Alaska Bound and Confused!

[sbellante]

We are planning a cruise to Alaska during July 2012. I understand that Princess seems to be "the" cruise line to use if you want a land tour attached. I guess I am looking at Sapphire. But if we don't take a land tour, is there a better line? We are hoping for a ship that is higher end of mainstream with GREAT food. I was looking closely at Millennium, I guess there is some concern of the refurbishment making it better? By the way, I have heard that Princess is just okay on food, is that true? Please help!! Thank you for any advice :)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Food is pretty subjective. I'm fine with the food on Princess, but I'm the first to admit I'm not a foodie.

 

The first thing to decide about an Alaskan cruise is whether you want a round trip (Vancouver, Seattle, or SF) or an one-way. Some cruise lines will do just the one-way as far as I know and some will do both. One advantage to the RT is that you can fly in and out of the same city, which saves money. But if you want to do a land tour, it's harder if you are doing the RT (you would have to fly in from Seattle or Vancouver into Anchorage). With the one-way, you'll have to fly in or out of Anchorage, whether you take a land tour or night.

[LHT28]

Celebrity is mainstream if you want higher end it would be Silversea, Regent, Crystal

 

Pick the line that goes to the ports that interest you & in your budget

[sbellante]

Thank you both for the help...I think I need to decide on the land tour or not. I hear Denali National Park is a must see :)

[TT1978]

We just returned from a 15 day land and sea tour on the Diamond Princess. It was absolutely wonderful. We did fly into Anchorage and our journey included stays in Prudoe Bay, Coldfoot, Fairbanks Princess Lodge for 2 nights, Denali Princess Lodge for 2 nights and then boarded cruise ship in Whittier. Did south bound route to Vancouver which included both Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay. The food and service were excellent the entire trip and Princess takes care of everything. Would highly recommend Princess if you are planning land/sea package. They have several packages to choose from including 3 day add ons to 15 days off the beaten path. Hope this helps. And have fun planning.

[sparky-elpaso]

Thank you both for the help...I think I need to decide on the land tour or not. I hear Denali National Park is a must see :)

 

We went on a cruise tour in 08 on RCCL's Radiance of the Seas. An incredible trip on a beautiful ship.

 

The link in my signature will let you see what you're in for. One of our stops was Denali and it was incredible.

[BIG_Steve]

You want what you want. Not trying to sway you. But FYI, Alaska is a destination where most folks put the selection of cruiseline and ship secondary. The itinerary and port times are considered more important.

 

Also, on the Ports of call-Alaska board here, you'll find some folks who have taken numerous AK cruises on different lines and ships. Their comparison of ships and itineraries are invaluable.

[searoses]

my advice for alaska-AFT CABIN-180 degree view nearly 24/7. i went kicking and screaming and it was a FABULOUS trip.

[lcmslady]

IMHO - the only way to do Alaska is to do a land tour and cruise. What we saw inland was so totally different than what we saw on the cruise that I felt that we truly saw Alaska.

 

If you want a chance to see the Northern Lights - book one of the last ones of the season. We went in September and both nights that we were in Fairbanks we saw the NL.

 

I agree with everyone else - pick the ports and things you want to see and then pick the line and ship.

[sbellante]

Thank you everyone for helping out, I really appreciate it. We are going to try and do the land tour I think. The luxury cruise will have to wait until Europe from what I hear :) I just planned a trip to Antigua and took 14 people with me and the resort was just okay, not a great feeling when you are planning for others. Just trying to avoid that again with the ship:)

[bella54]

We cruised Alaska on Carnival Spirit. It was simply amazing! One thing to remember is whatever cruise ship you travel on - make sure that it goes to Glacier Bay! Not all ships are allowed in this area as stipulated by the National Parks (and they come onboard to give talks) - its by a ballot as it is a highly pristine area and can cope with only a few ships over the cruise period. The best time to visit is May - about mid to end of May/June.

I say this because the glaciers are calving and and there is still a lot of snow in this area and icebergs floating beside the ship. As the weather warms up, its not as stunning due to the bare rocks void of snow - still amazing but go to youtube, type in marjorie glacier/glacier bay then note the date it was posted and you will see what I mean :)

Another tip is that cruising Alaska doesn't require being in a balcony cabin. Its freezing outside and in May/June you can only stay outside a short time before scurrying back into the warmth of the ship!!. And its wonderful being among fellow cruisers in Glacier Bay up on the top decks. The excitement as the glacier calves is amphlified when you witness it with hundreds of other passengers! And believe it or not, when a big chunk comes off, and the wave makes it way to the ship, the ship actually rocks!!! The power must be incredible!! Also, the bears are starting to become more active and you are likely to see them as you glide thru this wonderful area.

When you leave this area you will sail past Eldred Rock Lighthouse, Lynn Canal, Alaska. Most people are recovering indoors after experiencing Glacier Bay but it is truly stunning!! Make sure you have your camera on you then!!

We shall return one day - the cruise started in Hawaii and ended in Vancouver and was called Fire and Ice. We have some wonderful scenery in Australia, but nothing like Alaska!

Have a wonderful trip!!

[donaldsc]

IMHO - the only way to do Alaska is to do a land tour and cruise. What we saw inland was so totally different than what we saw on the cruise that I felt that we truly saw Alaska.

 

If you want a chance to see the Northern Lights - book one of the last ones of the season. We went in September and both nights that we were in Fairbanks we saw the NL.

 

I agree with everyone else - pick the ports and things you want to see and then pick the line and ship.

 

Agree of the fact that ports should be the deciding factor. However, IMHO, the only way to do the land portion of Alaska is on your own instead of on a tour.

 

BTW - I am going back to Fairbanks for a whole week in March just for the northern lights.

 

DON

[agabbymama]

When we wanted to go to Alaska I started looking for a cruise and independent land. Soon changed to a cruisetour. I compared Princess (7 day cruise + 7 days on land @ $4400 pp) to HAL (3 day cruise + 8 day land @ $2700 pp). HAL had just the cruisetour I wanted, called Yukon Wilderness. When I think of Alaska, the Yukon seemed to go with it. With only three days on the ship, we left Vancouver to Tracy Arm, Juneau, & Skagway. We debarked, took the Yukon White Pass Rail Road up to Fraser, coach to Whitehorse, Dawson City, riverboat on to Eagle Alaska, coach to Chicken, Tok, Fairbanks, domed rail to Denali and ended in Anchorage. We covered 1800 miles on the land portion. Felt we really saw a lot of the Yukon and Alaska.

 

Try to do as long as you can. The short 3 or 4 day add ons to a 7 day cruise, just don't do it. I like to make a graph chart. Putting the cruiselines/ships across the top. The things I want to see and do (tours, ports, time in ports, cabin, cost, # of days, etc) down the side. As you research put an "x" in the conjoining box. As you near the end of your research, one should have more x's than the others.

 

Or HAL also does a 14 day cruise that others have posted is wonderful, going to a lot of different smaller ports.

 

Only you can decide what is important to you. Go to the library and check out Frommer's or Fodor's Alaska. Have fun planning, then taking your cruise.

[aroncho]

We went on a cruise tour in 08 on RCCL's Radiance of the Seas. An incredible trip on a beautiful ship.

 

The link in my signature will let you see what you're in for. One of our stops was Denali and it was incredible.

Hi Sparky-elpaso,

We plan on taking the RCI cruisetour in 2012.

I understand that the land portion of the tour does not include meals!

I wonder how did you manage and what was the cost?

Thank you

Aroncho

[Donder1]

Just a quick tip.

 

If you do get a balcony, ask your room steward for two wool throws to keep in the room. We did this and had two Scottish plaid, warm throws to put over us out on the balcony on the beautiful Diamond Princess.

 

We loved Princess and thought that the food and service and condition of the ship to be quite impressive. It really comes down to research on your part and itinerary and budget. I would love to take a smaller upscale cruise on Seabourne or Crystal when we go back. And, believe me, we will!

 

Loved Alaska. Don't miss Denali (go for the longer, all day tour) and Jeff King's Homestead.

[sparky-elpaso]

Hi Sparky-elpaso,

We plan on taking the RCI cruisetour in 2012.

I understand that the land portion of the tour does not include meals!

I wonder how did you manage and what was the cost?

Thank you

Aroncho

 

Most of the places we stayed had their own restaurants - I kept a journal - knew that would come in handy some day.

 

These prices are for 2 adults - probably not including the tip. 2008 so prices have probably gone up some.

 

Fairbanks

Breakfast buffet at hotel - $30

Lunch - The Fudge Pot - $20

Dinner - hotel restaurant - $35

 

Fairbanks to Denali Natl Park

Breakfast - train dining car - $35

Lunch at Denali - $22

It was late when we got back from the tour of Denali so we skipped dinner.

 

Denali to Talkeetna

Breakfast at Denali - $35

Lunch - train dining car - $30

Dinner - hotel - $55

 

Talkeetna to Anchorage

Breakfast - hotel - $37

No listing for lunch that day

Dinner - hotel room service - $36

 

Anchorage to Seward

Breakfast - hotel - $37

 

If you google each town where you would be staying and check out restaurant web sites you should be able to find some that post their menus to give you a ballpark figure. The food was very good at every place we ate so it was worth the money.

[Budget Queen]

Hi Sparky-elpaso,

We plan on taking the RCI cruisetour in 2012.

I understand that the land portion of the tour does not include meals!

I wonder how did you manage and what was the cost?

Thank you

Aroncho

 

for meals on cruisetours, budget 50% more than you would at home.

 

A SIGNIFICANT factor that has not been mentioned on cruisetours- is to EDUCATE yourself and understand fully what you are looking at. Most people don't.

 

Denali Park is usually the feature of cruisetours- and Princess, overall, does a poor job with their inclusion of the Natural History tour- which does NOT get into the park. like going to Disneyland, and not getting out of the parking lot. This is a common fact that people just do not understand- so, if you want the most out of an interior Alaska trip- do your homework. start with Denali Park :) http://www.nps.gov/dena

 

More details and superb trip planning information can also be had on the Alaska board.

[bbwex]

I second the motion (made several times) to do a tour as well as the cruise. The OP is correct that Denali is likely the number one thing to see, though there is so much to see in Alaska that you don't want to limit yourself to that.

 

I originally started to plan our own tour, but there is simply so much to do, and the places can be so far apart, that I finally gave up and went with a cruisetour. We did ours with Holland America (HAL), but Princess and HAL have been at it the longest.

 

There are lots to choose from, and I would leave it that you want two days in Denali since they will count the day you get there (at noon), and you won't have time that day to go way into the park. There are conflicting recommendations as to whether to take the TWT (Tundra Wilderness Tour) that goes 52 miles into the park, or some of the other options. We did the TWT and it was fantastic, we saw tons of wildlife (moose, Dall sheep, wolves, caribou and grizzlies) and the sights are incredible. Other people suggest simply taking the shuttles in and out and going further, etc. We went with the TWT because it was part of our tour, and I have no regrets.

 

I agree also with trying to go to Glacier Bay N.P., though I would add that if you embark in Seward that you take the Kenai Fjords Tour (5 hours) before you board the ship. If you board in Whittier, they have similar small boat tours there. You will get much closer to the glaciers, will have (therefore) a far different perspective and from down low and close you get a real feel for the size of the glaciers. On a ship in Glacier Bay or College Fjord, you stay at least a mile away and are much higher up. Also on a small boat tour, you will literally hear the glaciers (they are not silent), and you will linger longer and be closer and really see some calving. You will also see some wildlife up close and personal on the small boat tour.

 

The only other recommendation I would make is to do the tour first and then relax on the cruise back to the lower 48 (or Vancouver).

 

As for the ship, HAL was fine. The ship was clean, the personnel were very nice and helpful, and the food was OK. DW and I prefer Oceania, BUT for Alaska it really is all about the ports and the time in the ports. We only had time for a 7-day cruise after the tour, and in addition to the tour portion, HAL had good ports and long periods in the ports which allowed us to do what we wanted to do (in Skagway we went to Emerald Lake, and in Juneau we did a whale watch AND a helicopter glacier trek). A couple of Celebrity ships came in after us, and were gone before we got back from our excursions. So look at ports and port times.

 

Alaska is a bit overwhelming, but it is worth it!

[chipmaster]

Theres is much that is beautiful about the cruise part and also the land part. To say you got to get the land portion would be like saying visiting CA from Europe and not getting to Yosemite do you miss all that is CA? Sometimes you simply can't visit everything.

 

That being said, MAKE SURE to pick a cruise that gets Glacier Bay if this is your first or possibly only time to Alaska.

 

You get what you pay for, the more you pay the more upscale, but also doesn't mean that paying less you get less, you just get more value :D

 

 

Thank you everyone for helping out, I really appreciate it. We are going to try and do the land tour I think. The luxury cruise will have to wait until Europe from what I hear :) I just planned a trip to Antigua and took 14 people with me and the resort was just okay, not a great feeling when you are planning for others. Just trying to avoid that again with the ship:)

[Wayfairers]

We did a cruisetour on the Princess Sapphire in June 2008 and it was amazing. We took the train from the ship in Whittier and stayed in 3 Princess Lodges. We then spent a few days touring on our own to Barrow and doing a few additional things in Fairbanks. I recommend to everyone that they do a cruisetour because you see different things on land vs the ship and both are equally amazing.

 

The food on the ship was typical cruise ship food - not worse or better than other lines.

The food in the lodges was overpriced as everything in Alaska is and similar to the cruise in quality.

[rimau]

We did the one to Prudhoe bay some years ago. It was great but do not expect top hotels or good food. Once you are on the bus for the last part, you leave civilization behind. The best that can be said for the accommodations is that they were clean. These places were not designed for tourists. You do one night across the road from the new national park headquarters and then the last in Prudhoe bay. Or the reverse. Limited dinning facilities and they are expensive.

[Darlipoo]

We did inside passage with Carnival Spirit in Aug. and would never do that again. Alaska was beautiful but Carnival just does not know how to do Alaska. We had sailed on the Spirit the previous March to Mexico to be sure we liked her before we paid $$$ for Alaskan cruise. I asked my PVP at Carnival what was the deal with Alaska afterward and he said "they seem to do things differently up there". The wait staff was short and rude, the FEW movies that were shown on the TV when regular reception was not available were 60 years old (Gone with the Wind was the best of the bunch), other than booze and the casino the highlight of day activies was a craft class - making a lanyard.

 

We are going on HAL to Hawaii next year and have seen all the wonderful things they have to do on Sea Days. What a difference.

[fleckle]

If you want to include a land tour in Alaska before or after your cruise, there is no need to book it through the cruise line. Those cruisetours that herd people around like cattle are big money makers for the cruise lines.

 

For those who have time to do the planning, you can save money and get a much better personalized tour by doing it on your own, as has been discussed many times on the Alaska board. Budget Queen is an expert on the subject who has done numerous independent land tours in Alaska.

 

If you would rather take an organized group tour, there are also many other companies and organizations that offer Alaska land tours tailored to the interests and needs of their particular group, not the "one size fits all" type of tour that you get when you book a cruise line's land tour.

[bob brown]

Both Princess and HAL together 'own' Alaska, with the most cruises, land tours, railcars, tour buses, lodges, permits for Glacier Bay. They also have the most experience there as well. They offer a wide selection of Inside Passage roundtrips, one way Gulf of Alaska cruises to Whittier or Seward, and HAL offers a unique 14 day round trip cruise that is the only cruise that actually sails all the way up the Cook Inlet to Anchorage.

[aroncho]

Thank you all for the usefull information