Overwhelmed in picking ship!

[ellamenopea]

I’ve done a few European river cruises (AMA) and Caribbean many years ago. Seasickness is an issue 🙄but very much want to cruise Alaska for about a week. Small or large ships are fine and quality of cabins and tours is important. I’d love to see and walk on a glacier and scenery is important. I’m older and not particularly well and this will probably be my last tour. I want it to be great! Thanks for any ideas, really appreciated.

[Guindalf]

What are you looking for in a cruise ship? Entertainment? Food? Free booze?

 

The main priority is to look at the ports of call and the times in each port. Find the itinerary that suits you best and then look for a sailing that matches it. From what you've said, I would think Celebrity, Princess or HAL would be your best bet as they offer a nice blend of amenities and fellow passengers without being too old or too young. NCL is a bit younger but offers probably the best in entertainment and specialty dining.

 

We sail in two weeks on Celebrity, which is now our line of choice, especially since I quit smoking four years ago (smoke free casino and just about everywhere else except a few designated areas).

 

One thing to note if you have mobility issues is to look for a cabin close to the elevator. NCL Away class ships, for example, only have elevators aft and amid-ships, so a forward cabin potentially involves a lot of walking.

[ellamenopea]

Thanks! Good food is important, free booze and gambling don’t interest me. Looking around a bit I wonder about the smaller ships... Seabourn? I see others, too.

 

I do appreciate your advice on the elevator, quite important in my world right now! 

 

Congrats on not smoking!!

[Guindalf]

Thank you. I'm incredibly proud of myself too!

 

Seabourn is in a class above the so-called 'mainstream' lines along with Oceania, Crystal, Regent Seven Seas and others, and the rules are different. There are a lot more inclusions, but the entertainment is a lot more subdued (think maybe a string quartet or piano player), mainly due to the ships being a lot smaller. I haven't sailed with this line but we're three weeks off the Oceania Insignia, which has a double-occupancy capacity of just 684 passengers.

 

There was little in the way of on-board entertainment above the aforementioned quartet and piano player, but there were 2 for 1 drinks hours and even a timed spell of free open bar. 

[cabland]

Honestly, it sounds like a round trip cruise out of Vancouver might be ideal for you unless you really want to see Denali in mainland Alaska.  You will have less exposure to open oceans (less motion) and with Holland America or Princess you will definitely have opportunities to see glaciers (Glacier Bay for viewing from ship and helicopters to glaciers in either Skagway or Juneau).  From my research last year, Holland America seemed to edge out Princess on food quality and cabin size.  Princess had more entertainment options.

[ellamenopea]

This is so helpful. Many thanks!

[DaveOKC]

17 hours ago, cabland said:

Honestly, it sounds like a round trip cruise out of Vancouver might be ideal for you unless you really want to see Denali in mainland Alaska.  You will have less exposure to open oceans (less motion) and with Holland America or Princess you will definitely have opportunities to see glaciers (Glacier Bay for viewing from ship and helicopters to glaciers in either Skagway or Juneau).  From my research last year, Holland America seemed to edge out Princess on food quality and cabin size.  Princess had more entertainment options.

I agree 100%.  The Alaska cruises out of Vancouver are mostly in protected waters, so less "motion of the ocean".  Holland does a very good job in Alaska and with food and friendly service (great crew!).