Northbound or southbound?

[Ashfry]

Ok I know I am asking lots of questions and I am super grateful for all the insight you all have provided!

 

I am torn....we were all set on a southbound cruise. We have some time constraint issues and can fly in thurs, cruise sat to sat then fly home sat night. My dh cannot miss two Mondays or Wednesday's.....major meeting days at work.

 

I have realized we won't get to see Vancouver at all with this itinerary. I really wanted to see Vancouver! We would get off the boat on a bus and to airport in Seattle. We live in fl so lots of flying.

 

I realize the difference in itinerary means we will miss Hubbard glacier.

 

So is it worth it to see Hubbard glacier and miss Vancouver or miss Hubbard and spend two days in Vancouver. Chancesarenwe will be back to Alaska at some point as we are in our mid thirties....

 

Help I am so torn we are booking this week!

[Coral]

It is more likely you will make it to Vancouver in the future than Hubbard Glacier. A trip to Pacific NW can include Vancouver.

 

If you can do Southbound itinerary with Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier, you will be set.

 

Vancouver is a great city but I would "see Alaska" on this trip.

[mapleleaves]

It would help if you posted your ship's itinerary. The big question will be ... are you visiting Glacier Bay ?

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Ok--So is it worth it to see Hubbard glacier and miss Vancouver or miss Hubbard and spend two days in Vancouver. Chancesarenwe will be back to Alaska at some point as we are in our mid thirties....

 

Help I am so torn we are booking this week!

 

Of course, only you can tell what is important to you. Are you going to visit other glaciers on your trip? Mendenhall in Juneau and/or Matanuska outside of Anchorage? Neither of those will have calving into the ocean.

 

Glacier Bay? I do not know what cruise line you are thinking of using.

 

We really liked visiting Vancouver. There is a great deal to see. (way more than Anchorage!)

[Ashfry]

We are doing princess, sapphire if southbound and diamond if northbound.

 

So we will see glacier bay either way.....

[Budget Queen]

Won't you have College Fjords on a northbound? With your current choice you are missing that.

 

Bottom line- no one but you can make this choice. There isn't any "bad" choices here. IF you really want to see Vancouver then do so- is my take. I also strongly suggest, you consider a boat tour of Prince William Sound, FAR superior to any glacier viewing from a cruiseship. These fit very nicely with either direction sailing Whittier.

 

Hubbard isn't the end all. You can be on a sailing that is way out with the viewing, you can be under massive fog with limited viewing etc etc.

 

Go with your most interested plan, not what you think you "should" do.

 

Also have you looked at NCL which does Glacier Bay and Hubbard on their northbound?

[Krazy Kruizers]

I would not worry Vancouver -- you can always go there in the future.

 

Alaska is all about the Glaciers and scenery.

[Coral]

I would not worry Vancouver -- you can always go there in the future.

 

Alaska is all about the Glaciers and scenery.

 

I couldn't agree more! Getting Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay on the same cruise is one of the best itineraries out there. It is much easier to go back to Vancouver than Hubbard Glacier.

 

Besides, Vancouver requires more then a day there! I have spent days there several times and still haven't touched Vancouver. Plus Whistler and Victoria (near Vancouver) are worth going to IMO. That is a separate vacation in itself.

[JJPacer]

I would not worry Vancouver -- you can always go there in the future.

 

Alaska is all about the Glaciers and scenery.

 

I agree. While only you can decide your priorities, I would do the itinerary including Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay. We saw College Fjord also, and it did not come close in comparison to Hubbard Glacier & Glacier Bay. Vancouver is a big city, with much to see. It is easier to get there than Hubbard Glacier. The Glaciers were our top priority during our planning, and after seeing them, they still would be.

[mgcarnut]

We were on the Island Princess southbound Voyage of the Glaciers cruise in September. This was Wednesday to Wednesday, but you should check the Sapphire schedule to see what time you dock in Vancouver. If it is in the morning, they may offer a Stanley Park and City Highlights tour, which we took upon our disembarkation in Vancouver. The tour started at 9:30 AM, gave us about 1/2 hour foot time in the park, along with a lot of sightseeing and photo ops, then the bus dropped us off at the airport with all our luggage at noon. They say this will work if you arrive Vancouver in the morning and your flight doesn't leave until after 2 PM.

 

Not a lot of time in Vancouver, but it gives you a taste of the city.

[Coral]

We were on the Island Princess southbound Voyage of the Glaciers cruise in September. This was Wednesday to Wednesday, but you should check the Sapphire schedule to see what time you dock in Vancouver. If it is in the morning, they may offer a Stanley Park and City Highlights tour, which we took upon our disembarkation in Vancouver. The tour started at 9:30 AM, gave us about 1/2 hour foot time in the park, along with a lot of sightseeing and photo ops, then the bus dropped us off at the airport with all our luggage at noon. They say this will work if you arrive Vancouver in the morning and your flight doesn't leave until after 2 PM.

 

Not a lot of time in Vancouver, but it gives you a taste of the city.

 

They are flying out of Seattle.

[Putterdude]

I am very inclined to recommend the southbound leg of Princess's Voyage of the Glaciers it is superior to the northbound itinerary. I am a native Vancouverite and as much as I would love to have you see Vancouver, my best advice is to do the southbound itinerary.

[pdmlynek]

I am torn....we were all set on a southbound cruise. We have some time constraint issues and can fly in thurs, cruise sat to sat then fly home sat night. My dh cannot miss two Mondays or Wednesday's.....major meeting days at work.

 

I have realized we won't get to see Vancouver at all with this itinerary. I really wanted to see Vancouver! We would get off the boat on a bus and to airport in Seattle. We live in fl so lots of flying.

...

 

I think that there have been a lot of good suggestion, but let me just chime in with an option that has not yet been mentioned.

I fully agree with you that Vancouver is a beautiful city that deserves several days. And if you are from Florida, it makes all the sense in the world for you to spend that time enjoying Vancouver since you’ve traveled all the way across the continent. You should see it.

Here is how you do it: you’ll get off the ship on Saturday morning, check yourselves into a hotel, repack your carryon luggage so that you’ll have 3 or 4 days worth of clean clothes, give the rest of the luggage with all your dirty clothes to your husband, have your husband get on the plane back home to Florida on Saturday evening or on Sunday, so you stay in Vancouver for 3 or 4 days longer. Enjoy it. He has a meeting at work. Or do you need to be at the meeting too?

The nice thing about this is that you won’t have to worry about any checked bags, you’ll travel light, and you’ll just have your carry on. Another bonus is that by the time you get back home, all of the dirty laundry will be done and put away, so that you won’t have deal with all the unpacking.

Good luck!

[Coral]

The nice thing about this is that you won’t have to worry about any checked bags, you’ll travel light, and you’ll just have your carry on. Another bonus is that by the time you get back home, all of the dirty laundry will be done and put away, so that you won’t have deal with all the unpacking.

Good luck!

 

Wow -that is making a huge assumption in the last paragraph! Laundry will be done and put away when OP gets home :)

 

Good idea about the OP staying longer and sending the husband home sooner.

 

I agree Vancouver is worth seeing but it can take a few days and is even better when adding Victoria and Whistler. Maybe the couple can plan a trip to B.C. in the future.