Best line for alaska cruise?

[gertiesmom]

Ok friends, which cruise line and/or ship is best for Alaska?

 

We are looking for one for a family cruise with extended family, and my hubby and I need a suite with a separate bedroom. My brother is stationed in the Seattle area, so the plan is for all the family to fly there and him to not have to fly. However, he is single and we dont really want to book him his own room, just in case he can't make it. So, our thought was that we could book a suite for my hubby and I, with a separate sleeping area for us, and add my brother as a 3rd person to the cabin.

 

Any suggestions would be helpful. We are looking at Summer 2014 for this trip, if that matters.

 

THANKS!

[CruiserBruce]

If you look over on the Alaska board, you will see this question asked very regularly.

 

First, I would look at the cruise lines you have cruised on before, and are happy with. Most cruise lines have at least one ship there.

 

Reading over on the Alaska board, you will see Glacier Bay is a top priority, but HAL and Princess have most of the permits. NCL is a distant third. That may affect your choice.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Princess will be your best bet ..

[CowPrincess]

You need to find what ships/lines have the cabin config you need. On Hol Am, I think only the Penthouse has a separate bedroom. Not sure what the other lines have.

[sail7seas]

Princess and HAL have the longest history of Alaska cruises and have relationships with most of the best providers for tours etc

 

[sail7seas]

You need to find what ships/lines have the cabin config you need. On Hol Am, I think only the Penthouse has a separate bedroom. Not sure what the other lines have.

 

 

Depends which class of ship for Penthouse with separate bedroom.

 

The "S" and "R" Class ships do not have separate bedroom but Vista and Signature are divided.

 

"S" Ships are Statendam, Maasdam, Ryndam and Veendam. "R" ships are Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Zaandam and Volendam.

 

[ShawninFL]

I think you will find two cabins much cheaper than a two bedroom suite or a suite with one separate sleeping are.

 

Also, I couldn't imagine doing an Alaska cruise that doesn't include Glacier Bay. It was by far the highlight of our cruise.

[gertiesmom]

Thanks for the help. My brother doesn't want his own room though because he is in the navy and refuses to stay in an inside room... He says that is what he does for a living. But the price of a balcony on an Alaska cruise for a single person would be more expensive, I think.

[Keith1010]

We have sailed Alaska many times on a range of cruise lines.

 

Alaska is all about the itinerary. I would begin by figuring out which itinerary which you prefer to sail. I would try to find one that includes Glacier Bay. From there you can select a cruise line.

 

There is no best cruise line and remember what one person thinks is best another perso might not.

 

I would take a look at a few of the cruise lines. They include:

 

Celebrity, Princess, and HAL. These three have been sailing Alaska for many years.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

The first thing you need to do is decide on an itinerary.

Most ships have only a couple of cabins that have a separate bedroom, so if that is what you want -- you need to book that as soon as possible.

I do agree -- Glacier Bay and/or Hubbard glacier are a must see.

To help you a little -- on HAL -- only the Vista Class and Singature class ships have a separate area for 1 or 2 more people to sleep in. It is a bed that opens from beside the desk area in the living room. There is a dining room that separates the the living room from the main bedroom. There are doors on the bedroom that can be closed for privacy. There are just 2 Penthouse Cabins on these ships that do Alaska -- Westerdam, Zuiderdam and Oosterdam.

HAL also had a couple of other ships that do Alaska -- smaller -- only 1 Penthouse and only curtains separate the bedroom from the living room which is right next to the bedroom -- not much privacy.

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>\\To help you a little -- on HAL -- only the Vista Class and Singature class ships have a separate area for 1 or 2 more people to sleep in. It is a bed that opens from beside the desk area in the living room. There is a dining room that separates the the living room from the main bedroom. There are doors on the bedroom that can be closed for privacy. There are just 2 Penthouse Cabins on these ships that do Alaska -- Westerdam, Zuiderdam and Oosterdam.

 

HAL also had a couple of other ships that do Alaska -- smaller -- only 1 Penthouse and only curtains separate the bedroom from the living room which is right next to the bedroom -- not much privacy.

 

 

 

Rotterdam's Penthouse we stayed in had the adjacent living room with pull out couch. There was a curtain that could be pulled around the king bed but the pull out couch is relatively near.

 

[olemissreb]

As everyone has said - first look at itinerary and length of port times. Don't rule out a one way. You will be in Seattle and can take the train to Vancouver to begin your cruise and then fly back from Anchorage to Seattle (or vice versa). Pick up any of the Alaska tour books (Fodors, Frommers) to try and determine what you want to see. If you choose to do a one way, you may want to consider doing a land tour also.

 

You have some time to peruse the Alaska board and find out all sorts of helpful information. That is where I have spent way too much time over the past 2 years planning my trip.

 

As for cabins, you may also want to look at connecting cabins and maybe your brother could share a room with nephews or nieces? If you put him as the 3rd in that room, he could get a military discount as well as the 3rd person rate. We did this with my mother on the cruise portion of our AK trip. She is sharing a cabin with my sons. She was listed as the 3rd person in the room and got a senior discount - made it very affordable for her. Their cabin is connected to our suite, so we will probably leave the connecting door open to provide extra room for everyone (plus access to 2 bathrooms!).

[agabbymama]

Try NCL, I'm not sure of their itineraries to Alaska for 2014, but I do know they have a 2 bedroom family suite and you might be able to get a good deal.