Who else wants a new route?

[DougH]

I've done Alaska way to many times stopping at the same ports time after time and I'm sure many others have done the same thing. I'd love if the lines (Hint: Princess) offered a different itinerary for the more experienced Alaska visitor. I'd love a 7 day route RT from Whittier with stops at Kodiak Island, Homer, Seward, Valdez and Icy Strait. For Glacier stops they can visit Hubbard and/or Colllege Fjord.

 

Combining this with a more tradional North or Southbouind cruise would provide a great 14 or 21 day option and I think prove extremely popular. Put me down as first in line for booking :)

[SightCRR]

That is why we went on HALs 14 day in 2012 and signed up again for 2014.

Seattle, Ketch, Juneau, Tracy Arm, Icy Strait, Downtown ANC, Homer, Kodiak, Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Victoria, Seattle.

Sightcrr

[Assateague Island Princes]

Hi Doug - I agree with you. HAL's 14 day itinerary is back this year after a one year hiatus. It includes the ports of Anchorage (the city itself, not Whittier or Seward), along with Kodiak, Homer, ISP, Ketchikan, Sitka, Victoria, BC (all day, not a night stop), Juneau, and for glacier sailing days - both Tracy Arm and Hubbard Glacier. (Hmmm....am I forgetting another port? :rolleyes:). It is RT from Seattle, only one sailing per month from May thru Sept. The best thing to me - besides some of those unusual ports - is that there are NO repeat ports like a traditional back-to-back.

 

I'll be on the May 18th sailing of this amazing itinerary, and it will be the third time I've done it - it is that special. We were actually going to do the 14 day Princess itinerary in 2010, but wouldn't you know it, that is the year they stopped doing it.:o Fortunately, that is the first year HAL tried this 14 day itinerary, so we jumped at the chance. Its been a love affair for us w/this 14 day itinerary ever since.

 

I wish other cruise lines would consider a true 14 day Alaskan itinerary as well, and who knows? Maybe in coming years they will. Until then, consider HAL's 14 day itinerary.

[em-sk]

I can't say I have the same problem. I still working on deciding on my next cruise and it will likely be my first to Alaska.

 

I noticed that NCL Sun does have 14 day cruises out of Vancouver. Not certain how much overlap there is with the "typical" 7 day cruise.

[em-sk]

I can't say I have the same problem. I still working on deciding on my next cruise and it will likely be my first to Alaska.

 

I noticed that NCL Sun does have 14 day cruises out of Vancouver. Not certain how much overlap there is with the "typical" 7 day cruise.

 

Never mind they repeat a good number of the ports going up and coming back. That is just silly, especially give they could pop into some Canadian ports like Prince Rupert or Nanaimo and don't.

[DougH]

I'll be on the May 18th sailing of this amazing itinerary, and it will be the third time I've done it - it is that special. We were actually going to do the 14 day Princess itinerary in 2010, but wouldn't you know it, that is the year they stopped doing it.:o .

 

They stopped in 2011. I was on the Royal Princess in Aug 2010 for the 14 day. I know HAL has the 14 day but I prefer Princess. My first B2B Alaska was actually on the Statendam back in 2001

[AKStafford]

I've done Alaska way to many times stopping at the same ports time after time and I'm sure many others have done the same thing. I'd love if the lines (Hint: Princess) offered a different itinerary for the more experienced Alaska visitor. I'd love a 7 day route RT from Whittier with stops at Kodiak Island, Homer, Seward, Valdez and Icy Strait. For Glacier stops they can visit Hubbard and/or Colllege Fjord.

 

Combining this with a more tradional North or Southbouind cruise would provide a great 14 or 21 day option and I think prove extremely popular. Put me down as first in line for booking :)

 

Cruise ships used to make Valdez a regular port. But after 9/11 the Pipeline Terminal tour was eliminated and there just wasn't much else for attractions that couldn't be done elsewhere. Valdez didn't put much effort into giving the ships a reason to stop.

[2red4u]

Is it completely abnormal that I just researched that 14 day cruise and am trying to figure on what day of our alaska cruise in may I should talk to my husband about it? And we have never sailed before either!! Y'all are bad for the bank account, lol!

[BruceMuzz]

14-day cruises in Alaska have never been very popular - at least not popular enough to fill ships very week of the season.

Every cruise line has tried them, and given up after having to nearly give away the cabins for most of the season.

Then after they all stop this itinerary, one cruise line ventures in again, hoping to capture the entire 14-day Alaska cruise market in order to fill the ship and make a profit.

 

But as soon as one ship is successful, the other lines also introduce their own 14-day itineraries, diluting the market again and making it unprofitable again.

So then they go through the entire process yet again, giving away cabins and losing money, then cancelling the itinerary until the cycle starts all over again.

[Ashland]

That is why we went on HALs 14 day in 2012 and signed up again for 2014.

Seattle, Ketch, Juneau, Tracy Arm, Icy Strait, Downtown ANC, Homer, Kodiak, Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Victoria, Seattle.

Sightcrr

I would love if RCI (loyalist) would change up their ports too...Would love to see Homer and Kodiak...As far as ISP.. my least favorite RCI port.

[Glaciers]

If you’re really looking for alternative routes you might try the smaller lines. Many times they bypass ports altogether or frequent ports that the larger ships don’t go to. Un-Cruise or Alaskan Dream are two. We did a 14 day on Un-Cruise a few years ago that turned out to be the best we’ve been on. The main ports are becoming too congested and really not very reflective of what Alaska is all about.