Alaska cruise....starting over

[3red7s]

Sadly due to health issues, our Alaskan cruise for the end of June has been cancelled.  Several of our older participants cannot make it.  Keeping that in mind, my hubby & I would still like to see Alaska.  There are so many options.  I would like to know what ports are a must see....and what ports are not.  I have head that Juneau is just another big city....what about the inside passage vs not doing it?  Dawes Glacier? Skagway?  All comments/suggestions are welcome. As always, thank you.

[Mum2Mercury]

I'd like to visit Alaska too, but -- when I started researching the ports -- I decided we'd rather do a train trip.  I know, not a popular thing to say on a cruise website.  

[time4u2go]

Go on Princess. Glacier Bay. You won't regret it. And be sure you include the train ride and their lodges with it.

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by time4u2go

[lenquixote66]

We did a two week tour of Alaska through HAL.The first week was a tour of various cities by bus and train. The second week was a cruise.

The highlight for us was Denali National  Park.

[neverbeenhere]

Juneau population is like 40k

 

Glacier bay is the best, but others are fine too… though glaciers are shrinking fast. 

 

yes, get to Princess. Do a cruise tour if possible. Sail out of Vancouver, if possible.(actual inside passage) 

 

classic route includes Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. If you can do longer versions- all the better. 
 

 

[cruisequeen4ever]

You may be mixing up Juneau with Anchorage. Anchorage is our big city. Juneau is the state capital but very small and has lots of cool excursions. Anchorage may be a big city, but there’s plenty to explore…Reindeer Farm an hour away, Wildlife Center an hour away, Alaska Native Heritage Museum, Zoo, great Alaskan food at places like 49th State Brewery, Simon and Seaforts, and Glacier Brewhouse, beautiful coastal drive to Girdwood for a tram ride to the top of Alyeska, and lots of hiking trails. 
 

For the cruise itself, I suggest going with Princess or Holland America, since they go to Glacier Bay and are the original cruise lines to do Alaska. Princess owns their own lodges here, so if you want to do a Cruisetour, they are best. The one way cruise between Alaska and Canada will give you the best scenery. 
 

Happy planning!

[BecciBoo]

Well, most of us could write a book about that subject and none would agree entirely.  Here's my take in as small a nutshell as I can:

 

We like to go in September: Glaciers are calving like mad in the heat, you can wear shorts most of the time except at the glacier...locals are out in them:

 

 

I prefer Vancouver to Vancouver or Vancouver to Seattle, never Seward because of the coordination problems getting to and from the ship from Anchorage.

 

Inside passage is to die for, lots of critters and scenery.  I got breaching whale footage!  And you can't beat the sunrise coming into Ketch:

 

 

I prefer Hubbard Glacier because it's the biggest and always calving at least in September.  

 

 

 

I love the wake view from Radiance class but you gotta book early to get one.

 

As for Juneau being just another city, I wouldn't miss doing whale watch from there and going out to Mendenhall, it's worth it even for the Bear Walk.  In September you can walk all the way out to the falls.

Edited February 3, 2023 by BecciBoo

[JupiterTwo]

18 hours ago, time4u2go said:

Go on Princess. Glacier Bay. You won't regret it. And be sure you include the train ride and their lodges with it.

 

I second Princess for Alaska. They've been doing it for decades and have the best infrastructure and permits for the glaciers.

 

Also, do a land package that includes Denali National Park and the train ride back to Whittier.

 

And do the land portion first, so you can pamper yourself on the ship for the next seven days.

 

Fly into Anchorage and return from Vancouver.

[tomcherv]

My wife and sailed Alaska on Princess 7 years ago - we did the Vancouver to Anchorage route.  We went early August and saw tons of wildlife - we saw an entire pod of whales swim past the ship one evening.  In Ketchikan, we did not book an excursion but just wandered around town.  We had excursions in both Juneau and Skagway; in Juneau we went to the Mendenhall Glacier and whale watching - had a whale breach twice not too far from the boat.  

 

If you fly out of the Anchorage airport, they have (had) a museum of native artifacts on the second floor - well worth a visit.

[moposh]

Juneau is the capital of Alaska.  Only way in is via plane or water.  I did enjoy it.  Mendenhall Glacier is there.

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, BecciBoo said:

Well, most of us could write a book about that subject and none would agree entirely.  Here's my take in as small a nutshell as I can:

 

We like to go in September: Glaciers are calving like mad in the heat, you can wear shorts most of the time except at the glacier...locals are out in them:

 

 

I prefer Vancouver to Vancouver or Vancouver to Seattle, never Seward because of the coordination problems getting to and from the ship from Anchorage.

 

Inside passage is to die for, lots of critters and scenery.  I got breaching whale footage!  And you can't beat the sunrise coming into Ketch:

 

 

I prefer Hubbard Glacier because it's the biggest and always calving at least in September.  

 

 

 

I love the wake view from Radiance class but you gotta book early to get one.

 

As for Juneau being just another city, I wouldn't miss doing whale watch from there and going out to Mendenhall, it's worth it even for the Bear Walk.  In September you can walk all the way out to the falls.

You are much younger then I thought...........Do as BecciBoo says, she knows Alaska !!!

[3red7s]

4 hours ago, BecciBoo said:

Well, most of us could write a book about that subject and none would agree entirely.  Here's my take in as small a nutshell as I can:

 

We like to go in September: Glaciers are calving like mad in the heat, you can wear shorts most of the time except at the glacier...locals are out in them:

 

 

I prefer Vancouver to Vancouver or Vancouver to Seattle, never Seward because of the coordination problems getting to and from the ship from Anchorage.

 

Inside passage is to die for, lots of critters and scenery.  I got breaching whale footage!  And you can't beat the sunrise coming into Ketch:

 

 

I prefer Hubbard Glacier because it's the biggest and always calving at least in September.  

 

 

 

I love the wake view from Radiance class but you gotta book early to get one.

 

As for Juneau being just another city, I wouldn't miss doing whale watch from there and going out to Mendenhall, it's worth it even for the Bear Walk.  In September you can walk all the way out to the falls.

What great info & breakdown....your pictures are gorgeous

[3red7s]

all great suggestions.....thank you everyone

[nimbex1970]

Inside passage, princess.  Out of Vancouver if possible.  I live in Alaska and the outside passage is ok, but since you will be paying bigger bucks, from the get go.. might as well do a back to back in Alaska if possible.  Please look at the excursions as everything here is twice as much as the lower 48, so you can budget.