Bering Sea & Japan Cruise

[Sammigar]

Has anyone here done the Bering Sea & Japan Cruise? I've heard that Dutch Harbor is often skipped due to bad weather. Is another port generally substituted when this happens, or do sail from Vancouver to direct to Japan?

 

And if you do stop in Dutch Harbor, is there anything to do there? It doesn't appear to be a popular port.

 

How does the Spring cruise compare to the Fall cruise? I see advantages to visiting Japan in both seasons, so I'm thinking of the weather on the seas.

 

TYIA for the help.

[SFCAcruiser]

I have done this trip in both directions, and would not hesitate to do it again. This past September the stop in Dutch Harbor was cancelled due to the dock renovation that had ben delayed. We stopped in Sitka instead, which we enjoyed because we had never been there. Some cruisers who had been to Sitka were grumbling a bit, but we were happy.

The eastbound journey often stops in Petropavlosk, Russia, which sounds a whole lot more interesting than it really is, in my opinion. Some cruisers seem to enjoy it much more than I did.

The air temperatures are chilly in either direction. Too cold to be using the outdoor pool. Sea conditions are unpredictable in any season.

For me, deciding on the direction of the cruise depends on whether I want Japan at the beginning or the end of my vacation. I lean toward seeing Japan first, then taking a cruise.

[Northern Aurora]

I haven't been to Dutch Harbor on a cruise, but we spent several days there last summer. My husband and I took the Tustamena, an Alaska Marine Highway ferry from Kodiak to Dutch Harbor and then spent several days before flying out.

 

Dutch Harbor is the name of the harbor. The town is Unalaska. Their visitor bureau website is: http://www.unalaska.info

 

On a beautiful day the scenery is spectacular in a wild and rugged way. On a rainy windy day it can be quite miserable. And the community has an interesting World War II history. The entire island has numerous remnants of the WW II fortifications. For example, we stayed at the Grand Aleutian Hotel and there were at least six old WW II pillboxes in the parking lot. Museums in the community include the World War II museum and the Museum of the Aleutians. And for those who find the Alaska "reality" TV shows interesting, the "Deadliest Catch" is filmed out of Unalaska.

 

I also have been to Sitka. We have been there on a cruise port call and I've been there on business to attend the Alaska Historical Society and Museums Alaska joint conference. While I thoroughly enjoyed our days in Unalaska, I suspect that most cruise passengers would find Sitka to be of more interest.

[Sammigar]

Thank you both! We appreciate the info.

[BEAV]

We called at Dutch Harbor on the Westbound Transpacific cruise in 2016. Thoroughly enjoyed the stop. The town really rolls out the red carpet whenever ships call. We had plenty of time to visit both the Museum of the Aleutians and the World War II Visitor's Center.