Please help me choose....

[jensue1]

I'm trying to decide which Alaskan cruise to book for next July. We are flying from New Zealand so cam fly direct into either San Francisco or Vancouver. The cruises I'm deciding between are:

Celebrity millennium July 8, out of Vancouver.

Celebrity infinity, July 10, Alaskan Hubbard glacier cruise out if Vancouver.

Celebrity solstice, July 15, Tracy arm fjord out of Seattle.

Grand princess, July 10, out of San Francisco.

 

I would love any advice from more experienced cruisers.

[bonvoyagie]

What are your preferences? It appears that you like CEL for a cruise line - but are considering Princess because of the SFO departure.

 

All of these cruises visit Tracy Arm - check to make sure that the add on small boat tour is available for your cruise - IMHO this is a must do for Tracy Arm.

 

Take a look at http://www.cruiseportinsider.com and learn more about the ports and what you can do in them. If something strikes your fancy in a particular port - make sure that your ship is in port long enough to enjoy it.

 

The SFO departure only adds a few sea days to your trip - they are also all open ocean.

 

The Vancouver sailings will have the smoothest sailing.

 

You might want to consider Glacier Bay - only Princess, NCL, and HAL are permitted so you would have to choose one of those lines. FYI not all Princess ships visit GB.

 

Good luck in your planning.

[Budget Queen]

These are all very different cruises. First they leave from different places. So, FIND out about each of these areas, and determine- if YOU have a preference of where you want to start.

 

Are you interested in mainland touring? You have chosen a One way with the Millennium- which I would recommend adding at least another week for mainland touring. Have you any interest there?

 

So back up and get the basics- if you haven't already. If you are truly open to all these, and seeing the "most" of Alaska- then a one way is the answer.

[donaldsc]

I'm trying to decide which Alaskan cruise to book for next July. We are flying from New Zealand so cam fly direct into either San Francisco or Vancouver. The cruises I'm deciding between are:

Celebrity millennium July 8, out of Vancouver.

Celebrity infinity, July 10, Alaskan Hubbard glacier cruise out if Vancouver.

Celebrity solstice, July 15, Tracy arm fjord out of Seattle.

Grand princess, July 10, out of San Francisco.

 

I would love any advice from more experienced cruisers.

 

I would want to get to the interesting bits (Alaska) as soon as possible and not waste time getting there. Based on this logic, I would definitely eliminate the Grand. Also, you spend more time in the outside passage if you cruise out of Seattle which is less scenic than the inside passage so this will eliminate the Solstice.

 

Between the Millenium and the Infinity, I would base it on itinerary. If this is your first trip to AK, try to find a cruise that goes to Glacier Bay.

 

One other thought. You are obviously spending a lot of money flying in from New Zealand. Have you thought about a one way cruise and spending some time on a land trip (hopefully DIY) in Alaska. That is what I would do if I were in your situation.

 

DON

[jensue1]

Thanks so much for the replies. I can see I have some more research to do. I have limited mobility so a bit unsure of adding a land trip in Alaska?

[jensue1]

I really have no preference of cruiseline so any suggestion is welcomed. I will look for a cruise that includes Glacier Bay. Thanks again.

[Nancyquilts]

The advantage of Vancouver as a starting or stopping port is that ships from there generally go between Vancouver Island and the mainland. This is more scenic, and calmer, than the open seas of San Francisco and Seattle cruises.