Which cruise line for Alaska?

[lktomkies]

I'm sure this has been asked before.....but....hub and I are planning our first (and probably only) Alaska cruise for 2020.  We have been on close to 30 cruises, all in Caribbean/Panama/South America.  We are Diamond status with Royal Caribbean, but have also sailed Celebrity, Holland America and NCL.  We are in our mid-fifties, and will be traveling with just the two of us.

 

All of these lines (and Princess) offer the cruise tours we are interested in.  Would like a couple of days at Denali, and would like a stop at Talkeenta.  Anyone recommend one cruise line/ship over another?  Best observations decks?  Best balconies?  Best excursions (or all they all the same?)?   Would like minimum 10 days, and I see Holland has a number of 18 night trips.   Any advice is appreciated!  Would like to book soon, as rooms are filling up!

 

Thanks!

Linda

[Qcruise]

We are Princess loyals,  however when we did Alaska it was on Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas.  This class of ship has so much glass,  even an elevator that's glass runs up the side of the ship, so the ship was a great fit to see Alaska.  The only other thing I'd add is to deffinately spend the money and get a balcony.....this is what they are for.  Also we did the helicopter glacier landing.....all excursions are expensive in Alaska but if you're there then just do it.  

[xlxo]

On 9/16/2019 at 10:12 AM, lktomkies said:

planning our first (and probably only) Alaska cruise for 2020

Thoughts...

• only AK trip?... make sure it includes a Glacier Bay sea day
• Vancouver sailings includes the South Inside Passage that offers calmer waters compared to Seattle
• which month?  late-May is dry and cheap (my fav time to go), June has daylight, July for warmth, August has wildlife chasing the returning salmon (bears and whales), September is wet, cheap, and dark with the limited sunlight.

[cruisegermany]

Hi! Princess and Holland-America-Line are the two big players for Alaska cruises, although my trip with Celebrity was really lovely, too. All cruise line focus on Mother Nature during their cruises. Land and sea, mountains, wildlife, glyciers and icebergs, volcanism, earthquakes, tectonic plates and there is always a naturalist on board holding interesting talks. A grand focus and nature is what makes Alaska cruises special.

 

Much more important, I think, than the name of a vessel is the routing, how many nights and if it is going from/to Vancouver or Seattle or all the way up to Seward, Whittier or Anchorage. The typical 7nts round trip from Vancouver / Seattle only allows you a tiny taste of Alaska, and squeezing yourself through the souvenir shops of Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway is not what I call "Alaska Experience". My suggestion: disembark in Seward or Whittier and discover Alaska by rental car or RV. See Denali, Fairbanks, Valdez, take whale watching tours, ride a tour boat towards the glaciers near Valdez.

[Glaciers]

Princess and Holland do an exceptional job in Alaska and as noted include naturalists that can really enhance the trip.  They also have itineraries that include Glacier Bay.

 

Since you’re experienced cruisers you may want to consider a small ship cruise.  UnCruise & Alaskan Dream takes the Alaska experience to a new level. They also have itineraries that not only visit Glacier Bay but overnight there. It’s nothing short of cool to be anchored in front of a glacier for the evening.

[LoriPhil]

We’ve been impressed with Princess’ programs for Alaska, from the on-board Naturalist to enrichment programs, Libby Riddles’ presentation in Juneau, snuggling puppies on-board in Skagway and terrific park ranger program in Glacier Bay.  Coral Princess is our favorite ship for this itinerary with public decks aft and large Promenade deck, great library with large comfy chairs with good window views.  
 

Alaska is our favorite cruising region - fascinating and beautiful.

[Coral]

On 9/17/2019 at 11:34 AM, Qcruise said:

We are Princess loyals,  however when we did Alaska it was on Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas.  This class of ship has so much glass,  even an elevator that's glass runs up the side of the ship, so the ship was a great fit to see Alaska.  The only other thing I'd add is to deffinately spend the money and get a balcony.....this is what they are for.  Also we did the helicopter glacier landing.....all excursions are expensive in Alaska but if you're there then just do it.  

Having done Princess and RCCL in Alaska - Princess is definitely better. I didn't think the Radiance (sister of Serenade) was any better than the Coral Princess as far as ship for Alaska. Princess has better itineraries IMO for one ways as they have 2 glacier days. They also run far more enrichment programs onboard about Alaska.

 

Those are the only 2 lines I have done in Alaska but would do Holland America. Princess and Holland America in Alaska are run by the same group. They own a ton of hotels, Gray Line buses in Alaska and the railway in Skagway, etc... They have invested quite a bit in Alaska, more so than other lines.

 

I agree - excursions are expensive in Alaska. Definitely budget for them.

[JoRoy218]

We have done two cruises to AK, both on Coral Princess. As mentioned above, the itinerary is wonderful and the Naturalists on board add depth to the area. I would recommend you do the land tour in addition, to spend time in the interior and experience Denali.  Talkeetna is a fun, funky little town. On the first cruise, we did a rafting trip down the Chulitna (IIRC)  river and ended up in Talkeetna for lunch. There is a shuttle in town that takes you back to the Princess lodge.  Another plus is that Princess has its own lodges. While they are not 5 star hotels, they are appropriate for Alaska. Our only disappointment was the Princess hotel in Fairbanks. (Very small dining room, open limited hours, facility not appropriate for the large influx of visitors - hopefully improved since our visit in 2017.)  We have gone in late May and Sept. The fares are better but the weather (at least our experience) was far better in May. Enjoy and book soon!  
Our favorite is also the Coral (we have reservations in her for our SA trip next month too.) 

[Coral]

5 hours ago, JoRoy218 said:

Our favorite is also the Coral (we have reservations in her for our SA trip next month too.) 

 

I tentatively have that scheduled for next year. The Coral Princess is a good size cruise ship (not too large).