Working toward a Decision

[bUU]

The cruise lines tend to offer similar itineraries every year, but there have been some nice surprises.

Update: I spoke to my PCP at Holland America and confirmed that they are indeed offering the cruise in 2018 that I anticipated and that all the details related to a specific 2017 cruise apply to that 2018 cruise. She cannot book me until she gets into the office on Friday.

 

If it were me (and I know it isn't!) - any ship that sailed from Seattle would be out of the running, unless it sailed east of Vancouver Island at least one direction.

I mentioned in a couple of threads now that that was one of two aspects of the specific Holland America cruise we will be booking that had it beat-out the corresponding Princess cruise: The side of Vancouver Island we're sailing past. (The other aspect was the availability of the Tracy Arm excursion accessible from the Service Call at Tracy Arm Inlet.)

 

Yes - assuming Endicott Arm isn't also iced out.

Hmmm.... That's interesting. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Given my typical predilections, I think it is good. :)

 

Thanks for the info.

[Coral]

 

 

Yes - assuming Endicott Arm isn't also iced out.

 

.

 

How often has Endicott Arm been iced out? I haven't head of it but probably haven't paid attention to it either. It is pretty wide open - so I wasn't sure if it happens that much.

[NancyIL]

How often has Endicott Arm been iced out? I haven't head of it but probably haven't paid attention to it either. It is pretty wide open - so I wasn't sure if it happens that much.

 

I have no idea, but I also haven't read about it happening.

[Coral]

I have no idea, but I also haven't read about it happening.

 

Not sure if you have been there but it is pretty open. I would guess it wouldn't happen that often but heck, stranger things have happened. Maybe a local can educate us...

[Beachiekeen]

We too had a hard time deciding between the two lines but I would base your choice on the itinerary and not on the ship or the suite. JMO, but the RT from Vancouver itinerary seems fabulous with at least the possibility of the Tracy Arm excursion. This is the only RT itinerary we would have strongly considered. At the time of our booking, HAL was still allowing smoking on balconies so we had to rule them out (but that is no longer the case). It seems like the suite is really the only thing drawing you toward Princess and what many regulars on the Alaska forum consider the vastly inferior itinerary.

 

We ended up going with a one-way with a few days in Alaska tacked on at the end. Good luck on your choice and happy planning!

[Coral]

I personally have done one ways with out land or minimal land and have no regrets. I find the one way itineraries to be superior. I love having 2 glacier days and only 1 sea day out of Vancouver.

 

While the air may be more expensive, I have found the cruise to be cheaper one way. I find the RT cruise out of Seattle and Vancouver to be more expensive cruise wise so in the end, it levels out.

 

And while Anchorage does seem a longer flight, from where I fly - I am in the air all day anyway if it be Vancouver or Anchorage. I have no direct flights anywhere.

Edited November 29, 2016 by Coral