Alaska

[Swindonpete]

Hi All - we are looking to book a cruise to Alaska and want to sail from Seattle - any recommendations about best time of year to go and best cruise line to use please? Any other tips welcomed about Alaska cruising - must see ports or activities etc. Thanks in advance.

[easyboy]

You van post on the Alaska Port of Call Forum for more response.

 

 

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[Nitemare]

Best time to go is summer, unless you want to freeze to death. Also, none of the cruiselines you've heard of are there during winter.

 

Port of Call forum is best for excursion advice

[runner15km]

We sailed with Princess the last week of July everything went great.

[paul929207]

We have sailed there 4 times all in July. Weather was generally pretty good, but a little rain.

 

Be sure to get one that goes to Glacier Bay.

[Swindonpete]

We have sailed there 4 times all in July. Weather was generally pretty good, but a little rain.

 

Be sure to get one that goes to Glacier Bay.

Thanks v much Paul

[Crew News]

May is one of the driest months in Alaska, prices are the cheapest since kids are still in school, lots of baby wildlife (deer, whales, eagles, bears, harbor seals, etc.), still a bit of snow on the peaks, and less competition for popular excursions.

 

Many cruisers go to Alaska the first time to experience the scenery and return many times to take advantage of all of the rest of Alaska.

[XBGuy]

The Alaska cruise season extends from, roughly, late April/early May though mid/late September. Earlier and later in the season the weather is likely to be chillier and there will be fewer children (school is in session). From mid-June through August the weather should be warmer and there will, likely, be more children on the cruise.

 

I think all the mass market lines have roundtrip cruises out of Seattle. Here on Cruise Critic you will find fans for each of them. You will also find anti-fans for each one of them. My honest opinion is that they are all more alike than different. You don't give us any demographic information about your self--e.g., age, interests, limitations. That might help somebody make a recommendation on the cruise line. I am also pretty agnostic about itineraries. So, one strategy you might have is to check prices and see which line/itinerary best fits your budget.

 

Have a great cruise.

[Roz]

I would base my decision on itinerary rather than cruise line, within budget, of course.

 

Roz

[worldtraveller99]

We are thinking of something similar SwindonPete - assume you in the UK?! - but from Vancouver. Which line did you choose in the end?

 

They all seem to have a reasonably identical itinerary, and around the same prices too. And in the years following 2019 (which is when we are thinking about it) more and more cruise lines will be there.

 

People who have chosen a line mostly are happy with the one they chose, so hard to make the decision!

[Kiran]

We chose a two week cruise to see more ports, going on HAL, out of Seattle.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few Alaskan cruises and at all times of their sailing season.

We have found that we like the last week through the first week of August the best.

One cruise we really liked and did 2 times was HAL's 14 round trip cruise out of Seattle -- it has a couple of ports that other cruise lines don't do.

As for glaciers -- in order from the way we like them: Hubbard Glacier -- lots of calving and bluer ice; Glacier Bay -- lots of scenic cruising until you get to the glaciers; and finally Tracy Arm -- we have missed it a few times because of ice flows.

[Swindonpete]

We have done quite a few Alaskan cruises and at all times of their sailing season.

We have found that we like the last week through the first week of August the best.

One cruise we really liked and did 2 times was HAL's 14 round trip cruise out of Seattle -- it has a couple of ports that other cruise lines don't do.

As for glaciers -- in order from the way we like them: Hubbard Glacier -- lots of calving and bluer ice; Glacier Bay -- lots of scenic cruising until you get to the glaciers; and finally Tracy Arm -- we have missed it a few times because of ice flows.

 

Many thanks - great info and help.

[Swindonpete]

We are thinking of something similar SwindonPete - assume you in the UK?! - but from Vancouver. Which line did you choose in the end?

 

They all seem to have a reasonably identical itinerary, and around the same prices too. And in the years following 2019 (which is when we are thinking about it) more and more cruise lines will be there.

 

People who have chosen a line mostly are happy with the one they chose, so hard to make the decision!

 

Hi, yes in the uk. Not chosen one yet as thinking of 2019 as 2 other cruises already booked ahead of that. Time to do some research and plan ahead.

[Pierlesscruisers]

If you are really "in to" souvenirs, know that the last 3-4 weeks or so of the season, the prices drop on souvenirs about 50-75%. If that's important to you, it's nice to know. But it may be a bit chillier then also. Whenever you go, hope you have a great cruise!

 

Tom

[Swindonpete]

May is one of the driest months in Alaska, prices are the cheapest since kids are still in school, lots of baby wildlife (deer, whales, eagles, bears, harbor seals, etc.), still a bit of snow on the peaks, and less competition for popular excursions.

 

Many cruisers go to Alaska the first time to experience the scenery and return many times to take advantage of all of the rest of Alaska.

 

Great info - thank you!

[Swindonpete]

We chose a two week cruise to see more ports, going on HAL, out of Seattle.

 

Thnaks v much.