Alaska Sept '22, Binoculars Suggestion??

[72Chevelle]

Looks like we're going on our first Alaska cruise, next Sept.  I am curious about good binoculars to be able to get more up close on some of the scenery.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions or does maybe Majestic Princess already supply them in room?

 

Couple hundred dollars or less if possible.

 

Thank you and have a Blessed Christmas.

[bonvoyagie]

I have a pair of nikon 8x 32 that I bought in 2002 for around 80.00 (not sure how much they are today). I suggest that you visit a good sporting goods store and try several out. We actually went into the parking lot and started looking at objects about 1500' away. Our salesperson brought out various power and objective lens size models. The pair we chose had enough light gathering (objective lens size) and power (8x) to allow us to make out birds and other wildlife without being too limited and too heavy (another factor). I also have a pair of 10X 24 that I inheirited, I prefer the 8x 32.

[don't-use-real-name]

Well Opera glasses will work - drawback limited power and not so fast focusing on the action.

Advantage small easily portable

 

Now on the other hand don't go overboard with 20 power - you are going to need a tripod or

enertial steading device. Think of carrying around an astronomical telescope - - -

 

Getting down to earth consider 7x35 (7 power) fine for just ordinary viewing during daylight.

At night you would want more light gathering capacity move that 35 - 50 for getter detail.

 

Going up to 8 or 10 power is not all that bad but the size and weight increases but you do get

a tad closer to the action. At 10 power things start to get hard to keep steady and focused.

 

Two other options to consider:

 

One:  your digital video camera for instant viewing and future reminiscing

Two: Your new cell phone with multi objectives and you can record the too

 

Don't know about other cruise lines but if in a Garden Villa DOS OS NCL has in the past

furnished binoculars for those cabins on request.

 

On the ship:

Check out the concession gift shops on the ship - you should find a few to look over

and decide - budget range your ball-park - Couple hundred dollars or less if possible.

Also consider a lanyard or neck strap - in the unlike event (where have heard that before)

an accident happens - Davy Jones doesn't need any more optics.

 

In advance of sailing check out a photo store sporting outlet to get an idea of what you need !

Recommend that you buy in advance OFF the ship for better pricing - like the previous

poster bonvoyagie having the opportunity to compare models will be tremendous help.

 

AND don't forget that safety strap for a couple of dollars more !

[72Chevelle]

For further guidance, whilst cruising thru the straits or the glacier areas, how far between ship and shore/glacier? Close like 500ft, or are we talking 1/2 mile or more?
 

That would help decide the power?

[Heidi13]

When using binoculars on a ship, you must balance the magnification against blur from the ship's vibration. On the Bridge of most ships you will find 7x50, 7x35 or 8x50.

 

The first number is the magnification. For most new users (on a ship), I do not recommend going above 8 and most definitely no higher than 10.

 

The 2nd number provides an indication of light gathering ability. Higher numbers work better in lower light.

 

Technology - Having spent 30 of my 40 yrs at sea fiddling with focus, I really like the perma-focus option. Basically they have a huge depth of field, being in focus from a few feet to infinity.

 

I recommend a couple of options:

• Bushnell 7x50 Permafocus - FoV 372'@1,000yds
• Bushnell 10x50 Permafocus - FoV 393'

Both should be <$200. Even 7x binos can identify ships on the horizon.

 

The distance to shore varies throughout the cruise and depends on the route. Distance is difficult to judge at sea. In Glacier Bay you will be almost 1/2 mile from the Glaciers. With the exception of Tongass Narrows, you are never within 500' of shore.

[SightCRR]

Because of the movement of the ship and the very short time to view what you want to see I say skip the binoculars. My advice is to buy the best zoom bridge camera that you can afford instead. Use a heavy duty ziplock to cover it in the rain. Rain will make most binoculars useless. Even more-so if you wear glasses.  Most smaller whale watch tours will have binoculars to use.  You also get to keep photos of what you saw. If you do get a new to you camera make sure to practice taking shots of pets and any birds flying around. Some of the best photos we got of whales came from grandsons iphone on video where we could copy still shots and enlarge. 

[Northern Aurora]

Birding magazines often have binocular reviews which can be helpful.  But I also agree with "bonvoyagie" --  it is so important to actually hold/try them before purchasing.

[Dancing Shoes]

I ordered the Leupold Cascades BX-2 from one of their online distributors.  Couldn't test drive, as we lived in Hawaii and sporting stores were hard to find.

It is an 8x42.  Waterproof too.  Was perfect for our cruise and other vacations.  Don't go too cheap.  This binocular is an upgrade from an old Sears pair that was failing.  

 

[donaldsc]

Buy the best binocs that you can afford.  Buy them in a store so that you can test them out.  They will last you forever.  Then go onto one of the binocular sites on Google and do some research.  There are lots of good sites.

 

DON

[Sherme]

I am going on my first Alaska cruise next June.  I researched binoculars for this cruise and ended up ordering the Celestron DX Nature 8 x 42.  They are $146 on Amazon, but I got a great pre-Black Friday deal through Academy Sports ($89).  I have been trying them out in my neighborhood, and I like that they are small and light and they have a strap and a case.  They feel very comfortable to use, and I get really good and clear images.  I also picked them because it says that they are fog and waterproof.  Hopefully they will be great on my cruise (and beyond).

[cruisin 07]

On 12/3/2021 at 12:39 AM, donaldsc said:

Buy the best binocs that you can afford.  Buy them in a store so that you can test them out.  They will last you forever.  Then go onto one of the binocular sites on Google and do some research.  There are lots of good sites.

 

DON

Strongly agree with Don. Gone through numerous binoculars throughout the years. Nothing compares with the one I just purchase and used on my last cruise but 3 times the cost of the others that sit in a drawer never to be used again. Set your budget and then find ones that fit it with good reviews. 

[donaldsc]

8 hours ago, christy42 said:

In my opinion Vortex Viper HD 10x42mm would be the best binoculars for under $500. Just an awesome pair of Binos at this price point! Great VIP Warranty as well with Vortex. You can read by yourself https://theoptics.org/best-10x42-binoculars/

 

Vortex does make very well reviewed binoculars.  I would question whether you should get 10x binoculars however.  You will be on a moving ship and it might be difficult to hold them still enough.  If you can find a local place that carries them, go there and try them out.  If you can't find a local place, make sure that they are returnable for then 8x model.  Check out this site - https://www.bestbinocularsreviews.com/binocular-awards-2021.php.

 

DON

Edited December 18, 2021 by donaldsc

[CCJack]

Before our Alaska cruise I purchased canon 10x30 image stabilization IS II binoculars.  They are expensive (about $500).  However, the image stabilization works fantastic, it is incredible.   Eliminates the shake and vibration.   Since our trip 5 years ago they have been to many football games, several more vacations, and plenty of nature hikes.   With regular binoculars I cannot look through them very long due to the image motion, but with IS I can look through them for long periods of time, no issues, and I use them a lot more.   

[RKBA]

Two weeks ago I went to the Dallas Safari Club annual expo just to do binocular research. I visited several manufacturers' booths and spoke with several safari guides to get their recommendations. Every one of them said that if money was no object, Swarovski made the best binoculars. Most recommended Vortex as their second choice, with a couple of Leica and one Leupold Gold Ring (which from rifle scopes I know to ignore anything not in their Gold Ring line, and even then you can typically get better glass for the price).

 

I tried out various Leica, Vortex, and Swarovski models. I went back and forth multiple times to get repeatedly comparisons, so I wouldn't be biased by whichever one I had last looked through. This was inside a well-lit exhibition hall, so I was not able to compare low light performance. The dealers were all offering 10% below their minimum advertised price, so basically 10% below the cheapest online price I could find. Any prices I mention below include this discount.

 

The Swarovski NL Pure line was absolutely the best, and priced accordingly. $3099 (no show discount on these) for the 10x42, but also the easiest to hold. The sales rep had said they improved the ergonomics, and it showed. Something about the way the thumb rests forced me to hold them made them completely stable. There was no fatigue or shaking from holding them for a couple minutes. I could not tell a difference in image quality when comparing them to their next model down (the EL line) but the sales rep mentioned I would only see the improvement during the 15-20 minute window at dusk and dawn. But $3k+ was hard to swallow vs just over $2k (show price) for the EL line. So I couldn't justify spending an extra $1k for ergonomics improvements, and ruled out the Pure based on cost alone.

 

The Leica's I tried were 8x32 and very lightweight. Excellent image quality, but also $2k show price. Being 8x32 they had less magnification and a slightly smaller field of view, but for viewing from a moving platform that might be enough. And they were light enough that carrying them all day would be simple. They were definitely in the running with the heavier Swarovski's, although if I decided to spend $2k I think I would have opted for the Swarovski's for the slightly better image quality and the better warranty (see below).

 

As for Vortex, I tried the Diamondback ($200-ish show price), the Viper HD ($450), Razor HD ($900), and the Razor UHD ($1350).  There was a noticeable improvement from the Diamondback to the Viper, and from the Viper to the Razor HD. From the Razor HD to the UHD, I couldn't see any  real difference. This rep also said that the difference would only be noticeable in very low light. I considered paying the extra $450 for the UHD, but ultimately decided against it as the weight of the UHD was 33% greater than that of the HD model (32.2 vs 24.2 ounces). I also compared the 8x42 and 10x42 models in the two Razor lines. It was $20 less to go with the 8x model so no big savings there. I decided I would rather have the extra magnification and don't see the shaking being much of a problem on a large cruise ship. I've used cheap 10x binoculars from the ship's balcony before without any real problems.

 

Warranty comparison:

Swarovski said they would warranty them for any reason, for life, and specifically mentioned free replacements for the part near the eyes if they were dropped and broke.

Leica had the worst warranty, although it was still pretty good. 10 years for any reason, 30 years on the optics for defects.

Vortex warranty was for any reason, for life, end of story. Send it in and they'll repair or replace it. "Drop them out of a helicopter, we'll fix it. They get bent in a car crash, send 'em in, we'll fix it."

I can recommend eurooptic.com as a retailer. They had manufacturer representatives from each one at the show, and that was who I talked to (as well as visiting each individual manufacturer's booths and talking to those reps, trying models, etc.) They let me try anything I was interested in and didn't push me at all. By the time I had made a decision, they were all sold out of what I wanted but they took an order and shipped me a pair the next day. I chose the Vortex Razor HD 10x42 for $900 plus tax. I do not regret it, and feel like I saved $1k-2k on what I had originally considered.