Questions for RC Alaska

[emeraldcity]

Booking two options is a really good suggestion. When booking in spring of the previous year, I originally planned to go on the May 15th sailing, but I was concerned I'd have to cancel ... and then rebooking later in the year would be cost-prohibitive (Alaskan sailings for the next year really jump in price by fall). So I booked the May sailing (in a JS) and the July sailing (in a balcony) Same price, by the way, so you get a feel for how much more expensive it is in mid-summer.

 

My DD ended up getting selected for a study-abroad opportunity that conflicted with the May sailing. I just called RCI in the Oct/Nov timeframe and switched the deposit money on the cancelled sailing to the July one. By that time, the cost of a cruise-only on the July sailing was almost as much as we were paying for the cruisetour.

[DScruiser]

No, you cannot just add a cruisetour later. If there is room on the cruisetour, you will get your reservation repriced to the current rate, so if you can pick a cruisetour now, you would probably be better off. If you cant decide you could make two reservations, one for the cruise and one for the cruisetour and decide before final payment.

 

Thanks for the info billsgal. I suspected that would be the case. :( The double booking idea is a good one, I'll have to give that some serious thought.

 

Di

[blackshirt]

 

No need to get Icy Strait point. It's a tender port, and unless they decide to dock the ship there we probably will stay on the ship.

 

We loved Icy Straight point. Had a fabulous whale watching excursion, saw lots of eagles and sampled fresh crab at a local establishment. Just my opinion, but staying on ship would be a mistake.

[Funbobby68]

We loved Icy Straight point. Had a fabulous whale watching excursion, saw lots of eagles and sampled fresh crab at a local establishment. Just my opinion, but staying on ship would be a mistake.

 

 

I was completely bored at icy straight the first time we went , then second visit we did some more exploring , kinda neat place to walk around , and then lunch at the "office"

Also IMO , given the option get on radiance for Alaska , way more windows on the ship and more likely to to be able to get in to see the glaciers, on the smaller ship

[hapster85]

We've done Alaska twice, on the Star Princess round-trip from Seattle in 2012 and on the Radiance as a southbound cruise-tour in 2015. We thoroughly enjoyed both.

 

As far as kids, they're there, but in far smaller numbers than cruises in warmer climes. That's purely anecdotal on my part, but certainly our experience on both cruises.

 

Icy Strait Point is a beautiful place, and hardly boring. As with any port, it's all in what you make of it. A dock was under construction when we were there July 2015, so tendering will soon be a thing of the past there.

 

As of 2012, the North Sawyer Glacier was still quite visible from the ship, even from the distance we had to remain from it. Excursions up to the face were available and reportedly well worth it. We also caught fleeting glimpses of the South Sawyer Glacier. (I may have those names reversed.) Both are in retreat and may eventually not be visible from the ship.

 

I would highly recommend the cruise-tour. Seeing Mt Denali in all its glory was awe-inspiring, and that alone made the trip worthwhile.

 

We would take another Alaskan cruise with either line again, without hesitation.