Alaska Help.....

[traderneal]

Just got off of the Mariner and my wife and kids absolutely loved it; it was their favorite cruise.

 

Anyway, next summer, we are planning to go to Alaska, and I need some help. Can anyone give me any tips on where to leave from, the proper ports, etc.

 

 

thx

 

Neal

[windjamming]

Wow, you're going to get all sorts of answers here. How long of a visit are you looking at? If you've got 2 weeks you can do a landtour with a cruise and can see a lot more of the Alaskan inland.

 

Earlier this summer we did a Hubbard Glacier 7-night RT from Vancouver. We liked it as it was a nice "starter Alaska" cruise, stopping at the Hubbard Glacier (6-miles wide), Skagway (small, very charming "Old Alaska" town), Juneau (whale watching and hiking) and Victoria BC (beautiful Western Canadian city). It was also more economical for us to fly RT out of Vancouver.

 

Have fun planning - that's half the enjoyment of the cruise. I just got off the Jewel and am already starting research on my next cruise, also!

[forpaws]

My Dad and I drove Alaska for 2 weeks last summer. Beautiful! One of the ports we were in was Seward. You definitely want the ship to call there! We saw a beautiful HAL ship while there and I wished I were on it! :)

[luv2cruz62]

I have been on 3 Alaskan cruises in the past 6 years. 2 were out of Vancouver (I live about an hour away) on RCCL, and we just returned last Saturday from our NCL cruise which left from Seattle.

Either port would do....they are both beautiful, but I think that if you wanted to do any pre/post cruise tours, I would pick Vancouver. (biased opinion:rolleyes: ??) There are 2 cruise ship terminals at each port....so just depends on which ship you are sailing on. The Ballantyne Pier in Vancouver can accomodate just one ship and it is set in a more industrial area. If you leave from the '5 Sails' your in the heart of downtown Vancouver.

 

As far as itineraries go.....our most recent cruise went to the Sawyer Glacier. Unless you cruise on RCL and take the Tracy Arm Fjord excursion, you won't see much of the glacier itself. Of course, it does all depend on the amount of ice in the fjord. We did not get closer that about 2 km to the glacier, and then we could only see the top half of it because of mountains, and having to turn a corner (does that make sense??:confused: )

 

When we did the Hubbard Glacier it was much more spectacular! Because it is so wide at the base of it, there is really no restrictions (other than ALOT of ice flow). Our ship (Vision of the Seas) cruised up to the right side of the glacier, turned, and went along the front of the glacier, and then turned and headed out. It was wonderful! We were right up close when the glacier calved...there is nothing to describe the noise it makes!

 

Well, that's my input this morning....if you have anyfurther questions, please post them, and I will try my best!

Happy Cruising!!:D

[wrp96]

Things to think about for Alaska:

 

Generally there are 3 major glacier areas that are popular on Alaska cruises: Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, and Tracy Arm. If you are interested in seeing Tracy Arm do not go in May or early June as it is frequently inaccessible. Depending on whom you talk to Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier is more spectacular than the other. RCCL does not have access to Glacier Bay, only to Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm.

 

Ports: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, and Icy Straight Point are the common ports on Alaska cruises. Ice Straight Point is a newer port and is less touristy than the others. Look at what's available in each port and that can help determine your itinerary.

 

Roundtrip versus Northbound/Southbound. The roundtrip cruises can be cheaper since you don't have to deal with one way airfares. BUT if you want to see the interior of Alaska (which I highly recommend) then you have to do a Northbound/Southbound Cruise. If you decide to do a roundtrip cruise consider the difference between a Seattle departure and a Vancouver departure. Generally Seattle departures can hit rougher seas on the first day due to having sail on the outside of Vancouver Island unlike cruises out of Vancouver. However, it can be cheaper to get roundtrip air into Seattle rather than Vancouver - but even for Vancouver cruises you can fly into Seattle and get transport up to Vancouver. Also, Seattle cruises have to make a stop in a Canadian port like Victoria (which can be good or bad depending on what you prefer).

 

There are some very knowledgeable people on the Alaska port of call board that can answer specific questions. Look for Yukon and Budget Queen as they both have a lot of experience with Alaska and Alaska cruises in particular.

[cage keeper]

traderneal, we were on the Marriner with you, and are also planning Alaska for our next cruise. Hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon next summer so Alaska will have to wait untill 2008. I know this sounds crazy, but I'd like to drive from CT, do the cruise, them do some Nationls Park hiking and camping. Have fun.

[wrp96]

I know this sounds crazy, but I'd like to drive from CT, do the cruise, them do some Nationls Park hiking and camping. Have fun.

 

It doesn't sound crazy to me. My dream is to do a Northbound cruise out of Vancouver (maybe with a cruisetour of the Canadian Rockies beforehand). Then stay a few weeks touring around the interior of Alaska on my own, taking the train to Denali, camping on the Kenai Peninsula, etc. making sure that I am in Anchorage for at least one Sunday so I can attend the church I grew up in, then take a Southbound cruise back to Vancouver, one that does a slightly different route (say one that goes to Hubbard Glacier and another that goes to Glacier Bay).

[sisocialworker]

here is my review ...see my pic under my sig....my wife and son are on teh CC home page as pic of the week too.

 

we had a great time , I 'm sure you will too

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=404568

 

barry

[GMoney]

I am by no means an AK expert, but I just planned B2B cruises for next year. Some suggestions for you:

 

+ Please post and read the posts on the AK board. Lots of great expert opinions there.

 

+ Do lots of research. AK can be complicated, and there are many itinerary variations. Read the boards, check the cruise line sites, donwload their brochures or get the hard copy ones. Consider a TA if you don't normally use one.

 

+ Consider HAL and Princess. They have a good historical presence in AK, they are the only major lines that go to Glacier Bay, and they have a great variety of ships and itineraries.

 

 

Best of luck to you.

[cage keeper]

wrp96 and GMoney, if you were going to see Alaska for the first time and wanted to get the best out of the cruise, hiking and National parks, which one would you choose? We are huge hiking, camping and all around outdoors people. Last year we hiked all over Utah, including the Narrows and next year we will be at the bottom of the Grand. Am just starting to look at Alaska.

 

Thanks,

Joni

 

Most likley go late July or early August.

[Jeepers385]

We're planning an Alaska cruise next May on Celebrity's Infinity. It's a 13 day repositioning from San Francisco and ends up in Vancouver. Have never been there so we're excited, especially with the itinerary. Sounds like a good itinerary to me:

San Francisco, California, Victoria, British Columbia, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Inside Passage (Cruising), Prince Rupert, B.C., Ketchikan, Alaska, Sitka, Alaska, Skagway, Alaska, Hubbard Glacier (Cruising), Juneau, Alaska, Icy Strait Point, Alaska, Inside Passage (Cruising), Vancouver, British Columbia.

Whatever you choose, enjoy.:D

[cage keeper]

Have any of you done the cruise tour?

[GMoney]

Hi Cage Keeper -

 

Again, I have to caution you, as I am not an AK expert, thought I've been on many cruises elsewhere. I, like you, am very active and love to hike. After a lot of searching, I settled on a B2B of HAL Volendam cruisetour #20 (14 nights) followed by X Summit cruisetour #13 on Summit (12 nights). HAL is good b/c you get "double Denali" days on many of their cruise tours. I avoided tours that had lots of Fairbanks and Anchorage, b/c I have no desire to spend lots of time there; I don't want salmon bakes or gold mining, etc. I'd rather be at Denali, Alyeska, Talkeetna.

 

I am also spending tons of time on excursion planning b/c I think that will give me the outdoor experience I'm looking for.

 

Please swing over to the AK boards and post there if you havent already. You will get tons of great info!

[cage keeper]

GMoney, sounds like we are looking for the same kinds of tours. Do you mean the Alaska page under the bords on this website?

[GMoney]

GMoney, sounds like we are looking for the same kinds of tours. Do you mean the Alaska page under the bords on this website?

 

Yes exactly. Not as much traffic as here, but tons of expert advice. If you want to provide your email address, I can send you all of the links I've sailed to research excursions.

[cage keeper]

Thanks GMoney. mmceachern5@comcast.net

[GMoney]

Thanks GMoney. mmceachern5@comcast.net

 

My pleasure. Look for something later tonight. I actually have to run to REI before they close. I need some things for a hike tomorrow!

[Buccaneergirl]

My suggestions after going on 1 Alaskan cruise:

1.Start in Vancouver and go northbound as it gets more beautiful as you go along.

2. You must book a balcony cabin on the starboard side because you can see land (bears, sheep, etc.) most of the trip. If you book an inside or oceanview you will be standing 2 or 3 deep with everyone else up on deck. The balcony is sooooooo worth the $$$!

3. Take binoculars for #2 above!

4. Just know that an Alaskan cruise (especially on Princess) is an older crowd in general and the nightlife is non-existant!

Alaska is a trip of a lifetime and the best cruise we have been on and we are going again next May on RCCL. :)

I will be interested in seeing the difference in age/nightlife on this next cruise to Alaska. We are also doing the land tour this time. (#14)

Good luck!

[cage keeper]

My pleasure. Look for something later tonight. I actually have to run to REI before they close. I need some things for a hike tomorrow!

 

Now I am jealous. I just had surgury so I'm stuck here in the house for at least two weeks. More like six to eight weeks before I will be able to hike again.

[wandb]

You will LOVE Alaska, no matter how you go. We had an absolutely fantastic trip to Alaska last year on HAL's Ryndam. We did the two week cruise/tour with 2 days at Denali (a must). I'd definitely recommend that you do the land portion of the trip first, as it is the "busier" portion (different places to stay almost each night, packing and unpacking, etc.), then when you get on board your ship, you simply unpack once and RELAX!! We flew to Fairbanks (via Vancouver) to begin the land tour. Did all of our land touring by train (other than daily excursions by bus). I highly recommend the train (to Denali, on to Anchorage, and down to Seward). There is an option of taking a bus rather than the train, but even though the train takes longer, the scenery is spectacular (including fantastic views of Denali). The cruise ended in Vancouver, which is a great place for some post-cruise touring. We LOVED the Ryndam, and can't imagine a better cruise experience than we had.

[GMoney]

Now I am jealous. I just had surgury so I'm stuck here in the house for at least two weeks. More like six to eight weeks before I will be able to hike again.

 

I just sent the email; hope it helps. Good luck with your recovery!

[cage keeper]

Thanks again GMoney, got the email. I also hope to read your review when you return after your May trip.

 

Wouldn't consider doing a cruise without a balcony. Our last (our first ) was a JR suite. I think I will try to stay with these.

 

Joni