If we have to cruise round-trip from Seattle . . .

[lmintzer]

Hi everyone. I am in the process of planning my first cruise--an intergenearational cruise to Alaska (me, my two boys--a tween and a teen), my dad, and my 30-something brother and wife.

 

Due to various circumstances, we may be unable to do a 1-way cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver. I have done my research, and I can see how these would be ideal for glacier viewing/scenic cruising. Though I am disappointed, I would still like to try to make things work out of Seattle.

 

Another challenge is that we are looking to travel this summer (late July/early August), and it does seem like we are a little bit on the late side.

 

I looked at itineraries, and it seems that Princess has the best possible out of Seattle--more time in ports and visits Glacier Bay. However, it is possible that we will be unable to book Princess, as I probably need a triple room for myself and my boys. I could book us two cabins, but it seems like pricing is by the double, and that would cost us a lot more. Triples look to be just about booked on Princess. We may give it a try, though.

 

Next in line, I'm thinking Norwegian, as it also visits Galcier Bay. Time in ports seems a bit less (especially in Juno). Freestyle dining sounds like it could be a plus for us since my boys don't really love dressing up every night. However, I am a bit worried about some of the reviews I'm reading: nickel and diming, upcharging for almost everything, constant sales pitches--sounds kind of miserable. Thoughts?

 

Royal Caribbean is a consideration too--but on the round trips, no stop at Glacier Bay. Are the ships much nicer than Norwegian? Do they qualify as a step up?

 

In my ideal world, I'd pick: route with the most time viewing glaciers, good times in ports, clean/nice/bigg(er) cabins, good food, nice, helpful staff, and no nickel and diming. It is a bit discouraging to think how little of this I might get.

 

The Regent luxury cruises seem like they avoid some of these problems, but they are quite expensive and I don't know how much they would be appropriate for my kids. To me, 700 people sounds a heck of a lot better than the larger groups, and the appeal of the true all-inclusive is a strong one. Still, probably not the best idea for my family.

 

Any receommendations based on what I have shared with you about which way to go? Are others discouraged by the many negative reviews: ships looking shabby, food like a bad Vegas buffet, lackluster staff, nickel and diming? Boy oh boy--please tell me that this is somewhat overblown and that this could still be a great experience.

 

TIA!

[Coral]

Hi everyone. I am in the process of planning my first cruise--an intergenearational cruise to Alaska (me, my two boys--a tween and a teen), my dad, and my 30-something brother and wife.

 

Due to various circumstances, we may be unable to do a 1-way cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver. I have done my research, and I can see how these would be ideal for glacier viewing/scenic cruising. Though I am disappointed, I would still like to try to make things work out of Seattle.

 

 

Princess does have triple rooms. It is possible that they are full. All mini suites will accept triples (but are limited to capacity controls meaning there could be triples available but they are not letting people book them). Many balcony, insides and outsides also. Maybe call them or a TA to see if you can find one.

 

I think you have a good feel for the lines. Not sure if I would spend that much money on Regent with kids.

 

Have you considered HAL? They also go to GB. Overall, they have an older clientele but in Alaska, all lines have an older clientele. You may like their itineraries.

[Kamloops50]

Hi everyone. I am in the process of planning my first cruise--an intergenearational cruise to Alaska (me, my two boys--a tween and a teen), my dad, and my 30-something brother and wife.

 

Due to various circumstances, we may be unable to do a 1-way cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver. I have done my research, and I can see how these would be ideal for glacier viewing/scenic cruising. Though I am disappointed, I would still like to try to make things work out of Seattle.

 

Another challenge is that we are looking to travel this summer (late July/early August), and it does seem like we are a little bit on the late side.

 

I looked at itineraries, and it seems that Princess has the best possible out of Seattle--more time in ports and visits Glacier Bay. However, it is possible that we will be unable to book Princess, as I probably need a triple room for myself and my boys. I could book us two cabins, but it seems like pricing is by the double, and that would cost us a lot more. Triples look to be just about booked on Princess. We may give it a try, though.

 

Next in line, I'm thinking Norwegian, as it also visits Galcier Bay. Time in ports seems a bit less (especially in Juno). Freestyle dining sounds like it could be a plus for us since my boys don't really love dressing up every night. However, I am a bit worried about some of the reviews I'm reading: nickel and diming, upcharging for almost everything, constant sales pitches--sounds kind of miserable. Thoughts?

 

Royal Caribbean is a consideration too--but on the round trips, no stop at Glacier Bay. Are the ships much nicer than Norwegian? Do they qualify as a step up?

 

In my ideal world, I'd pick: route with the most time viewing glaciers, good times in ports, clean/nice/bigg(er) cabins, good food, nice, helpful staff, and no nickel and diming. It is a bit discouraging to think how little of this I might get.

 

The Regent luxury cruises seem like they avoid some of these problems, but they are quite expensive and I don't know how much they would be appropriate for my kids. To me, 700 people sounds a heck of a lot better than the larger groups, and the appeal of the true all-inclusive is a strong one. Still, probably not the best idea for my family.

 

Any receommendations based on what I have shared with you about which way to go? Are others discouraged by the many negative reviews: ships looking shabby, food like a bad Vegas buffet, lackluster staff, nickel and diming? Boy oh boy--please tell me that this is somewhat overblown and that this could still be a great experience.

 

TIA!

 

Have you considered a 7 rtn cruise from Vancouver . HAL and Celebrity have these cruises. Alaska cruises are about the ports , scenery and animals. Ship is just a means to travel between ports.

[Alaskanb]

Have you considered a mini suite on Princess for you and the boys --two twin beds and a sofa bed. Larger bathroom and a sitting area.

[lmintzer]

The mini-suite would be great if available! My younger son is still light enough to do the sofa bed. We will check into it!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Take a look at round trips out of Vancouver instead of Seattle. You'll get a little more time in ports that way. As mentioned, the ship is not nearly as important as the itinerary. As far as NCL, I wouldn't worry about it. They've had a ton of changes this year so people are doing a lot of complaining. I just got off an NCL cruise last week and there weren't constant sales pitches and I didn't feel nickeled and dimed. You choose what you pay for. If you don't want to pay for specialty dining, then don't do it.

 

Take reviews with a grain of salt--some people really enjoy complaining! An unbalanced review isn't worth reading, IMHO. Alaska is an amazing cruise destination, and I can't imagine that would change just because a ship was a little worn. :D

 

There's still time to book. We booked our first Alaska cruise only three weeks before sailing. You have time to plan and do research. If I were you, I'd book as soon as you've chosen itinerary and ship and then hit this forum and Trip Advisor for information to make the most of your trip!

 

Happy planning!

[Northern Aurora]

While Celebrity doesn't visit Glacier Bay they do offer RTs out of Seattle on the Solstice. Celebrity also has family veranda staterooms which generally don't show up on their website. You, or your travel agent will have to call to check availability and pricing.

 

And those who book a Celebrity cruise also need to understand that Celebrity has a very restrictive smoking policy which includes no smoking on balconies and no indoor smoking areas (even the casinos are non-smoking). Absolutely wonderful for non-smokers or those trying to quit, but a real surprise for smokers who didn't read the fine print in that information provided by the travel agent.

[lmintzer]

I agree about the sites/ports being the most important. I am not a cruise person at all in that I don't really care about the ship (except for cleanliness and comfort of rooms). I don't care about entertainment, dressing up, Bingo, any of that. Now my kids are another story. They may get into the ship fun. Ideally, I would love to do a 1-way cruise out of Vancouver. Not going into the details, but I think we may be limited to in and out of Seattle which is why I ask what our best options are.

 

Should I aim to keep Glacier Bay in the itinerary no matter what? If so, I am limited to Princess and Norwegian (correct me if I'm wrong).

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I agree about the sites/ports being the most important. I am not a cruise person at all in that I don't really care about the ship (except for cleanliness and comfort of rooms). I don't care about entertainment, dressing up, Bingo, any of that. Now my kids are another story. They may get into the ship fun. Ideally, I would love to do a 1-way cruise out of Vancouver. Not going into the details, but I think we may be limited to in and out of Seattle which is why I ask what our best options are.

 

Should I aim to keep Glacier Bay in the itinerary no matter what? If so, I am limited to Princess and Norwegian (correct me if I'm wrong).

 

Carnival also has a small number of sailings into Glacier Bay. I don't recall if any of them are on round trips or the northbound and southbound itineraries. Either Princess or NCL would suit your needs just fine if you're not interested in anything other than clean and comfortable rooms. Many people will tell you that Glacier Bay is a must-do, but I suggest you look at the entire itinerary and not just GB. If you get to go to GB but your time is severely limited in ports, that could make for a less enjoyable cruise. Only you can decide how important that one element of your cruise is and how much of a trade-off you're willing to make. If you're not able to go to GB, then I suggest doing a sailing that goes into Tracy Arm where you may have the option to do a small boat tour and go up closer to the glaciers. That, of course, is just one of many possibilities...

[lmintzer]

Have you considered a 7 rtn cruise from Vancouver . HAL and Celebrity have these cruises. Alaska cruises are about the ports , scenery and animals. Ship is just a means to travel between ports.

 

The mini-suite would be great if available! My younger son is still light enough to do the sofa bed. We will check into it!

__________________

I checked, and there are a tota of onlyl 5 mid-aft and 2 mid-forward mini-suites left that accommodate 3 people available on just 1 of the 3 possible weeks we could travel on the Crown Princess. Price is $2,279 for each of the first two passengers and $1,299 for the 3rd (are we allowed to post pricing here? I will delete if not). Not sure if my SIL's friend who is a cruise travel agent can get us better pricing (or if this is reasonable). Wow--really almost gone. We will have to move quickly if we feel this is the right choice. The others in our party should be fine (1 double and 1 single).

[Ashland]

Consider RCI's Explorer roundtrip out of Seattle...Don't think that you "have" to visit Glacier Bay. RCI may just be a good option for you on this cruise...Worth taking a look at.

[Alaskanb]

The price is reasonable and also includes some onboard credit.

[lmintzer]

__________________

I checked, and there are a tota of onlyl 5 mid-aft and 2 mid-forward mini-suites left that accommodate 3 people available on just 1 of the 3 possible weeks we could travel on the Crown Princess. Price is $2,279 for each of the first two passengers and $1,299 for the 3rd (are we allowed to post pricing here? I will delete if not). Not sure if my SIL's friend who is a cruise travel agent can get us better pricing (or if this is reasonable). Wow--really almost gone. We will have to move quickly if we feel this is the right choice. The others in our party should be fine (1 double and 1 single).

 

 

Looks like Norwegian Pearl's mini-suite for same dates is close in price--just a tiny bit less--and a tiny bit smaller (square footage-wise).

 

We could look at RCI Explorer too. I hear good things about that line. Just thought I'd see if people wanted to weigh in about Glacier Bay.

 

Thanks for all the quick responses!

[lmintzer]

While Celebrity doesn't visit Glacier Bay they do offer RTs out of Seattle on the Solstice. Celebrity also has family veranda staterooms which generally don't show up on their website. You, or your travel agent will have to call to check availability and pricing.

 

And those who book a Celebrity cruise also need to understand that Celebrity has a very restrictive smoking policy which includes no smoking on balconies and no indoor smoking areas (even the casinos are non-smoking). Absolutely wonderful for non-smokers or those trying to quit, but a real surprise for smokers who didn't read the fine print in that information provided by the travel agent.

 

We would love the no smoking!! Again--just trying to figure out if I should limit to Princess/Norwegian (Glacier Bay) or consider Celebrity and RCI as well. So tough to know what to do.

[Coral]

I agree about the sites/ports being the most important. I am not a cruise person at all in that I don't really care about the ship (except for cleanliness and comfort of rooms). I don't care about entertainment, dressing up, Bingo, any of that. Now my kids are another story. They may get into the ship fun. Ideally, I would love to do a 1-way cruise out of Vancouver. Not going into the details, but I think we may be limited to in and out of Seattle which is why I ask what our best options are.

 

Should I aim to keep Glacier Bay in the itinerary no matter what? If so, I am limited to Princess and Norwegian (correct me if I'm wrong).

 

Personally I would. Hubbard would be second choice.

 

Holland America also goes to GB. Not sure their itineraries for the year you are going (this year, next year?). I think they do Seattle and Vancouver RT cruises. There are Roundtrip trips out of Vancouver, not all are one ways.

Edited March 28, 2016 by Coral

[lmintzer]

Carnival also has a small number of sailings into Glacier Bay. I don't recall if any of them are on round trips or the northbound and southbound itineraries. Either Princess or NCL would suit your needs just fine if you're not interested in anything other than clean and comfortable rooms. Many people will tell you that Glacier Bay is a must-do, but I suggest you look at the entire itinerary and not just GB. If you get to go to GB but your time is severely limited in ports, that could make for a less enjoyable cruise. Only you can decide how important that one element of your cruise is and how much of a trade-off you're willing to make. If you're not able to go to GB, then I suggest doing a sailing that goes into Tracy Arm where you may have the option to do a small boat tour and go up closer to the glaciers. That, of course, is just one of many possibilities...

 

 

Thanks for the suggestions. Of course I want the best of all worlds but will have to pick and choose with being limited to a Seattle round trip. I did compare itineraries and time in ports on the Princess and the Norwegian cruises that include Glacier Bay. It looks to me like Princess has the edge with much more time in Juneau. See the screen shots below (white is Crown. Princess, yellow is Norwegian Pearl).

 

Those little boat rides up to Tracy Arm Fjord do look really cool, btw!

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Thanks for the suggestions. Of course I want the best of all worlds but will have to pick and choose with being limited to a Seattle round trip. I did compare itineraries and time in ports on the Princess and the Norwegian cruises that include Glacier Bay. It looks to me like Princess has the edge with much more time in Juneau. See the screen shots below (white is Crown. Princess, yellow is Norwegian Pearl).

 

Those little boat rides up to Tracy Arm Fjord do look really cool, btw!

 

Well, of course you want the best! LOL. Looking at those times, I would actually choose NCL, but ONLY because the time in Ketchikan is longer and that's where I go salmon fishing. :D If it weren't for that, I would choose Princess for the extra time in Juneau. I'm sure you'll enjoy which ever you choose!

[greenbbs]

Explorer of the Seas has family Oceanview rooms that hold up to 6 and are reasonable. Celebrity had family balcony rooms that are an inside and a balcony attached to each other. That could help too

[quercus alba]

FWIW we enjoyed Norwegian Pearl. Review below.

[Coral]

Explorer of the Seas has family Oceanview rooms that hold up to 6 and are reasonable. Celebrity had family balcony rooms that are an inside and a balcony attached to each other. That could help too

 

Honestly, this has one of the worst itineraries in Alaska. I would not advise anyone sail the Explorer unless they don't plan on getting off the ship. Though, staying on the ship doesn't give much viewing options either.

[epixx]

As others mentioned above, take a good look at HAL Westerdam. If you have more than 2 persons in a cabin, HAL has great specials for the 3rd and 4th. The itinerary includes Glacier Bay, and Sitka instead of Skagway. You might find Sitka more to your liking. Both offer great touring opportunities, but Sitka is more charming, in my opinion.

[Kamloops50]

Celebrity has adjacent balcony cabins that can be made into one cabin. The Solstice has a door that closes and the inner doors open to make one large cabin wire two balconies and two bar rooms.

[KathiB]

My family is going to Alaska this summer round trip out of Seattle. We are on Holland America's Westerdam. I did lots of research and this was the best itinerary and it goes to Glacier Bay. I would have preferred to leave out of Vancouver on the Volendam but Seattle is best for all family members. I have heard very good things about HAL cruises to Alaska. They do have large cabins for 3-4. We are leaving on August 13 and there are many cabins left as we just booked last week. They have a number of ships doing Alaska this summer out of Seattle so check out Holland America.

[auntjoy036]

OP, I have not looked at all of the ships' itineraries that have been suggested. If this helps, I have cruised Hubbard Glacier twice and Glacier Bay once. Unlike most posters on CC, who have a strong preference for Glacier Bay, I think Hubbard Glacier is equally - though differently - magnificent. Perhaps that thought will make more of the options appealing to you. Best wishes whatever you decide.

 

Vicki

[lmintzer]

My family is going to Alaska this summer round trip out of Seattle. We are on Holland America's Westerdam. I did lots of research and this was the best itinerary and it goes to Glacier Bay. I would have preferred to leave out of Vancouver on the Volendam but Seattle is best for all family members. I have heard very good things about HAL cruises to Alaska. They do have large cabins for 3-4. We are leaving on August 13 and there are many cabins left as we just booked last week. They have a number of ships doing Alaska this summer out of Seattle so check out Holland America.

 

Thanks. I do see that there are two Westerdam sailings out of Seattle--one of them includes Glacier Bay. Itinerary looks good (is it better than the Princess itinerary?). I had heard Holland America is geared "older," but then that wasn't necessarily true for Alaska trips. I will check that one out too. Thanks. I don't see the big family-sized cabins on their website but can ask the travel agent.