HAL 21 DAY RT Alaska on MS Maasdam

[AlanF65]

I am looking at this for next year, it looks like a see most of Alaska ports and places with a lot of ports not seen on other cruises. I wish it went to Glacier Bay / Glacier National park.

 

Any comments on the itinerary and ship would be appreciated. I like no airplanes or road trip to Seattle/ Vancouver

 

 

 

18 Jun Departing from San Francisco, California 21 Jun 10:00 - 18:00 Ketchikan, Revillagigedo Island, Alaska 22 Jun 09:00 - 17:00 Sitka, Baranof Island, Alaska 23 Jun 10:00 - 16:00 Hubbard Glacier, Alaska 24 Jun - 20:00 Valdez, Alaska 26 Jun 08:00 - 18:00 Homer, Alaska 27 Jun 08:00 - 17:00 Anchorage, Alaska 28 Jun 11:00 - 18:00 Kodiak Island, Alaska 30 Jun 07:00 - 11:00 Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska 30 Jun 14:00 - 23:00 Juneau, Alaska 01 Jul 08:00 - 22:00 Haines, Alaska 02 Jul 08:00 - 17:00 Kake, Alaska 03 Jul 08:00 - 17:00 Wrangell, Alaska 05 Jul 08:00 - 17:00 Vancouver, BC Canada 06 Jul 10:00 - 18:00 Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, BC Canada 07 Jul 08:00 - 18:00 Astoria, Oregon 09 Jul Arriving in San Francisco, California

[momK]

We were also looking at this cruise, and have it booked. Since then, they have removed Kake from all three 3-week itineraries, replacing it with just the Frederick Sound cruising. We also have the 2-week booked on the Amsterdam, and are starting to prefer that.

 

Both the Maasdam and Amsterdam dock right in Anchorage, rather than Whittier or Seward. Amsterdam spends 4 more hours there, and since I have friends and family, that makes the 2-week itinerary better. We would miss Valdez and Wrangell, but go to Icy Strait Point instead, which we really enjoy. The extra 7 days are pretty much just the time to leave from and return to San Francisco. We enjoy Seattle and would rather begin and end the cruise there.

 

Here is the Amsterdam itinerary:

leave Seattle at 4

Vancouver Island cruising

Ketchikan 8-5

Tracy Arm cruising

Juneau 8am-10pm

Icy Strait Point 7-2

at sea

Anchorage 8am-9pm

Homer 8-6

Kodiak 1-2

Hubbard Glacier

Sitka 8-4

at sea

Victoria 1-11

arrive Seattle 7

 

Whichever you decide, enjoy Alaska!!! :D:D

[AlanF65]

We were also looking at this cruise, and have it booked. Since then, they have removed Kake from all three 3-week itineraries, replacing it with just the Frederick Sound cruising. We also have the 2-week booked on the Amsterdam, and are starting to prefer that.

 

Both the Maasdam and Amsterdam dock right in Anchorage, rather than Whittier or Seward. Amsterdam spends 4 more hours there, and since I have friends and family, that makes the 2-week itinerary better. We would miss Valdez and Wrangell, but go to Icy Strait Point instead, which we really enjoy. The extra 7 days are pretty much just the time to leave from and return to San Francisco. We enjoy Seattle and would rather begin and end the cruise there.

 

Here is the Amsterdam itinerary:

leave Seattle at 4

Vancouver Island cruising

Ketchikan 8-5

Tracy Arm cruising

Juneau 8am-10pm

Icy Strait Point 7-2

at sea

Anchorage 8am-9pm

Homer 8-6

Kodiak 1-2

Hubbard Glacier

Sitka 8-4

at sea

Victoria 1-11

arrive Seattle 7

 

Whichever you decide, enjoy Alaska!!! :D:D

 

Thanks, I didn't see this one when I was looking, I just got back from Alaska less than two weeks ago on a 7 day. I think I may need to wait until I retire to take the 3 week. I like the 14 day.

[mapleleaves]

If Glacier Bay is a priority, there are two 14 day RT cruises with HAL, departing from Vancouver.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseto/cruiseitineraries.cfm?port=115&depcity=236&length=10-14&portofcall=5841&startDate=2019-06

[VennDiagram]

If Glacier Bay is a priority, there are two 14 day RT cruises with HAL, departing from Vancouver.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/cruiseto/cruiseitineraries.cfm?port=115&depcity=236&length=10-14&portofcall=5841&startDate=2019-06

 

Those don't go to the same ports that the R/T Seattle 14 day cruises go to. Personally I the smaller, less-developed ports offered on the R/T Seattle 14 day cruises are well worth NOT going to Glacier Bay.

[momK]

Ooopsy! Kodiak is 7-2, not 1-2.

[Cruise_More_Often]

We were booked on one of the 21-day cruises but have since switched over to one of the 14-day Seattle RT cruises. We live only 40 miles north of San Francisco, so embarking and disembarking would have been so easy. However, we were surprised to find, when we compared both itineraries, that we wouldn't be missing any of the ports we were really interested in by taking the shorter trip. It was an easy decision.

[VennDiagram]

We were also looking at this cruise, and have it booked. Since then, they have removed Kake from all three 3-week itineraries, replacing it with just the Frederick Sound cruising. We also have the 2-week booked on the Amsterdam, and are starting to prefer that.

......

 

 

I suspect that since Kake is only going to be visited by pax on HAL shorex, that is why they have changed the itinerary, to reflect that more accurately. I think (but have no insider knowledge) that if you DO want to go to Kake, you will be able to, through a HAL shore excursion. When I read the description of the port previously (when Kake was listed as a port) that is what more or less what was said in the description.

 

I am so very tempted to take this cruise, but am having a difficult time convincing myself it is worth the investment of 21 days to see a couple of off-the-beaten-path ports.