summer 2017 Alaska north to south or south to north - differences?

[Kellie in Texas]

Looking at the Radiance for next summer from Seward to Vancouver, or vice versa. Any pros or cons as far as which direction to book? We would not have enough time to book extra land tours, so just one night pre-cruise and one night post-cruise. We'd also be flying in from central Texas, so will need to consider airfare too.

 

Other than the bottom-line $$$, is there anything else I should consider?

[Clarea]

I would prefer to get the longer flight out of the way first and travel south to Vancouver.

[Computer Nerd]

i prefer to do what i did last year and just take a northbound/southbound 14 night cruise. 2 weeks on a ship is great and i got to hit the two ports we missed due to weather on the northbound leg.

[Kellie in Texas]

@Bob, that's a good point about the flights.

 

@ComputerNerd, well, yes, I would also "prefer" to do a B2B :D Unfortunately, it's not in the budget.

[cot427]

Not sure what glaciers Radiance sees, but I am booked on Celebrity Millennium northbound at the end of next May. I have read that on the northbound trips, you see Hubbard Glacier in the morning - cooler, sometimes foggier. On southbound trips, you see in the afternoon, so it would be warmer and less of a chance of fog.

[steveru621]

We have done 2 Southbound from Seward on RCI, Radiance.

 

Chose southbound because we wanted to do our land tour(s) to Denali first. Plus as Bob posted, you get the 4 hour flight from Seattle to ANC out of the way.

 

If I could make a suggestion on timing. Since you are planning on a day before and a day after, try 2 days in Alaska. Southbound, then spend the day exploring Vancouver, take the red eye home. Vancouver is very expensive.

 

Second alternative, RCI Radiance cruises run Friday to Friday. Arrive in Vancouver Thursday, Northbound, then spend Friday and Saturday in Alaska. Fly out of ANC on Sunday.

 

A great cruise either way, but try to spend more time in Alaska.

[KBD1516]

Consider the time differences as well.

 

Alaska is 3 hours earlier than Texas. So consider your body time going both ways and think about you own preferences. Do you get up early or late? Is it easier to make up the time difference when you get home or would you rather be on ship time quicker on the way north.

 

We went to,Alaska from Florida without thinking about the time differences. (4 hours). We missed most evening activities on board because our bodies wanted to sleep. But we were up early every morning to see the scenery!

[Computer Nerd]

@Bob, that's a good point about the flights.

 

@ComputerNerd, well, yes, I would also "prefer" to do a B2B :D Unfortunately, it's not in the budget.

 

all i'm saying is run the numbers. the cost of a 14 night on ncl was less than the cost of a 7 night, the train ride to anchorage, and then the cost of the flight back to vancouver. cost of the 14 night in an oceanview was 1099. cost of the northbound only with the train ride and flight would have been 1250. and i got an extra 7 nights on a ship. :)