Never cruised and need advice pretty please!

[Dragonfly02]

My husband, 4 year old daughter and I are looking to take an Alaskan cruise. We live in Mass. We can go just about anytime. Please let us know where to fly, what cruise line, best deals, sites, inside/outside/balcony.. What ports are the best for sights. What does the ship have to offer kids and what about child care on board? Lots of questions I know but I don't know when we'll have the opportunity to do this again and I want to do it right. Thanks for all your help!

[star7228]

My husband, 4 year old daughter and I are looking to take an Alaskan cruise. We live in Mass. We can go just about anytime. Please let us know where to fly, what cruise line, best deals, sites, inside/outside/balcony.. What ports are the best for sights. What does the ship have to offer kids and what about child care on board? Lots of questions I know but I don't know when we'll have the opportunity to do this again and I want to do it right. Thanks for all your help!

 

Wow! Lots of questions! :) You have so many choices, you really have to first decide what you want out of your trip, then you can pick a ship, itinerary, time of year, etc.

 

June/July are the peak months for Alaska cruising, as I understand it, because the weather is likely to be warmest, though May and Sept. offer better prices I think.

 

We have cruised, but have never been to Alaska, and this is a dream cruise for us. We chose to do the Glacier Bay itinerary because I've read that it's a great first-time cruise with beautiful scenery (not like all of Alaska won't be spectacular!). We settled on the NCL Pearl leaving on 6/24/07 because it's a new ship and we love new ships, we love NCL's Freestyle approach, we thought the last week of June would be great in terms of weather (and my husband's a teacher, so that worked out well), and we liked sailing out of Seattle and doing Glacier Bay.

 

We also chose to spring for an aft balcony cabin because we want to spend a lot of time on our own balcony, I'm not much of one for sharing deck space (read: fighting for deck space), and I like the privacy of having your own balcony.

 

But I would suggest figuring out what you really want out of your trip and then looking for a trip to match that! :) I've noticed that the people on this Alaska board are so so helpful...once you have a better idea of what you want, you'll get lots of feedback and suggestions I'm sure.

[Toyz711]

you have to figure out what is important to you.

we wanted to leave from seattle, we have family there and it was easy for them to join us on the trip. plus we got great airfare by booking early. otherwise, leaving from seattle you can get a night of rough seas, possible. we did get some heavy seas from midnight to noon the first day, after that it was great.

we had to go in sept due to DH's work. we had to go on a sunday, so DH would not miss 2 saturday's sales.

we went on the NCL star, loved the trip. with our family the "freestyle" dining worked really well. (no set dining times). the ship was amazing.:D

 

glacier bay is wonderful. whale watching in juneau was outstanding.

but we also had rain for 2 port days.thank goodness our day in glacier bay was sunny, clear and great.

my husband spend a month on the computer researching all the cruise lines and their ports for the time we needed to go, then he compared the prices. after that he called a couple of the online TAs and talked to them. when he found the one he liked, that didn't try to "sell" him but listened to him...we went with that one. after that i did a month of research on excursions to find the right ones for us.

there are a ton of independent tours operators, you can find them on the websites for the ports. each city has a very good website you can really learn from.

NCL star is a beautiful ship, i recommend it. but it is doing a different route this year and NCL's new ship is doing the old route.

[Budget Queen]

I too suggest, you need to look at your priorities. If it is "child care", research cruiselines on that first. Most only have group sitting- if that, so verify if that is available. I guess I would suggest NCL for their freestyle cruising, dining is extended on cruise ships and a 4 year old may not be all that tolerant?? Freestyle gives you more choices.

 

But I would consider the Pearl first since it goes to Glacier Bay. I am assuming you are looking for a round trip??? This leaves from Seattle, easy to get to. Take a look at shore excursions, again, your child may be too young for some, have an idea of your touring choices before you book so to budget in everything.

 

You may want to make a decision soon, I just picked up Seattle air from Syracuse for $239 this week, the fares will only go up.

[bunduo]

My husband, 4 year old daughter and I are looking to take an Alaskan cruise. We live in Mass. We can go just about anytime. Please let us know where to fly, what cruise line, best deals, sites, inside/outside/balcony.. What ports are the best for sights. What does the ship have to offer kids and what about child care on board? Lots of questions I know but I don't know when we'll have the opportunity to do this again and I want to do it right. Thanks for all your help!

 

Flight: You will more than likely fly into Anchorage, Vancouver or Seattle. Start playing around on some of the travel search engines to see what the potential prices will be.

 

Cruiseline: A round trip is always easier...especially on the pocketbook. However, if you don't have any objections to a one way, check out the itinerary for the Coral Princess. It's a great ship, with a great itinerary (College Fjord, Glacier Bay, and long days in the great ports of Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan) and great prices.

 

Best deals/sites: Check out the cruiseline website first to get a base price. Then start searching other websites to see if they beat the price. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples...some sites don't include taxes and port charges on the initial few pages. Some on these boards will recommend a brick-and-mortar travel agent. You can always check with one (try one that specializes in cruises)...they might beat the price you are finding.

 

Balcony? Absolutely. Some will disagree. We spent quite a bit of time on ours and saw quite a bit of wildlife.

 

When: Look at early to mid June. Prices are a bit lower and it's kind of cool to be in Alaska near the summer solstice....very long days.

 

Hope this helps!

 

-Matt :)

[MercedMike]

My husband, 4 year old daughter and I are looking to take an Alaskan cruise. ... Lots of questions I know but I don't know when we'll have the opportunity to do this again and I want to do it right.

 

Positively the best advice I can give to cruise newbies is to find a good local Travel Agent who is a CLIA Accredited Cruise Counselor. Ask around from your friends and co-workers for their recommendations, and look for the CLIA certificate for the agent, not just for the agency. Tell the agent what you are interested in and ask for some suggestions. (If the agency only pushes one cruise line, run like the wind to another TA). Read through the brochures, go back to the agent with your questions, and be sure you are comfortable with the attention you receive and the way your questions are answered. It does not cost you anything, but the agency will get a nice commission from the cruise line when you book the cruise so you should get a lot of attention and service. That is the best way to learn about cruising from an expert! Accredited Cruise Counselors are trained to listen to you, evaluate you and your family and your wishes, and help to find the perfect cruise that is the best match for you. That is much more than any of us just sitting on a cruise advice board can do!

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[MercedMike]

Some on these boards will recommend a brick-and-mortar travel agent. You can always check with one (try one that specializes in cruises)...they might beat the price you are finding.

 

UMMM -- yep, I did suggest a local Travel Agent -- not just to check their prices, but because they will supply huge amounts of help and information that the newbie OP obviously needs! To suggest that somebody that has never cruised before should shop around on the internet and take the cruise that has the lowest cost is totally ridiculous, IMHO. This poster was asking for a great deal of information about cruising which can best be obtained from a local TA, not from browsing around the web trying to separate fact from fiction!!

 

An experienced cruiser, who knows exactly what date, itinerary and ship they want and does not need any advice, might want to check around the internet and see what prices they can find. (Usually there are none on the net better than a local TA can offer -- but some people don't want to believe that). But then they are strictly on their own. I didn't think the OP was in that position.

[NancyIL]

I have nothing against travel agents, but I'm of the belief that you should educate yourself about where you want to go before putting yourself in the hands of a travel agent.

 

I thing the internet is a great place to gather travel info, but I still prefer to read a good guidebook first, supplemented by info on the 'net. My favorite book on Alaska is Frommer's Alaska by Charles Wohlforth. The 2007 edition will be released at the end of this month.

[Dragonfly02]

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions! We are going to do alot of homework and then talk with a travel agent. Thanks so much again!

[Budget Queen]

Positively the best advice I can give to cruise newbies is to find a good local Travel Agent who is a CLIA Accredited Cruise Counselor. Ask around from your friends and co-workers for their recommendations, and look for the CLIA certificate for the agent, not just for the agency. Tell the agent what you are interested in and ask for some suggestions. (If the agency only pushes one cruise line, run like the wind to another TA). Read through the brochures, go back to the agent with your questions, and be sure you are comfortable with the attention you receive and the way your questions are answered. It does not cost you anything, but the agency will get a nice commission from the cruise line when you book the cruise so you should get a lot of attention and service. That is the best way to learn about cruising from an expert! Accredited Cruise Counselors are trained to listen to you, evaluate you and your family and your wishes, and help to find the perfect cruise that is the best match for you. That is much more than any of us just sitting on a cruise advice board can do!

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

 

 

But most agents have VERY little experince in traveling Alaska, lucky to find one with a couple fam trips. This is a bias post since this poster's wife is an agent. I completely disagree that an agent knows it all.

 

You are best doing your own homework first, there are some excellent books on cruising- head to you library. Take out all the Alaska tour books too. Read up on ports and determine what is your priority. Pick up all the brochures of cruiseline sailing Alaska. Narrow down your choices first- one way, round trip. Your decisions and questions can then be more focused.

 

AND- as for this message board. Frankly, some posters here can run marathons around agents. I occasionly get emails FROM agents asking me questions. This board offers extremely accurate information for trip planning that can be far more valuable than an agent, since they are not going to have much if any information on alternative independent options.

[Chat Noir]

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions! We are going to do alot of homework and then talk with a travel agent. Thanks so much again!

 

Absolutely the best way to go, and these boards are a fabulous place to begin your 'homework', regardless of your method for booking. The search feature is an invaluable tool with endless answers and ideas on putting together a cruise that works best for your family's priorities. You'll find books and websites mentioned... follow up on some of those recommendations for reading/researching.

 

I find it easier to have a 'hard copy' brochure in hand for comparison on itineraries and cruiseline offerings, and those can be obtained directly from the cruiseline websites or their 800 numbers. You can also pick them up at a travel agency.

 

Some lines offer more ports, less glacier cruising. Some offer more glaciers and less ports. Hours vary widely for port times.

 

Something you'll discover as you research... cruising Alaska requires prioritizing AND compromising.;)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

UMMM -- yep, I did suggest a local Travel Agent -- not just to check their prices, but because they will supply huge amounts of help and information that the newbie OP obviously needs! To suggest that somebody that has never cruised before should shop around on the internet and take the cruise that has the lowest cost is totally ridiculous, IMHO. This poster was asking for a great deal of information about cruising which can best be obtained from a local TA, not from browsing around the web trying to separate fact from fiction!!

 

An experienced cruiser, who knows exactly what date, itinerary and ship they want and does not need any advice, might want to check around the internet and see what prices they can find. (Usually there are none on the net better than a local TA can offer -- but some people don't want to believe that). But then they are strictly on their own. I didn't think the OP was in that position.

 

 

Count me in on not believing this. I have cruised about 14 times and used to use brick & mortar agencies. I could never get that much of a discount with B & M places if any. Online I can get very nice discounts.

 

Online agencies deal with customers all over the country while most B & M service just the surrounding area where they are located. They also have high overheads in most cases and can't discount like the online agencies who deal in volume.

 

Bill