Alaska cruises

Which Alaskan cruise is the best? Why? My husband and I along with my parents are wanting to cruise to Alaska in Sept. of this year. Is there a "better" time to purchase? (last-minute, 6 weeks out?) I'm getting truly excited and a bit nervous. I've read to pack half the clothes and bring twice the money, and I've read to bring a power strip! Any other tips or tricks for a newbie? Thanks!

Which Alaskan cruise is the best? Why? My husband and I along with my parents are wanting to cruise to Alaska in Sept. of this year. Is there a "better" time to purchase? (last-minute, 6 weeks out?) I'm getting truly excited and a bit nervous. I've read to pack half the clothes and bring twice the money, and I've read to bring a power strip! Any other tips or tricks for a newbie? Thanks!

Hard to answer without knowing your travel preferences/expectations. There's multiple segments of the cruise industry with ships considered mass market, premium, luxury and expedition. All have Alaska itineraries.

If excellent food, stellar service, smaller ships (<750 passengers) are important to you, consider Oceania.

If your looking for Sept 2018. You should right away specialy if you want a specific cabin or type..Alaska cruises sell out fairly quickly especially towards season's end.

Which is best...Ford or Chevy? Burger King or McDonalds? Starbucks or Peets?

There is NO ONE BEST for everyone. You need to do some research, and probably retain the services of a travel agent. Trying to rush this through for a September sailing is tricky at best.

Fares look low in September. Why, because the weather is less favorable. It is a little harder to sell those cabins.

In addition to picking a cruise line you need to select an embarkation port - Vancouver, Seattle and San Francisco are the popular ones. Further, do you want a round trip or fly cruise. How important is Glacier Bay, as not all ships get into Glacier Bay. Also, do you want to go North to Prince William Sound - Whittier/Anchorage, etc.

Lots of decisions and not a lot of time remaining.

Once you select a cruise, then you will be researching excursions.

Which Alaskan cruise is the best? Why? My husband and I along with my parents are wanting to cruise to Alaska in Sept. of this year. Is there a "better" time to purchase? (last-minute, 6 weeks out?) I'm getting truly excited and a bit nervous. I've read to pack half the clothes and bring twice the money, and I've read to bring a power strip! Any other tips or tricks for a newbie? Thanks!

There is no "best" cruise. There is only the cruise that is "best" for you. None of us can answer that question.

Now if you had phrased that question as "what is the best AK cruise that we have taken", we could answer that question but I am afraid that the answers that you would get would be equally useless for the same reason. If you really want to know, my "best: AK cruises were a cruise on a small ship that held only 50 passengers and a trip where we used the Alaska Marine Highway ferries extensively. Best for me but I doubt best for you.

Re clothes etc. Half the clothes - yes. Power strip - if it has a surge suppressor they will confiscate it. Re the money - they have ATM machines at Alaska banks so you can get more if you need it.

DON

You have a budget range?

Alaska is port heavy so the ship tends to matter less. Of the common lines, Princess and Holland are the 800 lb gorillas because they have the bulk of Glacier Bay permits. GB isn't the end all be all of Alaska, but if you only plan on going once, then you should try and pick a cruise that goes there.

Unfortunately, there is no good answer to your question - there are way too many variables. You need to do a lot of research to figure out what works best for you guys

I agree with packing half the clothes and twice the money but that is true for cruises anywhere, not just to Alaska

And unless you know your power strip is not a surge suppressor, don't bother. If they even think it has a surge suppressor, they will confiscate it

And hate to say it, but if you plan on sailing this coming September, you need to make a decision soon - as in book it now. You will find that your choices of itineraries and room are going to be fairly limited at this point ......

Which Alaskan cruise is the best? ...

The best cruise will be the one which meets and exceeds your expectations. Do you expect to see glaciers? Baby seals? Penguins? Walruses? Bear? (Black or Brown?) Moose? Eagles? Salmon runs? Breaching whales? Totem poles? Glaciers? Mountains? Rain forest? Alaska has all this (except for the penguins, sorry, I was fibbing about those) and more. You need to think what is important to you, then look for a cruise that offers some of those opportunities. And resign yourself to the fact that you cannot see it all in one trip. You could have rain and fog every day. The walruses are further north. The whales may be on their way south for the winter. The salmon may have come and gone. It all depends on timing and luck.

I would find a cruise that meets your schedule and budget. Read some reviews of that ship and that itinerary. And then book it. Enjoy the experience and lay ground work for what you’ll do when you go back.

I recommend getting an Ocean View cabin - all the views, none of the cold!

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As for what to bring/wear I strongly recommend a full-zip fleece

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As others have pointed out you are getting late in the game. If truly looking for something this September you need to be on the doorstep or at the phone of a TA right now. Find someone with Alaska cruise experience to help you in the process. Also consider whether you want a land experience as part of the trip. Seeing Denali and its wilderness is sometimes the jewel of the trip.