Alaska cruise question

[commodari5]

My boyfriend and I are looking to go to Alaska, inside passage, from either Seattle or Vancouver. We would like the biggest newest ship. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks 🌻

[CruiserBruce]

I would start with some research on the Alaska board, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/33-alaska/

 

Next up...almost no ships sail from Seattle through the true Inside Passage. 

 

I would look at itinerary far above size of ship, as size of ship may limit where you can go, and cruise lines with the larger ships may not go to the best sights. Rather focus on the best places to go, like Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier.

[puppycanducruise]

I can't answer your question.  I think itinerary is more important than ship size. 

Try and get a cruise  that goes to Glacier Bay.

More info can be found on the Alaska forum.

[1025cruise]

IMHO, the biggest newest ships don't belong in Alaska. 

Pick the ship that has the itinerary you want.

[cruizergal70]

59 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

IMHO, the biggest newest ships don't belong in Alaska. 

Pick the ship that has the itinerary you want.

I don't believe any cruise line sends their newest, largest ships to Alaska.

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, commodari5 said:

My boyfriend and I are looking to go to Alaska, inside passage, from either Seattle or Vancouver. We would like the biggest newest ship. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks 🌻

 

Your question lacks too much specificity to be answered.  Come back with specific questions and specific  information about what you want from your cruise and we will be glad to answer them,

 

DON

[Woody14]

Unfortunately the biggest ships can't sail from Vancouver as they can't fit under the bridge.   Not sure if the inside passage is limited to size but I know the last time we went through their on on a cruise ship there was not a lot of space till the shore.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Seattle:

Newest: NCL Encore 2019 4,000 passengers;  NCL Bliss 2018 4,000 passengers

 

Largest: RCI Ovation OTS 2016 4,900 passengers;  2014 Quantum OTS 4,900 passengers.

[Aquahound]

8 hours ago, commodari5 said:

My boyfriend and I are looking to go to Alaska, inside passage, from either Seattle or Vancouver. We would like the biggest newest ship. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks 🌻

 

Take a look at Majestic Princess and Celebrity Eclipse.  Both are out of Vancouver and sail the Inside Passage.  

[Cheesepleese]

We cruised on the Celebrity Eclipse. Loved the ship. Great layout, the Solarium is a great place to hang out during inclement weather. The Cafe al Bacio is awesome place to get your morning coffee fix, and dining places is very good quality. The scenery through the Inside Passage and Alaska coastline is breathtaking. We went in late August 2019. Would definitely cruise on the Eclipse again.

Cheers

[1025cruise]

14 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Seattle:

Newest: NCL Encore 2019 4,000 passengers;  NCL Bliss 2018 4,000 passengers

 

Largest: RCI Ovation OTS 2016 4,900 passengers;  2014 Quantum OTS 4,900 passengers.

Exactly. None of these ships should be in Alaska. Though I need to say I'm a hypocrite because I'll probably be booking one of the RCI ships next year for a family cruise.

[ldubs]

16 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Seattle:

Newest: NCL Encore 2019 4,000 passengers;  NCL Bliss 2018 4,000 passengers

 

Largest: RCI Ovation OTS 2016 4,900 passengers;  2014 Quantum OTS 4,900 passengers.

 

12 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

Take a look at Majestic Princess and Celebrity Eclipse.  Both are out of Vancouver and sail the Inside Passage.  

 

Holy cow!  Actual answers to the question!  😄😄😄

 

You are setting the bar pretty high for the rest of us!  Haha.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

2 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

 

Holy cow!  Actual answers to the question!  😄😄😄

 

You are setting the bar pretty high for the rest of us!  Haha.  

We CCers aim to please!  ;  )

[donaldsc]

We are doing AK on a ship that holds 200 people.  We have done AK on a ship that held 50 people.  That is plenty big enough for me. We stopped and will be stopping at ports that the oversized monstrosities that they now using for AK don't stop at.

 

DON

[MBP&O2/O]

Agree. I am no expert but I have booked on the smallest ship I could find for the poi's I wanted ..... 450 pax.

I understand that the larger cruise ships have to avoid many many areas and are severely limited as to where they can go. 

Even when at sea I always asked the office for the smaller ships to visit the more out of the way places that the big boys couldn't go to. Made life interesting from a navigation and route planning aspect as well.

[Aquahound]

15 hours ago, Cheesepleese said:

We cruised on the Celebrity Eclipse. Loved the ship. Great layout, the Solarium is a great place to hang out during inclement weather. The Cafe al Bacio is awesome place to get your morning coffee fix, and dining places is very good quality. The scenery through the Inside Passage and Alaska coastline is breathtaking. We went in late August 2019. Would definitely cruise on the Eclipse again.

Cheers

 

I totally agree.  I mentioned Majestic and Eclipse but between the 2, I'd pick Eclipse in a heartbeat.  I sailed Majestic's sister, Regal, and I didn't like how Princess didn't build any lounges into the ship with external views.  It's kinda weird.  This is the Sky Lounge on Eclipse.  Majestic has nothing like it...

 

[martincath]

16 hours ago, Aquahound said:

Take a look at Majestic Princess and Celebrity Eclipse.  Both are out of Vancouver and sail the Inside Passage.  

Majestic sails around the outside of Vancouver Island, just like Royal - so while they do sail some of the Inside Passage they miss virtually all of the Canadian part, which is of course the best part!

[Aquahound]

2 minutes ago, martincath said:

Majestic sails around the outside of Vancouver Island, just like Royal - so while they do sail some of the Inside Passage they miss virtually all of the Canadian part, which is of course the best part!

 

Majestic sails the Inside Passage on her one-way cruises.

 

[martincath]

No, she does not - Princess website capture as of seconds ago here shows the route differs for Majestic and Royal. Plus of course the whole legal issue of pilotage being required to travel the true inside passage route, and the continued refusal of BC Pilots to direct this class of ship on that route, means they cannot sail it unless they become magically more maneuverable and our pilots are willing to take them!

[Aquahound]

1 hour ago, martincath said:

No, she does not - Princess website capture as of seconds ago here shows the route differs for Majestic and Royal. Plus of course the whole legal issue of pilotage being required to travel the true inside passage route, and the continued refusal of BC Pilots to direct this class of ship on that route, means they cannot sail it unless they become magically more maneuverable and our pilots are willing to take them!

 

My apologies.  Third party sites are still showing the inside route, which is where I got that picture.  I wasn't aware of all that back story.

 

Well, Eclipse was my recommendation anyways.  🙂

[martincath]

5 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

My apologies.  Third party sites are still showing the inside route, which is where I got that picture.  I wasn't aware of all that back story.

 

Well, Eclipse was my recommendation anyways.  🙂

No worries - Princess themselves continued misleading clients by listing Royal as following the Inside Passage out of Vancouver for over a year after they knew it was not allowed to happen, so third-party sites still listing incorrect routes is no surprise at all... as you rightly said above the lack of good viewing spots makes this class a poor choice for Alaska even on Seattle routes, between that and the crappy handling I'm bemused that they're sending another Royal class to Vancouver after the restart.

[Heidi13]

18 hours ago, martincath said:

No worries - Princess themselves continued misleading clients by listing Royal as following the Inside Passage out of Vancouver for over a year after they knew it was not allowed to happen, so third-party sites still listing incorrect routes is no surprise at all... as you rightly said above the lack of good viewing spots makes this class a poor choice for Alaska even on Seattle routes, between that and the crappy handling I'm bemused that they're sending another Royal class to Vancouver after the restart.

 

In addition to having issues at Seymour Narrows, which the BC Coast Pilots will only transit within an hour of slack water, they also have concerns at Race & Current Passage, up by Helmcken Island. The tide can't be slack water in both spots and northbound at Helmcken can be as challenging with the tide running, as Seymour.

 

I had many interesting northbound transits back on Queen of the North & Queen of Prince Rupert. No way I would be interested in trying it with a Royal class ship.

 

Other than being Carnival, I have no idea why they keep sending those pieces of junk up to Vancouver. They certainly aren't what I consider a proper ship.

[NantahalaCruiser]

On 4/20/2022 at 2:04 PM, commodari5 said:

My boyfriend and I are looking to go to Alaska, inside passage, from either Seattle or Vancouver. We would like the biggest newest ship. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks 🌻

The newest and nearly the largest ship sailing in Alaska is the Discovery Princess - roundtrip out of Seattle - built in 2022 and carrying a max of 3660 passengers. However, it uses the outside passage, rather than the inside passage and does not go to Glacier Bay National Park (a must see destination.)

 

The Norwegian Encore appears to be the largest (3998 passengers) and nearly the newest (2019) - also roundtrip out of Seattle - also using the outside passage - but does go to Glacier Bay National Park.

 

Finally, the Holland America Koningsdam - roundtrip out of Vancouver - seems to be the newest (2016), but not the largest (2650 passengers) - of those ships sailing through the inside passage and cruising in Glacier Bay National Park.

 

However, per some of the previous postings, even though they are said to travel through  the inside passage - it might not really be true.

 

 

Enjoy your cruise.

Edited April 22, 2022 by NantahalaCruiser

[NantahalaCruiser]

On 4/20/2022 at 11:26 PM, Cheesepleese said:

We cruised on the Celebrity Eclipse. Loved the ship. Great layout, the Solarium is a great place to hang out during inclement weather. The Cafe al Bacio is awesome place to get your morning coffee fix, and dining places is very good quality. The scenery through the Inside Passage and Alaska coastline is breathtaking. We went in late August 2019. Would definitely cruise on the Eclipse again.

Cheers

I also love the Celebrity S-class ships - but unfortunately, none of them go to Glacier Bay

[YVRteacher]

On 4/20/2022 at 2:21 PM, Woody14 said:

Unfortunately the biggest ships can't sail from Vancouver as they can't fit under the bridge.   Not sure if the inside passage is limited to size but I know the last time we went through their on on a cruise ship there was not a lot of space till the shore.

Incorrect.  The NCL Bliss was here yesterday and today.  Just need a low slack tide.