Alaska cruise Southbound

Hello, My husband and I are planning a 5 week trip to Canada in Sept 2019 for our 25th wedding anniversary- so excited already - and have currently booked a Southbound Alaska on Star for the 8th Sept, when I received the confirmation from Princess it stated we started in Seattle however we'll be in Vancouver can I assume it will be ok to fly from Vancouver to Anchorage to join the ship or will we have to go to Seattle first? EZ Air isn't on sale yet so I can't check through them.Also how many days would you recommend we need to explore Vancouver before joining the ship (we won't have a car for this portion of our trip)

Hope you can help, many thanks

Southbound Alaska voyages typically start in Anchorage. I see that the Sept 8, 2018 on Star begins in Anchorage and ends in Vancouver but I don't see any September 2019 Alaska voyages when I search the Princess site for cruises - so I can't check the itinerary (the schedule for sept 2019 isn't on the website yet).

If the voyage started in Seattle ( or Vancouver) then Anchorage would typically be the end of your Northbound voyage.

You should be able to go into your Personalizer and check the itinerary for your particular voyage to confirm the embarkation port and the current itinerary.

If you wish to join the ship at any port other than the port of embarkation you will need to contact Princess to get authorization.

please confirm...is this trip in 2018 or 2019? It is hard to understand how you received a confirmation for a trip that is not yet available.

please confirm...is this trip in 2018 or 2019? It is hard to understand how you received a confirmation for a trip that is not yet available.

Sorry !! my fault that should have said September 2018 ...not enough coffee when I woke up :)

Southbound Alaska voyages typically start in Anchorage. I see that the Sept 8, 2018 on Star begins in Anchorage and ends in Vancouver but I don't see any September 2019 Alaska voyages when I search the Princess site for cruises - so I can't check the itinerary (the schedule for sept 2019 isn't on the website yet).

 

If the voyage started in Seattle ( or Vancouver) then Anchorage would typically be the end of your Northbound voyage.

 

You should be able to go into your Personalizer and check the itinerary for your particular voyage to confirm the embarkation port and the current itinerary.

 

If you wish to join the ship at any port other than the port of embarkation you will need to contact Princess to get authorization.

Sorry Shelly97060 that should have said September 2018 !! wasn't concentrating:( not enough coffee :)

The cruise starts in Anchorage but we were planning to fly from the UK to Vancouver, at the beginning of September, and have a few days there before our cruise and hoped that we could fly to Anchorage from Vancouver but on our confirmation it indicates we start/fly from Seattle ?? Our TA said not to worry and it will all sort itself out !? but I'm trying to plan out our itinerary now ready for when the flights from the uk to Canada go on sale :)

2018?

Are you in Wales?

Seems strange that your Princess documents are showing Seattle as your home location. You have a few choices. Fly from Vancouver B.C. to Anchorage, drive to Seattle a day early and then fly Seattle to Anchorage. You can book independently or book using EZ Air. If using EZ Air ask your T.A. or Princess to change your selection of airports to whatever airport you choose. I'm thinking your flights will be Vancouver or Seattle to Anchorage and then Vancouver to Cardiff. Would highly recommend at least one overnight in Anchorage. You can also notice that there are limited non-stop flights from Vancouver to Anchorage and the connecting flights are many hours. There are lots of non stops from Seattle. Seattle could be be a better choice, and it is a nice city to tour pre-cruise. If you drive to Seattle allow lots of time at the U.S. border in Blaine. It can be slow.

Take into consideration that Anchorage is around 90 mins drive to the port of Whittier, plus the time delay to get through the one way Anton Anderson tunnel.There are some private transfer options, the Princess transfer option, and there is also an Alaska rail option. Check them all out.

Hope this information is useful.

As far as time in Vancouver it all depends on what you want to see. There are many points of interest and a great transportation system to get to most of them. aDecide what you want to see then go from there.

The PVSA pretty much guarantees that cruises to/from Anchorage (or more specifically Whittier) don't go to/from Seattle, and instead they go to Vancouver. As much as I love Seattle, I can't fathom a reason why you'd need to go to Seattle for any of this unless your TA screwed up.

Sorry !! my fault that should have said September 2018 ...not enough coffee when I woke up :)

With that in mind there is no need for Seattle. You will need to go to Anchorage (Whittier) to embark your cruise, which will end in Vancouver.

Thoughts...

• If you have the opportunity.... think about July or August. It cost more, but you get more daylight and dryer port weather.
  
• Vancouver is worthy for a few days stay.
  
• Day 1: Land
  
• Day 2: Grouse and Capilano
  
• Day 3: Hop On shuttle with Stanley Park, Gastown, Granville Island
  
• Day 4: Whistler
  
• Day 5: Victoria
  

2018?

Are you in Wales?

Seems strange that your Princess documents are showing Seattle as your home location. You have a few choices. Fly from Vancouver B.C. to Anchorage, drive to Seattle a day early and then fly Seattle to Anchorage. You can book independently or book using EZ Air. If using EZ Air ask your T.A. or Princess to change your selection of airports to whatever airport you choose. I'm thinking your flights will be Vancouver or Seattle to Anchorage and then Vancouver to Cardiff. Would highly recommend at least one overnight in Anchorage. You can also notice that there are limited non-stop flights from Vancouver to Anchorage and the connecting flights are many hours. There are lots of non stops from Seattle. Seattle could be be a better choice, and it is a nice city to tour pre-cruise. If you drive to Seattle allow lots of time at the U.S. border in Blaine. It can be slow.

Take into consideration that Anchorage is around 90 mins drive to the port of Whittier, plus the time delay to get through the one way Anton Anderson tunnel.There are some private transfer options, the Princess transfer option, and there is also an Alaska rail option. Check them all out.

Hope this information is useful.

Thanks you it is :) and yes we are in Wales though I imagine we will fly from and to London as Cardiff airport is quite small

Thoughts...

• If you have the opportunity.... think about July or August. It cost more, but you get more daylight and dryer port weather.
  
• Vancouver is worthy for a few days stay.
  
• Day 1: Land
  
• Day 2: Grouse and Capilano
  
• Day 3: Hop On shuttle with Stanley Park, Gastown, Granville Island
  
• Day 4: Whistler
  
• Day 5: Victoria
  

Thank you we did think about that but we wanted to be away for our 25th Anniversary which is at the end of September hence the date :)

We actually thought to do Victoria and Whistler after our Alaska cruise when we've picked up the hire car as we plan to drive over the Rockies to Calgary, so do you think 3 full days in Vancouver would be ok/too little/too much we're not 'big city' fans but would like to see some of the main sights?

Thank you we did think about that but we wanted to be away for our 25th Anniversary which is at the end of September hence the date :)

We actually thought to do Victoria and Whistler after our Alaska cruise when we've picked up the hire car as we plan to drive over the Rockies to Calgary, so do you think 3 full days in Vancouver would be ok/too little/too much we're not 'big city' fans but would like to see some of the main sights?

I've never met or even heard of anyone who ever complained of spending too MUCH time in Vancouver...

To be fair, our historic buildings/galleries etc. will be relatively small potatoes to what you have access to at home but even if you just stuck to outdoorsy things it would be very easy to kill three days here. Stanley park alone is ~1000 acres and you could spend an entire day exploring it without seeing everything. Capilano/Lynn Canyon bridges; Grouse Mountain; UBC Campus (Botanic, Japanese, Rose gardens, treewalk, various museums incl the superb MOA with totem poles); Queen Elizabeth Park, Blodel Conservatory, & Van Dusen garden combo can eat most of another day.

We've also got walking & bike tours - or just rent bikes and pootle around the Seawall where you'll have no cars to worry about and it's very hard to get lost; boats/kayaks tours & rentals; ghost walks; beer tours... maybe have a look at Tripadvisor and their various lists of 'three days in Vancouver' ' a weekend in Vancouver' etc. and see what jumps out that you do like to do.

I've never met or even heard of anyone who ever complained of spending too MUCH time in Vancouver...

 

To be fair, our historic buildings/galleries etc. will be relatively small potatoes to what you have access to at home but even if you just stuck to outdoorsy things it would be very easy to kill three days here. Stanley park alone is ~1000 acres and you could spend an entire day exploring it without seeing everything. Capilano/Lynn Canyon bridges; Grouse Mountain; UBC Campus (Botanic, Japanese, Rose gardens, treewalk, various museums incl the superb MOA with totem poles); Queen Elizabeth Park, Blodel Conservatory, & Van Dusen garden combo can eat most of another day.

 

We've also got walking & bike tours - or just rent bikes and pootle around the Seawall where you'll have no cars to worry about and it's very hard to get lost; boats/kayaks tours & rentals; ghost walks; beer tours... maybe have a look at Tripadvisor and their various lists of 'three days in Vancouver' ' a weekend in Vancouver' etc. and see what jumps out that you do like to do.

Sorry I didn't mean to sound insulting to Vancouver ! we're really excited about our trip and there seems to be so much to see and do we can't wait :)

I shall follow your advice and have a look on trip advisor we had already planned to see some of Stanley park, Capilano bridge, totem poles etc so I think I need to work out an itinerary for Vancouver alone :) never mind the rest of our trip ! :)

I've never met or even heard of anyone who ever complained of spending too MUCH time in Vancouver...

 

To be fair, our historic buildings/galleries etc. will be relatively small potatoes to what you have access to at home but even if you just stuck to outdoorsy things it would be very easy to kill three days here. Stanley park alone is ~1000 acres and you could spend an entire day exploring it without seeing everything. Capilano/Lynn Canyon bridges; Grouse Mountain; UBC Campus (Botanic, Japanese, Rose gardens, treewalk, various museums incl the superb MOA with totem poles); Queen Elizabeth Park, Blodel Conservatory, & Van Dusen garden combo can eat most of another day.

 

We've also got walking & bike tours - or just rent bikes and pootle around the Seawall where you'll have no cars to worry about and it's very hard to get lost; boats/kayaks tours & rentals; ghost walks; beer tours... maybe have a look at Tripadvisor and their various lists of 'three days in Vancouver' ' a weekend in Vancouver' etc. and see what jumps out that you do like to do.

So agree with these recommendations. Check out the facebook page for Van Dusen gardens -- wonderful place. The Museum of Anthropology is simply amazing http://moa.ubc.ca/. Vancouver has great public transportation. Last time we were there in the rain we went to the Aquarium in Stanley Park -- they have a phone for making taxi requests.

Make sure you have a day pre-cruise in Anchorage as they also have a good museum http://www.alaska.org/detail/museum-anchorage

So agree with these recommendations. Check out the facebook page for Van Dusen gardens -- wonderful place. The Museum of Anthropology is simply amazing http://moa.ubc.ca/. Vancouver has great public transportation. Last time we were there in the rain we went to the Aquarium in Stanley Park -- they have a phone for making taxi requests.

Make sure you have a day pre-cruise in Anchorage as they also have a good museum http://www.alaska.org/detail/museum-anchorage

Fab info, thank you so much :) wish we were going this Sept im getting so excited ! we also have a programme 'Alaska Wildlife Live' on this week in the UK ...Wow !!!! so amazing :) can't wait