Help Please - potential first time cruisers

martincath · February 19, 2017

My wife & I are thinking of finishing off our canadian holiday with an 8 day cruise in September (Vancouver to Vancouver via Alaska). We have NEVER cruised before so are completely new to this.
I have been reading various threads and feel completely overwelmed with threads on tipping, drinks packages etc. etc which is completely alien to us.

Can somebody hold our hands and guide us through what we would get for our money (cruise cost), What we would need to pay for (extras), dress codes, drinks packages etc. etc.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

We just don't to be hit with hidden unexpected costs that aren't budgeted for, but want a completely enjoyable experience that we would want to do again

There are no 8 day Round Trip Vancouver cruises in September, so I can't figure out which line(s) you are considering - but RT Vancouver makes it very likely that your options are only Holland America and Norwegian in Sep. Both HAL and NCL offer 7 day RTs that month - and both have somewhat different onboard experiences, general vibe, and policies about tips, fees, dress code etc.

While Alaska tends to reduce the differences between lines in demographics, a really broad-brush over-generalization is that HAL will give you a more traditional cruise experience - afternoon tea, ships that kinda look like what people think cruise ships should look like from movies & TV, more blue-rinses and walkers onboard, set meal times the norm (but flexible dining available), less partying in the evenings. NCL is white ships with very bright and loud hull decor and interior spaces, way more going on late at night, slightly younger crowd, totally flexible dining with zero dress code except Wear Clothes.

Personally we took an NCL cruise for our first ever cruise together and were happy we did - like you it was tagged onto another vacation, so not needing to schlep a tux was a big bonus. The vast array of food & drink options onboard was great, and we found that because of that variety we were able to find a bar to suit whatever mood - whether it was the type or absence of an entertainer or the style of drinks on offer - to get good chat, good entertainment, or just sit quietly with a book or knitting. NCLs beer list is also BY FAR wider than HALs, in case like me you're a Brit who loves a 'real beer' instead of mass-produced yellow swill.

In terms of 'hidden' charges there's no such thing - everything is laid out on the cruiseline websites from daily service charges (and how to dispute them if necessary), to required tips on booze (15% HAL/18% NCL), to extra fee for certain restaurants to excursion costs. The only $ data you need to go elsewhere for is actual drink prices - Search here on CC and you'll find the occasional very helpful person has uploaded pictures of drink lists with prices. In general you'll find it cheaper to drink onboard than in Canadian bars on your land trip.

The only money you HAVE to spend is cruise fare and taxes - which should be detailed upfront. You SHOULD leave the Daily Service Charge in place - this basically pays all the crew. If you choose to not pay the DSC but instead to spend the same $ handing out individual tips to your waiters, cabin steward etc. you're just causing trouble as they all have to hand their tips back into the pool anyway. If you don't pay the DSC and don't tip at all - you're being an informal Richard;-)

If you don't drink booze, don't take cruiseline excursions, and don't tip over & above the DSC what you'll pay will be exactly what's on your invoice plus ~$12pp each day (exact amount varies by cruiseline and class of cabin). If you're hardcore boozers then a prepaid unlimited booze package may save you money, but despite being pretty seasoned boozehounds we've never found them worthwhile on AK cruises as you spend so much time off the ship in port. Unless you have a fancy coffee, a predinner cocktail, multiple wines/beers with dinner and then more post-dinner drinks during the evening EVERY DAY you're better off just paying as you go.

As said, NCL dress code basically = ANY clothes! But even HAL isn't exactly hard to meet unless you WANT to dress up for formal nights. You don't even have to wear a tie, let alone a jacket these days. Smart Casual is plenty good enough to meet the rules even if they're being enforced. NCL will do 'dress up' nights, with more photographers around to take pics if you feel like glamming it up and getting a pic taken. Photos in general are very expensive - the cost of printing the hundreds and hundreds of pics that line the walls of the photo store area during the cruise and go unbought has to be paid for by padding the prices for those who do buy them.

Buying Stuff Onboard and in port - in theory it's all Duty Free onboard so should be cheap, but isn't always that great a deal. All massmarket lines offer all sorts of great-sounding shopping lectures (cunningly disguised as 'port informational lectures' or similar) and giving 'deals' and coupon books. Basically the stores involved are the same tourist traps as in the Caribbean, trying to part you with your money for 'cheap' gold, diamonds, souvenirs. Even if you are Shoppers - shop around yourself, compare prices, and in September be willing to bargain - most of the folks you see running stores are not 'real Alaskans' but seasonal folks who are heading back to the Lower 48 as soon as the last ship leaves. Plenty of sales as the season comes to an end! If you want actual Alaskan souvenirs, look for Made In Alaska stickers.

Excursions - the simplest rule is Never Take Cruiseline Excursions. Since you're new, you don't have loyalty bonuses so it's unlikely you'll ever score a deal with enough 'free' On-Board Credits that you can't use it up on other, better-value things. Cruiseline excursions generally have inflated prices and larger vehicles than independent tours so they are both quantitatively and qualitatively worse. Despite the claims that the ship will never leave without you and that they are guaranteed to be of a certain quality (bunk - cruiseline contracts specifically state that they resell independent tours and there is zero warranty) there is no real value-add to the cruiseline tours except in very specific, rare circumstances (e.g. smallboat tour into Tracy Arm - booked via cruiseline you transfer at sea instead of having to double-up on the distance from the pier in Juneau, so this does save a chunk of time but for many extra $).

Folks above are correct that excursions in Alaska can be very pricey - many involve small boats, planes, helicopters etc. that aren't cheap to operate. Plus, tourist businesses in Alaska have to make their whole annual income during just six months! But you don't HAVE to take pricey excursions - some people seem to forget that AK is much like the rest of North America in that there are public buses, car rentals, museums, art galleries, and many other free.cheap things to do - and ports are often small, so anything 'in town' can be walked to easily. Plus there's an awful lot of scenery and hiking trails that don't cost a penny.

RT Vancouver, if it is a 7 day cruise, you're most likely hitting Juneau/Ketchikan/Skagway - there are tons of posts about things to do in each of these, and even multiple 'what can I do that is cheap/free' prior posts. Searching for the port name and Cheap or Free will bring up many suggestions.

NB: since I can't tell exactly when/where/with whom you're considering cruising, and know nothing about you other than you're Brits, it's hard to offer specific advice as to best things to do - all of the above is very general. best advice I can give you for future CC use is to be as specific as you can with your questions to ensure you get the most relevant answers!

Edited February 19, 2017 by martincath
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OlsSalt · February 19, 2017

All of the above is good advice except the hard and fast rule to never take ship's shore excursions.

We use them almost exclusively and find virtually all of them very good, well planed and trouble free. That convenience of course does come with the extra cost, no question about that. But that works for us since this is our vacation. Though many ports, particularly in Alaska can easily be DIY, or the use of a private tour operator.

Some smaller port options however do get scooped up by the ship contracts first, so there may not be a lot of options or cost savings offered by the remaining private operators. If any. Or time limited options like the White Pass Yukon railway in Skagway may not be available on your own at the last minute, without confirmed pre-planning.

However, ship shore excursions came back to bite us on our last cruise to Bonaire in the Caribbean. Their snorkel tours had an age 70 limit. So we had to arrange something on our own - which worked out just fine and a lot cheaper. So this time we were not allowed to take the ship shore excursions. There are also weight limits on some shore excursion options like for zip lining.

campisfortis · February 20, 2017

I have only been to Alaska once, but I have been on about a dozen cruises. While I have experienced some minor issues, to me, all of them have been enjoyable vacations.

White Railway in Skagway is lots of fun, I do recommend it.

Do not plan to arrive in Vancouver the same day the ship sails. I like to book a hotel with a view of the port, then you can get up early, drink coffee and watch the ship arrive (maybe 7AM).

If you moderate drinkers, you can do okay without a drink package. Ship tap water is fine, standard drinks are around $8 US, there are various happy hours times. Some cruise lines have free soda, others do not. Some ships have self laundry available.

I do not book excursions all all stops, but I do tend to book thru the cruise line. Be aware that the ship will not leave without you if you are on one of their excursions, but they might if you cannot make it back to the ship on time otherwise. Mostly that is not a problem, but you do not want to be the person running down the dock as the ship is leaving.

Alaska weather can vary, and the best defense for that is to bring layers, do not forget waterproof gear.I one time I went to Alaska the weather was good with highs in the 60s (18-19 c.), but Alaska can be stormy and cold.

Cruise Critic is great resource. Do not be discouraged by the occasional nay-sayer. Cruising is a great way to travel, each day you can be in a different place and you only have to pack / unpack once.

Lovely other · February 20, 2017

The OP is a Newbie cruiser who has not a clue about cruising and may actually need to talk to a TA who knows something.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Been there done that ...UK travel agents are next to useless. All they will do is regurgitate what is either on the website or in the brochure. We have very limited choice in TA's just a few chains ....

bluesplayer · February 20, 2017

Bring 2 lanyards.. take your room key to the front desk who will punch your room key. We hang them on the robe hooks and they are never lost.. and you don't need a pocket or a purse to carry them

RMLincoln · February 20, 2017

Welcome to Cruise Critic! Here you can ask questions and read answers to those questions from experienced cruisers, as well as sort through opinions and sometimes not-quite accurate information... but all in all we have found an abundance of help here and I'm sure you will also.

Our first cruise was to Alaska, a return voyage from Vancouver which is called here a "round trip". We booked an inside cabin guarantee which meant that we were guaranteed a room category at least as good as we booked and maybe better... we were assigned an inside room a few categories "better" than the very lowest we booked, but we could have been assigned exactly the category that we booked... it's a bit of a gamble booking a guarantee rate; otherwise you will select your cabin; it's a ship and no cabin location is perfect for all factors so picking a cabin blind might not be the best option... you can ask here for opinions of cabins and you will get pretty quick responses. Be advised that ship windows do not open, so if you want fresh air a balcony cabin is your lowest category that would allow that.

The dress code on Holland America (HAL) is fairly simple: wear what's comfortable during the day including if you have breakfast or lunch in the Main Dining Room (MDR). If you have evening dinner in the MDR gentlemen are expected to wear long pants, not shorts, no sleeveless shirts, and I believe no flip-flop footwear; ladies can wear 3/4 length slacks we call Capris, but not shorts, again I believe no flip-flop footwear. On Gala nights (used to be called formal but that was really a misnomer) gentlemen are asked to wear collared shirts as well as stated above. Ladies have more latitude and most will wear something a bit fancier than the basic most casual attire... maybe a dress (any length will work - short, middle, long) or skirt with blouse. You will see jacket/dress sets, jacket/pants ensembles, many shawl wraps, lots of sparkly tops or jackets or shawls on ladies, but not all will be fancy, so it's very hard to it pin down.

Drink: Almost all alcohol beverages have a charge. There may be a complimentary glass of wine offered or possibly a cocktail at a special event but don't expect it. There will be waiters walking around at times with tray of drinks, but if you take one you will be asked for your room card and the charge will be applied to your bill, including a 15% gratuity charge.

Drink packages usually work best for those want to buy a lot of drinks, up to 15 per day I believe. Whether a drink package is worth it to you, you will have to make an estimate. The drink packages include non-alcoholic beverages that you would otherwise be charged for such as bottled water and non-alcohlic cocktails. I'm not sure how specialty coffees and teas or sodas fit into the drink packages, so if you are interested in those, post more questions, I can't comment.

We drink very little so we will buy our occasional cocktail or glass of wine or bottle of wine "a la carte". I don't think bottles of wine can be part of the drink packages but wine by the glass can be covered under a drinks package. Our experience has been that we would not get value from a drinks package but you will have to check pricing for booking with our without a drinks package.

Our first time to Alaska we decided to limit our expensive excursions to one per each of us: my husband took a Float Trip through the Eagle Preserve near Skagway, whereas in Skagway I purchased a helicopter tour to land on glacier. I purchased my tour at the last minute on the pier through a private tour company, not the cruise ship because the weather was questionable and if I bought the tour through the ship I would have been subject to cancellation fees if I decided I was not comfortable with the weather but the tour went out anyway. I didn't really save money but I gained some peace of mind.

Ship Shore Excursions come with a guarantee that if the tour doesn't make it back to the ship at the scheduled time the ship will either wait for the tour, or under extreme circumstances the cruise line will ensure that you will be taken care of (house and fed and transported) to the ship at the next possible port at the cruise line's cost. The ship shore excursions are usually more expensive than tours you can buy privately, sometimes a lot more expensive, sometimes only minimally more expensive. There are other pros and cons on both sides and we can provide you more information on those if you are interested.

You can purchase a ship tour either before embarkation or on board. If purchased prior to embarkation (e.g., on line) you will pay for it by credit card at that time. When purchased on board the cost will be added to your room account. Both will allow you to cancel, some restrictions and fees will apply depending on how late you cancel.

On our first visit to Juneau we took the local shuttle bus to the Mendenhall Glacier National Parks Service Visitors Center for a nominal fee, paying for the bus with cash and then one pays for entrance to the park if one does not have a US Parks Pass. There is an information center at the pier where you can get tips and maps on what's to see and do while you are in port.

In Ketchikan we walked around the waterfront and to some sights of interest but many passengers will purchase shore excursions to magnificent scenery and memorable cultural or wildlife venues.

The ports in Alaska are small and smaller, but getting to major sights may take a shuttle bus, a boat, a flight-seeing plane or a helicopter! But they are quaint towns and do have interesting offerings for those on foot.

Others here have tried to give you a view of on board costs.... specialty dining, casino play, spa treatments, photos taken of you or of scenery by the ship's photographers, alcoholic drinks, fancy non-alcoholic drinks, fancy coffee drinks, "better" teas ( which is very personal and if it's very important to you, you might decide to bring your favorite tea bags), special classes such as some more personalized cooking classes, yoga classes, etc, etc etc.

But for a first time cruiser, based on my memories of our first cruise, I think you will have all your basics covered by your cruise booking cost and will find so much food, standard beverages of tap water, coffee, tea (hot and iced), entertainment, magnificent scenery and other "doings" to keep you busy for little or no extra on board costs, other than the $13.50 per day per person Hotel Service Charge which may or may not be included in your UK booking rate, I don't know how it's done in your country. Usual advice to first time cruisers is to not try to do it all, it can be exhausting and overwhelming.

We are here to help you with your additional questions as they come up. Happy planning, m--

RMLincoln · February 20, 2017