Assateague Island Princes

Yes, the OP is correct - HAL's 14 day itinerary includes a long port day in Anchorage itself, sailing right up Cook Inlet to the port of Anchorage itself. I've done this itinerary 3 times and it is spectacular!

OP - yes, there are cab lines available when you disembark the ship in Anchorage. They let two or three cabs in at a time, when they are filled w/passengers, the next set of cabs is permitted inside the port area. We've used the cab scenario twice - both times to take us to a downtown Enterprise office to pick up our pre-booked rental car. But of course, the cab will take you wherever you want to go. Or you could take HAL's free shuttle bus to downtown, which is what we did in 2014, and then walked to the weekend farmer's market.

Have a wonderful time - you've chosen a terrific itinerary which includes (besides the normal AK cruise ports) Sitka, Homer, Kodiak, ISP and all day in Victoria, BC.

We stayed in the similar cabin (7056) on Volendam's sister ship - Amsterdam for Alaska - and LOVED IT!! Would highly recommend! Those steps up to the aft Lido pool aren't about the pool at all (not for Alaska anyway:D) but for the easy access to the Lido restaurant, Sea View Bar, and the wide open spaces on the aft of the ship for those amazing Alaska views. And yes, having that aft deck just 5 steps out your door (I counted!) is perfect - we never encountered more than 3 or 4 other people out there at one time; and most of the time, we had it to ourselves. Wonderful panoramic aft views on comfy loungers, out of the wind and rain - just perfect for sailing to the Great Land. For the additional $79/pp, I'd jump on that cabin like white on rice;). Good luck in your decision and do enjoy Alaska - it is one amazing view after another!

Woo-hoo, CP! You finally bit the bullet - SO happy for you:D! You know I'm a huge cheerleader for this cruise itinerary (having done it 3 times), I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Now, to the question at hand. I've eaten all two times at Misty Bay Lodge in ISP (after our whale watch) and loved it. Friends raved about the halibut pizza. Last time I had their seafood chowder followed by a huge cone of homemade salmonberry ice cream. DELICIOUS! They have all kinds of sandwiches, soups, salads, and platters to choose from. Just a small hole-in-the-wall place in downtown Hoonah, so you'd need to either walk along the paved path to town from the cruise port, or get there as a result of an excursion. There is also a small seafood 'shack' on the pier at the ISP pier where they served Tracy's Crab Shack items including seafood chowder, monster crab legs, etc.

Kodiak - In 2011, we ate at a local bar near the waterfront, and for the life of me, I cannot recall the name - though there are only one or two, so it sholdn't be hard to find. It is right downtown by the harbor. Food was very good - I had fish and chips - they were fresh and memorable!:p

Homer - Ah, Homer....hopefully will be my retirement home someday;). Gotta try Captain Paddy's on the Homer Spit. Fantastic fish and chips, fresh halibut, clams and Kachemak Bay oysters, salmon chowder - you name it. If its seafood you want - this is the place. Try to get a table by the water.

Though you didn't ask and I know you've been to Ketchikan many times, if you haven't yet - try the Burger Queen, right by the tunnel. Probably the best fish and chips we had on our entire trip. You can even order at Burger Queen, then go across the street to the Happy Bear bar and enjoy your food at their outdoor picnic tables right on the pier, delivered to you hot and fresh. Wonderful milk shakes as well - yum! Quite an experience.

Do enjoy your trip - I know you've been looking forward to sailing this itinerary for many years. Wish I was going on this journey with you so we could finally meet in person. Happy Alaska sailing, my friend.

Perhaps of interest to you is that HAL's Alaska sailings often have third and fourth passenger per cabin sailing either free or for a small fee, which could save you a bundle with the kids sharing your cabin. Note that taxes still apply for the 3rd and 4th passenger. Still a bargain with the lesser cruise fares for two of your passengers.

I've cruised to AK five times (all on HAL) - three times on the 14 day itinerary that KK mentioned, and twice on 7-day cruises. Their kids club always seems to be a hit, so there is plenty to do for your kids while aboard ship, if they so desire to participate. Don't let the often misleading reputation of HAL only being for the older set - simply not true on Alaska sailings. We've always seen a wide age range onboard our AK cruises - from infants to folks in their 80's.

Itinerary is most important when sailing to the Great Land - be sure to consider the longest times in port. And if you can get a sailing which includes Glacier Bay, you're pretty well set for glacier sailing. Often times viewing glaciers on a Tracy Arm sailing is missed due to lack of time or ice, and sometimes Hubbard Glacier(though it is my personal favorite) can result in distant views due to ice pack.

A great savings not to worry about airfare due to your location - you can put those extra $$$ towards some pretty amazing excursions, which in Alaska are quite pricey.

Enjoy your trip. And have fun w/the planning - to me, that is half the fun!

Consider booking a tour w/Ketchikan Taxi Cabs. I've been to Ketchikan five times now, and have done an array of excursions including Misty Fiords Flightseeing w/Island Wings, Neets Bay flight to see bears, and many others, so this past year, wanted to do something different. We booked a three hour tour w/Ketchikan Taxi Cabs and it was great! We didn't want to do the touristy stuff because all of us had been to Ketchikan countless times. Our driver, a local resident who was a wealth of information, took us out to the Totem Bight (it was deserted, we had beat the tour busses!) with our own local guide, got a whole new perspective on life in Ketchikan with a personalized drive-by of the outlying areas, saw tons of eagles and even some whales. Afterwards, he had lunch with us at the Burger Queen (highly recommend!) - where we had some fantastic halibut and chips. Very inexpensive 'excursion' split between four people, which provides a great overview of the area, with plenty of time afterwards to walk to Creek Street or shop in port if that is of interest to you. You tell them where you want to go, and they'll take you. If you aren't familiar with what the town has to offer, they will offer some suggestions and are very accomodating. Picked us up right downtown by Sockeye Sams and off we went. Google their website and check out the prices and the tour options available.

Donald's suggestions are spot on as well. Despite your short time in port, if you plan well, you can get a good overview of what Ketchikan has to offer.

I've cruised to Alaska five times - two 7 day sailings and three 14 day sailings, all on Holland America; along w/that a 17 day land only DIY trip, which we also greatly enjoyed. To say I'm obsessed with Alaska is an understatement:D (hey, don't judge, it isn't a bad thing;)).

For me, Alaska is ALL about the itinerary, and the ship is secondary - simply a means to get from port to port - nothing more than my floating hotel. Pick the itinerary w/the longest port times and the glaciers you want to see. While I personally love Hubbard, I've been very lucky to get quite close on all my sailings but one. That being said, many ships don't get as close to Hubbard as you might like, and that can be a disappointing experience for first time AK visitors. Precisely why Glacier Bay on your itinerary is a huge plus - you WILL see glaciers there and it is just a magical experience sailing thru Glacier Bay.

Alaska sailings are so port intensive, with each stop jam packed with doing the activities we enjoy - whale watching, flightseeing, hiking, kayaking, etc. Nothing like warm weather sailing where the scenery is more of the same - blue waters and lots of sandy coastlines. Alaska is a whole other experience - its all about the wildlife, mountains, glaciers, and amazing scenery.

We spend every minute in port, and by the time we reboard the ship, we normally grab a quick dinner in the Lido, then head to a public deck to scan the sea for whales and other marine wildlife, and to just enjoy the passing scenery. We are normally exhausted after a long, active day in port, and hit the hay fairly early. Rarely do we attend shows or participate in other shipboard activities.

So it all depends on what YOU want to do and are looking for on an Alaskan cruise. For us, it is all about what is OUTSIDE the ship, of course your mileage may vary. You can do as much....or as little at you like, aboard the ship.

Given the two itineraries you mentioned, I'd definitely go with the Sun, which includes Glacier Bay, along w/Hubbard.

Good luck in your mission.

Parking in downtown Juneau is at a premium at best. The museums and other attractions are in doable walking distance, barring any mobility issues. I'd save those types of things til later in the day when you return the car. And I'd highly recommend a stop at Tracy's Crab Shack (new location right in town, so be sure to Google it) for some killer crab legs, crab cakes and crab bisque. Expensive, no doubt, but the food doesn't suck;), so well worth it to us!

After renting a car in Juneau on several occassions, some of our 'go to' stops include the Mendenhall Glacier visitor's center w/a walk to the falls, and then a stop at the Skater's Cabin (for a different perspective of the glacier), out to 'the end of the road' with a stop at Eagle Beach (where we've always seen a ton of eagles, the stream teaming w/salmon during the runs, and just some stellar views), the fish hatchery (particularly when the salmon are running - look for the sealions at the beginning of the salmon ladder with their own private buffet:p), the Shrine of Theresa (where you may see whales from shore if you're lucky), the brewery (check times - they closed at 6PM when we were last there in 2011), and then over to Douglas Island, which has a lot to offer itself.

Have fun!

I, too (well....three actually:D) totally agree w/Coral and CP's suggestions. I have a knitted headband that covers my ears on glacier days or when I'm out on deck (which is almost always in AK!). Then I wear a hooded sweatshirt under my waterproof rain jacket. When the rest of my head gets cold w/just the knitted headband, I pull up the hood on the sweatshirt, and then the hood on my rain jacket as well. Even if it isn't raining, the hood on the rain jacket is a great wind breaker and insulated. Sometimes I also wear a visor anchored under my knitted headband to keep the weather out of my eyes and the hoods from sagging and blocking my view should it be raining. A knitted scarf to pull things tight around my neck completes my ensemble. Purely functional and keeps me toasty warm. Like CP said, may not be pretty, but IMHO Alaska ain't no fashion show!;)

Thank you for the response, Northern Aurora. Don't know why exactly, but I always thought Frugal Traveler was from AK - I could very well be mistaken, of course;).

You are right, the meat processing shop we went to was off the Seward Highway. I don't remember seeing the Indian Valley Mine, but of course I could have missed it since I wasn't really looking for it. Thanks for the information. I do hope someone who might know the circumstances of that area will chime in - just to satisfy my curiousity.

Frugal - is the Indian Valley Mine at the same location where they have a little store with all kinds of Alaskan meats - potted caribou, moose jerky, etc.? I remember stopping at that store on our trip to your great state in early June of 2013, and we loaded up on all kinds of Alaskan goodies at the store for our week's stay in Homer. But I don't remember seeing a mine there. Same place?

From your lips to God's ear, Cow Princess!:D

And don't worry about the cat, they're known for independence, right?;)

Oh wouldn't that be heaven?

Personally, I'd like a trip to Alaska to see the Northern Lights and the start of the Iditarod in March. BUT If not that, my second choice would be HAL's 14 day itinerary (again!:D for the fourth time) next year on the Statendam.

Santa - are you listening? I promise, I've been a very good girl this year....well, :rolleyes:MOST of the time.....

They are delicious! But they do sneak up on you. One at a time was plenty for me.

Happy to hear you are enjoying this cruise so much Joanie! I love reading yours and Roger's updates - so keep 'em coming when you find the time in your busy schedule of pure rest and relaxation!:D

Wow Glaciers, that is an excellent price! We had originally booked an oceanview for the May 18th sailing of this year, and the cost was $2199/pp. We ended up inquiring about an upsell offer to a balcony cabin about a week before sailing, and were given a super reasonable price so we took it. It is the first time I sailed this 14 day itinerary in a balcony and it was definitely nice! But we also greatly enjoyed the two previous sailings on this itinerary in an oceanview cabin. Heck, we'd even do this itinerary in an inside cabin if the price was right. HAL ships have lots of outdoor spaces, including the promenade deck so it is always easy and convenient to get outdoors quickly or for viewing glaciers or scenic sailing.

To the OP - you are very welcome for the information, glad to be of assistance. I do hope you are able to book this great itinerary - I don't think you'd be disappointed.:D

Holland America does a true 14 day itinerary (w/no repeat ports like on a back-to-back), which stops at some little visited-by-cruiseship ports. I've sailed this itinerary 3 times on HAL's Amsterdam. In 2015 however, the itinerary will be done by the Statendam. The only downside for you is that this sailing is roundtrip from Seattle, so you wouldn't have the opportunity to spend some time on mainland AK as you would on a north or southbound route.

That said, this itinerary is wonderful. Here are the ports/port times I experienced on the May 18, 2014 cruise - Ketchikan (8AM-5PM), all day scenic cruising of Tracy Arm, Juneau (8AM-10PM), Icy Strait Point (7AM-4PM), Anchorage (long port time - 7AM-11PM this year), Homer (10AM-6PM), Kodiak (7AM-3PM), Hubbard Glacier scenic sailing, Sitka (9AM-5PM), and Victoria, BC (1PM-11PM). Something to consider if you are open to a RT Seattle cruise.

Agree w/previous posters who cited the port of Sitka - beautiful, as yet unspoiled port with so much to see and do. Probably one of the most magical sail-ins you'll ever experience in Alaska - with the harbor studded with tiny islands, Mt. Edgecomb volcano towering over the picturesque fishing town - just lovely! Sitka is steeped in Russian history and a beautiful Totem pole park to walk thru. We've enjoyed several small boat marine wildlife tours in Sitka (booked with Capt. Davey of www.puffinsandwhales.com) - seeing many whales, puffins and sealions, and amazing pastel colored starfish.

Good luck in your mission finding the perfect trip for you. As you know, Alaska is spectacular and keeps drawing many of us back - over and over again!

We stayed in Homer for a week in 2013 at a beautiful rental home overlooking Kachemak Bay. Found it on Homeaway.com - Google it, it is called Walkabout Cottage. Amazing home about 10 miles out East End Road, overlooking the Bay, and two glaciers from the house's two decks. We spent countless hours on those decks staring at the scenery and having visits from the local porcupine and moose. All the comforts of home with a large bathroom, washer/dryer, fully equipped kitchen, and large home library - all beautifully decorated. There is SO much to do in the Homer area. The drive down from Anchorage was an excursion in itself - so many great places to stop and see the sights.

While in Homer, we took the ferry over to Seldovia one day, another day my DH did a guided stream fishing excursion bagging a King Salmon that we cooked fresh on the house's outside grill - delicious! Another day, we took a flightseeing excursion w/Stellar Air to Lake Clark/Twin Lakes to visit Dick Proenecke's homestead - pricey, but worth every penny! We spent one day at the Islands and Oceans Center and at the Pratt Museum, which is just chockful of interesting exhibits for a small town museum There is a nearby mushing kennel (Dr. Linda Chamberlain's Howling Husky Homestead, who provides private tours of her kennel and mushing museum - very interesting. Each day we'd buy fresh crab, scallops, oysters, clams and/or halibut at the Seafood Co-op on the Homer Spit to take back to our house to cook for dinner, or we'd stop at the nearby Fritz Creek Country Store for some of their unusual and tasty fresh food offerings. Walking along the large boat harbor on the Spit we saw lots of crab boats from the "Deadliest Catch" tv show including the Time Bandit (Homer is their home port), and several others.

The owner of the Walkabout Cottage, Nancy, was so easy to work with and very responsive to any questions we had, providing suggestions of area activities and recommending local restaurants to try.

We truly fell in love with Homer in the four or five visits we've made there in recent years - so much so that we plan to retire there someday;)! So we would highly recommend this quaint little town for an extended stay.

Sakana - be aware that Denali National Park's shuttle busses don't start running until the very end of May/beginning of June, so you won't really get into the park - which is the whole point of going to Denali. You will be spending a lot of time on trains and/or busses getting there with no real pay-off, which is the jackpot of wildlife and scenery in Denali National Park touring. I'd suggest visting DNP website to check on the anticipated park road opening for 2015 and if you can and are willing, perhaps change your cruise tour date to later in May, which may then get you actually into the park. It would such a shame to spend all the money and time anticipating the true Denali experience only to be disappointed once you get there. You might also want to check out the Alaska Ports of Call section of Cruise Critic for more valuable information about visiting Alaska.

Good luck in your planning, and do enjoy Alaska. It is one place that has totally stolen my heart - I just keep going back again and again!:p

Not that specific model, but I do have two pairs of Clark's waterproof very similar. They are WONDERFUL! Lightweight but cushiony on the sole. Always keep my feet warm and dry. Love me some Clarks!:D

I can personally recommend Homestead Cabins - stayed there for three nights in 2013, and it was wonderful! The hosts are friendly, amazing folks with lots of stories to tell. The cabins are beautifully decorated, handcrafted dwellings built with the wood milled from the owner's sawmill. Beds were very comfy! We too cooked in our cabin 2 of the three nights - just be sure to stop in Wasilla or Palmer to load up on groceries before you drive out there - there are really no grocery stores for food purchases within an hour's drive. We were fortunate enough to be visited by a moose family every single day at the cabin - often they would graze right off our porch. Its location is very close to the Matanuska Glacier where we spent an amazing day walking on the glacier. Would highly recommend!

Anyone who is visiting Alaska between June and August of 2015 may be interested in today's Groupon. Flightseeing for two w/Sheldon Air Service for $220 ($110.00 per person). It is called the "Mountain House Tour" and according to Groupon is offered for the next 3 days. Sorry, I don't know how long the flight is, didn't read thru the whole thing, but is certainly a bargain for anyone interested in flying over Denali next summer!:)

As an FYI - according to Jim Collins of Allen Marine, our excursion was the first Allen Marine trip into TA in 2014 on May 22nd. Ironically, our ship (HAL Amsterdam) sailed into TA the day before (May 21st) and got significantly closer to the glaciers than we did on the small boat TA tour the very next day. Ya just never know...

We've stayed at Sleep Inn Seatac many, many times - both prior to and after our cruise (or flight from Anchorage). Free shuttle to and from the airport and the Light Rail station, also free shuttle to area restaurants (within 3 or 4 miles, I think), free breakfast, very clean and large rooms, reasonable rates ($80.00 per night on our pre-cruise this past May 17th, and then $100.00 per night post cruise this past June 1st), and an IHOP across the parking lot.

We then use Seattle Express Shuttle Service ($12.00 per person) to take us to Pier 91, and then again back to the hotel following the cruise.

Have a wonderful trip - you're going to love it. The beauty and majesty of the Great Land is what keeps us returning year after year, both on cruises and land only trips. Enjoy!

So excited for you, Sue - have a wonderful time, my friend - wishing you not-too-smooth seas so you can get the baby-rocking affect;)! Email me when you get home and settled, I can't wait to hear all about your trip!

It sounds like a 14 day AK trip with your grandmother might be best accomplished on HAL's 14 day itinerary, sailing roundtrip from Seattle (next year on the Statendam). There are no repeat ports, which I feel is important to note from other cruiseline's 14 day itineraries, which are really nothing more than back-to-back sailings, with maybe a port or two changed up on the return trip. I agree w/Mapleleaves that a cruisetour, given your grandmother's limitations, may not be ideal since there are looooong days spent traveling on busses and/or trains.

HAL's true 14 day itinerary includes the ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, Sitka, Homer, Kodiak, Anchorage (the port of Anchorage itself, not Seward or Whittier), Icy Strait Point, and a full day in Victoria, BC. Scenic sailing days include Tracy Arm and Hubbard Glacier. The roundtrip Seattle option will also provide for less travel stress for your grandmother.

Since this is a cruise only option, it would be very easy to schedule 4 hour windows for your grandmother's port excursions. This would allow for easy access back to your grandmother's cabin on the ship so she can rest. Or as an alternative, still enjoy ship amenities and the gorgeous Alaskan views either from the comfort of her stateroom or in any one of the many comfortable, quiet, and windowed public areas which are a feature of Holland America ships.

I've personally done this 14 day itnerary (on the beautiful and elegant MS Amsterdam) three times, and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to visit more of Alaska - particularly the little-visited ports of Homer, Kodiak and Anchorage.

I prefer the May timeframe (in this case, I believe the first cruise of this 14 day itinerary in 2015 is May 18th), due to the long hours of daylight and the snow-capped mountain views that are just amazing. But I have also done this itinerary in early August, which allowed me the opportunity for bear viewing excursions, so there are always trade-offs. Whales can be seen during any of the Alaska sailings, which run from May thru September.

And may I say you are a very special grandchild to put your grandmother's desires first, in order to give her that 'bucket list' dream vacation she has her heart set on? Good luck in your mission!