria and Vancouver prior to our Alaska cruise too. Are you tacking some tour time at the end of your cruise too? There's so much to see. Have fun!

 

 

No, we are not. We debated, but we have already been to Anchorage, Fairbanks and Denali. My husband's brother lives there so we have visited him and toured that whole area before. We thought about it, but we decided to spend longer in Seattle and Vancouver (places we've never been)! We are looking forward to it!

 

 

 

 

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