bhamcruzer

i have looked at princess, but their round trips do not go to glacier bay. i guess if i have to give up one or the other, i'd rather do glacier bay and sitka over skagway and a different glacier. i will still consider ncl, but again today i had a travel agent dissuade me from going with ncl.

too many decisions!

 

i did find hal amsterdam r/t from seattle also.

Has that travel agent cruised on NCL? I would ask him/her that. The only reason that I ask is that the travel agent that I booked with actually pushed me toward NCL. You know why? Because she had actually cruised on NCL and even cruised on the exact ship that we were considering. She even sent me 100+ pictures that she had taken of the ship herself. He/she could be discouraging you from NCL because, from what I have looked at anyway, NCL's prices are lower than competitors, meaning a lower commission.

help ....

 

i need your opinion! i briefly touched on this recently, but i need a few opinions on whether you prefer sitka or skagway, and why???

 

we are traveling with 14 people ages 6-67. the only cruise that does the inside passage and hits glacier bay and skagway is ncl pearl and i have seen too many negatives on them. there are a few that do glacier bay and sitka as opposed to skagway. i would consider that route for the ease of traveling in and out of the same city as well as the cost savings.

holland america westerdam in one i've seen.

 

i would appreciate any information anyone has for me!

I haven't seen too many negatives on the Pearl at all. In fact, I just got back from a cruise on the Pearl and it was wonderful! I chose to go on the Pearl because of the reviews that I read on Cruise Critic, and I have no doubt that I made the right decision.

It sounds like you are in the same position that I was 2 months ago. I was trying to decide between the NCL Pearl or one of a couple cruises on Holland America. Some things to consider...Holland America has 2 mandatory formal nights each 1 week cruise. Formal nights on Holland America are very dressy. I read one Holland America review which said that changing clothes after a formal night dinner was frowned upon, and that if you did change that it was best to stay out of the common areas. Norwegian does not have a mandatory formal night. It is optional with most people opting not to dress up. The only restriction is that in the Summer Palace dining room no shorts or denim are allowed during dinner (You have 4 other free places to pick from, and more if you choose to pay). Holland America is known for attracting mainly an older crowd, especially to places like Alaska. Norwegian attracts people of all ages, which was especially evident on my cruise. Each age group was represented equally from small kids to people in wheelchairs. There were A LOT of families on my cruise. All in all, Holland America is known for a more formal and refined atmosphere. Norwegian has a much more laid back approach. This is especially evident in ship decor, and the personalities of the cruise staff on Norwegian. There was stuff to do for people of all ages on the Pearl.

These were the things that I took into account when I was booking my cruise. I decided that my family and I would have a much greater chance of having a good time if we went on the Norwegian Pearl. Reflecting back on my cruise after returning 5 days ago, I definitely made the right decision.

If you were not traveling with kids, I would suggest Holland America. Since you are, I believe the Norwegian Pearl, or another Norwegian ship would be right for you and your family. My advice is to read any and all reviews on any and all ships you may want to travel on and make your decision. Also, read over encompassing profiles of the possible cruise lines. That's what I did, and I ended up making the right one.

As for Sitka vs. Skagway, I can't really say as I have never been to Sitka. I have been to Skagway twice, and I have loved it twice. It is very touristy, but there are many independent shops and stores that are very cool in Skagway. There are also many excursions in Skagway that are family friendly, and would be appropriate for the age group you mentioned. For me the must is Glacier Bay. It was absolutely awesome! I don't think you can go wrong with either Sitka or Skagway, just go to Glacier Bay!