2018 Northbound Alaska cruise Star or Golden

[puli]

Trying to decide between these sister ships for a 2018 Alaska 11 day cruise tour. Identical itinerary and our desired cabin available on both. The only difference is date of cruise 6/9 -Star or 6/16-Golden.. Both will have been in a recent dry dock : Star -12/3 to 12/15 2017 and Golden 3/30 to 4/13 2018.

 

Reviews are mixed for both but mostly negative only regarding looking tired and old which hopefully will no longer be true.

 

We have been on the Star and am leaning toward her but thought the week later cruise on the Golden might tip the scales ...perhaps a tiny bit less ice maybe in Glacier Bay and a tiny bit more light and warmth for our late departures.

 

Anyone have any strong feelings one way or the other?

[cruisequeen4ever]

They're sister ships and built around the same time as each other, so I'd say no real advantage to one over the other. Someone who's been on them recently (my cruise on the Star was 10 years ago) could say if any new features have been added that would make a difference, like a revamped buffet with separate dessert station. That helped some of the ships. See if one offers Alfredos pizza at lunch in Sabatinis. I've done Alaska cruises from late May all the way to late July, and I've had sun and warmth in May, June, and early July but loads of rain early June and late July. Weather in Alaska is so unpredictable. All sailings included Glacier Bay, and we sailed just as close each time. You'll have a pretty even amount of sunlight both of those weeks. Have fun planning, whichever you choose!

 

 

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[puli]

They're sister ships and built around the same time as each other, so I'd say no real advantage to one over the other. Someone who's been on them recently (my cruise on the Star was 10 years ago) could say if any new features have been added that would make a difference, like a revamped buffet with separate dessert station. That helped some of the ships. See if one offers Alfredos pizza at lunch in Sabatinis. I've done Alaska cruises from late May all the way to late July, and I've had sun and warmth in May, June, and early July but loads of rain early June and late July. Weather in Alaska is so unpredictable. All sailings included Glacier Bay, and we sailed just as close each time. You'll have a pretty even amount of sunlight both of those weeks. Have fun planning, whichever you choose!

 

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Thanks for replying. We too have cruised Alaska many times and have had both sunny and rainy weather so that is a toss up! Just discovered that the Coral does the same trip on 6/20 so am now really in a quandary ! If I learned that they no longer allowed smoking in the casino I would grab that ship in a nano second but I am a Cappuccino guzzler and the IC is situated almost adjacent to the casino.

[DougMacP]

For Alaska I prefer to go earlier in June when most kids are still in school....(unless you are traveling with kids and like to be around them).

[puli]

good point!

[LovetheSea]

We have cruised to Alaska three times in June and once in May. I have to say that the mountains are prettier earlier. We always had good weather. But we just lucked out.

[tinybiny]

I've gone end of May and early/mid June. You really don't know what you will get. If you are hoping for more ice, go earlier.

 

I was just on the Star and agree is looks worn, but it was still a great ship. I would have no problem sailing her again, but chose Island for Alaska because the itinerary is slightly different than Star.

[puli]

we made the decision to go with the Star and booked a northbound cruise with a land tour to Denali following....However, read a posting somewhere (cannot find it now) where the poster insinuated that the Star will be loosing Skywalkers soon ....Hope not as I do enjoy the views from up there.