Alaska on Regatta advice

[loum140]

Thanks to all for the advice on how to "cut, paste and print". Mission accomplished! Don-- you were correct about the "marlou" part of the e-mail address.

 

Marsha (and Lou!)

[suemiks]

Thanks for the helpful information. We are sold - booked June 7th trip in a C1 midship cabin. Can't wait. beachgirl

We're on the June 7 Alaska on Regatta as well!

Sue and Mike

[shedridt]

Alas, we also encountered those cigar smokers in April in the Med...but what to do? Everything else on Seabourn was SO to our liking that we ignored it.

 

I wish that Seabourn would put cigar smokers to the far aft of the ship....still, it's my favorite cruise line, hands down!

 

AND - Oceania, our next cruise line to Alaska -- is our next favorite & we are so looking forward to being with them next late June! They aren't fussy but they fuss about YOU & we love that.

[Rickey 88]

Alas, we also encountered those cigar smokers in April in the Med...but what to do? Everything else on Seabourn was SO to our liking that we ignored it.

 

I wish that Seabourn would put cigar smokers to the far aft of the ship....still, it's my favorite cruise line, hands down!

 

AND - Oceania, our next cruise line to Alaska -- is our next favorite & we are so looking forward to being with them next late June! They aren't fussy but they fuss about YOU & we love that.

 

I note you are on the June 29th sailing as we are. Please don't be overly concerned about cigar smoking on Oceania. On all cruises we have been on, this has never been a problem. Cigar smoking is restricted to one small outdoor space. Should anyone attempt to "light up" somewhere else, a quick word to a staff member should bring quick attention.

Enjoy your cruise!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

 

It is still cool, and there will be snow in some places, in Southcentral Alaska until June, and it tends to be rainier the later it gets in August, if you want to factor that into your planning. however, there are fewer tourists in May, and in September, and the fall colors are now starting and they are beautiful.

 

Thanks for this helpful summary. Some confirmation about what you imply about seasons. Spring, you say, has fewer tourists (and I assume ships), and longer days. Is the weather a bit more predictable in May? I'm less likely to do September since I live in the land of beautiful fall colors. And May is our anniversary travel window.

 

I'm probably thinking 2013 at this point.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Those that originate in San Francisco include Astoria, Oregon (nothing special there),

 

Well of course, Astoria, Oregon is where they made The Goonies, so if I went there I'd be looking for locations from the movie. They just had their 25th anniversary this spring. (Cult classic kid's movie from the 80's--my son was hooked on it, therefore so was I.)

[lyndenfa]

Very lucky group going to Alaska!! Most prob. know this, but it might help other make a decision that Oceania is now offering a nice, extra, shipboard credit. Some mighty fine wines and a few spa appointments and our Martini's bill "paid in full".

Lynne

[skurvish]

Lyndenfa, where did you find these incentives? I see the $1K OBC but haven't seen the Martini's, spa and wines. Thanks.

[lyndenfa]

Lyndenfa, where did you find these incentives? I see the $1K OBC but haven't seen the Martini's, spa and wines. Thanks.

Hi scurvish. i may have been misleading, i was referring to the one thousand dollar on board credit to pay for spa and cocktails, excursions, etc. . sorry/ still think there are super ways to spend the OBC/

Lynne

[skurvish]

Got it, thanks.

[no fuss travel]

I actually preferred the Hubbard Glacier to Glacier Bay. Alaska is fascinating and we laugh in our house because we have cruised there 4 times, each time with a different cruise line. Each port has its own specialties that make it interesting to go through. We have been twice in late summer when the salmon were spawning and it was fascinating watching them make their ways up the various creeks and rivers. We also went once in June which was neat with the long days and once in September and I was glad that I had taken warm clothes with me for the glaciers. I was the only passenger left out on the deck after two hours because everyone else was inside trying to get warm.:D

[JimandStan]

I was the only passenger left out on the deck after two hours because everyone else was inside trying to get warm.:D

 

We had the opposite problem in July of '95 on Princess.

 

We were giving a cocktail party on "Glacier Bay Day" and the weather turned out to be SO BEAUTIFUL (think 85 and Sunny) that everyone abandoned us to take a dip in the pool.

 

The unused liquor wasn't an issue, but I can't even LOOK at a Salmon Canape to this day ;)

[ClaudiaF]

We had the opposite problem in July of '95 on Princess.

 

We were giving a cocktail party on "Glacier Bay Day" and the weather turned out to be SO BEAUTIFUL (think 85 and Sunny) that everyone abandoned us to take a dip in the pool.

 

The unused liquor wasn't an issue, but I can't even LOOK at a Salmon Canape to this day ;)

 

Rude guests indeed..

[frqttrvlr09]

Ah, Alaska weather advice: if I had $10 for every time I have been asked "when is the best time to visit Alaska?" I could join you on your cruise, Wendy the Wanderer. For the purposes of this particular discussion, I am setting aside winter, which might appeal to snowmobilers, skiiers, dog sled affectionados, in large part because the cruise ships don't sail in our winter in Alaska (but some of the ferries do).

 

Alaska weather is, at best, unpredictable. We have had "warm", dry, sunny springs (not often, but this year), summers (definitely not this year) and fall (which is really only late Aug and September). While I usually advise people that if "good" weather (and that is a relative term in Alaska) is the goal, then I advise it is more likely to be mid-June to mid-August: often less rain, warmer temperatures, snow is generally gone where you may go hiking, ice may be out of lakes you want to paddle in or land on in a float plane except at altitude; wildlife is up and awake, out and about, and in the process of or having babies. There are more tourists during this period of time, for these reasons and because the kids are out of school, though because of the cost of travel to and from Alaska, there are not as many children visitors as, for example, Disneyland. Or Hawaii. In the past decade or so, cruise ships have extended their cruise season to include "spring" (late May) and late "fall" (September, until around the 24th or so). These cruises have become popular, particularly with adults, because they are often cheaper, and there are fewer tourists at ports and for other land-based activities. The drawback to early sailings is that it can be considerably cooler, wetter, there will be snow on the ground in South Central and Interior Alaska in many places, and some destinations will not be open at all (in or out of Homer, including possibly Katmai, Halibut Cove) or only open in part (Denali Park). However, my brother and his family cruised out of Seward to Vancouver on HA several years ago after record setting warm weather in Anchorage and other places we visited, including Denali, in early-mid July. It then poured the entire time in Southeast Alaska (Inside Passage). It is generally very rainy in SE Alaska, but it can be sunny. There is the same potential drawback to September sailings: some destinations/facilities in Alaska close Labor Day weekend. Some close depending on when the snow falls. Denali Park can be open through September; it can also close, or only be open part way, in early September. Regardless of the season, you can always take a charter flight or a boat to see many places during any time of the year, weather/visibility/wind dependant.

 

I have given up planning my Alaska adventures, or advising others to do the same, around weather concerns, and just bring clothing, etc. for the best (shorts,tank top, flip flops), the usual (good rain gear, waterproof walking/hiking shoes), and the unwelcome (cold: pile jackets, warm pants, long underwear, hat, gloves), and in general, dress in layers.

 

We had a cool (many non-Alaskanas would say "cold"), rainy summer, a brief sunny, "warm" fall, and a crazy winter with very cold weather for brief periods, lots of snow (some 800 plus inches at the nearby ski resort, Alyeska), then periods of no new snow (I didn't care because I was in South America for 2 1/2 months), and a hopeful spring.

 

 

Cigar smoking on Oceania... is annoying, especially when it wafts your way in the pool area. On Regent's Seven Seas Mariner, cigar smoking is only allowed in the smoking lounge, which is a closed, ventilated, classy library-like room. Unfortunately, the ship lacks a real library. Fortunately, there have been few cigar smokers on my limited Oceania experience thus far, but they are not polite or conscientious about it. Possibly because smoking is, thankfully to me (as a former smoker) so limited on Oceania they feel they have a right to puff away in their restricted area. It is so much better though than other lines (except Regent).

[frqttrvlr09]

The weather in Southeast Alaska (aka in part the "Inside Passage" and just north of there), where some of the cruises only go, and all go at least in part, more closely approximates Seattle weather. It has an earlier spring than, say, Southcentral Alaska (where Anchorage, Seward, Homer are) and so there may be buds or even leaves on the trees, and flowers if not blooming then poking out their heads from the ground, in the spring. It is generally "warmer' in Southcentral in the spring, and year round, though it can be windy and, alas, as I said before, rainy any time. I believe Ketchikan has the most amount of rainfall of any city in the continental US. The snow is usually gone earlier in the spring, and will be when the cruises start except in higher altitudes. Winter comes later in Southeast as well, and is much milder than South. We can get snow in Anchorage in mid September. This September, we hit a record high of 68 degrees for mid September (it felt like 80 degrees!). Homer and Seward have "milder" winters than Anchorage to the extent that they have less snow on the ground (though certainly do have high winds) in winter and it is gone earlier in the spring.

[Aruba]

I've been on 2 Alaska cruises, once in late May and once in early July, and never had a drop of rain on either -- which I understand is highly unusual. In fact we got sunburns in Ketchikan which is supposed to be the wettest town in Alaska. Go figure.

We're now considering a trip next summer with the fathers and I'm preparing myself for a deluge. Our luck can't possibly hold up 3 times in a row. :rolleyes:

[frqttrvlr09]

Aruba,

That. Is. Amazing.

[wripro]

Maybe someone else's good luck will cover you.

[frqttrvlr09]

The following appeared in today's (10/29) Alaska Ear column in the Anchorage Daily New under the title "THEM NEWFANGLED GADGETS"...

 

"They just can't handle Alaska weather, according to a Southeast [Alaska resident]. Tuesday was local election day in most cities around the state. Down in Sitka, election workers had to repeatedly repair the electronic vote-counting machine. Th

e reason: Rain was dripping off voters' jackets onto paper ballots as they checked off candidates and measures. That made the ballots mushy and they jammed up the counting machine."

[earny]

great info suppied by all and special thanks to the local frqttvlr09

 

looking at being over there july/august oceania have great deals a the moment but traveling from australia it is always has to do with timing to get the best (kangroo's,koala's) LOL

[Joebridge]

We are booked on Oceania (June 29th). I am having fun researching all the ports and shore excursions. Does anyone have firsthand knowledge of Breakaway Adventures Stikine River excursion? It looks great in the video and seems reasonably priced.

[1985rz1]

We are booked on Oceania (June 29th). I am having fun researching all the ports and shore excursions. Does anyone have firsthand knowledge of Breakaway Adventures Stikine River excursion? It looks great in the video and seems reasonably priced.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Some of us have already booked with Breakaway Adventures in Wrangell during Regatta's June 7 sailing.

 

You should check out the Roll Call for your sailing to see if others on your cruise have booked with them. The direct link to the Regatta Roll Calls is: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=423. You can search for your cruise date/sailing there. You will need to be logged on the see the Roll Call.

[Joebridge]

thanks for the quick response. I will see what my more experienced fellow passengers are up to.

[lyndenfa]

Does anyone have suggestions for whale watching? There are so many companies and so many shore ex offered and at different ports.

[seafare]

Does anyone have suggestions for whale watching? There are so many companies and so many shore ex offered and at different ports.

 

 

We are using Harv & Marv in Juneau. 17 June sailing on Regatta. Has many good ref. on cruise critic.

 

Jill