First Cruise to Alaska

[plgrn]

Thanks in advance for some advice. This will probably be our one and only Alaskan cruise. Our party consists of two adults and we will visit Skagway from 7a to 9p, Juneau from 7a-3p, Ketchikan from 7a to 1p, and Victoria from 7:30p to ll:59p.

 

My concern is shore excursions. We would like to splurge on one excursion and go easy on the others, but have no idea what to book. We are in our 50's and do not like to kayak, zipline, and such but have no physical limitations.

 

Any help would be very much appreciated.

[rayliang]

Thanks in advance for some advice. This will probably be our one and only Alaskan cruise. Our party consists of two adults and we will visit Skagway from 7a to 9p, Juneau from 7a-3p, Ketchikan from 7a to 1p, and Victoria from 7:30p to ll:59p.

 

My concern is shore excursions. We would like to splurge on one excursion and go easy on the others, but have no idea what to book. We are in our 50's and do not like to kayak, zipline, and such but have no physical limitations.

 

Any help would be very much appreciated.

If this is your one and only Alaska cruise, I would recommend take the Princess Glacier cruisse southbound, so you will see both Hubbard glacier and Glacier Bay.

 

If you want to splurge, Juneau is a good spot. I recommend either the helicoptor glacier landing with dog sled, or the Tracy arm cruise so you see Sawyer glacier much closer.

[mcmom]

We will be taking our very first Alaskan cruise this summer. I know that we will never be there again since this is a huge stretch for us. We, too, are a couple in our 50's.

 

Our biggest excursion is a float plane trip in Ketchikan. We booked with Michelle from Island Wings. They have gotten good reviews from others. They were prompt to return emails and when I called to give Shona my credit card info, our call got cut off and she called me right back. So far so good!

[plgrn]

Thank you for the advice. I failed to mention we have already booked a 7 day round trip from seattle with carnival leaving July 3.

Juneau does sound like a good place to splurge!

[plgrn]

Island Wings sounds good too. There's not much time in ports except Skagway. My husband is a history buff, so we will need to spend a little time in the towns as well.

[Jasperdo]

For a splurge, I would pick the White Pass & Yukon Railroad excursion to Lake Bennett.

[Jasperdo]

Island Wings sounds good too. There's not much time in ports except Skagway. My husband is a history buff, so we will need to spend a little time in the towns as well.

Skaqway is the best town for a history buff. Be sure and stop in the National Park Service Visitor Center. It's located in the old train station, and has excellent history displays. Here's a link to a very good walking tour of Skagway, that explains all the historic building in town:

 

http://www.skagway.com/skagwaywalkingtour.pdf

[rayliang]

Thank you for the advice. I failed to mention we have already booked a 7 day round trip from seattle with carnival leaving July 3.

Juneau does sound like a good place to splurge!

 

have you made final payment already?

 

Honestly if this is your one and only Alaska cruise, then Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier are really can't misses...

[poolwife]

I totally agree with the previous poster as if you won't be sailing to either Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier you aren't getting to see the majesty of the Alaska glaciers. I just looked up your itinerary and the sailing does not go to either of these beautiful majestic glaciers.

 

Maybe you aren't aware that the round trip Seattle cruises typically sail on the ocean side of Vancouver Island and DO NOT sail through the beautiful part of the inside passage between Vancouver Island and British Columbia.

 

I think those sailings would be fine for someone, like myself, who just wants to go on a cruise because we have already been there several times before, but if this is your one and only, you will be missing a lot of beautiful scenery and one of the main reasons people like to go on the Alaska cruises which is to see the Big Glaciers.

 

Just some things to think about. Being you still a ways out, your final payment probably isn't due yet and it gives you time to think about other options. You can change a booking as long as you have not made final payment.

[rayliang]

if it is within your budget and you can still cancel with Carnival, I would highly recommend change to one of the cruises that at least go to either Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay. Preferably both to be honest. Glacier Bay & Hubbard Glacier are just BEAUTIFUL... heads and body (and feet) over Tracy Arms / Sawyer Glacier.

[sharecruises]

Hi to OP...

 

I am also on the Carnival Spirit which gets great reviews from last year's Alaska trips...they have a good naturalist on board, and they are a good value. Ship was just in drydock , new adult serenity area, new carpets,decor, new flat screen tvs etc

 

It is easy for people to tell us to go on other ships but I personally feel this is a do-able affordable trip for me and my group. Adding on costs to get to Vancouver is a lot of money ....adding costs to fly to or from Alaska for a southbound or northbound is just prohibitive for me

 

We will see glaciers....and IF you want to splurge you can book the "tracy arm" excursion vessel that leaves right from the ship on glacier day and gets you much closer and then brings you back to the ship. I was going to do that but feel I would be too cold (LOL) so I plan to sit on deck with friends, and/or even go in the hot tub in the enclosed pool area

 

My inside rate on Carnival early saver can't be beat...we already got an obstructed balcony for price of an inside plus group cocktail party, wine etc

 

I have seen other ships itinerary in Alaska...seems like the Royal ships visit fewer ports....and some of the other ships do not get very good reviews. Not to mention how much more money it will cost

 

My advice....if you are happy with your Carnival trip (I am) stick to it and don't let these people get you down. If someone wants to pay for me to fly to Alaska, do a land tour to Denali, sail one way back thru their preferred glaciers I am happy to accept...until then I will do the best I can do with what I have and I am personally happy with it :)

[poolwife]

We didn't say anything bad about the Carnival Spirit. The OP was just saying that it was her "one and only" trip to Alaska so we were advising her what she might be missing so maybe she should consider other options. Only she knows her financial situation and no one is blaming her for doing the best she can to meet what is best for her financial situation.

 

So many people come on these boards and don't have a clue about other options. So we are just trying to help and they can take our thoughts or leave them in the circle file of the computer.

 

I have learned so much from reading other people's experiences that we want to pass on to others what we have learned. That's all.

[Budget Queen]

Questions are asked on public message boards. The details are sometimes, taken offensively by people who have booked, but have NOT been to Alaska. WHY?? I don't care to speculate, but there are FACTS that may be unknown and therefore may also be of interest to some. IF it isn't, then just ignore them.

 

BUT, comments above, about seeing a lot of glaciers- may not be true, unless TOURS are planned from the ports. The itinerary of Carnival, has little "glacier" sailing exposure. Simple fact of a Tracy Arm itinerary. That is the ONLY point of comment.

 

So, my answer to the OP, there are HUNDREDS of excellent tours to consider, and my favorites are NOT going to be yours. So, first, take a look at your shore excursion list, and read the detailed descriptions. Narrow down your intersts. Post the selections, if you want more details, or booking suggestions for independent options.

[plgrn]

Thank you for the info on Skagway. My husband will be thrilled!

[plgrn]

Thanks to all who contributed info. I was not aware of the different options regarding cruise lines and iteneraries. I had a 500 dollar credit with carnival, so that was one reason I opted for the Spirit.

 

I've read on this board that the tracy arm cruise was not really necessary to see a glacier? I'm sure we will find many interesting things to do, and who knows? there could be another Alaskan cruise in our future.

 

Has anyone sailed with Disney Alaskan cruise? That one sounds like fun for the family. We have taken a Disney cruise to Bahamas and it was a lot of fun, even for adults.

[HRPro]

In Juneau, I highly recommend a whalewatching trip. We're going with Harv & Marv in June, but Ocra is also highly recommended. This was one of the highlights of our last cruise to Alaska. We also loved the train in Skagway.

[rayliang]

Thanks to all who contributed info. I was not aware of the different options regarding cruise lines and iteneraries. I had a 500 dollar credit with carnival, so that was one reason I opted for the Spirit.

 

I've read on this board that the tracy arm cruise was not really necessary to see a glacier? I'm sure we will find many interesting things to do, and who knows? there could be another Alaskan cruise in our future.

 

Has anyone sailed with Disney Alaskan cruise? That one sounds like fun for the family. We have taken a Disney cruise to Bahamas and it was a lot of fun, even for adults.

while it is true you can see glacier without going into Tracy Arm, it is just not the same. The experience of seeing tidal glacier calving big chunks of ice into the ocean, I can say, is one of the main reason people go see glaciers.

 

Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau is just a bus ride away. However, the glacier ends into a lake. Mendenhall also calves, but it is just not the same as seeing glaciers in Glacier Bay, or even Tracy Arm.

 

If you must go Carnival, can you do the Spirit on 5/1/2012 or 9/11/2012, or the Miracle April 2013? All 3 go to Glacier Bay too. Again, given you said this is your one and only Alaska cruise, I just felt that you should at least see one of the finest glacier around. Glacier Bay is one of the few National Parks that you can only access via air or sea, and honestly should be seen. You won't regret it.