Alaskan Explorer via Glacier Bay - Starbord or Port side?

[scottndsky]

We booked this 7-day cruise on the Oosterdam in July.

 

Question: What is the best side of the ship, offering the best views?

 

Regards,

Scott

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Once you get near Marjorie Glacier you will want to go out on the bow -- good viewing there.

[IRL_Joanie]

I've done Starboard staterooms twice. 1 for Hubbards Glacier and one for Glacier Bay.

 

Heading North, Starboard you are facing out to ocean, Port to land (a faint outline in the distance.) Heading south it is reversed.

 

For the Glacier views, I stayed on my verandah the entire time and had FANTASTIC views, comfy seat, warm stateroom to retreat to if needed and best of all room service and tons of hot chocolate.

 

I know many people LOVE the Bow for viewing the glaciers, my hubby is one of them, but to me...

 

My answer to your question is both Starboard and Port are good.

 

BTW, being on the Starboard side Northbound, I got a photo of a Mama and baby beluga and southbound I got tons of Orcas' playing with the ship in The Straights of Juan de Fuca as we were heading to Victoria BC.

 

Also, both of our cruises our starboard side was facing the towns/cities we were docked at except.

 

Joanie

[Himself]

While in Glacier Bay, I love to be out on the bow of the ship.

[CherylsCaribbeanTravel]

I've done Starboard staterooms twice. 1 for Hubbards Glacier and one for Glacier Bay.

 

Heading North, Starboard you are facing out to ocean, Port to land (a faint outline in the distance.) Heading south it is reversed.

 

 

Joanie

 

Help please, I am confused. Port is left side of the ship correct? If so and a ship departed from Vancouver/Seattle, wouldn't the port side be the side looking out to the Pacific Ocean and the starboard (right) facing the land. I don't want to mess this up :)

 

Cheryl

[Druke I]

You are correct - Joanie got it backwards!

[Budget Queen]

Ships NO longer sail coastal, coming across the Gulf of past Dixon Passage. The Inside Passage has just about EQUAL views on both sides. The difference is Glacier Bay, IF you ONLY want viewing from your cabin, you need a PORT side. All the commentary, and "stops" are on this side. Just wait, you are going to get the "ship turns" comments. Sorry, this is, overall, a small portion of the overall viewing, so it is always the most to get yourself out on deck and follow the views around the ship.

[room010]

I think it entirely depends on whether the Captain decides to take the ship clockwise or anticlockwise around the bay and that depends on prevailing ice, weather and sea conditions on the day. If the bow area is opened up you'll get a great view in all directions.

[jtl513]

IMO side doesn't matter. When I'm at Margerie (not Marjorie) Glacier I'm going to out on a forward deck someplace.

[IRL_Joanie]

Help please, I am confused. Port is left side of the ship correct? If so and a ship departed from Vancouver/Seattle, wouldn't the port side be the side looking out to the Pacific Ocean and the starboard (right) facing the land. I don't want to mess this up :)

 

Cheryl

 

I thought starboard side is even numbered. We were in VF 5054 on the Oosterdam and heading North from Seattle it was open Sea. Coming from Hubbards Glacier we had the Land for our view.

 

On our cruise this past May we had SA 7076 again heading North to Glacier Bay we had the open sea and southbound we had land.

 

I just looked it up in google and You are correct, I had the 2 confused. PORT is the Even numbers and Starboard the Odd numbers...

 

SORRY for the confusion:confused:

According to Topher's "Incredibly Useful Information:

 

Cruise Ship Dictionary

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/cruiseterms.html

 

PORT: The left side the ship. Easy to remember because PORT and LEFT each have 4 letters.

 

STARBOARD: The right-hand side of the ship. STARBOARD and RIGHT HAND each have nine letters.

So now I just have to remember we were on the PORT side of both ships!!

 

Joanie

[jtl513]

So now I just have to remember we were on the PORT side of both ships!!

Just remember the three four-letter words go together: port-left-even :)

[CrusinAgain]

We have a port side mini-suite and got that for the reason that the ships seem to stay facing North for a longer period of time than after they turn around. My question is do the rangers still come on a TV channel so you can listen to them while you are on your balcony?

[IRL_Joanie]

We have a port side mini-suite and got that for the reason that the ships seem to stay facing North for a longer period of time than after they turn around. My question is do the rangers still come on a TV channel so you can listen to them while you are on your balcony?

 

 

Yes the rangers and Native American Guides do still come on and it is televised on the stateroom tv's. BUT, leaving your verandah doors open even partially will affect a great number of other stateroom temperatures. Someone else may be able to explain how, but I know from these boards not to ever leave my verandah door open ever again.

 

Joanie

[scottndsky]

There doesn't seem to be a clear consensus here. We're currently booked on the starboard (right) side on the Main deck of the Oosterdam - a D-class quad. Note that we don't have a veranda. My mom switched her veranda cabin to the port (left) side and nearly insisted that we do the same with our stateroom. She felt the views would be better on the port side after studying the route map. I wasn't as convinced, so I started this thread to see how others felt about it.

 

In the end, we're going to stay put anyway. There aren't any more cabins available in that class on the port side.

 

Thanks for all the responses!

 

Regards,

Scott

[jtl513]

... will affect a great number of other stateroom temperatures. Someone else may be able to explain how, but I know from these boards not to ever leave my verandah door open ever again.

The air takes the path-of-least-resistance out the door, dropping the pressure in not only the room with the open door, but all others in the same HVAC zone. Therefore, they get less air flow, and less heat (or cooling in the summer). This is particularly bad for any inside rooms in the same zone.

Note that we don't have a veranda. My mom switched her veranda cabin to the port (left) side and nearly insisted that we do the same with our stateroom.

Without a verandah, you do not want to be in your room for scenic cruising! :) Can't you just join her on her verandah some of the time?

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have found that the captains seem to keep the port side of the ship facing the glaciers the longest -- at least that is the way it has been on all but one Alaskan cruise we have done.

[scottndsky]

Can't you just join her on her verandah some of the time?

 

You bet! That's the plan! :D My mom and dad have booked a nice roomy SY-Class Superior Verandah Suite on Deck 6 for their 50th.

 

We booked a more affordable stateroom for our family of four. I can't imagine it's going to make much difference which side we're on.

 

Cheers,

Scott

[CrusinAgain]

Yes the rangers and Native American Guides do still come on and it is televised on the stateroom tv's. BUT, leaving your verandah doors open even partially will affect a great number of other stateroom temperatures. Someone else may be able to explain how, but I know from these boards not to ever leave my verandah door open ever again.

 

Joanie

 

Interesting....and yet so many people do it this way and was recommended to us to enjoy Glacier Bay this way. I know in the Caribbean alot of people leave the balcony doors opened during the night for fresh air and listening to waves. We have never done this as we like the room cooler.

[CrusinAgain]

There doesn't seem to be a clear consensus here. We're currently booked on the starboard (right) side on the Main deck of the Oosterdam - a D-class quad. Note that we don't have a veranda. My mom switched her veranda cabin to the port (left) side and nearly insisted that we do the same with our stateroom. She felt the views would be better on the port side after studying the route map. I wasn't as convinced, so I started this thread to see how others felt about it.

 

In the end, we're going to stay put anyway. There aren't any more cabins available in that class on the port side.

 

Thanks for all the responses!

 

Regards,

Scott

 

For Glacier Bay, definitely the Port side and the rest of the cruise, your side but if you don't have a balcony it doesn't matter anyway since you will be just taking quick peeks outside your window. You will want to be outside on Glacier Bay day even if you don't spend all the time with your parents on their balcony there are viewing areas around the ship.

[RuthC]

Interesting....and yet so many people do it this way and was recommended to us to enjoy Glacier Bay this way. I know in the Caribbean alot of people leave the balcony doors opened during the night for fresh air and listening to waves. We have never done this as we like the room cooler.

Yes, many people keep their balcony doors open; no they shouldn't. Yes, in doing so they make many other people miserable. It is horrible to have to try to sleep in a cabin that's hot, Hot HOT!

 

Thank you for never doing this yourself. Keep up the good work! :D