11 night transatlantic on quantum or first time alaskan cruise???????????????????????

[ssa444]

debating on what to book next. weve never been on an alaskan cruise, but also never been on the quantum or transatlantic.

 

anyone who has done TA and alaska which one would u recommend to do first?

 

the TA does have 4 ports of call, 3 of which are in spain and the other is azores islands i think ??

 

very interested to hear some feedback on this thanks :)

[NMLady]

debating on what to book next. weve never been on an alaskan cruise, but also never been on the quantum or transatlantic.

 

anyone who has done TA and alaska which one would u recommend to do first?

 

the TA does have 4 ports of call, 3 of which are in spain and the other is azores islands i think ??

 

very interested to hear some feedback on this thanks :)

 

Even though we love sea days and have done five ta's I would definitely tell you to choose Alaska. The scenery is awesome.

[alcpa1]

I'd also recommend Alaska but start in Alaska and sail down to Vancouver on an Inland Passage cruise. If you sail on RCI or Celebrity on this route you will sail through Hubbard Glacier in the afternoon when there is less likelihood of encountering fog. Vancouver is 1,300 miles south of Anchorage which means 1,300 miles closer to home and is a fabulous city to visit as well.

Your weather may also be better depending on when you sail. The east bound TA's sail in late spring when the weather can be on the cool side. In Alaska you will have cooler weather but it's expected and prepared for.

The scenic Alaska cruises more than make up for ending in Barcelona - which is also one of our favorite cities but Alaska wins hands down.

[Keith1010]

I've done both types of cruises many times. They are totally different.

 

On a TA, the ship is the destination. It can be very relaxing. You may encounter some rough seas. I prefer East to West so you set the clock backwards rather than forward.

 

Alaska is all about the beauty of the state and all that you will see.

 

Both are great. Think through if you are more interested in enjoying the ship and making it your destination or if you would like to make Alaska your destination.

 

Both are wonderful options.

 

Keith

[dorisis]

Alaska!!!

[frenchcanrican]

Do the Alaska cruise from Vancouver to Seward. You can relax at the beginning and see the good stuff at the end. Once in Seward stay a few nights and enjoy Seward and the glaciers there take a fishing trip. You can also walk/hike the Iditarod Trail. There are the fjords and Cadillac mnt. It's beautiful.

 

 

 

 

"Half of a DINK and proud of it!."😜

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done Transatlantics and Alaska.

JMO -- go for Alaska.

[puppycanducruise]

I'd vote for Alaska!

It's so beautiful.

But, I've never done a trans Atlantic, it might be too many sea days for me.

Happy cruising.

[Hlitner]

It is really comparing Apples to Oranges. We have cruises to Alaska one time, and done more then 20 TAs. But for us, a TA is simply a wonderful way to get to or from Europe without the hassles of flying. So if you can spare the time and money to spend a week or longer in Europe plus take a TA then we think this is a great trip. But if you are talking just a TA vs Alaska we would probably recommend Alaska. And some of us do love those sea days. In fact, we are soon taking a long Transpacific cruise because 12 of the first 14 days are sea days

 

Hank

Edited July 8, 2014 by Hlitner

[RSLeesburg]

The other thing to consider is Quantum is brand new ship with tons of bells and whistles, and this TA will be one leg of its journey to Asia (58 days total). It will be interesting to see if this is just a TA, or if this is built up to be something special. As much as I want to see Alaska, this is a unique trip too.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[Grannycb]

Have done Alaska three times and it just keeps getting better. Have done several TA crossings. Even on the big new ships, a TA can't hold a candle to Alaska's beauty.

[dwjoe]

Can you kindly not use a lot of question marks in your thread title. It makes the eyes hurt. Thank you.

[DaKa2002]

We have done both, but would do Alaska again (and again, and again) over another trans-Atlantic, especially if there was no special reason for returning to Europe.

Our favorites for Alaska: 1) Out of Seattle and return; 2) Anchorage to Vancouver; 3) Anything Alaska!

[Shmoo here]

debating on what to book next. weve never been on an alaskan cruise, but also never been on the quantum or transatlantic.

 

anyone who has done TA and alaska which one would u recommend to do first?

 

the TA does have 4 ports of call, 3 of which are in spain and the other is azores islands i think ??

 

very interested to hear some feedback on this thanks :)

 

We've done both a TA and an Alaskan cruise. Interestingly, we had booked the TA first, but, since it was almost 2 years out from that cruise we booked an Alaskan cruise in the meantime. We'd do either one again.

 

As for figuring out which one to do first, I'd have to look at costs (including airfare, pre & post cruise stays, and actual cost of cruise). Plus I'd have to find out which one would have the room type that I want to book at a cost I can live with. Then, what ports & port times each has.

 

Then choose.

[jamessemaj]

We've done both a TA and an Alaskan cruise. Interestingly, we had booked the TA first, but, since it was almost 2 years out from that cruise we booked an Alaskan cruise in the meantime. We'd do either one again.

 

As for figuring out which one to do first, I'd have to look at costs (including airfare, pre & post cruise stays, and actual cost of cruise). Plus I'd have to find out which one would have the room type that I want to book at a cost I can live with. Then, what ports & port times each has.

 

Then choose.

 

My view exactly. I sure like transatlantics but hate flying, even one way. I agree that I would weigh all of the costs and the horrors of flying to decide. I am not as enamored as most with Alaska, been once, not sure I care to do it again; don't like cold, even that in the summer in Alaska.

[Karysa]

It is really comparing Apples to Oranges. We have cruises to Alaska one time, and done more then 20 TAs. But for us, a TA is simply a wonderful way to get to or from Europe without the hassles of flying. So if you can spare the time and money to spend a week or longer in Europe plus take a TA then we think this is a great trip. But if you are talking just a TA vs Alaska we would probably recommend Alaska. And some of us do love those sea days. In fact, we are soon taking a long Transpacific cruise because 12 of the first 14 days are sea days

 

Hank

 

20 TA's wow you are the people to ask this question to. It's really the reason I can not in the near future see myself taking a TA cruise. Aren't you concerned that there may be an extreme emergency back home that you can't get home to? It's one thing to be on a Greek Island cruise compared to having 5 sea days crossing the ocean. Thanks:)

[ssa444]

wow thanks for all the replies! i really appreciate it!

 

one person mentioned the ship being the destination, and i suppose to a certain extent Quantem (or Anthem i cant remember which one it is :) ) IS a destination, but this particular cruise also stops at 4 ports of call along the way so itd be the best of both i suppose.

 

i researched choice air and can get one way back home for 550$ per person which is fairly reasonable IMO from spain.

 

i guess i got some figurin to do :)

 

to the question mark person: sorry, maybe itll get better for you tomorrow ;)

[Karysa]

20 TA's wow you are the people to ask this question to. It's really the reason I can not in the near future see myself taking a TA cruise. Aren't you concerned that there may be an extreme emergency back home that you can't get home to? It's one thing to be on a Greek Island cruise compared to having 5 sea days crossing the ocean. Thanks:)

 

I would appreciate any input from anyone who's taken a TA. Are you concerned that there may be an extreme emergency back home when you are on a ship crossing the ocean?

[DaKa2002]

I would appreciate any input from anyone who's taken a TA. Are you concerned that there may be an extreme emergency back home when you are on a ship crossing the ocean?

 

Not concerned too much - life goes on, with or without us. No different that being deployed with the military: mission first, everything else second!

 

When you do get home, you pick up the pieces and move forward....

[Karysa]

Not concerned too much - life goes on, with or without us. No different that being deployed with the military: mission first, everything else second!

 

When you do get home, you pick up the pieces and move forward....

 

Something tells me it's a little different but thanks for your thoughts.

[Shmoo here]

I would appreciate any input from anyone who's taken a TA. Are you concerned that there may be an extreme emergency back home when you are on a ship crossing the ocean?

 

No more than when we're on any other sort of trip (vacation or otherwise) away from home.

 

If the house is on fire, me being 1/2 hour away or 3 days away won't really change the outcome. We have people at home to handle emergencies, and we'll deal with the fallout when we get home.

 

Now, if there were some sort of problem that really meant that we had to get home sooner than then end of the cruise (although I really can't think of anything that would fall in that description) - when you're at sea (typically 5-6 days), you still can make flight arrangements for once you hit land. Generally you're not going to get flights back home "right NOW" when trying to get home right away, so a couple (or 3 or 4) days isn't going to make much difference.

 

When my mother was sick (actually she was dying) we had a talk, and she basically told me that we were NOT to cancel or cut short any cruises that we were either on or had upcoming because she had died. I know a lot of people don't want to talk about such things, but we did.

 

And, as in my other scenario, the house burns down, waiting a week or two to file claims isn't going to make any difference.

 

As DaKa2002 says "When you do get home, you pick up the pieces and move forward".

[JimAOk1945]

We've never taken a TA. My wife would love it, but I would not like a cruise with a lot of sea days.

 

We have taken two Alaska cruises so far. Both times were in mid August. The first one in 2009 was a round trip from Seattle on the Star Princess. Our ports were Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. We had a great time but wanted to go back again, which we did in mid-August of 2012.

 

We sailed on the Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas on the southbound route from Seward to Vancouver. We loved it! We had four ports of call, Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Icy Strait Point located in the Alaskan town of Hoonah.

 

You might be interested in seeing my wife's picture slideshows at the links below. It may help you decide which cruise to take.

 

Alaska is amazing! We plan to go back again soon. Happy cruising. It's a great way to see the world.

Edited July 13, 2014 by JimAOk1945

[Karysa]

No more than when we're on any other sort of trip (vacation or otherwise) away from home.

 

If the house is on fire, me being 1/2 hour away or 3 days away won't really change the outcome. We have people at home to handle emergencies, and we'll deal with the fallout when we get home.

 

Now, if there were some sort of problem that really meant that we had to get home sooner than then end of the cruise (although I really can't think of anything that would fall in that description) - when you're at sea (typically 5-6 days), you still can make flight arrangements for once you hit land. Generally you're not going to get flights back home "right NOW" when trying to get home right away, so a couple (or 3 or 4) days isn't going to make much difference.

 

When my mother was sick (actually she was dying) we had a talk, and she basically told me that we were NOT to cancel or cut short any cruises that we were either on or had upcoming because she had died. I know a lot of people don't want to talk about such things, but we did.

 

And, as in my other scenario, the house burns down, waiting a week or two to file claims isn't going to make any difference.

 

As DaKa2002 says "When you do get home, you pick up the pieces and move forward".

 

 

It won't change the outcome but you might be able to save pictures ect if you were half an hour away compared to 6 days away. I was thinking more on the lines of a car accident happening to an immediate relative, child or grandchild for instance. Five or six days before being able to fly home would seem like an eternity to me. I can't possibly the only one that has ever thought of a scenario such as this.

[daunegnc]

It is really comparing Apples to Oranges. We have cruises to Alaska one time, and done more then 20 TAs. But for us, a TA is simply a wonderful way to get to or from Europe without the hassles of flying. So if you can spare the time and money to spend a week or longer in Europe plus take a TA then we think this is a great trip. But if you are talking just a TA vs Alaska we would probably recommend Alaska. And some of us do love those sea days. In fact, we are soon taking a long Transpacific cruise because 12 of the first 14 days are sea days

 

Hank

Booked for the Oasis 9/1 TA...got great price and almost free air with points...SO...what do I pack...?? Really looking forward to the SHIP as our destination. Is the weather going to be warm most of the way? How many layers should we pack? Only going to be in Europe for 2 days then we have to return home. So I am really just worried about packing for the sea days. Swimsuits or sweaters???

[woodyren]

While not exactly the same I was faced with a similar decision. Time and $$$ available for one longish cruise holiday next year. Have done a TA which was fantastic but we are new(ish) to cruising and have not been to Alaska. I was going to book a Trans Pacific and a B2B Nth and Sth bound Alaskan cruise.

 

THEN I spotted the Quantum repo itinerary and booked three of the legs. Would have loved to include the TA but it wouldn't fit. The reasoning was that Quantum may never sail the TA or the other legs for a long time whereas Alaska will still be there next year.

 

So I am not saying which is better but that this may be the only way you can do both. So IMO do the TA.

Edited July 13, 2014 by woodyren