Best side ship for Northbound Alaska

[Travelw]

What is the best side of the ship for a Northbound Alaska cruise. We will have a balcony cabin. Greatly appreciate any advice.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Dennis

[Steamboatin]

Always pick the side the main land mass is on.

 

In your case going north that would be on your right hand side. So starboard would be the side of the ship you would normally want to be on.

[Budget Queen]

The ships rarely sail "coastal" any more, and the "inside passage" sailing, has land on both sides.

 

IF your ship is going to Glacier Bay- And you only want your viewing from your cabin, then a port side balcony is way better, since it has the views on the way in, and the commentary. There will be following "the ship turns" posts, but the "turn" is only a small fraction of the total viewing, and usually the glacier viewing from the starboard side is not during the commentary. Clearly the superior views are out on deck anyway, and moving with the ship. Then you truely get the expansive viewing.

[dustyroad]

starboard. the right side of the ship facing the front of the ship.

[Mary Ellen1]

We had a port side balcony in August, and had heard that starboard side was preferable, but for the Inside Passage, that's really not the case. There's land & scenery & wildlife on both sides of the ship. It's almost as if you're cruising in a big wide river.

 

I hadn't thought about what Budget Queen says about Glacier Bay, but she's right -- most of the sights the naturalist was talking about were on the port side on the way into the bay. AND -- this is a total crapshoot -- but we actually saw more whales, sea lions and otters on the port side of the ship.

 

Good luck with your choice.

 

Mary Ellen

[oldengine]

While on the subject of "which side", we were on the Veendam July/August northbound. Our cabin was starboard and that was fine as I don't think you can get a "bad" balcony. Our window table in the Rotterdam was on the port side and it was blasted by the evening sun! So much so that we had them close the curtain. That's a bummer to give up such a view.

[CRUISERSWITHKIDS]

We went in July, and we were aft on the starboard side in a minisuit on the Caribe deck. Worked out perfectly for us! There is a viewing deck on the back of the ship that is not crowded. If we wanted to view the port side, we were out there, when they turned the ship, we just retreated to our cabin.

[Putterdude]

My choice would be starboard in the Inside Passage only because you will have more scenery on that side. On the port side as you sail through Queen Charlotte Sound and Dixon Entrance you will be several hours in each case without scenery. When you are somewhere like glaciers you will likely want to be out on deck to enjoy them to their fullest.

[Ashland]

We were in GS #1050 port side on ROS northbound YVR to Seward. Very surprised at the views from our balcony they were great didn't feel we missed anything being on the port side. Our Capt.Trym Selvag got us up so close to Hubbard Glacier and turned the ship so each side had upclose views from their balconys. What ever side you're on you will be a winner...... ENJOY

[Ashland]

:rolleyes::D Sorry for the 2nd post but I thought I would mention the port side looks over the beautiful towns of Ketchikan and Juneau while the starboard looks at the other 3 ships docked with us. Each afternoon after getting back on board we sat out on our balcony and watched the people. In Skagway we overlooked the Helicopter port for shore excursions, this was great fun watching those little red copters fly in and out all day. The starboard side only looked at the other two ships.in each port. And remember in Ketchikan halibut fish n chips by the Lumberjack show and in Juneau the Great Alaskan Fudge co. Yummmmmy....Makes me want to go again just thinking about it. Any questions?? ENJOy:D

[fleckle]

It is best not to make assumptions as to how your ship will dock based merely on someone else's docking experience. A ship may dock on the starboard side one time and on the port side another time, even at the same port.

 

The same ship may use a different pier the next time it visits that port, so your view may be quite different from a previous poster's view at that port, even if you are on the same side of the ship.

 

For example, in Skagway a ship may dock at the ORE dock (the one overlooking the helicopters that Ashland described) on one trip, but at the RR dock on the opposite side of the harbor on its next trip. In the ports you can see ships docked bow to bow or stern to stern, as well as bow to stern. Even the captain does not always know in advance which way the ship will be docking.

[Ashland]

It is best not to make assumptions as to how your ship will dock based merely on someone else's docking experience. A ship may dock on the starboard side one time and on the port side another time, even at the same port.

 

The same ship may use a different pier the next time it visits that port, so your view may be quite different from a previous poster's view at that port, even if you are on the same side of the ship.

 

For example, in Skagway a ship may dock at the ORE dock (the one overlooking the helicopters that Ashland described) on one trip, but at the RR dock on the opposite side of the harbor on its next trip. In the ports you can see ships docked bow to bow or stern to stern, as well as bow to stern. Even the captain does not always know in advance which way the ship will be docking.

 

This question was asked of Captain Selvag in person by me and his reply was that it is not a first come first serve basis it is predetermined a year or two in advance . RCCL seems to have a leg up on other cruise ships in Alaska. Surmise what you want.

[Ashland]

It is best not to make assumptions as to how your ship will dock based merely on someone else's docking experience. A ship may dock on the starboard side one time and on the port side another time, even at the same port.

 

The same ship may use a different pier the next time it visits that port, so your view may be quite different from a previous poster's view at that port, even if you are on the same side of the ship.

 

For example, in Skagway a ship may dock at the ORE dock (the one overlooking the helicopters that Ashland described) on one trip, but at the RR dock on the opposite side of the harbor on its next trip. In the ports you can see ships docked bow to bow or stern to stern, as well as bow to stern. Even the captain does not always know in advance which way the ship will be docking.

 

Wasn't Travelw looking for experiences others have had? Perhaps you would prefer a DISCLAIMER given with each experience, if so we should ALL take note and not ASSUME anything. Thanks for your factual experience.

[cruising puffin]

If your ship is going to Glacier Bay and College Fjord, then the best side to be on is the port side. The same would apply if you are going north or south bound, since you will be going into a very long canal with the best views on your left side as you enter.

[CC Help Michell]

This question was asked of Captain Selvag in person by me and his reply was that it is not a first come first serve basis it is predetermined a year or two in advance . RCCL seems to have a leg up on other cruise ships in Alaska. Surmise what you want.

 

Interesting take. It's certainly not "first come, first serve." The harbormaster at each port decides who goes where and in what attitude according to the other traffic in the port on a given day.

 

By the way, if RCCL has a "leg up" on other cruise ships in Alaska, could you point to me to the next RCCL cruise visiting Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve?

 

PS My tongue is firmly in cheek on that -- I don't think that visiting Glacier Bay is the "be all-end all" of Alaska cruises, but I also don't think that RCCL, which cannot visit Glacier Bay and only has a couple of decades in Alaska (compared to Princess and HAL) has a "leg up" on other cruise ships. :rolleyes:

[Beach4me]

It's certainly not "first come, first serve."

 

Which is exactly what Ashland said. Per her post: This question was asked of Captain Selvag in person by me and his reply was that it is not a first come first serve basis...

[Beach4me]

We were in GS #1050 port side on ROS northbound YVR to Seward. Very surprised at the views from our balcony they were great didn't feel we missed anything being on the port side. Our Capt.Trym Selvag got us up so close to Hubbard Glacier and turned the ship so each side had upclose views from their balconys. What ever side you're on you will be a winner...... ENJOY

 

Thanks for the info on the port side cabins, Ashland. We're cruising in a port-side GS on the Radiance next year. I appreciate hearing your take on it because folks have mentioned to us that we are on the "wrong side". Having been to Alaska in the past and having heard similar comments to yours from recent years - and because our cruise continues on to San Diego from Alaska - I specifically chose the side I wanted - which happens to be the port side...nothing "wrong" about it!

 

But, as the title of your post states, any side is a good side, it's Alaska! ;)

[CC Help Michell]

Which is exactly what Ashland said. Per her post: This question was asked of Captain Selvag in person by me and his reply was that it is not a first come first serve basis...

 

I didn't phrase that very well -- I was agreeing that it's not "first come first serve," but saying that it's not "predetermined" in the sense that it can't change on any given day. A schedule is published every year (it's usually linked here on this board when it comes out) but even then changes can and do happen; in 2008 our HAL ship wound up docking at different piers than was stated on the schedule in two of the ports.

 

I've also decided on port-side cabins for our trip next summer, for several of the reasons mentioned on this thread. I'm not sure there actually is a "bad side" though! :)

[Ashland]

Interesting take. It's certainly not "first come, first serve." The harbormaster at each port decides who goes where and in what attitude according to the other traffic in the port on a given day.

 

By the way, if RCCL has a "leg up" on other cruise ships in Alaska, could you point to me to the next RCCL cruise visiting Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve?

 

PS My tongue is firmly in cheek on that -- I don't think that visiting Glacier Bay is the "be all-end all" of Alaska cruises, but I also don't think that RCCL, which cannot visit Glacier Bay and only has a couple of decades in Alaska (compared to Princess and HAL) has a "leg up" on other cruise ships. :rolleyes:

 

So sorry MichellP that my loyalty to RCCL offended you. Hostility does not become you !!! Hope you leave that on shore if or when you cruise again !!

[Budget Queen]

Thanks for the info on the port side cabins, Ashland. We're cruising in a port-side GS on the Radiance next year. I appreciate hearing your take on it because folks have mentioned to us that we are on the "wrong side". Having been to Alaska in the past and having heard similar comments to yours from recent years - and because our cruise continues on to San Diego from Alaska - I specifically chose the side I wanted - which happens to be the port side...nothing "wrong" about it!

 

But, as the title of your post states, any side is a good side, it's Alaska! ;)

 

It won't matter one bit on the "side" with this ship selection. You are going to neither College Fjords or Glacier Bay, where the port side is significantly better with the commentary.

[Beach4me]

It won't matter one bit on the "side" with this ship selection. You are going to neither College Fjords or Glacier Bay, where the port side is significantly better with the commentary.

 

It does matter "one bit" to me - and as stated, I specifically chose the port side for a number of reasons. I understand that College Fjords and Glacier Bay don't enter into the equation on this voyage (been there, done that and chose not to make those a priority on this trip). However, there were other considerations and hence, my choice. :rolleyes: