Bliss Alaska port or starboard

[bobkins40]

Looking into a balcony cabin on bliss in Alaska June 2021

trying to have best views from balcony

heads north from Seattle 

thru interior 

Thinking starboard would be best

 

any input is helpful

 

only have sailed Caribbean 

 

 

[Carpe-Diem]

1 hour ago, bobkins40 said:

Looking into a balcony cabin on bliss in Alaska June 2021

trying to have best views from balcony

heads north from Seattle 

thru interior 

Thinking starboard would be best

 

any input is helpful

 

only have sailed Caribbean 

 

 

Ive been on both sides. I liked both equally. I’m doing aft in July which is probably the best option if it’s in your price range. 

[don't-use-real-name]

Yes Starboard would be the side facing land - going -

returning Port side would be the place to be -

 

Northbound from Seattle the usual route is the ocean

side of Vancouver Island - - - therefore Starboard -

 

Southbound from Alaska a required PVSA port call

at Victoria may result in using the "Inside Passage"

land on both side of that passage.

 

But in reality unless you are at or near the glaciers

for viewing you are miles out at sea to take in anything

close (binoculars telephoto video-still camera needed).

Once passed the "Outside Passage" of Vancouver Island

there is a spell of open water and then land closes in on

both sides.

When at the pier either side maybe the side facing the pier.

When viewing the glaciers most all ships rotate 360 degrees

to give everyone a photo opt view -

Some cruises have a National Parks Ranger come on board

for a narration of what you are viewing right in front of you.

Inside cabins use the bridge camera on the in house video

or go up on an open deck for the view.

Most of the ship movement will be in the late evening hours

even if Alaska is the land of the midnight sun - not much to see -

Think spectacular sunset photos.

 

In reality no difference either side - peak viewing for the cruise

would be in June/July lots of daylight - shoulder beginning end

of season May September less daylight.

 

A Balcony is the way to go - you can pop out of your cabin at

anytime to take in whatever is there - consider a Balcony location

near a top deck with easy access to an open deck on the opposite

side of the ship to see what is on your blind side. Best be near

stairways (elevators may not be favorable to your timing) - zip up

a couple of flights of stairs open the deck door and voila the

view of the other side. For some views don't anchor yourself in

your cabin you will only have half the view and some of those

views a fleeting by the minute - wave to the stern of whatever is

passing.

 

Use that in house TV - tune to the Navigation channel and see

where your location is reference to points of interest and sometimes

a PA announcement will reveal a movement of whales giving a

clock location i.e. 1 O'clock sighting off the starboard bow.

 

Good golly you are going to have a fun time on your cruise.

 

Also if the weather makes things difficult your Balcony offers

some degree of refuge to seek shelter as well as going to a lower

outside (Promenade) deck with a overhead cover. For the most

part the usual weather hold up is FOG - low hanging mist -

it burns off with the rising sun and gone by noon.  

Edited October 15, 2020 by don't-use-real-name

[Ck37421]

When we were on the Bliss in 2018, we did the starboard side in a balcony cabin.  Every morning as we approached port you were able to see the towns along the shoreline as you entered the area since you are running north along the shoreline of Alaska.  

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, bobkins40 said:

Looking into a balcony cabin on bliss in Alaska June 2021

trying to have best views from balcony

heads north from Seattle 

thru interior 

Thinking starboard would be best

 

any input is helpful

 

only have sailed Caribbean 

 

 

Since you are doing the Endicot Arm, port side will provide you better vistas on glacier watching day. The glacier explorer out of Juneau is a great excursion going to the glacier on a small tour boat ahead of the ship. 
 

The following link is to my live post from the Bliss to Alaska. Starting at post #243 is the Glacier Explorer excursion. 
 

 

[bonvoyagie]

If you are on one of the Glacier Bay cruises the Port side has all of the glaciers that the ranges point out. We did the bay from an aft balcony so the narriation was way ahead of us - but we could see both sides of the bay.

[bobkins40]

[don't-use-real-name]

27 minutes ago, bobkins40 said:

Sadly that itinerary does not include Glacier Bay Skagway and the return via the Canadian Inside Passage.

[bobkins40]

Timing and price plays a big part

how bad could this itinerary be ? 
never been to Alaska 

Edited October 15, 2020 by bobkins40

[bonvoyagie]

Thats right, they planned on bringing the Encore to AK in 2020 and it would do the GB.

 

I also just read where the Oceania Regetta is going to berth/lay up  in Astoria at a cost of 75,000/month. They indicated that NCHL wanted to send other ships there for layup but with a major COVID-19 outbreak at a local seafood factory gave the town cold feet about berthing a cruise ship. They also said that the ship had around 90 of the 400 crew members. Currently the ship is sailing from Mexico.

[dexddd]

3 hours ago, bonvoyagie said:

Thats right, they planned on bringing the Encore to AK in 2020 and it would do the GB.

 

I also just read where the Oceania Regetta is going to berth/lay up  in Astoria at a cost of 75,000/month. They indicated that NCHL wanted to send other ships there for layup but with a major COVID-19 outbreak at a local seafood factory gave the town cold feet about berthing a cruise ship. They also said that the ship had around 90 of the 400 crew members. Currently the ship is sailing from Mexico.

Are they docking?  Think Astoria can only handle two docked ships unless there is a yard too,

[bonvoyagie]

The article in the Astorian indicated they would be docking - I know of the main dock they use for cruise ships - I believe they also have secondary tie up spots - I know they have parking spots in the river. The article also mentioned that there is not much ship traffic this year due to sanctions against China - no logs or lumber moving back and forth. I can't imagine charging 75k for a river parking spot. They also mentioned that the crew would be welcome in town once they have passed a quarintine period. I just checked Marine Traffic and the Regatta is shown at one of the side docks - not the normal tie up spot for cruise ships visiting port.

[jeremyosborne81]

I booked one in September of next year and opted for Port side because that seems to be the one that will face the dock most often in Juneau and be the side with the best view going into Glacier Bay National Park

[timf2001]

On 10/15/2020 at 12:04 PM, don't-use-real-name said:

Sadly that itinerary does not include Glacier Bay Skagway and the return via the Canadian Inside Passage.

 

Bliss and Encore never use the Canadian Inside Passage as they are too big.

[don't-use-real-name]

16 minutes ago, timf2001 said:

 

Bliss and Encore never use the Canadian Inside Passage as they are too big.

And so the JOY would also not use the IP ?

Been on the JEWEL and the Carnival SPIRIT - the narrows portion north of Campbell River is the critical spot.

[don't-use-real-name]

3 hours ago, bonvoyagie said:

The article in the Astorian indicated they would be docking - I know of the main dock they use for cruise ships - I believe they also have secondary tie up spots - I know they have parking spots in the river. The article also mentioned that there is not much ship traffic this year due to sanctions against China - no logs or lumber moving back and forth. I can't imagine charging 75k for a river parking spot. They also mentioned that the crew would be welcome in town once they have passed a quarintine period. I just checked Marine Traffic and the Regatta is shown at one of the side docks - not the normal tie up spot for cruise ships visiting port.

LINK to Marine Traffic showing Regatta position:

 

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-123.858/centery:46.183/zoom:15

 

Google (Satellite) Map showing Astoria {Map can be zoomed in-out}:

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@46.1886057,-123.8594944,1384m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

That normal tie up is where the West Mooring Basin office is (lumber facility) the black dock is the one we

used (NCL SUN) my last visit.  There is a pedestrian passage way to the city from that point.

[dexddd]

I know when we were there on Star on a repo there were three ships there that day.  Star and a Princess ship docked and Pearl or Jewel anchored to the north.

 

Busy and crowded day in Port but one of the nicest and friendliest ports ever. A great day I still remember today.

[bonvoyagie]

We live on the west side of Portland and frequent the north coast and love the Astoria area.

[timf2001]

On 10/16/2020 at 8:09 PM, don't-use-real-name said:

And so the JOY would also not use the IP ?

Been on the JEWEL and the Carnival SPIRIT - the narrows portion north of Campbell River is the critical spot.

 

That is correct, although Joy is not scheduled to return to Alaska until at least 2023.

Edited October 18, 2020 by timf2001

[jbcallender]

For me, starboard because the scenery is all new to you on the way north.   Then, you see the opposite scenery on the way back.

 

[don't-use-real-name]

When sailing the Pacific (non-IP) Ocean side of Vancouver Island - it doesn't make an hootenanny

which side - you are so far out to sea that binoculars or telephoto lens is required and then the

passage is usually during nightfall - enjoy the distant lights and stars that can be seen and even

a perchance sighting of the northern lights.

 

While your port/starboard side cabin may be the best for viewing one or another visited places

remember to scout out the ship for even better opportunities if the weather takes a turn or maybe

you want to get a second glance of that glacier from a different angle. 

 

[PATRLR]

As others have said, side probably doesn't matter all that much.  

Strongly recommend the small ship excursion that BirdTravels recommended to get up close the glacier.  I was on the same cruise and excursion and agree it was the best excursion I have ever taken.