new to this. Getting Started on planning!

[Feliciab625]

Hi Cruisers! I have to confess I am not a cruise lover. :eek: I have cruised twice; the pride of aloha 15 years ago and a Disney cruise two years ago. My family (hubby and twin 6 year olds) are pretty avid travelers. We are currently working on visiting all 50 states. Hubby and I have been to 38 the duo 22!

Now after all that... here are my questions?

1. What ship do you prefer with kids?

2. How terrible would an inside cabin be?

3. Are there any better times in the summer to go?

4. Any website or discounts a novice should know about?

5. Any perks better than others to look for?

 

 

I think that's it! Any help in how to get started will be appreciated!

 

 

Thanks!

 

 

Felicia

[lesley_willis1971]

I always go to each cruise lines website and do a search for the time frame that I think I can go. Then look at their pricing for the itineraries I like. I write all the info down then i go to cruise compete dot com . It's a site that allows you to enter up to 5 different cruises to get "bids" on from hundreds of travel agents. Some will discount off the cruise lines price, some will offer up hefty amenities (or perks), some will offer both in order to gain your business. Then I choose which offer fits my needs best and book. The reason I check the cruise lines website first is so I know up front what the actual price is. This way I know if I'm getting a good deal on my "bids".

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

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[Mountaineer0313]

I just booked our Alaska cruise a few weeks ago and already found a $500 price drop. Once you book, continue doing mock bookings and see if the price stays the same or drops. As long as the cabin category is the same, the cruise line will drop your price. I booked Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas for Aug. 2018, sailing from Vancouver and ending in Seward. I've already booked whale watching in Juneau, but I'm waiting for the 2018 Tour Saver book to come out before I book any more. I can't comment on what lines are best for kids, but I do believe Disney does Alaska cruises. The best thing to do here is read reviews and make notes. I keep a word document on my desktop titled Alaska Notes, and anytime I find anything related to our trip online, I'll make a note and copy the link so I can go back and research later...hotel recommendations for pre or post cruise, shore excursions, links to reviews here on cruise critic, recommended restaurants in port, anything that we might want to do goes in the notes. I also have a binder with dividers for each port, where I keep info and payment confirmations for things I've already paid for. I know, I'm a nerd, but being organized makes planning so much less stressful for me.

*Came back to edit because I forgot to answer other questions...

We're going in August, and while it might be chillier, I've heard that you have a better chance of seeing wildlife.

We booked a balcony, simply because we do spend a lot of time in our room, and on an Alaska cruise, you will be near land a lot of the time, so I want to be able to watch and take pictures. Now, with 2 six year olds, I can't imagine they'd be happy with spending a lot of time in a small room, so for you, you might be able to save money and pick an inside or oceanview without a balcony, since you'll probably be out and about on the ship a lot of the time.

[mapleleaves]

If you're not a cruise lover, do a land trip instead!

Fly into Anchorage and rent a small RV for 10 days. A 22ft has a separate bedroom and a bed over the cab for the kids.

OR, get a rental car in Anchorage and stay in cabins/hotels for a week.

 

Give it some thought.

 

Look thru 2015 and 2016 trip reports for ideas on family trips.

[Cruise_More_Often]

If you're not a cruise lover, do a land trip instead!

Fly into Anchorage and rent a small RV for 10 days. A 22ft has a separate bedroom and a bed over the cab for the kids.

OR, get a rental car in Anchorage and stay in cabins/hotels for a week.

 

Give it some thought.

 

Look thru 2015 and 2016 trip reports for ideas on family trips.

This is a great idea, and you will see more of the "real" Alaska.

 

Travel south from Anchorage and stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Spend a night in Seward (they have a wonderful campground) and go on a Kenai Fjords cruise (7 to 9 hours). Then travel north to Denali and spend some time in the Park.

 

There are so many stops between Seward and Denali that you will have to be choosy or run out of time.

[Rydain]

With regard to not being a cruise lover and the question about inside cabins -

 

My Alaska cruise last year on Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas was the first I'd taken apart from a childhood family vacation. I went because a critical mass of family and friends were going and there seemed to be enough I'd want to do. I had a great time because the ship was an efficient and pleasant route between ports with my choice of must-do activities - outdoor adventures and learning about local history and First Nations culture. When going between points of interest, I'd rather be on a boat with my choice of spaces to hang out in than in a train or vehicle.

 

I booked an inside cabin to save money for excursions, and I would absolutely do the same in the future. I loved the total darkness during 4 a.m. sunrise, and I got my fill of scenic viewing elsewhere on the ship.

[GradUT]

If you're not a cruise lover, do a land trip instead!

Fly into Anchorage and rent a small RV for 10 days. A 22ft has a separate bedroom and a bed over the cab for the kids.

OR, get a rental car in Anchorage and stay in cabins/hotels for a week.

 

Give it some thought.

 

Look thru 2015 and 2016 trip reports for ideas on family trips.

 

I totally agree. We took our kids (aged 11 and 13 at the time) on an 8-day trip to Alaska, renting a car and staying in B&Bs and hotels. It was a great vacation and we saw and did a lot.

 

We did an Alaska cruise (sans kids) about 6 weeks ago and it, too, was an amazing trip, but we saw and did a lot less than we did on the land vacation.

[Feliciab625]

This is a great idea, and you will see more of the "real" Alaska.

 

Travel south from Anchorage and stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Spend a night in Seward (they have a wonderful campground) and go on a Kenai Fjords cruise (7 to 9 hours). Then travel north to Denali and spend some time in the Park.

 

There are so many stops between Seward and Denali that you will have to be choosy or run out of time.

That is a great idea. Our plan is to rent an RV to visit Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota and Montana the summer of 2019. I was hoping to cruise so we could visit Seattle and check Washington state off the list at the same time.

 

I had not thought about the extended daylight so an interior may not be so bad. And I am assuming that there will be plenty of places to be able to view the scenery. We did the verandah on the disney cruise and barely used it as there was always something happening on the ship we wanted to do.

[Sequim88]

An inside cabin out of Seattle might total less than four R/T tickets to Anchorage since the kids would be 3rd & 4th in cabin. Might take some looking around to find an inside that will accommodate 4, even two small ones. Based on recent experience with our 5yo & 7yo grandkids even here in Seattle area the late daylight really messes with getting them to bed. A dark inside would be perfect for that. Holland America has "Club HAL" for kids and the kids we saw a few weeks ago looked to be having fun. Figuring in 2019 they will be 8 they could get a lot out of it. Also, HAL ships have a closeable dome over the pool area making it a lot more available for kids.

 

As for when - if doing RV trip in Pac. NW and in particular Seattle then the best weather bay far would be in early August and some of that trend can extend up the coast to SE Alaska. Very typical to have morning "marine layer" of clouds and afternoon sunshine. On the coast though air temps will be cooler due to ocean water temperature.