Alaska 2022 Question

[kruzinkimmie]

Looking at rebooking my cruise to a 2022 date which means more research! I am debating between two different trips and any information would be greatly appreciated, especially if you have done the San Francisco departure! I am sure both have their pros and cons, and honestly the only requirement I had when looking was making sure Glacier Bay was part of the trip!

 

Option 1: Ruby Princess - 10 day round trip from San Francisco August 8th

Itinerary - 

Mon, Aug 8	San Francisco, California		04:00 pm
Tue, Aug 9	At Sea
Wed, Aug 10	At Sea
Thu, Aug 11	Juneau, Alaska	01:30 pm	09:00 pm
Fri, Aug 12	Skagway, Alaska	06:00 am	08:30 pm
Sat, Aug 13	Glacier Bay National Park (Scenic Cruising), Alaska	06:00 am	03:00 pm
Sun, Aug 14	Ketchikan, Alaska]	08:00 am	06:00 pm
Mon, Aug 15	At Sea
Tue, Aug 16	Victoria, Canada	06:00 am	12:00 pm
Wed, Aug 17	At Sea
Thu, Aug 18	San Francisco, California	07:00 am

 

 

Option 2 - Sapphire Princess - Southbound Voyage of the Glaciers - July 16

Itinerary - 

Sat, Jul 16	Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska		08:30 pm
Sun, Jul 17	Hubbard Glacier (Scenic Cruising), Alaska	03:00 pm	08:00 pm
Mon, Jul 18	Glacier Bay National Park (Scenic Cruising), Alaska	09:15 am	07:30 pm
Tue, Jul 19	Skagway, Alaska	07:00 am	08:30 pm
Wed, Jul 20	Juneau, Alaska	06:30 am	04:00 pm
Thu, Jul 21	Ketchikan, Alaska	10:00 am	06:00 pm
Fri, Jul 22	At Sea
Sat, Jul 23	Vancouver, Canada	07:30 am

[snoozecrooze]

18 minutes ago, kruzinkimmie said:

Looking at rebooking my cruise to a 2022 date which means more research! I am debating between two different trips and any information would be greatly appreciated, especially if you have done the San Francisco departure! I am sure both have their pros and cons, and honestly the only requirement I had when looking was making sure Glacier Bay was part of the trip!

The ships are both fine choices -- if you're really strict on ship choice, many others have already mentioned that Sapphire is the superior ship in Alaska of the ones offered for 2022.

 

If you're not fussy on price and you're just looking to cruise, then 10 days is always > 7 days because...you know, more cruising! 😄

 

If you're really dedicated to getting the most out of Alaska in one trip, though, I'd really suggest an Alaska cruisetour (or any land-based experience in addition to the cruise, whether it's with Princess or another company). This means Sapphire would be your only choice of the two itineraries you've chosen. I've read that many also like taking the land-based part first before the cruise in order to settle in as the vacation draws to an end, so your itinerary seems to be a great fit. So in the end, this would be my option if you're planning on splurging a bit for a great exploration. 

 

Some other things:

- The SF itinerary is great, too, if that's what you're left with picking. But if you or your loved ones suffer from motion sickness, make sure to take remedies, because the parts between SF and the PNW are really uncomfortable. The seas could also be rocky after Whittier on the Sapphire itinerary, but it's not as drawn out, given the shorter time spent at sea. 

- It's kind of difficult to have your vacation plans hinge on making it to one port (and for you, you've indicated that that's Glacier Bay), because issues such as ship problems or fog (especially for glaciers) could force you to miss it. I'd make sure to keep your expectations level just in case anything happens so that you can leave the trip still feeling fulfilled.

 

I'm sure others can add many more tips and anecdotes but I hope this helps a bit! 

 

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, snoozecrooze said:

Some other things:

- The SF itinerary is great, too, if that's what you're left with picking. But if you or your loved ones suffer from motion sickness, make sure to take remedies, because the parts between SF and the PNW are really uncomfortable.

 

Take this to heart. I get horribly seasick. I wouldn't set foot on a ship for years and that is one of the reasons. I couldn't even take a tender to port without meds. I get the TransDermScop patch. My doctor prescribes it for me. I've weathered storms where the "iron stomach" crowd went to their cabins to lie down while I had steak and lobster at the Bayou Cafe (sailing on Coral Princess) and had a great time. Meds can save your cruise. The one I use is not for everybody but it works wonderfully for me.

 

Our very first cruise was a 10 day Alaska cruise out of San Francisco. My wife told me it would "never feel" any motion on a ship that size. (Sea Princess... We thought it was freaking huge at that time...) The first night out of port the ship was rocking and rolling in a most amazing way. The next morning people were bouncing off the walls in the hallways on their way to the buffet. The ship was really moving in a lot of directions. I was absolutely fine. Love my patch.

 

Ruby and Sapphire are both great ships. Don't worry which one to book. Book the one that works for you. We've sailed Alaska a number of times. Our next trip will include Sitka and Icy Strait Point which are not the "usual" Princess ports. We are going to book specifically because these two ports are included. If you haven't "done" Alaska yet you will almost certainly love it. Like I said, we've cruised Alaska several times with two of them being 13 and 15 day connoisseur cruise tours. Try cruising Alaska and then, if you love it as much as we do, go back for a cruise tour. It's worth the money.

 

It may sound trite but I am actually jealous of you taking your first Alaska cruise. The first time through Glacier Bay is amazing. Actually, every time through Glacier Bay is amazing. In port take a trip on the White Pass Railroad if you can. Everybody should do this excursion once. It's good. We took a 5 glacier flyover one time in Juneau. Amazing. There is so much to see in Alaska. Don't try to do it all on your first trip. Hopefully you will be able to return again and again.

 

We loved Alaska so much that we actually did a 7 week camping trip up to Fairbanks. It was amazing. We met a lot of really great local folks in a number of different venues and settings. Some folks we met in small Alaska towns where their recent salmon fishing trip or moose hunt, etc. was helping to feed all of the neighbors. Really amazing people in amazing places. When I say we did a camping trip, I mean a camping trip. We did take our teardrop trailer but it's not self-contained and doesn't have a kitchen. We cook outdoors and use the campground "facilities". We have campfires every night. It's freaking awesome. Here's a pic of our "big rig" so you can see what I mean.

 

[From Air to Sea!]

We just booked your option 2 for June 2022! 

[skynight]

The Sapphire is the standard 7 day voyage of the glaciers. Many book the cruisetour, a pre-cruise land tour package, with this voyage. A number of different land tour packages are available. Search under cruisetours. If you don't plan to return to Alaska the land tour is really interesting. 

The Ruby is a RT. No chance for an Alaska land tour. San Francisco is nice for pre- or post tour. 

On board both ships would provide similar activities and enjoyment.

 

[kruzinkimmie]

Thank you for the replies!

 

I hadn't even considered adding a land portion to the trip. I will take a look at those as well.

We have never "done" Alaska so I am sure no matter what I end up choosing it is going to be amazing!

 

I just tend to overthink and research things to the ground before making a decision! 

[skynight]

Information.

It isn't easy to book the cruise and then add the land tour. Cruisetours and voyage only are separate bookings with their own pricing. Popular cruisetours sell out. If you don't plan to return and have the time and funds select a longer cruisetour. The train ride is nice. 

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Weve done many Alaska cruises.  I especially like it when we can book from SF, cuz its

just a drive for us, vs a flight to the pier.

 

We have a 7 nighter out of Seattle, booked for next summer but who knows IF it will happen?

 

Also in the process of booking SF R/T probably in May 2022.

When you go to Alaska from SF, it will always be 10 day trip.

So thats a consideration. 

We really like being able to do the 10 day vs. 7 day AK cruise.

 

[twangster]

Ketchikan mid August may present an opportunity to see Salmon spawning in the rivers.   Days will be noticeably shorter compared to mid July.  Pulling out of Juneau at 9pm for example will be approaching darkness by the time you set sail.    In mid July the sun will still be up as sunset is closer to 10pm mid-July.

 

The combination of Hubbard and Glacier Bay would get me everytime.  The longer days in July would seal the deal for me. 

 

Alaska is a destination where ship and entertainment don't enter into the picture for me.  It's all about the amount of time in port and long daylight hours allow you to do so much more than a traditional Caribbean cruise.

 

Double Glacier experience to me is by far a better itinerary. 

 

The transfer from Anchorage to Whittier can also be an awesome way to start an Alaska cruise experience.  Put some time into looking at that, planning an extra day, train, car or bus, etc.  The Alaskan railroad can be an awesome introduction to Alaska and a heck of way to get to a ship.

 

The four sea days on the 10 night RT are just sea days like any other sea day.  One way North or South routes often afford more time in Alaska at a port rather than at sea. 

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by twangster

[LawDog61]

18 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Take this to heart. I get horribly seasick. I wouldn't set foot on a ship for years and that is one of the reasons. I couldn't even take a tender to port without meds. I get the TransDermScop patch. My doctor prescribes it for me. I've weathered storms where the "iron stomach" crowd went to their cabins to lie down while I had steak and lobster at the Bayou Cafe (sailing on Coral Princess) and had a great time. Meds can save your cruise. The one I use is not for everybody but it works wonderfully for me.

 

Our very first cruise was a 10 day Alaska cruise out of San Francisco. My wife told me it would "never feel" any motion on a ship that size. (Sea Princess... We thought it was freaking huge at that time...) The first night out of port the ship was rocking and rolling in a most amazing way. The next morning people were bouncing off the walls in the hallways on their way to the buffet. The ship was really moving in a lot of directions. I was absolutely fine. Love my patch.

 

Ruby and Sapphire are both great ships. Don't worry which one to book. Book the one that works for you. We've sailed Alaska a number of times. Our next trip will include Sitka and Icy Strait Point which are not the "usual" Princess ports. We are going to book specifically because these two ports are included. If you haven't "done" Alaska yet you will almost certainly love it. Like I said, we've cruised Alaska several times with two of them being 13 and 15 day connoisseur cruise tours. Try cruising Alaska and then, if you love it as much as we do, go back for a cruise tour. It's worth the money.

 

It may sound trite but I am actually jealous of you taking your first Alaska cruise. The first time through Glacier Bay is amazing. Actually, every time through Glacier Bay is amazing. In port take a trip on the White Pass Railroad if you can. Everybody should do this excursion once. It's good. We took a 5 glacier flyover one time in Juneau. Amazing. There is so much to see in Alaska. Don't try to do it all on your first trip. Hopefully you will be able to return again and again.

 

We loved Alaska so much that we actually did a 7 week camping trip up to Fairbanks. It was amazing. We met a lot of really great local folks in a number of different venues and settings. Some folks we met in small Alaska towns where their recent salmon fishing trip or moose hunt, etc. was helping to feed all of the neighbors. Really amazing people in amazing places. When I say we did a camping trip, I mean a camping trip. We did take our teardrop trailer but it's not self-contained and doesn't have a kitchen. We cook outdoors and use the campground "facilities". We have campfires every night. It's freaking awesome. Here's a pic of our "big rig" so you can see what I mean.

 

Do I understand you that there is a Princess cruise to Sitka? I have only been there on HAL and would love to go on a Princess ship.

[Thrak]

19 minutes ago, LawDog61 said:

Do I understand you that there is a Princess cruise to Sitka? I have only been there on HAL and would love to go on a Princess ship.

 

12-Day Inside Passage (with Glacier Bay National Park)

 

 

 

May 2, 2022 is on Sapphire Princess

September 14, 2022 is on Grand Princess

 

 

[KreinKrunker]

Sailing under the Golden Gate would seal it for me.   After saying that, we are booked for a northbound, then a southbound in June 2022, on Sapphire.   Vancouver is a great city too, plus you have the Lion's Gate bridge to sail under. But, it's green.

Edited December 21, 2020 by KreinKrunker

[AtlantaCruiser72]

8 hours ago, skynight said:

Information.

It isn't easy to book the cruise and then add the land tour. Cruisetours and voyage only are separate bookings with their own pricing. Popular cruisetours sell out. If you don't plan to return and have the time and funds select a longer cruisetour. The train ride is nice. 

 

Princess does sell separate land tours, however they don't all begin/end in Whittier but you could book a transfer between Whitter and Anchorage as part of the cruise.  Not as  seamless as just booking the cruisetour, but it does allow for some customization of the land itineraries that booking the regular cruisetours does not such as additional days in Denali or Talkeena as an example.  There are also some packages offered as land only that are not offered as a cruisetour.

 

Here's the website for the land only tour packages: https://www.princesslodges.com/ 

 

As a note - the land only bookings and pricing for 2022 will not start to become available until at least September or October of 2021.  They open far later than the cruisetours and cruises do.

Edited December 21, 2020 by AtlantaCruiser72

[nini]

Glaciers are wonderful. However I enjoyed Hubbard Glacier a bit

more than Glacier Bay.

[From Air to Sea!]

On 12/20/2020 at 8:30 PM, KreinKrunker said:

Sailing under the Golden Gate would seal it for me.   After saying that, we are booked for a northbound, then a southbound in June 2022, on Sapphire.   Vancouver is a great city too, plus you have the Lion's Gate bridge to sail under. But, it's green.

What dates in June? We are also booked for the southbound in June. 

[donaldsc]

On cruise #1, you are taking a 10 day cruise and are in AK for just 4 days.  On cruise #2, you are taking a 7 day cruise and are in AK for 5 days and this does not count the days you can spend pre-cruise in AK.  The question to me is whether you want to spend your time staring that the open ocean with absolutely nothing to look at but water or you want to look at the scenery in AK.  To me, the choice is obvious.  

 

DON

[jennybenny]

Both options are great in my opinion, I enjoy both ships. We have done extra time in Alaska pre cruise, on our own and it was amazing. We rented bikes in Anchorage, went on long runs, and checked out the breweries there. Then we drove up to Soldotna to meet with friends, did two nights at the Princess Wilderness Lodge. Returned our rental car and took the train to catch the cruise. You are able to book Princess Wilderness Lodge without a cruise tour. We went in September and it was too warm for me, I'd prefer to go earlier in the season next time to experience more "cold" in Alaska, but if the opportunity arose, I'd go any time.  Glacier bay is beautiful and it's nice that both your options include it. 

 

Where would you want to spend extra time? If you can do extra time in Alaska that would be amazing and if you want to do extra time in San Francisco that is also great. I always want to do my "extra" activities pre cruise. Usually after a cruise I just want to go home 🙂

 

I am also a big fan of "longer" cruises so San Francisco stands out for that. Sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge is lovely. 

Cost is often a big factor in my choices when comparing trips, airfare + Cruise price+ pre/post cruise costs would help me determine which to pick based on cost per day.

[KreinKrunker]

On 1/7/2021 at 10:23 AM, From Air to Sea! said:

What dates in June? We are also booked for the southbound in June. 

Southbound is June 18.

[KreinKrunker]

On 1/7/2021 at 2:35 PM, donaldsc said:

  The question to me is whether you want to spend your time staring that the open ocean with absolutely nothing to look at but water   

 

DON

Don't like to watch for whales, and other marine mammals?  Besides, you are in sight of land most of the time.

[From Air to Sea!]

On 1/9/2021 at 9:01 PM, KreinKrunker said:

Southbound is June 18.

We’re doing the June 4th southbound 

[Thrak]

Hmmm... Trying to actually book the cruise I posted back in December (post #11 in this thread). The stupid Princess booking site is borked again. It lets me put in our info but, when it gets to the spot to add the insurance, it doesn't seem to recognize my wife as a past passenger and doesn't offer her the "free upgrade" option. Sigh... I hate poorly implemented technology. There "should be" a spot to input her Captain's Circle number but there isn't and the system doesn't seem to recognize her name. So much for "elite" status... I guess I'll probably end up having to book without the Princess insurance and add it in later.  Stupid. Very stupid. Maybe I'll just blow it off and try again tomorrow and see if it works right then. It's just so annoying. I've never had this issue in the past.

[dgc2861]

On 12/20/2020 at 8:14 PM, Thrak said:

 

12-Day Inside Passage (with Glacier Bay National Park)

 

 

 

May 2, 2022 is on Sapphire Princess

September 14, 2022 is on Grand Princess

 

 

This is the one we are going on. Booked it for May 2021 which of course isn't happening. So we booked for May 2022. Great itinerary. We did a cruise tour 16 years ago on Princess.  Looked for a longer cruise without the land part. We found this. Can't wait. Great stops plus you longer time in Victoria.

[Thrak]

2 hours ago, dgc2861 said:

This is the one we are going on. Booked it for May 2021 which of course isn't happening. So we booked for May 2022. Great itinerary. We did a cruise tour 16 years ago on Princess.  Looked for a longer cruise without the land part. We found this. Can't wait. Great stops plus you longer time in Victoria.

 

Booked for May 2, 2022 as well. They managed to screw up my middle name on the booking so I'll have to get that fixed but there's plenty of time before the cruise. Looks like my wife has managed to plan our our camping trip for this year. Good to have a trip in the works even if we don't get any cruising in 2021.