Looking for help with Alaska

[dinibo]

Just some quick back story, my husband and I are both in our early 40's and have never been on a cruise before. Due to a kind of weird situation with my work we are going to be in the position to have free airfare anywhere in the pacific NW area the last week of August 2018 so we thought we would take advantage of this and take a once in a lifetime Alaskan cruise. I've been researching and researching trying to figure this whole thing out without breaking our bank and feel more confused than ever.

 

Our travel agent friend is really trying to sell us on the round trip from Seattle on Norwegian Bliss but looking at the itinerary I'm concerned by the locations and very short times in port. On the other hand this is a brand new ship and in many ways seems far preferable to anything else in our price range or dates.

 

The only other option that works for us on Norwegian would be southbound on the Sun which I think has far better ports/times but the reviews are not very flattering and make me think we will be pretty disappointed in the ship itself. Then again does this matter too much? Is it really that bad? We are not big party/drinkers and I don't think we would have much patience for bad Broadway shows. Will we get overly bored on the Sun? Our main interest in Alaska is seeing nature and wildlife and just having a nice relaxing time. We also will have to have an interior or ocean view no matter what ship we select if you think this would impact your choice.

 

A couple of other non Norwegian options we have just to throw out there are the Star Princess, the Ms. Nieuw Amsterdam or the Celebrity Millennium btw if anyone is familiar with those.

 

Anyone out there have any thoughts or suggestions which might be able to help us? I really appreciate anything you might have to help us make our choice! Thanks!

[thinfool]

Star Princess offers one-way north or southbound cruises out of Vancouver.

Nieuw Amsterdam offers round trip cruises out of Vancouver.

Bliss offers round trip cruises out of Seattle.

 

Recommend the Nieuw Amsterdam.

1. Itinerary includes Glacier Bay....many feel it is a must for a first time Alaska cruise.

2. The sailing stays within more of the Inside Passage than the Bliss. The Bliss Itinerary includes 2 days sailing in open seas where you can see nothing but ocean.

3. Your description shows a preference for a round trip, the Star Princess doesn't fit this parameter.

 

Finally, I am definitely not a fan of the megaship experience.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I LOVE cruising Alaska. I'll be going on my fourth Alaska cruise in 51 days. :)

 

First of all, I couldn't care less what ship I'm on. It's all about times in port for me. I look for the longest possible time in port and what the glacier sailing day(s) is. I prefer either Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm. I prefer to do a one-way rather than Seattle round trip, but if all I have is a week, then round-trip from Seattle it is (like my upcoming cruise).

 

When on an Alaska cruise, most of my time is spent sitting on my balcony or up on deck--I don't go to shows or play bingo or hang out in the bar when I'm on an Alaskan cruise. It's all about the scenery. I was booked on the Sun originally on a one-way for this summer, but invited a friend along and she couldn't get extra time. I read several reveiws of the Sun and the worst I read about her is the sewage smell on one of the decks in the aft. So, I booked forward. LOL. Again, for me, the ship really doesn't matter.

 

If you have more than a week, then definitely do a one-way so you can spend some time in Alaska. If this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime trip for you, then do it "right" if you can afford the expense and the time. Alaska is SO beautiful! I don't know why your TA would push a round trip, maybe just because it's a newer ship? The ship and the entertainment and the on-board activities may be important on other itineraries, but far less so on Alaska voyages for many of us.

 

When you get to the point that you're planning what to do in ports of call, be sure to go to the Alaska portion of this forum. TONS of great information from experienced Alaska cruisers. Speaking of which, I'm sure Budget Queen will be along to give you some advice. Pay attention--she has a lot of experience cruising Alaska!

 

Have a great cruise!

[bond24seven]

We did Alaska on the Jewel... In my opinion, a balcony is a must.. If I ever go to Alaska again, I will probably get an Aft balcony to be able to see whats on both sides of the ship. We didn't return the same way we went, so we missed about half of the scenery. I like having my own piece of real estate and not have to fight for position while checking out the scenery. I think the Bliss is supposed to replace the Jewel in 2018. It is a good itinerary and I would definitely do it again... I don't think you will be disappointed in any Alaska cruise..

[kfnesq]

My two cents: Our very first cruise was an Alaska cruise on the Millennium (Southern Glacier cruise, from Seward to Vancouver), which was AMAZING. I think you will hit more ports and have more opportunities for actually seeing Alaska doing one like that (although ours was NOT roundtrip, they certainly have them RT out of Vancouver).

We actually are currently booked on the Bliss next September to Alaska, but I don't think I would have booked that itinerary as my FIRST Alaska trips, as you really only port twice in Alaska, in Ketchikan and Skagway.

Forgot to mention - a balcony is a MUST.

[dinibo]

Star Princess offers one-way north or southbound cruises out of Vancouver.

Nieuw Amsterdam offers round trip cruises out of Vancouver.

Bliss offers round trip cruises out of Seattle.

 

Recommend the Nieuw Amsterdam.

1. Itinerary includes Glacier Bay....many feel it is a must for a first time Alaska cruise.

2. The sailing stays within more of the Inside Passage than the Bliss. The Bliss Itinerary includes 2 days sailing in open seas where you can see nothing but ocean.

3. Your description shows a preference for a round trip, the Star Princess doesn't fit this parameter.

 

Finally, I am definitely not a fan of the megaship experience.

 

Thanks for the thoughts! Certainly no preference for a round trip though. The real issue is the timing and end port. We need round trip or south bound due to my work requirements but the real issue is it has to be a cruise that ends in either Vancouver or Seattle and needs to be back at either of those ports by the 3rd of Sept at the latest. This puts us sailing the last week of August and those were just the best options I found.

[dinibo]

I LOVE cruising Alaska. I'll be going on my fourth Alaska cruise in 51 days. :)

 

First of all, I couldn't care less what ship I'm on. It's all about times in port for me. I look for the longest possible time in port and what the glacier sailing day(s) is. I prefer either Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm. I prefer to do a one-way rather than Seattle round trip, but if all I have is a week, then round-trip from Seattle it is (like my upcoming cruise).

 

When on an Alaska cruise, most of my time is spent sitting on my balcony or up on deck--I don't go to shows or play bingo or hang out in the bar when I'm on an Alaskan cruise. It's all about the scenery. I was booked on the Sun originally on a one-way for this summer, but invited a friend along and she couldn't get extra time. I read several reveiws of the Sun and the worst I read about her is the sewage smell on one of the decks in the aft. So, I booked forward. LOL. Again, for me, the ship really doesn't matter.

 

If you have more than a week, then definitely do a one-way so you can spend some time in Alaska. If this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime trip for you, then do it "right" if you can afford the expense and the time. Alaska is SO beautiful! I don't know why your TA would push a round trip, maybe just because it's a newer ship? The ship and the entertainment and the on-board activities may be important on other itineraries, but far less so on Alaska voyages for many of us.

 

When you get to the point that you're planning what to do in ports of call, be sure to go to the Alaska portion of this forum. TONS of great information from experienced Alaska cruisers. Speaking of which, I'm sure Budget Queen will be along to give you some advice. Pay attention--she has a lot of experience cruising Alaska!

 

Have a great cruise!

 

Thank you so much! I think this helps a lot. I am really concerned about the Bliss but the TA was sort of selling me on the "new" factor. Glad to hear that it really isn't as important as she is making it sound. I think I have an idea about cruising in Alaska the isn't real but is all feels so foreign to this Midwestern gal! I'm sure a lot of our preconceptions are completely wrong in a very good way.

[dinibo]

My two cents: Our very first cruise was an Alaska cruise on the Millennium (Southern Glacier cruise, from Seward to Vancouver), which was AMAZING. I think you will hit more ports and have more opportunities for actually seeing Alaska doing one like that (although ours was NOT roundtrip, they certainly have them RT out of Vancouver).

We actually are currently booked on the Bliss next September to Alaska, but I don't think I would have booked that itinerary as my FIRST Alaska trips, as you really only port twice in Alaska, in Ketchikan and Skagway.

Forgot to mention - a balcony is a MUST.

 

Thanks for the thoughts and glad to hear you like the millennium. It is so hard to do an apples to apples comparison on some of these. I wish a balcony was an option but we are really trying to keep this in our budget and for us an extra $2000 is kind of a big deal, particularly knowing how much the excursions and extras are going to cost in port. I think this is part of why I am concerned about the ship as I know we will not be in our room as much as others may be if they have a balcony.

[craftygrandma]

Having been on AK cruises 5 times, I would spend my $ on shore excursions than room. If either of you are vets, Princess gives OBC. I would not pay more to be on the Bliss for AK. It is about the trip not about the ship.

[jskinsd]

Take the Sun. I have sailed on her 15 times in the last four years and have 34 cruises in Alaska. Yes it is an old ship but the Sun offers the best value and itinerary. And the customer service is fantastic. If you are lucky enough to do a B2B you would be getting two different cruises. Most all cruise ships visit Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. Would be able to hit these ports twice. If you missed something the first time around you have a second chance. You go the Hubbard Glacier(2 times again), Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm. And Icy Strait, Hoonah is my favorite stop. Hoonah is one of the few places that if you hang out at the Outdoor Cafe for a while, nature will come to you. On the southbound leg you go thru the inside passage in the daytime. I have seen many humpbacks and orcas off of the ship in this area.

This being a first cruise in Alaska I would suggest an inside cabin. This will force you to be out on deck. Better chance of seeing wildlife. A balcony is great but you would be missing half of the action. Now that being said I have sailed in a balcony for my past eight cruises, but I still spend most of my time up top, on deck with my binoculars.

Sailing again on the Sun for her first Alaskan cruise this season. :D

[arlodog]

We have been to Alaska twice. Once in an inside cabin on Holland America and then we were fortunate enough to get a deluxe owners suite at a last minute upsell on NCL for our last cruise. While I will say the owners suite was fabulous, the inside cabin was great too! We just spent all of our time out on the public decks. We actually booked our inside cabin on the same deck as the promenade deck on a Holland America ship and it was like a huge balcony steps away from our door.

We left out of Vancouver on HAL and Seattle on NCL. I prefer the Vancouver departure as the scenery was much better. We also had longer port times. I agree with the other posters...longer port times and itinerary are what you want in Alaska! You will save tons of money by planning your own excursions. Don't forget to book your rental car for Skagway as soon as you know your dates. You can always cancel it if you decide not to drive into the Yukon, but the prices go up the closer you get!

[allison0523]

We had some of the same concerns when we were planning our Alaska trip. I wanted to try and see as much as possible in the time we were there so we decided on a Southbound cruise from Seward to Vancouver on the Sun. We are flying in a few days early to take the Alaskan railroad from Fairbanks to Seward. In the past, we have been on 4 different cruise lines; big ships, small ships, old and new. We had a great time on all of them. but if certain things are really important to you, then you need to make sure whatever ship you pick has those things. IMO, there are good and bad things about all ships. The key is to be flexible and adapt if things don't turn out a certain way. I think you should make a list of the things you really want on your trip, then pick the itinerary and ship that fits those needs. One of the issues we ran into flying out of Vancouver is all the flights are in the late evening. We are coming back to Detroit so our choice was to get in at 0500 the next day or fly out the morning after we get to Vancouver.

[olemissreb]

I agree with QuiltingCruiser - it's all about port times. We did the Millennium southbound from Seward to Vancouver. We were also lucky enough to do an extra week pre-cruise so we got to see Denali and trek on a glacier and all kinds of other fun stuff. Be sure to check out the coupon books - you might be able to save some money on your excursion if you book independently. This is what we did and we more than paid for the cost of the book with the savings.

 

Not sure how much time you have off, but I would consider flying in to Anchorage a day or 2 ahead of the cruise and at least take the Alaska Railroad to your departure port. If you are going to Seward, you can add on a Kenai Fjords cruise that is just loaded with wildlife if that is your preference. The company will pick you up right at the train. On embarkation day, we did the SeaLife Center and added on a behind the scenes tour and it was AWESOME! Don't be in a rush to get on the ship - plan well and take in some sights. Another thing we did that made us feel like we were extending our vacation was to take Amtrak from Vancouver to Seattle and spend a couple days there seeing the sights. Even though we flew for free, taxes and fees were cheaper flying from Seattle - enough of a difference to pay for the train ride!

 

If you are limited to a roundtrip, I would suggest one out of Vancouver. IIRC, despite it being a roundtrip, those port times were a little longer than a RT from Seattle plus you get the Inside Passage and much better scenery.

 

Also, I would HIGHLY recommend booking independent excursions - especially if you want to go on a whale watching excursion. Our tour guide took us away from the cruise ship excursions to where we were the only ones out there and we were able to watch a baby whale practice his breeches - AWESOME! My family (all 5 of us at the time) were the only ones on the boat and we had a much more personal tour and got some really great pictures. For recommendations, check out the Alaska board.

 

Alaska is GORGEOUS! I was kind of hoping that my youngest son would choose to go back for his graduation trip, but instead we are heading to Hawaii - admittedly another GORGEOUS location.

[don't-use-real-name]

Consider a balcony cabin - fine - but unless it is forward or aft - the scenic activity maybe on the other side of the ship.

Is your cabin location such that you can race to a stairwell and go one or more decks to the top of the ship to catch that action.

Forget the elevators you just might be untimely to catch the action. Map out your deck plans for where to be when the action

calls you. As for looking at land scenery unless in the Inside Passageway there will be limited distant views of the land - use

binoculars or a telephoto camera lens.

The smaller ships are more suitable for the inside passage. Since building a pier at Hoonan Icy Straight Point the only tendering

port is Sitka unless a port has more ships calling than port pier facilities i.e. Juneau 3 Ketchikan 4 Skagway 3.

 

For first time cruisers I would recommend the smaller ships to get a feel of what it is about cruising. Save the huge mammoth

floating amusement park ships for another experience when you are at sea for many days and crowds of cruisers have claimed

reserved the prime restaurants and other venues.

 

Look at the schedule of each of the ships and see how much port time for SX's and remember as stated above about the trip

being the destination (port) and not the ship. Sort through those apples and oranges and weigh the merits of having a large ship

taking more time to disembark SX guests while with a small ship there is no waiting at Pier 1 - this could be reversed also so

check it out. Unless there is a whole lot of port time it is realistic to only participate in 1 SX. Perhaps look at taking a medium

timed SX and then having a few hours left to launch one on your own. In season Alaska has over 150 SXs for some sailings.

Plan carefully around your time; budget; skill level and ability to sustain changing weather - some SXs are rain or shine while

others most notably float planes and helicopter tours are subject to adverse weather. There are small craft (kayaks canoes etc)

and other types that may leave you soaking wet and uncomfortable until back on the ship to change. Early on and late season

this is Alaska - NO - you won't get snowed but you maybe soaked with precipitation. Summer time cruises don't require a parka

but suitable layering is the theme to enjoy your cruise

 

As for the NCL BLISS - she is estimated to weigh in with almost twice the number of cruise guests as the NCL SUN.

Expect that any where the BLISS is cruising the crowds are going to be - well - very crowded. At Ketchikan for

instance with 4 ships at piers the number of folks massing about the city can be over 7000. Of course not all

these ships have the same port time but can pose a real problem moving about the piers.

 

So my suggestion is cruise the small ship to get the hang of it and how the system works and avoid the floating

amusement park competing with port SXs !

[dinibo]

I agree with QuiltingCruiser - it's all about port times. We did the Millennium southbound from Seward to Vancouver. We were also lucky enough to do an extra week pre-cruise so we got to see Denali and trek on a glacier and all kinds of other fun stuff. Be sure to check out the coupon books - you might be able to save some money on your excursion if you book independently. This is what we did and we more than paid for the cost of the book with the savings.

 

Not sure how much time you have off, but I would consider flying in to Anchorage a day or 2 ahead of the cruise and at least take the Alaska Railroad to your departure port. If you are going to Seward, you can add on a Kenai Fjords cruise that is just loaded with wildlife if that is your preference. The company will pick you up right at the train. On embarkation day, we did the SeaLife Center and added on a behind the scenes tour and it was AWESOME! Don't be in a rush to get on the ship - plan well and take in some sights. Another thing we did that made us feel like we were extending our vacation was to take Amtrak from Vancouver to Seattle and spend a couple days there seeing the sights. Even though we flew for free, taxes and fees were cheaper flying from Seattle - enough of a difference to pay for the train ride!

 

If you are limited to a roundtrip, I would suggest one out of Vancouver. IIRC, despite it being a roundtrip, those port times were a little longer than a RT from Seattle plus you get the Inside Passage and much better scenery.

 

Also, I would HIGHLY recommend booking independent excursions - especially if you want to go on a whale watching excursion. Our tour guide took us away from the cruise ship excursions to where we were the only ones out there and we were able to watch a baby whale practice his breeches - AWESOME! My family (all 5 of us at the time) were the only ones on the boat and we had a much more personal tour and got some really great pictures. For recommendations, check out the Alaska board.

 

Alaska is GORGEOUS! I was kind of hoping that my youngest son would choose to go back for his graduation trip, but instead we are heading to Hawaii - admittedly another GORGEOUS location.

 

Thanks so much for all the great suggestions! This is great info!

[dinibo]

Consider a balcony cabin - fine - but unless it is forward or aft - the scenic activity maybe on the other side of the ship.

Is your cabin location such that you can race to a stairwell and go one or more decks to the top of the ship to catch that action.

Forget the elevators you just might be untimely to catch the action. Map out your deck plans for where to be when the action

calls you. As for looking at land scenery unless in the Inside Passageway there will be limited distant views of the land - use

binoculars or a telephoto camera lens.

The smaller ships are more suitable for the inside passage. Since building a pier at Hoonan Icy Straight Point the only tendering

port is Sitka unless a port has more ships calling than port pier facilities i.e. Juneau 3 Ketchikan 4 Skagway 3.

 

For first time cruisers I would recommend the smaller ships to get a feel of what it is about cruising. Save the huge mammoth

floating amusement park ships for another experience when you are at sea for many days and crowds of cruisers have claimed

reserved the prime restaurants and other venues.

 

Look at the schedule of each of the ships and see how much port time for SX's and remember as stated above about the trip

being the destination (port) and not the ship. Sort through those apples and oranges and weigh the merits of having a large ship

taking more time to disembark SX guests while with a small ship there is no waiting at Pier 1 - this could be reversed also so

check it out. Unless there is a whole lot of port time it is realistic to only participate in 1 SX. Perhaps look at taking a medium

timed SX and then having a few hours left to launch one on your own. In season Alaska has over 150 SXs for some sailings.

Plan carefully around your time; budget; skill level and ability to sustain changing weather - some SXs are rain or shine while

others most notably float planes and helicopter tours are subject to adverse weather. There are small craft (kayaks canoes etc)

and other types that may leave you soaking wet and uncomfortable until back on the ship to change. Early on and late season

this is Alaska - NO - you won't get snowed but you maybe soaked with precipitation. Summer time cruises don't require a parka

but suitable layering is the theme to enjoy your cruise

 

As for the NCL BLISS - she is estimated to weigh in with almost twice the number of cruise guests as the NCL SUN.

Expect that any where the BLISS is cruising the crowds are going to be - well - very crowded. At Ketchikan for

instance with 4 ships at piers the number of folks massing about the city can be over 7000. Of course not all

these ships have the same port time but can pose a real problem moving about the piers.

 

So my suggestion is cruise the small ship to get the hang of it and how the system works and avoid the floating

amusement park competing with port SXs !

 

I really appreciate the thoughts on the big vs little ship. I hadn't considered that element completely and think you are completely right.

[shadowmeboy]

Just some quick back story, my husband and I are both in our early 40's and have never been on a cruise before. Due to a kind of weird situation with my work we are going to be in the position to have free airfare anywhere in the pacific NW area the last week of August 2018 so we thought we would take advantage of this and take a once in a lifetime Alaskan cruise. I've been researching and researching trying to figure this whole thing out without breaking our bank and feel more confused than ever.

 

Our travel agent friend is really trying to sell us on the round trip from Seattle on Norwegian Bliss but looking at the itinerary I'm concerned by the locations and very short times in port. On the other hand this is a brand new ship and in many ways seems far preferable to anything else in our price range or dates.

 

The only other option that works for us on Norwegian would be southbound on the Sun which I think has far better ports/times but the reviews are not very flattering and make me think we will be pretty disappointed in the ship itself. Then again does this matter too much? Is it really that bad? We are not big party/drinkers and I don't think we would have much patience for bad Broadway shows. Will we get overly bored on the Sun? Our main interest in Alaska is seeing nature and wildlife and just having a nice relaxing time. We also will have to have an interior or ocean view no matter what ship we select if you think this would impact your choice.

 

A couple of other non Norwegian options we have just to throw out there are the Star Princess, the Ms. Nieuw Amsterdam or the Celebrity Millennium btw if anyone is familiar with those.

 

Anyone out there have any thoughts or suggestions which might be able to help us? I really appreciate anything you might have to help us make our choice! Thanks!

 

I love the Sun it's my favorite ship. We were never bored, lots to see and do!

 

Check out my review with pictures of our sailing on the Sun southbound last June. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2376089

 

I would choose the Sun instead of the Bliss, just for a quieter cruise.

[mamasylvia]

A couple of thoughts:

 

- Read the Alaska board before you make any decisions. There is TONS of information there from people that really know the area. The advice I found there was that Alaska cruises are about the itinerary, not the ship, and I took that advice. We are sailing next month on the NCL Pearl. I don't care about it being a smaller ship but turns out they don't carry Coke products (and 2 of our group are hard-core Diet Coke addicts) and their customer disservice has been excruciatingly bad. However, the itinerary is wonderful (Glacier Bay was a MUST for me!) and I am expecting a fantastic cruise!

 

- As others have said, decide what is important to you and focus on that. I live in Wyoming and am bemused by all the people who want to see bears. lol I don't care about the lack of entertainment on the Pearl, I intend to spend ship time watching the fantastic scenery and/or visiting with family (my 2 grown children and BIL and SIL are also coming). I did blow the money for an aft balcony, but SIL and I are both disabled so I think the convenience of not having to fight the crowds for a view will be worth it. However, from everything I've read on the Alaska board, it sounds like you can still enjoy amazing views from the public viewing areas. You'll just need to pay more attention to when you should be where.

 

- Well-meaning people will tell you you have to do this or that in addition to the cruise. I got the impression from your post that you will pretty much only have the time to fly in, cruise, and fly home. We are in the same situation. If you *can* do the extras, of course that would be wonderful. But if not, don't let that keep you from just doing the cruise! I agree with the person who said there is no bad choice when it comes to seeing Alaska.

 

- Shore excursions are expen$ive even if you don't book through the ship, but there are many activities you can enjoy without being on a formal excursion. Again, read the Alaska board to get detailed suggestions and ideas. We are doing excursions in Skagway and Ketchikan but renting a car in Juneau (from a local company recommended by other posters) to do Mendenhall Glacier on our own and then the tram (which is walking distance from the ship). Not sure what we will do in Victoria but that won't be an excursion either.

 

- An excellent TA will listen to your goals and preferences and use his/her experience and knowledge to help you achieve those goals. There are a lot of not-excellent TAs out there. Don't let the TA's preferences force you into what you don't want. Coming here for research was really smart on your part! The info I got here was a huge help on our first cruise and I expect the info I've collected here about Alaska will be just as helpful next month - I have pages of info to take along.

[4774Papa]

Just some quick back story, my husband and I are both in our early 40's and have never been on a cruise before. Due to a kind of weird situation with my work we are going to be in the position to have free airfare anywhere in the pacific NW area the last week of August 2018 so we thought we would take advantage of this and take a once in a lifetime Alaskan cruise. I've been researching and researching trying to figure this whole thing out without breaking our bank and feel more confused than ever.

 

Our travel agent friend is really trying to sell us on the round trip from Seattle on Norwegian Bliss but looking at the itinerary I'm concerned by the locations and very short times in port. On the other hand this is a brand new ship and in many ways seems far preferable to anything else in our price range or dates.

 

The only other option that works for us on Norwegian would be southbound on the Sun which I think has far better ports/times but the reviews are not very flattering and make me think we will be pretty disappointed in the ship itself. Then again does this matter too much? Is it really that bad? We are not big party/drinkers and I don't think we would have much patience for bad Broadway shows. Will we get overly bored on the Sun? Our main interest in Alaska is seeing nature and wildlife and just having a nice relaxing time. We also will have to have an interior or ocean view no matter what ship we select if you think this would impact your choice.

 

A couple of other non Norwegian options we have just to throw out there are the Star Princess, the Ms. Nieuw Amsterdam or the Celebrity Millennium btw if anyone is familiar with those.

 

Anyone out there have any thoughts or suggestions which might be able to help us? I really appreciate anything you might have to help us make our choice! Thanks!

We chose the northern one-way from Vancouver to Seward on the Sun last Fall. It was great. We had an aft balcony, which I highly recommend.

 

Before I booked, I talked to several cc friends that had done Alaska and all said to do the one-way out of Vancouver instead of RT out of Seattle. You see more scenery and don't waste time out of the inside passage.

 

Also, the Sun was a great ship and the best food we have encountered on any NCL cruise.

 

Make sure your cruise visits Glacier Bay, it is awesome.

 

I always avoided HAL due to the smoking policy. That policy has changed, but we encountered a group of HAL cruisers on the bus tour in Denali and we could smell the tobacco. I think HAL may still be the smoker's refuge.

 

Don't you want to see some of Alaska proper, instead of just the strip down the coast? A one-way is the way to go.

[Gershep]

Great information on this thread, thank you!