first time cruise to Alaska

[olesh]

This is the first I've looked into taking an Alaskan cruise.

I can not choose which itinerary/ship to take. What will be the best value?

I prefer round trip.

What is better? Leave from Seattle or Vancouver?

we are 2 Adult and 2 kids age 10-12, and 3 couples age 50-60

Thank you

[CruiserBruce]

If cost is your number one consideration, some reading on the board would indicate Seattle is probably the cheapest.

 

On other definitions of "best", you will see Vancouver gets you to Glacier Bay and the true Inside Passage, two higher priorities commonly discussed here.

[joemurph]

Need to sail glacier bay amazing is all I can say

 

 

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[Budget Queen]

I am not of the mindset, claiming Glacier Bay is the "priority" to have when choosing an Alaska cruise. I've had experiences at all the glacier areas that would be considered highlights. :) You will find rave reviews with all cruises that sail Alaska.

 

I instead suggest you look at the WHOLE itinerary- but first- YOU need to determine what YOU want out of your trip? What is it you wish to see and do? What tours do you want to be sure and include? What ports are of most interest to you? To do that, I suggest an in depth look at each port- what they are known for and what they offer. This isn't the Caribbean where a lot of "sameness" is present and usually a crappy port included. :)

 

Each Alaska is very different and each worthwhile to go to. There are only 6 inside passage Alaska ports, so not much effort involved, Take a look at shore excursion lists.

 

Sure- some people don't care where they go- and feel anything will be great to see. Determine if this traveling style is yours, which will mean, the same for the glacier,

frankly.

 

IF a one way and a couple weeks are an option- then look further to include mainland Alaska. An area that requires your homework- especially.

 

I'll caution against jumping into "common" plans. Some of those choices are completely missing highlights that may be of interest to YOU. :) There are numerous options to consider, and with one trip, barely get a fraction. :) So enjoy your planning and take your time, educate yourself- so you know what you are looking at. A suggestion for making some great choices.

[Sequim88]

Airfare is usually the biggest factor for Seattle vs. Vancouver - depending on where coming from (and unless you live near Seattle ;) ). Next biggest would be desire to cruise "inside" Vancouver Is. (from Vancouver the city) versus outside the island from Seattle. Most of the actual transit past the island is at night either way but water is usually smoother inside. The Seattle departures will include a short stop at Victoria on Vancouver Is.

 

One-ways will hike the airfare factor by a fair amount due to a leg to/from Anchorage. We liked the one-way going north due to the sense of "going to" Alaska.

 

I'm with Budget Queen on the Glacier Bay part. All the glaciers are good. Personally I was a lot more wowed by College Fjord than Glacier Bay but that's not on R/T itineraries.

 

Most of the R/Ts are divided between stopping at Skagway or Sitka - one or the other. Both have merits so researching those first then concentrating on itineraries with the one more attractive to you will help narrow it down. I would have reservations about itineraries that leave out a town to include Icy Strait Point based on comments from my son. Sort of a contrived tourist operation.

 

Out of Seattle check out HAL routes - especially for the ages of your group.

 

A big factor for any line/itinerary is the budget for excursions and what interests are for members of the group. Adventure activities, wildlife viewing, scenic sights, glacier flights, etc... Identifying the interests in advance will help narrow things down a bit too.

[nfcu]

This is why there are travel agents. Please visit one to help you and point you in the right direction instead of relying on this forum.

[Italy52]

I respectfully disagree with the comment about travel agents vs. this forum. When I first started cruising to Alaska I used a couple of different TAs and found the whole experience very frustrating: they had never been to Alaska themselves and couldn't answer relevant questions either. The agents were more concerned about a commission than me as a client. I am not saying all TAs are bad....it's just that after 18 cruises to Alaska, I put more faith in the Cruise Critic website and the Alaska forum.

 

The key to getting relevant information is to ask specific rather than general questions. For example, don't ask what is the best cruise line/excursion in Alaska. Heck, what is best for me might not be best for you. My priorities/expectations will probably not be the same as yours. There is a wealth of first-hand information that can be very useful when planning a cruise. But remember, it only works if we, the contributors, have a foundation to build upon.

[Budget Queen]

This is why there are travel agents. Please visit one to help you and point you in the right direction instead of relying on this forum.

 

Sorry- I find this very poor advice. FEW travel agents have much Alaska experience. you don't get it without going there. MANY never do any independent touring. I find it a joke, when they claim, oh yes, I've been there- went on ### cruisetour. Never heard about alternatives. Just about never will recommend independent options- UNLESS they are commissioned based. Will claim- "everything" is a great choice with a head nod.

 

It's been pretty regular- posters come joyously to this board- AFTER they book, all happy they are going to Alaska- then find some of the details on this board that they had no clue about that are not what they thought. (one current now)

 

Add to the mix- every week, I get emails from travel agents, some with the most pitiful questions and disservice to clients because they don't know what they are talking about. Usually start with a "is this true?"

[TheCalicoCat]

This is why there are travel agents. Please visit one to help you and point you in the right direction instead of relying on this forum.

 

The TA told me that I would not like HAL & that there would only be seniors on the ship - wrong & wrong.

[TheCalicoCat]

General response to the OP.

 

1. I am in the "Choose an itinerary that includes Glacier Bay, it is a World Heritage Site for a reason." portion of cruise critic.

 

For me I liken it to going to Paris & not seeing the Eiffel Tower.

 

Especially if this is your first & possibly "only" cruise to AK. (Others feel differently. My second cruise to AK will not include Glacier bay, but my first one sure did.)

 

2. Pay attention to the different itineraries - There is at least one, that only visits 2 AK ports instead of the normal - 3. (For me that is not "best value.")

 

3. Make a table of the different ships/itineraries compared to the things that you want to do.

In Juneau Whale Watching can be done from any cruise line or independently... (Ditto the railroad in Skagway.)

If on the other hand you are interested in the Russian History of AK, then you probably want to visit Sitka.

Completing this exercise may help you to determine which cruise line/itinerary is the best value for your group.

 

4. Don't worry about demographics - there are many similar groups even on the cruise lines that may seem to be tailored to seniors...

 

5. You know your group best - choose accordingly. (I recently checked several of the major cruise lines & the lowest rate appears to be about $800 per person on all of them. - triple/quadruple occupancy is probably less for the 3rd & 4th Passenger. Balconies will cost more.)

 

6. In my opinion, a balcony is not needed. (Especially if you are on a budget.) I can think of 100 other things on which to spend that money. Others on CC feel differently.

If I had a balcony, I'd be sitting on it looking at the town because I couldn't afford the excursions. YMMV

 

7. Have fun! There isn't a wrong answer. 1000's if not 10,000's have sailed to AK (on lines that I would not consider for myself) & had a great time.

[mapleleaves]

This is the first I've looked into taking an Alaskan cruise.

I can not choose which itinerary/ship to take. What will be the best value?

I prefer round trip.

What is better? Leave from Seattle or Vancouver?

we are 2 Adult and 2 kids age 10-12, and 3 couples age 50-60

Thank you

 

Best is subjective. You'll need to learn about the options in order to make the 'best' decision for your group.

 

There are books specific to Alaska cruises that will outline the basics for you. Borrow from your library or buy ..... Ann Vipond "Alaska by cruiseship', or Fodors " Alaska Ports of Call". The books have info on the cruiselines, ships, itineraries, ports, excursions, DIY, etc.

 

Read past trip reports posted in STICKYS near the top of the page. Many are photojournals with lots of details and photos about life on board, excursions, activities, sights and scenery. As you read the reports you'll find that the ships are more alike than different, and there are few unhappy travelers.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2368831

 

 

Regarding SEA vs VAN ...... sailings out of Vancouver are more scenic in that the ships sail between Vancouver Island and mainland BC, therefore they're closer to shore and in calmer seas. Out of Seattle ships sail on the west side of Vancouver Island so nothing to view but the sea and a greater potential for rougher water. You can fly into Vancouver or if substantially cheaper you can fly into Seattle and transfer by bus, train, or rental car.

 

Have fun with your research and planning!

[PhillyTravelBug]

This is why there are travel agents. Please visit one to help you and point you in the right direction instead of relying on this forum.

 

Chill out a bit. This forum has quite a wealth of knowledge from those that have experienced first hand.

 

Thanks to those that have shared as I am looking to cruise Alaska.

[QShip]

As a different point of view:

 

We have been to Alaska once, did not do Glacier Bay but still had a great opportunity to see glaciers and glacier calving.

 

We are now booked on an Alaska B2B, since we decided that the return trip on the cruise was a better value than than the one way flight from Anchorage to (Vancouver) then home.

 

It may be regarded that the ports of call are the same northbound and southbound, but it does give an opportunity to see the port first northbound and then fine tune your excursions or onshore activities for the southbound trip.

 

We are looking forward to our 14 day B2B, and will be in a great position to do what appeals to us most, either northbound or southbound (we do recognize that we have an advantage in having a prior cruise).

 

Regardless, take advantage of the great information available on CC,

 

and ....

 

HAVE A GREAT TIME, ALASKA IS FANTASTIC!

Edited January 12, 2017 by QShip

[olesh]

Thanks for all the great advice!

I don't mean the best ship, but combination of good itinerary and price.

I prefer to do the round trip from Vancouver, but I found just two ships

Celebrity Infinity and Volendam

not sure if the Celebrity Infinity go to Glacier Bay.

 

 

Day Ports of Call Arrival Departure

1 Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia --- 4:30 p.m.

2 Cruise Inside Passage, Alaska --- ---

3 Sitka, Alaska 10:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m.

4 Cruise Hubbard Glacier 10:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m.

5 Juneau, Alaska 7:30 a.m. 8:00 p.m.

6 Ketchikan, Alaska 2:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m.

7 Cruise Inside Passage, Alaska --- ---

8 Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia 7:00 a.m. ---

[xlxo]

Been to Glacier Bay.... been to Tracy Arm's Sawyer. I wanna see a glacier.... go to Glacier Bay. Tracy Arm's Sawyer is best an example of glacier extinction.... the ship/boat needs to travel 31 miles to find Sawyer.

 

[YOUTUBE]OMzReVZn__M[/YOUTUBE]

 

In addition to itinerary... have you thought about which month/week? Cold vs warm vs wet vs dry vs wildlife vs fireworks

• May and September is cheaper, but colder and some excursions are not running. Some like these months as you can do back 2 back cruise getting to/from Alaska.
  
• May can mean ice congestion to some glacier viewing sites like Tracy Arm/Sawyer. Ice in some years can go into July! In 2016.... it was mid-August before ships went to Tracy Arm.
  
• May to July is dryer in Alaska, August will see more rain and September will be wettest. If too stormy to dock.... cruise ships will skip the port.
  
• July to August will be dryer in Cascadia
  
• May to August will give you more day light
  
• August and September offer better wildlife opportunities with bears and salmon
  
• August starts to get statistically wet.... with storms more likely in September to fill the Ketchikan rain gauge
  
• I like late-July for weather compromise and wildlife. It's also priced higher.
  
• some ports offer seasonal opportunities like fireworks and pride celebrations, but can also mean congestion on those popular days.
  
• http://www.alaska.org/advice/best-time-to-visit-alaska => it recommends mid-June to mid-July!
  
• http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2667
  

[TheCalicoCat]

Thanks for all the great advice!

I don't mean the best ship, but combination of good itinerary and price.

I prefer to do the round trip from Vancouver, but I found just two ships

Celebrity Infinity and Volendam

not sure if the Celebrity Infinity go to Glacier Bay.

 

 

Day Ports of Call Arrival Departure

1 Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia --- 4:30 p.m.

2 Cruise Inside Passage, Alaska --- ---

3 Sitka, Alaska 10:00 a.m. 8:00 p.m.

4 Cruise Hubbard Glacier 10:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m.

5 Juneau, Alaska 7:30 a.m. 8:00 p.m.

6 Ketchikan, Alaska 2:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m.

7 Cruise Inside Passage, Alaska --- ---

8 Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia 7:00 a.m. ---

 

We sailed on Volendam out of Vancouver on our first AK cruise & loved it.

 

The itinerary you included does not include Glacier Bay.

Edited January 12, 2017 by TheCalicoCat

[olesh]

Thank you all.

We plan to go in early July, because the children go towards the end of July and August to camp.

[xlxo]

If your dates include July 1st in Vancouver..... that day is a national holiday. In addition to fireworks at the cruise terminal.... most tourist attractions will be super busy.