port options

[crazy4watches]

What is the overall advantage from sailing out of Seward and going south to Vancouver versus the round trip cruise from Seattle?

 

Do you see more?

 

Do you do more?

 

The downside seems to be the cost of air travel. Flying to Seward and out of Vancouver seems expensive.

[zqvol]

What is the overall advantage from sailing out of Seward and going south to Vancouver versus the round trip cruise from Seattle?

 

Do you see more?

 

Do you do more?

 

The downside seems to be the cost of air travel. Flying to Seward and out of Vancouver seems expensive.

 

The advantage is that you are not doubling back over what you have just been by, and will get a couple of more days in new areas.

 

As far as flights, price two separate one way tickets sometimes that is much less expensive.

[DougH]

The scenery out of Seward and across the gulf is IMHO some of the best. Lots to see and do from Anchorage out to Seward and if you can go in even a day or two early. The round trips miss a lot of the sights you get on the one ways.

[Cruise_More_Often]

What is the overall advantage from sailing out of Seward and going south to Vancouver versus the round trip cruise from Seattle?

 

Do you see more?

 

Do you do more?

 

The downside seems to be the cost of air travel. Flying to Seward and out of Vancouver seems expensive.

Leaving from Seward or Whittier gives you the opportunity to add a few days to your itinerary and do a land tour.

 

We flew into Anchorage and stayed one night, then took the Alaska Railroad's Coastal Classic train to Seward. It was an absolute delight! The scenery between Anchorage and Seward is gorgeous. We stayed in Seward for two nights, going to the SeaLife Center the day we arrived and on a Kenai Fjords boat cruise the next (lots of wildlife and viewing the Holgate Glacier).

 

My photos of the Coastal Classic train, SeaLife Center, Seward and the Kenai Fjords cruise start here.

[geoherb]

If you have time to stay in Alaska before or after your cruise, I'd recommend the one-way over the round-trip cruises. But we've taken two round-trip cruises from Seattle and enjoyed both. We got to do things in Juneau, Ketchikan, Haines, and Skagway that were great. And on both of our cruises, the ships made it within great views of Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm. (Our cruises were in late July/early August. Some cruises earlier in the season don't get very good views of the glacier in Tracy Arm, although the scenery through the fjord is nice.)

[Budget Queen]

The advantage is that you are not doubling back over what you have just been by, and will get a couple of more days in new areas.

 

As far as flights, price two separate one way tickets sometimes that is much less expensive.

 

You don't "double back" on the round trip cruises. It is a circle route. The last day of sailing is not repeated much either, since it is done at different times of the day depending on the direction. Round trip cruises can be excellent choices.

[Budget Queen]

The scenery out of Seward and across the gulf is IMHO some of the best. Lots to see and do from Anchorage out to Seward and if you can go in even a day or two early. The round trips miss a lot of the sights you get on the one ways.

 

Most ships now, don't have any "scenery" sailing across the gulf. It is essentially open ocean. None go coastal any longer, and only HAL, in my experience did a half day coastal view routing, out of all my one way cruises in the past 10 years.

[Budget Queen]

My opinion only, I never consider any one ways without adding at least another week for mainland touring. I AM, however, doing a semi B2B in August, taking my nephews on their first time Alaska visit. BUT, I take them home, then return back the same or next day for that extra week+ and another cruise back to Vancouver.

 

Round trip cruises, get the reports, sometimes, that they are somehow less "worthy". I certainly do not agree. Cruiselines do an excellent job with the round trips, with at least 3 wonderful ports and a scenic glacier sailing- all nicely packed into a short 7 days. These have more convenient transportation features for some visitors.

 

ANY cruise is a compromise. Just depends what you determine your priorities to be. Key is to do your homework, so an informed choice can be made for your selection.