New to Alaska

[txcruiser90]

Hello!

 

I've spent a good amount of time reading threads on Alaska and feel like I've learned a lot but just need a bit more direction.

 

My family and I are planning an Alaskan cruise for June 2017. So far the only cruise I've done is the Carnival Magic to the Caribbean's and we loved it!

 

There will be about 4-5 adults and whats most important is itinerary and then price. From everything I've read it seems like Glacier Bay is an absolute must. We love wildlife, scenery, and the outdoors. (Which is why we are excited about Alaska).

 

I've also read that Holland America or Princess will be the best to choose from during that time period.

 

The part I'm still confused on is that even through Holland America or Princess, there are so many itineraries to choose from. Such as roundtrip Seattle, Roundtrip Vancouver, One way northbound or southbound.

 

If I've missed a thread that answers all this I apologize and would appreciate any redirection to more information. However, I didn't see anything specific to this in a search.

 

Thank you!

[oaktreerb]

How many days have you set aside for this trip? The round trip Seattle will be 7 days (or 14 on one HAL itinerary) and will go outside Vancouver Island. The rt Vancouver will go inside Vancouver Island which is the most scenic route. If you have time for a longer trip you will want to sail to either Seward (HAL) or Whittier (Princess) and spend some time on land (northbound) or the opposite (southbound). These will begin or end in Vancouver so will include the scenic inside passage route.

 

Glacier Bay gives you the best chance of seeing glaciers from your ship. The national park rangers will come onboard and be with the ship for a day of glacier viewing.

 

Expect to visit Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway (and Victoria on Seattle itineraries.). Some itineraries may vary. Check the itineraries for port times as some will give you more time in different ports.

 

Daylight is longest around the summer solstice (June 21) and will get shorter by September (also wetter).

Edited January 5, 2016 by oaktreerb

[txcruiser90]

Thanks for the reply! We were looking for about 7 days onboard the ship. We are from Texas so we will be flying so we are expecting it to be around a 10 day trip.

 

Are the one way trips better for scenery/wildlife/glaciers/ports than roundtrips? Are there certain lines that are better for what we are looking for? It sounds like Princess and HAL are the best for what we were looking for but I saw that each one had several ships and itineraries.

[gottagoacruzn]

Thanks for the reply! We were looking for about 7 days onboard the ship. We are from Texas so we will be flying so we are expecting it to be around a 10 day trip.

 

Are the one way trips better for scenery/wildlife/glaciers/ports than roundtrips? Are there certain lines that are better for what we are looking for? It sounds like Princess and HAL are the best for what we were looking for but I saw that each one had several ships and itineraries.

 

Hi Txcruiser, you will really really love Alaska, have been there several times, most recent in Sept and will be going again in June. Have always gone with Rcl, but this time its with Holland America. Oh be sure to take your binoculars cuz you will need them.

 

I see you are from Tx, my dad grew up in Brownwood, an was an Aggie. You anywhere close to Brownwood?

[oaktreerb]

10 days would barely give you time to visit Denali National Park but it could be done. You need two nights at Denali and an probably an overnight in Anchorage. A 7 day cruise, 2 nights in Denali, 1 night in Anchorage.

 

Instead you could spend time in the Turnagain Arm area between Anchorage and Seward.

 

With only 10 days available I would just do the cruise or fly to Anchorage and do the land first and cruise back to Vancouver. You would see wildlife at a distance at Denali OR closer up at the Wildlife Conservation Center along the Seward Highway at Portage.

 

The 7 day cruise round trip Vancouver would be a good choice and you would have some time to see the sights in Vancouver. You would be limited to the wildlife you can see on excursions near the ports.

[txcruiser90]

I'm from the Houston/Galveston area, so i'm about 6 hours away from Brownwood!

 

I think from everything I've read it sounds like if we only are going to go on Alaskan cruise once, the 7 day northbound or southbound one way itinerary is the way to go, with Glacier Bay included.

 

Any recommendations on cruise line/ship?

[txcruiser90]

I also stumbled upon the Norwegian Sun which had an itinerary that sounded similar to the others, anyone have any opinions on this itinerary vs the HAL or Princess?

 

Mon Vancouver, British Columbia (EMBARK) --- 4:00 pm

Tue Cruise Inside Passage --- ---

Wed Ketchikan, Alaska 7:00 am 4:00 pm

Thu Juneau, Alaska 11:00 am 9:00 pm

Fri Skagway, Alaska 8:00 am 8:00 pm

Sat Cruise Glacier Bay --- ---

Sun Cruise Hubbard Glacier --- ---

Mon Seward, Alaska (DISEMBARK) 5:00 am ---

 

We're trying to figure out the cruise line and ship to take. I've only been on Carnival and don't have much else to compare it to. The most important to us is getting to see glaciers and wildlife and its clear now that the one way itineraries with Glacier Bay and an additional glacier is best for that.

[lifeasme123]

I also stumbled upon the Norwegian Sun which had an itinerary that sounded similar to the others, anyone have any opinions on this itinerary vs the HAL or Princess?

 

Mon Vancouver, British Columbia (EMBARK) --- 4:00 pm

Tue Cruise Inside Passage --- ---

Wed Ketchikan, Alaska 7:00 am 4:00 pm

Thu Juneau, Alaska 11:00 am 9:00 pm

Fri Skagway, Alaska 8:00 am 8:00 pm

Sat Cruise Glacier Bay --- ---

Sun Cruise Hubbard Glacier --- ---

Mon Seward, Alaska (DISEMBARK) 5:00 am ---

 

We're trying to figure out the cruise line and ship to take. I've only been on Carnival and don't have much else to compare it to. The most important to us is getting to see glaciers and wildlife and its clear now that the one way itineraries with Glacier Bay and an additional glacier is best for that.

 

My itinerary is almost the same as yours, except for the Glacier Bay we are visiting Icy Strait Point, and ours is on Celebrity.

 

Are you doing only the cruise? We are adding in about 11 days of DIY land tour after. Anyway

 

With regards to cruise line, I think it's a matter of preference - what you like in a ship, clientele, etc. Then again, it's Alaskan cruise....you can't go wrong!

 

My first Alaskan Cruise was with Princess - loved it! We are going on Celebrity this time because they match our Diamond status from Royal.

 

BTW - our cruise ends in the same port as the itinerary you posted. I am doing a lot of research right now and would suggest vistiing the Kenai Fjord before going home.

[Crew News]

Hello!

 

I've spent a good amount of time reading threads on Alaska and feel like I've learned a lot but just need a bit more direction.

 

My family and I are planning an Alaskan cruise for June 2017. So far the only cruise I've done is the Carnival Magic to the Caribbean's and we loved it!

 

There will be about 4-5 adults and whats most important is itinerary and then price. From everything I've read it seems like Glacier Bay is an absolute must. We love wildlife, scenery, and the outdoors. (Which is why we are excited about Alaska).

 

I've also read that Holland America or Princess will be the best to choose from during that time period.

 

The part I'm still confused on is that even through Holland America or Princess, there are so many itineraries to choose from. Such as roundtrip Seattle, Roundtrip Vancouver, One way northbound or southbound.

 

Thank you!

 

I can only speak for Holland America Line (HAL) so here is the daily activities (On Location) for our May 2015 round trip from Vancouver:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/alaska-2015-noordam-on-location-daily-activities/

 

The ship that sailed this itinerary Ms Noordam will be replaced by the Ms Nieuw Amsterdam for 2016 and 2017. Here is my photographic tour of the Nieuw Amsterdam to give you an idea of a HAL ship:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/

 

We will be on this ship in 2016 and 2017 for the first two cruises of the season in both years (April/May).

 

Lots of whales in Juneau as well as glacier walking. Feeding eagles in Ketchikan and the scenery on the gold rush trails in Skagway makes this itineray a photographic dream for me:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty/wildlife/eagles/

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty/wildlife/orcas/

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/juneau/mendenhall-glacier/mendenhall-glacier-walk/

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/skagway/white-pass-yukon-railroad/

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/glacier-bay/

 

Hope this helps in your planning.

[txcruiser90]

Thank y'all both! Those pictures are gorgeous. I can't wait.

 

I'm not sure which line/ship to pull the trigger on but at least we have somewhat of an itinerary nailed down. Thanks for the advice!

[Thoth]

For me cruises come down to price and itinerary. It seems like cruise lines does basically the same itinerary which is Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. I've found Hubbard Glacier a worthy substitute for Glacier Bay. From my experiences, Victoria tends to get short-changed on many Alaska itineraries with something like 1800-midnight. :(

Being from the Southern US, I've found Seattle easier to fly into but Vancouver a much prettier port of Embarkation/debarkation. When I cruised out of Seattle, we left from the edge of the city near the cargo port. Vancouver's Canada Place is a fabulous place to cruise from.

I've done round-trip from Vancouver, round-trip from Seattle and Nortbound Vancouver to Whittier. Approaching Whittier, our travel through College Fjord was rained out and the flight from Anchorage was a nightmare. My thoughts tend towards either visit Denali or do a roundtrip. I didn't find Anchorage worth the hassle. IMHO

As for me, a ship is a ship...with the exception on age and size. A 1500 passenger ship built in 1990 is quite different than a 3000 passenger ship built in 2010.

Based on my experiences, I've selected for my next Alaskan cruise...Crown Princess ( 3000 passengers, built 2006) from Vancouver ( overnight stay downtown), going to Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. For what is is worth :D

[xlxo]

For those considering one way Northbound/Southbound Alaska itineries... think about how you plan to get to/from Alaska. Are you going to fly? Some may do two one-way trips to make it a round trip.

 

Another variation is Holland's Denali option where you travel by land, sea and air between Anchorage/Fairbanks and Skagway. There's also a Yukon component too!

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/YukonDoubleDenali

http://www.hollandamerica.com/Denali

 

This is something I'm hoping to try in the coming years.

[dijid]

For those considering one way Northbound/Southbound Alaska itineries... think about how you plan to get to/from Alaska. Are you going to fly? Some may do two one-way trips to make it a round trip.

 

We're flying on frequent flyer tickets. It was the same number of miles (25,000 on Delta) to get from home to Vancouver and then Anchorage to home as it would have been roundtrip Seattle. Roundtrip Vancouver would have actually been slightly higher. So don't count the one way cruise out until you've fully researched the flight options.

[mlmalone3]

Greetings to the fellow Texan! We discovered Alaska in 2007...a once in a lifetime Alaskan cruise on RC. On the 2nd day onboard, my husband says.." the next time we come..." Our once in a life time has turned into 3 Alaskan cruise trips and an upcoming cruise on NCL. We really enjoy Princess and you have to cruise Glacier Bay. NCL was just a bit lower in cost for this summer, so we are giving them a try. The land trip to Denali is great. We both enjoyed white water rafting up there and the Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali....we saw 10 bears, counting cubs, along with other wildlife. After taking land tours with RC and Princess, including their trains, we decided we would rather rent the car and DIY on the land portion. It is easy and these forums are lots of help. Always learn something from seasoned travelers like Budget Queen. Enjoy your planning and of course your trip! It is the best way to escape the Texas heat!

[Budget Queen]

With one way cruises, I strongly encourage you to add as many days as possible. It's a long way for many people, and not a frequent trip. Take advantage of being there.

 

I would not consider Denali Park with only 3 days, especially if arriving/departing from Seward. I suggest having at least 5 days (even that is too short in my opinion :) )

 

I have been on the Princess, Hal and NCL itineraries above. The two glacier visits certainly are excellent. I'm also an advocate of enjoying Seward or Whittier. Don't "settle" for just passing through. Take advantage of being there!!!

 

Time is your best friend in Alaska, it is not uncommon for people to underestimate time and distances. So verify these and be realistic in your planning.

[TheCalicoCat]

From everything I've read it seems like Glacier Bay is an absolute must. We love wildlife, scenery, and the outdoors. (Which is why we are excited about Alaska).

 

Thank you!

 

I agree Glacier Bay is a must, but I absolutely LOVED the independent Tracy Arm excursion.

 

We chose RT out of Vancouver on Volendam for a few reasons...

1. Glacier Bay

2. Round trip - just easier with flights...

3. Sailed east of Vancouver Island. (Out of Seattle sails to the west - could be rougher waters - our next cruise is RT out of Seattle, so not a deal breaker)

4. Smaller ship

5. the actual dates (Wed to Wed)

 

Most seem to go to Ketchikan & Skagway... Maybe you have an interest in Sitka instead? (That can help you decide.)

[TheCalicoCat]

I'm from the Houston/Galveston area, so i'm about 6 hours away from Brownwood!

 

I think from everything I've read it sounds like if we only are going to go on Alaskan cruise once, the 7 day northbound or southbound one way itinerary is the way to go, with Glacier Bay included.

 

Any recommendations on cruise line/ship?

 

My dad is in Pearland - can't get him on a cruise... (Too much sun, go figure.)

 

I gave my advice previously (well Ii gave the rationale for our choice.)

[TheCalicoCat]

I also stumbled upon the Norwegian Sun which had an itinerary that sounded similar to the others, anyone have any opinions on this itinerary vs the HAL or Princess?

 

Mon Vancouver, British Columbia (EMBARK) --- 4:00 pm

Tue Cruise Inside Passage --- ---

Wed Ketchikan, Alaska 7:00 am 4:00 pm

Thu Juneau, Alaska 11:00 am 9:00 pm

Fri Skagway, Alaska 8:00 am 8:00 pm

Sat Cruise Glacier Bay --- ---

Sun Cruise Hubbard Glacier --- ---

Mon Seward, Alaska (DISEMBARK) 5:00 am ---

 

We're trying to figure out the cruise line and ship to take. I've only been on Carnival and don't have much else to compare it to. The most important to us is getting to see glaciers and wildlife and its clear now that the one way itineraries with Glacier Bay and an additional glacier is best for that.

 

I won't see Hubbard until 2017, but as I said previously I LOVED Tracy Arm - twin Sawyer Glaciers.

 

Also Seward has small scenic cruises... Worth looking into as an excursion.

[TheCalicoCat]

We're flying on frequent flyer tickets. It was the same number of miles (25,000 on Delta) to get from home to Vancouver and then Anchorage to home as it would have been roundtrip Seattle. Roundtrip Vancouver would have actually been slightly higher. So don't count the one way cruise out until you've fully researched the flight options.

 

When we used "miles" Canada was "priced" differently as was AK vs continental US - so YMMV.

 

We flew into & out of Seattle - taking Amtrak to & from Vancouver.

[tpnebraska]

Hello!

 

I've spent a good amount of time reading threads on Alaska and feel like I've learned a lot but just need a bit more direction.

 

My family and I are planning an Alaskan cruise for June 2017. So far the only cruise I've done is the Carnival Magic to the Caribbean's and we loved it!

 

There will be about 4-5 adults and whats most important is itinerary and then price. From everything I've read it seems like Glacier Bay is an absolute must. We love wildlife, scenery, and the outdoors. (Which is why we are excited about Alaska).

 

I've also read that Holland America or Princess will be the best to choose from during that time period.

 

The part I'm still confused on is that even through Holland America or Princess, there are so many itineraries to choose from. Such as roundtrip Seattle, Roundtrip Vancouver, One way northbound or southbound.

 

If I've missed a thread that answers all this I apologize and would appreciate any redirection to more information. However, I didn't see anything specific to this in a search.

 

Thank you!

 

We just booked the June 18th Glacier Bay RT out of Seattle on the NCL Pearl. This will be our 3rd cruise. Our first was on the Carnival Dream (it was good) and the 2nd on NCL Star (this was awesome). I much prefer NCL's freestyle cruising concept. I too had contemplated which one to do but in the end decided to go with the RT. We will fly in on Friday night and stay over Sunday night after debarkation so that we can see as much of Seattle as we can. I would love to go to Denali but decided the added expense was too great. We can see wildlife, glaciers and take in the sights of the ports. We will take our own excursions once we decide what it is that we want to do at each port.