Is Freedom the only June Alaskan ship?

[IMKTDQT810]

We promised DS a high school graduation cruise to anywhere in June 2023 and he has chosen Alaska. We have never travelled to the west coast before and I looked to see if those rates are out and what ships there are to chose from. Nothing is out yet so I put in June of 2022 to see what the options were that year and the only ship that came up was Freedom. 

So I just wondered if anyone else has cruised to Alaska in June on Carnival and were you on the Freedom? Are the pools heated? I read that June is still cooler weather up there then what I'm used to in Spring on the East coast. THANK YOU! 

[jsglow]

Let me try to get you a couple answers.  Historically, Carnival has served the Alaska market with a single seasonal ship out of Seattle.   (At times they may have added some longer cruises out of SF too.) I recall pre-pandemic that they had plans to increase that but I'm not sure about that.  Historically the route was served by a single Spirit Class ship, historically the then serving west coast vessel such as the Legend, Miracle or Spirit.  Freedom's addition to the route adds a larger Conquest Class ship to the mix combined with its seasonal beginning/ending trip through the Panama Canal redeploying to and from the Caribbean for Alaska duty in the summer.

 

To the very best of my recollection, no Carnival ships of that era (or maybe ever) have heated pools.  Their boats were truly developed for use in the Caribbean primarily.  But the Freedom (as well as the Spirit class ship) have a convertible skylight over one of the pools.

 

An Alaskan cruise is truly about the fantastic sightseeing that is available on the route.  So things like foul weather gear is a must.  In any season, it is significantly more about the scenery rather than a lazy day in swimwear reading a book poolside as is the case in the Caribbean.  Understanding that difference is key.  All that said, Alaska is perhaps my favorite destination.

 

One more thing...... I would personally recommend lines other than Carnival as my personal #1 choice for Alaskan itineraries.  CCL's sister line Princess truly dominates the market.  However, if Carnival perfectly fits your family for Alaska (and we absolutely love Carnival) then certainly go for it.

 

Hope this helps with your planning! 

Edited December 22, 2020 by jsglow

[IMKTDQT810]

5 hours ago, jsglow said:

Let me try to get you a couple answers.  Historically, Carnival has served the Alaska market with a single seasonal ship out of Seattle.   (At times they may have added some longer cruises out of SF too.) I recall pre-pandemic that they had plans to increase that but I'm not sure about that.  Historically the route was served by a single Spirit Class ship, historically the then serving west coast vessel such as the Legend, Miracle or Spirit.  Freedom's addition to the route adds a larger Conquest Class ship to the mix combined with its seasonal beginning/ending trip through the Panama Canal redeploying to and from the Caribbean for Alaska duty in the summer.

 

To the very best of my recollection, no Carnival ships of that era (or maybe ever) have heated pools.  Their boats were truly developed for use in the Caribbean primarily.  But the Freedom (as well as the Spirit class ship) have a convertible skylight over one of the pools.

 

An Alaskan cruise is truly about the fantastic sightseeing that is available on the route.  So things like foul weather gear is a must.  In any season, it is significantly more about the scenery rather than a lazy day in swimwear reading a book poolside as is the case in the Caribbean.  Understanding that difference is key.  All that said, Alaska is perhaps my favorite destination.

 

One more thing...... I would personally recommend lines other than Carnival as my personal #1 choice for Alaskan itineraries.  CCL's sister line Princess truly dominates the market.  However, if Carnival perfectly fits your family for Alaska (and we absolutely love Carnival) then certainly go for it.

 

Hope this helps with your planning! 

 

Thank you SO MUCH for this information. Especially the fact that maybe we should consider other lines as well. We have only been on Carnival (as a child I was on one royal Caribbean and Holland America Lines..but I honestly don't remember much of either of these trips). I might do some research into Princess to see what ports they offer and then wait to see who has the better pricing. 

Thank you also for letting me know about the convertible Skylight over one pool, I wasn't able to see that or get that information when I was reviewing the specs of that ship. I DO know I want to book a balcony so we can have some great views even from our room!

[BlerkOne]

Alaska is not a party destination, but other cruise lines do tend to roll the sidewalks up earlier than Carnival.

 

In the good old days, Carnival did N-S routes from Vancouver to Anchorage or reverse which I prefer, but the airfare is higher.

 

A big unknown is what limitations Canada will place on cruise ships until the Pandemic is over. A lot more should be known over the next few months and the impact the vaccines may have.

 

With the retractable roof closed, a heated pool really isn't needed. The area becomes like a steam room - warm and humid. I know at least one Spirit class ship has one of the center pools heated.

 

Anyway, I think 2023 will be different than 2022 and certainly different from 2020/21.

[Tinknock50]

4 hours ago, IMKTDQT810 said:

 

Thank you SO MUCH for this information. Especially the fact that maybe we should consider other lines as well. We have only been on Carnival (as a child I was on one royal Caribbean and Holland America Lines..but I honestly don't remember much of either of these trips). I might do some research into Princess to see what ports they offer and then wait to see who has the better pricing. 

Thank you also for letting me know about the convertible Skylight over one pool, I wasn't able to see that or get that information when I was reviewing the specs of that ship. I DO know I want to book a balcony so we can have some great views even from our room!

Holland America is also an excellent choice for Alaska.

[jsglow]

Okay, I'm going to jump in again OP.  The true highlight of any Alaska cruise for me is access to Glacier Bay National Park.  It's a full day cruising adventure narrated by National Park rangers.  One literally spends the entire day on the top deck at the railing beginning at 6 am. 

 

Here's the issue.  ONLY two ships are granted permits each day.  They are bid on years prior.  Every season there are maybe 300 TOTAL (150 day cruising season?)  Anyway, Princess controls about 75%, HAL about 20%, and the rest of the non CCL brands (mostly Norwegian if my memory serves) about 5%.  (Note that RCCL has zero.)  CCL Corp used to allocate a handful to Carnival.... no more.  Perhaps let that guide your decisioning.

 

(Seriously, Princess and HAL are your best choices.  Yes, the sidewalks do roll up early, especially on HAL. But Alaska isn't about the party.  Make 100% sure your recent grad understands and wants that.)  

Edited December 23, 2020 by jsglow

[dbrucern]

We were on the Legend last year (August) to Alaska, the pools were not heated but the main pool has a roof cover and it was full as we had unseasonably high temps for that region last year. When we arrived in Skagway my husband and myself had to find a t-shirt shop because we were more prepared for cooler weather.  I can't remember if  the freedom has a covered pool, though we have been on her twice before.  I will tell you that the Alaska cruise is one of the most relaxing cruises, people wore jeans and sweatshirts not at all what we expected but had a great time and probably our favorite cruise

[jsglow]

3 minutes ago, dbrucern said:

We were on the Legend last year (August) to Alaska, the pools were not heated but the main pool has a roof cover and it was full as we had unseasonably high temps for that region last year. When we arrived in Skagway my husband and myself had to find a t-shirt shop because we were more prepared for cooler weather.  I can't remember if  the freedom has a covered pool, though we have been on her twice before.  I will tell you that the Alaska cruise is one of the most relaxing cruises, people wore jeans and sweatshirts not at all what we expected but had a great time and probably our favorite cruise

We were blessed with an incredible weather week too.  We'd get to ports and folks would tell us this was the first time they'd seen the sun in a month.  Alaska IS amazing.

[Host Carolyn]

Princess and HAL have excellent onboard programs by naturalists, park rangers etc to enhance your Alaska experiences. Imho, Alaska is about the destination, been 12 times, all on Princess but one. Carnival, NCL and RCI can't begin to compare. Don't miss Glacier Bay...

[ninjacat123]

7 minutes ago, Host Carolyn said:

Princess and HAL have excellent onboard programs by naturalists, park rangers etc to enhance your Alaska experiences. Imho, Alaska is about the destination, been 12 times, all on Princess but one. Carnival, NCL and RCI can't begin to compare. Don't miss Glacier Bay...

DH and I went to a presentation at a travel show about HAL in Alaska which looked pretty awesome.  Any thoughts on HAL? TIA!

[BlerkOne]

I've been to Alaska on Holland and on Carnival and think Carnival is fine. The Holland ships are nicer, and the food and service, etc. a notch up (in general) but Alaska is the destination, not the cruise ship. The ports and wildlife are the same whatever the cruise line. All the cruises have a naturalist and lectures. In some places (like Glacier Bay), park rangers board all the ships for lectures and some commentary.

 

Glacier Bay is nice, but there are other choices as well. There is so much to see and not a chance you can see it in one trip. If Glacier Bay is a must, Carnival won't be returning for years. Glacier Bay is awarded on bids and other factors:

 

"A prospectus soliciting proposals for cruise ship services was issued in May 2018. A panel of technical experts reviewed each proposal package, and new ten-year concession contracts were awarded to seven businesses: Princess Cruise Lines Ltd, Holland America Line Inc., NCL (Bahamas) Ltd, Carnival plc (Cunard Line), Seabourn Cruise Line Limited, Viking Cruises Ltd and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. The NPS anticipated the contracts will be effective October 1, 2019. "

https://www.nps.gov/glba/learn/news/glacier-bay-issues-new-contracts-for-cruise-ship-services.htm

 

After being selected, Royal has "decided" not to included Glacier Bay on any of their cruises.

 

If only planning one trip to Alaska, a cruise tour package to Denali should be considered, although it adds time and expense. Then Princess or Holland would be at the top of the list. Holland used to be the wheel chair cruise line, but has broader appeal these days.

 

[BlerkOne]

2 hours ago, dbrucern said:

We were on the Legend last year (August) to Alaska, the pools were not heated but the main pool has a roof cover and it was full as we had unseasonably high temps for that region last year. When we arrived in Skagway my husband and myself had to find a t-shirt shop because we were more prepared for cooler weather.  I can't remember if  the freedom has a covered pool, though we have been on her twice before.  I will tell you that the Alaska cruise is one of the most relaxing cruises, people wore jeans and sweatshirts not at all what we expected but had a great time and probably our favorite cruise

 

The aft pools on Conquest class ships, including Freedom, have a retractable roof. It is generally open except in inclement weather.

 

The weather can be anything on an Alaska cruise which is why they say to pack layers. It won't be super cold anytime along the coast and it could be t-shirt and shorts weather (not typical).

[IMKTDQT810]

3 hours ago, jsglow said:

Okay, I'm going to jump in again OP.  The true highlight of any Alaska cruise for me is access to Glacier Bay National Park.  It's a full day cruising adventure narrated by National Park rangers.  One literally spends the entire day on the top deck at the railing beginning at 6 am. 

 

Here's the issue.  ONLY two ships are granted permits each day.  They are bid on years prior.  Every season there are maybe 300 TOTAL (150 day cruising season?)  Anyway, Princess controls about 75%, HAL about 20%, and the rest of the non CCL brands (mostly Norwegian if my memory serves) about 5%.  (Note that RCCL has zero.)  CCL Corp used to allocate a handful to Carnival.... no more.  Perhaps let that guide your decisioning.

 

(Seriously, Princess and HAL are your best choices.  Yes, the sidewalks do roll up early, especially on HAL. But Alaska isn't about the party.  Make 100% sure your recent grad understands and wants that.)  

Thank you for the additional information. Yes, my Grad is aware of what a cruise to Alaska is going to consist of and I told him over this holiday break I am going to be discussing it with him in more details so I can do more research and I'm ready to book when the rates come out. He's a very mature teen with obtaining his Eagle Scout Rank this year at age 15. (his project was organ donor sign up and blood drive which isn't a typical Eagle Scout Project most boys do). I honestly think he wants to go for the beauty of nature and not any parties. Grant you, he will prolly enjoy the teen areas in the evenings, but then again we all like to have fun with on vacation! 

[jsglow]

On 12/23/2020 at 9:13 AM, ninjacat123 said:

DH and I went to a presentation at a travel show about HAL in Alaska which looked pretty awesome.  Any thoughts on HAL? TIA!

HAL would be one of the two 'go to' choices according to most experienced Alaskan cruisers.

[jsglow]

22 hours ago, IMKTDQT810 said:

Thank you for the additional information. Yes, my Grad is aware of what a cruise to Alaska is going to consist of and I told him over this holiday break I am going to be discussing it with him in more details so I can do more research and I'm ready to book when the rates come out. He's a very mature teen with obtaining his Eagle Scout Rank this year at age 15. (his project was organ donor sign up and blood drive which isn't a typical Eagle Scout Project most boys do). I honestly think he wants to go for the beauty of nature and not any parties. Grant you, he will prolly enjoy the teen areas in the evenings, but then again we all like to have fun with on vacation! 

 

That's fantastic.  I'm sure he'll love the trip.

 

For reference, we did the southbound 'Glaciers' cruise on Princess.  Because of work limitations we had  a mere 7 days.  Flew from Chicago to Anchorage Friday evening; sailed southbound beginning Saturday and the following Saturday flew from Vancouver back home.

 

Looking forward to a far more extended trip including inland Alaska in retirement and when this whole pandemic thing subsides.

[jsglow]

On 12/23/2020 at 9:04 AM, Host Carolyn said:

Princess and HAL have excellent onboard programs by naturalists, park rangers etc to enhance your Alaska experiences. Imho, Alaska is about the destination, been 12 times, all on Princess but one. Carnival, NCL and RCI can't begin to compare. Don't miss Glacier Bay...

 

I couldn't agree with Host Carolyn more.  One thing I'll add.  Experienced Alaskan cruisers believe specific ship selection can be important.  Many, myself included, prefer a largely unobstructed top deck.  We were on the old Golden Princess.  She was the perfect boat.  Nothing in the way blocking our views from the rail in any direction.

[BlerkOne]

Most people know one or two people don't speak for most. This experienced Alaska cruiser certainly does. The whales will always be on the opposite side of the ship, any ship (not really but it can seem that way).  There will be no lack of scenery or sensory overload. The only limitations will be what you set.

[firefly333]

I did alaska on carnival. Host caroline mentions the naturalist onboard. Carnival also provided this. I'd never seen it before but it really enhanced the trip. Every night in the theater so would host a hour talk with pictures of strata and things to watch for that we would pass the next day, or tomorrow at 7 am we will be going thru a area known to have whales, and all the people were lined up in the buffet at 7 an in chairs with their binoculars. I never saw any eagles, either my eyes or the cheap carnival binoculars but I sure did see whales and seals and all kinds of aged strata.

 

I thought carnival did a great job.