How is the QE for an Alaska Cruise?

[LB_NJ]

Thinking of maybe booking an inside cabin on the QE for an Alaska cruise in 2023.

 

We don't really spend a lot of time in the cabin and if it really isn't necessary to have a balcony would rather just save the money.

 

The other cruise lines we are thinking of are Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or Oceania.

 

Any thoughts or comparisons would be appreciated.

 

We've sailed on Cunard, RCL, and Oceania previously.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Of the four you mention, I've only been on Cunard recently. I did an Alaska cruise on QE in 2019 and it was great. It was my first time on QE, and I instantly fell in love with the ship. I'm going again in June. 

 

They had a naturalist on board to give talks about what we would see. The ship wasn't crowded, and I never had trouble getting a spot at the railing for glacier viewing. 

[naturelovergirl]

I like the Cunard itinerary for Alaska very much. I think the planned ports and scenic viewpoints are excellent.

Cunard will, no doubt, do a great job with Alaska.

We had QE booked for Alaska in 2020, which did not happen, obviously.

So

We chose 2023 for Alaska with Cunard. Can’t wait!!!!!!

[lissie]

I like Cunard but wouldn't do Alaska with their current itineraries. I prefer a one way cruise so that you can add time on land. 

[rafinmd]

Of the 4 I'm sure Cunard would be my choice.  I would also suggest considering Holland America, except for the Koningsdam which is the bigger ship like Queen Anne.  The Holland America advantage is that the midship pools are covered which would provide a welcome sheltered space for scenic cruising.

 

Roy

[D&N]

We had a starboard Sun Princess balcony mini suite for a northbound in 1998 when the ship was fairly new. Balcony paid off cruising The Inside Passage, when relaxing on it early afternoon I heard splashing and a commotion on outer decks, result was a decent video of a school of Orcas passing the slow moving ship.

I was happy that we had a view of the mainland and all it's tiny inlets rather than the islands on the port side. If persuaded not to book an inside cabin I would recommend having a window/balcony on the land side if the itinerary includes The Inside Passage.

Glacier cruising can be very cold and damp. We found that standing on SP's well covered promenade deck with the Shetland Blankets provided for our balcony with hot drinks in our hands was a better way to observe than on the upper open decks. Photos of QE suggest it's promenade deck is less sheltered than SP. That applies to the balconies as well, SP's balconies were cut-outs on the superstructure and less open than those on QE. When our balcony faced the desired direction we sometimes used that as it meant we could quickly nip back inside to warm up.

We hope to return to Alaska in 2025 and follow it up with Rocky Mountaineer. We did Anchorage, Fairbanks and Denali Park last time, which meant we couldn't fit in the Rockies trip. If current itineraries are maintained, QE would be our first choice as it calls at Victoria and some Alaskan ports that weren't included last time. 

 

[elmsliebev]

we're on QE in July for Alaska, then staying on till Fort Lauderdale. We have an inside cabin (though would happily accept an upgrade 😀). Looking forward to it very much.  

[Desert Cruisers]

Sailed in Alaska in 2019 on both the Oceania Regatta and the QE.  Oceania Regatta's pluses - smaller ship, excellent food, and no jacket or formal night requirements.  However, they had very weak Alaska enrichment offerings.  On the other hand, the QE's Alaska-centric enrichment offerings were excellent. Also, at least in 2019, the front of deck 4 was open for scenic cruising.  Dress was a little more casual with jacket optional the first and last night of sailings.  Dinner seatings in the main dining room were earlier - 5:45 and 7:45.

We are booked again for this June.

[techteach]

We’ve done Alaska twice, once as a family, and once as a couple. Both times HAL, but several years ago. Good shore excursions. Highly suggest a verandah. We loved sitting on it covered in a blanket with a book admiring the scenery as we entered the ports. This was especially true in Glacier Bay as we didn’t have to fight for a place on deck to take pictures. I would like to do the inside passage, but it won’t be with HAL. Alaska is very special.

[david,Mississauga]

We cruised to Alaska on the QE in 2019 (in Britannia) and enjoyed it very much. We are taking essentially the same cruise in June this year. Our previous voyage on the QE was a 7-day cruise from Southampton to Norway a few years before.

 

The only aspect of our Alaska cruise we didn't enjoy was the lowering of dress standards. Our 7-day cruise to Norway had three formal nights. The 10-day Alaska cruise had only two.  As with many of the traditional Cunard passengers we paid no attention to the lower standards, although I didn't wear my DJ and my wife didn't wear a long dress on a non-gala night.  Many gents wore a jacket and tie every night as we would on a crossing.  (My friends and I did not look down our nose at those who enjoy the more casual dress code and the casual people did not make comments to the traditionalists. In other words, to each their own.)

 

There was what we thought a reasonable fare for PG on this year's Alaska cruise so we booked that. We had PG on our Norway cruise and prefered the PG restaurant, lounge and deck space over that on the QM2.  But for the fare we paid in 2019, Britannia was very good. 

[techteach]

I concur with David that Alaska cruises are far more casual. Of course, there were lots of families on the HAL cruises and it was cold and wet. But, there were still lots of long dresses on formal night.

[LB_NJ]

 

 

On 3/3/2022 at 4:54 AM, lissie said:

I like Cunard but wouldn't do Alaska with their current itineraries. I prefer a one way cruise so that you can add time on land. 

Normally, I would 100% agree however, last year we got cabin fever and got non-stop roundtrip Newark to Anchorage tickets for June 2021 from United Airlines at a reasonable price and did about 2 weeks of time in Alaska (Denali, hiking Matanuska Glacier, 26 Glacier Cruise out of Whittier, glacier raft float trip through the railroad, tried to do a Kanai Fjord cruise but weather cancelled it).  What we haven't done is the southeast part of Alaska that is really only accessible by ship.  While I would go back and do more time on land it is not essential to us at this time.  However, for those who have not done the land portion before you are right on target.

 

12 hours ago, david,Mississauga said:

The only aspect of our Alaska cruise we didn't enjoy was the lowering of dress standards. Our 7-day cruise to Norway had three formal nights. The 10-day Alaska cruise had only two.  As with many of the traditional Cunard passengers we paid no attention to the lower standards,

I do like the formality on Cunard (did the QM2 out of NY a couple of years ago) however, I find it difficult to pack all the formal stuff (eg, tuxedo, suits, etc) when traveling by air.

 

Would really like to thank everyone for their input.

 

[naturelovergirl]

That is how I feel about the land portion.

We plan to do the land portion on a separate trip where we can really explore.

My hope is to one day fly up to Alaska at some point and spend two weeks up there like you did!

😊

 

I love that the QE round trip from Vancouver we are booked on has everything I wanted in Southeast Alaska… plus it is Cunard!

A Win-Win for us!

 

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

17 hours ago, david,Mississauga said:

We cruised to Alaska on the QE in 2019 (in Britannia) and enjoyed it very much. We are taking essentially the same cruise in June this year. Our previous voyage on the QE was a 7-day cruise from Southampton to Norway a few years before.

 

The only aspect of our Alaska cruise we didn't enjoy was the lowering of dress standards. Our 7-day cruise to Norway had three formal nights. The 10-day Alaska cruise had only two.  As with many of the traditional Cunard passengers we paid no attention to the lower standards, although I didn't wear my DJ and my wife didn't wear a long dress on a non-gala night.  Many gents wore a jacket and tie every night as we would on a crossing.  (My friends and I did not look down our nose at those who enjoy the more casual dress code and the casual people did not make comments to the traditionalists. In other words, to each their own.)

 

There was what we thought a reasonable fare for PG on this year's Alaska cruise so we booked that. We had PG on our Norway cruise and prefered the PG restaurant, lounge and deck space over that on the QM2.  But for the fare we paid in 2019, Britannia was very good. 

 

This matches my experience (and plans for this year) exactly. When I chickened out on the winter Caribbean on QM2, I figured I'd put that money toward PG so I upgraded. 

 

6 hours ago, techteach said:

I concur with David that Alaska cruises are far more casual. Of course, there were lots of families on the HAL cruises and it was cold and wet. But, there were still lots of long dresses on formal night.

 

"Gala night" on HAL is now barely recognizable as different from any other night. More so in Alaska. I think HAL does a good job with Alaska cruises (and I can afford the corner aft cabins on HAL), but I like Cunard better. 

 

 

[MarkBearSF]

While I've not done Alaska on Cunard, I notice that they include what I consider two highlights that are not included on many other lines' itineraries

- Glacier Bay - there are a limited number of slots which the National Park Service allocate to cruise ships. There are more glaciers in Glacier Bay than the alternatives and itineraries which include it are definitely preferable to those that don't.

- Sitka - Both times, we've found Sitka the most charming of the ports to walk around. Less crowded and touristy than Ketchikan and Skagway, with clear evidence of the state's Russian history. Very few lines visit Sitka. 

[david,Mississauga]

Cunard is fortunate to get access to Glacier Bay. That was not available on the previous Alaska season, 2019. We did get to see Hubbard Glacier, which was the first time for us. On this year's cruise we will get both.

 

I also appreciated Sitka. The dock is a few miles from town but Cunard arranged complimentary shuttle service. One thing I particularly liked about Sitka was the public library close to the shuttle stop. There was free internet access on computers. We all know how poor Cunard's system is and I dislike using wifi on my tablet for e-mails. It was an hour well-spent and there was still time to walk around the charming town.

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Reading this thread is so exciting! As we contemplate the seemingly never-ending snow and cold in Syracuse, we are staying sane by anticipating our June cruise on QE. I’m especially happy to read about the ease with which some of you enjoyed the ports independently. We tend to do exactly that, usually avoiding what, to us, seems time-wasting and too preselected. We like seeing how people live. 
 

anyway, thanks! You all make March in the frozen north tolerable while we wait for our seeds to germinate upstairs under lights.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I love Sitka. It feels like a real town, not a tourist stop. It has no Diamonds International, Del Sol, or the other cruise port shops. Go to the drug store for ice cream treats at an old-fashioned soda counter!

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 minutes ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Reading this thread is so exciting! As we contemplate the seemingly never-ending snow and cold in Syracuse, we are staying sane by anticipating our June cruise on QE. I’m especially happy to read about the ease with which some of you enjoyed the ports independently. We tend to do exactly that, usually avoiding what, to us, seems time-wasting and too preselected. We like seeing how people live. 
 

anyway, thanks! You all make March in the frozen north tolerable while we wait for our seeds to germinate upstairs under lights.

 

I have to laugh. Only someone from Upstate would find thoughts of Alaska an escape form winter!

 

I like to wander independently, too. But there are two tours that I would recommend. One is the train in Skagway. The views from the train are fantastic. The other is a whale watch. Check out the offerings and find one that uses smaller boats (unless you're not a good sailor). Cunard has a tour in Juneau that's a "photo safari." I think there were about a dozen of us on the boat, so we weren't jostling for a good spot at the rail. It's a great experience. 

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Thanks for the useful detail! And ya, having grown up in South Florida, I would have laughed too, but that was then.

 

Our cruise hasn’t a stop in Skagway, which is a shame. We loved the small-gauge train in North Wales.

Edited March 5, 2022 by 2Oldpeopleinlove

[Desert Cruisers]

For those who might be interested - especially if you are planning independent activities:  You can look up the number of ships per day at claalaska.com.  There is a comprehensive calendar including assigned docks.

[kmerlin14]

I did a trip report as a first timer on Cunard in the before times and you can find it here. When I booked, I thought I was foolish for springing for the balcony, but I found we really appreciated it. The balcony sheltered us from the rain so we could just step out and look at everything. They have tea and coffee making equipment in the cabin, so we loved making a cup of tea and enjoying the scenery. If it got cold, we could sit on the sofa in the cabin for a bit and just look out. They did open the bow area on deck five for scenic viewing at times and it was never crowded. Our captain was able to get us very close to the glacier at Hubbard's. (We didn't go to Glacier Bay because Cunard didn't have permits yet, but I would loved to have done it. )

For clothing, I highly recommend a pair of waterproof hiking shoes for all shore excursions and a good rain coat. (they do hand out plastic ones as you head off the ship for most shore excursions. I had a couple of those Eddie Bauer pants that dry quickly and wore them everywhere except Victoria where I wore my skort. I still wear them constantly and rechristened them my leave-the-house-pants during the pandemic because I could put everything I needed in the pockets and not have to use a purse. I also brought a packable winter coat that you can stuff into a pocket. It's relatively waterproof. I think I mostly wore that one the day we visited the Hubbard Glacier. As we left the glacier, we left our balcony and went down to the promenade deck and got some steps in as the world went by. As far as I'm concerned, the most important thing about packing for Alaska is make sure you dress for wet weather. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

[LB_NJ]

2 hours ago, kmerlin14 said:

As far as I'm concerned, the most important thing about packing for Alaska is make sure you dress for wet weather.

 

 

This is true, learned this from our land trip in 2021.  Part of Alaska is a temperate rainforest.

[D&N]

In July 1998 on most days of our trip we had dull damp weather in mornings and sun broke through in afternoon. Parts of Alaska are on a similar latitude to Central Scotland where we lived at the time, so the weather was quite familiar to us.

We had cagouls over our heavily layered clothing in the mornings, and spent afternoons in jacuzzis on deck. I've also a vivid recollection of spending an evening with a large group of various nationalities in an outdoor hot tub at the hotel in Denali Park.

And the photo is around 11pm the night before on the banks of the River Chena in Fairbanks.

[D&N]

6 hours ago, kmerlin14 said:

 

I hadn't come across your trip report before. That was really interesting. Thank you.

On dancing; My school taught dancing for school dances each year, but more than 20 years later in Jan 1993 we started to take ballroom and latin classes because we wanted to join in at dinner dances, and continued until we left Scotland in May 2016. We'd regard ourselves as fairly proficient. One of the things a good dance teacher should drill into you is regarding floor craft, and if you are a capable dancer you should be watching out for less experienced folk who perhaps are less aware of those around them and may not have the experience to modify their steps to avoid others. A social dancer should not feel intimidated from getting up and doing what they can. The experienced folk should know how to get round you. Failing that, stick your elbows out as far as you can, that'll see them off!

Edited March 6, 2022 by D&N
due to senility typed the wrong word.