Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda.....What would you do different?

[travelin_nat]

Our round trip from Seattle hit Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway plus Tracy Arm. Sorry you only got two--which port did you not get to?

 

 

We didn't get Ketchikan. We got Victoria, B.C., which was lovely.

[JVilleGal]

We did 3 plus Victoria and Glacier Bay.... The sail out of Seattle thru the San Juan islands was glorious!

[g35girl]

We just returned Sunday from our first Alaska cruise RT from Seattle. We visited Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan and Victoria BC. We didn't book any excursions; instead we rented cars in Juneau and Skagway and explored the area on our own. I wouldn't do it any other way!! Those who say they didn't like Skagway, didn't see a fraction of what the area has to offer! And there are no words or pictures to describe Glacier Bay...truly spectacular!

 

I have only 2 woulda, coulda, shouldas....

1. I woulda gotten off the ship earlier in Ketchikan and spent more time exploring the area. I probably shoulda rented a car there as well

2. I shoulda gotten off the ship in Victoria, but at that point we were exhausted and just wanted a quite evening on the ship.

 

Oh well, that's what the next trip is for :D

[5waldos]

Two things I would have done differently (than my second trip)- one was to make sure they had a decent naturalist on board and the second would be to be certain that the ship sailed to the east side of Vancouver Island- that was a stunning bit of scenery. And don't just take the word of the cruise line- we were assured we were sailing the inside passage. Apparently that is interpreted in different ways. We sailed to the outside of the island and I was greatly disappointed.

[sherryf]

Disappointed? No. But you only really get 2 Alaska ports RT out of Seattle. Leaves you wanting more. 😀

 

We have always gotten 3 Alaskan ports, plus Victoria, on our cruises out of Seattle on Princess. I know HAL is the same.

 

As for me, I just keep going back every year to do the things I missed. Eventually I'll do everything on my bucket list. This year - Misty Fjords with Island Wings. Maybe next year I'll finally do dog sledding on a glacier...

[travelin_nat]

We have always gotten 3 Alaskan ports, plus Victoria, on our cruises out of Seattle on Princess. I know HAL is the same.

 

 

 

As for me, I just keep going back every year to do the things I missed. Eventually I'll do everything on my bucket list. This year - Misty Fjords with Island Wings. Maybe next year I'll finally do dog sledding on a glacier...

 

 

Perhaps it's just Royal that only makes two stops. Just checked the itinerary and they are still doing it that way.

 

We are looking forward to the one-way next month.

[Illyria]

I did Alaska cruisetour with Princess last time, and also one of my shore excursions was booked through Princess (because it was so late in the season, none of the private tours were available). Now I remember why I usually avoid ship tours - not that there was anything wrong with the guide or the tour itself, but having to deal with 40+ people on a bus...taking forever to get off at every stop...someone is always late getting back on...just so much wasted time.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Illyria

[Budget Queen]

Disappointed? No. But you only really get 2 Alaska ports RT out of Seattle. Leaves you wanting more. 😀

 

Not true, most round trip Seattle have 3 ports and a glacier sailing.

[Lois R]

I just returned from sailing out of Seattle and we definitely stopped

at 3 ports:D...actually 3.5.......

Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and an evening in Victoria;)

[Budget Queen]

My first trip, was supposed to be the "only" as well. :) I have now returned over 50 times. Today- just off the Legend, for my second "perfect weather" trip.

A factor I see over and over- are the " no tour people". Be CERTAIN, this is the right choice for you- for those selecting this direction, and not because of someone else's choice. Split up in this case. I'm a firm advocate of never skimping in this department, as for me, the touring is half my trip. :) Yesterday- I heard several regrets at the repeater party.

Edited May 26, 2015 by Budget Queen

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey Budget Queen, was thinkin about ya last week. Did you have a good time?:rolleyes:

[Putterdude]

Of all the things that I have done or didn't do I really wish I hadn't thrown out 12 years ago all the slide photos (remember them) that I took in Alaska while crewing in 1963.

[lovetotraveltx]

We just returned Sunday from our first Alaska cruise RT from Seattle. We visited Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan and Victoria BC. We didn't book any excursions; instead we rented cars in Juneau and Skagway and explored the area on our own. I wouldn't do it any other way!! Those who say they didn't like Skagway, didn't see a fraction of what the area has to offer! And there are no words or pictures to describe Glacier Bay...truly spectacular!

 

I have only 2 woulda, coulda, shouldas....

1. I woulda gotten off the ship earlier in Ketchikan and spent more time exploring the area. I probably shoulda rented a car there as well

2. I shoulda gotten off the ship in Victoria, but at that point we were exhausted and just wanted a quite evening on the ship.

 

Oh well, that's what the next trip is for :D

 

We are renting a car in Juneau as well on our June trips! What were the highlights for you?

[g35girl]

We are renting a car in Juneau as well on our June trips! What were the highlights for you?

 

Definitely Shrine of St. Therese and Mendenhall Glacier. Given that our ship didn't dock until 2pm and it was almost 3pm by the time we got to Avis, we first went to the Shrine to avoid the crowds at Mendenhall. It worked out perfectly! By the time we got to the Glacier, the crowds were gone, and we almost had the entire park to ourselves.

[Shooshoo]

We leave on the 7th of June out of Seattle. We hit, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria. Really excited!!! Been twice before and each time we went out of Whittier and ended up in Vancouver. The process of getting through the Airport in Vancouver is horrible. So many check points to go through. Don't think I would want to go back through Vancouver again. So glad to see someone make a comment about going past San Juan Islands out of Seattle. Really looking forward to that. We are going to eat our dinner on the balcony just so we don't miss anything going past the Islands.

[Putterdude]

We leave on the 7th of June out of Seattle. We hit, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, and Victoria. Really excited!!! Been twice before and each time we went out of Whittier and ended up in Vancouver. The process of getting through the Airport in Vancouver is horrible. So many check points to go through. Don't think I would want to go back through Vancouver again. So glad to see someone make a comment about going past San Juan Islands out of Seattle. Really looking forward to that. We are going to eat our dinner on the balcony just so we don't miss anything going past the Islands.

 

I have no idea what airports you are used of but Vancouver's is rated the highest in North America and in the top 10 in the world. The only extra check point you have in YVR that you don't have in the US is having to clear US customs (CBP) in YVR but if you weren't doing your CBP clearance at YVR you would be lined up doing it at your first airport of arrival in the US.

 

http://www.vancouversun.com/rated+airport+North+America+ninth+world/9669635/story.html

[Shooshoo]

Didn't mean to step on your toes, but we have been through the Vancouver airport twice coming home from an Alaskan cruise and both times were nightmares. We were traveling in a large group each time and all agree that it was not pleasant. No offense to Vancouver... it was just the experiences we had. Sorry...

[coco33]

Two things come to mind. Should not have packed so much, and should have flown to Seattle and taken the train to Vancouver, would have saved so much money and time. But this is my first time going to that side of the world. Loved Vancouver though, beautiful city.

[Putterdude]

Didn't mean to step on your toes, but we have been through the Vancouver airport twice coming home from an Alaskan cruise and both times were nightmares. We were traveling in a large group each time and all agree that it was not pleasant. No offense to Vancouver... it was just the experiences we had. Sorry...

 

No offence taken and I have no doubt that this was you honest experience. I am the first to admit that you are no better than your last at bat, however your remarks about to many checks were a little off base. Your CBP provide pre-clearance at YVR and unfortunately they don't always provide enough manpower to clear people on a timely basis but that certainly is not the fault of YVR or Canada that is your Dept. of Homeland Security's doing. As I said I have no idea of how many international airports you have passed thru but I have flown out of a number where the lines have been horrendous. LAS after a major convention, FLL on a weekend when 11 ships are in port or LHR when a lot of aircraft arrive....YVR is a piece of cake by comparison. I will say that in the last couple of years with the passport scanners installed by YVR have improved things dramatically. I would hope that you would try Vancouver again as your experience is not the norm. Here are the reviews of a number of people which don't quite mirror your experience.

 

http://www.yelp.ca/biz/vancouver-international-airport-richmond

[Shooshoo]

Vancouver was a beautiful city, what I saw of it. Bad experiences usually deter me from doing the same thing again. But upon your recommendation, I feel confident to book it again, should the occasion arise.

[Shooshoo]

PUTTERDUDE

See that you cruise a lot. Maybe someday our paths will cross. We usually cruise at least once a year... sometimes twice. This year is twice. We went out of New Orleans on Royal Caribbean in March and then we will do Alaska week after next. We have booked a cruise out of Port Canaveral on the Carnival Sunshine for March 2016. Always love cruising. Hate to fly, but love cruising. That is why we go out of New Orleans a lot. We can drive there. But we have done most all the ports that they offer from cruise ships going out of New Orleans. So I guess if I want to see new ports (and I do) I will have to fly. We have gone out of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Port Canaveral before. I am trying my best to venture out a little more and see new places and meet new people.

[srlafleur]

Our first (and so far only) cruise in Alaska was about 8 years ago, in May. There is nothing really I would have done differently, though there are things we WILL be doing differently on our next one, so that it's not just a rerun. We enjoyed everything we did, including the whale watch in Juneau, train ride from Skagway, and jeep/canoe excursion in Ketchikan. We sailed Princess from Vancouver to Whittier, then transferred to Anchorage for an overnight and took the train to Talkeetna/Denali for a couple of days at Princess Lodge. I arranged a fishing excursion for one of those days for my hubby, which he loved. We took the train back to Anchorage, stayed overnight again, and flew out at the butt-crack of dawn the next day.

 

On our upcoming (June 2016) cruise we are sailing southbound a month later, on a different cruise line (NCL) departing from Seward. We are planning on spending time in Fairbanks this time, may or may not visit Denali at all. I'm still sketchy on the actual plans - there are frequent flights from Fairbanks to Anchorage that are much cheaper than the train (not to mention faster!) We'll likely rent a car for our time in Fairbanks so we can explore.

 

There are, obviously differences between our first Alaska cruise and the next one, but it's not that we regret not having done certain things, so much as there's so much more to see and do!

 

Oh, and we did love Vancouver!

Edited May 28, 2015 by srlafleur

[Greysandy]

We went on our first cruise, which was to Alaska, 5 years ago. We did the land tour first then the cruise. We enjoyed it at the time but after going on a few more cruises, we have perfected how we like to enjoy them.

 

We did all the ship's excursions on that trip, which we rarely do anymore. Now I research each port on TripAdvisor and review the things to do, tour options and choose from there. All have been great. As someone else mentioned, we also do all of the "active" tours such as a bike ride. You get to see great scenery and experience much more in addition to the sights. There is nothing more draining than hours on a bus with 50 other people. Because of that, then we didn't really spend all the time in port, and went back to the ship. Now we maximize every minute in port, doing a tour and then having several back up plans for places to visit close to the ship based on how we feel.

 

Don't travel with a best friend from high school (25 years ago), who argues with her alcoholic boyfriend constantly, especially if you are a social drinker on vacation. My husband will never let me live that one down.:o

 

After our land tour and cruise, we enjoyed the cruise portion 10 times more than the land and will never do that part again. In a month will be doing the 2 week Seattle round trip cruise that goes to some different ports. We have spent a lot of time in Rocky Mtn National Park in Colorado, so the interior of Alaska was boring to us. We are also spending 4 days in Seattle prior and 5 days in Olympic National Park to see the waterfall trail after the cruise. We have lots of time because we are both teachers as our second careers.

 

I also would take every opportunity to eat great seafood off the ship. Although they try to theme it around Alaska, the cruise food is just well, cruise food. We sail with HAL and are generally satisfied with the food, but it's not high end restaurant quality unless you eat at the Pinnacle all the time.

[xlxo]

I also would take every opportunity to eat great seafood off the ship. Although they try to theme it around Alaska, the cruise food is just well, cruise food. We sail with HAL and are generally satisfied with the food, but it's not high end restaurant quality unless you eat at the Pinnacle all the time.

I think that's a great idea. For those in coming through Vancouver....

• look for sushi restaurants
  
• check out the "live" crabs instead of the frozen stuff served elsewhere. Make reservations for the 6 to 10 of you...
  http://www.followmefoodie.com/2014/04/dynasty-seafood-restaurant-alaskan-king-crab-dinner-vancouver/
  

Edited May 30, 2015 by xlxo