Best cruise line for Alaska cruises?

[Jiminy1955]

Want to take an Alaska cruise but not sure which cruise line provides the best experience. Recommendations please and why. 

[donaldsc]

Unless you provide us with some information as to your needs, wants, budget, physical limitations and what you are expecting to get out of your tour anything that we can tell you will be totally useless to you.  Your question is the equivalent to you going to a car site and posting "I want to buy a car - what is the best car that I should get".  

 

However since you asked I will tell you what my AK selection parameters are based on a fair number of AK trips.  I won't cruise on any ship that is larger than 1000 passengers and for me the smaller the better.  We just came back from an AK cruise that held 180 passengers and I have done cruises on ships that held 50 passengers. 

 

I never do round trip AK cruises because you do not get as many ports.  I will not take one of the cruises that visit just the big 3 ports of Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.  Been to those places and once or twice is enough especially when there are several cruise ships in town at the same time with 10,000 to 15,000 total passengers. The towns then become a zoo. 

 

I prefer to stop at posts such as Sitka, Wrangell, Haines,  Valdez or Kodiak as these stops are more typical of AK.  I will only do one way cruises.  I prefer trip lengths of 10 - 14 days and only because it is almost impossible to find longer cruises.  The standard trip length of 7 days is way too short.  

 

When I do a cruise doing Glacier Bay is a must.  There are other places that have good glaciers but you sometimes do not get into them.  You will always get into Glacier Bay.

 

One thing that I have noticed that many AK 1st timers worry too much about ship on board amenities.  That may be important when you do a Caribbean cruise but for an AK cruise what is important is what is outside of the ship and not what is on the ship.

 

Basically you need to do your own research and then come back with specific questions instead of the totally  non-specific question that you asked.

 

DON

[rkacruiser]

OP, donaldsc's suggestion for more information is valid for us to provide you with the most help.

 

Personally, I prefer HAL and Princess.  HAL because their vessels are a bit better sized for Alaska cruises as well as having the Crow's Nest available for comfortable scenic cruising, particularly when the weather is poor.  Princess' vessels are larger and, in my opinion, really are not appropriate for Alaska cruising.  But, obviously, many disagree with me.  Both Princess and HAL have very good onboard Alaska programs with Princess having the edge over HAL.  

 

My most recent Alaska cruises were in 2019 aboard the Westerdam and the Coral Princess.  Coral Princess was just the right size for Alaska cruises, but, may not sail any future itineraries there.  

[nini]

There are similar threads on this board.

Princess also has some of the smaller ships which can depart from Vancouver, BC. We will boarding the Grand Princess in 2 days for a 12 night itinerary. We will see two glaciers and also visit Icy Strait, Prince Rupert, Sitka, with a long day in Victoria. It will also include the "regular" ports of Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.

Princess has wonderful naturalists who do lectures and speak on the loud speakers. televisions when traveling to and from glaciers.

 

As stated. your interests, goals, budget can help responses.

[Cbtours]

46 minutes ago, nini said:

There are similar threads on this board.

Princess also has some of the smaller ships which can depart from Vancouver, BC. We will boarding the Grand Princess in 2 days for a 12 night itinerary. We will see two glaciers and also visit Icy Strait, Prince Rupert, Sitka, with a long day in Victoria. It will also include the "regular" ports of Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.

Princess has wonderful naturalists who do lectures and speak on the loud speakers. televisions when traveling to and from glaciers.

 

As stated. your interests, goals, budget can help responses.

We are booked on the Grand for 14 days return Vancouver May 2023 and really looking forward to our bucket list trip.

[Jiminy1955]

Our preferred line is Celebrity but the only others we’ve been on is Royal which we liked and Carnival which we stay away from now, but am open to other lines.  We’ve done 4, 7, 12 & 15 night itineraries, prefer the longer ones. A friend did AK on a small ship with a land tour included just last summer. I think she was on an Uncruise ship which sounds awesome. Not sure if that’s affordable for us in the next couple of years. Princess and HAL I’ve heard are good for AK cruises due to an abundance of glass for viewing from inside. 
 

Not sure exactly what we want to see and do so I’ll be checking that info out. Can’t do Alaska until 2024.

[Jiminy1955]

5 hours ago, nini said:

There are similar threads on this 

I searched for similar threads with no luck. Perhaps I wasn’t entering my search correctly. 

[rkacruiser]

22 hours ago, Jiminy1955 said:

Princess and HAL I’ve heard are good for AK cruises due to an abundance of glass for viewing from inside. 

 

What also should be considered by a potential Alaskan cruiser is the Alaska oriented onboard program offered.  My experience is with HAL and Princess.  I know and have recommended both with the edge going to Princess.  Other cruise  lines?  No knowledge, but, it is a "question" that, I think, most Alaska cruisers don't consider.  

[Jiminy1955]

36 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

What also should be considered by a potential Alaskan cruiser is the Alaska oriented onboard program offered.  My experience is with HAL and Princess.  I know and have recommended both with the edge going to Princess.  Other cruise  lines?  No knowledge, but, it is a "question" that, I think, most Alaska cruisers don't consider.  

Thank you! My aunt sails AK exclusively on HAL but a friend liked Princess or Norwegian, I can’t remember which one. 

[Dancing Shoes]

Small ships aren't for everyone.  Personally, the medium size ships are the ones I like the best for Alaska.  HAL and Celebrity are who we have sailed with.  You want to visit at Glacier Bay or Hubbard.  Leaving or coming into Vancouver, BC will get you true inside passage. 

Look at itineraries first, ship second.  Do consider size and check port times to compare.

[Jiminy1955]

9 minutes ago, Dancing Shoes said:

Small ships aren't for everyone.  Personally, the medium size ships are the ones I like the best for Alaska.  HAL and Celebrity are who we have sailed with.  You want to visit at Glacier Bay or Hubbard.  Leaving or coming into Vancouver, BC will get you true inside passage. 

Look at itineraries first, ship second.  Do consider size and check port times to compare.

Thank you so much this is what I was looking for!

[GTJ]

I would say that there are really four main categories of Alaska cruises that might be considered. First, and most popular, is the mass market category. Dominated by the Carnival brands (Princess Cruises and Holland America Line), these lines provide regular and consistent service to all of the main ports, and provide what is generally perceived to be the typical Alaska cruise. Review the itineraries to get best combination of ports visited; the specific vessel traveled upon is less important. Generally, there are two choices: (1) a round-trip cruise from Seattle to a selection of Alaska panhandle ports, and (2) a one-way cruise between Vancouver and either Whittier or Seward (both being south of Anchorage). The second category is the small vessel market category. Some of the vessels used in this category are pure luxury, while others are American flag vessels that, as a matter of law, can provide transportation that foreign flag vessels cannot. This includes lines such as Seabourn, American Queen, and American Cruise Lines. All of these vessels generally attempt to serve smaller ports and other places where the mass market vessels cannot go (either because of the vessel size or because of the number of people being transported). Some itineraries travel entirely within Alaska, never venturing into either Seattle or Vancouver. If you're looking to see Alaska, and don't really care about vessel amenities (e.g., spas, shows, on-board shopping), these can be ideal cruises, albeit at a much higher cost than the mass market vessels. Third are the expedition cruises, with all or some of the vessels operated by lines such as Hurtigruten, Ponant, and Silversea in this category. These cruises look to visit more adventuress places, not frequently visited by many cruises lines, places such Nome and the Aleutian Islands. Most itineraries in this category are one-way, a few of which traverse the Northwest Passage, cruising the Arctic Ocean between Alaska and Nunavut, Greenland, Newfoundland or other east coast ports. Finally, there are ferries, most notably the Alaska Marine Highway and BC Ferries. These "cruises" can be tailored individually, on a port-to-port basis, spending as much time as desired in each port (such to ferry schedules). The ferry network stretches from Bellingham, Washington, or Port Hardy, British Columbia, through Prince Rupert and the panhandle of Alaska up to Juneau and Skagway, additional services operate less frequently from Juneau through Whittier, Kodiak, and the Aleutian Islands. Services are disaggregated, with separate charges for passage, staterooms, and meals, allowing one to choose what to purchase. Generally, the services provided by the ferries are basic but comfortable, the real benefit being the ability to plan your own cruise.

[Jiminy1955]

2 hours ago, GTJ said:

I would say that there are really four main categories of Alaska cruises that might be considered. First, and most popular, is the mass market category. Dominated by the Carnival brands (Princess Cruises and Holland America Line), these lines provide regular and consistent service to all of the main ports, and provide what is generally perceived to be the typical Alaska cruise. Review the itineraries to get best combination of ports visited; the specific vessel traveled upon is less important. Generally, there are two choices: (1) a round-trip cruise from Seattle to a selection of Alaska panhandle ports, and (2) a one-way cruise between Vancouver and either Whittier or Seward (both being south of Anchorage). The second category is the small vessel market category. Some of the vessels used in this category are pure luxury, while others are American flag vessels that, as a matter of law, can provide transportation that foreign flag vessels cannot. This includes lines such as Seabourn, American Queen, and American Cruise Lines. All of these vessels generally attempt to serve smaller ports and other places where the mass market vessels cannot go (either because of the vessel size or because of the number of people being transported). Some itineraries travel entirely within Alaska, never venturing into either Seattle or Vancouver. If you're looking to see Alaska, and don't really care about vessel amenities (e.g., spas, shows, on-board shopping), these can be ideal cruises, albeit at a much higher cost than the mass market vessels. Third are the expedition cruises, with all or some of the vessels operated by lines such as Hurtigruten, Ponant, and Silversea in this category. These cruises look to visit more adventuress places, not frequently visited by many cruises lines, places such Nome and the Aleutian Islands. Most itineraries in this category are one-way, a few of which traverse the Northwest Passage, cruising the Arctic Ocean between Alaska and Nunavut, Greenland, Newfoundland or other east coast ports. Finally, there are ferries, most notably the Alaska Marine Highway and BC Ferries. These "cruises" can be tailored individually, on a port-to-port basis, spending as much time as desired in each port (such to ferry schedules). The ferry network stretches from Bellingham, Washington, or Port Hardy, British Columbia, through Prince Rupert and the panhandle of Alaska up to Juneau and Skagway, additional services operate less frequently from Juneau through Whittier, Kodiak, and the Aleutian Islands. Services are disaggregated, with separate charges for passage, staterooms, and meals, allowing one to choose what to purchase. Generally, the services provided by the ferries are basic but comfortable, the real benefit being the ability to plan your own cruise.

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to post this, it’s a huge help. We really don’t care about Seattle or Vancouver. So can you please elaborate on which cruise lines provide that type of itinerary?

[GTJ]

19 hours ago, Jiminy1955 said:

We really don’t care about Seattle or Vancouver. So can you please elaborate on which cruise lines provide that type of itinerary?

By "that type of itinerary," I take it to mean those that do not originate in Seattle or Vancouver. That would include all but the first type. I will also note that my "go to" website for searching for cruises is the Vacations to Go website. Select "more search options" and you will find a very useful search engine, including, for example, the ability to select "Alaska" cruise and also to exclude Seattle and Vancouver as ports visited. I highly recommend the website. The site works best for mass market cruise lines, so it may have limited utility if you're looking outside that market.

 

The best values (in terms of the amount of cruising and services provided per dollar spent) are offered by the mass market cruise lines . . . all of which operated to or from Vancouver and Seattle. So if avoiding Vancouver and Seattle is important, then you will not be able to use any of the itineraries in the "first" category, and which constitute the vast majority of cruises and capacity available. Also, by avoiding Seattle and Vancouver you will miss seeing that portion of the Inside Passage through British Columbia. Nearly all vessels traversing this route through British Columbia do so without making any stops enroute. The main exception being the vessel Northern Expedition, operated by BC Ferries, which stops at Bella Bella and/or Klemtu, though only for one hour and not really allowing any time to see the communities if just passing through (one would have to stop over, and wait for the next ferry, to do any real exploration of either community).

 

In the "second" category, some of the larger cruise lines offering itineraries in Alaska--all using small vessels--are the following. American Cruise Lines offers 7- and 10-night cruises, on the vessel American Constellation (175 passengers), throughout the Alaska panhandle, originating round-trip from Juneau, never venturing south of Ketchikan. Alaskan Dream Cruises has several small vessels (10 to 76 passengers), operating 5- through 9-night cruises one-way between Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan. UnCruise Adventures has several small vessels (22 to 86 passengers), operating 7- through 14-night cruises, either round-trip from Juneau or one-way between Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan. Lindblad Expeditions has three small vessels (62 and 100 passengers), operating 5- through 10-night cruises, one-way between Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan. There are a number of other cruise lines offering similar itineraries, all using small vessels.

 

The cruises in the "third" category are not offered regularly, usually not more than once a year, and vary from year-to-year. These are somewhat larger than those in the "second" category, but still very small in comparison with the mass market cruise lines. In 2022 these cruises have included the vessel Scenic Eclipse (228 passengers), operated by Scenic Cruises from Greenland to Nome, then Nome to Vancouver; the vessel Silver Wind (274 passengers), operated by Silversea Cruises, from Greenland to Nome, then Nome to Vancouver; the vessel l'Austral (264 passengers), operated by Ponant Cruises, from Greenland to Nome, then Nome to Vancouver; the vessel le Commandant Charcot (270 passengers), operated by Ponant Cruises, from Iceland to Nome; and the vessel Roald Amundsen (528 passengers), operated by Hurtigruten, from Vancouver to Nome, then Nome to Halifax. Again, these are 2022 cruises, and the available itineraries for future years will be somewhat different, though the lines offering these itineraries will not vary too much . . . look also possibly at Hapaq-Lloyd and Lindblad Expeditions for future itineraries.

 

For the fourth category, Alaska Marine Highway offers point-to-point ferry passage on the vessel Matanuska, generally on a weekly schedule, from Skagway via Haines, Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell, Ketchikan, and Bellingham, with some trips calling at Sitka, Kake, and Prince Rupert. Also, the vessel Kennicott operates every two weeks from Kodiak via Chenega Bay, Whittier, Yakutat, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Bellingham. Finally, the vessel Tustumena operates once per month from Kodiak, through the Aleutian Island chain to Dutch Harbor and return. These three vessels all have staterooms and dining, each of which is optional and purchased individually. (There are also "day boats," without staterooms, providing short trips to many Alaskan communities.

Edited September 16, 2022 by GTJ

[Jiminy1955]

GTJ thank you again for sharing! I primarily search on cruise.com.  I have looked at Vacations To Go I just didn’t realize you can filter the search. 

[hawk1972]

On 9/15/2022 at 2:40 PM, GTJ said:

I would say that there are really four main categories of Alaska cruises that might be considered. First, and most popular, is the mass market category. Dominated by the Carnival brands (Princess Cruises and Holland America Line), these lines provide regular and consistent service to all of the main ports, and provide what is generally perceived to be the typical Alaska cruise. Review the itineraries to get best combination of ports visited; the specific vessel traveled upon is less important. Generally, there are two choices: (1) a round-trip cruise from Seattle to a selection of Alaska panhandle ports, and (2) a one-way cruise between Vancouver and either Whittier or Seward (both being south of Anchorage). The second category is the small vessel market category. Some of the vessels used in this category are pure luxury, while others are American flag vessels that, as a matter of law, can provide transportation that foreign flag vessels cannot. This includes lines such as Seabourn, American Queen, and American Cruise Lines. All of these vessels generally attempt to serve smaller ports and other places where the mass market vessels cannot go (either because of the vessel size or because of the number of people being transported). Some itineraries travel entirely within Alaska, never venturing into either Seattle or Vancouver. If you're looking to see Alaska, and don't really care about vessel amenities (e.g., spas, shows, on-board shopping), these can be ideal cruises, albeit at a much higher cost than the mass market vessels. Third are the expedition cruises, with all or some of the vessels operated by lines such as Hurtigruten, Ponant, and Silversea in this category. These cruises look to visit more adventuress places, not frequently visited by many cruises lines, places such Nome and the Aleutian Islands. Most itineraries in this category are one-way, a few of which traverse the Northwest Passage, cruising the Arctic Ocean between Alaska and Nunavut, Greenland, Newfoundland or other east coast ports. Finally, there are ferries, most notably the Alaska Marine Highway and BC Ferries. These "cruises" can be tailored individually, on a port-to-port basis, spending as much time as desired in each port (such to ferry schedules). The ferry network stretches from Bellingham, Washington, or Port Hardy, British Columbia, through Prince Rupert and the panhandle of Alaska up to Juneau and Skagway, additional services operate less frequently from Juneau through Whittier, Kodiak, and the Aleutian Islands. Services are disaggregated, with separate charges for passage, staterooms, and meals, allowing one to choose what to purchase. Generally, the services provided by the ferries are basic but comfortable, the real benefit being the ability to plan your own cruise.

Thanks for your very thorough responses. While docked at Ward Cove on the Norwegian Sun this week we were next to the Ocean Victory from American Queen. I had never heard of them. Apparently, it's a brand new ship. Looked interesting. Lots of zodiac boats on the back for exploring. It's expensive but would be fun to do Alaska in a different way than the big cruise ships. The Sun only had about 900 passengers this time.

[GTJ]

1 hour ago, hawk1972 said:

While docked at Ward Cove on the Norwegian Sun this week we were next to the Ocean Victory from American Queen. I had never heard of them. Apparently, it's a brand new ship.

Getting into the weeds a little bit . . . . American Queen Voyages itself is one of three operating divisions of Hornblower Group.

 

Based in San Francisco, Hornblower began with local sightseeing and charter operation, with dinner cruises, all now comprising the City Cruises sub-brand of its City Experiences division. City Cruises also includes ferries operated as a park concessionaire, including the ferries to Alcatraz island in San Francisco, to Liberty and Ellis islands in New York, and to the several islands in Boston Harbor. There is also a City Ferry sub-brand used the several passenger and highway ferries that Hornblower operates, the largest of which being NYC Ferry (which is mentioned frequently on the east coast discussion boards because it includes a route connecting Manhattan with the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal). Another division of Hornblower is Journey Beyond, which does business in Australia (not just cruises but also several railroad trips).

 

The American Queen Voyages division of Hornblower operates overnight cruises utilizing eight vessels. Its mainstay has been a fleet of four paddlewheel riverboats. Three are steam powered and operate on the Mississippi river and its tributaries, connecting New Orleans, Memphis, St. Louis (Alton), Minneapolis (Red Wing), Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Nashville (Clarksville), and Chattanooga . . . these are the vessels American Queen, American Countess, and American Dutchess. A fourth paddlewheel riverboat operates on the Columbia and Snake rivers between Portland (Vancouver) and Spokane (Clarkston). A few years ago the company acquired Victory Cruise Lines and its two small cruise vessels. Renamed Ocean Voyager and Ocean Navigator, these vessel operate along the east coast, the St. Lawrence river, and into the Great Lakes.Most recently the company began offering service on two brand new expedition vessels, Ocean Victory and Ocean Discoverer. Unlike the other vessels in the fleet, these two are not owned and operated by American Queens Voyages, but have instead been chartered from SunStone Ships on a time-share basis. Services on these vessels are provided by Cruise Management International, an affiliate of SunStone. In the summer these vessels provide services to American Queen clients on summer Alaska cruises, with repositioning cruises at the beginning and end of the seasons to and from Costa Rica. In winter the vessel Ocean Victory is chartered to Albatros Expeditions for cruises to Antarctica (the winter disposition of the Ocean Discover is not yet known).

 

As to those "zodiac boats on the back" of the Ocean Victory, there was an interesting ruling recently about them from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In a decision provided to Cruise Management International dated June 25, 2020, and based on the fact that the Ocean Victory is not an American flag vessel (and therefore cannot provide service between American ports exclusively) the government took the position that the zodiacs may be used only to tender passengers to shore at Petersburg, Alaska, but cannot be used to tender passengers to shore at Wrangell, Alaska, nor can the zodiacs be used for sightseeing excursions from the Ocean Victory (because doing so would be a violation of the Passenger Vessel Services Act). The full decision can be read here. Presumably the vessel was designed and chartered with zodiac use intended, and with the allure of the zodiacs, it seems difficult to believe that American Queen will stand for this ruling, either opposing it in court, modifying the zodiacs themselves to be American flagged, or chartering different vessels (this is speculation on my part).

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, GTJ said:

 

 

As to those "zodiac boats on the back" of the Ocean Victory, there was an interesting ruling recently about them from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. In a decision provided to Cruise Management International dated June 25, 2020, and based on the fact that the Ocean Victory is not an American flag vessel (and therefore cannot provide service between American ports exclusively) the government took the position that the zodiacs may be used only to tender passengers to shore at Petersburg, Alaska, but cannot be used to tender passengers to shore at Wrangell, Alaska, nor can the zodiacs be used for sightseeing excursions from the Ocean Victory (because doing so would be a violation of the Passenger Vessel Services Act). The full decision can be read here. Presumably the vessel was designed and chartered with zodiac use intended, and with the allure of the zodiacs, it seems difficult to believe that American Queen will stand for this ruling, either opposing it in court, modifying the zodiacs themselves to be American flagged, or chartering different vessels (this is speculation on my part).

 

If this is so, how come we were able to tender off the Ocean Victory at Kake, Wrangell and Ketchikan on our recent cruise.  Also how come we did 3 zodiac sightseeing excursions on the same cruise?  

 

DON

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, GTJ said:

American Queen Voyages itself is one of three operating divisions of Hornblower Group.

 

 

Thanks for your detailed post.  I knew little about this Group.  Good to keep learning!  

[GTJ]

1 minute ago, donaldsc said:

If this is so, how come we were able to tender off the Ocean Victory at Kake, Wrangell and Ketchikan on our recent cruise. Also how come we did 3 zodiac sightseeing excursions on the same cruise?

Maybe something had been done since that ruling, perhaps as I had speculated? I would be curious to know.

 

If I were to guess, it would be that SunStone sold all of the foreign-owned zodiacs to an American owner, as that would probably be the least expensive solution to the problem. The decision had stated: "the vessel will arrive in U.S. waters outfitted with fifteen Zodiacs. The Zodiacs are U.S.-made inflatable crafts that will be manned by credentialed U.S. mariners and can carry up to 10-12 passengers. The Zodiacs are less than five net tons, and, as a result, are not eligible for U.S. documentation. Nevertheless, the Zodiacs are not otherwise eligible to be coastwise-qualified because they will be owned by a Bahamian entity. The zodiacs will arrive in and depart from the U.S. aboard the vessel." The decision explained that the only reason for the zodiacs not being coastwise-qualified was their foreign ownership. So change the ownership, and change the coastwise conclusion. Again, just a guess.

[GTJ]

2 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

I knew little about this Group.  Good to keep learning!  

Living in southern Ohio, you could actually visit an American Queen vessel while it is in port at Cincinnati. The American Dutchess will be in Cincinnati two more times this year, first on October 25, as she sails from Louisville to Pittsburgh, and again on November 4, returning from Pittsburgh to Louisville. Could you get a tour of the vessel during the day, while the passengers are ashore seeing the sights of Cincinnati? While the oceanliners have largely done away with such opportunities, but maybe the riverboat will allow it.

[CStorm]

I've been to Alaska twice and the third trip is scheduled for July '23, so I am nowhere near an expert.  

• I would never do a trip out of Seattle because you miss too much of the inside passage.
• I will never do a trip without Skagway because my husband loves the train trip.
• I will only book a ship that has an aft balcony, the best views IMO.
• We are doing our first one way next year, Southbound, which provides more port time and a port we've never been, Icy Strait Point.  We were scheduled on another line but they cancelled Skagway so we switched to Celebrity, which we have cruised Alaska with before.  
• Just know, this won't be your only trip to Alaska, it's so beautiful, you will want to go back.

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, GTJ said:

Living in southern Ohio, you could actually visit an American Queen vessel while it is in port at Cincinnati. The American Dutchess will be in Cincinnati two more times this year, first on October 25, as she sails from Louisville to Pittsburgh, and again on November 4, returning from Pittsburgh to Louisville. Could you get a tour of the vessel during the day, while the passengers are ashore seeing the sights of Cincinnati? While the oceanliners have largely done away with such opportunities, but maybe the riverboat will allow it.

 

I doubt it.  A few years ago, I was in Cincinnati on sailing day for the Delta Queen.  I tried to be a visitor and it was not allowed.

 

Many years ago, there was a Riverboat Festival in Cincinnati when many of the riverboats along the Ohio, Mississippi, and other rivers spent a 2-3 days.  The Delta Queen was among them, but one had to buy a ticket.  For the day I was going to be attending, the tickets were sold out.  Checked again on that day, still none were available.  

[cw2go]

On 9/17/2022 at 9:27 PM, CStorm said:

I've been to Alaska twice and the third trip is scheduled for July '23, so I am nowhere near an expert.  

• I would never do a trip out of Seattle because you miss too much of the inside passage.
• I will never do a trip without Skagway because my husband loves the train trip.
• I will only book a ship that has an aft balcony, the best views IMO.
• We are doing our first one way next year, Southbound, which provides more port time and a port we've never been, Icy Strait Point.  We were scheduled on another line but they cancelled Skagway so we switched to Celebrity, which we have cruised Alaska with before.  
• Just know, this won't be your only trip to Alaska, it's so beautiful, you will want to go back.

I am also sailing July 2023 out of Seward w/cel.  I've done this sailing before,  you're going to love it!  We had fun in ISP ~ recommend the zip-rider, it's a blast! I agree with many other that it's pricey but what isn't right now? 🤑

[JTBCruiser]

We recently did a 10 day RT out of Seattle 1-11 Sep cruise on Norwegian Spirit. It was recently refurbished and in my opinion a beautiful ship. Holds approximately 2100 passengers but we sailed at roughly 50% capacity. It's not a large ship but met our requirements. This was our 16th cruise but first for Alaska. We feel it was our best cruise ever. We sail predominantly in the Caribbean so it's hard to compare but this cruise far exceeded our expectations. I'd do this exact cruise again in a heartbeat.