Help Picking an Alaskan cruise!!!

[Emily626]

Hi,

 

DH and I (ages 26 and 30) are going to book an Alaskan cruise for next summer 2011. We have no idea where to begin except that we want to book a balcony room and we are trying to be budget concious. (Not cheap - just budget friendly.)

 

So far, I have found a NCL cruise roundtrip from Seattle (cheaper flights), but I know nothing about cruising, what lines are better than others, what parts of Alaska are not to be missed......basically starting at square one. I have read some reviews on the site, but they just confuse me more....

 

Is there a better advantage to leave from further north than Seattle itinerary wise?? Is later in the summer more rainy than earlier in the summer?

 

I am pretty much looking for ANTHING to point me in the right direction...advice, tips, recommendations, etc.

 

TIA!

[spacepotatoes]

Hi, welcome to Cruise Critic :) If you search "Alaska" on this forum, you will find lots and lots of answers to this question. Also have a look at the Alaska boards, they are really helpful for finding out about must-sees.

 

In general, Holland America and Princess have the best selection of itineraries for Alasaka, though they are a bit pricier than NCL. DH and I are planning to do Alaska in 2012 and right now, our first choice the Holland America Zuiderdam itinerary out of Vancouver.

 

The main difference I've heard about in sailing from Seattle vs. Vancouver is that when you leave from Vancouver, the ship sails the Inside Passage, which is very scenic. From Seattle, it goes around the outside of the Gulf Islands and it's more open water. Glacier Bay comes very highly recommended as well.

[paul929207]

Welcome to cruise critic. Princess and HAL have by far the most experience in Alaska. We have been there twice with Princess and loved both

[Keith1010]

As mentioned there is lots of good information on the Alaska Ports of Call Board. The URL for the Alaska Board is;

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

 

There are lots of cruise lines to choose from.

 

Yes, Princess and HAL have been cruising Alaska for the longest. If you plan to take a pre or post cruise trip say up in Alaska they offer some very nice land packages.

 

At the same time, there are others to consider. You mentioned one of them and another one is Celebrity.

 

I would first look at the itineraries for say these four lines to see what interests you the best.

 

From there you will be able to narrow down the cruise to a couple of cruise lines and then I would go to their respective sites to read about the line, and also go to the Cruise Critic boards for those cruise lines to read what people have to say.

 

You should consider talking with a Travel Agent but I would do this after you've done some research.

 

Be aware that a favorite cruise line of one member on this board might not be the one that is best for you and that very few members have sailed on all cruise lines.

 

Good luck,

 

Keith

[5326jan]

Whatever you decide, don't miss Glacier Bay. We loved the smaller Coral Princess. You will love Alaska, but if you can fit it into your budget, get to Denali!:D

[trophy_23]

I would have a strong look at HAL. We are 25/26 yr old couple and have sailed HAL to Alaska 3x and loved every minute of it! Many people talk about how the age of HAL is older etc, but there is a great mix in Alaska and it is a nice laid back cruise.

[ILoveScotland]

IMHO - look at itinerary first and then ship. That's what I did and wound up choosing Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas for a 7 night northbound cruise from Vancouver to Seward. This allowed us to see more of Alaska and also on to Anchorage. Had we had time we would have gone to Denali as well.

 

I loved Rhapsody because of the large amount of glass that opened up the beautiful scenery from many areas.

[schoolinmy3]

I would have a strong look at HAL. We are 25/26 yr old couple and have sailed HAL to Alaska 3x and loved every minute of it! Many people talk about how the age of HAL is older etc, but there is a great mix in Alaska and it is a nice laid back cruise.

 

We went to Alaska on HAL for our first cruise in 2008 and loved it so much we talked my parents into booking a cruise.They went this year on the Ryndam including the land tour in Denali. They were impressed! Glacier Bay is amazing.

diane

[texkan]

We did a cruise/ land tour with Princess Coral. Flew to Fairbanks, did land tour from there traveling by train. Met Coral for 7 day sailing southbound to Vancouver.

 

I would suggest that you read the Alaska Board. Look at Holland American and Princess for Alaska. Do ship that visits Glacier Bay and sails South thru the Inside Passage.

 

Research, research, research before you book your trip.

[ILoveScotland]

IMHO - look at itinerary first and then ship. That's what I did and wound up choosing Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas for a 7 night northbound cruise from Vancouver to Seward. This allowed us to see more of Alaska and also on to Anchorage. Had we had time we would have gone to Denali as well.

 

I loved Rhapsody because of the large amount of glass that opened up the beautiful scenery from many areas.

 

Can't believe I said Rhapsody when I meant Radiance.

 

Anyway, I love the Radiance class anyway but especially for the Alaska cruise.

[Sandy Sails]

Best weather time for Seattle, Vancouver and Alaska would be late July and early August. Of course that is also when the cruise prices are higher.

 

Cruising out of Seattle itself is very scenic. You go through the San Juan Islands out the Strait of Juan de Fuca - gorgeous.

 

HAL does Alaska well! They had a fantastic salmon bake on the last at-sea day. Best salmon I've ever had - and I eat salmon ALL the time.

[tanner2]

Hey guys, we went on the NCL Pearl out of seattle, airfare was cheaper,so we were able to to go and stay a night in seattle and sight see...... We went the first week of june, weather was awsome some 70.degrees some 50. degrees so it was perfect , were not cold weather people but Alaska was great ..... never thoughtI I would say but i would do alaska again in a heart beat............:)

[kent4489]

Emily,

I read on the HAL board that you booked the Zuiderdam for next Sep. Congratulations! Our first cruise was on HAL to Alaska. Loved it! We are booked on our 5th HAL ship later this month. It is addicting! Anyway, just thought I'd answer a couple of your questions. RE: your flight. You might want to check airfares to Vancouver. Renting a car in SEA and dropping in Vancouver may involve a pricy drop charge. We LOVED Vancouver and you can really enjoy some time there before sailing. We also did a HAL cruise out of Seattle, but we liked Vancouver better. There are 2 Marriott products located downtown Vancouver, near Canada Place. They both look nice. We went in early July and had quite a bit of rain, but still enjoyed every second of it. Very coolish, so dress in layers. I know you'll both have a fantastic time.

[GreySkies]

I have also been looking into doing an Alaska cruise within the next two years. One thing to be aware of, as a new person to cruising, is the cost of excursions. These can add up quickly.

 

I was looking at one of the cruise line shore excursions for dog sledding, and they wanted $550+ for it. I thought it was a mistake, but then I went to another excursion, and it was $150 or so.

 

Also, many drinks are not included in your cruise fare, so figure that into your calculations.

 

All of that said, enjoy whatever cruise you do choose to take.