First Alaska Cruise, Which is Best?

[sh2738]

My sister and I are going on a Alaska Cruise for her turning 21, I am 25 and I was curious which line/ship people like the best.

 

We have been on many different lines. We go on Royal Caribbean many times, latest just last year. We did a Norwegian a while ago but I don't remember much of it.

 

We have always done Mexico or Caribbean cruises and this will be the first time doing an Alaskan one.

 

One thing I am thinking about is that on some of the smaller lines like Princess or Celebrity there aren't a lot of younger people, more older, which is not great for two girls in their 20s.

 

I have loved the Royal Caribbean ones we have been on but the ship for the Alaska cruise is the Jewel of the Seas which I have never been on.

 

What is everybody's thoughts on cruise lines/ships for Alaska good for younger people?

 

Thanks so much.

 

 

 

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[Aquahound]

You'll get all kinds of answers for this, but I think you are on the right track with Jewel of the Seas based on the info you provided. You already enjoy Royal Caribbean and having been on numerouse lines myself, I know RCI is one of the better lines in Alaska for providing the activities more attractive to your age group. Jewel is also one of the most attract ships sailing Alaska.

 

That said, itinerary is key in Alaska. Round trip Seattle cruises tend to be the least desirable among those who have been there, done that. I know Jewel also does a Seattle to Vancouver and vice versa cruise. I think that's a little better, but still not most desirable, in my opinion.

 

I recommend the one way Radiance of the Seas cruise from Seward to Vancouver or vice versa. This allows you to see a little bit of Alaska on your own prior to or following the cruise.

 

But don't count out Princess. The activities on Princess are very similar to Royal Caribbean. They do all the same game shows, have a lively nightclub, and the entertainment is comparable to what you would see on a RCI Radiance Class ship.

[sh2738]

Yes I briefly looked at other routes but my sister loves in Seattle so needs to be the port that we leave from. If there was something that left from Vancouver than we could make that work but I don't think that RCL has an option for that, not that I saw anyways. I looked and driving to Seward takes like 50 hours and we don't have time for that since we are younger and work and can't take hat much time off from work. I choose Seattle because it limits the money having to spend on a flight for both is us.

 

Thanks for the input though. I guess I can look at princess to see if their routes are different and if the price is close. I don't know much about the ages that are onboard princess and if there are any activities during the day.

 

We like to do the activities like bingo, trivia, shows, games, etc.

 

I'll look at it though. Thanks.

 

 

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[mapleleaves]

if you look over the first several pages of this forum, you'll see that this question has been asked many times in many ways.

Unlike 'beach' cruises where people are very concerned about onboard activities and dining, the itinerary is the important factor for Alaska because they have specific sights and activities planned for each port. Most RT cruises go to the same ports but the timing is what makes a huge difference. If you have lots of activities planned in Juneau, a port time of 10am - 8pm is more desirable than 7am - noon.

RT Vancouver sailings are considered ' better'. Those ships sail between Vanc Island and the mainland so it's more scenic and is in sheltered waters. RT seattle sailings go on the west side of Vanc Is so less scenic and a greater chance for rough water. If the airfare is cheaper to SEattle, it's easy enough to fly into Seattle, then transfer to Vancouver via Amtrak Cascades train, Amtrak bus, Bolt Bus, Quick Coach, cruiseline transfer, or one-way rental car. This will also allow a day at each end to explore in Seattle AND Vancouver.

There are at least 65 detailed trip reports in STICKYs at the top of the page. The first line generally states the ship, date of travel, and who travelled. The reports provide first hand info on ports, activities, diy options, etc. There are some great photo journals as well ( a couple might still be on this page or the next).

[presjade]

We are going Princess because of the Vancouver port. Also does Royal include Glacier Bay? Another reason we went with Princess...Good Luck I'm sure which ever you choose you will have a great time;)

[donaldsc]

. I looked and driving to Seward takes like 50 hours and we don't have time for that since we are younger and work and can't take hat much time off from work. I choose Seattle because it limits the money having to spend on a flight for both is us.

 

s

 

Where are you planning to drive from - somewhere in the lower 48? The only thing that I could find that was near to 50 hours from Seattle and I can't imagine that anyone would consider driving from Seattle to Seward just to get to Seward. There is no spot anywhere in Alaska that is 48 hours driving distance from Seward. What you are saying makes absolutely no sense at all.

 

DON

[sh2738]

Yes. As I stated in a previous post we are tentatively planning on leaving from Seattle because that is where one of us lives, I live in Texas. Someone that replied to my original post had mentioned thinking about departing from Seward, but I was explaining why that is not an option because leaving from Seattle is easy since who I am going with lives there.

 

It makes sense when reading the original post. Of course I live in the lower states and not in Alaska. That is why I am doing a cruise.

 

Thanks to previous responders, that gave advice and info, I will keep it in mind. Will look a little at Princess and possibly leaving from Vancouver.

 

 

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[alaskawdw12]

Hi! 😊

 

DH and I went on RCCLs Radiance of the seas in Alaska for our honeymoon 3 years ago. We were 27 and 24, and we had the most amazing time!

 

The Jewel is the same class as the Radiance, and they are gorgeous ships! Windows all over the place, so no matter what you're doing you can see the beautiful scenery outside.

 

We really like participating in activities onboard and don't enjoy lounging around and watching the scenery, and RCCL was perfect for us. There were activities going on all the time - trivia, finish the lyrics, if you know it dance it, video camera scavenger hunt, 70s party, etc. - so when we were onboard and not eating 😜 or sleeping we were at an activity.

We enjoyed our time onboard as much as we enjoyed our time in port.

 

As far as people your own age...don't hold your breath. The Alaska cruises tend to have an older crowd onboard. Let's put it this way: we were invited to a luncheon for honeymooners and we were by far the youngest couple. The couple closest to us in age were 40, the couple closest to them were 50 and the other 3 honeymooners for 70-90 years old! 😄 in The Love and Marriage game show (which is hysterical) the newlyweds were in their 50s. So there aren't many people your age onboard, but there will be a few and because it's a smaller size ship you you meet really great people and start forming groups that you hang out with at activities.

[Giantfan13]

Have you considered a Carnival cruise?. I understand Carnival isn't the best player in Alaska, but every Carnival cruise you will get more families and a younger crowd. After all they are the "Party Cruise Line" :D:D:D LOL

 

Anyway, as has been mentioned for Alaska you should choose your cruise line by the itinerary more so than the ship. Alaska is what we call a port intensive cruise, meaning that the ports are more important than what goes on, on the ship. Everyone usually gets off at every port and usually stays off until it is time to depart. Where you cruise to see glaciers is also a big factor. Cruising Glacier Bay is more attractive than any of the other glaciers, so people look which lines do that. As was said, the times you are in certain ports also plays a big part. We wanted a long stop in Skagway as we were renting a car and traveling into the Yukon. We had been to Alaska previously so we knew what we wanted and where we wanted to go.

You have to do some homework, see what interests you in each port and then decide which cruise line offers you the best chance to meet those demands.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[sh2738]

Thanks for the advice. I have narrowed it down between the Princess Crown and the Royal Caribbean Jewel of the Sea. Still have some thinking to do. Love the Royal Caribbean ones but the Princess does go on the inside passage to see more glaciers and more scenery. Hesitant with the Princess cause I know that onboard stuff to do is lacking in comparison to the Royal Caribbean as well as it has a much older crowd.

 

Will have to discuss it with my younger person going with me to see what she wants to do. Did see that the Princess requires you to be 21 to gamble in the Casino. That might be a deal breaker as Royal it is 18 and my cruise partner loves the casino.

 

Thanks for all the help.

 

 

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[Dobermangal]

RCI requires you to be 21 to gamble on all Alaska sailings.

Just a heads up.

C.

[sh2738]

Huh. I'll have to look at that. Seems weird that there are different age restrictions from Caribbean cruises to Alaskan. Still think I will do RCL instead of Princess.

 

 

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[bonvoyagie]

Demographics on AK cruises generally tend to be on the wee bit older side to start with - however there are also lots of families onboard as well.

 

As some others have said, you need to treat an AK cruise differently than say a Bermuda or Bahamas cruise where most of your time is spent onboard ship. In AK spending time in port is what it is all about. Also we call non port days see days because there is always something to see on shore - and yes most of the time there is land on both sides of the ship.

 

Scenic glacier cruising is also featured on AK cruises. Most cruises visit either Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glacier or Glacier bay one or two visit Hubbard Glacier instead. For most people these are the highlight of the cruise (outside of port activities). Glacier Bay is probably the number one choice for seeing glaciers - it is almost always accessible - the downside is that since it is a National Park, you need a permit to enter - only two cruise ships are allowed in on any given day and only three lines have the majority of the permits - HAL, Princess, and NCL. All run RT cruises out of Seattle.

 

I tend to like NCL the Jewel and Pearl are mid sized ships that hold around 2300 pax. The Pearl is the one that goes to Glacier Bay. The Pearl has several bars and nightclubs, a large party on Wed night, they also have a rock climbing wall and a bowling alley. Find your own fun, I am sure that you will find some other people your age onboard.

 

As for the ports take a look at www.cruiseportinsider.com and learn more about the ports and the things you can do in them. I think that you will have little problem finding activities to interest you. AK has dog sledding, ATV riding, zip lines, kayaking and more.

[sh2738]

Thanks for the info. I am thinking a little bit more towards doing the Princess cause I found one that leaves from Seattle for my time frame that does the inside channel.

 

I didn't really consider NCL, it didn't seem like it was recommended a whole lot.

 

Thanks for the help all.

 

Still debating and going back and forth.

 

 

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[Aquahound]

Not to add even more confusion, but Celebrity Solstice also cruises out of Seattle, and that is the most beautiful ship in the region...in my opinion.

 

NCL...take it or leave it. For your age, you might really enjoy it. From my experiences on NCL though, I don't recommend it.

 

I still think you're on the right track with Jewel of the Seas. With regard to Princess, I see the choices out of Seattle are Ruby and Crown. Of those 2, I recommend Crown because I think the itinerary is a little better due to Glacier Bay. My biggest hang up with Princess though, is their ships feel a lot more crowded than RCI's Radiance Class.

[sh2738]

I really like RC but it doesn't go on the inside passage from Seattle and I have heard that is the best route to take. I had wanted to do Glacier Bay but there isn't one, for Princess, that goes there from Seattle for my time range. Thanks for the info.

 

 

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[sherryf]

I really like RC but it doesn't go on the inside passage from Seattle and I have heard that is the best route to take. I had wanted to do Glacier Bay but there isn't one, for Princess, that goes there from Seattle for my time range. Thanks for the info.

 

NONE of the ships that sail from Seattle, on any cruise line, go inside of Vancouver Island, if that's what you are referring to. They ALL do the Alaskan Inside Passage. You need to do some reading to familiarize yourself with Alaskan cruises in general before making decisions.

 

Princess does have one ship sailing from Seattle that goes to Glacier Bay. So does Holland America, and I think NCL does too.

 

Demographics will be pretty much the same on all Alaskan cruises. I've been on both Carnival and Princess in Alaska, and they were very much the same in age ranges, activities, etc. I wouldn't choose your cruise based on reputation for "younger" crowds. It will be much different in Alaska than what you are used to in the Caribbean.

 

BTW, nobody was suggesting that you should drive to Seward for a cruise. Nobody does that. You fly up to Alaska, sail out of Seward (or Whittier for Princess) and end in Vancouver. Or vice versa. You and your sister could take the train or a shuttle bus up to Vancouver from Seattle, sail up to Seward, then fly back. But I also understand the convenience of a round-trip Seattle cruises, since I live in the Seattle area too. I only get 1 week of vacation a year, so don't have any extra time for long flights or touring interior AK, so the Seattle trips are more practical for me at this point in my life. I know the limitations of these cruises and I'm willing to accept them, but I go every year, and eventually I will be able to do better ones.

 

If you've settled on a round-trip Seattle cruise, then look at the itineraries of the ships sailing from there. Don't just look at ports (there are only a few to choose from) but at times in port. Look at an excursion list and think about what you'd like to do in each port. Choose the cruise that will allow you to do the things you want to do. For example, I looked at the itinerary for the Jewel. It only goes to Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria, and misses Ketchikan completely. If you want to see Ketchikan, this isn't a good choice. However, they do have a full day in Victoria, instead of the short evening stop that most lines do, so if you really want to see Victoria, this might be a good choice. It's up to you. Figure out what you want to see and do, and figure out which cruise fits your choices.

 

Just remember, if you miss things on this trip, there's always "next time"! :D

[sh2738]

Yes I think I will do princess. Yes it doesn't go the complete inside passage by going inside of Vancouver island, which is the best I guess, but it does go inside after that to go up the passage from the inside. RC doesn't do that. It is always on the outside. I would be alright with leaving from Vancouver but the date that we want to leave isn't offered on either RC or Princess to leave from Vancouver. And flying to Alaska is out of the question.

 

 

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[sherryf]

Yes I think I will do princess. Yes it doesn't go the complete inside passage by going inside of Vancouver island, which is the best I guess, but it does go inside after that to go up the passage from the inside. RC doesn't do that. It is always on the outside. I would be alright with leaving from Vancouver but the date that we want to leave isn't offered on either RC or Princess to leave from Vancouver. And flying to Alaska is out of the question.

 

ALL Alaskan cruises sail the ALASKA Inside Passage. It is the only way to get to the ports! ;) The routes taken by all Seattle sailings will be similar. I suggest looking at the itinerary maps for the sailings you are considering.

[sh2738]

What I meant was that when leaving from Seattle not all cruise lines, RC included, appear to go around Vancouver island instead of inside it. So it doesn't go as far inside as some other ones like Princess does. I think I will either do princess from Seattle or look at possibly doing a RC from Vancouver if I can pick a different date.

 

 

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[sherryf]

What I meant was that when leaving from Seattle not all cruise lines, RC included, appear to go around Vancouver island instead of inside it. So it doesn't go as far inside as some other ones like Princess does. I think I will either do princess from Seattle or look at possibly doing a RC from Vancouver if I can pick a different date.

 

The RC cruises that sail from Vancouver end in Seward. You already said that flying to Alaska is out of the question, so I assume that flying BACK from Alaska is also not possible?

[sh2738]

Yes. Flying back from Alaska is also not an option. I am already flying to Seattle to meet up with my fellow cruiser and would be a pain and more expensive to fly an additional flight when I don't have to. Have narrowed it down to one going to Glacier Bay from Seattle or one going to Tracy Arm going from Seattle on Princess. Just have to decide which one.

 

 

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[sherryf]

Yes. Flying back from Alaska is also not an option. I am already flying to Seattle to meet up with my fellow cruiser and would be a pain and more expensive to fly an additional flight when I don't have to. Have narrowed it down to one going to Glacier Bay from Seattle or one going to Tracy Arm going from Seattle on Princess. Just have to decide which one.

 

In that case, my preference is Glacier Bay. I've done Tracy Arm and it's nice, but not nearly as impressive.

 

Holland America and Norwegian also go to Glacier Bay from Seattle, so you might look at both of those too. I'm looking at Holland America for my cruise this summer because their Seattle sailings go to Sitka rather than Skagway, and I've never been there. That could also be a deciding factor for you, depending on which you'd rather see. The Westerdam goes to Glacier Bay every week, so that could fit your timing. I don't know much about the NCL itinerary, but it's something else you could look at.

[alaska_planner]

if you're willing to do a round trip out of vancouver, have you considered Disney Cruise Lines?

 

Of course, they're probably the most expensive. and they'll probably have more little kids, than people your age. Just another possibility for round trip out of vancouver.

Edited February 4, 2015 by alaska_planner

[jled]

I have the same questions..I am thinking of a September 2015 cruise.. and looking for a seven day itinerary out of Seattle....looking to keep my costs down and also not be the youngest on the ship. My husband is 51 and I am 48. We had that on a HAL cruise.. Panama Canal...Never again...our dinner tablesmates were in their 90's...it was hard to find others to talk to.... I am thinking Celebrity or NCL...I love adventure...but I am not sure if I am going to be bored on an Alaska cruise...That is the opinion I have gotten from a few friends..but it is such a bucket list cruise..I have been on Europe, Japan, Panama Canal, and many many Caribbean cruises.. thanks in advance for the input