Which itenerary for first time cruisers?

[ajhunt2]

Okay, I actually have been on a 3- day cruise to Nassau when I was 15, over 10 yrs ago. But DH has never been on one. So we're going to Alaska! Which itenenerary do you like for a first timer and which provides a better scope of what Alaska is all about?

 

1)

Tue: Seattle, Washington

Wed: At Sea

Thu: Juneau, Alaska

Fri: Cruise Glacier Bay

Sat: Skagway, Alaska

Sun: Ketchikan, Alaska

Mon: Cruise Inside Passage

Tue: Vancouver, British Columbia

 

2)

Sat: Seattle, Washington

Sun: At Sea

Mon: Ketchikan, Alaska

Tue: Juneau, Alaska

Wed: Skagway, Alaska

Thu: Prince Rupert, British Columbia

Fri: At Sea

Sat: Seattle, Washington

[Texas Tillie]

Are you sure #1 is right - leaving from Seattle and returning to Vancouver? That doen't seem right to me. At any rate, if you're a first time Alaska cruiser and need to do a round trip - which means you never get to the BIG part of Alaska - do a cruise that includes Glacier Bay - that will be one of the best 8 hours or so that you've ever spent!:)

[Budget Queen]

I will assume your #1 is either the first or last season sailing?? Overall, 1 is superior, and I'm assuming that #2 is NCL Star?? with Tracy Arm omitted? With that choice, I only recommend it, IF you are going to book the Tracy Arm jet boat tour, far superior to anything seen from the ship.

 

 

 

Another consideration you need to take into account IF your #1 choice is in the timeframes I mention?? You are sailing at the worse potential for weather.

[ajhunt2]

We're booked on the Star, which is the second one. But now I'm worried it's too late in the season to do anything so considering changing our sail date. The first one is Carnival on Sept. 7. W/ my work it's easier for me to go in the summer, but prices go up in the summer. That's why we were looking at the end of the season. Looks like we can do #1 for the price of #2, but we have a reduced deposit and $100 obc w/ NCL

[Budget Queen]

We're booked on the Star, which is the second one. But now I'm worried it's too late in the season to do anything so considering changing our sail date. The first one is Carnival on Sept. 7. W/ my work it's easier for me to go in the summer, but prices go up in the summer. That's why we were looking at the end of the season. Looks like we can do #1 for the price of #2, but we have a reduced deposit and $100 obc w/ NCL

 

With the Star- I would NEVER consider this sailing without budgeting in the Tracy Arm jet boat tour, at about $190pp. Just way superior. The Sept 7 date may not offer you any better weather. Determine how much those higher prices are worth?? For me, it is SIGNIFICANT to go earlier. I used to pick up the sailings you are looking at when they were around $350 total. And always my second or third sailing of the season. Always the earlier trips were better. A couple hundred dollars, may be a good investment??

 

Overall a reduced depost is nothing, so I would not factor that.

[kellywhitehills]

We're booked on the Star, which is the second one. But now I'm worried it's too late in the season to do anything so considering changing our sail date. The first one is Carnival on Sept. 7. W/ my work it's easier for me to go in the summer, but prices go up in the summer. That's why we were looking at the end of the season. Looks like we can do #1 for the price of #2, but we have a reduced deposit and $100 obc w/ NCL

 

As soon as we get our pricing for the Carnival cruise the deposit should be about 25 to 50 bucks and an OBC for the group rate...