rcha Posted March 17, 2017 #1 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I have been narrowing down my options for a cruise in June 2018. From all that I have read the ports of call is the crucial issue. Any comments on the two options below. This will probably be my only Alaskan cruise as flying in from the UK. Also any suggestions for a couple of not to miss excursions. Is June the best month or is September. Those are my two options for travelling? Any comments gratefully received:) Option 1 – Holland America 2nd June 2018 Nieuw Amsterdam 7 nights from Vancouver Stern facing Balcony VC grade £1645pp This is an advantage fare. Date Port 2nd Jun 2018 Vancouver 3rd Jun 2018 Scenic Cruising the Insidepassage 4th Jun 2018 Tracy Arm Inlet 4th Jun 2018 Juneau 5th Jun 2018 Skagway 6th Jun 2018 Glacier Bay 7th Jun 2018 Ketchikan 8th Jun 2018 Scenic Cruising the Insidepassage 9th Jun 2018 Vancouver Option 2 – Celebrity Cruises 27th May 2018 Celebrity Infinity 7 nights from Vancouver C1 Concierge Class £1639pp – You get extra benefits with the Concierge Class – priority embarkation, daily canopes plus many others Comes with Free drinks package (includes the coffees) and also $150pp OBC . Sailing Itinerary Date Ports of Call Arrival Departure Activity Sun 03Jun2018 Vancouver, British Columbia - 4:30 PM Boarding Mon 04Jun2018 Inside Passage - - Cruising Tue 05Jun2018 Icy Strait Point, Alaska 3:30 PM 10:00 PM Docked Wed 06Jun2018 Hubbard Glacier (Cruising) 10:30 AM 2:30 PM Cruising Thu 07Jun2018 Juneau, Alaska 7:30 AM 8:00 PM Docked Fri 08Jun2018 Ketchikan, Alaska 2:00 PM 8:30 PM Docked Sat 09Jun2018 Inside Passage - - Cruising Sun 10Jun2018 Vancouver, British Columbia 7:00 AM - Departure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted March 17, 2017 #2 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Have you looked at Hoonah and IF you want to go there. Determined, what touring you want to include, and if the port times allow what you want to do? Interest in Tracy Arm- this will require an extra cost. Either of these could be the right cruise for you. Depends what you want to do in ports?? Look more into differences and determine- YOUR priority for your trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowmeboy Posted March 17, 2017 #3 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I have been narrowing down my options for a cruise in June 2018. From all that I have read the ports of call is the crucial issue. Any comments on the two options below. This will probably be my only Alaskan cruise as flying in from the UK. Also any suggestions for a couple of not to miss excursions. Is June the best month or is September. Those are my two options for travelling? Any comments gratefully received:) Option 1 – Holland America 2nd June 2018 Nieuw Amsterdam 7 nights from Vancouver Stern facing Balcony VC grade £1645pp This is an advantage fare. Date Port 2nd Jun 2018 Vancouver 3rd Jun 2018 Scenic Cruising the Insidepassage 4th Jun 2018 Tracy Arm Inlet 4th Jun 2018 Juneau 5th Jun 2018 Skagway 6th Jun 2018 Glacier Bay 7th Jun 2018 Ketchikan 8th Jun 2018 Scenic Cruising the Insidepassage 9th Jun 2018 Vancouver Option 2 – Celebrity Cruises 27th May 2018 Celebrity Infinity 7 nights from Vancouver C1 Concierge Class £1639pp – You get extra benefits with the Concierge Class – priority embarkation, daily canopes plus many others Comes with Free drinks package (includes the coffees) and also $150pp OBC . Sailing Itinerary Date Ports of Call Arrival Departure Activity Sun 03Jun2018 Vancouver, British Columbia - 4:30 PM Boarding Mon 04Jun2018 Inside Passage - - Cruising Tue 05Jun2018 Icy Strait Point, Alaska 3:30 PM 10:00 PM Docked Wed 06Jun2018 Hubbard Glacier (Cruising) 10:30 AM 2:30 PM Cruising Thu 07Jun2018 Juneau, Alaska 7:30 AM 8:00 PM Docked Fri 08Jun2018 Ketchikan, Alaska 2:00 PM 8:30 PM Docked Sat 09Jun2018 Inside Passage - - Cruising Sun 10Jun2018 Vancouver, British Columbia 7:00 AM - Departure Look at my review from last year to see more about Icy Strait Point and Hubbard Glacier. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2376089&page=9 Both look good. But option one does have Glacier Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sequim88 Posted March 17, 2017 #4 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Glacier Bay over Hubbard and Skagway over Icy Strait alone would seal the deal for HAL for me. Way too much history and scenery at Skagway and far more likely to get better views of glaciers at Glacier Bay. Some people like Icy Strait & Hoonah but to me it looks too much like a tourist trap or contrived port stop. Not a "value add" to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperCrewBear Posted March 17, 2017 #5 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Glacier Bay over Hubbard and Skagway over Icy Strait alone would seal the deal for HAL for me. Way too much history and scenery at Skagway and far more likely to get better views of glaciers at Glacier Bay. Some people like Icy Strait & Hoonah but to me it looks too much like a tourist trap or contrived port stop. Not a "value add" to me. The only part I have no frame of reference on is Hubbard Glacier - otherwise I agree with this 100%. One can never predict the weather but our day at Glacier Bay was absolutely crystal clear and the scenery was *SPECTACULAR*! It would be difficult for me to pass it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted March 17, 2017 #6 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Glacier Bay over Hubbard and Skagway over Icy Strait alone would seal the deal for HAL for me. Way too much history and scenery at Skagway and far more likely to get better views of glaciers at Glacier Bay. Some people like Icy Strait & Hoonah but to me it looks too much like a tourist trap or contrived port stop. Not a "value add" to me. I would agree that the HAL cruise is a better itinerary. One of the better RT cruises. Is Tracy Arm a service stop - if so, plan on the add on for the small boat excursion here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachiekeen Posted March 17, 2017 #7 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I love that HAL itinerary and if we had done a round trip, that would have been the one. To have Glacier Bay and maybe get to see Tracy Arm on one cruise sounds awesome! We had to eliminate HAL during our search because they allowed smoking on balconies but I believe they have changed that policy since we booked. Otherwise, we would have probably done that cruise. I really haven't researched the other cruise -- if it's one thing I've learned from reading, it's that there really isn't a bad cruise to Alaska. :) September is the end of Alaska season but hopefully someone can answer your question on June v. September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Coral Posted March 17, 2017 #8 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I would go in June! September has the potential for the worst weather of the season, especially mid-September and later. I do believe HAL did change their smoking policy to be more restrictive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted March 18, 2017 #9 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Especially past the first week of Sept, you have the worse weather potential of the cruise season. A significant disadvantage is the lack of daylight, if at all interested in the scenery. I pick up these cruises, when they are on a good discount, but always would have taken an earlier Alaska cruise that season. No longer are they the deals they used to be. I still suggest you consider looking at the different details. And if you are going to pay for the Tracy Arm add on tour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xlxo Posted March 18, 2017 #10 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Another vote for HAL with Glacier Bay. As mentioned, if Tracy Arm is important.... need to book the excursion before it's sold out! September is cheap for storm chasers. Get June if dry port weather is desired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisincdns Posted March 18, 2017 #11 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Another vote for HAL with Glacier Bay. As mentioned, if Tracy Arm is important.... need to book the excursion before it's sold out! September is cheap for storm chasers. Get June if dry port weather is desired. Glacier Bay is a MUST. Tracy Arm was a disappointment as you do not get close to it but in Glacier Bay you do especially the Grand Pacific Glacier. Have you checked out the itineraries from Princess as most of their itineraries include Glacier Bay. Here is the link to the Glacier Bay National Park website . There are some nice maps you can download from the maps link. https://www.nps.gov/glba/index.htm Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4774Papa Posted March 18, 2017 #12 Share Posted March 18, 2017 We did Alaska on the NCL Sun and it was a great cruise, the $$$ were the great for the cruise. That cruise did Glacier Bay, which was awesome. Not sure why you picked a round trip, you missed going to the main part of Alaska. Check out a one way cruise and visit Denali. We love, Celebrity, but the cruise you listed doesn't go to Skagway or Glacier Bay. We have avoided HAL because of its awful smoking policy. HAL has changed that policy, that is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portiemom Posted March 18, 2017 #13 Share Posted March 18, 2017 Definitely option 1. I like the itinerary with Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay. Love the stern-facing balcony. June is better - more daylight. And apparently June has better weather, but that is the least important consideration for me. I go prepared for any weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Crew News Posted March 20, 2017 #14 Share Posted March 20, 2017 You will enjoy the Nieuw Amsterdam cruise. My favorite excursions include any whale watching tour in Juneau, Crab Fishing on the Aleutian Ballad in Ketchikan for amazing eagle feeding pictures, and the train-ride excursion to Caribou Crossing in Skagway. http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/skagway-2/white-pass-yukon-railroad/ The ultimate Skagway tour is dogsledding in the snow: http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/skagway-2/dog-sledding/ Here is a link to my photo review of the Nieuw Amsterdam: http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/ Good luck in your cruise planning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCalicoCat Posted March 20, 2017 #15 Share Posted March 20, 2017 Glacier Bay over Hubbard and Skagway over Icy Strait alone would seal the deal for HAL for me. Way too much history and scenery at Skagway and far more likely to get better views of glaciers at Glacier Bay. Some people like Icy Strait & Hoonah but to me it looks too much like a tourist trap or contrived port stop. Not a "value add" to me. Ditto. When we are in Icy Strait Point, beyond just a quick look around & walk on the beach, we will probably be enjoying the "empty" ship while in this port. (Also we are taking 2 flights while on our cruise, so we needed to minimize expenses somewhere & this port was an easy choice for that.) I would also choose June out of your two dates, because it get dark earlier in September. No sense being in port - when you can see anything because it is dusk or dark. (IMHO) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted March 20, 2017 #16 Share Posted March 20, 2017 I will continue to find positives in both these cruises. I find it very "interesting', some of the strong opinions above haven't even been to these places, yet make loud claims one choice is so superior to the others. I feel this is a gross disservice. There is no perfect cruise and Alaska offers so much unexpected. I find all these areas very worthwhile to experience, from a first had perspective. Today, I just booked another cruise with Hubbard and Hoonah. I certainly WILL have a fantastic time. I already made my Hoonah contact for my preferred tour and so looking forward to it. It wasn't a compromised booking. Who I'm going with and I find this a perfect fit for what we are doing. Alaska offers so much, and each day will bring a wonderful adventure. There is more than one direction to take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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