Possible Interesting New Cruise Route

[donaldsc]

The problem with most AK cruises is that there are only a limited number of ports on the classic Alaska cruises and even the people who love Alaska have to get tired of the limited number of stops. Very few of the cruises stop at smaller ports such as Homer, Sitka, Wrangle or Prince Rupert which are all interesting ports. Almost none of them stop at Valdez or Kodiak.

 

I wonder how many people would jump at a truly different Alaska cruise that a forward thinking cruise company (I know that this is a contradiction in terms) might try once or twice a year that would essentially follow the route of the Alaska Marine Highway Aleutian Island route -

 

http://www.alaskaferryvacations.com/Trip_Chain_Aleutians.htm.

 

You leave Whittier. Stop at Valdez. Maybe stop at Homer. Stop at Kodiak. Then work your way west as far as Dutch Harbour stopping at small Aleutian Island ports along the way. The end point of the cruise would be Whittier so you could even fly round trip to and from Anchorage or you could add a cruise company furnished or a DIY land trip as part of the vacation.

 

You would have to use one of the smaller ships and you could probably do it only once or twice a year but I bet it would sell. I would book it in a heartbeat.

 

We did a 2 week Alaska cruise a few years ago that was on either HAL or Princess that did sort of the same thing but only got as far Kodiak. The problem with this cruise was that it started in AK and ended in the lower 48. My proposed trip would start and end in Whittier so you do not waste time cruising to the start of the interesting bits.

 

In some respects, this would be sort of equivalent to the Hurtigruten Norway coastal runs.

 

I know that the Alaska Marine Highways ferries does this route and I have taken trips on their ferries but we do have to admit that the ferries lack amenities.

 

Any takers?

 

DON

Edited July 10, 2015 by donaldsc

[sherryf]

If it would be round trip from Whittier, you'd either need to use US flagged ships or manage a foreign port stop, which would be????

[AKStafford]

The ships used to stop in Valdez. I drove motorcoach for HAL in 2001 & 2002 and would often fly to Valdez to do tours up to the Worthington Glacier. It was one of my favorite assignments.

But then after 9/11 the pipeline terminal tour was eliminated for safety reasons. And Valdez raise their cruise ship tax. So the cruise companies eliminated Valdez as a stop.

[donaldsc]

If it would be round trip from Whittier, you'd either need to use US flagged ships or manage a foreign port stop, which would be????

 

Good point which I had not thought of.

 

However, there are lots of small ship cruises (50 - 100 passengers) that do trips starting and ending in Alaskan ports. I have taken one. How do they get around this problem? Perhaps if you do not leave the state, the cruise is not regulated by Federal law but by state law.

 

I guess that having a short stopover in Pacific Russia or ending the cruise in Prince Rupert is not practical.

 

Baring the possible legal problems, I ask again - I wonder how many people would be interested?

 

DON

[DougH]

I've been suggesting to Princess for years that they make some of the one way 7 day cruises 10 day ones and add stops in Seward, Homer and Kodiak Island. Or stop in Sitka and Icy Straight. I go to Alaska every year but sure would love some different ports.

Edited July 10, 2015 by DougH

[Budget Queen]

Very good point about the interesting alternative ports that could be added. It was a wonderful routing when ships sailed coastal to/from Valdez, which I've done twice. NCL for a short time, used to offer 10/11 day round trip cruises that went to Seward, they also used to stop in Port Rupert. HAL's 14 day itinerary has become watered down from the original itinerary with a pitiful time in Kodiak.

 

So, I will speculate there isn't a market for anything but the current ports. It's all about money. I could possibly see an independent small cruise perhaps have something along those lines. Why not send a proposal to Dream Cruises, as an example?

 

I'm one who never tires of the "standard" ports. I greatly enjoy my activities there. The bargain cruise fares are part of the reason, I like the "regular" cruises. :)

[teachatthebeach]

I'd love an itinerary like that!

[Gardyloo]

Of course a number of transpacific cruises stop at Dutch Harbor, and a few at Kodiak, too - Crystal, HAL, Silversea come to mind, mainly in the northern autumn.

 

HAL also has a 14-day RT itinerary out of Seattle that calls at Anchorage (not Seward or Whittier) as well as both Kodiak and Homer.

 

I suspect the lack of shore activities on the chain (and their consequent loss of profitability to the cruise lines) is a big limiting factor, not to mention the foreign port issue.

[Coral]

 

However, there are lots of small ship cruises (50 - 100 passengers) that do trips starting and ending in Alaskan ports. I have taken one. How do they get around this problem? Perhaps if you do not leave the state, the cruise is not regulated by Federal law but by state law.

 

I guess that having a short stopover in Pacific Russia or ending the cruise in Prince Rupert is not practical.

 

DON

 

If they don't go to Canada on the trip - I am guessing that they use an American crew and the ship is registered in the US which means they are paying US taxes and wages (and ultimately the trip is costing more because of that).

[donaldsc]

If they don't go to Canada on the trip - I am guessing that they use an American crew and the ship is registered in the US which means they are paying US taxes and wages (and ultimately the trip is costing more because of that).

 

I think that you are right. I do remember that on my trip there was an American crew. Maybe 6 or 8 people but they were American.

 

DON

[CowPrincess]

I would love an itinerary such as you are proposing. I'd prefer, though, that it not start and end in Whittier (I detest flying ;) ) but that's just my personal psychosis :D

[piper28]

I've been suggesting to Princess for years that they make some of the one way 7 day cruises 10 day ones and add stops in Seward, Homer and Kodiak Island. Or stop in Sitka and Icy Straight. I go to Alaska every year but sure would love some different ports.

 

Princess did a route similar to that several years ago on one of the small ships, 14 days rt out of vancouver. I got the impression it didn't sell well, which is a shame, because I always thought it looked interesting, and have been hoping they'd bring it back.

[trophy_23]

I would be interested in some new ports, but Alaska is amazing either way. I could go every year to the 'usual' ports and still enjoy myself. Having said that, we set the bar high when we did the 14night HAL itinerary that stopped in Homer, Kodiak and Anchorage, so the 7 night may never be quite the same. Unfortunately I don't think they will venture into a route such as this because of cost and if they can't make money they aren't interested.

[DougH]

Princess did a route similar to that several years ago on one of the small ships, 14 days rt out of vancouver. I got the impression it didn't sell well, which is a shame, because I always thought it looked interesting, and have been hoping they'd bring it back.

 

I did that cruise about 5 years ago on the small Royal Princess and loved it. Way back n 1998 I also sailed on the old small Island Princess for 10 days where we actually sailed from Anchorage with stops in Homer, Kodiak Island and Seward before finishing with the normal route down to Vancouver. I've taken 60+ cruises and would probably put those both in my top 5 favorites.

[zqvol]

The problem with most AK cruises is that there are only a limited number of ports on the classic Alaska cruises and even the people who love Alaska have to get tired of the limited number of stops. Very few of the cruises stop at smaller ports such as Homer, Sitka, Wrangle or Prince Rupert which are all interesting ports. Almost none of them stop at Valdez or Kodiak.

 

I wonder how many people would jump at a truly different Alaska cruise that a forward thinking cruise company (I know that this is a contradiction in terms) might try once or twice a year that would essentially follow the route of the Alaska Marine Highway Aleutian Island route -

 

http://www.alaskaferryvacations.com/Trip_Chain_Aleutians.htm.

 

You leave Whittier. Stop at Valdez. Maybe stop at Homer. Stop at Kodiak. Then work your way west as far as Dutch Harbour stopping at small Aleutian Island ports along the way. The end point of the cruise would be Whittier so you could even fly round trip to and from Anchorage or you could add a cruise company furnished or a DIY land trip as part of the vacation.

 

You would have to use one of the smaller ships and you could probably do it only once or twice a year but I bet it would sell. I would book it in a heartbeat.

 

We did a 2 week Alaska cruise a few years ago that was on either HAL or Princess that did sort of the same thing but only got as far Kodiak. The problem with this cruise was that it started in AK and ended in the lower 48. My proposed trip would start and end in Whittier so you do not waste time cruising to the start of the interesting bits.

 

In some respects, this would be sort of equivalent to the Hurtigruten Norway coastal runs.

 

I know that the Alaska Marine Highways ferries does this route and I have taken trips on their ferries but we do have to admit that the ferries lack amenities.

 

Any takers?

 

DON

 

Won't work for the typical mass market cruise lines or even the luxury lines that cruise AK. You never leave the state so you would have to have US flagged ships, with all of the attendant issues.