First Cruise /Alaska

[homesinct]

Good Day,

 

I am planning a cruise...2006.....My first...My wife would like to go to Alaska. I have one child, will be 6 years old at that time.

 

questions...

 

1) What is the best /most economical way to house two adults and one 6 year old in a romm on cruise

 

2) What is the best option in cruise lines /boats for children cruising the Alaskan area.

 

3) Options for handicapped accessability on most boats?? My wife will have an electric scooter.

 

4) Small boat or larger boat for Alaska...

 

All Help appreciated.

[lel5344]

I have only been on one Alaskan Cruise, so I'm not the best resource, but here are my humble observations.

 

1) What is the best /most economical way to house two adults and one 6 year old in a romm on cruise

 

All the mass market cruise lines have cabins that will accommodate 2 adults and a 6 year old.

 

2) What is the best option in cruise lines /boats for children cruising the Alaskan area.

 

All the mass market cruise lines have excellent children's programs

 

3) Options for handicapped accessability on most boats?? My wife will have an electric scooter.

 

General rule: the newer the ship, the better the accessability

 

4) Small boat or larger boat for Alaska...

 

Small boat will get you places that a large ship can't get to, but will have limited resources for kids and limited accessability.

 

For a first cruise, it's hard to go wrong with Carnival or NCL or Royal Caribbean or Princess. They should be very competitively priced and they all offer 7 day inside passage cruises out of Seattle and/or Vancouver. Get brochures from a Travel Agent, do some online research, go the respective forums for the various lines, get the Berlitz or Stern or Frommer book from the Library, etc.

 

Bring a digital camera with a telephoto lens, binoculars, rain gear (it WILL rain) and clothing that can be layered (it could be 80, it could be 50).

 

And have fun. We're going to do it again (after we've seen all the other places we have never seen...) sometime.

[cruisevers]

We have only been to Alaska once and that was on the Carnival Spirit. It was a great trip and you will truly enjoy it. I will try to give you some suggestions and I am sure others will give you more. Also try posting under the Alaska destination board.

 

Most of the cruise ships have hadicap accessible rooms available and you can get cabins that accomodate 3 people. The least expensive rooms are inside but on an Alaskan cruise I would suggest you get at least an oceanview if not a balcony because you will be cruising close to land most of the trip and there is so much to see! Book as early as you can and watch if prices go down then call your agent to get your fare reduced if you can. If you are prior military try to get a military discount. Also if you cruise in May or September it is usually cheaper because this is the beginning and end of the season for Alaska.

 

Small ship can get closer to things than the big ones but generally have more things to do on a big ship.

 

Read these boards and you will learn a lot!

[wanda1213]

My husband and I went to Alaska last year. It was beautiful You will love it. We took Celebrity. IT was a wonderful ship, but not really for a 6 year old. Friends of ours went on Royal Carribean and loved it with two kids ages 6 and 8. They enjoyed the childrens programs for that ship. I have booked a cruise with them and are taking my kids in September. I will let you know how great it is when we get back. Enjoy Alaska. My only regret is it was only 7 days. You need much more to enjoy such beautiful land.

[BuckGuy]

Royal Carribean and Carnival will cater pretty well to your child.

 

Both have handicap accomodations. Advise your travel agent.

 

If I want to save a few pennies, I will book interior cabins EXCEPT for Alaska and Panama Canal. Carnival Spirt (which I wholeheartedly recommend) is 80% oceaniview/balcony. If you book an oceanview/balcony, make sure it is not an obstructed view (lifeboat hanging outside your window.)

 

So.....your travel agent will help you with all this. Because of your child, I would go with Royal Carribean or Canival. For me, Norwegian is too hang-loose and casual.

 

And I would make sure you book a northbound or southbound cruise (which include Anchorage area as opposed to Vancouver roundtrip.)

 

Alaska for your first time. Wow. It will be a fantastic, breathtaking experience.

[hotmike98]

Not the cheapest, but the big Princess ships have great accommodations for family of 3 in the min-suite group, which also gives you a nice balcony for viewing the spectacular scenery. we were not in a handicap room, and the bath was a step up. Can your wife manage without scooter just in the room? Saw lots of people with scooter and wheelchairs on board the Sapphire just last week. As stated above, newer ships are better built for those with physical challenges. Have a wonderful trip!

[phabric]

Once you have decided on which cruise, make a deposit and book AS SOON AS POSSIBLE as the ships only have so many handicap rooms.

[CaptData]

Hello, I'm disabled. Do go on a newer ship for your wife's sake. I suggest Princess either Saphire, Diamond or Island Princess. For RCCL Radiance Class. For Celebrity Milli class. Yes, these are bigger and newer but if you go on the smaller ships which are older you will run into some problems with the scooter. For Hal the Zui or Zaandam.

 

Please, book a H/C room and tell them you need it for three. You will have to book now for next year or you will not get an H/C which you need (they can refuse you if you are not in an H/C and have a big scooter). If your TA says they have an upgrade for you ask if it is to another H/C cabin if not say no upgrades, please (they are not up-grades for you).

 

When you do board check you Dining Room Assignment and make sure your wife can get in and out without a problem. The Mait'd will aid you in this the first day between 1-2 pm or so. I have had to change a table because they had me in the back and I could not get there.

 

Alaska is lovely. However, there is at least one tender port so bring a manual wheelchair for your wife. This is safer and easier to deal with for tenders. The shiplines will not allow you their's so you must bring your own or rent one from Care Vactions or Scoot-Around. Ask for an Ultra light.

[mii]

Also spend some time on the Ports of Call board for Alaska. There is a wealth of info there. You may have to go back a number of pages becuase next month is the final mo for sailings of Alaska, so go back to maybe this last April. I know it is alot of work but there is alot of valuable info on that board.

 

Marilyn

[CaribbeanBound]

Here is a complete and very detailed review of our Alaska cruise. Lots of attention was given to traveling on a budget.

 

http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/alaska.html