Alaska - First Time Cruisers! HELP! :)

[newcruzer]

We are planning a July cruise to Alaska (yes, we are late in the game) but think this would be a really cool first time cruise for us. However, we are spoiled and prefer larger cabins (suites), and higher end dining, accommodations, etc. Traveling alone, no kids. Not too interested in shows on board. Casino would be nice, nice bars, gym, and good shore excursions.

 

Any suggestions for a 7 night cruise, Anchorage to Vancouver or YVR to Anchorage? We are looking at the Denali tour before or after the cruise, etc.

 

Are there any cruises that have rail cars or private tours to Denali? We prefer not to be on a bus for 4 or 6 hours. (yikes!)

 

Lastly, what is the best area to cruise in Alaska? I have read the inside passage / Glacier Bay?

 

I've been researching online, but can't find all the info we are looking for.

 

Any advice is appreciated.

[Essiesmom]

I'm really confused. You have been amember since 2004. Your post history shows you were going to take a cruise to the Bahamas in 2008 on Majesty of the Seas, and in 2004 you had questions about Serenade of the Seas, and Paul Gauguin. Did you never take those cruises? You say you prefer suites, high end dining, etc. If this is your first cruise, how would you know? But you start out with this being your first cruise?

 

To get back to Alaska, if you want train included in your package you have to sail HAL or Princess. If it your first time to Alaska, you should include a cruise that goes into Glacier Bay. So that also would be HAL or Princess, with the addition of NCL. You might get the high end accommodations in the Haven area on NCL, but not the train, and I don't know if they offer Denali packages. There are luxury lines that do Alaska, but most don't do Glacier Bay and don't have train packages to Denali.

So, you need to get your act/thoughts together and decide what is most important to you, and then go looking for a line/ship.

 

In the meantime, visit the Ports of Call board here for Alaska. EM

[newcruzer]

Wow.....thanks, I think??? Reading your reply to my post, I feel I have now been chastised for asking a question, which is what these boards are for, right?

 

I am sorry, if I joined this forum a LONG time ago, as we were in fact, at that time, considering a cruise on the Paul Gaugin, which, WE did NOT take and again in 2008, to the Bahamas, which WE did NOT take, instead choosing to fly to different cities in Asia and Europe respectively.

 

So YES, it is our FIRST CRUISE.

 

I did not realize that posting a question on these boards and NOT taking the cruise would get me chastised like a child.

 

As for as for me needing to "get my act together" I appreciate your kind thoughts and will consider that before ever posting anything here again. If all cruisers are like you, I think we will definitely not like cruising.

 

I do, however, appreciate your insight into including Glacier Bay.

[Robinsoncruiseso]

Hi Newcruzer, We are taking our first cruise to Alaska this May. I wanted a land tour but nothing the cruise line offered was what I really wanted. So I planned my own. We are taking the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks. It does stop in Denali and you can get off there. We chose not to as we live in Washington State and we are only a few hours via air to Anchorage and felt we could visit Denali another time. My bucket list was a visit to the Arctic Circle. Anyway, we booked the Dome car on the train. It includes meals and is supposed to be really nice. You can book the lodges at the park independently, but don't wait too long.

 

For what its worth, we cruise Princess and enjoy the style of cruising. I am 49 and DH is 60. We enjoy the dancing, shows, food and entertainment. We do not stay in suites, but I hear they are very nice. You will also get Glacier Bay.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

[newcruzer]

Hi Newcruzer, We are taking our first cruise to Alaska this May. I wanted a land tour but nothing the cruise line offered was what I really wanted. So I planned my own. We are taking the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks. It does stop in Denali and you can get off there. We chose not to as we live in Washington State and we are only a few hours via air to Anchorage and felt we could visit Denali another time. My bucket list was a visit to the Arctic Circle. Anyway, we booked the Dome car on the train. It includes meals and is supposed to be really nice. You can book the lodges at the park independently, but don't wait too long.

 

For what its worth, we cruise Princess and enjoy the style of cruising. I am 49 and DH is 60. We enjoy the dancing, shows, food and entertainment. We do not stay in suites, but I hear they are very nice. You will also get Glacier Bay.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

 

Thank you Robinsoncruiseso, for your informative reply. We have also looked into returning to YVR and flying into Denali. All good options.

 

So many options and trying to book this last minute is the challenge. This happens every time and why we have never taken a cruise... :eek:

[easyboy]

We took Princess for our Alaska tour of the Glacier Bay. No regrets. Suggest you check out Princess' Denali Cruise Tour. Have fun!

[Roz]

I will not chastise you for not having taken previous cruises.

 

To do a land/sea tour of Alaska, and considering this is your first time, I recommend Princess or Holland America. Let someone else handle the headache of arranging all the logistics. Enjoy Alaska regardless of the option you choose.

 

Roz

[newcruzer]

Thank you Roz and Easyboy! Appreciate not being chastised, LOL

 

Waiting for travel agent to give us options and see what we decide upon.

[gingersvp]

Hi Newcruzer, We are taking our first cruise to Alaska this May. I wanted a land tour but nothing the cruise line offered was what I really wanted. So I planned my own. We are taking the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks. It does stop in Denali and you can get off there. We chose not to as we live in Washington State and we are only a few hours via air to Anchorage and felt we could visit Denali another time. My bucket list was a visit to the Arctic Circle. Anyway, we booked the Dome car on the train. It includes meals and is supposed to be really nice. You can book the lodges at the park independently, but don't wait too long.

 

For what its worth, we cruise Princess and enjoy the style of cruising. I am 49 and DH is 60. We enjoy the dancing, shows, food and entertainment. We do not stay in suites, but I hear they are very nice. You will also get Glacier Bay.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy!

 

The Dome car is awesome. My experience was that it got warm, so make sure you have a lightweight layer on the bottom for just in case.

[GottaKnowWhen]

...first time cruise for us. However, we are spoiled and prefer larger cabins (suites), and higher end dining, accommodations, etc...Any suggestions for a 7 night cruise, Anchorage to Vancouver or YVR to Anchorage? We are looking at the Denali tour before or after the cruise, etc. Are there any cruises that have rail cars or private tours to Denali? We prefer not to be on a bus for 4 or 6 hours. (yikes!)...Any advice is appreciated.

 

 

How do you know you prefer suites etc? I suggest you try a range of accommodation before you settle on your preferred choice. This is particularly important for an Alaska cruise as there you will spend more time on deck and less time in your cabin. Whatever.

 

 

But note that Denali is not a point destination, it is a huge National Park in the vicinity of a huge mountain. One road goes into the park. With few exceptions that are not relevant here, no private vehicle goes into the park on that one road. If you want to go into Denali, you take a bus. You do have options for how to get to the park entrance, and Gold Star service on Alaska Rail is a quite nice way to travel. Cruise lines have their own means of getting you there and back. But Alaska is a big state, Denali is not on the coast, and you will need to spend significant time on a bus or train or rental car to get to the point where you will spend time on a bus to go into Denali for 4-12 hours. Or you can do what we did and make reservations to go into Denali for several days. E.g. you could try to get camping reservations at the Mirror Lake campground. Suggest you do some web searches to find out more about Alaska and decide what you want to see/do. Alaska is heavily tourist oriented and has several good websites with information and links to providers.

[newcruzer]

How do you know you prefer suites etc? I suggest you try a range of accommodation before you settle on your preferred choice. This is particularly important for an Alaska cruise as there you will spend more time on deck and less time in your cabin. Whatever..

 

GottaKnowWhen: Thanks for the info re: Denali, very helpful. As for your question as to how I know I prefer suites... and your "whatever" at the end... REALLY? I stated that we are very spoiled. When we travel, we generally reserve, suites, villas, etc. at hotels and resorts. A standard hotel room is 325sf. Cabins on cruise ships from what I can tell are tiny and just knowing our preferences, I know we will feel cramped in anything under 325sf. It is our thought, that is all. I would hate to get on a ship and not like the cabin. This may not be important to some, but it is to us. Not sure why this is an issue to people on this board??? Whatever...LOL :o

[Chairsin]

Why don't you look at Seabourn. It is all inclusive and all suite. No charge for your alcohol, no tipping and dine when you want with whom you want. Best of all with only 450 passengers is Seabourn's wonderful personalized service. And to make the Alaska experience special they have spent two years building a special expedition team to provide unique experiences not available on the conventional big ships.

 

 

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[newcruzer]

Thank you, Chairsin, we are looking at Regent, Seabourn and Princess, possibly Celebrity. If not, we don't go and try somewhere else, which is what usually happens... LOL

[CorgiToo]

We loved our Celebrity trip last May including a land tour and Aqua Class accommodations on Millennium. We flew into Fairbanks and toured the area before boarding a private car for breakfast on a train to Denali Park. After two nights there, we took a lunch train to a lodge in Talkeetna. We had dinner on the train to a hotel in Anchorage, and finally took a picturesque bus ride to Seward to board the ship the next afternoon. We made friends on the land tour that we met for cocktails/dinner on the ship. Blu restaurant was great for breakfast and dinner, and the shore excursions were very scenic.

[newcruzer]

Thanks CorgiToo, that sounds like a good option

[anniesusie]

My advice is look at the lines you are considering and then look at the cabins. There is actually some fun in making a small room work unlike a hotel. If you know you want the suite, man go for it. You will love being pampered by a butler it sounds like. We spent an enormous time on our balcony as the scenery is amazeballs and it stays light so late. The other thing we wish we did ( inside passage, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Seward) is spend more time traveling through the small towns in Alaska. The train is so great. We had friends that rented a car and went up through the Yukon. If you are in Seward on July 4, the Mountain Marathon is famous and is something very Alaskan to see.

 

 

Last piece of advice. Sounds like you need some former first time cruisers to lead the way, so we are volunteering ourselves for you to take us with you... :cool: we would like an adjoining suite. :confused: