14 day great alaskan explorer

Did you have to miss any ports due to ice in early May - and if so, what did they substitute for them?

https://twocruisingsisters.wordpress.com/2010/06/05/may-2010-our-first-2-week-alaska-cruise/

Above is a youtube photo/video montage my sister did of our Amsterdam 14-day Alaska itinerary in May 2010. One of our very best cruises ever. We did not need to miss any ports because of adverse weather/ice conditions.

Icy Strait Point and Sitka according to my booking for May 21.

Both were listed as tender ports when we went in 2016, but we did not have to tender anywhere. Icy Strait Point has a wonderful new cruise pier. Sitka as I recall we docked in an industrial area, but no tender and there was a free shuttle to town. Check the cruise port schedule as you *might* still have to tender if another ship is scheduled for the same day.

To another question, we went the first two weeks of June and the only thing we missed was going up Tracy Arm due to ice. However we did Endicott Arm instead, getting to view Dawes Glacier and that was very nice. As I recall, Tracy Arm was too icy for cruise ships much of that season, but the weather when we were there was in the 60s and 70s, no rain to speak of (brief shower after leaving ISP, that's it).

Did you have to miss any ports due to ice in early May - and if so, what did they substitute for them?

We sailed on the Inaugural Cruise with NMLady in May 2010. We had fantastic weather and hit every port on the itinerary. It was exciting to be the first cruise ship in 40 years to sail the Cook Inlet in to Anchorage. Our other 2 cruises were in September, and again we had good weather. Last cruise was on the Statendam and we had a mechanical problem and docked in Seward instead of Anchorage. Seward was beautiful, and tours to Anchorage were still scheduled.

Enjoy May!

Karen

Both were listed as tender ports when we went in 2016, but we did not have to tender anywhere. Icy Strait Point has a wonderful new cruise pier. Sitka as I recall we docked in an industrial area, but no tender and there was a free shuttle to town. Check the cruise port schedule as you *might* still have to tender if another ship is scheduled for the same day.

Thanks to all that reported about the cruise piers for Icy Strait Point & Sitka. Our booking for 2018 also says these two are tender ports. I've looked up what other ships were going to be in port for our days with https://www.cruisetimetables.com/ and it looks like for Icy Straits we will be the only ship on my sailing but there will be two for Sitka. I'm hoping since we're suppose to be there from 8 am to 4 pm and the Windstar Star Legend will be there from 9 am to 5 pm that we'll get the dock instead of having to tender.

Utahtea

To another question, we went the first two weeks of June and the only thing we missed was going up Tracy Arm due to ice. However we did Endicott Arm instead, getting to view Dawes Glacier and that was very nice. As I recall, Tracy Arm was too icy for cruise ships much of that season, but the weather when we were there was in the 60s and 70s, no rain to speak of (brief shower after leaving ISP, that's it).

Here is one of the pieces of ice in Tracy Arm June, 2017. It was bigger than a house:

Thanks to all that reported about the cruise piers for Icy Strait Point & Sitka. Our booking for 2018 also says these two are tender ports. I've looked up what other ships were going to be in port for our days with https://www.cruisetimetables.com/ and it looks like for Icy Straits we will be the only ship on my sailing but there will be two for Sitka. I'm hoping since we're suppose to be there from 8 am to 4 pm and the Windstar Star Legend will be there from 9 am to 5 pm that we'll get the dock instead of having to tender.

 

Utahtea

Hi Utahtea!

We just did this again last year (4th time). Icy Strait was definitely not a tender port. The new pier is very nice and it's a bit of a walk into the main area but some of the walkway is covered and they have a new visitor's center and even had umbrellas to loan out. In Sitka we were told that HAL had priority at the dock. It's about 6 miles out of town (almost at the end of the road) and the shuttle runs continuously and drops you at the convention center. This is such a great itinerary, isn't it?

This past trip became our "museum" trip purely by chance. The new Alaska State Museum was open in Juneau and it was wonderful to go wander. We'll go back again this coming cruise season. The Anchorage Museum was great and we could have stayed quite a bit longer there. We also did the trolley tour in Anchorage and had a great time. With DH's mobility issues and needing to use the scooter it's nice to find places that are "scooter friendly" and the trolley was great. They had someone watch it for us as we went on the tour.

Have a great time!

Karen

Love getting all this positive feedback. Our hard decisions was picking the time to do it - early, late, middle of summer - each had pros and cons. We finally picked late May - before the black flies, before the summer crowds, less chance of rain, but also before most wildlife and summer greenery, still cold - may be even limited port access still due to ice.

 

How have others picked their "best time" to do this itinerary.

We did late August because I really wanted to see ice breaking off at the glaciers. Plus it's salmon time.

Next time I'd go earlier - like May - for hopefully, some young wildlife....

And I totally will do this again in a heartbeat.

Hi Utahtea!

 

We just did this again last year (4th time). Icy Strait was definitely not a tender port. The new pier is very nice and it's a bit of a walk into the main area but some of the walkway is covered and they have a new visitor's center and even had umbrellas to loan out. In Sitka we were told that HAL had priority at the dock. It's about 6 miles out of town (almost at the end of the road) and the shuttle runs continuously and drops you at the convention center. This is such a great itinerary, isn't it?

 

This past trip became our "museum" trip purely by chance. The new Alaska State Museum was open in Juneau and it was wonderful to go wander. We'll go back again this coming cruise season. The Anchorage Museum was great and we could have stayed quite a bit longer there. We also did the trolley tour in Anchorage and had a great time. With DH's mobility issues and needing to use the scooter it's nice to find places that are "scooter friendly" and the trolley was great. They had someone watch it for us as we went on the tour.

 

Have a great time!

 

Karen

Hello Karen,

I remember you and your DH from our 2014 Alaska Cruise! Do you remember (rajkr74) Rick and Joyce from our cruise? We still keep in contact with them and have even met up with them on camping trips a couple of times!

Thank you for all the information. Yes, this is an awesome itinerary and not having any tender ports is exciting! We've wanted to do this cruise again ever since that first time in 2014. We're going this time with some close friends who have done a lot of cruising but never sailed on Holland America. It's their second trip to Alaska but they only did a 7 day and had to pretty much cater to their elderly parents so we're going to let them decide what we will do in each port.

Happy Cruising,

Utahtea

We did this cruise in 2014 on the Amsterdam and are doing it again this summer on the Zaandam. We loved it so much the first time we knew we would be doing it again. We also loved the 7 day Alaska cruise but there is so much more to see on this extended cruise. I vividly remember the beautiful scenery on the sea day between Kodiak and Hubbard Glacier. The 21 day out of San Francisco has peaked my interest too but don’t want to wait until 2019.

 

Utahtea

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Oh my gosh!!!!!! Thanks for the heads up about 21 days in 2019 RT San Francisco. Going to book 6-18-19 which is our 53rd wedding anniversary from our home port!

We are booked this year on Princess out of SF because the Zandaam didnt go to Glacier Bay. 4 Alaskan cruises and this will be our first time there.

Thanks so much,

Denise

Oh my gosh!!!!!! Thanks for the heads up about 21 days in 2019 RT San Francisco. Going to book 6-18-19 which is our 53rd wedding anniversary from our home port!

 

We are booked this year on Princess out of SF because the Zandaam didnt go to Glacier Bay. 4 Alaskan cruises and this will be our first time there.

 

Thanks so much,

Denise

We have the same home port! I know people assume I live in Utah because of my username but we live in the Bay Area. ;) Congratulations on your 53rd anniversary! You will love Glacier Bay! If I can't talk DH into the Holland America "Voyage of the Vikings" cruise in 2019, we might be joining you on the 21 day Alaska Cruise!

Utahtea

Dh and I did this cruise in 2016 and had a wonderful time. Kodiak, Icy Strait, Anchorage and Homer were new ports for us and we absolutely loved each one. Would love to do it again sometime soon. Go for it and have a great time!

Following this thread, as we are signed up for the June 3 2019 sailing on Amsterdam.

I think this is the one we will book, just waiting for official school calendar to be approved by school board. #teacherissues

We are booked on this cruise May 21-June 4 on the Zaandam. It is going into a two week drydock in April, so I hope it is refreshed. We did a cruise on the Westerdam in November after a drydock and I like the changes except the Crows Nest and Library.

I am looking at the 10 hour train trip out of Anchorage. Has anyone done this?

We are considering the 14 Day Alaskan Explorer Cruise for 2019. Just wondering exactly where the drop off is in Anchorage, when the shuttle brings you in from the ship. We are hoping to rent a car for the day. Just thinking ahead. Thanks for any info any of you might share.

We are considering the 14 Day Alaskan Explorer Cruise for 2019. Just wondering exactly where the drop off is in Anchorage, when the shuttle brings you in from the ship. We are hoping to rent a car for the day. Just thinking ahead. Thanks for any info any of you might share.

We are considering the 14 Day Alaskan Explorer Cruise for 2019. Just wondering exactly where the drop off is in Anchorage, when the shuttle brings you in from the ship. We are hoping to rent a car for the day. Just thinking ahead. Thanks for any info any of you might share.

In 2017, the drop-off was at a Convention Center, but not the Egan Convention Center. (I don't recall its name,) It was well located, I thought, but the Egan would have been even better.

Really interested in the 14 day. I am having trouble with which ports to wander and which we should book an excursion. We are wanting to do 1 whale watching for sure,and a road trip.  Been to Alaska on a Skagway,Juneau Ketchikan. We know on a 7 day they usually say Juneau. Road trip may be Haines. Advice please! We are looking at Maasdam 2021 14 day.

We just did this cruise in Sept. and it was by far the best of the 5 Alaska cruises we have taken.

Must do - whale watching in Ice Point Straight.  BY FAR the best whale watching we have seen (7-8 tours in different locals).  Even got to see bubble feeding 5 times!

Wholeheartedly agree with the 14 day being a fantastic cruise. We did it in June. Just a really fantastic way to see Alaska.

7 hours ago, DaveOKC said:

We just did this cruise in Sept. and it was by far the best of the 5 Alaska cruises we have taken.

 

Must do - whale watching in Ice Point Straight.  BY FAR the best whale watching we have seen (7-8 tours in different locals).  Even got to see bubble feeding 5 times!

dave okc we are considering doing an August Alaska cruise.  Have done late May in the past and it was wonderful.  I totally understand weather is unpredictable  but curious what the weather was like for you in September.

thanks!

We took the 14 day in mid July this year. The captain said he's never been on a smoother sail in Alaska. The weather was beautiful, a bit cold.We love Homer and eat at Captain Patty's out on Homer Spit. Really unique shops there as well. It is a quick 55 minute flight for us to Seattle, so this cruise is popular with us.

We have sailed twice to Alaska in late August and it was a bit gusty/cold. Expect the unexpected!

6 hours ago, westcoastcruiser said:

 thn,
 

dave okc we are considering doing an August Alaska cruise.  Have done late May in the past and it was wonderful.  I totally understand weather is unpredictable  but curious what the weather was like for you in September.

 

thanks!

Weather was fine - very little rain and of course a bit chilly, but a medium weight jacket is all that was needed.  I like Sept as you can usually get in closer to the glaciers then.

The Homer spit was interesting and inexpensive (use the local bus that runs from the pier right to it).  We also went into town and explored a bit (via HOHO bus - which we used for the Spit) and it was interesting to see a typical Alaska town.

1 hour ago, DaveOKC said:

Weather was fine - very little rain and of course a bit chilly, but a medium weight jacket is all that was needed.  I like Sept as you can usually get in closer to the glaciers then.

 

The Homer spit was interesting and inexpensive (use the local bus that runs from the pier right to it).  We also went into town and explored a bit (via HOHO bus - which we used for the Spit) and it was interesting to see a typical Alaska town.

Also fun was the bus driver had binoculars and showed us where the Kilcher homestead is on Alaska's Last Frontier, about 10 miles from Homer.