NCL vs Princess routes help!

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

After much consternation and debate my wife and I appear to have narrowed our choices to Inside Passage cruises on either the NCL Star or Princess Diamond/Sapphire.

 

For the same price we appear to be able to get a better cabin (bigger room, higher deck) on the Sapphire Princess but I have concerns about the route given what I've heard on this board and others.

 

First, of course, the Princess boats go to Tracy Arm which, I gather is not as good as Glacier Bay/Hubbard for a first-timer, especially in a huge boat that might not get within sight of the Sawyer Glacier.

 

Second, on the intinerary map it appears that the Sapphire's entire return trip is outside and it comes around the west side of Vancouver Island. Are these maps accurate?

 

The Diamond which has a similar itinerary seems to stay inside and THEN go around Vancouver Island, whereas the Star stays inside the whole time.

 

We looked at sailing RCCL out of Vancouver but, at least right now, cheaper flights to Seattle make it the first choice...

 

Thanks for any help!

TJ

[Budget Queen]

I don't believe the Diamond goes inside Vancouver Island at all? Having gone to all inside passage glaciers, Glacier Bay is my clear preference. Look also at time in ports?? Tough choices that will certainly call for compromises. Seattle/Vancouver is an easy transfer- I've only flown into Vancouver one time- all the rest Seattle. I most always drive, but took Quick Shuttle once and was very satisified with their service. Other options are a cruiseline transfer (plenty of people fly into Seattle for Vancouver cruises), Amtrak.

[Host Caroline]

If you are 'set' on those ships, I'd pick the NCL Star/ Just curious, though, did the Holland America ships price themselves out of range? or have you had bad experience on them? They along with Princess do a superb job in Alaska. I would choose Amsterdam (1st) or Oosterdam over Princess and Amsterdam over the Star based on itinerary, Glacier Bay etc.

The Seattle/Vancouver transfer by Quick Shuttle isn't bad but you should go a day early so you don't have to worry about airline schedule delays etc. (post doesn't indicate where you are from)

 

Host Caroline

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[TJ O&apos;Pootertoot]

We were going with Star and then got a really good rate on Sapphire and changed at the last minute.

 

I'm in Toronto (which makes it slightly odd that the Vancouver flights aren't cheaper) and my wife and I have been to Vancouver before which is why, if we have to fly in a day early, we'd rather spend the time in Seattle which we have never seen.

 

Certainly it's silly to cross the border flying to Seattle only to cross back to catch a boat in Vancouver.

 

We didn't really look at HAL for a few reasons (I can't remember all of them now but I think price was one) but mostly (unfair though it may be) for its tendency to skew older.

 

We're not quite 30 and our sole cruise experience so far was a 4-day Carnival W. Carribbean on Fascination. So I'm sure that Star, Oosterdam (which my parents went on), Sapphire and Serenade (also briefly in the running) will all be quite different.

 

I know the party line is that one should try to go to Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm but I would have had to take (literally) the 4th-worst cabin on the Star instead of the mid-ship room I got on Sapphire. If the trip is as great as everyone says I'm sure we'll go back at some point and, in the meantime, it's 4 hours of a seven day trip and we won't know what we're missing.

 

And our TA said that Princess was simply a notch above NCL despite their recent improvements. She also said that, map aside, the boats go back the way they came. That does seem to make sense - why would boats go out in the open ocean when Victoria is on the east of Vancouver Island anyways?

 

The port time differences were neglible and Sapphire has 7 hours in Victoria which is 2 more than everyone else - nice, given how everyone says there is never enough time there. The ONLY concern I had with them was that Tracy Arm is at 6 a.m., but I'm sure we can handle one early day for something like that.

 

Thanks all - I'm sure I'll have more questions as it draws closer,

TJ

[j'smom]

Enjoy your trip! We also looked at the Star and Diamond (wanted Seattle departure) and chose Diamond because it's a new ship, we're getting a larger stateroom than we would of had on the Star (we're a family of four) and Princess has a great reputation in Alaska. This is only my husband's and my second cruise and our children's first so ship choise was important. From what I've read on this board any trip to Alaska is spectacular and we can't wait.

[Budget Queen]

She also said that, map aside, the boats go back the way they came. That does seem to make sense - why would boats go out in the open ocean when Victoria is on the east of Vancouver Island anyways?

 

For clairfication- they do NOT go the same route- no matter what your TA says. NCL goes inside Vancouver Island, Princess outside. But you are right- you will have a GREAT time.

[Host Caroline]

Your TA may be confused bec. the Princess ships that depart from Vancouver do go the "inside" route between Vancouver Island and mainland but from Seattle do not.

 

Host Caroline

<font SIZE="1">Join CC's "Alaska Live in 2005 Adventure"..you'll have a "whale" of a good time!</font>

 

<font SIZE="1">Days Till Royal Hounds Cruise on Mariner of the Seas...!</font>

<font SIZE="1">Days Till Miracle Partae Pirates Cruise from Tampa</font>

 

<font SIZE="1">One can never have too many days at sea...</font>

[TJ O&apos;Pootertoot]

What's odd is that if you go to Princess' web site there is one map (in the "Plan your Voyage" section) that very clearly shows the boat going INSIDE one way and then OUTSIDE on the other (it's not clear which way).

 

http://*****.com/3828s

 

If you go to the intinerary section, the map clearly shows the boat going outside both ways.

 

http://*****.com/38wbr

 

I can't really blame her for being confused...Since these routes have not actually been run yet, is there any way to know for sure if they are going inside one way or not??

 

Shouldn't Princess be a bit clearer in their material, particularly if they are adverstising an "Inside Passage" cruise?

 

TJ

[Chippsetter]

It is called "Inside Passage" cruise because the route within Southeast Alaska has been called the "Inside Passage" vs going outside the islands making up Southeast Alaska longer than the cruise lines have been coming here.

[geoherb]

We were on the Star Princess last summer. It's itinerary was similar to what the Sapphire Princess will be doing this summer. There was no problem with our captain getting the ship within wonderful viewing distance of Sawyer Glacier. The view as the ship sailed through Tracy Arm was wonderful. Here's a link to a photo (not mine, but it gives an idea of what type of view we had of the glacier).

 

If you're the type who likes to be on deck with a pair of binoculars for hours at the time, a ship that goes through the Inside Passage may be better. We sailed close enough to land for our taste. The morning we sailed through Tracy Arm was near-perfect. That afternoon, as we sailed toward Ketchikan, we saw lots of whales from the ship. We did not have the up-close views you would on a whale watching excursion, but it was thrilling for us. The ship was also close to land the morning before we got to Juneau. I was so excited when I first sighted bald eagles in the trees.

[sboh]

I think sometimes the cruise lines use the term "inside passage" to distinguish between a cruise that goes r/t from Vancouver or Seattle as opposed to a cruise that goes one-way and crosses the Gulf of Alaska.

TJ-the brochure I have from Princess does show both the Diamond and Sapphire sailing west of Vancouver Island (like your second link). We're making our first trip to Alaska on the Diamond this July and looking forward to it.