CStorm

I've been to Alaska twice and the third trip is scheduled for July '23, so I am nowhere near an expert.  

• I would never do a trip out of Seattle because you miss too much of the inside passage.
• I will never do a trip without Skagway because my husband loves the train trip.
• I will only book a ship that has an aft balcony, the best views IMO.
• We are doing our first one way next year, Southbound, which provides more port time and a port we've never been, Icy Strait Point.  We were scheduled on another line but they cancelled Skagway so we switched to Celebrity, which we have cruised Alaska with before.  
• Just know, this won't be your only trip to Alaska, it's so beautiful, you will want to go back.

We have the following available ports:  Juneau, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point.  Who do you recommend?  

Looking at booking this cruise.  Wondering why it's so inexpensive ($5500) for a Grand Suite.  Is the weather bad that time of the year?  Is this a bad cruise/ship?  I have ZERO experience with Greece.  Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.  We are looking to avoid the really hot weather.  

We are true aft cruisers (faces the wake of the ship).  DH won't even get on a ship unless they have aft cabins.  Have cruised Alaska twice with an aft and am going again July 2023

13 hours ago, Dancing Shoes said:

If you are taking the train don't wait to book, especially if you are not spending an extra day in Seward.  Very popular.  We booked the gold star based on what I read here on CC.  I see you are going 2023.  Plenty of time!!

Noted, thanks!

18 hours ago, Kathscof said:

The Kenai fjords tour was WAY better than any whale watching or glacier viewing that we did during our cruise....in comparison, the things we did during the cruise were boring....

 

the train was amazing, I would say go gold star because of the amazing views and space and food 🙂  The normal windows seem large...but when you look out the domed roof, WOOOOOW

Thank you, Gold Star it is!

23 hours ago, AKStafford said:

• "We are looking at the train from Anchorage to Seward, pros/cons?"

The train is scenic and it gets you there. Using a one-way rental car would be expensive, but allow you to stop and sightsee along the way.

If you fly into Anchorage and the day before and take the early morning train offered by the Alaska Railroad, you'd have time for a Kenai Fjords cruise before boarding your ship.

Here's the local vendors at Icy Strait Point (Hoonah): http://visithoonah.com/experiences/ Another option for halibut fishing is to fly into Anchorage a couple of days before your cruise and fish out of Whittier or Seward.

What would we do with our luggage if we go to Seward, arrive by 11and then to the Kenai Fjords cruise?  Any suggested vendors for this?

This will be our third trip to Alaska and our first one-way (Southbound) July 2023.  We are booked on the Millennium. 

• We are looking at the train from Anchorage to Seward, pros/cons?
• In Juneau we have done Mendenhall and Whale Watching both times.  Not interested in a sea plane or helicopter.  Other suggestions?
• In Skagway, really want to do the train again.  Previously did a tour with a bus, Emerald lake, dog sledding and the train back.  Is the roundtrip train a good trip?  The train was the highlight.  Anything else we should do here?
• ISP, husbands want to halibut fish, my sister and I don't.  Recommendations on fishing charters?  Other things to do?  Considering whale watching here instead of Juneau. 
• Ketchikan,  going to do the Bering Sea Crab tour.  We've done bear watching with Michelle at Island Wings so looking for something else to do here as well.  

Any idea why they changed us to Ice Strait?  The train is my husband's favorite thing to do in Skagway.  I know there have been some issues with that recently.  Super disappointed right now.

Thank you, had to google what FTTF is and no, I can wait ;-).  Appreciate the quick reply!

My sister's family and my family have different boarding times.  Is it possible for us to board early with her or do we need to wait?  Thanks, Carnival virgin here ;-).

1 hour ago, RuthC said:

Nice itinerary. I could get interested, if there's a round-trip for 20 days.

#goals, this is our first 10 day.  

23 minutes ago, DrFUN said:

Thanks for posting the revised itinerary, CStorm!  Was any explanation given for the change? 

Not one thing about why they changed, just that they were changing it.  Of course, they will let you out of your booking.  If you stay with the new itinerary, you get $100 onboard credit.  I'll take it.  There's a group of 10 of us, we are all staying.  

The Canada/New England cruise (10-day) out of NY changed significantly.  We are booked on it.  Received the email 2 days ago.  The new itinerary goes out of Boston.  

Boston

Bar Harbor

Halifax

At Sea

St Johns, Newfoundland

St Anthony, Newfoundland

At Sea

Harre-Saint-Pierre

Baie-Comeau, Quebec

Quebec City (overnight)

POA gets in at 7am, flight leaves at 5pm. Looking for a tour that will accommodate us with our luggage to the North Shore or some other sites besides Pearl Harbor.

Thanks!

I think the Road to Hana is overrated, unless you have MANY days there. The drive isn't bad, but it does take ALL DAY LONG....so that's lots of time they could use to do other things. Most older folks don't give a fig about beaches, so I would never recommend a beach day for those over 70. If hubby likes to snorkel, and she doesn't mind sitting on a beach, then ALL beaches are public....get a guidebook to find the right snorkel spot! The surf in Hawaii can be rough...I did NOT find snorkeling to be fun there....too rough for me!

 

Get a guidebook and GIVE IT TO THEM! Let THEM plan their time!

I guess I should have been more specific. They have read a guidebook. They want to do the Road to Hana. I'm looking for some help booking them with private tours instead of through the cruise ship.

I'm not attending this trip but I've been to Hawaii twice. I chose POA for them to be able to see Hawaii without island hopping on a plane (which is what DH and I did). Both are in good shape. Mom won't get on a small boat. Below is a list of questions. All replies are greatly appreciated!

1. First stop, Maui, they are in port overnight. They want to do the Road to Hana. DH and I rented a car but they aren't comfortable with that. Any recommendation for a private tour so they aren't on a huge bus and can experience it on a smaller scale?

2. My mom doesn't swim but her husband loves snorkeling. She will sit on the shore and watch if there is a good place for them to do that. Any suggestions?

3. Hilo, they want to do Volcanoes National Park. Again, prefer a private tour if there is one.

4. Kona, I'm looking for suggestions.

5. Kauai, I have never been here but understand it's beautiful. They are here overnight as well. Thinking a luau and a helicopter ride. Anything they should do?

Again, all suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

I'm sure it's posted and yes I have searched. Leaving Saturday. I'm assuming Sunday and Thursday. If someone can confirm, that would be awesome.

Thanks!

We're in a similar situation coming into Brooklyn Sept. 24 after the Regal transatlantic. Here's what we've come up with:

 

There is a place named Schwartz Luggage Storage in midtown Manhattan (kind of near Times Square). There may be more than one location. Here's the site:

 

http://www.schwartztravel.com/locations.html

 

We're thinking about taking a cab there, stashing the bags at Schwartz for a couple of hours while we explore Times Square or Rockefeller Center, then grab the bags and a cab to LGA.

 

Jim

This looks like a great option, thank you!

We arrive in Brooklyn at 6am but our flight doesn't leave until 4:30. Is there a place to store luggage or a service Princess offers to get our bags from the ship (Brooklyn) to the airport (LGA)?

Thanks in advance!

Please please please walk down past RUGGLES ave...and say hi to SEAVIEW TERRACE...French Chateau looking....spent many Summers there !

We will! Thank you! I've heard of Dark Shadows but a little too young to have seen it.

Please please please walk down past RUGGLES ave...and say hi to SEAVIEW TERRACE...French Chateau looking....spent many Summers there !

We will! Thank you! I've heard of Dark Shadows but a little too young to have seen it.

Does no one do them for this itinerary? I've learned so much by reading others' reports. Would love to find some more.

The Breakers opens at 9AM unfortunately the first public bus departs from the bus terminal at 9:40AM on Sunday; the schedule is here.

 

My suggestion is that you have a really big breakfast and get ashore as soon as you can after that. Whenever you land, walk one block north to the transportation center. Depending on what time you get there, hire a taxi or board the route #67 bus to take you to the mansions and Cliff Walk.

 

If the Breakers is open when you arrive, tour it. Keep this in mind, groups arriving on a tour bus (cruise ship excursion) get priority over walkup visitors.

 

After the Breaker's tour, exit the Breaker's grounds and enter CW from either of the bordering side streets to the Breakers.

 

Once on CW, I would only walk as far as the walk is paved. Once the pavement ends, it just becomes a path over stones, boulders, on seawalls, and sometimes no path at all. How old are your legs??? and don't wear flipflops.

 

The further you walk on CW, the further you are away from food and the Elms.

 

From wherever you complete CW, get to Bellevue Ave which is a bus route. Take the inbound bus to either the Elms or a restaurant near the Tennis Hall of Fame. You can get food and ice cream at the Newport Creamery across from the THoF. NC is not fancy but the food and ice cream are good.

 

Depending on how much time you have left, you make the call as what to do next.

 

As for your time estimate, if you do CW to Rough Point, it is looow.

 

 

SBtS

Thank you for pointing out the schedule for the bus! I hadn't gotten that far. If we decide to take a taxi to the Breakers, do you know if we can purchase a ticket for the bus from the bus driver or at a stop?

Princess, assuming they have reception, usually shows the national NFL games for the week on the Movie Under the Stars screen, so usually 2 Sunday afternoon, the Sunday night game, the Monday night game and the Thursday night game.

 

So, if the Chiefs are on Sunday night when you are sailing, it should be on the big screen.

Thank You!