Alaska. Which side of ship for Balcony Cabin? Quantum, Summer 2023

[The Fun Researcher]

Getting ready to book our first Alaskan cruise summer 2023!

 

Ready to book 6 cabins on the Quantum for summer of 2023.  Which side of the ship do you recommend for balcony cabins?  I was thinking Starboard?

 

Our itinerary is below.  It looks like the northernmost point is Skagway, and then I'm guessing we would turn around and head back south to get to Endicott Arm, Juneau, etc...?  Is there an advantage of Port vs Starboard?

 

Also, does the Quantum go through the Inside Passage on these itineraries?

 

Thank you!, Dan

 

 

[Ourusualbeach]

4 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Getting ready to book our first Alaskan cruise summer 2023!

 

Ready to book 6 cabins on the Quantum for summer of 2023.  Which side of the ship do you recommend for balcony cabins?  I was thinking Starboard?

 

Our itinerary is below.  It looks like the northernmost point is Skagway, and then I'm guessing we would turn around and head back south to get to Endicott Arm, Juneau, etc...?  Is there an advantage of Port vs Starboard?

 

Also, does the Quantum go through the Inside Passage on these itineraries?

 

Thank you!, Dan

 

 

On the round trip sailings it really does not matter

[The Fun Researcher]

Thanks for they reply.  My parents will be on the cruise and plan to spend A LOT of time on their balcony taking in the sights as we cruise along.  Just wondering if there are certain stretches of the itinerary where you would particularly want to be on a certain side of the ship vs not.

 

 

[The Fun Researcher]

Ok, so this is our first Alaskan cruise, and I just found a more detailed path for our itinerary.  See below.  Maybe it's just the way it's drawn, but for instance that first full day of cruising (up to Sitka) it looks like we're pretty far from land.  Can you even see the shoreline? (same goes for the last day after Juneau)

 

My parents sailed Celebrity one way from Vancouver to Seward about 18 years ago and they hugged the shore the whole way, and a Starboard balcony was really important to have.

 

[Tree_skier]

As usual, Ken is right.  You see the same things no matter what side you are on you just might see them at  different times.

 

We were on the Starboard side in August on the same itinerary.  

 

This will be your parents view north bound on the embarkation and the first sea day.

 

 

 

 

However, after that it really doesn't make a difference.  You have great views no matter which side you are on.

 

The approach to Sitka...

 

 

Docked in Skagway...

 

Cruising towards Juneau...

 

 

The approach to Juneau...

 

 

Docked in Juneau...

 

 

The Last Sea day cruising the BC coast....

 

You don't see a tonne of scenery once out in the ocean on Embarkation day and that first sea day on the starboard side but then that is true on the return trip if you are on the port side.   

[The Fun Researcher]

Thank you so much!  Really helps.  Love the pictures 

 

Dan

[Tree_skier]

4 minutes ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Thank you so much!  Really helps.  Love the pictures 

 

Dan

You'll love the cruise.  Alaskan cruises are special.

[cruiseguy1016]

When people ask me this question, I tell them the best side is the OUTside. You'll want to be on an outside deck so you can move from side to side to see the sights. You might be sitting on your balcony looking at land 5 miles away but on the other side of the ship there is a pod of whales 100 yards away.

[DaKahuna]

We were on the starboard side for a B2B this past August/September.  The only difference I noted was that on more than two occasions we saw whales off to the starboard side between Juneau and Victoria.  Happened on both legs of our B2B.    But honestly, I do not think it matters which side.  As @cruiseguy1016said, outside so you can go back and forth is best. You will hear folks if they see anything and can move to that side. 

 

[TravelGirlinDallas]

We were starboard on Ovation last summer and were very pleased with the view. I think we were facing all of the ports when we docked.

[Sigyn]

19 hours ago, The Fun Researcher said:

Getting ready to book our first Alaskan cruise summer 2023!

 

Ready to book 6 cabins on the Quantum for summer of 2023.  Which side of the ship do you recommend for balcony cabins?  I was thinking Starboard?

 

Our itinerary is below.  It looks like the northernmost point is Skagway, and then I'm guessing we would turn around and head back south to get to Endicott Arm, Juneau, etc...?  Is there an advantage of Port vs Starboard?

 

Also, does the Quantum go through the Inside Passage on these itineraries?

 

Thank you!, Dan

 

 

That itinerary doesn't go through the Inside Passage. The Seattle sailings go into the open sea, and not the Inside Passage. Generally I've found the ships that sail from Seattle are too large to go through the Inside Passage. The Vancouver itineraries do the Inside Passage and hug the shoreline.

[The Fun Researcher]

4 hours ago, njsmom said:

That itinerary doesn't go through the Inside Passage. The Seattle sailings go into the open sea, and not the Inside Passage. Generally I've found the ships that sail from Seattle are too large to go through the Inside Passage. The Vancouver itineraries do the Inside Passage and hug the shoreline.

Yeah you're right.  The more I learn about these Alaskan itineraries the more the nuances come in play.  More nuanced than Caribbean sailings IMO. 

 

I do see one sailing, July 7th 2023 on the Ovation out of Seattle that does leave through the Inside Passage for some reason, but there are VERY few instances like that.

 

Dan

[The Fun Researcher]

Thank you all for the help.  We went ahead and booked our 6 balcony cabins on the Quantum July 2023. We're deck 11 forward, and are split with 3 cabins port side and 3 starboard side.  Personally I think I'll probably spend more time on the outer decks, for 360 degree views, than on my balcony.  I've never been one to camp out on my balcony but then again we've never done an Alaskan cruise. 🙂

 

This was one of the few itineraries that fit everyone's schedules.  We're all coming together from Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas and Washington state.

 

Praying for clear weather but we'll take what we get.  

Dan

[BecciBoo]

Neither, hands down the aft! The views are unequaled there, but I see it's too late.  

[The Fun Researcher]

9 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

Neither, hands down the aft! The views are unequaled there, but I see it's too late.  

Yeah, couldn't find enough cabins together back there.  Maybe next time when we have a smaller group.

Edited November 7, 2022 by The Fun Researcher

[BecciBoo]

They are usually gone early after schedule is announced, in both our cases on Radiance and on Celebrity Solstice, I called at midnight on opening day of schedule, but a couple times it was still available on Caribbean cruises.  Sometimes they become available nearer to cruise, we did that once too, Just dumb luck!  If you ever get the chance get at least one cabin back there so everyone can enjoy it.