Ship Life on an Alaska Cruise

[R Prim]

We are seasoned Carnival Cruisers (will get diamond status with our Alaska Cruise) but always some place warm. Alaska was on my bucket list and we are headed there in May. I have heard that going to Alaska is a totally different experience than cruising the Caribbean. That the ship doesn't really matter it is all about the destination. However, obviously we love the ships! Some of my concerns and questions are: Will the ship be warm enough (we are up in age and don't deal well with cold)? Is there still evening entertainment: Is attire in the dinning room more casual? Those who have sailed to many different destinations , what are the differences?

[khut]

We are seasoned Carnival Cruisers (will get diamond status with our Alaska Cruise) but always some place warm. Alaska was on my bucket list and we are headed there in May. I have heard that going to Alaska is a totally different experience than cruising the Caribbean. That the ship doesn't really matter it is all about the destination. However, obviously we love the ships! Some of my concerns and questions are: Will the ship be warm enough (we are up in age and don't deal well with cold)? Is there still evening entertainment: Is attire in the dinning room more casual? Those who have sailed to many different destinations , what are the differences?

 

 

We found when we cruised on the Carnival Spirit a few years ago that the ship seemed a bit cooler (probably because the air temp is cooler and especially on Lido deck where doors were opening frequently)........wore jeans and long sleeves all the time during the day.

There is still evening entertainment and we definitely felt the dining room was more casual.

On elegant nights men wore mostly dress pants, shirt and tie and ladies wore slacks and fancy tops. Other nights were slacks and even jeans.

Alaska is definitely a destination cruise.....enjoy every moment of the awesome scenery!

Be prepared for rain as well.

[ryanpatricksmom]

Alaska temperatures are constantly changing, so you have to be prepared for both warm and cold weather. I generally find the ship too cold for summer clothes even when sailing the Caribbean, but that's me. I'm always wearing long pants and long sleeves at night whether in Juneau or Aruba. It can get cold on shore excursions, and also sightseeing from the outer decks and balconies, so plan accordingly.

 

Yes, there is evening entertainment....although those long days ashore can wipe you out! The dining room has seemed more casual to me on Alaskan sailings.

[sailor_jimc]

I'll echo what the others have said. The cruise activities are pretty much the same as any other cruise. Except for the poolside games. Too cold for that. The attitude is much different though. Not sure what it is but a Caribbean cruise is fun fun fun... while the Alaska crowd is much more calming. People are more laid back and tend to go to sleep earlier. We have been on 2 Alaska cruise, you will love it. But packing is hard because you do need to pack for both warm and cool weather. I would pack geared more towards cool weather but bring at least one or 2 summer outfields. Also bring a rain proof jacket as it does tend to rain alot.

[R Prim]

Thank you all so much! Packing will be a challenge I know, and with paying for checked baggage we need to keep it at a minimum. I have gotten so much information on ports of call and excursions but just hadn't heard much about what to expect on board.

[marym933]

A good pair of long underwear is a must! I got some cuddle duds at Target. It was very cold in Glacier Bay!

[DreaminofOz]

Don't forget to bring some sunscreen. I managed to get a nice sunburn on my face on our Tracy Arm day. Spent the majority of the day out on deck taking in all the scenery. The thought of needing it in a 'cold weather' destination never crossed my mind. Lesson Learned :o

Edited February 14, 2014 by DreaminofOz

[Budget Queen]

Alaska on Carnival is VERY different compared to the Caribbean. Demographics are very different. Carnival does have one of the top Naturalist in my opinion, who will offer some afternoon programs. Very beneficial for first timers. There will not be the activities of Caribbean sailings.

 

Overall Carnival is already very casual- I always see shorts people on formal nights. Key to packing light is doing laundry. $15 a bag is a bargain. If you do your own, the machines are in big demand, and while there you are missing scenic sailing. :)

 

A "problem" with Carnival itinerary is unless you are on the Glacier Bay sailings, I find it "necessary" to purchase the Tracy Arm add on ship tour. This is grossly superior compared to the cruise ship sailing. Other negative with Seattle round trips is, it's the least scenic itinerary and has the potential for at least one day of rough sailing.

 

In my opinion, it isn't just about "choosing" a ship for an Alaskan cruise. Know what you are looking at and do some homework to find out the important details you don't know. THEN proceed with the booking.

[DHnDWplus2]

In my experience the ship is generally casual. Temperature wise, we were fine indoors but I wore a light sweater most days. We went in May last year and had sunshine every day. Even the captain kept commenting on the amazing weather cause it is usually more rainy. We opened our eyes every day to incredible scenery and wonderful light. As for the passengers, it is very different than a Caribbean cruise....we sat and watched the scenery all day! Very calm until a whale starts swimming along next to you!!!

 

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[Gold Mine Gal]

We have done both the Glacier Bay and Tracy Arms itinerary. Both are awesome in their own way. Definitely go to the naturalist's talks. They are very informative.

 

Layers are the way to go with clothing. I wore long sleeved t-shirts, added a long sleeve shirt or down vest and my winter coat over all. If I got warm, I just shed some clothes. As another poster suggested, nice thermal underware is a must. Pick up a set at a sporting store made with thin material, that way you don't feel so bulky. We had balconies and stayed outside until we got cold, went inside to warm up and went out again.

 

Our May trip was wonderful, but it rained a couple of days. Our Sept trip was very warm and sunny, made me wish I had brought some capris.

Enjoy Alaska, it is a once (or twice) in a lifetime trip.:)

[Tapi]

One of the absolute best cruises ever. Feel free to click on my review with photos (link in my signature).

 

 

 

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[riclop]

We are seasoned Carnival Cruisers (will get diamond status with our Alaska Cruise) but always some place warm. Alaska was on my bucket list and we are headed there in May. I have heard that going to Alaska is a totally different experience than cruising the Caribbean. That the ship doesn't really matter it is all about the destination. However, obviously we love the ships! Some of my concerns and questions are: Will the ship be warm enough (we are up in age and don't deal well with cold)? Is there still evening entertainment: Is attire in the dinning room more casual? Those who have sailed to many different destinations , what are the differences?

If you like cold and dont like pool weather than Alaska in May is for you.

[R Prim]

If you like cold and dont like pool weather than Alaska in May is for you.

I don't like cold and I do like pool weather and for years I have not been willing to give all that up. However, I have yet to hear ANYONE say their Alaska cruise was not worth every second (and dime, since it cost a great deal more for us than a southern cruise).

[what to go here and there]

Alaska is one of the best cruises we have ever taken. The beauty of Alaska is jaw dropping, i still have yet to come up with any other words to describe just how beautiful it is. :D

 

Get yourself an extra memory card for your camera .. we took 4000 pictures. Buy a good set of binoculars. Water proof your shoes, rain gear is a must (lucky us for the two weeks we did it rained all of 20 minutes)

 

Michelle the naturalist is the best, she was looking out for things to see and describing in length what you are seeing and telling stories to go along with it.

 

Dress in dining room is casual, elegant night was not near as fancy as a southern cruise.

 

Alaska does not have to be expensive .. we rented cars and did our own thing.. i did a lot of research and more research.

 

 

I now would rather sail to Alaska anytime over the southern cruises. it was more laid back and not as crazy with heavy drinking.. it is not party central.

 

You are going for the beauty of Alaska, so far it is the most beautiful location we have been to and is going to be hard to find something that beats it out.

 

Enjoy your cruise it is breathe taking

[TheCalicoCat]

Our Alaska cruise was on HAL Volendam, they had the best itinerary for us & a smaller ship.

 

We were not "cold" but we also were not wearing shorts & swim suits - though there were people using the hot tubs...

 

They still had dressier evenings & some people were far more dressier dressed than the others.

 

They had nice entertainment (string quartet) here & there. I live close enough to NYC that I don't partake in the evening entertainment on cruise ships - but I do believe that they have similar options to what they have in warmer climates.

[TheCalicoCat]

DSCF8195 by aviva_hadas (Amy), on Flickr

 

in Juneau, my son is wearing his coat...

 

DSCF8082 by aviva_hadas (Amy), on Flickr

 

& on this ship he is wearing his jacket.

[crusinpsychRN]

I found the MDR dress to be much more casual than other cruises. Very few dressed up for elegant night.

 

Wonderful cruise! Being from Florida and not even knowing what long underwear is, I had a learning curve for packing! I went in May...it's impossible to buy sweat pants in Florida in April, let alone long underwear!

[elliair]

We are seasoned Carnival Cruisers (will get diamond status with our Alaska Cruise) but always some place warm. Alaska was on my bucket list and we are headed there in May. I have heard that going to Alaska is a totally different experience than cruising the Caribbean. That the ship doesn't really matter it is all about the destination. However, obviously we love the ships! Some of my concerns and questions are: Will the ship be warm enough (we are up in age and don't deal well with cold)? Is there still evening entertainment: Is attire in the dinning room more casual? Those who have sailed to many different destinations , what are the differences?

 

Sailing to warm areas is different than sailing to Alaska. We went to Alaska in August last year on the Miracle. We were warm, but we dressed appropriately. We wore mainly jeans and a long shirt with a T-shirt under. We didn't get too warm. But this time we are going in May - same time as you. We plan to pack warmer clothes like sweat shirts and thermals. Pack some rain gear as we are having a late winter here and Alaska as well. There is always entertainment, and the attire in the dining room is the same as any other cruise. The only difference is the scenery - it's breath taking!

[PROCRUISE]

I don't like cold and I do like pool weather and for years I have not been willing to give all that up. However, I have yet to hear ANYONE say their Alaska cruise was not worth every second (and dime, since it cost a great deal more for us than a southern cruise).

 

We'll let you know since we're headed to Alaska with Holland America on a 14 day land/sea tour on 6/5/14. We're also spending 4 additional days in Fairbanks at the beginning of the land tour and 2 additional days in Vancouver at the conclusion of the cruise part. It is indeed pricey but should be interesting. Airfare wasen't too bad at all, but tours whether through the ship or private are not cheap. It has been fun planning everything and we're set to go. :)

[Sailor_Sally]

I went to Alaska two years ago in May .We wore jeans , long sleeve t shirts and sweaters . I also had a rain jacket with a zip in liner ,gloves , scarf & hat . On board dress was casual and I usually needed a light sweater . Elegant night was anything but elegant .Very Casual . The ship board activities were the same except for the naturalist 's lectures . They are very informative and interesting .We loved Alaska . Gorgeous scenery !

[Lerin]

If you like cold and dont like pool weather than Alaska in May is for you.

 

Well this is a first. Not sure I've ever heard anyone on any forum not like their Alaska cruise. Care to expand riclop? I'm curious what went wrong for you.

 

We did Alaska, but not on Carnival.

I don't recall the temperature being any different inside than on any other cruise.

The line we went on was somewhat formal, so people were dressed up in the evenings.

During the day we wore: pants, jeans, shorts, t shirts, sweatshirts, and raincoats. On the day we did the glacier we added hats, gloves and hand warmers.

Half way through sailing the glacier I went inside and joined a group of friend in the sauna! It was great, sitting in my swimsuit and watching glaciers go by. Oh you will need a swimsuit if that ship has a covered pool, but also for the spa area if you use the saunas or hot tubs.

You also do need sunglasses and sunscreen. Possibly an umbrella.

The number 1 thing you need: a good camera!

[kona_wahine]

I'm trying to talk DH into an Alaska cruise. Being from the Pacific Northwest he just wants to go somewhere warm. Up side would be we can drive to Seattle so no airfare. Being for Oregon we are use to cold and rain so would probably fare better than someone from the south. ;)

[mousey]

Alaska temperatures are constantly changing, so you have to be prepared for both warm and cold weather. I generally find the ship too cold for summer clothes even when sailing the Caribbean, but that's me. I'm always wearing long pants and long sleeves at night whether in Juneau or Aruba. It can get cold on shore excursions, and also sightseeing from the outer decks and balconies, so plan accordingly.

 

Yes, there is evening entertainment....although those long days ashore can wipe you out! The dining room has seemed more casual to me on Alaskan sailings.

 

I agree with this poster. I seriously suggest that you plan to dress in layers...also, be sure to take warm gloves, hat, scarfs, and water resistant shoes and coat (preferably with a hood). On the ship itself, it will be cool in the dining rooms and very cold outside unless it's one of those days were it is unexpectedly warm (that's why I suggest dressing in layers).

 

At night, there is entertainment (of course) but what I found on our Alaskan cruise was that there really weren't that many people out and about after about 10p. That's mainly because people are so tired from their excursions or they have a very early excursion the next morning.

 

Our Alaskan cruise was awesome but we did a lot of research (check the Alaska board and the fashion info board) and so we were prepared for everything. Another three things I suggest...bring the best camera and binoculars you can afford and a small umbrella for each of you; also, be aware that some of the excursions sell out fast so book the ones you want to take as soon as you possibly can. We were disappointed (but it didn't come close to ruining our cruise) that we weren't able to get on the Zodiac Whale Watching excursion.

 

I hope you plan ahead and do your research so that you can have an amazing cruise. Alaska is awesome and so incredibly beautiful!

Edited February 16, 2014 by mousey

[lovesublime]

A few people have mentioned Michelle the naturalist on Carnival ships in Alaska. This is just my opinion, but she annoyed us. Perhaps it's just a problem on Spirit class ships, but her ongoing commentary day after day after day could not be ignored. It wasn't directly piped into the cabins, but it was in ALL the hallways and outside decks and it was loud. We could not take afternoon naps because of her continuous ongoing broadcast loudly played throughout the ship. The best way to describe her voice is a flat, slightly high pitched never ending drone. Drove us nuts. And yes, some people take naps even on cruises to Alaska. Nothing wrong with it.

[teacher34]

We also sailed Alaska on the Spirit the last week in May. Most of our weather was great, but we did have 1 oe 2 rainy days. The sceanery was absolutely breathtaking! It was for us a once in a lifetime opportunity. With the airfare out there it made it a very expensive cruise for us, but something not to be missed. We did think it was a very different sailing experience than the Caribean. We didn't feel that there was as much offerred in the way of evening shows, but the days were full of being on deck and looking everywhere.We loved teh ports, especially Skagway and Ketchican. Amazing! The train ride was fantastic and I got some of my best pics there. I hope you enjoy every minute as we did!