MississippiMom

22 hours ago, Coral said:

NCL stops at Ward Cove in Ketchikan. That is a game stopper for me. Plus, poor port times.

I have been reading about this Ward Cove situation and thinking more and more that it wastes a lot of time.  Not sure I would call it a “game stopper” just, yet, but leaning that way.

 

I have sailed RCCL to Alaska and it was poorly done compared to Princess. Princess's enrichment programs are far superior (there was nothing on RCCL). Princess also goes to Glacier Bay. RCCL and Celebrity do not. Hubbard glacier can easily be missed due to a variety of weather conditions - or you can be 9 miles away and barely see it. Glacier Bay is rarely missed. 

I did ask my husband if there is something specific he wants to get out of an Alaskan cruise and all he can tell me is that he wants to look at mountains.  I asked if he meant glaciers, and got a “sure, that sounds good.” (Southern boy what can I say.)
 

If you can't afford it this year, put it off another year.

Not this year for us, but 2025, after the last kid has completed her undergrad.  In theory, we should have more cash available by then.  However, the 2024 cruise prices are significantly better than the 2025 ones, which is part of the sting when looking at costs.

 

Also, I would not go to Alaska in September unless I had been many times (which I have but I still avoid September). May is historically the driest month and every month after has more rain. September and October have the potential for the worst weather.

The beginning of the Alaska cruise season is completely out for us.  The earliest we could take a more than a long weekend vacation would be the second week in August, but those September prices are definitely better.  Looks like it would be worth a higher cost in hopes for better weather, though, so I’ll research the August itineraries.

 

Alaska is not an itinerary where you want to skimp on excursions. Don't spend all of your money getting there and then don't plan on doing good excursions. It is best to plan accordingly and go when you have more money.

I suspect my husband will want to rent a car and drive at any port where that is an option.  

 

Alaska is about ports (long port times the better), glaciers (some of the other lines have more sea days and some lines such have 2 glacier days (better so if one is missed, you still have another one). My first cruise on RCCL missed Hubbard glacier all together, thus, we had no glacier days. So try to pick an itinerary with 2 glaciers. I would suggest putting karaoke and trivia at the bottom of the list. You can always get this in the Caribbean. Also, Seattle has the worst port times of any of the cruises. Look carefully at port times. Not all cruise lines put them out there. If you are arriving at Juneau from 2-10, that time slot sucks. If you have 6 am -12 pm in Ketchikan and docking at Ward Cove, that time is awful. Many people book their line of choice and then complain about not being able to do things (except for trivia and karoke on the ship).

Apologies for asking what seems like a stupid question, but if there’s more sunlight are the later evening hours going to be okay for excursions?  I know the extreme time difference is going to be a challenge for me, but I have noticed lots of port stops that end at 9 pm or later.

 

Put Alaska ports and glaciers as an itinerary since you are traveling far for it. You are spending a lot of money to travel, you might as well see Alaska while you are there.

Thanks!  
I am still not convinced that I want to stare at glaciers for hours on end, but I’m really hoping to come back to these boards in the future and tell all of you that I loved staring at glaciers for hours.

 

I always appreciate your posts, @Coral.  Let’s see if I can reply to some of your comments (above in green), which might help me sort out things in my own head.  

43 minutes ago, Coral said:

I can tell you that after doing dozens of Caribbean cruises, I will go back to Alaska any day of the week but have no desire to go to the Caribbean. I never thought I would like Alaska but much prefer it to the Caribbean.

Thanks, @Coral!  I think that this will be what happens with my husband.  We do enjoy the ease of cruising, but he wants to see up north, now.

It is very clear on these boards that Princess and HAL are the Alaska specialists.  It’s also obvious that the majority of posters are Glacier Bay itinerary cheerleaders.  From a financial and available vacation days perspective, we are really, really struggling with what to book for August or September 2025.  We have completely ruled out HAL (sorry, HAL lovers), because we do enjoy a more party atmosphere than it appears we would find on their ships.  We have priced some Princess itineraries with the Princess Plus package in a balcony stateroom and are getting around a $300 a day (per person) price tag BEFORE we even add in airfare and excursion costs. 

I would love to hear from the cruisers who saw Alaska on NCL, RCCL, Carnival or Celebrity?  Those seem to be better for our budget, plus we are familiar with those lines, since we have sailed all but the latter. A non-obstructed balcony is a must for my husband.  I need indoor space and indoor activities, because I don’t love standing outside in the cold.  Both of us would prefer more casual attire in the dining rooms, since we need to pack clothing layers in our suitcases and do not want to waste space on formal wear.  We are accustomed to driving to ports, so airline weight limitations will be a concern this time around.  We love a fun piano bar, trivia, karaoke, and the silly cruiser participant shows.  We have zero interest in a casino or in a sports pub.
 

From a flight expense perspective, round trip Seattle sailings would be the most cost-effective for us.  We would also consider round trip Vancouver or, maybe, a one-way Southbound 7-day.  
 

Decisions . . . Decisions . . . Decisions . . .

On 1/6/2024 at 6:31 PM, sa4 said:

Thanks for responses. Just found out Glacier Bay is now included on both. Original confirmation just said “at sea” and actual itinerary varies per web page. 

I keep running into this issue, too.  Several sites, where you can compare the various cruise line options are only listing the ports where you actually are able to get off the ship.  I find myself pulling up the Glacier Bay port schedule to determine which ships are there on which day.

On 1/9/2024 at 7:15 AM, Tyskie said:

Definitely the Coral (we chose that ship in 2018 - had already been on her for the Panama Canal)

Great viewing areas - easy to navigate - IC 

We chose to do the Sanctuary for Glacier National Park Day - hands down was the best decision for us. 

Caribe deck has the larger 1/2 covered balconies.

Enjoy!

Are there certain balcony cabins on Caribe that are 1/2 covered, or is it all of them?

Thank you so much!

On 6/13/2023 at 11:21 PM, DiscoingGD said:

Hello All,

 

I know the title is somewhat bold to put on the Alaskan sub-forum, but hear me out. I'm a lifelong Floridian that's enjoyed his 2 RCCL Caribbean cruises & has never seen snow, but always wanted to (even though I get uncomfortably cold in the 40s). I saw a great deal for an 8-day Alaskan cruise on RC (May 2024, only $100/day for a solo cabin), but I'm looking at the potential cons, which I'm hoping you can alleviate:

 

• From what I've heard $100/day is great for an Alaskan cruise, but it's pretty average for a Caribbean cruise, which I don't need to spend $500 to fly to. So, the way I'm looking at it, is this cruise worth an extra $500 to experience?
• Average temps in May (according to Google) range from 56 degrees (sounds fantastic) to 42 at night (no bueno). There's almost 17 hours on sunlight in May, so can I assume the bulk of my day would at least be in the 50s? I know rain & clouds could make this vary drastically, but I'm sure some of you cruised there in May and can provide some anecdotal experiences.
• I'm not an excursion guy. In the Caribbean, I enjoyed walking around a bit and then enjoyed the boat amenities while people were still out. In Alaska, I'm hoping there are scenic trails I can walk near every port (As a Floridian, I'm in awe of both the snow and mountains lol). In Juneau, for example, I'll take the public bus to Mendenhall Glacier and walk around there. I just don't know if every port has something like that, and if not, or if the weather's bad, I don't know if there's as much to do on the boat on Alaskan cruises vs Caribbean? I don't think I'd enjoy the Flowrider in Alaska, for example. Hot tubbing in the arctic sounds fun though! In short, am I missing the point of an Alaskan cruise if I just walk around and take in the scenery?

 

To conclude, I REALLY want to go, but not being used to that environment, I'm afraid of worst-case scenario that I'm just cold and miserable the whole time. Talk me into it please!

I can’t help but say, “THANK YOU for posting this!”  Seriously, I’m struggling with the Alaskan cruise costs, when we, typically, drive to a departure port.  Plus, I really prefer a beach over wildlife on any day.  However, we have visited a lot of U.S. National Parks over the years, and the beauty is pretty amazing.

It is major financial investment that might possibly be a disappointment, but the hubby wants to see Alaska, so we are searching cruise options.

We are currently looking at a September 13, 2025 10-day on Caribbean Princess.   After a lengthy discussion today, we really think that 10 days is the maximum length we can take, since it will take so long to fly to Vancouver from the Southern U.S.   Due to other commitments and work responsibilities, our window is around mid-August to mid-September departure, with the latter working better for us.

After reading this thread it sounds like the similar gamble of booking a Caribbean cruise during hurricane season.  You are just going to get whatever weather appears, because it’s out of our control.

On 12/14/2023 at 4:56 AM, tacticalbanjo said:

I was pretty set on a 2025 Alaska but not sure which line to do it on. But none of the other Glacier Bay going lines are doing many, if any, trips longer than 7 nights and if I'm flying all that way I want to see as much as possible. The options that are available don't have itineraries that appeal and heck, I just love Cunard. But I'm a little disappointed to miss out on Vancouver.

 

I probably won't book until next year though because Cunard are wanting a rather large amount for flights and want to charge the same for adults and children. So I might hold off until my TA can look at flight costs and get them to sort me a package. Is it worth speaking with voyage sales next time I'm on board?

I am not at all familiar with Cunard, but their Alaska itineraries are very appealing for 2025.

In your opinion, would it be a “kid friendly” line in Alaska?

5 hours ago, KKB said:

They just did a story on GMA about this cruise.

Did this captain not check the weather?

I agree--wouldn't south or west have been BETTER weather  (couldn't be worse!)& STILL WARM??

I saw that story this morning and have to admit that I would have been ALL sorts of annoyed as a cruise passenger.  Talk about a seriously ruined vacation.

I got the postcard in the mail today for the Travel & Cruise Showcase 2023 in our area.  No address on the postcard and we definitely have more than one Courtyard by Marriott. 
 

I knew that I would NOT be getting anything free, but I would have attended if it was a legitimate  travel event with representatives from the different cruiselines.

We are so tired of Cozumel.  I wasn’t even thinking about a Spring Break 2026 cruise until I saw that Mobile was an option WITHOUT going to Mexico.  I’ll be keeping an eye on the Spirit rates.

I would love to get my elderly parents on one more cruise, if possible.  But, at least, one would require a scooter.  We need to leave from a port within reasonable driving distance. There is absolutely no way my mother could navigate a scooter on a Conquest Class ship (NOLA options).  We have never been on a Spirit Class shop (Mobile option).  Are the public walkways wide?  Are the handicapped rooms in better locations than what Conquest Class offers?

RCCL Mariner of the Seas did work for her (back in 2022), but Carnival tends to be our family’s favorite cruise line.

On 7/12/2023 at 8:28 PM, Aquahound said:

I have cruised Ruby, Koningsdam, and a sister ship to Encore.  By far, Encore will be the liveliest ship with a ton of activities and great entertainment.  The other 2 ships do not compare in that regard.

 

I recommend avoiding Ruby.  The ship looks and feels dated and has small standard cabins.  You have to book a mini suite in order to get a couch in your room.  I'll never book that ship again.  

 

Koningsdam is a really nice ship and they do have some lively entertainment options.  I think the stateroom showers are the nicest in the business.  

 

If the ship and activities are your priority, Encore is your ship.  If Alaska is your priority, I'd lean more toward K'dam.  

THIS response is the kind of information that I find useful.  We need the ton of activities and the great entertainment.  But . . . Due to my husband’s height & weight, stateroom shower size is SUPER important.  (Time to go search for photos or videos of Koningsdam and sister ships.)

On 9/6/2023 at 8:35 PM, ledges1 said:

Will the Spirit be around in 5 years? This is good news for Mobile. They need the $s from parking to pay for the bond issue on the cruise terminal and parking deck. It remains empty during the off season. It is difficult with only about 5 months of cruising. I live in the area and prefer New Orleans. Parking in Mobile is $20 a day. That is steep for an 8 day cruise and there are not other parking options in Mobile. You can find reasonable priced parking in NO (Fulton Garage). I am bored with the Conquest Class in New Orleans.

I think "bored" would be putting it nicely for our family.  We never have cared for the Conquest class ship layout, because there are so many times when it feels very crowded.  As a matter of fact, the first time, we said "never again."  But then we "nevered" two more times - Conquest, Glory and Valor.  We are done.  I was super excited to see competition in NOLA from two other cruise lines over the Spring Break 2025 time frame.

On 10/9/2023 at 3:21 PM, smokeybandit said:

Brilliance out of New Orleans

I, literally, just stumbled across the fact that Brilliance will be sailing out of NOLA in part of 2024 and 2025.  That’s our nearest port, and the prices are incredibly good at the moment.  I’m guessing they are trying to entice some Carnival-regulars over.

This has been a fun read during my quick afternoon break at work.

I'm definitely not losing any sleep over it, but if I had to give you a "pet peeve," it's that the places I prefer during the daytime or late night - Blue Iguana, Guy's Burgers, the Pizza Place, the Deli - are all too small and understaffed, which means the lines move a bit slower than I would prefer.   But, I will happily stand and wait before stepping foot in the lido buffet.  (Not at all my thing.) 

17 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

Glad to hear transport worked out but sorry about your problems organizing your group. I know you had a lot of problems leading up to the cruise and don’t envy you having to organize that many. Fortunately I have only had a maximum of 6 at a time and even that is difficult enough at times. Sometimes it is just best to let everyone do their own thing and meet up for dinner!

 

I agree July in the Caribbean can be brutal, we cut short our last trip to the east side in July because of the heat - it is so draining, but disappointing when you are only visiting somewhere for a short time.
 

I think I probably warned you about cell service and cash during your planning and it sounds like you tried to advise your group but some people don’t/wont listen, but it is worth pointing this out and emphasizing to @beshears so thanks for the reminder.

Here's the "thing" . . . I had no intention of coordinating that many at the port stops.  I wanted to toss out ideas to everyone and let them just figure out their own thing.  We are a family of 6, so that's what I was focused on.   Then my sibling and his family of 5 decided to go with us, which was fine.   It never occurred to me that the various not-married/no-children family members wouldn't band together and plan their excursions.  Instead, they looked at the two cousins with children and tagged along with us.  (NEVER AGAIN, for me, that is).  We did have others who stayed on the ship at port, which was their choice.

I would definitely cruise as a large group, again, because that was tons of fun, especially during dinner and in the evenings.  However, I would either stick with cruise sponsored excursions or just not share our port plans with everyone.  Live & learn.

@benkutner - The pandemic lockdown changed so many things.  Have you checked around to see if there is any way to have an item notarized via a Zoom (or similar) call?  (I don't have this answer.  Just asking.)  It seems like the parent's signature should definitely need to be notarized, but yours seems weird.  If you read the wording on the form, it's the parent of the child that is authorizing.  It isn't the adult traveling with the child.  

Do you have a notary available that you personally know that you could ask how they would handle?  At your attorney's, doctor's, bank, place of employment?

Glad you tagged me, @c-leg5.  So MUCH has occurred in our lives, since our cruise that I never did report back.

We did use Black Hat Tours, @beshears.  They were super easy to communicate with and very accommodating with questions/answers.  Just go out on their website, FB page or Instagram and shoot them a message about what you have in mind and they will give you an estimated cost, based on vehicle sizes and size of your group. 

I would use Black Hat Tours, again, however, I would NOT recommend Punta Sur for a larger group (we were 15) on a cruise ship port day.  I knew in advance that it was a long drive out there and back, and the original plan was that we would be able to stop and look around at lots of places to/from, but almost everyone in our group wound up complaining about the heat (yes, it was July, in Mexico) and didn't want to get out of the vans.   Drinks and food at Punta Sur are SO expensive, and their connectivity makes it almost impossible to use a credit card.  It was kind of a disaster for our group, in general, but it was NOT the fault of Black Hat Tours.  I told everyone in writing, REPEATEDLY, to pay attention to prices and to bring cash and that we would be stopping at places and most acted like it was the very first time they heard it on that day.  I felt kind of bad for our drivers, who were trying but kept getting rejected.

Lots of great information on this thread.  Thanks to all for sharing.

33 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

That’s your seat. 

Looks like an uncomfortable situation for anyone with long legs or a larger mid-section.

On 8/28/2023 at 8:39 PM, Saint Greg said:

Sorry, @Saint Greg, I think I missed something.  Were you sitting at tables for 4.5 hours?  Or just to eat?

On 8/28/2023 at 10:01 AM, atanac said:

I don't know...but looking at a glacier is like looking at Niagara Falls or Mt Rushmore. After a few minutes I'm like "OK, now what?".

It's like you are reading my mind.

My husband has requested that our next cruise be to Alaska.  I'm sure it will be beautiful, so I'm not complaining (although I will miss the beaches).  However, the thought of staring at glaciers for hours and hours doesn't sound like much fun to me.  We have never been to Niagara Falls, but we did go to Mount Rushmore and I still don't understand how that became a busy tourist attraction.

On 8/26/2023 at 4:25 PM, sfaaa said:

Not a good sale given HA had a $1 deposit promo just a few months ago. 

I hate I missed a $1 deposit promotion.  But we weren't (and really still aren't) ready to commit to our next cruise.  But for $1, we could have gotten something on our calendar for Alaska.

$99 non-refundable isn't going to cause us to book a cruise right now.

2 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

Of the Princess choices, Sapphire isn't terrible.  At least it has a Skywalkers Lounge for panoramic viewing.  It's not as nice as the Crows Nest on HAL, the Sky Lounge on Celebrity, or the Viking Crown on RCI....all of which face forward rather than aft.  But at least it's there.  And while you do certainly want to be outside at a glacier, there is still at least 7 days of the cruise where sometimes relaxing inside is better.

 

IMO, the one-way cruises are also better than the round trips.  

We started out looking at the round trip options, but then talked about wanting to see Denali pre-cruise, so Southbound routes is all we are researching now.  But we’ve got time to change our minds plenty of times, since we won’t travel to Alaska until 2025 or 2026.