How to pick an Alaska cruise?

[cnvh]

I am thinking of surprising my parents with an Alaskan cruise for their 40th wedding anniversary, which will be in 2011; taking an Alaskan cruise has been a dream of theirs for years, but it's always been a bit financially out of their reach. However, due to some recent changes in DH and my work and finances, we may be able to swing this for them as a gift by the time their 40th rolls around.

 

Hubby and I are fairly new to cruising (scheduled for our second one, this fall on the Noordam), and we have zero interest in cruising to Alaska, unlike my parents... we prefer to go where it's warm and we can hit the beaches.

 

So I started looking into itineraries today, just to get an idea of what costs might be involved, what kind of ports they could visit, etc... And to my (not personally interested) eye, it seems like most of the Alaska cruises are pretty much the same, regardless of cruise line.

 

Since HAL is such a major player in the region, my question to those of you who have sailed on HAL to Alaska, how do you pick which cruise to take? What makes one better than another, aside from sail date? (I'm thinking of booking them for a September cruise, hopefully to minimize kiddos onboard...)

[jtl513]

The first big choice you have to make is whether to go to Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay, because as far as I know no cruise goes to both. Hubbard is the biggest single glacier glacier you can see from a cruise ship, about 5 miles wide, while Glacier Bay has generally better scenery than Yukutat Bay (where Hubbard is located), IMO. The largest single glacier in Glacier Bay is Margerie, which is about 1 mile wide.

 

Almost every cruise (I think) hits Juneau and Ketchikan, while other ports vary. Most people like Sitka and Skagway, but again you don't usually get both on the same cruise.

 

Next you have to decide between the convenience and often lower air fares of Seattle versus the far better scenery (IMO) of the Inside Passage available only from a Vancouver sailing.

 

We started (5 yrs ago) with a round-trip from Seattle to Hubbard and thoroughly enjoyed it. In 7 weeks we'll get to see the "other half" of Alaska, Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage. IMO everybody should do both at least once in their life!

 

Good luck choosing!

[garydm]

IMHO:

 

1. Depart from Vancouver for an inside passage cruise. Seattle is much easier and more convenient but who wants out to sea days when you can see beautiful scenery.

 

2. Select a cruise that goes into Tracy Arm. It is incredibly beautiful.

 

3. Weather in Alaska is always a crap shoot. Consider one of the late Spring cruises (late April or May) if you want to avoid the kids. Last September we had horrible fog most of the week. We have had great weather late April and bad weather in August, so who knows. If you must do September, do it early in the month.

 

Gary

[Krazy Kruizers]

Where will your parents be flying from?

 

Is it easier for them to get to Seattle or Vancouver?

 

Then you need to decide what ports interests them. Since this won't happen until 2011 you have plenty of time to ask them questions, like "If you ever did get to go to Alaska, which do you prefer: Hubbard or Glacier?" You don't have to ask all the questions at once. But just keep notes. Also find out if they want to do any whale watching, etc.

[ocngypz]

Well, I've done them all...Tracey Arm, Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier.

 

Hubbard Glacier beats the others hands down. Two weeks ago we got as close as ships are allowed (1/2 mile) and the glacier performed for us wonderfully (calving). The face of the glacier is over three hundre feet high.

[jtl513]

Well, I've done them all...Tracey Arm, Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier.

 

Hubbard Glacier beats the others hands down. Two weeks ago we got as close as ships are allowed (1/2 mile) and the glacier performed for us wonderfully (calving). The face of the glacier is over three hundre feet high.

How do you get 3 shots in quick succession like that? Are they selected frames from a video recording? (My still camera's "continuous" mode takes about 3/4 second per shot.) Thanks. :)

[jhannah]

I thought I planned cruises early ... but never four years out! Just remember to factor in inflation as you're looking at prices. May be all for naught, though. According to an erstwhile politician, the earth will have warmed enough by then that there won't be any glaciers for you to see! ;) (Sorry ... my bad.)

 

I think you've been given good advice. The inside passage is the way to go, IMO. Alaska is so beautiful you need to get up north and see more of it than a round trip out of Seattle will show you.

[Eileen G]

I have also done Glacier Bay, Hubbard and Tracy Arm and while Tracy Arm is beautiful you don't want a cruise with that as your only glacier. HAL has a cruise that does Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm and to me that is the best round trip cruise.

When choosing a cruise it is very important to look at port times. Some cruises don't spend much time in the ports.