Cruisetour - North or Southbound?

[cookiersmom]

Hi

I have seen a couple of comments. Northbound people like for getting more and more scenic, but then you tour last and that is more tiring.

Southbound, you tour first, and then cruise.

 

Looking for input.

(planning for late June, late July or Early August)

 

thanks

[rockdoctor]

I'm not sure what you mean by Northbound gets better and better. After GB, you're in open ocean. Our favorite part of the cruise is from Queen Charlotte Sound to Vancouver. Northbound, from Campbell River through Johnstone Strait (with it's Orca population) is in the middle of the 1st night. Southbound, the view from lunch to dark on the last sea day is magnificent.

[oaktreerb]

Late June for the long days. Many people say tour first, rest as you cruise homeward. If you are retired it doesn't really make a difference. The cruise first cruise tours are usually cheaper and you see the same places. Do you want to fly into/out of Anchorage, Fairbanks, or Vancouver?

[cookiersmom]

We don't really care which direction we fly, as we are coming from the SF Bay Area in CA. I'm not retired, so ending up relaxed would be good, but not for several hundreds of dollars difference.

 

I may just have my TA check availability on various dates.

 

I like the input about late June with more light, although not sure that June to late July will change that much, but maybe!

 

Thanks for any and all inputs.

[zqvol]

Hi

I have seen a couple of comments. Northbound people like for getting more and more scenic, but then you tour last and that is more tiring.

Southbound, you tour first, and then cruise.

 

Looking for input.

(planning for late June, late July or Early August)

 

thanks

 

 

We like the land portion first because we think it is more tiring (we tend to go about 18-20 hours out of every 24 while doing our land portion) and we can then recover on the first day on the ship plus that way we only have a 3 hour time difference flying back to the east coast as opposed to the 5 hours from Anchorage or Fairbanks that happen if we do land last.

Edited December 30, 2015 by zqvol

[zqvol]

We don't really care which direction we fly, as we are coming from the SF Bay Area in CA. I'm not retired, so ending up relaxed would be good, but not for several hundreds of dollars difference.

 

I may just have my TA check availability on various dates.

 

I like the input about late June with more light, although not sure that June to late July will change that much, but maybe!

 

Thanks for any and all inputs.

 

Probably 60-90 minutes difference in light from late June to late July, but even in late July you have a good 20 hours of daylight daily.

[txwriter]

I have noticed even on the same cruise lines there are often differences in ports or times in port. Check those.

 

For example, Celebrity has a much longer port day in Skagway on their SB cruises than the NB cruises. HAL stops in Skagway on the NB cruises but not on the SB (they stop in Haines).

[paul929207]

Here is our solution, and a different option.

 

In July, NB followed by a 5 day land tour. Then 2 extra nights in Anchorage. Finally SB back to Vancouver.

[Budget Queen]

I am highly critical of some cruise tour descriptions- like "hectic, tiring, rushed". They have no place in Alaska, :) and are overall - poor plans.

 

In my opinion- it's essential to go for as long as you can afford and avoid short cruise tours all together. Unfortunately- people just don't know the important details when they book. You don't want a cruise tour- that is mostly all transit, and little time at destinations. Especially be CERTAIN, you have an interest in the entire itinerary. Nothing worse- then being (and paying for in time and money) in a place you have no interest in, especially at the expense of another area.

[txwriter]

Nothing worse- then being (and paying for in time and money) in a place you have no interest in, especially at the expense of another area.

 

This is EXACTLY why we decided against doing a cruise tour; every single one I found went to Denali which we decided we weren't interested in as much as other places. We would rather spend that time doing what interests us.

 

However, I can see the value of a cruise tour if you are wanting to see the most area in a limited amount of time. The fact that they transport you from here to there is a real plus in my book since I know they can cover more ground than I can (not a big fan of being behind the wheel for hours on end). Also, the cruise tour is great for people who don't love planning and really just want to check of their lists of "been there, done that."

[Budget Queen]

Also, the cruise tour is great for people who don't love planning and really just want to check of their lists of "been there, done that."

 

 

 

This is a huge mistake with cruisetours. There are so many wrong assumptions made. For someone, on this board- I find it is just as much effort to plan your own tour, as it is to know all the details of a cruise tour- ideally BEFORE you purchase one (which most don't, unfortunately). Every season- new posters with the "Oh" , are you sure? I didn't know that etc etc etc. Then the "gives me a reason to return". My point- make the right selections to begin with. :)

[Nhsaltshaker]

We like the land portion first because we think it is more tiring (we tend to go about 18-20 hours out of every 24 while doing our land portion) and we can then recover on the first day on the ship plus that way we only have a 3 hour time difference flying back to the east coast as opposed to the 5 hours from Anchorage or Fairbanks that happen if we do land last.

 

Also being from the East, I enjoy getting the long flight out of the way.

 

Having done (and booked the same again) the land tour portion first, it can be quite busy on travel days. But, to me, the travel days were probably the best parts of the trip photography-wise especially on the train. Relaxing on the ship after the land portion was the cherry on top.

 

Admittedly, I am very fortunate to be able to afford a land tour with a professional guide to secure meal reservations, suggestions for the best places to book certain shore excursions, organizing group activities and solving any and all problems. Being able to pick from different land tour itineraries based on the stops I prefer to visit and what I wish to experience is more than fun, but when I leave for vacation, there is nothing better than knowing all the planning and guess work is done. Any problems are taken care of by talking to one person...my tour guide.

 

On my last trip, the bonding and lasting friendships of my newly found travel mates made this experience something I will never forget and look forward to doing again.

[Lastdance]

I always plan my own land tours, but they are usually in Europe, with part cruise and part my own tour! I love the planning part and all the research! This year, we are returning to Alaska with a three-day land tour first(Yuck), but my DH just wants to try it. The cabin and tour were very reasonable and includes all the perks. We booked onboard. The price for the exact same package is $2,000 more today so am not feeling quite so yucky now. Plus, I know he will thoroughly enjoy the cold, rain and whatever due to the fact that on the last Alaskan cruise he got food poisoning! It wasn't on Celebrity!

Edited January 1, 2016 by Lastdance