Which Cruise? NCL or Princess? Icy Strait Point vs College Fjord 14 Days & Hubbard Glacier(2) vs Glacier Bay(1)

[pitmindi]

Hello.  I am going on a 14 day cruise in August 2023 since the prices for a solo person are so reasonable.  I will have an inside cabin.  NCL or Princess?  Price, including airfare is about the same.  The difference on day 2 and day 13 NCL says Inside Passage (cruising) and Princess says At Sea but I think it is the same since both leave from Vancouver and the first port is Ketchikan.  NCL does Hubbard Glacier twice and Glacier Bay once, and Princes does Hubbard Glacier once and Glacier Bay twice.  NCL has a port stop at Icy Strait Point and Princess cruises the College Fjord .  Both dock at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway twice.  Princess does full days, at least 8 hours at each stop.  NCL does Juneau from 11:00 - 9:00 week one and 2:00 - 9:00 week two and cruises Endicott Arm before docking at Juneau week 2.  

 

I'm in a quandary about which to book.  Which is better, Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay?  Will the late docking days at Juneau be a hinderance?  Is Endicott Arm worth seeing?  Whale watching is my favorite excursion and I read Icy Strait Point is best for that and Juneau is also good so I am leaning towards NCL.  

 

Thank you for your help.  btw I am booking soon.....

 

[wolfie11]

Given their emphasis on naturalists and speakers, Princess hands down.

[pitmindi]

I did not know this.  Thank you.  

[SightCRR]

NCL Ketch is likely Wards Cove short stay out of town. Hubbard vs G/B both great. ISP whales better than college fjord if the ISP times are long enough. Don't to much care for NCL overall short port times. Same days? What about NCL one direction and Princess the other? 

[Sailin Gal]

Lots of things to consider. Haven’t been to ISP, so can’t comment on that.  If Endicott is a draw, I’d try to find out how much of it the ship actually cruises through, or if it just pauses near the entrance to let pax get onto the excursion boat that goes to the glacier and then meets the ship in Juneau.  We sailed all the way up Endicott on Carnival and loved it. You can absolutely do a whale watching excursion from Juneau. Hubbard and GB are both spectacular.  Think about whether you want your turn around day to be in Seward or Whittier and what your options are there. Then there are the ships themselves if that matters to you.  Lots of ship tour videos online. We have not sailed NCL in AK, but have our 2nd Princess AK cruise booked.  Whatever you choose, it will be amazing!

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Sailin Gal

[Coral]

Princess has amazing speakers. Their times in port are better. Ward Cove docking for NCL is not good.

 

I would go Princess.

 

I prefer Glacier Bay.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Coral

[michellecornelius721]

On 5/23/2023 at 7:52 AM, SightCRR said:

NCL Ketch is likely Wards Cove short stay out of town. Hubbard vs G/B both great. ISP whales better than college fjord if the ISP times are long enough. Don't to much care for NCL overall short port times. Same days? What about NCL one direction and Princess the other? 

NCL's Ketch is probably the Wards Cove, known for its short stays out of town. Comparing Hubbard Glacier to Glacier Bay, both offer incredible experiences, but it depends on personal preference. Some find Hubbard Glacier more impressive, while others prefer Glacier Bay's charm.

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, michellecornelius721 said:

NCL's Ketch is probably the Wards Cove, known for its short stays out of town. Comparing Hubbard Glacier to Glacier Bay, both offer incredible experiences, but it depends on personal preference. Some find Hubbard Glacier more impressive, while others prefer Glacier Bay's charm.

 

The problem with Glacier versus Hubbard is that it is almost a 100% chance that you will get into Glacier.  The odds of getting into Hubbard depend upon the season and your luck.  This is a link to a good glacier comparison site - https://thepointsguy.com/guide/hubbard-glacier-vs-glacier-bay/

 

DON

[Coral]

2 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

The problem with Glacier versus Hubbard is that it is almost a 100% chance that you will get into Glacier.  The odds of getting into Hubbard depend upon the season and your luck.  This is a link to a good glacier comparison site - https://thepointsguy.com/guide/hubbard-glacier-vs-glacier-bay/

 

DON

I agree with this. It has been rare that I get close to Hubbard Glacier (I can be 9 miles away) regardless of month but Glacier Bay is almost guaranteed.

 

Hubbard is one great, grand glacier. Glacier Bay is an all day glacier day with multiple glaciers. I prefer Glacier Bay because I know I will have a great day. When one does get close to Hubbard, it is amazing though. Out of maybe 12 attempts, I have gotten close probably 2x.

[michellecornelius721]

On 3/22/2024 at 8:24 PM, donaldsc said:

 

The problem with Glacier versus Hubbard is that it is almost a 100% chance that you will get into Glacier.  The odds of getting into Hubbard depend upon the season and your luck.  This is a link to a good glacier comparison site - https://thepointsguy.com/guide/hubbard-glacier-vs-glacier-bay/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those seeking more information, I recommend checking out this site: https://edubirdie.com/literature-review-writing-service because It can provide valuable insights for students and helps to make an informed decision and ensure a memorable cruise experience.

 

DON

Oh, thank you very much! I have been looking for such a resource for a long time.

[Donwoods123]

Princess does a really good job in Alaska.  We have been there many times.  They have many Alaska specfic activities such as ranger talks, bringing "sled dog puppies" on board, and a presentation by Libby Reynolds.

 

Glacier Bay and College Fiord are amazing.  If you go to Endicott Arm, you take the risk of the ship not being able to  get close enough to even see the glacier if there is considerable ice in the water. This happened to us last August.  They do offer an excursion where a small boat takes passengers from the ship and goes really close to the glacier.  It is expensive, but worth it.