Best ship for Alaska

[Mist_ynight]

I'm looking for opinions on the best ship to go on for an Alaskan cruise. We are looking at doing a 7 day next summer. We plan on booking as soon as they open. Any help would be appreciated.

[IECalCruiser]

I'm looking for opinions on the best ship to go on for an Alaskan cruise. We are looking at doing a 7 day next summer. We plan on booking as soon as they open. Any help would be appreciated.

Which itinerary - Voyage of the Glaciers or Inside Passage?

[Loonbeam]

Decide on itinerary first (glacier bay is a must do!). Then, there are several threads in the past few weeks discussing the pros and cons of the various ships serving Alaska, do a search on Diamond Coral for the gist of it.

[Appygirl]

I guess you're looking at departing from Vancouver instead of Seattle or one of the towns in Alaska? Are you looking at going only one way or return? You mentioned only 7 days and some of the Princess ships offer 7 days but its either south or northbound. So you'd have to fly in or out of an Alaskan port or make it a 14 day cruise to return to Vancouver.

 

Or you could depart from Seattle.

 

If you're looking at 7 days inside passage depart and return to Vancouver, Holland America still has 2 or 3 ships that make this run which have glacier cruising and make 3 stops in Alaska. Disney also offers a similar 7 night depart and return to Vancouver inside passage and some Alaksa stops.

 

I think you have to decide what you're looking to see and whether or not you want one way or return to Vancouver. You said for next summer and book when they're open - I believe most lines are already booking for next summer to Alaska, someone was on one of the boards asking about a category of cabin he's booked for June 2012.

 

If you're looking for 7 nights inside passage to Alaska return to Vancouver I recommend HAL's Zuiderdam.

[cat-tav]

We did Voyage of the Glaciers from Whittier to Vancouver on the Coral and it was wonderful! The itinerary and the ship were both outstanding. The only problem came when we got to Vancouver and they made us get off the ship. I wasn't ready!!

[Putterdude]

I'm looking for opinions on the best ship to go on for an Alaskan cruise. We are looking at doing a 7 day next summer. We plan on booking as soon as they open. Any help would be appreciated.

What are you thinking, a 7 day rtn out of Seattle or 7 day northbound out of Vancouver or a 7 day southbound from Whittier?

[chipmaster]

My 2 cents, pick the itinerary and zero in on a few weeks/sailings. That is IMHO far more important. Great ship but less than best port schedule or one scenic versus another would be the wrong tradeoff!

 

I'm looking for opinions on the best ship to go on for an Alaskan cruise. We are looking at doing a 7 day next summer. We plan on booking as soon as they open. Any help would be appreciated.

[Mist_ynight]

holy crap you guys just totally overwhelmed me. I think I need to do a little bit more research. I was thinking of northbound from Vancouver since we are planning on visiting some family beforehand, but then again we can always do southbound as well as visit them after.

 

Princess does not have their Alaska itineraries up yet, I think I heard the 17th of March but I can't be sure.

 

I'm trying to get my parents to go with us and I know they want the inside passage. They have heard it is beautiful. I don't know anything about the ports either I just know dad was talking about one place where they have an oldfashioned bar with sawdust floors. Not sure where he heard about that one. Any advice on what to do is appreciated.

[Budget Queen]

holy crap you guys just totally overwhelmed me. I think I need to do a little bit more research. I was thinking of northbound from Vancouver since we are planning on visiting some family beforehand, but then again we can always do southbound as well as visit them after.

 

Princess does not have their Alaska itineraries up yet, I think I heard the 17th of March but I can't be sure.

 

I'm trying to get my parents to go with us and I know they want the inside passage. They have heard it is beautiful. I don't know anything about the ports either I just know dad was talking about one place where they have an oldfashioned bar with sawdust floors. Not sure where he heard about that one. Any advice on what to do is appreciated.

 

The southbound itineraries, this season had both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier. Definitely a great itinerary. I do, always, suggest people add extra time for interior Alaska touring. Take advantage of being all the way there. Plenty more to see and do. :)

[IECalCruiser]

I'm trying to get my parents to go with us and I know they want the inside passage. They have heard it is beautiful. I don't know anything about the ports either I just know dad was talking about one place where they have an oldfashioned bar with sawdust floors. Not sure where he heard about that one. Any advice on what to do is appreciated.

I believe that your DF is referring to the Red Dog Saloon in Juneau. Both the Voyage of the Glaciers and the Inside Passage cruises stop in Juneau.

[Mist_ynight]

I believe that your DF is referring to the Red Dog Saloon in Juneau. Both the Voyage of the Glaciers and the Inside Passage cruises stop in Juneau.

 

Thank you, I'm glad he'll get to go there no matter which one I choose. I looked at the Alaskan cruises for this summer just to get an idea. I'll guess I'll decide more when Princess final opens up next summer.

[BettyCruiser]

I enjoyed our southbound cruise on the Diamond Princess:)

[gertz]

No matter which port or itinerary you choose you will have a great ship.

[cdew]

We went on the inside passage last august on the golden princess an excellent cruise, if you got to my website. timstafford.net I have my Alaska pictures on it. Enjoy

[Mist_ynight]

Love the photos cdew, thanks for sharing!

[captbill]

Princess does not have their Alaska itineraries up yet, I think I heard the 17th of March but I can't be sure.

 

 

 

Bookings open at 3:00PM EDT on March 17th.

 

You can see the PDF's here: http://content.princess.com/pcan/images/1700/2012-2013_overview.pdf

 

and here: http://content.princess.com/pcan/images/1700/2012-2013ProgRelItinFares.pdf

[Putterdude]

Sounds like you are leaning toward a 7 day itinerary that either begins or ends in Vancouver. That being the case in 2012 you will have the choice of 4 Princess ships, the Diamond, the Sapphire, the Coral and the Island. Our preference is the Diamond/Sapphire but the Coral/Island are lovely ships as well. As pointed out above the advantage of the southbound is that you will see both the Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay and it doesn't get any better than that. Northbound you get Glacier Bay and College Fjord.