Need help deciding which cruise to book...

[sapphire9md]

Hi all,

 

My brother and I are giving my parents a trip to Alaska for their anniversary this year, but we need some help deciding which cruise to book. (My parents are basically leaving the details up to us, since they say they'll be happy with anything haha.)

 

I think I have it narrowed down to 2 sailings, but am looking for advice on pros/cons of each. To give a little background on my parents, they're in their early 60's, have been on a few cruises over the years (two Carnival, 1 or 2 Holland America), and this is one of their dream trips to take. We live on the east coast, so we'd like for them to get to take a few days on one side of the cruise to get to see Seattle or Vancouver also (or both depending on the sailing).

 

The two sailings we're looking at are:

1) Carnival - 8-day Glacier Bay - April 28, 14 to May 6, 14 - Vancouver to Seattle; Ports of Call: Cruise Inside Passage, Juneau, Skagway, Cruise Glacier Bay, Ketchikan (~$1168pp + gratuities, no drink package)

 

2) Celebrity - 7-day - May 16, 14 to May 23, 14 - RT Seattle; Ports of Call: Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, Inside Passage, Victoria, BC (~$1500pp Concierge class C3 w/ prepaid gratuities and beverage package included)

 

I have a few specific questions, and any other advice or comments to help us decide is greatly appreciated.

~Is sailing at the end of April too early for Alaska? Will the extra 2 weeks in between the two sailings make a big difference for weather/wildlife/etc?

~Carnival vs. Celebrity? Pros/cons? We can't say we've had any complaints about Carnival in the past, but I've always heard that Celebrity is a step up. We'd really like to treat my parents to something nice though - is the extra cost worth it for a cruise like this?

~Will they be missing out if they don't do an itinerary that includes Glacier Bay?

~We'll be booking a balcony cabin...is port side or starboard better for an Alaska cruise? (Or does it really matter?)

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

[fredflint]

For Alaska both cruises are pretty early you will have issues with ice still being in the areas where the Glaciers are. I would look more towards the end of June, or even late August or September. Alaskan cruises tend to have a lot of families and children, if that may be an issue you may want to look towards Aug-Sept when they are back in school.

 

People all have opinions but I feel that Celebrity is more geared towards an older crowd.

 

But I do think that Princess has the best cruisetours and that is where I would be looking.

[Keith1010]

The downside of Celebrity is they won't visit Glacier Bay. Other than that I would go with Celebrity given a range of factors including their ages. Princess would have been another option I would recommend. Some people also like HAL.

 

I like late April as it is early in the season. Some people don't like it that early but I do.

 

Glacier Bay is very special but I would not just do Carnival for that. I would again say take a look at something like Princess.

 

Don't worry about side. I have found that the best viewing takes place on the outside deck.

 

It is very nice what you and your brother are doing and I applaud you both.

 

Keith

[Budget Queen]

Hi all,

 

My brother and I are giving my parents a trip to Alaska for their anniversary this year, but we need some help deciding which cruise to book. (My parents are basically leaving the details up to us, since they say they'll be happy with anything haha.)

 

I think I have it narrowed down to 2 sailings, but am looking for advice on pros/cons of each. To give a little background on my parents, they're in their early 60's, have been on a few cruises over the years (two Carnival, 1 or 2 Holland America), and this is one of their dream trips to take. We live on the east coast, so we'd like for them to get to take a few days on one side of the cruise to get to see Seattle or Vancouver also (or both depending on the sailing).

 

The two sailings we're looking at are:

1) Carnival - 8-day Glacier Bay - April 28, 14 to May 6, 14 - Vancouver to Seattle; Ports of Call: Cruise Inside Passage, Juneau, Skagway, Cruise Glacier Bay, Ketchikan (~$1168pp + gratuities, no drink package)

 

2) Celebrity - 7-day - May 16, 14 to May 23, 14 - RT Seattle; Ports of Call: Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, Inside Passage, Victoria, BC (~$1500pp Concierge class C3 w/ prepaid gratuities and beverage package included)

 

I have a few specific questions, and any other advice or comments to help us decide is greatly appreciated.

~Is sailing at the end of April too early for Alaska? Will the extra 2 weeks in between the two sailings make a big difference for weather/wildlife/etc?

~Carnival vs. Celebrity? Pros/cons? We can't say we've had any complaints about Carnival in the past, but I've always heard that Celebrity is a step up. We'd really like to treat my parents to something nice though - is the extra cost worth it for a cruise like this?

~Will they be missing out if they don't do an itinerary that includes Glacier Bay?

~We'll be booking a balcony cabin...is port side or starboard better for an Alaska cruise? (Or does it really matter?)

 

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

There absolutely can be a BIG difference in the weather potential two weeks apart in May, with your first choice, having far more potential for more adverse weather.

 

With your second choice- I also find it "necessary", to budget in as add on Tracy Arm ship excursion, which will be far superior to the ship transit. Add to this choice, you also have more potential, for NOT getting into Tracy Arm, and diverting to Endicott Arm- which is down the pole in comparison to Tracy Arm, or having no access to any glacier viewing.

 

IF you have Glacier Bay in the itinerary- AND your parents are ONLY going to park themselves in their cabin for that day (and NOT get out on deck at any point) they are better off with a port side cabin, which will have the commentary and viewing matching up.

 

There are many more round trip cruises you may want to look at. How did you select these two?

[Putterdude]

I would be inclined to make a list of what is important to you to see and go with that....however, IMO not to see Glacier Bay would be a mistake.

[Ought To Be Cruising]

Being near the ages of your parents maybe I can give you something to think about.

 

We have sailed twice to Alaska on HAL. Loved both ships.

Ryndam

The first trip was second week of May. Wonderful weather through the Inside Passage. No rain, cool but wonderful. Tracy Arm was really great.

 

 

Amsterdam

14 days, leaving the 27 of July through the Inside Passage and up to Kodiak. We were in Alaska 13 days ,it rained 12 days just miserable weather. Hubbard Glacier was the best because we saw and heard the glacier calving.

Last port was Victoria, we loved it. Beautiful city and no rain.

We boarded at Seattle. We stayed three days before the cruise. Loved Seattle.

I don't think the cabin matters. We were never in the cabin.

 

After doing research we will go to Glacier Bay next cruise.

Your parents are going to have a GREAT cruise. Food is Great.

[Ashland]

Any reason why you also don't consider a northbound on RCI Radiance for May 30, 2014 ?

[travln1234]

I just booked a port-side balcony in Alaska (northbound). On a round trip Alaskan trip - either side is really just fine. I hear port side can also sometimes have less smoke than the starboard side. IDK how much merit there is to that.

 

I've been to Glacier Bay, but Carnival itself just does not appeal to me at all, so I'd go with Celebrity, even without Glacier Bay. All of Alaska is phenomenal. I'd consider itinerary...Sitka is not on a lot of itineraries, but it is amazing. Icy Straight Point is another one.

 

Early April is, well, early. Lots of snow, lots of ice. A lot of things aren't fully up and running yet in port/the interior.

 

I'd consider (doesn't hurt to check it out) Royal Caribbean and Princess, in addition to Celebrity. Also check out the hours in port. Some only dock for a few hours - not enough time to really enjoy a stop.

 

While Seattle offers less expensive airfare, Vancouver offers more inside passage views, as they typically don't swing wide (ocean-side as opposed to the inside channel) on part of the trip, like the ones out of Seattle usually do.

[Jenbo57]

I did that same sailing on Carnival this year, and had a wonderful time. It was too early in the season to do some of the things we wanted to do (take the ferry from Skagway to Haines, for example), and we ran into incredibly bad weather in Glacier Bay, but all in all it was a great trip (my fourth time up there). The weather can be good, or bad, no matter when you go, so don't put too much emphasis on that. The Miracle is a nice ship; not too big, not too small. I'm going back up there on her next July!

 

I've also gone to Alaska on Celebrity, HAL, and NCL. Although there are folks who say that one line does it better than another, I don't think that's true. I give HAL the slight edge on itinerary, because they call on Sitka (great little town), but for the most part they all visit the same ports. If you think this will be your parents' only cruise to Alaska, definitely choose the itinerary with Glacier Bay.

[chipmaster]

IMHO if you only do Alaska once, must be a cruise that does Glacier Bay!

 

Second priority would be a one way from Vancouver or Seattle to Alaska or vice versa. You get usually two scenic cruise days instead of wasting a sail day back. Doesn't matter whether you sail south or north.

 

I'd look hard at Princess and Hal then the other lines simply because of choice of sailings.

 

I'd not sail early or end of season, the weather is simply better from June thru July, but for specific things May and Sept can be good, but there is a reason its cheaper.

 

I'd take an indoor and go in prime season than a balcony during the less ideal part of the season.

[Budget Queen]

IMHO if you only do Alaska once, must be a cruise that does Glacier Bay!

 

Second priority would be a one way from Vancouver or Seattle to Alaska or vice versa. You get usually two scenic cruise days instead of wasting a sail day back. Doesn't matter whether you sail south or north.

 

I'd look hard at Princess and Hal then the other lines simply because of choice of sailings.

 

I'd not sail early or end of season, the weather is simply better from June thru July, but for specific things May and Sept can be good, but there is a reason its cheaper.

 

I'd take an indoor and go in prime season than a balcony during the less ideal part of the season.

 

Some details. There are NO one way cruises that go out of Seattle, with the exception of the reposition that go Seattle/Vancouver, which are only beginning/end of season- with less ideal weather.

 

There is NO guarantee on route. You CAN get an open ocean day on a one way sailing just as commonly as the round trips. The "wasted" day comment can be just as accurate going across the gulf, as none do coastal any longer the entire Prince William Sound when Valdez was a port. The route can range from some scenery to way out open ocean. I've sailed this route 6 times in the last 2 years and again saw this first hand.

[margob111]

I've sailed on both Carnival and Celebrity and I much prefer Celebrity over Carnival. However, after researching these boards, we are booked on the Coral Princess for next May, as the Princess itinerary included Glacier Bay, which I read was a "can't miss.". We are also doing a Cruisetour prior to our cruise. I booked a port side balcony mini suite as I've had a balcony on my two previous cruises so would want one in Alaska too. As far as going in May, that seems to be when we vacation anyway and it's hubby's birthday so we will go then. I'm sure your parents will have a great time no matter what you choose for them.

[bonvoyagie]

Your parents will be in the majority age group for any cruise line. Carnival only visits GB early in the season - almost before the real tourist season really opens.

 

Also getting into Tracy Arm early in the season is also a crap shoot.

 

I would highly suggest Glacier Bay - have never seen it iced in - and there are several different glaciers to see there. Princess, HAL, and NCL are the only cruise lines to have access (except Carnival's two or three permits).

 

If you send them to Seattle and let them take the train to Vancouver they can spend a little bit of time in each city. The train takes about 4hrs. Check the schedule at www.amtrak.com

[Budget Queen]

I've sailed on both Carnival and Celebrity and I much prefer Celebrity over Carnival. However, after researching these boards, we are booked on the Coral Princess for next May, as the Princess itinerary included Glacier Bay, which I read was a "can't miss.". We are also doing a Cruisetour prior to our cruise. I booked a port side balcony mini suite as I've had a balcony on my two previous cruises so would want one in Alaska too. As far as going in May, that seems to be when we vacation anyway and it's hubby's birthday so we will go then. I'm sure your parents will have a great time no matter what you choose for them.

 

As general information, a northbound cruise in May, is essential for getting into Denali Park. Prior to June first, at most you are only going to get to mile 53. Eielson is well worth the time adjustment, if of interest. Especially if sailing, south the third week of May, Denali Park is really lacking and less than ideal for some, who may have a priority to see more.

 

Overall, take a good look at the details with any cruise tour with a magnifying glass. Most people don't understand fully. Only a suggestion to consider.