Never cruised - help!

[gramsclp]

OK - I have many questions and want to get the best deal for my money. we are planning a 7 days cruise to Alaska (we live in MN). which cruise line gives the most bang for the buck? need to know if it is cheaper to fly to Vancouver and depart from there or to depart from Seattle. can we depart the day we arrive or should we plan to spend a night in Vancouve/Seattle? we'd like a balcony room, are they really worth the extra expense? how do we book shore excursions - cheaper to book with the excusrion co. or with the ship and if with the excursion co., how do we find themtp book with them? how much money should we plan on spending on board (a couple drinks a day and will probably go with the "free" meals of we freestyle cruise on NCL, otherwise incloude price of meals - however will not do any dinners where you have to dress up as hubby refuses-LOL, he is a jeans man only). how much tipping do they expect? whihc cruise lines have casinos - do they remain open all night? do we need a passportif we leave from Seattle (am not sure if we actually disembark anywhere in Canada). Thanks in advance!! please pm me inyou wish as I am not sure I will find my way back here - LOL!!:confused:

[cb at sea]

Can't help with the airfare question--sorry!

 

NCL is about the only truly "casual" line...all the others do have some sort of "formal" or "elegant" night....you don't HAVE to dress up, but most do, and those who don't, generally eat in the buffet, instead of the dining room on those evenings.

 

Tipping on most lines is in the $10 per person, per day range. That includes everyone who you're suppose to tip--room attendant, waiter, ass't waiter, head waiter. Any drink you buy will have 15% added to it as the tip.

 

The casinos aren't open all night...most will close around 2-3am or so.

 

Research your ports before you start buying excursions....they CAN be expensive. If you know something about your ports, you may find things that interest you and can be done on your own, but you have to KNOW about them! Get a guidebook!

 

Right now, passports aren't needed for cruise passengers on a "closed-loop" cruise.

[Happy ks]

So many of your questions can be answered on the Ports of Call - Alaska board.

 

We can only give our own personal experience and those can vary dramatically. I have no idea what the airfare is for your hometown to Vancouver vs. Seattle, but if you can cruise out of Vancouver (to me) it's a far better choice.

 

A balcony is (to me) a wise choice as well. We spent many hours on our balcony during our Alaska cruise.

 

Our cruise was a round trip out of Vancouver, but if we were to go again, we'd prefer a one way, ending in Seward or the reverse ending in Vancouver.

 

Excursions are very expensive in Alaska, thre is no way around it. They have a short season and have to make their money more quickly than in other ports. So, Alaska is not what I would consider to be a budget minded cruise choice. If you don't take any excursions, you might as well take a cruise anywhere or go online shopping for trinkets. The one day cruising the glacier will be the best day, but there is so much more to see than the port towns.

 

But it is so well worth the expense, there is so much beauty to be seen in Alaska, it's one of the places we'd love to return to one day.

 

Just to add, don't merely consider NCL, it's probably the last cruise line I'd consider taking to Alaska. Most all cruise lines are very casual now and all of them include the cost of meals in the fare. Every single one of them either charges a per day service fee, or gives gratuity suggestions.

 

I believe you need a passport or passport card even if you have no intention of leaving the ship. You would be denied boarding if you don't have it. Just checked this info online and it is correct. Passport, passport card or enhanced drivers license, no mention of birth certificate and D/L combination even for cosed loop cruises. Make your life easier, get the passport. In the event you should have to fly home, you cannot fly with a passport or enhanced drivers license.

 

Spend a few more hours on CC, preferrably on the Alaska Board.

[Colorado Kat]

There's a section of this message board about Ports of Call - you'll find lots of info about Alaska there. And also an area for "departures" - that will help with the flying question.

 

Ask your question about passports there - I think I remember that you might need one.

[paul929207]

If you cruise from Vancouver, you must have a passport. From Seattle it is optional, but recommended. If you have to fly home from Vancouver or Victoria you must have a passport.

 

Princess and HAL dominate the Alaskan market each has a half dozen or so ships there each summer.

[Iris5383]

You should probably talk to a local travel agent that specializes in cruises. That way you can get all your questions answered at once from an expert.

[uppitycats]

OK - I have many questions and want to get the best deal for my money. we are planning a 7 days cruise to Alaska (we live in MN). which cruise line gives the most bang for the buck?

You need to figure out what you're looking for -- fun on the ship, or lots of scenery, a laid-back experience, or more activities. Cruising Alaska is more expensive than, say, the Caribean, but a much different experience. We've been to Alaska on both Princess and Carnival. We'd cruise Princess again, for sure.

 

need to know if it is cheaper to fly to Vancouver and depart from there or to depart from Seattle.

 

You'll see more of Alaska if you cruise from Vancouver, than if you do a round-trip from Seattle. for that matter, for just 7 days, you'd see more of Alaska if you didn't do a round-trip from either city, but instead left from either one, and cruised to Anchorage, or whatever northern port your particular cruise line chooses (whenever you choose a cruise line! :) )

can we depart the day we arrive or should we plan to spend a night in Vancouve/Seattle?

It's almost always better to arrive the day before. There are so many reasons these days that flights get delayed, cancelled, re-routed, etc...and if you miss the ship, you'll really regret it! Either city is lovely, and there would be plenty of small side excursions to do if you arrive early and have time to spend. We spent a couple of lovely afternoons in Vancouver just looking out over the bay, watching all the traffic of small planes, small and large craft, birds...

we'd like a balcony room, are they really worth the extra expense?

If you've never cruised before, it seems likely to me that you'll want to spend most of your time on deck, rather than in your room. If there is a naturalist aboard (generally there is) you can hear their talk and see what they're pointing out (they'll point out sea creatures, birds, identify glaciers, etc.) I won't cruise without some natural light coming in the window -- no interior cabin for me! -- but don't think a balcony is worth the extra cost.

 

how do we book shore excursions - cheaper to book with the excusrion co. or with the ship and if with the excursion co., how do we find themtp book with them?

For a lot of the Alaska towns, you don't really even need to book excursions. Again, depending on your route, the ships dock right alongside, you step off the ship and you're within a block of the downtown tourist area.

And there is a ports board here where lots of folks who have gone to Alaska can report on the "best" excursions, and how to book them. GEnerally it is cheaper to book them independently...but if you've never cruised before, you might feel more comfortable booking through the cruise line.

 

how much money should we plan on spending on board (a couple drinks a day and will probably go with the "free" meals of we freestyle cruise on NCL, otherwise incloude price of meals - however will not do any dinners where you have to dress up as hubby refuses-LOL, he is a jeans man only). how much tipping do they expect?

Almost all of the main-stream lines now have tipping programs where you can either pre-pay your tips, or, like NCL, pay a "service charge" at the end of your cruise which is in fact the tipping for all the usual servers -- waiters, stewards, etc. And like NCL, if you leave the auto-tips in place, you can, if you wish, tip additionally. Some folks tip their room steward, for example. But if you've paid the auto-tip, you don't need to worry about other tipping.

As for dressing up: Alaska is a bit more casual than some other places, and lots of folks will be dressed in jeans all day. Depending on the cruise line, some are indeed more dressy than others, so you'll want to be prepared to eat at the buffet on a formal night or two.

 

whihc cruise lines have casinos - do they remain open all night? do we need a passportif we leave from Seattle (am not sure if we actually disembark anywhere in Canada). Thanks in advance!! please pm me inyou wish as I am not sure I will find my way back here - LOL!!:confused:

 

I can't speak about the casinos..we don't visit them.

You need to check with your cruise company whether you need a passport or not. You certainly will pass through Canadian waters...but if you do the closed-loop Seattle/back to Seattle, you may not. Honestly, it won't be long in our future when everyone will need a passport to step outside the boundaries of the US. I'm surprised that living in Minnesota you haven't ventured into Canada, yet! A passport is an internationally recognized form of identification, and really quite useful.

But once you've figured out what kind of cruise you want (one way or close-looped), then you can figure out the passport question.

[Happy ks]

The regulations are so very confusing. I think you may be able to travel through and into Canada without the passport, not completely sure. We've had a passport for years and it is so much easier than a birth certificate, especially if you don't know whether or not you have the correct birth certificate.

 

Tha passport cards cost about half the price, although they are not good for air travel.

 

We fly into Vancouver because from where we live, it's not much of a difference in airfare than Seattle. Still, the airfare would have to be a savings of at least $150 pp for us to consider the hassle of travel between the two cities...I'm a terribly car/bus/shuttle passenger. I loathe the thought of adding an extra 3 - 4 hours of travel on each direction.

 

I don't even know if it would be worth the $100 to me to spend the extra travel time (it's around $40-50 each way for transportation between the 2 cities from what I've read here in the past).

[kitty9]

If you fly into or out of Canada, you will need a passport. You can no longer get into or leave Canada without one---a birth certificate is not enough.

 

As for bang for the buck, it all depends. If all you're concerned with is cost, then go with the cheapest price you can find and don't worry about the ship.

 

Casinos are open when at sea, never in port. They generally close at 2am. Slots open at 9am and tables at 1pm. The only mainstream line I know that doesn't have casinos is Disney, although the NCL ship that sails Hawaii doesn't have a casino either. If you're concerned with a budget, cruise ships are the worst for gamblers. They aren't governed by anyone, and set their machines very, very tight. If you're a table game player, your odds are better than at the slots.

 

If your husband is a jeans only guy and doesn't want to dress up, your only choice is NCL. Every other line has dress codes you follow if you dine in the main dining room.

 

It's impossible to tell you how much you'd spend on board, because everyone is different, but you can expect to pay about $8 to $9 per drink, $2 for a soda and things like juices or bottled water is also extra. Plus, every purchase on board has an added cost of 15% for a gratuity.

 

The only tour you might want to book with the ship is one for whale watching---those are the best tours. Most of the time the ship docks right in town and you really don't need a tour for that.

[Essiesmom]

Once you have decided on a cruise line, ship, date...Go to the roll call forum here and find your cruise. There will be fellow cruisers excitedly talking about and planning excursions. They will have lots of recommendations for tour companies if you don't wish to do ship tours. EM

[Cruisin' Chick]

OK - I have many questions and want to get the best deal for my money. we are planning a 7 days cruise to Alaska (we live in MN). which cruise line gives the most bang for the buck?

 

As someone else has stated, Princess and HAL are considered the best to cruise in Alaska on. We were on the Sapphire Princess, which has a pool under a retractable roof, which is nice for Alaska, if the weather is iffy. Not sure if all of their ships that go to Alaska have this, but I'm sure most do. But each of its ships will have a glacier cruising day with a naturalist onboard to narrate the sights. I think HAL does too. Even when the glacier cruising starts early in the morning (6am on ours), everyone, but everyone is up and taking in the beautiful scenery.

 

need to know if it is cheaper to fly to Vancouver and depart from there or to depart from Seattle. can we depart the day we arrive or should we plan to spend a night in Vancouve/Seattle?

 

We did the round trip from Seattle. We didn't want to do a cruisetour (that's a tour you can tack on before or after your cruise) as we didn't feel our daughter, then 7, would be interested. But many people do. We took the train up the west coast to Seattle to arrive late Friday night for our Sunday cruise. That way we had a day padding just in case there was a transportation problem, and we had a day to relax and see a little of Seattle (we were staying a few days post-cruise too) and shop for beverages, etc. for our cruise.

I strongly suggest that you plan to arrive at least a day before your cruise. Even if you book through the cruiseline, there's no guarantee that the ship will wait for you if there's a problem getting to your embarkation city.

And many people have found that cruiseline air (when you book your flight thru the cruiseline) will get you a very convoluted route. The one time we did this, we were given a redeye flight to Miami, which we quickly changed and vowed to book our flights ourselves from then on.

 

You will most likely save on a flight if you have a true round trip...over flying to one city and flying out from another. There is a train/bus that goes between Seattle and Vancouver if you find a flight into Seattle will save you over flying into Vancouver for a cruise from there.

 

we'd like a balcony room, are they really worth the extra expense?

 

We go with insides to save money. We try to spend as much time about the ship anyway. Many people will only get a balcony. It's your choice.

 

how do we book shore excursions - cheaper to book with the excusrion co. or with the ship and if with the excursion co., how do we find themtp book with them?

 

Some people will only book excursions thru the ship, some only independently, some a mix. If you are good with research, you may decide not to do anything in a port, and just walk around and sightsee (that's what we often do).

The advantage to a ship's tour is that if there's a problem with a van breaking down, etc., then the ship will generally wait for you (that's different from the ship waiting for you in Vancouver at the start when tides will dictate when the ship leaves). That happened to us in Skagway when our van was late coming back to the port because of fog in the pass. The Sapphire waited for us despite our getting back 15 minutes or so after the scheduled sailaway. The ship-sponsored excursions are generally very well run. (we booked a tour at the pier in Ketchikan, on the other hand, and my hubby found the vehicle to be very uncomfortable)

No matter what, make sure you take the ship's newsletter with you when you leave the ship (along with the requested ID...and double, triple-check the ship's time against your watch). It'll have the time you need to be back on the ship and port agent info just in case you're not and are left behind.

If you pre-book an indy excursion, check their cancellation policy just in case the ship can't make it into that port or in case someone in your party can't make it. You won't want to pay for something you don't end up doing.

You'll have to check on the board for your cruiseline as to how to book your ship's tours. I know Princess lists the excursions online and about a couple of months before the sailing, you can start booking online. And can cancel any up to a day or two before that port.

 

how much money should we plan on spending on board (a couple drinks a day and will probably go with the "free" meals of we freestyle cruise on NCL, otherwise incloude price of meals - however will not do any dinners where you have to dress up as hubby refuses-LOL, he is a jeans man only). how much tipping do they expect? whihc cruise lines have casinos - do they remain open all night? do we need a passportif we leave from Seattle (am not sure if we actually disembark anywhere in Canada). Thanks in advance!! please pm me inyou wish as I am not sure I will find my way back here - LOL!!:confused:

 

Budget for tips. Your crew members will work their tushies off for you. Many cruiselines have autotips which makes it pretty easy. You don't have to do anything, unless you want to give additional tips.

I know on Princess (and some other cruiselines), if you don't feel like dressing up, you can eat dinner in the buffet. But really, does your hubby wear jeans to a wedding? A good restaurant? A funeral? Get him into some Dockers and a tropical shirt or polo shirt and he'll be fine for smart casual. Many cruiselines have relaxed codes for the dining room for breakfast and lunch: shorts are even fine.

My family has never paid extra for any of the meals onboard in any of our cruises. That's one reason why we don't go on NCL as it seems many of their decent dining options do involve a fee.

Most of the other costs onboard a cruise are optional. Booze, photographs, bingo games, etc. are up to you.

I'm not into going into the casinos, so don't know about when they're open on Alaskan cruises. You might want to ask in the cruiselines boards about whether the casinos are even open while in Alaskan waters (I know they aren't on the Hawaiian cruises). Definitely not while in port.

I got my first passport before my second cruise. Got my daughter her first one when she turned 3. Passports do come in handy for an ID.

Definitely ask around on the various cruiseline boards here, and check out the various websites for the different cruiselines (a lot of info there).

There's no PM function for the cruise critic membership.

[xxoocruiser]

OK - I have many questions and want to get the best deal for my money. we are planning a 7 days cruise to Alaska (we live in MN). which cruise line gives the most bang for the buck? Depends on what amenities of the ship are important to you. Whether you are choosing an Inside Passage only cruise or going all the up to Anchorage (Seaward) as the itinerary will also influence pricing. Suggest you go on each website compare intineraries, price and ship ammenities . I have been to Alaska on Holland America and Royal Caribbean was enjoy both trips.

 

need to know if it is cheaper to fly to Vancouver and depart from there or to depart from Seattle. Other things to consider when choosing where to depart from are: If it's round trip Seattle you will not be required to have a passport as it's a closed-loop cruise beginning and ending in the same USA cite. If the cruise you choose begins in Seattle and you return from Anchorage regardless of both cites being in the USA a passport is required under the new homeland security regulations as it's not a closed loop cruise.

If departing from Vancuver you will also be required to have a passport. YES as stated above.

 

can we depart the day we arrive or should we plan to spend a night in Vancouve/Seattle? All depends on the timing of your flights. An experience cruiser will always advise you to arrive at least the day before.

 

we'd like a balcony room, are they really worth the extra expense? You will get varing answers to this question. Personally I prefer to take an inside cabin and save the money to use for excursions. The excursions in Alaska aren't cheap.

 

how do we book shore excursions Can book them book through the cruise line after final payment is made. Or research and book on your own. - cheaper to book on your own than through the cruise line.

how do we find themtp book with them? Research the internet and / or ask on Cruise Critic.

 

how much money should we plan on spending on board (a couple drinks a day and will probably go with the "free" meals of we freestyle cruise on NCL, otherwise incloude price of meals -If you don't do any of the specialty restaurants than perhaps $25-$35 (depending on liquor brand) a day for 2 drinks each would be appropriate budgeting. However you also have to consider budgeting for on board purchases, photos if interested, participating in any fee based games such as bingo, and casino expenses,

 

how much tipping do they expect? All cruise ships will give you a suggested breakdown of tips for dining rooms staff and cabin stewards. - It averages about $11 per day per person in cabin. A little higher if you book a suite. Daily drink purchases will already include a 15% tip so no additional tipping required .

whihc cruise lines have casinos - do they remain open all night? All have casino's. Hours vary from ship to ship but they are not open 24 hours like Vegas.

do we need a passportif we leave from Seattle (am not sure if we actually disembark anywhere in Canada) As previously stated if it's a closed loop cruise starting and ending in Seatle no passport is required. However even if it's a closed loop cruise if you plan to take a tour out of Skagway into the Yukon Territory a passport may be required for some tours. If the cruise is not closed-loop a passport is required.

 

Good luck in your planning !

[beachchick]

Answering just one question:

 

Balcony cabin--Yes, yes, and yes again. IMO, it is worth the extra cost on any cruise and especially one, such as Alaska, that is so scenic. Picture it: Drinking a cup of hot chocolate or coffee or other warming beverage while sitting on your balcony as you gaze at the beautiful surroundings. Priceless.

 

For most of your other questions, I suggest you get together with a local TA who specializes in cruises. Some of your questions can't be answered with generalized answers and some involve things, such as passport requirements, that are too important to leave to members of an online forum (as helpful as we may be). If you choose to book on your own, the only way to know whether Seattle or Vancouver will have better airfares is to check on your own for the specific dates you have in mind. There is no one answer for that as fares change constantly.

 

beachchick

[Murrah Miss]

YES, again for the balcony cabin. We overslept on the first cruise day (after a 7 day land tour); when we awoke we simply opened the balcony and were able to view the glaciers and ice floats in our jammies! FABULOUS! I don't think I can ever cruise again without a balcony!!

 

YES for a whale watching tour. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

If you are docking in Skagway, we took the train tour and were very happy with that as well.

 

YES to arriving a day early from the city where you embark. You never know what may happen. This, I believe, is ESSENTIAL!

 

We were on the Coral Princess and the cruise was simply fabulous. Enjoy!

[MDSue]

Answering just one question:

 

Balcony cabin--Yes, yes, and yes again. IMO, it is worth the extra cost on any cruise and especially one, such as Alaska, that is so scenic. Picture it: Drinking a cup of hot chocolate or coffee or other warming beverage while sitting on your balcony as you gaze at the beautiful surroundings. Priceless.

 

For most of your other questions, I suggest you get together with a local TA who specializes in cruises. Some of your questions can't be answered with generalized answers and some involve things, such as passport requirements, that are too important to leave to members of an online forum (as helpful as we may be). If you choose to book on your own, the only way to know whether Seattle or Vancouver will have better airfares is to check on your own for the specific dates you have in mind. There is no one answer for that as fares change constantly.

 

beachchick

 

I agree with you! I wouldn't even think about cruising such a scenic location without a balcony. It is so nice to be able to sightsee without having to be out of the cabin the entire time.

 

To the OP:

I would definitely spend the extra money so you can know what the view is any time of day or night.

I would consider all the different cruiselines. Most of the dining room request that diners dress decently [no cut off shorts, ratty tshirts, etc.], but you hubby doesn't need to don a suit and tie. If you can get him to wear decent slacks and a collared shirt he will be fine. A seven day cruise usually has two formal nights on the major lines other than NCL. Most people will dress up for these nights, and the casual restaurant might be a better choice [or a nice room service balcony dinner], but the days of everyone dressing formally for nightly for dinners is pretty much over.

 

While I have not cruised NCL yet, a coworker took an Alaskan cruise with them and loved it!

[Langley Cruisers]

I think you may be able to travel through and into Canada without the passport, not completely sure.

 

No - this is not correct. I'm only singling you out because this statement could potentially be misleading (so no offense intended). You must have a passport for any travel in or out of Canada. If you are on an itinerary where you do disembark in Canada and do not have a passport at the time of check-in at the pier, you will not be allowed to board. It's not simply that you can stay on board at that port (like Victoria, B.C., for example). A passenger must have a passport before even getting onboard the ship. Just FYI. :)

[matj2000]

You really need to get a travel agent instead of trying to do this yourself.

[luvs2travl]

We have been to Alaska three times - twice on Princess and once on HAL. JMHO - but I would definitely put NCL at the bottom of my list for cruising to Alaska. W-a-y at the bottom!!!

 

Again, in my opinion, you will LOVE a balcony on an Alaskan cruise. If not, you will be juggling for position out on a deck somewhere. We would not even consider going to Alaska without a balcony cabin at a minimum. Splurge - you won't be sorry!! It's like having your own private oasis.....

 

If you don't wish to participate in "formal nights" you don't have to. But a nice pair of dockers and a golf shirt or s/s dress shirt is not too much to ask of hubby - really - is it? The main dining rooms on most ships (other than NCL) frown on jeans in there, and shorts are not allowed - period. You can certainly choose to eat at the buffet - but you will be missing a beautiful dining experience.

 

Shore excursions can be expensive, but if you're not going to go explore and see the magnificent scenery - especially the Yukon/WhitePass Rail excursion in Skagway or the Whale Watching with Orca Enterprises in Juneau - why bother going to Alaska? Actually, we paid less for our whale-watching tour with Orca Enterprises than we would have booking through the ship....and Capt. Larry is just the best.

 

Yes - you will DEFINITELY need a passport to travel into Canada - even on a shore excursion that may cross over into Canada. Personally, I don't know why anyone would travel without one, but that's just me!

 

We always fly in at least one day ahead of the cruise. This is just in case something goes wrong with your flight (delayed, cancelled, overbooked & you are tossed off - that actually happened to us once!); or if your luggage is lost/delayed, you will have time to retrieve it before sailing. It also lessens the stress of the rush-rush first day of travel. You can get up the next morning, have a good breakfast, get your transfer to the ship and be well-rested to enjoy your first day aboard. I cannot tell you how many cranky passengers we have encountered on that first day on board simply because they have had such a stressful travel day. :(

 

We have found that the embarkation/debarkation process goes much faster in Vancouver, but again, that is just our experience. We spend at least 3 days pre or post cruise there as it is a beautiful city with much to see & do. We fly Air Canada and have always had great flights to & from Vancouver. Their service is excellent.

 

Enjoy your cruise, see everything you can possibly see on your first cruise, 'cause I can promise you, you'll be going back!

 

Smooth Sailing Always!! :)