Glacier Bay or Icy Strait??

[shipfriend_max]

Hi everyone,

 

for our Alaska plans in 2015 I have a question: We cannot really decide, whether we should book a cruise with 5 ports and only one passage (Hubbard), or 4 ports and 2 passages (Glacier Bay, Hubbard).

our concrete cruises we consider, are:

-Coral Princess, Jul 29 Whittier to Vancouver (Hubbard, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Inside P., Vancouver)

-Radiance of the Seas, Jul 31 Seward to Vancouver (Hubbard, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait, Ketchikan, Inside P., Vancouver)

-Celebr. Millennium, Aug 14, Vancouver to Seward (Inside P., Ketchikan, Icy Strait, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard, Seward).

 

We cannot really decide - help would be appreciated!!

[SparkleBee]

I also was trying to decide between Millenium and ROTS. I chose ROTS because overall it seemed like the reviews were more favorable. ROTS has lots of glass and more "fun" stuff to do on board. Millenium seemed like a great choice too so I am sure any of your choices will be wonderful.

[mapleleaves]

Depends on YOUR interests and priorities. ie what would you do at Icy St ?

 

 

I'd choose Coral Princess. My priority is the itinerary, (not the ship, activities or food) and GB wins every time.

Edited June 1, 2014 by mapleleaves

[Putterdude]

I would definitely choose an itinerary with a glacier time and would likely go with the Glacier Bay itinerary. However, IMO the Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay are completely different experiences and you are not giving up anything to chose one over the other.

[Coral]

I would also choose the Coral Princess. The Coral has the best itinerary.

 

IMO - The Coral is just as pretty as the Radiance of the Seas. The Millennium has a beautiful dining room but otherwise, I didn't find her that pretty.

 

Alaska is all about the itinerary.

Edited June 1, 2014 by Coral

[mapleleaves]

Depends on YOUR interests and priorities. ie what would you do at Icy St ?

 

 

I'd choose Coral Princess. My priority is the itinerary, (not the ship, activities or food) and GB wins every time.

 

 

oops, when I edited, I also deleted a sentence, which was ....

 

Choose the itinerary that best supports your interests. If there are sights and activities in Icy St that are more interesting to you than GB, there's your answer.

[Alberta Quilter]

Hi everyone,

 

for our Alaska plans in 2015 I have a question: We cannot really decide, whether we should book a cruise with 5 ports and only one passage (Hubbard), or 4 ports and 2 passages (Glacier Bay, Hubbard).

our concrete cruises we consider, are:

-Coral Princess, Jul 29 Whittier to Vancouver (Hubbard, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Inside P., Vancouver)

-Radiance of the Seas, Jul 31 Seward to Vancouver (Hubbard, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait, Ketchikan, Inside P., Vancouver)

-Celebr. Millennium, Aug 14, Vancouver to Seward (Inside P., Ketchikan, Icy Strait, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard, Seward).

 

We cannot really decide - help would be appreciated!!

 

Given that you are coming from overseas, have you considered HAL's 14 day itinerary, that is round trip from Seattle? It goes to ISP and Hubbard but also includes Anchorage, Homer, Kodiak and Sitka, as well as Juneau and Ketchikan. The downside is that it does not go through the Canadian inside passage.

 

Of your choices, I would go with the Coral. You will always get into Glacier Bay, whereas the ship may not get into the bay where Hubbard is. If glaciers are your priority, go to Glacier Bay.

[fishin' musician]

I am on an upcoming cruise that includes Icy Straight Point, after doing a bit of research I am very underwhelmed. It appears to be a town soley fabricated to capitalize on the cruise industry. I hope to be proven wrong, but my expectations are very low. No comparison with a stellar attraction like Glacier Bay in my less than humble opinion.

[Coral]

I am on an upcoming cruise that includes Icy Straight Point' date=' after doing a bit of research I am very underwhelmed. It appears to be a town soley fabricated to capitalize on the cruise industry. I hope to be proven wrong, but my expectations are very low. No comparison with a stellar attraction like Glacier Bay in my less than humble opinion.[/quote']

 

I haven't been there but those I know who have consider it "real Alaska" - no Diamonds International or tacky stores that show up in the other Alaskan ports. There is supposed to be great whale watching and bear watching.

[WalleyeLJ]

I am on an upcoming cruise that includes Icy Straight Point' date=' after doing a bit of research I am very underwhelmed. It appears to be a town soley fabricated to capitalize on the cruise industry. I hope to be proven wrong, but my expectations are very low. No comparison with a stellar attraction like Glacier Bay in my less than humble opinion.[/quote']

 

While ISP has been renovated and updated a bit for the purpose of receiving cruise ship passengers (yes, they DO have a zip line), the total population of the town of Hoonah is around 800, (downtown is a little over a mile away along the bay), nad has been there for 2000 years - so it wasn't created for cruise ships. The majority of the local population are native Tlingit, and Hoonah and ISP are one of thier largest settlements left in the Pacific Northwest. ISP was where one of the first salmon canneries in the area was built in the early 1900s, so there is so history in the area toc heck out that's very accessible, and because it's so small, the area doesn't have the "Glitter Gultch" aspect to it, so it's a nice change of pace from the other ports - but some may find it too sleepy. We've gone fishing and whale watching there and love it - can't wait to go back!

 

L.J.

[shipfriend_max]

Thank you all for your replies!! We have checked which cruise fits best into our holiday plans - for us, Millennium is most convenient. :)

But Glacier Bay looks very appealing on the pictures as well!!

 

I am on an upcoming cruise that includes Icy Straight Point' date=' after doing a bit of research I am very underwhelmed. It appears to be a town soley fabricated to capitalize on the cruise industry. I hope to be proven wrong, but my expectations are very low. No comparison with a stellar attraction like Glacier Bay in my less than humble opinion.[/quote']

 

Yeah, I also browsed the net and I found few information on things to do in Icy Strait.

I can't wait to read your review!!

 

To all the others who have been at Icy Strait: Is there the opportunit to hike or do some activities? Because last we want is to book a "tram" and have such a trip through the forest - we would like to hike them.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

In 2012 we took a cruise on The Radiance and I did a live review. I am pasting the link below. I am not trying to get you to do this itinerary--you need to decide what will work best for you. [we really enjoyed our cruise] But, I included a lot of pics and thought you might want to see them. I have several of ISP and the whale watch we did there. [also Hubbard glacier]

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1697232

 

Whatever you decide you will have a good time. We loved Alaska. :D

Edited June 1, 2014 by DragonOfTheSeas
typo

[Chenega]

Some food for thought - Glacier Bay National Park is one of the scenic wonders of Alaska and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Icy Strait is a remodeled cannery with tourist activities at the edge of the town of Hoonah with a long zip line, several concessions, and a few places to eat. It was specifically designed for the cruise ships and their passengers - Glacier Bay was designed by nature. I guess it really depends on what brings you to Alaska in the first place. ;)

Edited June 2, 2014 by Chenega

[shipfriend_max]

Hi,

 

thank you very much for the review - I read it when I have time!

Maybe at ISP it is also possible to hike the island, for example to Spasski Bay.

Just because we call at Icy Strait, we are surely able to discover the island by hiking.

As Millennium calls there for 10 hours, I am sure we will find something to do. :)

[Yo Adrienne]

I am on an upcoming cruise that includes Icy Straight Point' date=' after doing a bit of research I am very underwhelmed. It appears to be a town soley fabricated to capitalize on the cruise industry. I hope to be proven wrong, but my expectations are very low. No comparison with a stellar attraction like Glacier Bay in my less than humble opinion.[/quote']

 

Our cruise stopped in Icy Strait Point in early May (just a few weeks ago)...and we had the same concerns as listed here. None of the shore excursions excited us, so we decided to wait till we were on board the ship to ask the concierge. She was VERY honest with us...unless we were into zip-lining (which we aren't), if we stayed on board, we wouldn't feel like we missed anything. So, we did, indeed, stay on board. Of course, we could see the port area from our area...looked like there was very little to do--all of the buildings right as you get off the tender are total fabrications. Everyone we talked to who went on shore excursions said the area was nothing special. They also said that the shops and restaurants were expensive.

 

I wouldn't rush to go back to ISP...

[ikirumata]

ISP is only 20 miles away from Point Adolphus, considered the best place to watch whales in Southeast Alaska. This should be the primary reason for visiting ISP (getting away from Diamonds International is a bonus). That being said, once you know that you are getting the best whale watching in ISP, that frees you to do other things in Juneau. Based on Celebrity's itinerary, you have the rare opportunity to take Adventure Bound to Tracy Arm.

 

ISP itself is not flashy in any way...and thats not a bad thing. To me its a great place to relax and let the wild of Alaska sink in (if they can only get rid of that infernal zip line). I am a big nature and wildlife fan and you don't have to go very far to get that in ISP. All without the pressure of calculator pushing diamond salesmen, loud cars racing up and down the roads, and inappropriate innuendo t-shirts hanging on racks in the middle of the walks. Just the sound of the waves hitting the shores, seals playing in the distance, and eagles soaring above (and just when you are about to succumb to the quiet beauty of it all...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZing...stupid zip line).

 

ok, its not perfect, but it is still a breath of fresh air compared to the other commonly visited ports.

 

Hoonah Eagle by ikirumata, on Flickr

Edited June 2, 2014 by ikirumata

[fishin' musician]

I'll likely do the same thing I've done at other cruise compounds like Grand Turk, Mahogany Bay, Great Stirrup Cay, Half Moon Cay, Coco Cay, etc... I'll grab my pack-rod and head out to some fishing waters off the beaten path. It's all good, but sort of tarnishes my preconceived notions.

[Suzanne123]

We were in ISP last week, and in fact took the Millennium route just to see Hoonah, which gave us four days on land versus three days with Princess or HAL, our other choices.

 

We took the mile or so walk in to Hoonah and did the whale watch with Hoonah Whale Watch. http://www.hoonahwhalewatching.com/ . The whales weren't cooperating that day with just a couple tails and spouts, but we saw so many harbor seals, sea lions, eagles, and otters, it was well worth the stop. We really enjoyed the tour.

 

That said, Glacier Bay is beautiful, as is Hubbard Glacier. I think the Princess route that includes both is a winner. We did that route three times out of Whittier and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also prefer HAL and Princess ships to the Millennium, but that's just me.

 

You will love Alaska no matter which ship or route you take. :)

[shipfriend_max]

Ok, that sounds great!

What I do not understand: Why does HAL skip Hubbard Glacier on the itinerary between Vancouver and Seward (Oosterdam), they just sail the Glacier Bay.

IMHO it would be possible to cover both, since NCL and Princess do so on their 7 nighters between Vancouver and Seward/Whittier... :confused:

 

But, nevertheless, we are very likely to book Millennium since she fits best into our holiday plans.

Suzanne123, how did you like Millennium? :)

[lovetotraveltx]

ISP is only 20 miles away from Point Adolphus, considered the best place to watch whales in Southeast Alaska. This should be the primary reason for visiting ISP (getting away from Diamonds International is a bonus). That being said, once you know that you are getting the best whale watching in ISP, that frees you to do other things in Juneau. Based on Celebrity's itinerary, you have the rare opportunity to take Adventure Bound to Tracy Arm.

 

ISP itself is not flashy in any way...and thats not a bad thing. To me its a great place to relax and let the wild of Alaska sink in (if they can only get rid of that infernal zip line). I am a big nature and wildlife fan and you don't have to go very far to get that in ISP. All without the pressure of calculator pushing diamond salesmen, loud cars racing up and down the roads, and inappropriate innuendo t-shirts hanging on racks in the middle of the walks. Just the sound of the waves hitting the shores, seals playing in the distance, and eagles soaring above (and just when you are about to succumb to the quiet beauty of it all...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZing...stupid zip line).

 

ok, its not perfect, but it is still a breath of fresh air compared to the other commonly visited ports.

 

Hoonah Eagle by ikirumata, on Flickr

 

 

This is what made me pick the celebrity millennium over princess. Millennium gives one extra port, icy strait. Whale watching is very important to my husband. Once I heard it was so good at ISP I thought great cause there were so many other things I would like to see/do in Juneau.

[sherryf]

This is what made me pick the celebrity millennium over princess. Millennium gives one extra port, icy strait. Whale watching is very important to my husband. Once I heard it was so good at ISP I thought great cause there were so many other things I would like to see/do in Juneau.

 

And this is why whenever people come on this board and ask "Which cruise is best?" we tell them that no cruise is "best" for everyone. You have to pick which is best for YOU! You obviously considered your priorities and chose an itinerary that fit what you wanted to do. I'm sure you will be happy with your choice. :)

[JimAOk1945]

We have taken two Alaska cruises so far. Both times we were there in mid August. The first one in 2009 was a round trip from Seattle on the Star Princess. Our ports of call were Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. We had a great time but wanted to go back again, which we did in mid-August of 2012.

 

We sailed on the Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas on the southbound route. We loved it! We had four ports of call, Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Icy Strait Point located in the Alaskan town of Hoonah.

 

When we booked the cruise, we arranged to have transfers through RC and I'm glad we did. We didn't have any trouble at all.

 

When we flew into Anchorage, we asked for the RC representative. We were directed to a kiosk where the friendly RC staff checked us off their list, and then told us when the next bus was leaving for Seward. I think we had about a one hour wait.

 

We grabbed a quick bite to eat at the food court, then went back to the waiting area at the RC desk. When the bus arrived, we got in along with several other people and the driver loaded up all the baggage.

 

I'm not sure how long the drive was but it seemed to pass quickly. The scenery was fantastic and the driver gave information about what we were seeing from time to time.

 

Before we knew it, we had arrived at the Seward terminal. The Radiance was the only ship there! Check in at the terminal was a breeze. We walked right in, went up to the counter to check in, and went right on to the ship!

 

The quickest embarkation we have ever had.

 

The ship is fantastic and the cruise was the best we have ever had. The itinerary includes 4 ports of call. Icy Strait Point was and still is our favorite. We went on the Bear and Whale watch combo excursion through RC. We saw two bears catching Salmon and countless whales! It was absolutely breathtaking!

 

When we went through the Hubbard Glacier area, we witnessed numerous "calving" which is when great chunks of ice break off with loud cracking and rumbling then fall into the water.

 

I could go on and on. As you can see, even now I get excited just thinking about it and trying to describe what we saw.

 

At the end of the cruise, going through the Vancouver terminal was no trouble at all. We also had a transfer through the cruise line that took us to the Vancouver airport.

 

You might be interested in seeing my wife's picture slideshows. Here is a link to the page where you will see slideshows about the different ports of call as well as the ship. The slideshow will start when you click on the link, but you can also go through the pictures if you want to by clicking on the thumbnails one at a time.

 

 

2012 RC Radiance of the Seas ~ Alaska Southbound

 

HAPPY SAILING! It's a great way to explore the world!

Edited June 4, 2014 by JimAOk1945

[fishin' musician]

Ok, that sounds great!

What I do not understand: Why does HAL skip Hubbard Glacier on the itinerary between Vancouver and Seward (Oosterdam), they just sail the Glacier Bay.

IMHO it would be possible to cover both, since NCL and Princess do so on their 7 nighters between Vancouver and Seward/Whittier... :confused:

 

 

Hi Max,

 

I believe the tradeoff is College Fjord vs Hubbard Glacier on northbound cruises. College Fjord is home to several glaciers and it is typically slated late afternoon on Day 6 whereas being further south, Hubbard Glacier is scheduled in the morning.

 

Our Sun southbound will visit Hubbard Glacier on Day 1.

[shipfriend_max]

Hi Max' date='

 

 

 

I believe the tradeoff is College Fjord vs Hubbard Glacier on northbound cruises. College Fjord is home to several glaciers and it is typically slated late afternoon on Day 6 whereas being further south, Hubbard Glacier is scheduled in the morning.

 

 

 

Our Sun southbound will visit Hubbard Glacier on Day 1.[/quote']

 

 

Hi Tim,

 

Princess does so... They include the College Fjord on the northbound itinerary. And Hubbard when sailing southbound.

But Holland America does not include neither Hubbard Glacier nor College Fjord... That's what makes me wonder. ;)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited June 5, 2014 by celebrity_fan

[antsypants66]

sounds good to me. Love nature untouched.....

small footprints of man :)

would you just do a boat tour or walk around ??