Should I feel guilty of not wanting to do tours and just enjoying the cruise?

[Karysa]

The "lowest" prices are not always in May. Especially if open to late booking, there can be excellent deals the entire season. I've picked up 6 deeply discounted cruises this year, on top of the single Alaska cruise I booked several months in advance. :)

 

Last minute airfare on the other hand is usually more expensive than if you book months in advance.

[Giantfan13]

yeah, but marriage seems like a heckuva price to pay for a travel companion!! :eek:

Makes the single supplement seem like a real bargain! :)

 

BTW, I'm in LasVegas for awhile . Any rain in your neighborhood ?

 

I guess it depends on who you are married to. ;);););)

 

We just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary, and in a million years, we would never think of ever traveling apart from each other.

 

Cheers

 

Len

[runner15km]

I just did my first cruise to Alaska on the Golden Princess. If its foggy or rainy you will not see much along the shore and there is nothing going on during sea days on the ship except Bingo and Triva.

The ports of Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan are mostly industrial looking and nothing but Jewelery Stores.

 

Thank goodness for three tours and the sailing of Glacier Bay.

[Ashland]

I guess it depends on who you are married to. ;);););)

 

We just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary, and in a million years, we would never think of ever traveling apart from each other.

 

Cheers

 

Len

I agree...with 38 years of marriage neither can we...so excited to plan the 40th...now if RCI would just open the booking itineraries past April 2016 we could get started...am thinking about Greece :D

[AZDENNY]

We are currently planning an Alaskan cruise for next July. While we look forward to Alaska, is it possible to enjoy the cruise without doing any of the excursions? I mean, is it possible to just enjoy the beauty of nature while cruising the waterways and just visiting the ports? I do not need to be convinced that an excursion can be very rewarding and expand the enjoyment of the trip, or to be told what I would be missing. I am asking if anybody enjoyed just being on a ship in Alaska?

 

Your cruise so do what YOU want to do. No rules saying you have to do excursions....Just relax and enjoy the trip...:D

[Hikini]

We have been to Alaska many times and will soon be departing on our 10th cruise to AK. Basically we've seen it all and done it all, but we love to cruise so we keep going back. Seattle is our hometown so it's very easy to cruise to AK from here.

 

The first 2-4 cruises we did excursions, but after that we just get off the ship (at most ports) and go to the places we know and love, and then go back to the ship when we are ready. We will take the tram to the top of Mt. Roberts IF it is a clear day in Juneau. That doesn't happen very often, so we take advantage of it if we can.

 

My Dad is 88 and this is also he & Mom's 10th cruise to AK. Since their 2nd cruise to AK he has not even gotten off the ship. He just loves being on the ship.

 

The nice thing about staying on the ship during port days is that the ship is so quiet and you feel like you have it to yourself.

 

Please do not feel guilty about having the kind of vacation that YOU want. YOU earned it, after all!

[Karysa]

I just did my first cruise to Alaska on the Golden Princess. If its foggy or rainy you will not see much along the shore and there is nothing going on during sea days on the ship except Bingo and Triva.

The ports of Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan are mostly industrial looking and nothing but Jewelery Stores.

 

Thank goodness for three tours and the sailing of Glacier Bay.

 

DH and I are attending a conference on our first Alaskian cruise next month so since we will be "in class" on our 2 sea days we carefully chose excursions that will give us a good feel of what Alaska is like in our limited amount of time.

Edited August 16, 2014 by Karysa

[varoo]

As one who has family members dealing with major health issues and mobility limitations, all I can say is that if there are places you want to see and things you want to do, try to see them and do them now while you still can.

 

None of us are guaranteed that there will even be a "next time" to see and do the things we miss out on this time while we have the chance.

 

Of course nobody ever has to do excursions. But know that there are so many wonderful things to see and experience in Alaska beyond the port areas where your cruise ship docks.

Do what matters most to you; whatever bring joy to you and your loved ones.

 

For our friends and family members with severe mobility limitations, whatever they can see and enjoy from the ship is certainly better than not going and not getting to experience any of Alaska at all.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2014 by varoo

[frugaltravel]

Last minute airfare on the other hand is usually more expensive than if you book months in advance.

 

There are definitely ways around the "last minute" airfare issue. Book flights in advance with a big enough window so you have a choice of multiple cruises at a last-minute price. Accrue frequent flyer miles (over 50% of miles are not accrued by flying - be creative!!) and you have at most a $75 close-in booking fee when using miles. These are just two ideas that popped into my head. I am sure there are more.

[travelbug11]

We are currently planning an Alaskan cruise for next July. While we look forward to Alaska, is it possible to enjoy the cruise without doing any of the excursions? I mean, is it possible to just enjoy the beauty of nature while cruising the waterways and just visiting the ports? I do not need to be convinced that an excursion can be very rewarding and expand the enjoyment of the trip, or to be told what I would be missing. I am asking if anybody enjoyed just being on a ship in Alaska?

 

Absolutely!!!

 

I have mobility issues and took two cruises in May round trip Vancouver for 14 days. The Radiance class is the best because of all the glass on the outside of the ship.

 

When the ships are docked in port you are right in town. I can sit there all day and look out at the beautiful scenery. When I did get off it was to get on a bus to go up into the Yukon.

[Karysa]

There are definitely ways around the "last minute" airfare issue. Book flights in advance with a big enough window so you have a choice of multiple cruises at a last-minute price. Accrue frequent flyer miles (over 50% of miles are not accrued by flying - be creative!!) and you have at most a $75 close-in booking fee when using miles. These are just two ideas that popped into my head. I am sure there are more.

 

I never gave much thought of flying into Seattle and cruising out of Vancouver. Perhaps there are more options than I first thought.

[Karysa]

As one who has family members dealing with major health issues and mobility limitations, all I can say is that if there are places you want to see and things you want to do, try to see them and do them now while you still can.

 

None of us are guaranteed that there will even be a "next time" to see and do the things we miss out on this time while we have the chance.

 

Of course nobody ever has to do excursions. But know that there are so many wonderful things to see and experience in Alaska beyond the port areas where your cruise ship docks.

Do what matters most to you; whatever bring joy to you and your loved ones.

 

For our friends and family members with severe mobility limitations, whatever they can see and enjoy from the ship is certainly better than not going and not getting to experience any of Alaska at all.

 

 

Very well said.:)

[dateacher]

I'm sure it's been answered but it's up to you. To me, you need to do the excursions. If you just walk around you are only seeing tourist shops. As someone else noted about the people who said there was nothing to do.

 

If I couldn't do some excursions, Alaska is not the place I would want to go. Maybe the Caribbean just to relax but I wouldn't go all the way to Alaska to relax.

[evandbob]

To the OP:

 

If the "guilt" is coming from other people, than best to ignore; if the "guilt" is coming from your own little voice inside your head, than best to listen to it.

 

When I was young, I did many things I wound up regretting; now that I am older, my regrets come from wishing I'd have done something I wanted to do.

 

I've learned to listen to my inner voice and have been scratching items off my bucket list for several years now.

 

To the OP: Be true to yourself.

[hyperdrive]

No offense, but I have to ask .... if you had known about budget activities at each port like a $2 bus to Totem Bight would you still have chosen the coffee and snack?

 

I am on a budget and I plan on taking the bus to Totem Bight. Any other recommendations in Juneau or Skagway?

[Budget Queen]

I am on a budget and I plan on taking the bus to Totem Bight. Any other recommendations in Juneau or Skagway?

 

Head to your library and take out Alaska Port of Call books, and look at the walking tours.

[Budget Queen]

To the OP:

 

If the "guilt" is coming from other people, than best to ignore; if the "guilt" is coming from your own little voice inside your head, than best to listen to it.

 

When I was young, I did many things I wound up regretting; now that I am older, my regrets come from wishing I'd have done something I wanted to do.

 

I've learned to listen to my inner voice and have been scratching items off my bucket list for several years now.

 

To the OP: Be true to yourself.

 

I post along this slant in my posts and mentioned the "guilt", source- to be aware of perhaps? :) You wrote the point beautifully. :) Over 30 years ago, something happened to me, to put my life in the fast lane. I've done exactly what I've wanted to to in my travels all those years, through today. Problem is, my kids now are NOT travelers, and state I "dragged" them all over, and dumped me, years ago. :) :) :) Now my poor husband gets dragged everywhere. Life is short with no guarantees. Live for today.

[Nancyquilts]

I am on a budget and I plan on taking the bus to Totem Bight. Any other recommendations in Juneau or Skagway?

 

In Skagway the Park Service runs free walking tours. You sign up at the old depot as you first get into town.

[varoo]

I am on a budget and I plan on taking the bus to Totem Bight. Any other recommendations in Juneau or Skagway?

I agree that the thing to do in advance is to check out travel books and browse websites to familiarize yourself with the places to see and things to do in both Juneau and Skagway.

 

Then get together with other congenial people on your cruise who share your interests and share the cost of a rental car for the day at each of those two ports.

 

Have a plan prepared for where you want to go and what you want to see, in what order, so that you are not just driving around aimlessly.

Be sure to get Murray's Guide to take with you for Skagway.

 

Other than just walking around, a rental car shared by several people provides the best "bang for the buck" letting you have a wonderful full day of touring for relatively little cost per person.