Alaska Cruise

[barrel90]

Hi,

My wife & I are considering our 1st cruise this summer.  As a 1st timer, can someone tell me if this would be a good idea for someone that does not have good balance.

I have Vertigo  and find it difficult walking on non stable ground, without holding on to a rail.

Am I going to have a lousy time on the sea for 7 days?

Thanks

[Essiesmom]

There are lots of things to hold on to inside and out of a ship.  Unless you are excessively sensitive to motion, or unfortunate enough to experience rough seas, balance should not be a problem.  There are railings on one side of every corridor, if not both.  Perhaps take a cane to provide that third leg.  The only way to know is to try it.  EM

[lauren009]

You may want to consider a shorter cruise to see if cruising is something you can do. Alaska is an amazing cruise destination, but maybe wave it for next year. I would recommend a 3 or 4 day cruise in the spring if you're able to (before hurricane season starts in June). You may still run into issues on a future 7-day Alaska cruise, but at least, if you have trouble on a 3/4-day, you're not trapped on the ship as long.

 

The short cruises have a reputation for being "party" cruises, but I think that is less the case during the school year and as long as you don't stay up to late. I was just on a 3-day in October and there were very few people that were drinking too much.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

You might consider renting a Rollator for both on the ship and off the ship to hang onto.

[CoW mAn]

23 hours ago, barrel90 said:

My wife & I are considering our 1st cruise this summer.  As a 1st timer, can someone tell me if this would be a good idea for someone that does not have good balance.

I have Vertigo  and find it difficult walking on non stable ground, without holding on to a rail.

Am I going to have a lousy time on the sea for 7 days?

A cruise is an amazing way to see Alaska. To put your mind at ease here's a video of me balancing a penny on it's side in the Pacific Ocean on a cruise ship at speed. I also talk about ways to mitigate sea sickness which I know isn't the same thing as vertigo
 

 

 

[barrel90]

Thank you, this was very helpful  :-)

[ldubs]

I don't know.  You say you don't like being on "non stable ground", which I assume means uneven ground. The ship moves.  There are railings but they are not everywhere.   Will that be an issue to you?   I would sure be hesitant to subject myself to something I know I won't like.   If you really want to go maybe the rollator recommendation is for you.   

[bakersdozen12]

Alaska cruises tend to be pretty mild as far as ship movement is concerned. If you are going to feel anything it will probably be the first and last day, as you are taking off from and arriving back to your embarkation port. But otherwise, when you are traveling in Glacier Bay or down a fjord, it’s as smooth as glass. We did our Alaska cruise at the very beginning of the season and never felt any movement at all during the whole cruise. 

[jujuyu211]

I would also recommend not booking during the beginning of the season (April, May) or end of the season (September) as waters may be rougher during those times. When you are doing the inside passage, the waters are very calm. I think every cruise is different depending on the weather and waters so it's hard to gauge even if you go on a shorter cruise. Depending on itinerary and other factors, one cruise can be bumpier than another. Alaska is definitely worth it so try it!

[bakersdozen12]

16 hours ago, jujuyu211 said:

I would also recommend not booking during the beginning of the season (April, May) or end of the season (September) as waters may be rougher during those times.

 

We sailed on April 30th of last year and the waters were not rough at all. And we didn’t even do the inside passage. 

[jujuyu211]

6 hours ago, bakersdozen12 said:

 

We sailed on April 30th of last year and the waters were not rough at all. And we didn’t even do the inside passage. 

 

Unfortunately ours was and it was in April two years ago... I remember there was a lady on the ship who said she has been on over 50 cruises and that was the worst. I'm glad you didn't experience rough seas on yours but I was thinking since the OP is concerned about movement, the likelihood of rough seas is higher in April/May and Sept. That's not to say it's guaranteed or that they cannot experience it in June/July.

[Heidi13]

On 12/31/2018 at 1:27 PM, bakersdozen12 said:

Alaska cruises tend to be pretty mild as far as ship movement is concerned. If you are going to feel anything it will probably be the first and last day, as you are taking off from and arriving back to your embarkation port. But otherwise, when you are traveling in Glacier Bay or down a fjord, it’s as smooth as glass. We did our Alaska cruise at the very beginning of the season and never felt any movement at all during the whole cruise. 

You were lucky with the weather, especially at the beginning of the season. Especially in April/May & September/October, the weather in Alaska is best described as unpredictable.

 

The ship motion on the first and last day of a R/T cruise also depends on the embarkation port. Seattle cruises head up the West Coast, while Vancouver cruises using the sheltered Inside Passage.

 

In many years of working and cruising these waters, I have experienced many storms, a few even during the summer months, but more likely during the early season and Sept/Oct.

[crystalspin]

On 12/27/2018 at 2:03 PM, barrel90 said:

Hi,

My wife & I are considering our 1st cruise this summer.  As a 1st timer, can someone tell me if this would be a good idea for someone that does not have good balance.

I have Vertigo  and find it difficult walking on non stable ground, without holding on to a rail.

Am I going to have a lousy time on the sea for 7 days?

Thanks

Sail the 7-day roundtrip out of Vancouver. Essentially all of your sailing will be in protected waters (inside Vancouver Island and then within the islands that are the northern parts of the Inside Passage). The ports are all docking ones (not tender ports); just hold on to the railings of the "gangways", that might bob a little.

 

You will have a fantastic time!

 

I recommend Holland America, and of the two ships doing that route in June of 2019, I recommend the Volendam for a first cruise. While it is not as big and shiny as the Nieuw Amsterdam, it is easier to find your way around. An ocean-view cabin on the Lower Promenade deck 3 (the deck that has the actual teak Promenade circling it) near or in front of the mid-ships' elevators is a great $ compromise vs a balcony. You will be steps away from the biggest balcony on the ship! (Too far back and you will be under the galley where work goes on all night.)

 

You might have noticed I recommend mid-to-late June. We did that very itinerary on the Volendam in June of 2016, the 7-day Vancouver to Seward (on the old Statendam, RIP) in June of 2009, and the 14-day Seattle R/T on Volendam's sister ship Zaandam in August of last year. I chose August in the hopes of seeing bear fishing for salmon, but the salmon run was SO MEAGER, we never did see a wild bear. The extended daylight hours of June are much fun, and the whales and other marine mammals are IME more active having shortly returned from their spring migration. We have another Alaska cruise booked for June of 2020!

Edited January 5, 2019 by crystalspin

[Traveling Mike]

A couple things to remember.  

1.  You are on a Cruise Ship and not a boat.  It is a small city on the water.  Unless the weather is real bad you do not feel the ship moving like you would on a boat.

 

2.  Most of the Alaska Cruises are doing the inside passage.  You will not be on the open seas.  Look at the path of the cruise ship takes and you will understand.

[dustyroad]

On 12/27/2018 at 4:03 PM, barrel90 said:

Hi,

My wife & I are considering our 1st cruise this summer.  As a 1st timer, can someone tell me if this would be a good idea for someone that does not have good balance.

I have Vertigo  and find it difficult walking on non stable ground, without holding on to a rail.

Am I going to have a lousy time on the sea for 7 days?

Thanks

You will have smoother sailing if you leave from Vancouver instead of Seattle.  It can get pretty rough the first day going and coming back from Seattle.   I agree that a trial run on a shorter cruise might be something to think about.  

[crystalspin]

On 12/27/2018 at 9:03 PM, barrel90 said:

Am I going to have a lousy time on the sea for 7 days?

Thanks

Hi! 

Don't know what you decided to do, but looking over old threads, I want to say, 7-day Inside Passage is a PERFECT first cruise. Don't listen to the "shorter cruise" advice! I cannot think of a short cruise that is on smoother waters than the IP. And you will not get the feel of cruising on a shorter cruise (even if you manage to avoid a "party cruise") and may decide you don't like cruising without giving it a fair trial. 

 

We took 6 members of my family on the 7day R/T out of Vancouver, four who had never cruised before. Of the four newbies, all want to cruise again and two don't want to go anywhere but Alaska!