Anyone Just Back From Alaska?

[mskaufman]

Heard that the weather was really bad and that Diamond Princess had to quickly depart Skagway at 10pm, leaving folks behind. Is there a first hand account?

[Parvatiiv]

I'm just back from the Golden. We had a lot of rain, rough seas the first sea day (supposedly a third of the ship got seasick), and we had to miss Ketchikan due to the rough waters after Glacier bay. We even had to take the Park Rangers with us all the way to Victoria because they couldn't disembark. A cabby in Victoria let us know some typhoons had been brewing over in Japan which apparently kicked up our weather. That first sea day was 18 foot swells and during the shopping show in the theater, it could only be described as feeling like you were in a washing machine.

[billco]

You might want to look at the last part of the "HELP Passenger Left Behind on Princess Excursion" thread in this forum.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1487031

[San Diego Ellie]

I'm just back from the Golden. We had a lot of rain, rough seas the first sea day (supposedly a third of the ship got seasick), and we had to miss Ketchikan due to the rough waters after Glacier bay. We even had to take the Park Rangers with us all the way to Victoria because they couldn't disembark. A cabby in Victoria let us know some typhoons had been brewing over in Japan which apparently kicked up our weather. That first sea day was 18 foot swells and during the shopping show in the theater, it could only be described as feeling like you were in a washing machine.

 

I feel very lucky, as we debated doing your trip, but in the end, took the cruise before yours (Sept. 10-17). We had wonderful weather, considering the month was Sept., virtually no rain and sunny and warm in Juneau. Also had smooth seas.

[sassyredhat]

We just got back on Sept 17th too. We were on the Sea Princess.

Had absolutely wonderful weather. Actually warm in Skagway.

Locals said they hadn't seen weather like that in Sept. I packed for lots of rain, and used none of it.

We were so lucky.

Pat

[Parvatiiv]

I feel very lucky, as we debated doing your trip, but in the end, took the cruise before yours (Sept. 10-17). We had wonderful weather, considering the month was Sept., virtually no rain and sunny and warm in Juneau. Also had smooth seas.

 

The weather didn't bother me too much. I felt bad for our roll call members from Australia who didn't get to see Ketchikan but it was awesome spending all day in Victoria. We were there for over 12 hours.

 

When my coworkers asked about the trip, I told them I took 1300 pictures but would have had double had it ever stopped raining! :p

 

On the plus side though, the Yukon was beautiful, no rain on that side of the mountains and I got to see a moose. :)

[Cruisin Sal]

I just returned from the Coral. We were 3 hours late sailing into SF due to high winds.

We didn't miss any ports but some excursions were cancelled due to bad weather.

[2little time]

Wow, I feel very lucky. I just returned from the Island and had very good weather with the exception of embarkation in Whittier and some rough seas after leaving Ketchikan. Would not have needed all the rain gear I took.

[jeromep]

You went to the shopping show at the beginning of the cruise. I'm sorry. That was a total waste of my time during our cruise on the Golden this year. The shopping host was a perfectly pleasant person, however the shilling for non-locally owned jewelry shops in all the ports was quite bothersome. But that was her job.

 

It isn't uncommon to have rough or very rough seas and bad weather in the ports in the shoulders of the Alaska cruise season. The shoulder is typically the first couple weeks that open the Alaska cruise season in May and the last few weeks in September prior to the repositioning of the ships to their fall/winter/spring itineraries. That is also one of the reasons that the prices of Alaska cruises are the highest in the middle of July and lowest in May and September, because the weather becomes less and less of a sure thing as the seasons transition. As somebody who took a high season Alaska cruise the weather in Alaska and on the sea didn't disappoint.

 

I'm sorry to hear about the rough seas. I know that I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it that much, but the cruise line just kind of has to plow through it and try to get to as many ports as they indicated in the original itinerary.

[Parvatiiv]

You went to the shopping show at the beginning of the cruise. I'm sorry. That was a total waste of my time during our cruise on the Golden this year. The shopping host was a perfectly pleasant person, however the shilling for non-locally owned jewelry shops in all the ports was quite bothersome. But that was her job.

 

It isn't uncommon to have rough or very rough seas and bad weather in the ports in the shoulders of the Alaska cruise season. The shoulder is typically the first couple weeks that open the Alaska cruise season in May and the last few weeks in September prior to the repositioning of the ships to their fall/winter/spring itineraries. That is also one of the reasons that the prices of Alaska cruises are the highest in the middle of July and lowest in May and September, because the weather becomes less and less of a sure thing as the seasons transition. As somebody who took a high season Alaska cruise the weather in Alaska and on the sea didn't disappoint.

 

I'm sorry to hear about the rough seas. I know that I probably wouldn't have enjoyed it that much, but the cruise line just kind of has to plow through it and try to get to as many ports as they indicated in the original itinerary.

 

My aunt and I left the shopping show early, we weren't on vacation to shop. I've also sailed Alaska during high season and had nearly perfect conditions. I look at rough weather as just another new experience and enjoy it. While we were approaching Juneau, there was fears of us arriving late but our waiter assured us, "No worry, the Captain like's to floor it." That he does! :p

[horsenut]

Been back about a week from our Island Princess Alaska cruise, it was fabulous. Did a 6 day land tour before hand, boarded 9/14 in Whittier and stopped at Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Vancouver. We had one rough day at sea, our last day before we got into Vancouver, had a couple of travel mates who were sea sick. But the rest of the weather was great, especially for mid-September. Saw Mt. McKinley in its entirety one day and most of it a couple of other days. Saw 13 grizzly bears, 5 moose, one wolf, Dall sheep, some caribou, humpbacks, sea lions and porpoises. We really enjoyed the lodge at Copper River, it was smaller and more intimate than Denali and McKinley lodges, with great hiking trails and incredible views from the lodge. It was a little unnerving to hike over fresh bear and moose scat, I have to say! Glacier Bay was unbelieveably gorgeous. Food was great, didn't see a lot of the entertainment but enjoyed what we saw. I agree with some of the other posts, there was too much pushing of jewelry stores in the ports, it was annoying to me although a couple of my travel mates seemed to enjoy running around to all the different stores to collect a little charm or some other freebie. Awesome trip, do it if you get a chance!

[horsenut]

Sounds like you were on my cruise, left Whittier 9/14 and arrived 9/21 in Vancouver. We really did luck out on the weather, didn't we?

[moosenaroundtheship]

We were very lucky with the weather in Denali. Sept 11,12 & 13. Saw Mt Mckinley and a lot of animals. All close viewing from the bus. Trees were in prime color. Northern lights were beautiful.

Partly cloudy with highs in the 50s. and spotty rain now and then on our cruise, but nothing that kept us from doing our excurssions. I'd go again in Sept. Great shopping deals as well.

[PennyB]

Been back about a week from our Island Princess Alaska cruise, it was fabulous. Did a 6 day land tour before hand, boarded 9/14 in Whittier and stopped at Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Vancouver. We had one rough day at sea, our last day before we got into Vancouver, had a couple of travel mates who were sea sick. But the rest of the weather was great, especially for mid-September. Saw Mt. McKinley in its entirety one day and most of it a couple of other days. Saw 13 grizzly bears, 5 moose, one wolf, Dall sheep, some caribou, humpbacks, sea lions and porpoises. We really enjoyed the lodge at Copper River, it was smaller and more intimate than Denali and McKinley lodges, with great hiking trails and incredible views from the lodge. It was a little unnerving to hike over fresh bear and moose scat, I have to say! Glacier Bay was unbelieveably gorgeous. Food was great, didn't see a lot of the entertainment but enjoyed what we saw. I agree with some of the other posts, there was too much pushing of jewelry stores in the ports, it was annoying to me although a couple of my travel mates seemed to enjoy running around to all the different stores to collect a little charm or some other freebie. Awesome trip, do it if you get a chance!

 

Hi, Horsenut!

Sounds like the cruisetour I am interested in taking next August. I thought the Copper River portion of it looked very interesting. Did you enjoy it? What excursions did you take? I've read several posts here suggesting to upgrade the Denali Natural History Tour to the Tundra Wilderness Tour. Did you do either of those? The Copper River is only included in a few tours. Want to make sure it was worth going there as opposed to somewhere else. Thanks!