Alaska

[Clipper123]

Thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise and have a few questions.

 

When is the best time to cruise to Alaska?

Are there children's activities on board - kids clubs - on Alaskan cruises or are they geared more towards adults?

Is the pool ever open?

What is your favorite ship/cruise line for an Alaskan cruise?

 

Thanks for your help.

[mpace58]

We went on an Alaska cruise in '05 with extended family that included a niece 7 and nephew 9. There was a "kids camp" that they enjoyed very much. I remember the hot tubs being open, but I do not remember the pools ever being open.

This was on the Golden Princess.

 

We went in July. It was still very cold on deck with the wind and cold water. The season is very short.

[Keith1010]

Thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise and have a few questions.

 

When is the best time to cruise to Alaska?

Are there children's activities on board - kids clubs - on Alaskan cruises or are they geared more towards adults?

Is the pool ever open?

What is your favorite ship/cruise line for an Alaskan cruise?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

There is an Alaska Ports of Call Board so be sure to also visit that board.

 

There is really no best time. Each date is better for certain aspects. The weather is unpredictable so one year one month could be rainy and then the next year it can be sunny or it can vary by day or even within a day. I would pick dates that work best for your schedule.

 

The cruise lines that have kids clubs offer them in Alaska. Used to be that Alaska mainly drew adults but all of that has changed as more and more families cruise so you will find lots of families on board many of the cruise lines.

 

There are lots of good cruise lines to sail on across all spectrums in terms of price point.

 

We have enjoyed sailings with Princess who has been doing Alaska for years and also Celebrity. Disney will be sailing Alaska for the first time in 2011 and Crystal Cruises is returning to Alaska in 2011.

 

Other like HAL (Hollland). We don't care for Holland but many others enjoy them and they too have been sailing for quite a while.

 

It's a wonderful cruise. We are going back there next year and have been there several times.

 

Keith

[chipmaster]

Welcome to CC,

 

Try the Alaksan boards here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

 

Your questions are very general and depending on your interests and those of your children it will effect which line you may choose.

 

HAL and Princess have the most sailings but many other lines ( NCL, RCCL, Carnival, and Disney among others sail Alaska ) also sail but with fewer sailings and less variations of ports/times.

 

Almost all lines have some kids club during the summer months and each has a different marketing angle. In the past Princess was my favorite and this past summer they did a decent job and my kids loved the club for the 3+ sea days.

 

Best time means many things to many people. The weather, crowds and what you can see with regard to wildlife/fish and other things varies between they May - Sept cruise periord. Is weather ( temperature ) a priority, a specific excursion say fishing for Kings or dog sledding on a glacier, each will have possible a different "best" time.

 

In the end what is best ship, line and time could end up being wrong for you without sharing what your interests, budget and what you hope to do. For me Princess in July was almost perfect :D

 

If I was to be flying as far as you I'd probably look to take two weeks plus and do a one way cruise and add a land excursion to Denali or other extended stay in US and Canada.

 

Happy planning!

 

Thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise and have a few questions.

 

When is the best time to cruise to Alaska?

Are there children's activities on board - kids clubs - on Alaskan cruises or are they geared more towards adults?

Is the pool ever open?

What is your favorite ship/cruise line for an Alaskan cruise?

 

Thanks for your help.

[Clipper123]

Thanks for the information! I will check out the Alaskan boards. I know absolutely nothing about Alaska so I guess I should find out what is offered on the different cruises/ports and go from there.

[Essiesmom]

You might also check which ships have a covered pool, if that is a priority for your kids. I know that Diamond, sapphire, and golden Princess do have an enclosed pool and sailed Alaska this year. EM

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Completely agree with chipmaster's comment:

 

 

Best time means many things to many people. The weather, crowds and what you can see with regard to wildlife/fish and other things varies between they May - Sept cruise periord. Is weather ( temperature ) a priority, a specific excursion say fishing for Kings or dog sledding on a glacier, each will have possible a different "best" time.

 

We just booked our third cruise to Alaska for June. We've gone in August on our two previous Alaska cruises and the weather was great and we got to see bears (fabulous) and fish for King salmon (though no luck). We're going in June next year because we want to see how it's different earlier in the season.

 

We've sailed Carnival and they do have Camp Carnival on their Alaska cruises. DD loved it both times. We've sailed with Princess and she spent very little time in the children's program--just didn't like it.

 

She swam almost everyday on our first Alaska cruise, but she's a hardy soul. ;) Swimming's a high priority for her and the dome was closed. She didn't care if it was a little chilly. Most of the time she was the only person in the pool.

[cb at sea]

Go to your library and get a book on Alaska...read it, and find out about where you're going!

Knowing about your destination can truly make a difference in what you get out of it! Alaska is for sightseeing, and experiencing "the Last Frontier"....

If it's a relaxing cruise experience you're looking for, Alaska is not it...the Caribbean is better suited for relaxation! Alaska is a "go, go, go" sort of vacation....with what you are paying to go there, you'll want to see and do all you can.

A bit of research can really enhance your trip!

[PrincessE]

Thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise and have a few questions.

 

When is the best time to cruise to Alaska?

Are there children's activities on board - kids clubs - on Alaskan cruises or are they geared more towards adults?

Is the pool ever open?

What is your favorite ship/cruise line for an Alaskan cruise?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

I've cruised to Alaska twice. Once on CruiseWest (small ship cruising) and once on my honeymoon, Dawn Princess. I'm also a third generation, born and raised Alaskan.

 

My PERSONAL opinion is that June is the best time to cruise Alaska. You can almost be certain of no rain. July it rains a lot. If you don't mind the crisp weather, September is awesome and the colors are amazing. September is autumn in Alaska.

 

There are childrens activities on most ships. I know Princess and RCL have kid zones.

 

I think the pools are open in the summer months, but not in the spring and fall months. The hot tubs are almost always open.

 

My favorite cruise line for Alaska cruising is Princess. They have been going to Alaska the longest (HAL argues that point). They have the best port times, best duration in port, least amount of tendering and they are experienced. Princess commands a lot of respect in Alaska. They have built hotels and lodges in Alaska and they invest in their product up there.

 

I highly, highly recommend Princess Cruises for an Alaskan cruise and/or cruisetour.

[ruecatt]

We have been to Alaska twice, with Holland America and Royal Caribbean.

 

Royal caribbean had better kids programs. The pool was open, it was enclosed. There wasn't too many people swimming, though the water was warm.

 

On both of our cruises we went the first week of June, had great weather but I think its just kind of luck of the draw. The weather can turn very quickly there.

 

We got a cabin at the back of the ship so we had an extra large balcony and great views of both side.

 

Its so pretty there, you'll have a great time.

 

 

 

Thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise and have a few questions.

 

When is the best time to cruise to Alaska?

Are there children's activities on board - kids clubs - on Alaskan cruises or are they geared more towards adults?

Is the pool ever open?

What is your favorite ship/cruise line for an Alaskan cruise?

 

Thanks for your help.