Grand or Holland Koningsdam to Alaska?

[Cruzmama]

Weighing the options:

Grand:  Goes to Juneau and Ketchikan, Port times are only noon to 6:00

Koningsdam:  Goes to Prince Rupert (instead of Juneau) and Ketchikan, port time is 8am to 5:00

 

I love both these ships, and would prefer to see a glacier.

What to choose?

[Coral]

Can you post the entire schedules of both.

[Cruzmama]

4 minutes ago, Coral said:

Can you post the entire schedules of both.

Grand:  May 1:  Vancouver

              May 3: Juneau:  12:00 to 6:00

              May 4:  Ketchikan - 12:00-6:00

              May 6:  Vancouver

 

Koningsdam:  May 1:  Vancouver

             May 3: Ketchikan- 8:00-5:00

             May 4:  Prince Rupert:  8:00-5:00

              May 6:  Vancouver

[Coral]

19 minutes ago, Cruzmama said:

Grand:  May 1:  Vancouver

              May 3: Juneau:  12:00 to 6:00

              May 4:  Ketchikan - 12:00-6:00

              May 6:  Vancouver

 

Koningsdam:  May 1:  Vancouver

             May 3: Ketchikan- 8:00-5:00

             May 4:  Prince Rupert:  8:00-5:00

              May 6:  Vancouver

I still feel like I am missing something. Do you have glaciers, if so which ones. What is the rest of the itinerary - is Skagway included? Are these RT Vancouver?

 

If Alaska is a priority - I would go with Grand.

 

-----

 

I just looked up itineraries.

 

Edited July 23, 2022 by Coral

[Coral]

May 1, 2023		Vancouver, B.C., CA	DEPARTS 03:00 PM	LEARN MORE
May 2, 2023		Scenic Cruising The Inside Passage CRUISING ONLY		LEARN MORE
May 3, 2023		Ketchikan, Alaska, US	ARRIVES 08:00 AM DEPARTS 05:00 PM	LEARN MORE
May 4, 2023		Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada	ARRIVES 08:00 AM DEPARTS 05:00 PM	LEARN MORE
May 5, 2023		Scenic Cruising The Inside Passage CRUISING ONLY		LEARN MORE
May 6, 2023		Vancouver, B.C., CA

Edited July 23, 2022 by Coral
Itinerary for HAL

[Coral]

Mon, May 1Monday, May 1st 2023	Vancouver, CanadaView excursions in Vancouver, Canada on Monday, May 1st 2023		04:30 pm
Tue, May 2Tuesday, May 2nd 2023	At SeaView onboard experience  for Tuesday, May 2nd 2023
Wed, May 3Wednesday, May 3rd 2023	Juneau, AlaskaView excursions in Juneau, Alaska on Wednesday, May 3rd 2023	12:00 pm	06:00 pm
Thu, May 4Thursday, May 4th 2023	Ketchikan, AlaskaView excursions in Ketchikan, Alaska on Thursday, May 4th 2023	12:00 pm	06:00 pm
Fri, May 5Friday, May 5th 2023	At SeaView onboard experience  for Friday, May 5th 2023
Sat, May 6Saturday, May 6th 2023	Vancouver, CanadaView excursions in Vancouver, Canada on Saturday, May 6th 2023	07:30 am

Itinerary for Grand Princess.

[Coral]

Cruzmama - Sorry, I didn't realize these were short samplers.

 

I would not recommend either, especially if you want to see a Glacier. There is a small glacier in Juneau (Mendenhall) but it is disappointing IMO unless you land on the glacier ($$$$). Most take a shuttle to the front of the glacier.

 

I would look into a 7 night cruise that hits Glacier Bay.

 

The HAL cruise only spends 1 day in Alaska. The Princess cruise spends 2 days in Alaska. None of them go to top glaciers such as Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier. Hubbard glacier can be iced in in May. 

 

Definitely look into some books such as Alaska by Cruise ship by Anne Vipond to look at the ports and the glaciers. I prefer two glacier days in case you get iced out of one. The Princess one way itineraries are amazing and have 2 glacier days. If you go North Bound, you can do AdventureBound Alaska to Tracy Arm by small boat which is amazing if your interests are glaciers! I haven't looked at HAL's one way cruises but HAL also has a great reputation in Alaska.

 

I would read some books before you book anything. Also, the Alaska board on CruiseCritic is very helpful.

 

IMO - I was not impressed with Prince Rupert as a port.

Edited July 23, 2022 by Coral

[Cruzmama]

Thank you so much for your thorough answer.  Unfortunately, we only have a small window of time (5 days), and tend to agree that the Grand might be the best.  I couldn't find much to love about Prince Rupert either.

[Coral]

15 minutes ago, Cruzmama said:

Thank you so much for your thorough answer.  Unfortunately, we only have a small window of time (5 days), and tend to agree that the Grand might be the best.  I couldn't find much to love about Prince Rupert either.

If you are interested in glaciers - I would look for a helicopter ride in Juneau to land on a glacier. It will be pricey but a once in a lifetime experience. Have a great trip.

[bbstx]

If you are looking at ships only and not itineraries, I vote for the Koningsdam.  I just got back last week from a 7 day cruise aboard the Koningsdam.  

 

We opted for Club Orange and loved every minute of it.  All in our party but me used the Club Orange upgrade.  They paid for a mid-ship balcony, but booked an aft balcony.  I chose to stay mid-ship so didn’t use the upgrade.  

 

Loved the small Club Orange dining room and the extremely attentive service that came with it.  Club Orange gets the MDR menu plus an additional special entree.  One evening it was a veal chop and it was delicious!  

 

Priority boarding comes with Club Orange, too. It was nice although the boarding experience as a whole was chaotic.

[rj59]

There are other HAL and Princess ships that go to either Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier, as well as smaller Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships. Ships that go to Endicott Arm or Tracy Arm fjords aren't guaranteed to get close enough to the small glaciers at their end--the Discovery turned around before the Dawe's glacier was even in sight. I'd choose the Noordam for a one-way, since the Royal-class Princess ships and Konigsdam don't have a wrap-around outside promenade close to the water. For a R/T, Serenade of the Seas hits Hubbard and Tracy Arm fjord, and Celebrity Eclipse visits Hubbard Glacier, and if you want r/t from Seattle, Westerdam visits Hubbard Glacier and also has an outside wraparound deck. 

[waltd]

If I had never been to Alaska and wanted to see glaciers I think I would wait and book an Alaska cruise when I had more time.   Seems like a long trip just to do a 5 day sampler cruise. We once did the sampler cruise by tacking it on to another 7 day cruise.     Our favorite is still the Anchorage to Vancouver.   You most definately  would see glaciers on that itinerary. Princess is known for it's Alaska cruises.   Good luck deciding.  

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Vancouver is an expensive city to get to. I would not go to the expense for such a short sailing that leaves out so much of what makes Alaska wonderful, especially if this is your first trip to the region. Also due to the early season many marquee excursions may not yet be running, wildlife may be scarce and numerous shops/attractions may have yet to open.  Either go later in the year when you can take more time,  or wait a few years.  I cannot recommend you do either sailing.

 

Edited July 23, 2022 by AtlantaCruiser72

[donaldsc]

7 hours ago, Cruzmama said:

Grand:  May 1:  Vancouver

              May 3: Juneau:  12:00 to 6:00

              May 4:  Ketchikan - 12:00-6:00

              May 6:  Vancouver

 

Koningsdam:  May 1:  Vancouver

             May 3: Ketchikan- 8:00-5:00

             May 4:  Prince Rupert:  8:00-5:00

              May 6:  Vancouver

 

I must be missing something.  On the 1st cruise you have a total of 2 port stops and 12  hours off the ship on a 7 day cruise.  Also why only 6 instead of 7 days.  On the 2nd cruise you have 2 port stops and longer port stops.  As I mentioned elsewhere based on just the port stops and the lengths of the stop I would Koningsdam as the least bad of 2 really bad cruises.  Bottom line is that the itineraries of both of them are horrible.  You would have to be really desperate to take either of the cruises.  

 

There has to be something better that you can do w your short vacation time.

 

DON

[Coral]

23 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

I must be missing something.  On the 1st cruise you have a total of 2 port stops and 12  hours off the ship on a 7 day cruise.  Also why only 6 instead of 7 days.  On the 2nd cruise you have 2 port stops and longer port stops.  As I mentioned elsewhere based on just the port stops and the lengths of the stop I would Koningsdam as the least bad of 2 really bad cruises.  Bottom line is that the itineraries of both of them are horrible.  You would have to be really desperate to take either of the cruises.  

 

There has to be something better that you can do w your short vacation time.

 

DON

They are 5 day sampler cruises. HAL only spends 1 day in Alaska.

Edited July 23, 2022 by Coral

[AtlantaCruiser72]

On a purely ship related note - I'd take the Konigsdam over the Grand anydays, if for no other reason than Kongisdams larger shower stalls w/ glass doors and handheld showerheads in all room categories up to and including balcony  as compared to Grand Princess' RV like showers with clingy-curtains.  I think the HAL dining options are superior as well.

[Coral]

7 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

On a purely ship related note - I'd take the Konigsdam over the Grand anydays, if for no other reason than Kongisdams larger shower stalls w/ glass doors and handheld showerheads in all room categories up to and including balcony  as compared to Grand Princess' RV like showers with clingy-curtains.  I think the HAL dining options are superior as well.

She wants to see glaciers. She has less chance on the HAL ship.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

1 minute ago, Coral said:

She wants to see glaciers. She has less chance on the HAL ship.

Which is why I said "purely ship related note" - I am already on record that neither itinerary is very good.  Neither has great Glacier viewing options, with no Glacier experience from the ship itself.  Juneau is primarily limited to Mendenhall, which that early in season may not yet be very active.