Choosing Between 2 Alaska Itineraries

[DavidDSimon]

Looking to do Alaska in Summer of 25 (me, wife and 15 year old twins).  Definitely want Glacier Bay so mostly coming down to two itineraries - one NB and one SB.  Here are the big differences:

 

NB College Fjord vs. SB Hubbard

NB Juneau from 8am-9pm vs SB 6:30 am - 4pm

NB Ketchikan from 6am - 2pm vs. SB 10am - 6pm

NB Glacier Bay 6am - 3pm vs SB 9:15 am - 7:30 pm

Skagway time is same on both

 

My instinct is that I prefer SB for Hubbard and better times in Ketchican/Glacier Bay but like the NB times in Juneau better.

 

We do want to do a few days on land I think I'd prefer to do before the cruise if that impacts whether NB and SB would be preferrable.

And both itineraries are on either Coral or Sapphire if anyone wants to throw in any recommendations between the two.

 

Thoughts????

[Essiesmom]

Evaluate flight arrangements between NB and SB.  I have done B2B both ways. Didn’t know any better when I booked the first one starting from Whittier.  Coming from East Coast you have to go in at least a day early.  From Coastal GA it’s ’you can’t get there from here’. Delay in Houston, delay on same plane in Seattle.  Was supposed to be in before midnight.  At 0300 I was pulling my luggage down the corridor of the Capt. Cook.  Clerk comes out and asks if I am checking out… Short night in expensive hotel.  Flights home were red eye.  Next time we did B2B from Vancouver.  EM

[DCThunder]

9 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Evaluate flight arrangements between NB and SB.  I have done B2B both ways. Didn’t know any better when I booked the first one starting from Whittier.  Coming from East Coast you have to go in at least a day early.  From Coastal GA it’s ’you can’t get there from here’. Delay in Houston, delay on same plane in Seattle.  Was supposed to be in before midnight.  At 0300 I was pulling my luggage down the corridor of the Capt. Cook.  Clerk comes out and asks if I am checking out… Short night in expensive hotel.  Flights home were red eye.  Next time we did B2B from Vancouver.  EM

My brother leaves on Friday to get to Sitka for a 7-day Lindblad/Nat Geo Expedition cruise ending in Juneau.  He's flying from Nashville to Seattle, then Seattle to Sitka with a stop in Ketchikan.  

[wcook]

I’ve research the heck out of such question, but never actually been. So take this for what it’s worth. 
 

Both itineraries are great. You have plenty of time to do most excursions in ports, and sufficient scenic glacier viewing. 
 

The much bigger issue I’ve found is with scheduling flights. Both Vancouver and especially Anchorage are a pain to schedule flights from where I live on the East Coast. Also keeping in mind the transfer between Anchorage and Whittier needs to be planned for. It’s too early to look at flights for 2025 but looking at 2024 should give you a good idea.

 

I had to plan out the entire trip both ways before seeing that SB was right for me. Planning out the whole trip was also eye opening for the total cost and time required.  

[Potstech]

If doing a land tour I would do it first then the cruise with as much time in ports possible. It would be SB for us.

[memoak]

We always do the back to back beginning in Vancouver which we believe gives us the vast of both worlds and avoids having to get to or from between Whittier and Anchorage. If I had to choose I would get the longest flight over with first.  For the same reason we always do Panama cruises from Florida to the West Coast since we live in Oregon

[Wishing on a star]

I like SB...  EXCEPT...  If you want to take the smaller boat excursion to Tracy Arm Fjord, this is probably available on the NB....  It is a big PLUS to get both.

It depends on whether you want to spend more time to see what is available at Juneau vs Ketchikan.

 

For me it would be the boat excursion...

But, for others, it might be something available at Ketchikan...

Check out the excursions and options.

I think that might be the biggest decision.

Yes, you would approach Glacier Bay early on the NB,  but you would still have the full experience and would not have to be out there early to see the best sights/glaciers.

 

We did this on Coral, many years ago...  I would probably choose Sapphire. 

Are you familiar with the ships, watched video ship tours, etc????

 

Most people seem to say do the land first...  then you are looking forward to relaxing on the cruise, after traveling and doing land touring/sightseeing.

So, that would be a reason to do SB.   

 

NOTE:  if you do SB, you could consider a pre-cruise tour, like the 27 Glacier Tour.   Very much recommended.  It gets you out there on a smaller boat, more up-close and personal experience.

 

Edited May 14 by Wishing on a star

[Nattyg1723]

I would choose the Coral, regardless of direction 🙂

Edited May 14 by Nattyg1723

[Torfamm]

I would always choose the do my land tour first then sail south.

First, the land tour is hectic with packing and moving frequently while the cruise includes time to relax.

 

Second, I preferred getting the longer flight out of the way first when we started our trip in Fairbanks and finished in Vancouver.

[WisCruiser2]

39 minutes ago, Torfamm said:

I would always choose the do my land tour first then sail south.

First, the land tour is hectic with packing and moving frequently while the cruise includes time to relax.

 

Second, I preferred getting the longer flight out of the way first when we started our trip in Fairbanks and finished in Vancouver.

I agree! We've done it this way two times with cruisetours (first time started in Fairbanks, second in Anchorage) for exactly those reasons. We were on the Coral the second time, loved the ship.

[mtnesterz]

Either Coral or Sapphire would be good, but sitting eating breakfast in the Coral's buffet and looking forward through the glass at Alaska's beauty would be my choice. Some might prefer sitting high in Skywalkers on the Sapphire and seeing the sights with a good book and a cocktail. Your preference.

Agree on the cruise after the land portion, so southbound. You'll be fed up with bus and train travel.

I know it is more up front but do the Connoisseur package for your tours and meals on land.

Edited May 14 by mtnesterz

[CrazyTrain2]

Any days spent in Alaska on land are 5X -10X better than any cruise port stop.  You'll get to 10X doing it yourself away from the Cruise crowds.  Getting to the interior of Alaska is so much better than the Fudge peddling (bother literally and figuratively) port stops.  If you want to see glaciers, there are some fantastic opportunities on Day cruises out of Seward where you will see it all from glaciers, to puffin, to seals, otters, salmon, moose, eagle and bear. The smaller day cruise ships can get right in next to the glaciers and wildlife.  No binoculars needed. Climb the Harding Icefield trail without worrying about getting back to the ship - cruises just don't give you time to spend in the real Alaska.  I just got back from an Alaskan cruise and if not for the Northern Lights and the from a distance wildlife encounters it was a Meh cruise - punctuated with 2 cases of Covid from 7 days on a FULL ship.

[TRLD]

5 hours ago, wcook said:

I’ve research the heck out of such question, but never actually been. So take this for what it’s worth. 
 

Both itineraries are great. You have plenty of time to do most excursions in ports, and sufficient scenic glacier viewing. 
 

The much bigger issue I’ve found is with scheduling flights. Both Vancouver and especially Anchorage are a pain to schedule flights from where I live on the East Coast. Also keeping in mind the transfer between Anchorage and Whittier needs to be planned for. It’s too early to look at flights for 2025 but looking at 2024 should give you a good idea.

 

I had to plan out the entire trip both ways before seeing that SB was right for me. Planning out the whole trip was also eye opening for the total cost and time required.  

just do NB and SB b2b

[cruisequeen4ever]

I wouldn’t base it off Hubbard vs College Fjord; they’re both beautiful, just different. I’d base it off which setup would make you happiest. Would you rather get the longest flight over with first? Do Southbound. Do you plan on doing a land tour, too? If so, get that busy traveling done first, and then sail Southbound. Are the glaciers the highlight for you? If so, do Northbound to finish with the high. 
 

Beyond all that, you could alway pick based on price. 

[Donwoods123]

On 5/14/2024 at 10:55 AM, DavidDSimon said:

Looking to do Alaska in Summer of 25 (me, wife and 15 year old twins).  Definitely want Glacier Bay so mostly coming down to two itineraries - one NB and one SB.  Here are the big differences:

 

NB College Fjord vs. SB Hubbard

NB Juneau from 8am-9pm vs SB 6:30 am - 4pm

NB Ketchikan from 6am - 2pm vs. SB 10am - 6pm

NB Glacier Bay 6am - 3pm vs SB 9:15 am - 7:30 pm

Skagway time is same on both

 

My instinct is that I prefer SB for Hubbard and better times in Ketchican/Glacier Bay but like the NB times in Juneau better.

 

We do want to do a few days on land I think I'd prefer to do before the cruise if that impacts whether NB and SB would be preferrable.

And both itineraries are on either Coral or Sapphire if anyone wants to throw in any recommendations between the two.

 

Thoughts????

We have been to all 3 glaciers.  Glacier Bay is the amazing.  So is College Fjord, but it is somewhat similar to Glacier Bay.  For that reason, I would choose sb with Hubbard.  If you do, you should consider the tour in which a boat comes to the ship and take you really close to the glacier.  It is the best.

[BDevilCruiser]

Pick the one with the fully functional ship!  😉

 

(says the guy currently on the Sapphire!)

[Potstech]

And how do they find out if a ship is fully functional before signing up or boarding?

[CrazyTrain2]

1 hour ago, BDevilCruiser said:

Pick the one with the fully functional ship!  😉

 

(says the guy currently on the Sapphire!)

You guys are really getting the prop shaft from Princess on that cruise

[TheArtfulPenguin]

On 5/14/2024 at 11:26 AM, wcook said:

I’ve research the heck out of such question, but never actually been. So take this for what it’s worth. 
 

Both itineraries are great. You have plenty of time to do most excursions in ports, and sufficient scenic glacier viewing. 
 

The much bigger issue I’ve found is with scheduling flights. Both Vancouver and especially Anchorage are a pain to schedule flights from where I live on the East Coast. Also keeping in mind the transfer between Anchorage and Whittier needs to be planned for. It’s too early to look at flights for 2025 but looking at 2024 should give you a good idea.

 

I had to plan out the entire trip both ways before seeing that SB was right for me. Planning out the whole trip was also eye opening for the total cost and time required.  

We are doing the South Bound at the end of next month. What I decided: We treat Anchorage as another port instead of thinking of it what a lot express with: GET THERE AND GET TO THE SHIP.

We get into Anchorage the 24th, have the 25th to do an excursion and explore. Then the 26 is a relaxing transfer to the ship.  It's a vacation why not relax as much as you can and get an extra port out of it. 

 

[Donwoods123]

8 minutes ago, TheArtfulPenguin said:

We are doing the South Bound at the end of next month. What I decided: We treat Anchorage as another port instead of thinking of it what a lot express with: GET THERE AND GET TO THE SHIP.

We get into Anchorage the 24th, have the 25th to do an excursion and explore. Then the 26 is a relaxing transfer to the ship.  It's a vacation why not relax as much as you can and get an extra port out of it. 

 

Part of your "relaxing" could be the 26 Glacier cruise in Whittier b4 boarding.  We did it a few years ago and it was great.

[TheArtfulPenguin]

24 minutes ago, Donwoods123 said:

Part of your "relaxing" could be the 26 Glacier cruise in Whittier b4 boarding.  We did it a few years ago and it was great.

Thanks. I'll check it out. 

[BDevilCruiser]

1 hour ago, CrazyTrain2 said:

You guys are really getting the prop shaft from Princess on that cruise

No, the shaft is broken!  😀

 

the crew is doing great in keeping us happy while on board, and I think the compensation is quite fair.

 

Back to the original poster (who I took off topic with my attempt at a joke), I think either itinerary is great.  For the differences in the glacier cruise says, pick which one you think you’d like more.  That, and which order for the ports you’d prefer for embarkation and disembarkation.  For me, hotels in Vancouver were easier than in Anchorage, so northbound made sense for me.

 

(edit: to be clear, they’ve said it’s an electrical issue, not the actual shaft.  Somebody might take my comment too literally.)

Edited May 15 by BDevilCruiser

[memoak]

3 hours ago, Donwoods123 said:

We have been to all 3 glaciers.  Glacier Bay is the amazing.  So is College Fjord, but it is somewhat similar to Glacier Bay.  For that reason, I would choose sb with Hubbard.  If you do, you should consider the tour in which a boat comes to the ship and take you really close to the glacier.  It is the best.

Be aware they pack people on that excursion like sardines

[DavidDSimon]

Thanks all - I do think despite wanting a little more time in Juneau - the idea of getting the pain in the next flight over first and preferring land time prior to the cruise do seem to be what is more important based on all your thoughts.

 

Now to decide Coral or Sapphire! 

[Nattyg1723]

18 minutes ago, DavidDSimon said:

Thanks all - I do think despite wanting a little more time in Juneau - the idea of getting the pain in the next flight over first and preferring land time prior to the cruise do seem to be what is more important based on all your thoughts.

 

Now to decide Coral or Sapphire! 

My vote is for the Coral, she has way less passengers 🙂 

 

Also, not that it will be going on forever, but Sapphire has been having all those propulsion issues.