Alaska ships

[BarbinMich]

On 2/3/2020 at 7:46 PM, snoozecrooze said:

. . .Sapphire is purported to have a wider promenade deck (deck 7), which is optimal for outside viewing space . . .

We've been on both ships, but not on Sapphire since 2005 so don't remember its features very well.  We've been on the Star several times, the last time (2014) in Alaska.  The ship has a wide "wraparound" promenade deck and I was out there often on our Alaska cruise--at Glacier Bay a waiter brought a trolley around with hot beverages as it was quite cool (May).  IMHO it was ideal for Alaska, certainly compared to the Royal which they're sending up to Alaska.

[LostAgain]

46 minutes ago, Coral said:

I think she basically wants you to be the first person off the ship. I got in line about 25 minutes before we were supposed to dock and was probably the 5th person off. She picked me up in the parking lot and drove me to their dock.

Yes, she seems really helpful. The trick is to pick the ship/itinerary that will make this excursion a possibility.

[LostAgain]

15 minutes ago, BarbinMich said:

We've been on both ships, but not on Sapphire since 2005 so don't remember its features very well.  We've been on the Star several times, the last time (2014) in Alaska.  The ship has a wide "wraparound" promenade deck and I was out there often on our Alaska cruise--at Glacier Bay a waiter brought a trolley around with hot beverages as it was quite cool (May).  IMHO it was ideal for Alaska, certainly compared to the Royal which they're sending up to Alaska.

Thank you for the input!

[Coral]

1 hour ago, LostAgain said:

Yes, she seems really helpful. The trick is to pick the ship/itinerary that will make this excursion a possibility.

Yes - the NB ships seem to.

[fishin' musician]

I've done the Sapphire RT out of Seattle and Coral on a NB.  I've also done a SB on the NCL Sun and a NB on HAL Westerdam.  I only slightly prefer the Sapphire over the Coral, but not really sure why.  It may be that it brings back such fond memories of shocking my wife when our two kids knocked on our stateroom door just prior to the muster drill in Seattle!  (the most stressful thing I've ever attempted; see YouTube video in signature).  We also did a Mexican Riviera on her earlier that same year .  I'm glad to hear it is coming back!  On the Coral we had the last balcony, directly adjacent to one of the rear viewing decks and the location could not be beat as we could move to the rear of the ship and then to the other side by just turning right when we went out our door. 

 

XBGUY is spot on: 

 

"The best cruise I ever had to Alaska was wonderful."

 

"The worst cruise I ever had to Alaska was wonderful."

 

In Alaska it's much less about the ship and much more about what lies beyond!

[fishin' musician]

Oh, and I prefer a NB as each the day the scenery gets more spectacular and if you go in May, June or July, the length of daylight increases each day until it no longer gets dark.

[Jnsplace1]

16 hours ago, fishin' musician said:

Oh, and I prefer a NB as each the day the scenery gets more spectacular and if you go in May, June or July, the length of daylight increases each day until it no longer gets dark.

I echo this.  Last time I did NB, I know I was tired at the end of the cruise + cruisetour, not because I packed it in.  But because I didn't want to close my eyes and miss anything!!  It was spectacular.

[billco]

We have sailed several times on the Star, Coral, Sapphire, and Royal. Since we haven't sailed an Alaskan cruise for several years I was looking this morning to see if there any itineraries for next year that we would like to try. I thought the 14 day round trip from Vancouver looked interesting in that it included two visits to Glacier Bay as well as a visit to Anchorage, College Fjord, Hubbard Glacier and along with two visits to Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. All four ships have that itinerary, but we settled on Royal for a simple reason. We like a couch in the room and only the Royal offers a deluxe balcony category. Since they took the chair out of the balcony cabins, that compromise doesn't work any more. The only way to have a couch on the other ships would be to book a mini-suite for several thousand more. So, this morning we booked an obstructed view deluxe balcony on the Royal for 14 days round trip from Vancouver. Another plus is it is in the first week of May, so should be less families. 

 

Since Princess continues to build big ships with a deluxe balcony category, I wonder if that was a factor in their decision to remove the chair from the balcony cabins.

Edited February 7, 2020 by billco

[BarbinMich]

2 hours ago, billco said:

. . . I thought the 14 day round trip from Vancouver looked interesting in that it included two visits to Glacier Bay as well as a visit to Anchorage, College Fjord, Hubbard Glacier and along with two visits to Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. . . .

Sounds like a very inclusive itinerary!  Also, we love Vancouver and have spent extra time there either pre- or post-cruise.  Enjoy!

[fishin' musician]

A visit to Anchorage?

[billco]

8 hours ago, fishin' musician said:

A visit to Anchorage?

Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska

[billco]

16 hours ago, BarbinMich said:

Sounds like a very inclusive itinerary!  Also, we love Vancouver and have spent extra time there either pre- or post-cruise.  Enjoy!

We plan to spend a few days in Vancouver, also. Debated doing this as a back to back, but it would have cost more with less OBC. Also, looked at 7 day coastal and 7 day Alaska. 14 day option seemed to work best.

[LostAgain]

On 2/6/2020 at 5:22 PM, fishin' musician said:

I've done the Sapphire RT out of Seattle and Coral on a NB.  I've also done a SB on the NCL Sun and a NB on HAL Westerdam.  I only slightly prefer the Sapphire over the Coral, but not really sure why.  It may be that it brings back such fond memories of shocking my wife when our two kids knocked on our stateroom door just prior to the muster drill in Seattle!  (the most stressful thing I've ever attempted; see YouTube video in signature).  We also did a Mexican Riviera on her earlier that same year .  I'm glad to hear it is coming back!  On the Coral we had the last balcony, directly adjacent to one of the rear viewing decks and the location could not be beat as we could move to the rear of the ship and then to the other side by just turning right when we went out our door. 

 

XBGUY is spot on: 

 

"The best cruise I ever had to Alaska was wonderful."

 

"The worst cruise I ever had to Alaska was wonderful."

 

In Alaska it's much less about the ship and much more about what lies beyond!

Surprising your wife sounds so fun, but yes very stressful. That's wonderful. Your wife and kids must be so appreciative.  

When we sailed on the Ruby, we did an obstructed oceanview and took advantage of those "secret" viewing decks. It worked out so great!

While XBGUY is spot on, if I have the opportunity to do research and pick the "best", or at least the best for me, the best cruise can be not just wonderful but amazing. And since my husband and I take one big vacation a year, I want it to be amazing and not lacking. That's why I am so amazed at the amount of information you can find on the internet, and so appreciative of everybody who takes the time to write here and help a fellow cruiser.

[LostAgain]

On 2/7/2020 at 10:09 AM, Jnsplace1 said:

I echo this.  Last time I did NB, I know I was tired at the end of the cruise + cruisetour, not because I packed it in.  But because I didn't want to close my eyes and miss anything!!  It was spectacular.

That does sound amazing! Seems there are good points for both north and south bound, so I will have to see which date fits best into our schedule and let that be the deciding factor.

[BarbinMich]

On 2/5/2020 at 5:24 PM, frugaltravel said:

I find the Princess southbound itineraries to be superior to the northbound ones since southbound include both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier.

 

We've been to both GB and HG and IMHO, Hubbard is a distant second to what you see in Glacier Bay.  Caveat:  it was an overcast day when we were at Hubbard.  In the latter, there is only one glacier; there are several in GB.  The only caveat to GB is don't go there in Sept.  We've been to GB several times, always in May when there was still plenty of snow on the mountains.  Went there in Sept. with my sister and there was no snow, just muddy rocks.  The Margerie Glacier is the main one in GB where Princess ships stay for a number of hours--the ship slowly rotates so that those who want to remain warm in their outside cabins can do so and still see them.  I'm one of those who likes to be outside on the Promenade deck (on the Star, e.g) where one can move around, duck inside to warm up (May), take photos, etc.  They bring around a cart with hot drinks from time to time.  Finally, it's the best chance to see wildlife in the water occasionally like seals (as I remember).

[memoak]

For me I love doing B2B from Vancouver. Doing this in August / September this year on the Pacific (one of my favorite ships)

[capriccio]

10 minutes ago, BarbinMich said:

Finally, it's the best chance to see wildlife in the water occasionally like seals (as I remember).

 

We also saw a small pod (3) of orcas as we were leaving Glacier Bay on our last Alaska cruise and one small puffin floating on the water.  On another we saw a grizzly bear walking along the beach.

[BarbinMich]

18 minutes ago, capriccio said:

 

We also saw a small pod (3) of orcas as we were leaving Glacier Bay on our last Alaska cruise and one small puffin floating on the water.  On another we saw a grizzly bear walking along the beach.

That reminds me that on one of our cruises in Alaska, we came up on a pod of orcas.  I think we had been in Hawaii (where orcas may go in the winter) within the past year or so and had to wonder if they were the same ones <g>.

Edited February 8, 2020 by BarbinMich

[fishin' musician]

On ‎02‎/‎08‎/‎2020 at 10:17 AM, billco said:

Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska

 

I don't know if you've researched Whittier, a very interesting history, but there is not much there, and you will have a long day.  Phillips Cruises & Tours offers a variety of scenic cruises/tours; I did the one called 26 Glacier Cruise, and it was spectacular!

 

Here is a link to a video I made in 2016 with some highlights (begins at 4min 10sec).

 

https://youtu.be/oVHYEflFDc4

 

Here is a link to Phillips Cruises & Tours.

 

https://www.phillipscruises.com/

 

Also, have you checked the HAL 14 day, RT from Vancouver?  It actually calls at Anchorage and goes to Homer (my favorite place on earth),Valdez and Misty Fjords.

 

Edited February 9, 2020 by fishin' musician

[billco]

Thanks for this info. Very helpful. I'll check out HAL, but most likely stay with Princess, because of the perks. Phillips looks good, too. Plenty of time to plan.

[stacy1231]

Can someone please let me know how the Emerald princess is in Alaska?  We have sailed on the Diamond in Alaska about ten years ago and it was beautiful. 

We are going in Summer 2021.

 

Thank you in advance.