10 day Alaska cruise question

[pjo]

Our family is looking at the 10 day cruise to Alaska out of San Francisco for 2015. A big reason this cruise appeals to us is the fact it leaves from SF (and it is 10 days). We would fly in 3 days early and see the SF sights. As for the cruise it seems it has a few different itineraries. Is one better than the other or are we splitting hairs? Also, since we are limited to June, July or August what month is best weather-wise. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

Paul

[Colo Cruiser]

Our family is looking at the 10 day cruise to Alaska out of San Francisco for 2015. A big reason this cruise appeals to us is the fact it leaves from SF (and it is 10 days). We would fly in 3 days early and see the SF sights. As for the cruise it seems it has a few different itineraries. Is one better than the other or are we splitting hairs? Also, since we are limited to June, July or August what month is best weather-wise. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

Paul

 

 

What are the different iteniaries?

 

Best to see Glacier Bay for sure, and the usual Skagway/Juneau/Ketchikan.

Some go to Sitka which is a nice place. Not a fan of Haines.

Tracy Arm is good.

[nukesubsailor]

Our family is looking at the 10 day cruise to Alaska out of San Francisco for 2015. A big reason this cruise appeals to us is the fact it leaves from SF (and it is 10 days). We would fly in 3 days early and see the SF sights. As for the cruise it seems it has a few different itineraries. Is one better than the other or are we splitting hairs? Also, since we are limited to June, July or August what month is best weather-wise. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

Paul

 

Based upon what I have read on Cruise Critic, a cruise itinerary that includes Glacier Bay is favored. I certainly enjoyed Glacier Bay. I also enjoyed Tracy Arm Fiord. I have been to Alaska 5 times, all in August, and the weather was good most days. This year we are going in July. From the weather reports I have seen this year, June was pretty wet in Alaska.

[Colo Cruiser]

Based upon what I have read on Cruise Critic, a cruise itinerary that includes Glacier Bay is favored. I certainly enjoyed Glacier Bay. I also enjoyed Tracy Arm Fiord. I have been to Alaska 5 times, all in August, and the weather was good most days. This year we are going in July. From the weather reports I have seen this year, June was pretty wet in Alaska.

 

Any month can be bad.

In late July it snowed.

In June we got sunburned.

In September it poured rain.

It pays to be prepared.

[pjo]

It appears one itinerary offers Tracy Arm and the other offers Glacier National. Does it make a difference?

 

Paul

[cdngrl]

glacier bay would be my choice.

I've gotten much closer to the glacier there than in tracy arm.

[karatemom2]

We have done this cruise 3 times and are heading off on our fourth trip in three weeks. We love cruising out of San Francisco. We have changed up the itinerary each time but if it were our first time I would definitely favor Glacier Bay. As far as the month of travel we prefer late July into early to mid-August as it is important to us that the salmon are running. Better chance of seeing bears plus we love to see the salmon. The weather has generally been good to us with some rainy days but that is to be expected in Alaska!

Edited July 15, 2014 by karatemom2

[karatemom2]

Double post

Edited July 15, 2014 by karatemom2

[nilesrick]

We did the 11 day version this year on the Star out of SF in June (one extra sea day). The weather for the most part was cool and wet which was ok but it did limit the visibility in Glacier Bay (and we had to buy extra rain gear in Ketchikan). I haven't been to Tracy Arm so can't compare it. One advantage that June offers versus late summer is more day light. Even with overcast skies, we had some day light until after 10 pm (and light very early in the morning).

[sassyredhat]

We, also, have taken the 10 day from SF. Our 2 Alaska cruises have been the Glacier Bay one, which I understand is better.

It seems that sometimes the Hubbard Glacier one gets fogged in.

There is a wildlife tour from Haines that is pretty awesome. Ketchican is my favorite port so far.

We are looking at a third cruise, so I will try to get one with Sitka, as I want to see the preserve there.

We have gone in May---chilly, and drizzle in one port, and early Sept---beautiful weather. Only needed a light jacket.

I think we will go again in Sept. Our friends went in July---higher price, and bugs. :)

Pat

[dchip]

We have done this cruise twice from San Francisco. I would look for the longest port time in Juneau. There is so much to see and do there.

 

We have been to Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm. I thought Tracy Arm was magnificent!! No experience with Glacier Bay.....that will be next.

 

Cheers, Denise

[crazylife]

We are also planning on an Alaska trip out of SF.2015 We live near, just a BART ride away. I'm concerned regarding room size. The Balcony rooms are getting smaller and tighter.

[shredie]

We are also planning on an Alaska trip out of SF.2015 We live near, just a BART ride away. I'm concerned regarding room size. The Balcony rooms are getting smaller and tighter.

 

Which ship?

[helenb]

It looks like none of these cruises go to Icy Strait Point. Has this stop been taken off of the Alaskan itineraries? (Can you tell that our cruise to Alaska was in 2005?)

[KruzeKrazy!]

We've done the 10-day Alaska out of SFO on the Grand. We've also done both Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm - had great weather in GB and saw Marjorie Glacier calving and also made it all the way to the face of Sawyer Glacier in Tracy Arm.

 

Typically the Glacier Bay in to out time is longer than that for Tracy Arm. And for a first (and especially if it may be the only) Alaska cruise I'd certainly choose GB.

 

The other itinerary stops have some differences but most all itineraries include the obligatory Victoria plus Ketchikan and Juneau and then one other port which could generally be Skagway, Stika, or Haines.

 

I'd go for the one that meets your available timetable that has Glacier Bay and let the rest be whatever they are. You'll like each for what it is and Glacier Bay will be the highlight of the cruise.

[travelingmom2010]

I've recently booked the 10-day out of SF on July 31st on the Golden. This includes Tracy Arm & Haines. It will be our 2nd Alaska cruise. The first was a 10 night cruise tour north to south that included Glacier Bay, which was stunning. That cruise was mid July and we had fabulous weather every day, including some foggy drizzle in Ketchikan and Skagway.

 

I chose this particular itinerary because (1) we live 30 miles from SF, so I can save on airfare; (2) I don't want to do Glacier Bay again and have a lesser experience than the first time - did I mention it was stunning?; (3) I wanted to go a tiny bit later in the season to increase our chances of bear viewing and whale feeding; and (4) a few days at sea are just what the doctor ordered for winding down.

 

300+ days to go, but who's counting?

[OceanNerd]

Our family did the 10 day out of SF in June 2013. We had fabulous weather in Alaska, which everyone told us was an anomaly. And when I say fabulous, I mean sunshine and 80+ degrees each day. The only day we really even needed jackets was when we visited Mendenhall Glacier.

 

We were on the Grand and had a Caribe Balcony room with 2 adults, DS 13 and DD 11, and we had plenty of room. My parents had an obstructed ocean view room on Emerald Deck and was again very spacious.

 

San Fransisco, on the other hand was an entirely different story. It was COLD! The day we visited the Golden Gate Bridge, it was so cold and windy that our jackets, hoods, and hats were almost lost in the wind. We took a combo tour that went out to the Muir woods (can you say: FABULOUS!!!) in the morning and a city tour in the afternoon, complete with a nudist sighting :eek:.

 

I have to give Kudos to the Embassy Suites where we stayed. It was wonderful and the staff was most helpful.

 

All in all, I don't think you can go wrong with this cruise, either itinerary (ours took us through Tracy Arm) will be breathtaking. Be sure to splurge on a whale watching excursion. The one out of Juneau was one of the highlights of our trip.

 

Have a wonderful trip!!

[KruzeKrazy!]

Let me echo travelingmom2010... we uswd to live in the Bay Area and our son and his wife still do so last year we did the Grand 10-day out of SFO for (a) convenience and (b) the extra sea days.

 

We also opted for the Tracy Arm itinerary as we'd not seen that and had done Glacier Bay (and we agree - it's fabulous!). We were fortunate to get all the way to Sawyer Glacier which we didn't realize at the time how lucky we were.

 

We also had our son and his wife do the BVE which we all loved (other than they had to get off the ship before we sailed...).

 

The cruise was great and we'd certainly repeat it and recommend it!

[lindasuej]

When is the best time to see the Northern lights?

 

Do you miss a lot if you don't do the land portion? We can't do a lot of walking so I thought Denali would be beautifyl to visit but was concerned with the walking.

 

What about the high terrain? Such as in Colorado some people have breathing problems. Is it the same in Alaska?