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Opinions Requested: what cruise line does Alaska best?


Sweetiepie3
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UnCruise, Alaskan Dream and Lindblad do exceptional jobs in Alaska. We’ve done 2 each on UnCruise and Alaskan Dream. Food was some of the best we’ve had at sea. There’s really no comparison with these lines and the majors although if ship amenities & activities are a priority, these might not be a good choice.

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Good point, CruiserBruce. I have so many questions........southbound, northbound, one way or round trip? While everyone will have their own opinion, is there an advantage of one cruise line over another? We've only cruised RC to the Caribbean, but aren't sure they are the best for an Alaskan cruise. Thanks.

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In our opinion, Glacier Bay is a must. It's a National Park and World Heritage Site. Only 2 cruise lines get access to GB - HollandAmerica & Princess. Start there and go based on price, itinerary, and dates that work for you. Alaska needs to be based on seeing Alaska, not on a particular Cruise line. Spend time on the HollandAmerica & Princess & Alaska forums here - you will learn a lot.

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My husband and I are planning an Alaskan cruise in May, 2019. We are looking for experienced cruisers' opinions on which cruise line is best for this trip. Thanks, in advance, for your thoughts.

 

My wife and I debated over whether to take the traditional 7 day cruise plus some sort of add-on versus a 14 day cruise on HAL. We ended up taking the 14 day itinerary.

 

Was the most amazing, awesome, fantastic cruise of the 28 we've been on. The 1300 passenger Amsterdam was the perfect size. Never crowded. Outstanding service and food. Highly recommend this one.

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In our opinion, Glacier Bay is a must. It's a National Park and World Heritage Site. Only 2 cruise lines get access to GB - HollandAmerica & Princess. Start there and go based on price, itinerary, and dates that work for you. Alaska needs to be based on seeing Alaska, not on a particular Cruise line. Spend time on the HollandAmerica & Princess & Alaska forums here - you will learn a lot.

 

Not true. HAL and Princess have about 80% of the Glacier Bay permits. But not all...other cruise lines have some. I believe NCL have the third largest number of permits.

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In our opinion, Glacier Bay is a must. It's a National Park and World Heritage Site. Only 2 cruise lines get access to GB - HollandAmerica & Princess.

 

 

Of the main lines in addition to Holland & Princess, Norwegian, Carnival and Crystal have permits to access Glacier Bay. UnCruise & Alaskan Dream have access and actually overnight there.

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To add to the list above Seabourn also went to Glacier Bay on their return to Alaska northbound cruises this season. They use a ship with 450 people ( so no lines --- no crowding and all suite spacious ship) so they can go to many places the big ships don't go to. In addition they have there own Ventures staff who not only lead the kayaking and zodiac excursions they launch from the ship but are on two decks each day spotting animals and geological features as well as answering passenger question and assisting with photography. They also spend part of each day giving informative lectures. Add to that the Seabourn pampering service, inclusive pricing and very good foodit may be right for you.

 

 

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One of the popular sayings here on the Alaska board is that when it comes to Alaska the ship/cruiseline is secondary to the ports. Look at what ports you are interested in including if you want Glacier Bay or not. Do you want to spend time in Seattle before or after the cruise? If so a R/T from Seattle is probably the best for you. Do you want a do a cruisetour before or after your cruise that includes Denali? If so a one way might be the best for you. Narrow those things down first and then start looking at cruse lines/ships that fulfill what you are looking for. And of course look at you budget and see what fits best.

 

Like a lot of things in life it's what you make of it. You have the right mindset and you can make the best out of any situation, or in this case cruise line. So once you make what you feel is the best choice for you don't look back and second guess. Just concentrate on having a great time.

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I would recommend you look at the time in ports also. Too many people come in with times in Juneau from 2-10 and can't get book what they want during that time period.

 

I also recommend Glacier Bay as it never seems to be missed. Tracy Arm and Hubbard are missed frequently. More importantly, some itineraries have 2 glacier days which I recommend. You often don't give any ports up as other lines just have another sea day instead of the second glacier.

 

I would love to do un-cruise or Lindbland. If they are in your price range, you are in for a treat.

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My wife and I debated over whether to take the traditional 7 day cruise plus some sort of add-on versus a 14 day cruise on HAL. We ended up taking the 14 day itinerary.

 

Was the most amazing, awesome, fantastic cruise of the 28 we've been on. The 1300 passenger Amsterdam was the perfect size. Never crowded. Outstanding service and food. Highly recommend this one.

 

thanks so much for this info. While we'd love to do UnCruise, AlaskanDream, or one of the smaller ships - they're just not in our budget. We've been debating between a Princess Cruise, or the 14night HAL cruise.

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As others have said, look carefully at the itineraries. Many ships will visit the same ports but the time in port can be dramatically different. Lots of whining about 7 - 1:30 in Ketchikan or 2 - 10 in Juneau. Make sure you're in port long enough and at the right time of day for planned activities. If glacier viewing is important include Glacier Bay and another.

Do you need a covered pool? do you want a naturalist on board or enrichment programs ?

If bear viewing is a priority, know that there are peak periods of time for successful trips and those times vary by location.

 

There are DOZENS of trip reports posted in STICKYs near the top of the Alaska forum page. The first line usually indicates the ship, date and itinerary. Some are detailed photojournals with photos of cabins, public areas, activities, and even every meal! Read thru them to learn about the various experiences with the ships and with excursions. You may find that the major lines in Alaska are more alike than different.

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In our opinion, Glacier Bay is a must. It's a National Park and World Heritage Site. Only 2 cruise lines get access to GB - HollandAmerica & Princess. Start there and go based on price, itinerary, and dates that work for you. Alaska needs to be based on seeing Alaska, not on a particular Cruise line. Spend time on the HollandAmerica & Princess & Alaska forums here - you will learn a lot.

 

Totally untrue. A number of the small boat AK cruises do Glacier Bay and in a much better way than the large behemoth ship. They actually dock at the National Park Headquarters instead of just going in and out. We have done an AK cruise on the Admiralty Dream - http://www.alaskandreamcruises.com/fleet/alaskan-dream. Beats any large ship AK cruise we have ever taken. One of their cruises even spends 2 days in Glacier Bay.

 

Also I believe that Norwegian, Carnival and Crystal do Crystal - https://www.nps.gov/glba/learn/management/cruise-ships.htm.

 

Check your facts before posting. I do agree with your statement that Glacier Bay is a must for any AK cruise.

 

DON

Edited by donaldsc
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Totally untrue. A number of the small boat AK cruises do Glacier Bay and in a much better way than the large behemoth ship. They actually dock at the National Park Headquarters instead of just going in and out. We have done an AK cruise on the Admiralty Dream - http://www.alaskandreamcruises.com/fleet/alaskan-dream. Beats any large ship AK cruise we have ever taken. One of their cruises even spends 2 days in Glacier Bay.

 

Agree Don about the small ships, this one looks fantastic too - 6 days just cruising around Glacier Bay on a historic little boat. http://www.seawolfadventures.net - It's on the bucket list for sure.

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Good point, CruiserBruce. I have so many questions........southbound, northbound, one way or round trip? While everyone will have their own opinion, is there an advantage of one cruise line over another? We've only cruised RC to the Caribbean, but aren't sure they are the best for an Alaskan cruise. Thanks.

 

 

 

We did RC for Alaska and found it to be wonderful. We added the land tour they offer as well and it made all the difference in the world. The real Alaska is found going up the interior to Fairbanks and Denali. Definitely recommend it. Otherwise the stops along cruise itself are just shopping excursions, which is basically just another Caribbean trip. Do the interior as well. :)

 

 

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Good point, CruiserBruce. I have so many questions........southbound, northbound, one way or round trip? While everyone will have their own opinion, is there an advantage of one cruise line over another? We've only cruised RC to the Caribbean, but aren't sure they are the best for an Alaskan cruise. Thanks.

 

Honestly - I think RCCL does a poor job in Alaska. They were my first cruise in Alaska and it was really disappointing. I later went with Princess and was very impressed with all of their enrichment programs and they have only increased since then. Have gone multiple times with Princess since then.

 

On RCCL, we didn't have any Alaskan speakers (naturalists), we had poor time in ports, we missed our only glacier (not the fault of RCCL), - there was nothing on the ship that even said Alaska. It was like we were going through the motions and stopping at ports. Princess was the exact opposite! There were talks every day. The following year I went with Princess and we had 2 glacier days (much better - especially if you miss the first one) and the talks were spectacular. I would not do RCCL again in Alaska if someone paid me.

 

There is a reason why RCCL only has 2 ships in Alaska (and one has the worst schedule in Alaska - Explorer) - they really are not fully committed to it. BTW - I was on the Radiance. Pretty ship but everyone says it is one of the best ships in Alaska due to all the glass. I didn't think it was any better than Coral Princess (same size, etc..).

 

Here is a link to Princess's onboard experiences: https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/onboard-experience/

 

Try to find something similar on RCCL. I am not saying Princess is best but it is better than RCCL. I do think Princess one way cruises are pretty good itineraries. Now Un-Cruise and Lindbland are going to be better than Princess. I also think people going to Alaska the first time should go to Glacier Bay (RCCL and Celebrity do not go there, can't go there).

 

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I do strongly recommend looking at ports, amount of glaciers, times in ports, etc...

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Honestly - I think RCCL does a poor job in Alaska. They were my first cruise in Alaska and it was really disappointing. I later went with Princess and was very impressed with all of their enrichment programs and they have only increased since then. Have gone multiple times with Princess since then.

 

On RCCL, we didn't have any Alaskan speakers (naturalists), we had poor time in ports, we missed our only glacier (not the fault of RCCL), - there was nothing on the ship that even said Alaska. It was like we were going through the motions and stopping at ports. Princess was the exact opposite! There were talks every day. The following year I went with Princess and we had 2 glacier days (much better - especially if you miss the first one) and the talks were spectacular. I would not do RCCL again in Alaska if someone paid me.

 

There is a reason why RCCL only has 2 ships in Alaska (and one has the worst schedule in Alaska - Explorer) - they really are not fully committed to it. BTW - I was on the Radiance. Pretty ship but everyone says it is one of the best ships in Alaska due to all the glass. I didn't think it was any better than Coral Princess (same size, etc..).

 

Here is a link to Princess's onboard experiences: https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/onboard-experience/

 

Try to find something similar on RCCL. I am not saying Princess is best but it is better than RCCL. I do think Princess one way cruises are pretty good itineraries. Now Un-Cruise and Lindbland are going to be better than Princess. I also think people going to Alaska the first time should go to Glacier Bay (RCCL and Celebrity do not go there, can't go there).

 

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I do strongly recommend looking at ports, amount of glaciers, times in ports, etc...

Thank you! This is the type of input inexperienced cruisers like me are seeking. We all hear Princess does Alaska best, but if you've not been you don't know how or why.

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We chose Celebrity even though it didn't include Glacier Bay like a similar Princess cruise does. The difference was about $750 per cabin in OBC and perks. Ending in Seward, we are adding a Kenai National Park glacier cruise there, where you hit two tidewater glaciers and probably get better marine life and animals. If we get to Hubbard Glacier on our cruise, it will be a bonus. Princess goes to Whittier and Celebrity goes to Seward. I suppose that's another decision.

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Princess goes to Whittier and Celebrity goes to Seward. I suppose that's another decision.

 

There are great boat trips out of Whittier also. Plus, one can rent a car and go to Seward also. Both places have great things to do (I have been to both).

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Welcome to Alaska. The two cruise lines with the longest history in Alaska are HAL and Princess. Both have made considerable investments up here in the way of excursion transportation (buses and dome railroad coaches) and hotel chains (Westmark Hotels for HAL and 5 wilderness lodges for Princess). Both lines now operate under the Holland America Group of Carnival Corp which includes the combined land holdings of both. Both have grandfather rights from the NPS into Glacier Bay, meaning they have more ships visiting there than others do. We only cruise on Princess, HAL and Regent so I can't attest to the quality of service and type of cruise others offer except I've lived in Alaska all my life and being involved in the airplane game throughout my professional career have quite a familiarity with all these enterprises.

Most major cruise lines offer excellent cruises to Alaska, NCL also being one of the largest players although none have the land based holdings that the HAG has.

About 65% of cruisers to Alaska only do the Southeast (Panhandle) portion of the State. Assuming you are on a typical 7 day (round robin) cruise you probably won't be crossing the Gulf of Alaska and traveling further north to South Central Alaska or going on into the interior on a land tour, but most likely doing a cruise of Southeast Alaska, originating and ending in either Vancouver or Seattle. Almost all of these cruises do the "Alaska Inside Passage". My favorite glacier calving viewing on the cruise line haunts is Hubbard Glacier up by Yakutat ,off the Gulf, not Glacier Bay

 

My personal preference for these round robins is to get on a cruise that voyages through the "Canadian Inside Passage" as well as the "Alaska Inside Passage". Meaning, they travel to the east of Vancouver Island as opposed to the west of the island, west of the island places the vessel out into the North Pacific where scenic voyaging is limited to non-existent, rougher water there too, sometimes. Vancouver is the best originating port for this and it appears to me that HAL has the most departures from there, if crossing the gulf HAL uses Seward for their ANC port, while Princess uses Whittier.

 

Beware when the line or your agent simply says you are going to be in the "Inside Passage". We have taken only one cruise to Alaska, which was on Regent, a two weeker, originating in San Francisco and ending in Vancouver, around the end of May and first of June. Hot weather even, 72 F, for Alaska that is. We sailed as far north as Valdez in Prince William Sound and hit every obligatory port in Southeast. Excellent cruise; the only downer was, both north and south, we skipped the Canadian Inside Passage and traveled to the west of Vancouver Island. Some Canadians on board weren't very happy in that they had been led to believe they would be cruising on the east side of Vancouver island.

I've cruised the Canadian Inside Passage a number of times. But it was so long ago I can't remember much, except for the scenic wonders of it all. You see, when I was a kid the only way to get to the "States" was via Alaska Steamship Company who also carried a lot of seasonal visitors back and forth. They quit carrying passengers in 1954 though.

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Thank you! This is the type of input inexperienced cruisers like me are seeking. We all hear Princess does Alaska best, but if you've not been you don't know how or why.

 

Not saying Princess doesn't offer a quality product in the Alaskan arena. However, having just been (July) on a 14 day HAL, I simply cannot imagine any other cruise, including princess, that can come close to our experience on HAL's Amsterdam. The ship is intimate, 1,300 passengers. The lack of crowds was refreshing. Being served piping hot bowls of split pea soup while wrapped in blankets on deck watching the glacier calve was an experience I challenge any Alaskan Princess passenger experience to beat.

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