Alaska {first time}, in fall?

[GORDONCHICK]

5 hours ago, tokidoki said:

concerned if we fly and cruise the same day, that we wont  fly non stop.  Going home to JFK I dont mind.  

IMO, you should always fly with at least a 1 day deviation!  Especially the way flights are going these day.

[MississippiMom]

22 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

We sail Alaska every year. And all different times. This year, we are sailing in September on the Encore. Other recent cruises include: May 2022 on the Quantum of the Seas; August 2021 on the Encore; August 2019 on the Joy. June 2018 on the Bliss. 

In May, there was still snow in the mountains making the scenery pretty. But, the salmon are not running yet so there are less wildlife (bear) sighting and fewer whale sighting. For Alaska cruises, we spend several hours a day, in the evening moving between ports, out on our balcony just enjoying the scenery and watching for whales. 

I notice that you lean toward the two cruiselines we might be considering.  Yes, yes, I know that Princess and HAL are considered the ones to be on, but our family has sailed RCCL and NCL and we like those ships' bells & whistles, so to speak.

 

Did you pick your sailings based on the itinerary, the actual ship or the price point of that specific sailing?

[ChiefMateJRK]

I've sailed AK on the first sailing of the season (in April) the last (late October) and four times in between.  AK is always beautiful and I enjoy it every time.  Sure, some SHOREX require warmer, dry days, so that's when we do those.  The train in Skagway would be great regardless of the weather.

 

"Bad" weather is a relative term.  I live in the desert, so "bad" is sunny and hot.  Overcast and rainy?  I love it.  Snow?  Even better!  We were on the Encore in October of 21, and we had snow in Glacier bay.   Beautiful!  This April we took the bus to the Yukon border and had snow for the last half of the trip there.  Fantastic scenery!  

[tokidoki]

44 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I've sailed AK on the first sailing of the season (in April) the last (late October) and four times in between.  AK is always beautiful and I enjoy it every time.  Sure, some SHOREX require warmer, dry days, so that's when we do those.  The train in Skagway would be great regardless of the weather.

 

"Bad" weather is a relative term.  I live in the desert, so "bad" is sunny and hot.  Overcast and rainy?  I love it.  Snow?  Even better!  We were on the Encore in October of 21, and we had snow in Glacier bay.   Beautiful!  This April we took the bus to the Yukon border and had snow for the last half of the trip there.  Fantastic scenery!  

Thought in October that shops wouldn’t be open and less excursions after the season?

[tokidoki]

If I take the Encore, then does anyone get off the ship Sat nite for the 4 hour stop?

[ChiefMateJRK]

8 minutes ago, tokidoki said:

Thought in October that shops wouldn’t be open and less excursions after the season?

That's a feature, not a glitch. 🤣

 

But seriously, we've spent so much time in those shops at AK ports that I actually hope they are all closed (they aren't).  Weather sensitive SHOREX are certainly a chance of cancellation.  For somebody taking a once in a lifetime AK cruise, they should probably plan around that.  I've been to AK six times and have another coming up very soon.  I have no issues with being "stuck" on the ship while in one or more ports.

[ChiefMateJRK]

11 minutes ago, tokidoki said:

If I take the Encore, then does anyone get off the ship Sat nite for the 4 hour stop?

We have, but I don't recommend it.  We took that brewery tour, which was all indoors.  It was fun and basically all you can drink free samples.  Unfortunately, it didn't get us back on the ship until about 11:00 pm, which was too late for my tastes.  This April, we just stayed on the ship in Victoria both times.

[GORDONCHICK]

56 minutes ago, tokidoki said:

If I take the Encore, then does anyone get off the ship Sat nite for the 4 hour stop?

It depends.  We took the shuttle into town bu it was late and most shops were closed.  Going to Butchart Garden on a tour is great if the weather is good and the time of year.

[amygutman]

4 hours ago, tokidoki said:

If I take the Encore, then does anyone get off the ship Sat nite for the 4 hour stop?

@tokidoki If you mean Victoria, our only plan is to get off, touch BC soil to check off kiddo's "Places I Have Visited" list, have at least one (ok, maybe two) beaver tails at BeaverTails (2.8 km, 10 min taxi ride), perhaps a local beer, take some photos, and hop back on the ship.

Not a lot of time to do much else in what looks like a beautiful city, but it's a necessary port stop for a primarily US port-based cruise.

How about you? Curious what others do with this very short stop. 

Warmest, Amy

[tokidoki]

30 minutes ago, amygutman said:

@tokidoki If you mean Victoria, our only plan is to get off, touch BC soil to check off kiddo's "Places I Have Visited" list, have at least one (ok, maybe two) beaver tails at BeaverTails (2.8 km, 10 min taxi ride), perhaps a local beer, take some photos, and hop back on the ship.

Not a lot of time to do much else in what looks like a beautiful city, but it's a necessary port stop for a primarily US port-based cruise.

How about you? Curious what others do with this very short stop. 

Warmest, Amy

Curious too!  Been to the beautiful Buchert gardens, but I assume everything is closed

[julig22]

1 hour ago, amygutman said:

How about you? Curious what others do with this very short stop. 

The horse-drawn tram is always an option.  A leisurely tour of the city - open air so not stuffed into a bus (they provide blankets if it's cool).

[Panhandle Couple]

In October there will be dwindling sunlight as you are past the equinox.  Even in mid Sept you lose 20 minutes of sun between the first day and the last day of the cruise.

 

On the other hand, a ship at less than capacity is fun to be on, if it is around 60% then you have very little waiting for anything onboard. 

 

I thought NCL extended the season in 2021 because that was their first sailings out of the shutdown.  They must have had enough customers in Oct 2022 to keep Oct 2023 bookings going.  Now that they are deploying ships back to Asia, this might be the last year they keep Alaska cruises in October.

 

[chillyw]

8 hours ago, tokidoki said:

If I take the Encore, then does anyone get off the ship Sat nite for the 4 hour stop?

 

Surprisingly there were a ton that did a couple weeks ago. We had like an 8pm dinner in Le Bistro and we're literally the only ones in there.

 

Clearly we didn't and I'd stay on ship again.

[amygutman]

2 hours ago, julig22 said:

The horse-drawn tram is always an option.  A leisurely tour of the city - open air so not stuffed into a bus (they provide blankets if it's cool).

@julig22 Horse-drawn tram WITH a beaver tail AND kahlua-infused coffee. 

Now THAT sounds like an amazing way to spend a few hours!

Warmest, Amy 

[tokidoki]

2 hours ago, julig22 said:

The horse-drawn tram is always an option.  A leisurely tour of the city - open air so not stuffed into a bus (they provide blankets if it's cool).

how late is this trip?  is it thru NCL?

[9tee2Sea]

On 7/25/2023 at 9:21 AM, tokidoki said:

hi everyone!,  after 25 cruises, mostly to warmer climates, we are ready to try Alaska.  Just wondering since the late spring/summer is in season, has anyone cruised in October and enjoyed it.  I know its cold, but is it perhaps rainy as well?  Prices on the Encore are incredibly cheap, then theres the free airfare for 2nd person, but I am not sure if I can trust NCL not to put us on a multi stop flight from NYC.   Any imput is appreciated!   thx

I love cruising Alaska at end of season.  The stores have some really great sales.  It might not be as busy for wildlife viewing as during the summer, but I personally think Alaska is beautiful any time of year. 

[graphicguy]

20 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

I've sailed AK on the first sailing of the season (in April) the last (late October) and four times in between.  AK is always beautiful and I enjoy it every time.  Sure, some SHOREX require warmer, dry days, so that's when we do those.  The train in Skagway would be great regardless of the weather.

 

"Bad" weather is a relative term.  I live in the desert, so "bad" is sunny and hot.  Overcast and rainy?  I love it.  Snow?  Even better!  We were on the Encore in October of 21, and we had snow in Glacier bay.   Beautiful!  This April we took the bus to the Yukon border and had snow for the last half of the trip there.  Fantastic scenery!  

I agree with Chief……weather is relative.  I sailed the past Spring (April) on the Bliss with Chief.  Weather was good….cold, but good.

 

Sailed the Encore in the Fall and had fantastic weather…allowing me to wear shorts on part of the cruise.  

 

As mentioned, sailing at the very beginning of the season and the very end of the season, some SHOREX excursions won’t be available.  If that’s important, sail Alaska in the Summer.

 

Must dos…..GLACIER BAY, walk to the Mendenhal Glacier (if allowed), White Pass and Yukon Route Train excursion….breathtaking.  Take a boat to go wale watching.

 

That said, weather is unpredictable.  Spring is a bit dicier because it won’t be just a chance for snow, but for sleet, which I got caught in once.  Had fun, but I was prepared with rain gear.

[tokidoki]

Thx again everyone!  I am concerned with Ncl’s offer, since it’s a long flight from nyc.  Has anyone flown Alaska air to Seattle, round trip from NYC?  They have an interesting deal with their credit card.  It’s a bogo deal for new card holders. At least I can book my own flights. Thx!

[tokidoki]

If I were to get the boho airfare, what type of flight did u receive going back to the east coast?  If we stayed overnight in Seattle, I wonder if we’d get a late flight back with a stop? Thx

[chillyw]

On 7/30/2023 at 1:47 PM, tokidoki said:

Thx again everyone!  I am concerned with Ncl’s offer, since it’s a long flight from nyc.  Has anyone flown Alaska air to Seattle, round trip from NYC?  They have an interesting deal with their credit card.  It’s a bogo deal for new card holders. At least I can book my own flights. Thx!

 

I haven't flown from NYC but we took it direct from Austin a month ago for our Alaskan cruise and it was great

[mexicobob]

On 7/26/2023 at 6:47 PM, amygutman said:

@tokidoki If you mean Victoria, our only plan is to get off, touch BC soil to check off kiddo's "Places I Have Visited" list, have at least one (ok, maybe two) beaver tails at BeaverTails (2.8 km, 10 min taxi ride), perhaps a local beer, take some photos, and hop back on the ship.

Not a lot of time to do much else in what looks like a beautiful city, but it's a necessary port stop for a primarily US port-based cruise.

How about you? Curious what others do with this very short stop. 

Warmest, Amy

Took the shuttle bus (cost a few dollars) from the dock into downtown, walked around the beautiful city. Went to a nice restaurant on the ocean front and had a great meal with some local beer. Had a good time. Took the shuttle bus back to the dock. Short visit but enjoyed it and thought it was worth the effort. Looked like a place I would like to return to for a few days.

[zackarykeef]

I've only been to Alaska in June/July, so can't comment on October. I am sailing on Encore this coming October, but mainly for points to get to Sapphire. I just was on the Crown Princess this summer and had beautiful weather. This October will be a solo trip solely to relax and escape the Florida heat, as prices are super cheap right now.

 

However, as for the air...I feel the NCL air is a good deal for international flights. However, I don't think it is for domestic. With the BOGO promotion once for Alaska, I was quote $800 Miami to Seattle. When I looked on my own, non-stop roundtrip was $250 each. I wasn't going to pay $300 more for flights out of my control that may or may not have a connection.

 

Same thing when I was looking at flights for my January Viva sailing. Quoted BOGO for $700. Nonstop roundtrip from MIA to SJU is under $200 for multiple flights throughout the day...definitely not a deal.

[ziggyuk]

On 7/25/2023 at 5:21 PM, tokidoki said:

hi everyone!,  after 25 cruises, mostly to warmer climates, we are ready to try Alaska.  Just wondering since the late spring/summer is in season, has anyone cruised in October and enjoyed it.  I know its cold, but is it perhaps rainy as well?  Prices on the Encore are incredibly cheap, then theres the free airfare for 2nd person, but I am not sure if I can trust NCL not to put us on a multi stop flight from NYC.   Any imput is appreciated!   thx

 

We did the Encore in October 2021, this was the first year they sailed as late as October, post covid they were trying to extend the season.
We were lucky in 2021, it was not cold (by our UK standards), it was clear and sunny with quite a few whales left. The ship was beautiful and IMHO the best NCL ship.

On the downside, half of Alaska was closed, all the seasonal workers had returned home so most of the tourist activities had closed their doors. I have no idea if that improved in 2022 as I think they sailed late into October again, maybe it will improve further in 2023 as they get used to a longer tourist season?

[Lupush]

I was on the Encore in Alaska the first week of October last year. It was the best cruise we've ever been on.  Absolutely amazing in every way.  Highly recommend it.

Edited August 2, 2023 by Lupush

[GORDONCHICK]

3 hours ago, zackarykeef said:

I've only been to Alaska in June/July, so can't comment on October. I am sailing on Encore this coming October, but mainly for points to get to Sapphire. I just was on the Crown Princess this summer and had beautiful weather. This October will be a solo trip solely to relax and escape the Florida heat, as prices are super cheap right now.

 

However, as for the air...I feel the NCL air is a good deal for international flights. However, I don't think it is for domestic. With the BOGO promotion once for Alaska, I was quote $800 Miami to Seattle. When I looked on my own, non-stop roundtrip was $250 each. I wasn't going to pay $300 more for flights out of my control that may or may not have a connection.

 

Same thing when I was looking at flights for my January Viva sailing. Quoted BOGO for $700. Nonstop roundtrip from MIA to SJU is under $200 for multiple flights throughout the day...definitely not a deal.

I think it depends on EXACTLY where you're flying out of.  The BOGO air is always much cheaper than we can book but they can never accommodate us for before and after stays.  For example, our upcoming cruise has us disembarking in Quebec City.  We want to spend 2 extra days in Quebec City.  Sounds, doable, right?  It's not.  They want to ship us off to Montreal, us stay there for 2 days and fly from there.  The Quebec City airport is very small and most people will fly out of Montreal.  But we altered our trip a it and are flying from Quebec City to Boston, then spending a week in Maine (much cheaper to fly to Boston and rent a car there than flying to Portland, ME and renting a car there).

 

So for where we live, NCL BOGO air would be way less expensive almost every single time - if we can get the dates and places right.