Alaska cruise aft suite or Barcelona/Frances/Italy cruise guarentee balcony - help

[4774Papa]

thanks....this bundle cruise to Europe includes airfare from my area so with airfare included it is actually a little less then added airfare from East Coast to Seattle

 

If you do an Alaskan cruise, don't do one of those round trips to and from Seattle. Do a one way, Vancouver to Seward or Whittier.

[tlreze]

I changed to the Mediterranean cruise - thanks everyone for your help. All your posts helped me really think it through. I appreciate it

 

Now onto the port boards to do some research :)

[terracool]

Good call. Europe, hands down. Alaska is an inch-wide, mile-deep experience, while Europe is an inch-deep, mile-wide trip. I loved the Alaska cruise and had a glacier flight tour that I'll remember forever. But to sail the Mediterranean, see all the different cities and languages and food and cultures was an amazing experience.

 

It's not a cultural deep-dive in any one spot, but there is no way to cover more ground more quickly more cheaply than a European cruise. I might not have delved into local culture, but I did see the pyramids and had dinner in the souk in Cairo and walked through Istanbul's Grand Bazaar and marveled at the colored marble in St Peter's Basilica and drove (in a cab) the Grecian seashore and had gelato in Naples and street food in Greece and walked the beautiful Turkey seashore. That list was never going to happen without European cruises.

 

A cruise to Alaska is something to plan for and enjoy someday. A European cruise is an opportunity to be grabbed if you are fortunate enough to get one.

 

YMMV, but that's my take.

 

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Edited April 10, 2016 by terracool

[ollienbertsmum]

I changed to the Mediterranean cruise - thanks everyone for your help. All your posts helped me really think it through. I appreciate it

 

Now onto the port boards to do some research :)

 

 

I am sure you will have a great time. September is a good month - outside the main school holiday times.

 

I am already so excited. Even though I have done the same cruise a few times before there is still something new to do in every single port.

 

This time next week ...... I will be trying out the gin and tonics in the casino. :D:D:D

Edited April 10, 2016 by ollienbertsmum

[tlreze]

I am sure you will have a great time. September is a good month - outside the main school holiday times.

 

I am already so excited. Even though I have done the same cruise a few times before there is still something new to do in every single port.

 

This time next week ...... I will be trying out the gin and tonics in the casino. :D:D:D

 

thanks for your help and ENJOY your cruise :)

[RunawayParent]

I am currently booked in an AFT suite on the Jewel for Alaska (out of Seattle) with Gratuities, beverage, ultimate dining and $75 shore excursion, but just saw the new bundle pkgs for Europe for the same weekend. I put a hold on a guarantee balcony which includes the beverage pkg, 3 specialty dines, flight, 1 night hotel and transfers. The total is only about $200 more per person.

 

I would love some opinions from people. I have not done a Europe cruise before and I have never done Alaska either.

 

Which would you pick and why?

 

My wife and I did the twelve days out of Barcelona on the NCL Epic back in April 2016. We had an AFT Balcony on level 10 and loved it. I haven't been to Alaska yet but we are booked for June 2018 in another AFT cabin. The Barcelona, Mallorca, Sicily, Rome, Naples, etc. trip is wonderful but somewhat costly for excursions; especially in Rome. The flight to Barcelona alone will probably cost you between $700-$900pp. We enjoyed the unlimited drinks package; however, the shore excursion deal was not a good value for us as we booked much outside of NCL. The internet or even the dinner package would have been a better deal for us. Tough to get phone service on NCL if you have AT&T. I guess it would come down to the time of year for either location. Good luck

[Katsumom]

I would choose Alaska. The glaciers are receding and you have an aft cabin which will be amazing for glacier Bay. Also living on the east coast going to Europe seems so much closer and something that can be done easier. Of course I would do a European land tour to get more time seeing the cities, countryside, and culture