Going to Alaska first time cruiser Please help!

[Postmaster]

Hello fellow cruisers. This is the first time to post on here and have been doing lotsss of reading...there is so much information and I appreciate any good advice and information I can collect before going on my "30 yr Anniversary" Alaska cruise. I haven't booked my cruise as of yet but have a room on hold on the Princess Golden cruise line. My room will be a balcony and is on the baha deck room 604. Is this a good area for those that have cruised on the Golden Princess? We plan to leave Seattle port on Aug 20th 2011. Is this a good month to go? The cabin seems very expensive to me 1700 per person, is this a norm for that type cabin?? I am budgeting 6,000 for my total trip is this going to be enough? I know it depends on our excursions but is that a good basic number? If you can give me links to your post from your experiences of this type trip, please do. I would love to read everything I can,so this trip will be one to remember for a lifetime and make is so much easier since I am a first time cruiser to at least know what to expect. Thanks again

Lisa

[Keith1010]

Lisa, welcome to Cruise Critic and congratuations on booking a cruise for such a wonderful milestone.

 

There is a board on Crusie Critic that is the Alaska Ports of Call Board with a lot of valuable information regarding Alaska. Here is a link that will take you to that board.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

 

 

Everyone has a different opinion on what month to cruise Alaska. I have sailed many times including August and think they each of their good points.We are going to Alaska again next August on a different cruise line.

 

Princess does a wonderful job with their Alaska Cruises. They have been sailing this area for a long time.

 

Keith

[Postmaster]

Thanks so much Keith for the link. Hope you enjoy your cruise next yr as well. Be safe and God Bless

[chipmaster]

Welcome and Congrats!

 

First time cruiser and first time to Alaska you'll love it.

 

If possibly your first and last then make sure you are getting Glacier Bay or Hubbard!

 

Your price was similar to what we paid for one this year. Everyone has an opinion on the value of Balcony. You for sure can save much by going to an inside cabin. If that allows you to pay for another great excursion might be worth it. You get the same food, same service, same entertainment for inside. What you have to do is go to upper deck or main deck to view the beautiful scenics. IMHO none such an convenience for the savings you get if your budget is tight. Cabins are small and a balcony is nice for a bit more space, but Alaskan balcony expect it to be 60's and windy / maybe raining so its not like you can sunbath out there, if you are lucky yes, but the balcony is great for letting in light and enjoying the views versus taking the 1-3' to step out on the open but free deck!

 

Excursions can run beteween 100 to as much as 500+ per/person per excursion for the most expensive air based ones.

 

 

If 6000 includes airfare say 1000, then 3400 for the cruise and then couple hundred for tips leaves you a bit more then a thousand and half for tours. If you want to go whale watching that runs 100-150/person, flying excursions run 300-500 / person. Other land based of course are much cheaper. It would be more then enough for me.

 

My personal opinion is late August is getting late but still part of the peak season which runs from mid June thru 1st week of Sept.

 

If you plan to fish or go bear watching check as the best of these have a narrow window. Finaly payment won't be due on your cruise for a while so keep reading :D

 

Good luck.

Hello fellow cruisers. This is the first time to post on here and have been doing lotsss of reading...there is so much information and I appreciate any good advice and information I can collect before going on my "30 yr Anniversary" Alaska cruise. I haven't booked my cruise as of yet but have a room on hold on the Princess Golden cruise line. My room will be a balcony and is on the baha deck room 604. Is this a good area for those that have cruised on the Golden Princess? We plan to leave Seattle port on Aug 20th 2011. Is this a good month to go? The cabin seems very expensive to me 1700 per person, is this a norm for that type cabin?? I am budgeting 6,000 for my total trip is this going to be enough? I know it depends on our excursions but is that a good basic number? If you can give me links to your post from your experiences of this type trip, please do. I would love to read everything I can,so this trip will be one to remember for a lifetime and make is so much easier since I am a first time cruiser to at least know what to expect. Thanks again

Lisa

[Keith1010]

Thank you very much, Postmaster.

 

Keith

[mercedes28]

As a first time cruiser myself recently, I would save the extra for the balcony as you probably won't spend too much time in your cabin. Well, I know I didn't :D. But being as this is for your anniversary, maybe you will stay in more? ;) There is always chairs to sit on deck and marvel at the scenery. Shorex would be where I would put the rest of the money. Have fun it's sooooo worth it :)

[Suede]

Postmaster, you made a great choice for your first cruise. We went to Alaska on Aug. 23, 2008, on the Golden Princess and I think I came to the Cruise Critic site everyday for 6 months, not that it was my first cruise but because going to Alaska was going to my first possible cold weather cruise (which it was) and I wanted to know what people was wearing and the best way to stay dry. I would suggest for few weeks before the cruise to start checking the weather I used "Weather Underground". I would carry a jacket, it was cold and raining the morning we got to our first port, we went prepared but so many people didn't, I saw many people getting off the ship in sandals and shorts. I had bought ponchos from Walmart, not the thin ones, but some that came in their own bags, I saw some people that had the thin ones and the wind kept blowing them up, so not much coverage, I don't think umbrella would do good either. I read that the weather changes fast either way, so you might want to have clothes that you can layer. We did have a balcony and will have one again when we go in May 2011, I did find out before I went that some decks has balconies that are opened (no roof) and I knew I didn't want that. The morning when we were at the Glacier, it was very cold and windy and the crew set up a hot chocolate stand, it was so good, and free. Keep reading and asking question, you will learn a lot on CC.

[Cruise Raider]

Hi lisa,

I think you will really love Alaska and the Golden Princess is one of our favorite ships of all times. We are currently booked on our 5th cruise up to Alaska, we have loved it that much that we go back again and again! Our first 3 were in inside cabins and really had a marvelous time each and every time, but the most special one was when we upgraded to a balcony cabin. There are less and less lines going up to Alaska so the prices might be up a bit but have always been able to get a better deal as the final payment date draws near. Just be sure to call in to your TA or the cruiseline and get the better price applied.

For me, saving $1000 or more is well worth making my way out of my inside cabin to an outside deck. They will usually have blankets available on the outside decks and the Golden even has the indoor pool area to duck out of the cool wind. We have been really lucky in that in 4 cruises to Alaska (all at least 12 nights), we have not seen any days of rain up there. We have always gone in early Sept and once in May...the May weather was super warm the year we went but am sure it is the luck of the draw. We have been extremely lucky, I will say that!

We sailed on the Golden Princess to Hawaii once and loved that ship. You cannot go wrong with a balcony cabin but shouldn't be afraid of the inside or oceanview cabins by any means. We booked an obstructed oceanview and saved a ton of money and the room was excellent. It was in the E ccategory and was located above the Facet's jewelry store....nice quiet location and all smooth sailing. While we did use the balcony quite a bit on the one time upgraded because we got a great deal, but an inside or oceanview would have sufficed as you can always be close to a doorway to the outer decks.

 

Whatever you choose, we wish you an excellent time ...hope you love the Golden and Alaksa as much as we did.

[Fredr]

Postmaster,

 

I have been to Alaska five times. Please note that you will get all kinds of advice on these boards. Some of the suggestions will be from people who like to spend money freely, which is their business. Based on my 29 cruises including a cruise to Alaska in July of 2010, here are some ideas for you.

 

You have selected a nice ship and a very good cruise line. $1,700 per person for a balcony cabin is on the high side and not necessary to experience Alaska at its best. I would look into oceanview cabins as these will give you natural light which some first timers need to have but will save you hundreds of dollars. Balconies are very nice but sometimes not worth the premium the cruise lines will charge.

 

Excursions...there are many inexpensive ways to see Alaska and not spend much money. If you send me the ports you want to visit, I will tell you how to have a great time and spend very little. For example in Juneau you can rent a car from Rent A Wreck and see everything including Saint Theresa's church at about half the cost of an excursion. In Ketcikan there is a free city bus that will take you to the fish hatchery or you can walk and see Ketchikan by foot. In Icy Strait Point, my daughter and her husband found a guide for $50 a person who took them very close to bears.

 

Helicopter rides to glaciers and fishing expeditions are very expensive and nice but not necessary to see the best of Alaska.

 

It is my opinion, that $6,000 is far more than you need. You should be able to have a truly nice Alaska cruise for about half that. I would look at other cruise lines such as Celebrity and RCL to see what they are asking for a 7 day cruise.

[melpete]

Hi Postmaster

We are leave this Saturday on the Golden to Alaska. We have a balcony room on the Aloha deck (i believe that is one or two decks above the baja). We booked in January and I got our room for $1,149 per person. I believe this was a promotional rate at that time. I'm thinking maybe if you wait until after Christmas, they'll have more promotional rates. Just a suggestion though, I would hate to have you wait and then the rates go up!

[Postmaster]

hope you have a wonderful trip. Please let me know how the weather was there in Aug and if you liked your room and the ship. Take pictures!!!

 

Lisa

[FINTUCKYFARMS]

Just back from my 2nd (August) Alaska trip!! Both times whe have gone arround the 2nd or 3rd week in Aug. In 2007 it was sunshine all the time except Victoria. This year only had 1 non-rain day but it was still awesome! This last time we were on the Sapphire Princess with a window. Wish I could afford the balcony as there were lots of early morning ports where I could have watched while eating breakfast, maybe next trip. Do not miss the Mendenhall glacier + whale watching excursion in Juneau. $169pp but completely worth it!!! Hope you have a wonderful time :)

[travelteach326]

We sailed on Celebrity in 2008 from Seward to Vancouver.

Before we sailed, we applied for a Bank of America Alaska Airlines Signature Visa card. You receive miles and a $99 companion certificate.

We used the miles to upgrade to First Class. We paid full price for one ticket and then used the companion fare and miles. It did help with the price of the ticket and we did enjoy our trip with the first class perks.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We went on a RT out of Seattle on the Sapphire Princess in mid-August 2004. We had an inside as we try to save $ and also we try to be out of our cabin as much as possible. We booked eight months ahead, and made our travel/hotel arrangements ourselves (didn't go thru Princess). Only did two excursions -- one booked at the pier in Ketchikan, and my hubby decided we would avoid doing that again, and a ship's excursion in Skagway.

 

I suggest going with layers as you won't know what kind of weather you may have. The week before, it was sunny and some people walking into our hotel as we were leaving, told us they wore shorts the whole time. The weather changed and for us it was in the 50s and 60s with some rain and fog. But our glacier viewing (Tracy Arm) was spectacular.

 

I would guess the price of your fare would be much higher at that time than in early June or September because of higher demand. Schools start getting out in early to mid June (third week of June for us) and start in late August to early September (my daughter's just started this Monday, but that late due to teacher furloughs this year).