Twinkd

Definitely book independently - it is a short stroll from the ship.  Save the money and enjoy!!

On 2/19/2020 at 10:07 AM, disneyochem said:

This is what we are doing this summer.  We are heading up to Seward on NCL Jewel.  Getting off the ship for almost a week on DIY stuff (Kenai Fjord cruise, Homer, etc.).  Hubby is a train buff so we are taking the train from Seward to Anchorage to Denali to Fairbanks (with stops/nights in between).  Then we are hooking up with a guided 10-day tour with Princess before boarding the Grand Princess in Whittier for a 7-day cruise back to Vancouver.  Total time in Alaska is 30 days including tours/DIY/cruises.  We live in Northern California so we are taking Amtrak from SF to Vancouver/Vancouver to SF in a sleeper car.

 

We picked a northbound cruise to Seward (our niece is interning at the local medical clinic this summer so wanted to see her) and then built upon that date.  The combination of DIY/Princess tour was a compromise between hubby and me--I wanted to only do DIY, but hubby has a friend who did a Princess tour and LOVED it.  Also, we couldn't find a tour that would do as much rail travel as we wanted. We picked a return time and looked at the different tours that would allow us our DIY time.  

 

I found it very easy to plan our DIY in Alaska.  These boards are a great resource for planning a trip.  You just have to priorize what is important.  I quickly realized you can't do it all even though we are spending over two weeks on land!  Guess we'll just have to go back...

 

Have fun planning!

OMG - so jealous!!!

1 hour ago, rocklinmom said:

When I pull up this claalaska website I get a huge red warning that says "this website is considered unsafe" and to close it. Is anyone else getting that? Strange. Bummed because I would like to know where we will be docking in June. 

Yep I got the same message when I tried to open a specific town/port 😞

Hey there - have done 2 x DIY tours post cruise and LOVE it!!  Easy to arrange with a little bit of research and the freedom to do what you want, go where you want and stop where you want.  $1000 a day sounds hideously expensive - you won't spend anywhere near that on a DIY (if you chose not to).

We have done both - large boat and small.  Our first excursion was on a larger boat in Juneau and we loved it - saw bubble net feeding and lots of whales - we thought we had had the experience of a life time UNTIL we went on the small boat.  The experience was very different - you just feel so much closer in the small boats.  My husband gets terribly seasick - in fact I often joke that he gets sick on the wharf whilst buying the ticket 🙂 - but he was fine on both boats.  I guess we had so many whales around us that he was so focused on everything going on that he didn't have time to think about the seasickness!!  And we also had relatively calm days for all of the whale watching excursions we have been on but we would not go back to the larger tours - small boats for us!!  You will LOVE it - we are heading back again in 2020 and have already booked 2 small boat whale excursions - can't wait!!

1 minute ago, mr walker said:

Kia Ora from Sydney. Our best wishes to you & all the good folk in Whakatane & Bay of Plenty region. It is a terrible event for all.

 

As for the keyboard experts - don't worry about them. They and there postings are not worth a momentary thought - what crass people (see I chose the nicest word I could) write is of no consequence apart from in their own little mind.

 

In moments of tragedy (and our poor cousins in NZ have had more than their fair share in recent years) we see people that rise to meet the needs of others. In this tragic event we have heard of rescuers rushing in to save others, regular tour passengers working to save the lives of victims in the tour boat, and wonderful people working in the hospitals to treat the victims. This is what humanity is all about.

 

Take care all. 

Thank you for your compassion! 💖

I live in Whakatane and White Island is just of our shores.  I work in the hospital where these poor victims were triaged and treated - my colleagues fought to keep the survivors alive and our small town is reeling!!  I find it really distressing that whilst there are still bodies lying on the island awaiting recovery and critically injured people are fighting for their lives that there are people on here discussing blame!!  Now is not the time for this - now is the time for prayers and hope.  

Hey there - we have both driven and taken the train and the views are spectacular both ways.  We did take the morning train but have just had a look online and it looks like the sun doesn't set in June until about 11pm so there should be plenty of light for the amazing views - enjoy!

Will also be on Maasdam next August heading to Alaska - looking forward to hearing all about your cruise and specifically any ship details. Thanks for posting.

Hubby and I are going on the Massdam to Alaska on the 1st August - just 2 weeks earlier - come along and play with us!! Seems like a good group of people gathering!!

OK - that's the date we re booked. See you in August:D

Oh that is soo cool!! Look forward to chatting on the Massdam Roll Call. :) Twink

Really??? How does that even happen?? We are going on the 1st August - come with us!!:)

Thanks for posting - looking forward to the rest!! Have an awesome cruise!!

Thanks everyone for your comments. Am soo looking forward to this cruise. We have sailed to Alaska twice before but only on 7 day cruises and have NEVER sailed into Anchorage.:)

Hey there - we are looking at doing the 14 night Alaska Cruise on Maasdam next year. I see that it lists Anchorage as a port of call. Am thinking that we will dock at Seward and somehow get to Anchorage - does anyone know how this works??? Do we go by bus or train and if so is it included in the cruise price? Thanks for any info. :)

Hey there - I am wanting to do a Bahamas Cruise but would like something longer than 3 - 4 days. Are there any cruiselines that do these longer cruises?? Thanks for your hep in advance.

Assateague Island Princes - Wow - have just looked at the itinerary for the 14 day cruise and that is definitely for us!! Looks amazing and covers all the ports that we would be interested in and good long port calls. Would have preferred to leave from Vancouver only because we have a daughter who lives there - but Seattle it is (with a flight to Vancouver afterwards)!!!! Now to start all the research!! :o

Holland America does a true 14 day itinerary (w/no repeat ports like on a back-to-back), which stops at some little visited-by-cruiseship ports. I've sailed this itinerary 3 times on HAL's Amsterdam. In 2015 however, the itinerary will be done by the Statendam. The only downside for you is that this sailing is roundtrip from Seattle, so you wouldn't have the opportunity to spend some time on mainland AK as you would on a north or southbound route.

 

That said, this itinerary is wonderful. Here are the ports/port times I experienced on the May 18, 2014 cruise - Ketchikan (8AM-5PM), all day scenic cruising of Tracy Arm, Juneau (8AM-10PM), Icy Strait Point (7AM-4PM), Anchorage (long port time - 7AM-11PM this year), Homer (10AM-6PM), Kodiak (7AM-3PM), Hubbard Glacier scenic sailing, Sitka (9AM-5PM), and Victoria, BC (1PM-11PM). Something to consider if you are open to a RT Seattle cruise.

 

Agree w/previous posters who cited the port of Sitka - beautiful, as yet unspoiled port with so much to see and do. Probably one of the most magical sail-ins you'll ever experience in Alaska - with the harbor studded with tiny islands, Mt. Edgecomb volcano towering over the picturesque fishing town - just lovely! Sitka is steeped in Russian history and a beautiful Totem pole park to walk thru. We've enjoyed several small boat marine wildlife tours in Sitka (booked with Capt. Davey of www.puffinsandwhales.com) - seeing many whales, puffins and sealions, and amazing pastel colored starfish.

 

Good luck in your mission finding the perfect trip for you. As you know, Alaska is spectacular and keeps drawing many of us back - over and over again!

OMG - that sounds wonderful - will definitely look into this. Thanks for all the wonderful information. Would absolutely love to visit Sitka - everything I have read has been so positive about the town!! Thanks once again. :)

Thanks for that - yes I do understand that there will be double ups but don't mind this as Alaska is so beautiful but was wondering if anyone knew what cruise ships went to the few different ports. Thanks.

Hi there - my husband and I have cruised to Alaska twice - both times on Radiance of the Seas and same itinerary - Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway then Hubbard Glacier (first time to see what we wanted to do the next time :) ). LOVED LOVED LOVED it both times. We are looking at going again sometime next year but would like to do a different itinerary. Do any of the Cruiselines go to different towns. Want to do Northbound preferably from Vancouver as we want to do another drive around after the cruise.

Thanks for any help in advance.:)

Loving your review so far. We have a daughter who lives in Vancouver and we try to get over there every couple of years. I think is one of the most beautiful cities in the World - LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! Went on an Alaskan cruise in 2009 and heading back again next year for a Northbound cruise on the Radiance followed by 3 weeks of driving around and exploring Alaska again - can't wait. Looking forward to reading more of your review and seeing more awesome pictures - they are fabulous!! Thanks for sharing.:) Twink

Oh this is like torture - waiting for the next bit to come!!!!:confused:

Hey Jen - you soo have to call into work sick so you can just concentrate on your review!! I rush home from work to read the next installment. :D Great writing. We sailed to Alaska on Radiance in August 2009 and are booked again in August next year. Can't wait and reading your review is just wetting my appetite even more!! Thanks for sharing!!:)

Oh my gosh - sooo many memories. Can't wait to hear the rest.:)