What are you looking forward to the most?

[Budget Queen]

For those of you that have been to Alaska, what month did you go and why? I'm so confused on which month to choose. End of May may be the driest, but not too warm; June is good for whales; Bears come out in July, but rainy; anyway... lots of decisions to make for us and I need your help figuring out when I want to go too!

 

I have been to Alaska in every month of the cruise season. It's all different.

 

You have some "errors" above. Humpbacks are viewable the ENTIRE cruise season. "June" isn't any better than any other time from mid May.

 

Bears are viewable, in May through the entire cruise season at Denali park. For bear tours on the Inside Passage, from mid July. But there are chance sightings out of both Juneau and Skagway. Hoonah has bear tours, as well, verify sighting stats.

 

It isn't a simple issue, figuring out the weather. I've gone mid/late August the most, and NEVER have had more than a couple days of rain. Last several years, I've gone mid May, into June with superb weather. Will again be in that timeframe this season for 3 weeks.

 

You are best to be well prepared for a wide range of weather, and make you date choices based on what you want out of Alaska.

[NorbertsNiece]

OP : thank you for asking the question.

The rest of you : thank you for painting such a glorious picture. I have been waiting for months and months for this cruise and you all continue to stimulate my taste buds by being supportive, descriptive and overall such Alaska fans.

[ellbon]

You could see land every day? So you were southbound? Was there land on both sides? We're'port side (north bound). Widl we see land ezery day also?!5B/quote]

 

<FONT color=red> i saw land on both sides of the ship when i was on deck taking pactures. .but waking up at 4 or 9 am and seeing hand was great.|/FONT>

</P>

[Longhornfan2]

Why do we keep going back?

 

Waking up at 4:30 in the morning and stepping out onto our balcony in that almost surreal light to watch as the ship almost soundlessly picks its way through the small islands approaching Glacier Bay or

 

seeing all the magnificent bald eagles take flight on the wind and hearing their very distinctive call or

 

hearing the big crack that happens right before a piece of a glacier breaks off and then hearing the large thunder when it does or

 

watching the otters floating on their backs with the babies snuggled up on their tummies or

 

getting to see for ourselves that bears really DO "do it in the woods" ;) or

 

meeting some pretty cool locals or

 

learning about the special people that have lived in such a vast place in such a harsh climate for hundreds and hundreds of years or

 

finding out that you really can NOT see Russia from Sarah Palin's :rolleyes: :D

Ha! Ha! Love that last line!!!!! :)

[fsdj1097]

The inside passsage cruise round trip from Vancouver will give you water on both sides of the ship almost the entire time.

 

This will be our 6th cruise to Alaska in as many years. We have seen Orcas in a feeding frenzy as they pushed a school of salmon in the flats just south of Ketchikan. We have sat at dinner in the main dining room and experienced humpback whales just outside the window.

 

On a whale watch in Juneau in Auke Bay, the sound of a humpback whale's spouting catches you by surprise.

 

A helicopter landing on a glacier gives you a whole different respect for 'HUGE'!!!

 

A zipline in a rainforest setting takes your breath away the first time to take that step of faith off the first platform.

 

Getting your first taste of the Klingit language. And seeing those enormous totems at Sitka.

 

Watching the charterboat captain toss the herring overboard and witnessing the grace of a bald eagle as he glides in, snatches the fish off the surface of the water, and eats it in mid-flight, before he returns to his perch in the spruce tree.

[dinomac]

I really appreciate all your comments and details of your past trips... so looking forward to our cruisetour in 2011. Right now I'm thinking late, late May into June or beginning of June. Thinking about a McKinley Summit Flightseeing trip and a whale watching tour out of Juneau. Those are my "big" extras for right now.

[cruzn single]

I am looking forward to visiting Glacier Bay again! Our first time was a gloriously clear day. The Captain turned off the engines, and the stillness was unbelievable! Then one of the glaciers "calved" and the ship actually rocked after the HUGE ice chunk hit the water. The noise was also unimaginable when the cracking started.

 

Secondly, we will be rejoicing the my husband finished his radiation successfully! Last summer when we originally planned to go, he had radiation daily for 9 weeks!

 

We can't wait!

[Assateague Island Princes]

Oh, I'm looking forward to so much. This will be our third trip back to Alaska - two 7 day roundtrips from Seattle on HAL Oosterdam under our belts, with our May 31, 2010 trip being 14 days (count 'em - 14!!!) on HAL Amsterdam, roundtrip Seattle, visting the "new" ports of Anchorage, Kodiak, and Homer. This will also be our first time to Glacier Bay, so I think I'm most excited about that! And of course seeing Kodiak and Homer too!

 

Specifically - I'm looking forward to the following:

1) Our "secret" cabin on the aft Navigation deck - 7056, here we come!

2) Meeting our cruise mates from the Roll Call - particularly our "neighbors" in the other secret cabin - Silly Jilly and Michelle:p.

3) Getting back on board a HAL ship to Alaska! Calgon, take me away!

4) The heavenly beds on HAL.

5) Fourteen luxorious days being spoiled and pampered by HAL's awesome crew.

6) Room service breakfast - chocolate croissants, yum!

7) Spectacular scenery gliding by every inch of the trip from our high perch in the Crows Nest.

8) Getting a third look at the magnificent Hubbard Glacier.

9) Experiencing the sail in to our favorite port (so far;)...) of Sitka.

10) The incredible excitement of sighting our first whale tail, blow or back. Yahoo!

11) Whale watching in Juneau with Harv and Marvs. One word - WOW!

12) Driving up to the Yukon from Skagway - a port we've not yet had the pleasure of visiting.

13) Exploring Kodiak and Homer, having drinks at the Salty Dawg with our Roll Call (you guys rock!).

14) Getting to know our cabin stewards, bartenders, and Lido wait staff.

15) Gazing at the wake, gabbing w/our cabin neighbors, and getting to know others onboard.

16) Trying out every single "Drink of the Day"!

17) Renting a car in Anchorage and driving north to see the sights - Iditarod Headquarters and Martin Buser's Dog Camp - here I come!

18) Cudding the sled dog puppies - see above;)....

19) Smelling those wonderfully scented Elemis products in our bathroom - delicious!

20) A visit (or two...or three...) to the spa for a relaxing massage and/or facial. Ah, heaven!

21) Planting myself on the Lido aft deck to scan the water for wildlife on our sea days.

22) Watching HAL's version of "American Idol".

23) Searching for the "perfect" most unusual souveniers in port.

24) Going on our Ketchikan excursion - 3 hours alone w/DH on a rugged island with just a tent, some chairs, a picnic lunch, and a marine radio to stay in contact with the outside world!

25) Our excursion with Capt. Davey in Sitka - hoping to see some puffins!:D

26) And finally - the anticipation and excitement of walking up the gangway for the first time, being greeted by smiling crew members, and knowing the adventure of a lifetime is about to begin!!!

 

Those are just a few of the many, many things I'm most looking forward to. Just 41 days to go - Lord, give me strength.....:o

[dinomac]

I am looking forward to visiting Glacier Bay again! Our first time was a gloriously clear day. The Captain turned off the engines' date=' and the stillness was unbelievable! Then one of the glaciers "calved" and the ship actually rocked after the HUGE ice chunk hit the water. The noise was also unimaginable when the cracking started.

 

Secondly, we will be rejoicing the my husband finished his radiation successfully! Last summer when we originally planned to go, he had radiation daily for 9 weeks!

 

We can't wait![/quote']

 

Cruz'n Couple... so thankful your husband is doing well! Hope you can get back to Alaska soon!

[cruzn single]

Oh, we are going for sure!!!! Leaving on May 7 for May 9 on Ryndam!!!!

[Adri204]

Here I live in Alaska and your posts are making me cry. I love to read the sweet and sincere comments about my beloved home. Im a born and raised Alaskan and I feel so blessed to live here.

 

Im so thrilled that many of you love and appreate special and unique place that Alaska is.

 

I am extremly biased and proud of it. I live here so I have been asked if I take it for granted? I dont think I do because its home.

 

I live on the actual homestead I grew up on and we live on a beatiful lake and im blessed as an adult to live here.

 

I appreate your comments and enjoy them. I love to travel all over the world but for me thier is no place but home.

 

As far as the best time to travel. If you want a chance at a bit of a warmer summer then end of June, July and first couple of weeks tend to be warmer but my idea of warm is vastly differnt then others ideas to.

 

Juneau and that area tends to get a lot of rain which makes sence because its located right smack dab in a rainforest.

 

If you want slightly less crouds but all the benefits then go at the very beginning of cruise season and also conversly the end of it.

 

Plan to expierence all kinds of weather and withen two minutes a big change.

 

Oh dont forget the suncreen and the bug dope (spray) no matter when you come.

 

The mesquitos are big and love fresh meat lmao not kidding.

 

The Mesquito is our Unoffical Alaskan state bird lmao.

 

Adri :)

[Rocklady]

Hey - Assateague Island Princess - Leave some of the good life for us! You get off in Seattle and we get on. Alaska, here we come (again).

I think my favorite port right now is Sitka. Last time up we did not do an excursion there - just lounged around the boat and the town. The small islands, with secluded homes, clustered around the port, whales playing lazily in the deeper water, fishing boats with eagles hovering in their wake searching for lunch (yes,folks, EAGLES not seagulls!) and an extinct volcano standing guard near the channel. Blyss! That plus the charm of Sitka itself. Most enchanting. (Plus the Ben Franklin in town has the best prices on inexpensive souveniers)

We're headed to Homer and Kodiak this year (new ports) so my favorite town may change. But, it's all good!

[Assateague Island Princes]

I'll share, Rocklady, I'll share;)! Plenty of bliss to go around!

 

I'll be the one the crew is trying to drag off the ship as you're getting on, clinging to the rail, wailing and carrying on at the thought of leaving! LOL! Enjoy your trip!

[chrislynnet]

I LOVE this thread! I'm going on my first Alaska cruise 2 weeks from today. We'll be on Carnival Spirit from Vancouver north-bound, returning to Seattle. We'll stop at Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. I absolutely cannot wait.

[fsdj1097]

I'll share, Rocklady, I'll share;)! Plenty of bliss to go around!

 

I'll be the one the crew is trying to drag off the ship as you're getting on, clinging to the rail, wailing and carrying on at the thought of leaving! LOL! Enjoy your trip!

 

You're going to love the Amsterdam. We're boarding the Zuiderdam on the 29th in Vancouver. Will we be sharing any ports on your trip north? We hit Juneau on the 1st of June, then Skagway, and Ketchikan. We're visiting Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay along the way.

 

Are you guys doing any fishing while in Homer?

[CruisingGoddess]

I'm looking forward to the entire trip (our first to Alaska) but I'm most looking forward to seeing wildlife in Denali (fingers crossed!), glacier dog sledding (fingers crossed!), and Anan Creek bear viewing!

[Assateague Island Princes]

I just checked your itinerary on the Zuiderdam against ours on the Amsterdam. We're missing each other by one day in Ketchikan! We'll be there on 6/2 when you're in Glacier Bay, then we'll be in Sitka while you're in Ketchikan - darn it! Maybe we'll literally be ships passing in the night - LOL! I'll be on the aft Navigation deck - wearing my red Assateague Island hooded sweatshirt, waving like crazy, so watch for me!

 

We've decided to rent bikes in Homer, going to the Oceans and Islands Center, doing some beach combing on Bishop's Beach, and DH might try his hand at fishing on the Spit (no adventure there, I say:rolleyes:) but it should be fun!

 

We're taking a different and interesting excursion in Ketchikan - getting dropped off on a deserted island for three hours w/a tent, a picnic, some chairs, and a marine radio to stay in contact w/the captain who is dropping us off. Was at first very concerned about running into a hungry bear just up from his winter snooze, but the guide, a long-time Ketchikan resident, assures me she and her family camp on the island all the time and they've never seen bear sign. Fingers crossed....:o. We'll be doing some serious beach combing there as she tells me the day we're there is one of the lowest tides that month - yay! Looking forward to something out of the ordinary for our third pass at Ketchikan - I think we may have found it;)!

 

How about you? Any great excursions planned? We're chomping at the bit to get going and so looking forward to going back, as I know you are. Hope you and your family have a wonderful time!

[lazarru]

That excursion in Ketchikan sounds interesting, can you tell me where I could find more information on it?

[Assateague Island Princes]

lazarru - I'd be happy to tell you more about this excursion. We found it on www.ketchikanoutdoors.com. Across the top of the webpage, click on "Romance Alaska for Couples" to learn more about the excursion itself. Sarah, the wife of our captain Tab, has been a delight to correspond with! You can reach her via email at info@ketchikanoutdoors.com. Very helpful and accomodating, calming my fears about the bear issue I mentioned in an earlier post. The cost this year for the Romance Package is $299.00 per COUPLE, not per person. They also have self-drive Zodiac tours that look very interesting and fun - lots to choose from on their website. Send Sarah an email w/any questions you may have or to get more detailed info. Tell her Linda from PA sent ya!;) Good luck! If you're sailing after we are (May 31st 14 day sailing on HAL Amsterdam - woo-hoo!) I'll be sure to let you know how the excursion went. We're sure looking forward to it!

[fsdj1097]

I just checked your itinerary on the Zuiderdam against ours on the Amsterdam. We're missing each other by one day in Ketchikan! We'll be there on 6/2 when you're in Glacier Bay, then we'll be in Sitka while you're in Ketchikan - darn it! Maybe we'll literally be ships passing in the night - LOL! I'll be on the aft Navigation deck - wearing my red Assateague Island hooded sweatshirt, waving like crazy, so watch for me!

 

We've decided to rent bikes in Homer, going to the Oceans and Islands Center, doing some beach combing on Bishop's Beach, and DH might try his hand at fishing on the Spit (no adventure there, I say:rolleyes:) but it should be fun!

 

We're taking a different and interesting excursion in Ketchikan - getting dropped off on a deserted island for three hours w/a tent, a picnic, some chairs, and a marine radio to stay in contact w/the captain who is dropping us off. Was at first very concerned about running into a hungry bear just up from his winter snooze, but the guide, a long-time Ketchikan resident, assures me she and her family camp on the island all the time and they've never seen bear sign. Fingers crossed....:o. We'll be doing some serious beach combing there as she tells me the day we're there is one of the lowest tides that month - yay! Looking forward to something out of the ordinary for our third pass at Ketchikan - I think we may have found it;)!

 

How about you? Any great excursions planned? We're chomping at the bit to get going and so looking forward to going back, as I know you are. Hope you and your family have a wonderful time!

 

We're planning a trip with Dyea Dave in Skagway up to Carcross and Emerald Lake. We've only been to Skagway once, and we did the White Pass & Yukon train ride up to the summit and back. We're thinking about going out to the Shrine of St. Therese in Juneau and maybe some gold panning. Just might find enough color in the pan to pay for the cruise!!! LOL!

 

We've thought about the Deadliest Catch tour in Ketchikan, but not sure yet. Not sure about finding some in Ketchikan, but in Sitka, beachcombers sometimes find the glass fishing bouys that float over from Japan. I've see some for sale in the shop windows in downtown Sitka. Good luck!

 

We're planning a Southern Caribbean cruise. This is our 6th trip to Alaska and we're ready to try something different in 2011.

 

I know you're going to love the Amsterdam. Probably our best cruise last year with the whole fam damily aboard her. The food was wonderful. Have a great time, and don't forget to give us a review since this is the first true 14 day cruise in Alaska this year.

[CruisingGoddess]

lazarru - I'd be happy to tell you more about this excursion. We found it on www.ketchikanoutdoors.com. Across the top of the webpage, click on "Romance Alaska for Couples" to learn more about the excursion itself. Sarah, the wife of our captain Tab, has been a delight to correspond with! You can reach her via email at info@ketchikanoutdoors.com. Very helpful and accomodating, calming my fears about the bear issue I mentioned in an earlier post. The cost this year for the Romance Package is $299.00 per COUPLE, not per person. They also have self-drive Zodiac tours that look very interesting and fun - lots to choose from on their website. Send Sarah an email w/any questions you may have or to get more detailed info. Tell her Linda from PA sent ya!;) Good luck! If you're sailing after we are (May 31st 14 day sailing on HAL Amsterdam - woo-hoo!) I'll be sure to let you know how the excursion went. We're sure looking forward to it!

 

This excursion sounds great!! Thanks for the info. I'm going to Anan Creek this time but I've added this to my research notes for when we come back to Alaska!

[dinomac]

Are there some of you that have visited Alaska that just do the cruise every time, or is the land tour just as important to you and why?

[dinomac]

Thanks everyone for your views and opinions. I appreciate your answers!

[Rocklady]

Are there some of you that have visited Alaska that just do the cruise every time, or is the land tour just as important to you and why?

 

The first time we went up we did a sea/land combo. At that time we thought of the trip as a once in a lifetime experience - we would never get to Alaska again. It was great for the first time but I have no desire to repeat it. The tours they give you are interesting but my best experiences seem to come from the port excursions once you are on the ship. Perhaps it is because you can choose what interests you and not what the company decided to do (you can even book independent tours). If there is something specific you want to see that is offered on the sea/land combo that can not be obtained at other ports of call - by all means do the land tour. The train ride from Denali is spectacular if you like train rides (we do). Ships also give balcony preferences to sea/land combo passengers.

 

Our cruise this year on the Amsterdam will be my 4th to Alaska (so much for once in a lifetime). We took this cruise because of the new ports offered, it was in and out of the same home port and it was 14 days. (7 days up there just isn't enough) 51 days and counting!!

[Assateague Island Princes]

You're welcome, Rebecca. Hope you get to try it out next time (and there WILL be a next time....;)). I'll be sure to let ya'll know how it was when we get back!:p