Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

hubbard glacier or college fjord

momx8

By momx8,
in Alaska

Recommended Posts

momx8

momx8

Posted
Posted

we are planning our first trip to alaska and are looking at princess. The north bound does hubbard and south bound does college fjord. Which is better?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Budget Queen

Budget Queen

Posted
Posted

In my opinion, it isn't a "better" issue, and I wont choose. :) Both are well worth the time to see.

 

I would suggest you look at your WHOLE itinerary. Are port times the same?? Are there priority tours for you, that fit better with one direction?? Time of trip? Are you doing a short cruisetour? Interior Alaska touring??

 

All these factors, plus many more could come into play over just a "better" question, perhaps?

 

 

BOTH, will offer you a great cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
chipmaster

chipmaster

Posted
Posted

Better is a relative word, IMHO the cruise up and back on colledge fjord was wonderful, but I hear Hubbard is spectacular.

 

I'm surprised you can't find a cruise that does Glacier Bay? That would be the one I'd pick.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
momx8

momx8

Posted
  • Author
Posted

both ways include glacier bay. better is probably not the right word, but i dont know much about college fjord and all the other ports are the same. so, the choice is between college and hubbard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
frugaltravel

frugaltravel

Posted
Posted

It used to be that southbound Princess went to Hubbard and Glacier Bay. Now it will be NB? If it were me, I would do Glacier Bay and Hubbard, then do College Fjord/Prince William Sound on your own upon arrival in Whittier. Then you get all three, which is a great combination if your interest is in glaciers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hollon

hollon

Posted
Posted
It used to be that southbound Princess went to Hubbard and Glacier Bay. Now it will be NB? If it were me, I would do Glacier Bay and Hubbard, then do College Fjord/Prince William Sound on your own upon arrival in Whittier. Then you get all three, which is a great combination if your interest is in glaciers.

That's What I'm doing in a few wks. Glacier Bay and Hubbard Bay, W/ Princess William Sound/ 26 glaciers before cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tobecool

tobecool

Posted
Posted
It used to be that southbound Princess went to Hubbard and Glacier Bay. Now it will be NB? If it were me, I would do Glacier Bay and Hubbard, then do College Fjord/Prince William Sound on your own upon arrival in Whittier. Then you get all three, which is a great combination if your interest is in glaciers.

 

 

So do you mean that if the itinerary includes the College Fjord, then Princes William Sound is not that necessary? College Fjord is the same as Princes William Sound cruise itineray? Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites
frugaltravel

frugaltravel

Posted
Posted
So do you mean that if the itinerary includes the College Fjord, then Princes William Sound is not that necessary? College Fjord is the same as Princes William Sound cruise itineray? Thanks

 

No that is not what I mean at all. My example was just trying to find a way for the OP to visit all three.

 

College Fjord is in PWS, but the day cruises could go to different areas of PWS, and in any case, they get closer to the glaciers and wildlife than the large cruise ships do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tobecool

tobecool

Posted
Posted
No that is not what I mean at all. My example was just trying to find a way for the OP to visit all three.

 

College Fjord is in PWS, but the day cruises could go to different areas of PWS, and in any case, they get closer to the glaciers and wildlife than the large cruise ships do.

 

 

Thanks for letting me know more details. I'm glad to book it as the last part of our trip.:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tobecool

tobecool

Posted
Posted
No that is not what I mean at all. My example was just trying to find a way for the OP to visit all three.

 

College Fjord is in PWS, but the day cruises could go to different areas of PWS, and in any case, they get closer to the glaciers and wildlife than the large cruise ships do.

 

 

Thanks for letting me know further info. I'm glad we booked it as the last part of our trip. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mytime53

mytime53

Posted
Posted
It is a great area to visit on a boat. I booked a 10-hour PWS boat tour for this summer and am really looking forward to it.

 

My son and son-in-law just returned from 4 nights camping in College Fjord. One of their highlights was a humpback they saw breaching. Lots of floating ice still. Gorgeous area!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vbmom87

vbmom87

Posted
Posted

Personally I would go for Hubbard. I loved both Glacier Bay and College Fjord, but found them to be somewhat similar. From photos of Hubbard Glacier, that will be a much different experience. As already mentioned, you can add a tour to PWS through Whittier and get the best of all worlds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Glaciers

Glaciers

Posted
Posted
Personally I would go for Hubbard. I loved both Glacier Bay and College Fjord, but found them to be somewhat similar. From photos of Hubbard Glacier, that will be a much different experience. As already mentioned, you can add a tour to PWS through Whittier and get the best of all worlds.

 

I agree, Hubbard would be my choice as well for the same reason. Hubbard is like no other glacier that you will see. It's just so huge in comparison to anything else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vbmom87

vbmom87

Posted
Posted
I don't think the OP identified you they were sailing with....but if I had to choose between Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord, I would choose the Hubbard Glacier.

 

OP stated they are looking at Princess. One direction being Glacier Bay and Hubbard and the other direction being Glacier Bay and College Fjords.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Putterdude

Putterdude

Posted
Posted
OP stated they are looking at Princess. One direction being Glacier Bay and Hubbard and the other direction being Glacier Bay and College Fjords.

 

Missed that, thanks. Having done the Princess "Voyage of the Glaciers" itinerary in either direction, for sure I would do southbound as it includes includes both the Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay. The northbound does Glacier Bay and College Fjord which in my opinion is not as spectacular.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DOUGLASH

DOUGLASH

Posted
Posted

i have been on two Alaskan Cruise one went to the Sawyer Glacier and the other went to the College Fjord. Both were nice, but not as spectacular as I have would have expected. I will be going on the Southbound Diamond Princess from Whittier in two weeks hoping visitng Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay hoping to have a better Glacier experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 4 weeks later...
DesertGirl28

DesertGirl28

Posted
Posted

I'm planning our trip to Alaska for 2012. I went 25 yrs ago and saw College Fjord & Glacier Bay. I'm torn between a SB Princess that includes Hubbard but goes out of Wittier or a SB HAL that does PWS but we can do a Kenai Fjord Nat'l Park cruise before we board. Both ships will do Glacier Bay.

 

I'm planning an independent land portion before we cruise. Haven't figured out how many days yet - it keeps getting longer.

 

Any recommendations would help

Link to comment
Share on other sites
vbmom87

vbmom87

Posted
Posted
I'm planning our trip to Alaska for 2012. I went 25 yrs ago and saw College Fjord & Glacier Bay. I'm torn between a SB Princess that includes Hubbard but goes out of Wittier or a SB HAL that does PWS but we can do a Kenai Fjord Nat'l Park cruise before we board. Both ships will do Glacier Bay.

 

I'm planning an independent land portion before we cruise. Haven't figured out how many days yet - it keeps getting longer.

 

Any recommendations would help

 

Alaska is all about choices. Kenai Fords will be a tour with a wildlife focus. I think you need to decide what you would enjoy more...a massive glacier or a chance to take a small boat tour with many opportunites to see significant wildlife up close. Good luck!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
frugaltravel

frugaltravel

Posted
Posted
I'm planning our trip to Alaska for 2012. I went 25 yrs ago and saw College Fjord & Glacier Bay. I'm torn between a SB Princess that includes Hubbard but goes out of Wittier or a SB HAL that does PWS but we can do a Kenai Fjord Nat'l Park cruise before we board. Both ships will do Glacier Bay.

 

I'm planning an independent land portion before we cruise. Haven't figured out how many days yet - it keeps getting longer.

 

Any recommendations would help

 

It's not out of the question to visit Seward but sail out of Whittier. Many have done it. Generally it works best to head straight to Seward from Anchorage then head north - Denali, etc. - then return to Anchorage and head to Whittier. Really depends on how many days/nights you have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
DesertGirl28

DesertGirl28

Posted
Posted
It's not out of the question to visit Seward but sail out of Whittier. Many have done it. Generally it works best to head straight to Seward from Anchorage then head north - Denali, etc. - then return to Anchorage and head to Whittier. Really depends on how many days/nights you have.

 

Thanks frugaltravel & vbmom. Doing Seward but going Princess would just add more time so the DH decided he would rather see smaller glaciers and more wild life that a really big glacier.

 

So much planning is going into this trip. And I thought planning for B2B Black Sea/Greek Isles cruises was long!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • ANNOUNCEMENT: A Touch of Magic on an Avalon Rhine River Cruise
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations

Cruise Planning
Alaska CruisesAntarctica CruisesBahamas CruisesCanada/New England CruisesCaribbean CruisesEurope CruisesEurope River CruisesGreece CruisesHawaii CruisesMediterranean CruisesMexico CruisesTransatlantic CruisesUK & British Isles Cruises
Find a Cruise
Alaska ItinerariesAntarctica ItinerariesBahamas ItinerariesCanada/New England ItinerariesCaribbean ItinerariesEurope ItinerariesEurope River ItinerariesGreece ItinerariesHawaii ItinerariesMediterranean ItinerariesMexico ItinerariesPanama Canal ItinerariesTransatlantic Itineraries
Popular Ports
Baltimore PortBayonne PortBoston PortGalveston PortLos Angeles PortMiami PortNew Orleans PortNew York City PortOrlando PortSan Francisco PortSeattle PortTampa PortVancouver Port
Member Reviews
Carnival ReviewsCelebrity ReviewsCunard ReviewsDisney ReviewsHolland ReviewsMSC ReviewsNorwegian ReviewsOceania ReviewsPrincess ReviewsRoyal Caribbean ReviewsViking River ReviewsVirgin ReviewsWindstar Reviews

Cruise Planning
Alaska CruisesAntarctica CruisesAsia CruisesCanary Islands CruisesCaribbean CruisesEurope CruisesEurope River CruisesGreece CruisesIceland CruisesJapan CruisesMediterranean CruisesNorway CruisesUK Cruises
Find a Cruise
Alaska ItinerariesAntarctica ItinerariesAsia ItinerariesCanary Islands ItinerariesCaribbean ItinerariesEurope ItinerariesEurope River ItinerariesGreece ItinerariesIceland ItinerariesJapan ItinerariesMediterranean ItinerariesNorway ItinerariesUK Itineraries
Popular Ports
Alicante PortAmsterdam PortAthens PortBarbados PortBarcelona PortCape Town PortDubai PortDublin PortEdinburgh PortLondon PortMalaga PortSingapore PortSouthampton Port
Member Reviews
Ambassador ReviewsAzamara ReviewsCelebrity ReviewsCelestyal ReviewsCunard ReviewsFred.Olsen ReviewsMarella ReviewsMSC ReviewsNorwegian ReviewsP & O ReviewsPrincess ReviewsRoyal Caribbean ReviewsSaga Holidays Reviews

Cruise Planning
Alaska CruisesAntarctica CruisesAsia CruisesAustralia CruisesEurope CruisesEurope River CruisesFiji CruisesHawaii CruisesJapan CruisesMediterranean CruisesNew Zealand CruisesPapua New Guinea CruisesSouth Pacific Cruises
Find a Cruise
Alaska ItinerariesAntarctica ItinerariesAsia ItinerariesAustralia ItinerariesEurope ItinerariesEurope River ItinerariesFiji ItinerariesHawaii ItinerariesJapan ItinerariesMediterranean ItinerariesPapua New Guinea ItinerariesSouth Pacific ItinerariesWhitsundays Itineraries
Popular Ports
Adelaide PortAuckland PortBangkok PortBrisbane PortCairns PortFremantle PortHobart PortManila PortMelbourne PortMumbai PortSingapore PortSydney PortTokyo Port
Member Reviews
Azamara ReviewsCarnival ReviewsCelebrity ReviewsCunard ReviewsDisney ReviewsEmerald ReviewsHolland ReviewsMSC ReviewsNorwegian ReviewsP & O Australia ReviewsPrincess ReviewsRoyal Caribbean ReviewsVirgin Reviews
Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.
By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.

×
×
  • Create New...

If you are already a Cruise Critic member, please log in with your existing account information or your email address and password.