If Glaciers Were the Deciding Factor...

[rkacruiser]

21 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

I would add Valdez, Wrangell, Kodiak and maybe Wrangell to the list of relatively unspoiled towns.  Maybe also Haines.  All of those towns would not dry up and blow away if cruising stopped.

 

DON

 

It's been years since I visited Valdez and just Kodiak is the only one community that I have visited in your list.  Your comment about what might happen to them if cruising stopped is spot on.  Kodiak was very interesting and was "real Alaska", historic with its connection to Alaska's Russian heritage.  

[donaldsc]

On 5/30/2021 at 2:00 PM, Heidi13 said:

 

I

 

For our next Alaska cruise it will be a 10-day Vancouver to Seward on Viking Ocean, but if NCL/HAL/PC are the only choices, it would be a 1-way Vancouver to Seward (HAL) or Vancouver to Whittier (PC), or the reverse trips.

  

 

My  next AK cruise was supposed to be Vancouver to Nome with stops along the Aleutians and at islands in the Bering Sea.  It got cancelled - sob!

[Crew News]

On 6/1/2021 at 1:42 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

I agree.  It's been several years since I visited Sitka; always had to tender when I did, but now I understand there has been a pier built.  I

The Sitka pier is not downtown where the tendering used to take place.  The pier is located in an industrial area area with a 25-minute bus ride to the downtown visitor area.

[alohayall]

Last week, I saw the sale and sailing for NCL to AK this year and booked for August.  I have sailed to AK 4 times, and thought a new cruise line and 2 new destinations (Icy Strait Point and Endicott Arm) would be fun.  
 

But I like the cruises to Glacier Bay... so I switched to September.  Still get to try Hoonah in Icy Strait.

 

[My favorite is College Fjords, but it’s not an option for you (nor would it be, if trying to save money, as it involves a one-way cruise and a flight home from AK).  And not on your list of choices.]

 

You can see a beautiful glacier in Juneau... Mendenhall Glacier.  No matter which cruise you take.
 

I’d vote for Icy Strait Point and Glacier Bay - and I did with my cruise reservation!

 

NCL Encore, Sep 11.

 

 

[alohayall]

Mendenhall Glacier, July 2015

 

 

You can get this close...

 

 

You don’t get the “calving” experience, but should in Glacier Bay.

[alohayall]

Sometimes the view is less than ideal; still beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

[alohayall]

This was Tracy Arm in 2011.  One glacier at the end of a day of cruising. We headed after the Carnival Ship left. The glacier appeared “dirtier” than others I have viewed.  I have not picked this route again (it was Disney, which has priced me out from their AK cruises.  We can get balconies elsewhere for the price of an inside).

 

 

 

 

[alohayall]

Glacier Bay, July 2013

 

 

 

 

[Pluto_fan]

alohayall...thanks for the beautiful pictures!  😍

 

I'm happy to hear your vote for College Fjord.  I'm trying to pick between a few different one-way options for next late May - early June, and the option that looks best overall for us (Sapphire Princess) has College Fjord rather than Hubbard Glacier (which a lot of people seem to love).  I'm sure it's a choice between two great opportunities.

 

Happy cruising!

[Travel R]

We have not cruised for a few years (and had to cancel a potential cruise this year due to COVID). Last night my wife hands me an NCL flyer late last night and says "book us an Alaskan cruise for next year."  Of course, the first place I go to research is CruiseCritic.  I am looking for the best time to cruise Alaska, the best sights (why I looked at this thread), and although she gave me an NCL flyer, I am also looking for the best cruise line (the best one for us, for this particular cruise, that is within our budget - I gave up on loyalty a long time ago).

 

Thank you to those that have posted - you have already provided me with a lot to think about.

 

Question - does the time of year to cruise Alaska matter (early in the cruise season vs. later in the season) matter?

 

Thank you!

[Crew News]

2 hours ago, Travel R said:

We have not cruised for a few years (and had to cancel a potential cruise this year due to COVID). Last night my wife hands me an NCL flyer late last night and says "book us an Alaskan cruise for next year."  Of course, the first place I go to research is CruiseCritic.  I am looking for the best time to cruise Alaska, the best sights (why I looked at this thread), and although she gave me an NCL flyer, I am also looking for the best cruise line (the best one for us, for this particular cruise, that is within our budget - I gave up on loyalty a long time ago).

 

Thank you to those that have posted - you have already provided me with a lot to think about.

 

Question - does the time of year to cruise Alaska matter (early in the cruise season vs. later in the season) matter?

 

Thank you!

After many visits to Alaska over the years in all seasons, time of year does indeed matter. 

 

Early season (May) cruises are in the drier season, have lower cruise and flight prices, still some snow on the peaks, fewer kids (still in school), longer periods of sunshine each day, and lots of new baby creatures experiencing life.

 

Late season has lower prices, tourist item sales, beginning of Pacific storm season (rain), rougher seas, fewer hours of daylight, and facilities shutting down for the season.

[Heidi13]

Having spend multiple entire cruising seasons in Alaska, my experience is consistent with the previous post.

 

Timeframe - we prefer early/mid June. Still some snow on the hills, temperature is getting comfortable, few kids, lots of daylight.

 

Sights - scenery is key in Alaska, so ships that spend the most time in the Inside Passage are our preference. For us, this eliminates all large ships and everything that sails from Seattle (too much time in open ocean). Glacier Bay is a must - in over 2 dozen visits, I have never missed Glacier Bay and the Park Rangers coming aboard are brilliant. Prince Willian Sound, especially College Fjord are another not to be missed experience for us.

[Travel R]

Thanks for your replies.  The question right now is going to be between a 7 day itinerary on Norwegian that does not go much north past Dawes (would not see Glacier Bay) on a newer ship that is more conducive to my 17yo and 21yo vs. and older Princess ship (which will not have as many pax in that age range) that hits Glacier Bay and Hubbard on a Southbound Anchorage to Vancouver. After doing a lot more research since yesterday, I really would like the Princess itinerary (and I even prefer the smaller ships), but not sure the family is going to agree. NCL's deal right now is great, and that will also play into the decision. Hopefully by tomorrow my signature will read "Booked: Alaska cruise" - but may come down to the last minute as to which itinerary we will see.   

 

But thanks again - I will share both of your responses with my family in hope to persuade them.

[rkacruiser]

2 hours ago, Travel R said:

The question right now is going to be between a 7 day itinerary on Norwegian that does not go much north past Dawes (would not see Glacier Bay) on a newer ship that is more conducive to my 17yo and 21yo vs. and older Princess ship (which will not have as many pax in that age range) that hits Glacier Bay and Hubbard on a Southbound Anchorage to Vancouver. After doing a lot more research since yesterday, I really would like the Princess itinerary (and I even prefer the smaller ships), but not sure the family is going to agree.

 

I am assuming that the smaller, older Princess ship of which you mention is either Coral Princess or Island Princess.  I have sailed on Coral Princess and she is well suited for an Alaska itinerary.  The NCL ship probably is going to be considerably larger and newer, but what will be the Alaska oriented programming onboard?  Princess has been sailing Alaska itineraries for more years than NCL and has developed unique Alaska programming, i.e. Puppies in the Atrium and a presentation by a former woman musher who participated in the Iditarod just as two examples.  

 

I am trying to provide you with a bit more "food for thought and consideration".  I hope I am not complicating your situation.  

[Heidi13]

Concur with RKA, as we have also sailed extensively on Island & Coral. While purpose built for the Canal, they were our favourite Princess ships, when we sailed with that Line.

 

The fwd looking decks below the Bridge are perfect for Alaska. 

 

Princess have also forgotten more about Alaska than NCL have ever learned.

[Travel R]

I want to say thank you to everyone for your posts - it was very much appreciated.

 

However, I lost the vote.  

 

I provided my family with all of the information, but ultimately, they decided on the ship over the itinerary.  For a (to be) 17 and 22 year old, the allure of a big ship with all the bells and whistles (Norwegian Bliss - b. 2018) over the more traditional older ship (Grand Princess - b. 1998).

 

As an FYI, from what I read, the Bliss has two observation decks that were built specifically for Alaskan cruises. On the other hand, also from my research there is little to no onboard enhancements (e.g., talks by a Park Ranger) in regard to Alaska. The little they have is more of a sales pitch.

 

However, if my DW enjoys this trip, a second Alaskan vacation (via land or sea) will occur in our future, with just myself and my DW featuring Glacier Bay in our plans (with a few days in Anchorage). If we like a place, we usually go back to vacation non-cruise.  A second trip to Alaska may not be in the very near future, but it is now officially on our bucket list.

 

Thanks again, but now that we booked the Norwegian cruise, I am not going away, and will be following this thread closely over the next year.

 

Next stop . . . Roll Call.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, Travel R said:

However, I lost the vote.  

 

🤣   I cannot tell you how many elections where I found myself on the loosing side! 

 

Now that decision has been made, you can spend your time on planning for what you want to do during the cruise itself.  Enjoy your planning!  

 

And, thank you for returning to this thread and inform us about the outcome of the "vote"!  

[Travel R]

Another updated - yesterday RCI updated the agenda to show the "Departure" date of Endicott Arm/Dawes glacier as "overnight."  I first asked around these CC, but did not receive an answer.  So I contacted NCL - due to regulations, only a number of ships can go down the arm at once, so they are times.  The cruise I was on was slated to enter Endicott Arm at midnight (I believe (if I am correct) with a 4 hour window to complete sailing the arm, this would mean Dawes Glacier would be seen at 2 am I then talked to my family and we decided to switch itineraries.  I immediately looked at Princess - they did not have any balconies or mini-suites on the port side (it is a Southbound) and nothing with an inside cabin close by (for my daughters; too old to share a cabin, but my younger daughter is still too young to have a cabin too far from us).  We found a good medium between itinerary and ship - although it is ironically an older vessel, my family enjoys RCI (we have been on a few cruises with them, so at least have the loyalty points), but there are more glaciers to see. Itinerary includes 3 hours viewing Hubbard Glacier, Sawyer Glacier (Tracy Arm Ford), and Mendenhall Glacier (which I will see in Juneau which has an 8 hour stop-over as opposed to 5 with NCL). Also cruising through the Inside Passage, 8 hours in Ketchikan, and 8 hours in Sitka. [Now, hopefully Mother Nature will also cooperate when we get there.] Unfortunately, not the National Park, but will hopefully see it on our proposed land-vacation in several years.

 

I want to thank everyone once again for your comments, Even with the bad timing of seeing Dawes, I think that your help assisted me in persuading my family to switch to the other itinerary. [Between the current promotion by RCI along with C&A perks, it turned out to be a good overall deal to boot.]

 

Thanks again,

 

Travel R

[Coral]

On 6/30/2021 at 7:31 PM, Travel R said:

I want to say thank you to everyone for your posts - it was very much appreciated.

 

However, I lost the vote.  

 

I provided my family with all of the information, but ultimately, they decided on the ship over the itinerary.  For a (to be) 17 and 22 year old, the allure of a big ship with all the bells and whistles (Norwegian Bliss - b. 2018) over the more traditional older ship (Grand Princess - b. 1998).

 

As an FYI, from what I read, the Bliss has two observation decks that were built specifically for Alaskan cruises. On the other hand, also from my research there is little to no onboard enhancements (e.g., talks by a Park Ranger) in regard to Alaska. The little they have is more of a sales pitch.

 

However, if my DW enjoys this trip, a second Alaskan vacation (via land or sea) will occur in our future, with just myself and my DW featuring Glacier Bay in our plans (with a few days in Anchorage). If we like a place, we usually go back to vacation non-cruise.  A second trip to Alaska may not be in the very near future, but it is now officially on our bucket list.

 

Thanks again, but now that we booked the Norwegian cruise, I am not going away, and will be following this thread closely over the next year.

 

Next stop . . . Roll Call.

 

You picked the wrong itinerary! If you want the ship - don't bother going to Alaska and just go to the Caribbean. Alaska is all about the itinerary. 

[Travel R]

10 hours ago, Coral said:

You picked the wrong itinerary! If you want the ship - don't bother going to Alaska and just go to the Caribbean. Alaska is all about the itinerary. 

 

In an article I read last night by an Alaskan resident, the author wrote that cruise line tourists were all cheeckakos [I had to look it up; it is an Alaskan slang word that means tenderfoot and/or newcomer] and the best way to see Alaska is by land; people that see this state only by ships and day tours have never really seen the true Alaska. So, according to the author, anyone that has only visited Alaska by cruise ship have visited Alaska incorrectly. [If I find the link I will share it.] 

 

Another point of view is from those that take the smaller "upscale" cruise lines would say that those of us sailing the mainstream cruise lines are missing out on a real Alaskan cruise experience.

 

It's all a matter of perspective.

 

There is no "right" or "wrong" itinerary - there is only the itinerary that is right for you/your family, and your specific circumstances. I cannot deny that seeing Glacier Bay on Princess/Hal would be awesome. However, I do not see our choice as being "wrong," but "right" for me an my family.

 

Happy cruising,

 

Travel R

 

 

Edited July 6, 2021 by Travel R

[Coral]

13 hours ago, Travel R said:

 

In an article I read last night by an Alaskan resident, the author wrote that cruise line tourists were all cheeckakos [I had to look it up; it is an Alaskan slang word that means tenderfoot and/or newcomer] and the best way to see Alaska is by land; people that see this state only by ships and day tours have never really seen the true Alaska. So, according to the author, anyone that has only visited Alaska by cruise ship have visited Alaska incorrectly. [If I find the link I will share it.] 

 

Another point of view is from those that take the smaller "upscale" cruise lines would say that those of us sailing the mainstream cruise lines are missing out on a real Alaskan cruise experience.

 

It's all a matter of perspective.

 

There is no "right" or "wrong" itinerary - there is only the itinerary that is right for you/your family, and your specific circumstances. I cannot deny that seeing Glacier Bay on Princess/Hal would be awesome. However, I do not see our choice as being "wrong," but "right" for me an my family.

 

Happy cruising,

 

Travel R

I will agree that seeing land in Alaska is important. I will also agree that smaller boat rides are better than larger. Though when you are comparing 2 large ships, you picked the weaker itinerary. A much weaker itinerary.

 

You need to decide if Alaska is important or the ship. You chose the ship. If one is paying all that money to go to Alaska - you might as well pick a good itinerary. If Alaska is not that important - go to the Caribbean. It is far cheaper.

[Casey12]

I have to agree with Coral that you picked a very weak itinerary. Alaska is about what happens off the ship and glaciers, not ship activities. Too bad you won't see the best a large ship has to offer.

[Travel R]

17 hours ago, Coral said:

You chose the ship.

Not that I need to defend my choice, but technically no.

 

There should be no disagreement that the bigger, newer ship with the bells and whistles on NCL attracts a different demographic. We chose the vacation venue that would have the demographic that would match the age groups of my family.

 

Not everyone will agree with me, but when it comes to family vs. anything, family always wins.

 

PS: If you read further down on this thread you will have read that the ship and itinerary have been changed - a few days ago.

 

Nuff' said - I'm done with this thread.