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SB Alaska - Port or Starboard?


MsSoCalCruiser
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You'll get the best views from the public decks where you'll be able to take in the entire panorama. If you are thinking only of the glaciers, it makes no difference which side of the ship you are on. Also, the ship will cruise in, turn around, and come out---again, both sides get the views.

Edited by moki'smommy
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You'll get the best views from the public decks where you'll be able to take in the entire panorama. If you are thinking only of the glaciers' date=' it makes no difference which side of the ship you are on. Also, the ship will cruise in, turn around, and come out---again, both sides get the views.[/quote']

Thank you. We will be headed southbound so I'm wondering which side of the ship would be the best for a balcony.

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Port = left, starboard = right (mostly for my benefit)

 

If you are heading north, I would pick starboard, particularly if you are cruising near the summer solstice with long days and some travel between ports during twilight (which can be hours long near June 21 at high latitudes). The scenery is especially stunning when you get north of Juneau. South of there, there may be islands on both sides of your route.

 

If you are heading south, I would pick port for same reason.

 

My experience is very much not cruising, but taking the Alaska State Ferry from Haines to Juneau, Juneau to Sitka to Juneau (no car, 3 days camping on Sitka, a few cruise ships in port), and then Juneau to Port Hardy, we then drove from Port Hardy to Victoria and ferried on to Seattle. Our travel agent was not happy with our 3am sail time out of Haines and she was absolutely right, I still have some memories of visions of pre-dawn glaciers on the mainland though which you may see from your correctly located cabin even if you can't stay up all night ! Sleeping on deck in a sleeping bag on a lounger .. big balcony ! Cafeteria was pretty dreadful.

 

Also spent 3 weeks camping in Alaska including actually seeing Denali (we spent 4 nights there in a campground too) and the northern lights.

 

I am really thinking I need to cruise Alaska, I would do one way and now I am thinking that it may be worth to sail June-July just for the long days rather than September. Princess spends a lot of time in port, which has some benefits (although some of those ports were fine to see in a 2 hour ferry stop, but this is 30 years ago), so less daytime cruising time.

 

One way primarily so I can spend some time in Alaska after the cruise, will likely rent a car although the train to Denali seemed nice and it is a long lonely drive up there ! Camping and cruising would make for a weird but possibly delightful combo.

Edited by Waves of Blue
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I see a lot of great answers. Best to be on the land side if you are planning on being in your cabin a lot. If you are on the open decks more during the day, then it doesn't matter.

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We typically do a B2B and so we can enjoy both "east" and "west" vistas. Passages where land is a tad farther on one side vs the other still provide really cool things to see, and we're always on the lookout for sea-critters. If you don't get a port location you'll still have plenty to see!

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We were lucky to be upgraded to one of the forward-facing deluxe ocean view cabins on the Sapphire. It had a balcony without furniture (due to headwinds, apparently). The view at the bow of the ship was spectacular when we were at the glaciers.

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