Suggestions welcome- Inside passage best?

[alaskarookie]

OK- here's the deal! 1st time cruisers, age: 50, traveling without kids, husband not a travel fan- I shamed him into taking me on this cruise for my 50th birthday. My ultimate goal is for him to fall in love with cruising and want to go again and again!:D I've heard cruising from Vancouver(vs. Seattle) on inside passage provides more scenery,wildlife viewing onshore enroute to Alaska, which my husband would prefer. We'd enjoy some nightlife on board, but not into the wee hours. We're going the end of July,2005.Suggestions on which cruise line/ship would be greatly appreciated! TIA

[MichTraveler]

I did a similar thing 4 years ago with my husband. We booked our 2nd Alaska cruise on the ship. Since then, we've been to W.Carib and now have 3rd Alaska booked for May/2005. We have done Vancouver to Seward/Whittier so we can see the most of the inside passage and Glacier Bay. We are not late-night people but usually did an early show and to bed. We did have the ship to ourselves for our 4am walk around the ship. We added 5 days of land travel after our first cruise so we could see Denali.

 

The downside of the one-way cruise is the extra air-travel that may be needed. We flew into Vancouver and home from Anchorage. The Anchorage to Michigan flights are red-eyes, so we had a full day before we got on the return flight. Some people prefer doing Seattle round-trip to make the air-travel easier, but that is then a round-trip cruise without Glacier Bay.

 

My experience is with Princess. I turn 50 a few months before you do, but who's counting.

 

Enjoy your cruise

[grouchy]

4 times and love it! I prefer Celebrity over the other ones I have been on.We are in the same age bracket and DH never wanted to go on a vruise-now HE is planning the next one. Do round trip from Vancouver or Seattle and get an outside cabin.

[Budget Queen]

I give a big edge to Vancouver sailing for more inside passage. HAL gets my vote, especially if Glacier Bay is included. Same for one way sailings- HAL has Seward- again excellent touring opportunities. Myself, I never go on a one way without adding at least another week for interior touring, strongly consider it and taking advantage of being all the way there. Just a whole another trip. :)

[Host Caroline]

Some people prefer doing Seattle round-trip to make the air-travel easier, but that is then a round-trip cruise without Glacier Bay.

 

My experience is with Princess. I turn 50 a few months before you do, but who's counting.

 

Enjoy your cruise

 

NCL and Holland America go to Glacier Bay from Seattle in 2005.

[Mike2131]

Hi!

We have been twice and love Alaska (probably back again next year). Both cruises have been with Celebrity. We love the refined service and cuisine, but they do not visit Glacier Bay. For my money, Hubbard Glacier just does not even come close. If you sail "all the way up", I suggest spending tme in the interior either indepently or on a cruisetour. There is a lot of good info on these boards.

Princess has their own lodges and HAL also has a strong presence in Alaska. Both visit Glacier Bay and would probably provide a quality cruise experience.

 

Crystal has a terrific (and unique) early season (early-to-mid May) 12 night itinerary that sails RT from Vancouver. If only we had the time available...

 

You will love Alaska and cruising!

[pudzplace]

HAL does, indeed, include Glacier Bay as part of the cruise, but on the Amsterdam it does not appear to include the inside passage ... so, I'm torn b/w the Amsterdam with HAL on which we can see beautiful Glacier Bay (but no inside passage) or the Mercury with Celebrity in which we can see Hubbard Glacier (not as spectacular as Glacier Bay, I've heard), which includes the inside passage. Any thoughts on which one to choose in this kind of trade off? :confused:

[alaskarookie]

The particular cruise we are lookin at is HAL RT from Vancouver - goes on inside passage and includes Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm. Sounds like it's the way to go for us! Wish me luck that my husband has a wonderful time and there will be a next cruise- this time to someplace tropical!!:D

[Mike2131]

HAL does, indeed, include Glacier Bay as part of the cruise, but on the Amsterdam it does not appear to include the inside passage ... so, I'm torn b/w the Amsterdam with HAL on which we can see beautiful Glacier Bay (but no inside passage) or the Mercury with Celebrity in which we can see Hubbard Glacier (not as spectacular as Glacier Bay, I've heard), which includes the inside passage. Any thoughts on which one to choose in this kind of trade off? :confused:

 

Hi!

Any reason why you have to go out of Seattle? It really limits your choices!

[Mike2131]

The particular cruise we are lookin at is HAL RT from Vancouver - goes on inside passage and includes Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm. Sounds like it's the way to go for us! Wish me luck that my husband has a wonderful time and there will be a next cruise- this time to someplace tropical!!:D

 

Hi!

HAL has a program in place to upgrade their ships. The first to receive the treatment was the Ryndam (info on Cruise Critic review page). If the Volendam or Zaandam will be finished by your cruise dates, that might play into your choice of ship. One word of advice (especially for a first cruise in Alaska), the shore excursions will really enhance your experience - so do a lot of homework! Alaska is magnificent and you will want to go back as soon as you leave!

Have a great cruise!

[pudzplace]

Thanks, Mike ... the only real reason for Seattle versus Vancouver is price and availability. My parents just recently bought into the idea of a cruise for their 5t0h and we're booking for July 2005, so many of the cruises simply do not have balconies AND early dinner seating which is also a special request of my mother. So ... after many hours with agents and on-line, we finally found two cruises that offered a balcony for them, a quad for my sister's family and a double for us, plus early dinner seating -- Celebrity on the Mercury and HAL on the Amsterdam, both out of Seattle. If it were just my hubby and I, we wouldn't be having this discussion (we'd go out of Vancouver), but when there are so many hands in the pot, so to speak, it's a challenge to satisfy all requests and budgets. At this point in time, I really think we need to pick b/w the two Seattle-based R/T cruises. I think the general consensus is leaning toward HAL on the Amsterdam (despite the lack of an inside passage component), while I am leaning toward Celebrity which includes a day in the inside passage (but omits Glacier Bay) b/c I think it will offer more for my sister's kids and also seems to get a better rating from Berlitz. That being said, we need to confirm tomorrow (Thursday the 20th), so I think I'll just surrender to HAL and have a wonderful time, and book a few more nature-observing type shore excursions to make up for missing the inside passange. How does that sound for a compromise ... ha ha!?:D

[1drifter]

Pudzplace--

 

That sounds like a good compromise. We took HAL Oosterdam rt from Seattle last year because we were going with a group--I would have made different arrangements had I been going alone. But I think there is not a bad cruise to Alaska! We had a wonderful time--I don't think it could have been better. In fact it convinced my husband to take another cruise this year & he was a very reluctant cruiser. Best wishes--have a great cruise! Shari

[Mike2131]

Thanks, Mike ... the only real reason for Seattle versus Vancouver is price and availability. My parents just recently bought into the idea of a cruise for their 5t0h and we're booking for July 2005, so many of the cruises simply do not have balconies AND early dinner seating which is also a special request of my mother. So ... after many hours with agents and on-line, we finally found two cruises that offered a balcony for them, a quad for my sister's family and a double for us, plus early dinner seating -- Celebrity on the Mercury and HAL on the Amsterdam, both out of Seattle. If it were just my hubby and I, we wouldn't be having this discussion (we'd go out of Vancouver), but when there are so many hands in the pot, so to speak, it's a challenge to satisfy all requests and budgets. At this point in time, I really think we need to pick b/w the two Seattle-based R/T cruises. I think the general consensus is leaning toward HAL on the Amsterdam (despite the lack of an inside passage component), while I am leaning toward Celebrity which includes a day in the inside passage (but omits Glacier Bay) b/c I think it will offer more for my sister's kids and also seems to get a better rating from Berlitz. That being said, we need to confirm tomorrow (Thursday the 20th), so I think I'll just surrender to HAL and have a wonderful time, and book a few more nature-observing type shore excursions to make up for missing the inside passange. How does that sound for a compromise ... ha ha!?:D

 

Well, everything considered, I think the Amsterdam is probably a terrific choice. I bet this will not be your only cruise to Alaska and I would trade the Inside Passage for the glory of Glacier Bay. The Amsterdam is the HAL flagship (certainly their most elegant) and newer than the Mercury. You should have a wonderful cruise!

 

[Budget Queen]

Thanks, Mike ... the only real reason for Seattle versus Vancouver is price and availability. My parents just recently bought into the idea of a cruise for their 5t0h and we're booking for July 2005, so many of the cruises simply do not have balconies AND early dinner seating which is also a special request of my mother. So ... after many hours with agents and on-line, we finally found two cruises that offered a balcony for them, a quad for my sister's family and a double for us, plus early dinner seating -- Celebrity on the Mercury and HAL on the Amsterdam, both out of Seattle. If it were just my hubby and I, we wouldn't be having this discussion (we'd go out of Vancouver), but when there are so many hands in the pot, so to speak, it's a challenge to satisfy all requests and budgets. At this point in time, I really think we need to pick b/w the two Seattle-based R/T cruises. I think the general consensus is leaning toward HAL on the Amsterdam (despite the lack of an inside passage component), while I am leaning toward Celebrity which includes a day in the inside passage (but omits Glacier Bay) b/c I think it will offer more for my sister's kids and also seems to get a better rating from Berlitz. That being said, we need to confirm tomorrow (Thursday the 20th), so I think I'll just surrender to HAL and have a wonderful time, and book a few more nature-observing type shore excursions to make up for missing the inside passange. How does that sound for a compromise ... ha ha!?:D

 

 

 

ALL TRIPS will be a compromise. :) So go with the best for your group.