Itinerary questions from Alaskan cruise newbie

[beechfor]

I'm sure there are a lot of opinions about itineraries but I have to ask. What are the advantages/disadvantages of the round trip cruise vs the northbound or southbound route? We have cruised mostly RCCL in the past and can find any of these routes with that line. If another line offers a desirable itinerary, we are open to change. I have read that there are new ports of call opening up in the next year but which are the ones "not to be missed"? Any help would be appreciated.

[cwestbrook]

IMO, you miss a lot just doing the inside passage. To me, the most awesome Alaskan scenery is north of there.

 

I chose Princess Island specifically because of their itenerary. There are other Princess ships doing the same itenerary but Island had the date I wanted.

[fti]

If you do a one-way cruise, the main reason people do it is to do a land tour before or after the cruise. The one ways start or end in Seward or Whittier, which are close to Anchorage. Many things to do around Seward and Denali NP is only about a 4-5 hour drive from Anchorage.

 

Also, seeing the sites further north like Glacier Bay, College Fjord, etc. are a big plus in my opinion.

 

Probably first try to figure out what it is you are trying to see, then find a cruise itinerary that does it. Or check the various cruise itineraries and see which one(s) are most appealing. It would be a shame to get to Anchorage and not spend more time once you are there.

[mbisson]

Also, seeing the sites further north like Glacier Bay, College Fjord, etc. are a big plus in my opinion.

 

Probably first try to figure out what it is you are trying to see, then find a cruise itinerary that does it. Or check the various cruise itineraries and see which one(s) are most appealing. It would be a shame to get to Anchorage and not spend more time once you are there.

 

I agree that if someone sails to or from Anchorage, they should try to spend some additional time there (try a tour of Denali). But the comment of "Seeing the sites further north like Glacier Bay" sounds to me like this is done only on 1 way cruises, so I'd just like to point out that quite a few of the RT cruises do go to Glacier Bay. In particular HAL has several interesting RT itineries that include 2 glacier stops.

 

-Monte

[CruiseIsGood]

Unfortunately, everything is not to be missed, but no one currently goes to everything. Glacier Bay, College Fjord (my favorite), Hubbard Glacier (amazingly awesome), the twin Sawyer Glaciers, and then the towns of Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, which are the typical, and Sitka, lovely, now Icy Point Strait, which I haven't been to, Seward, which has things to do and see too...

 

I'd say if you have excursion money, the one that hits the most towns is the best. If you have limited excursion money, the one that hits the most glaciers, like a College Fjord and Glacier Bay trip.