Port or Starboard for Alaska?

[JIMinNC]

 

 

We've just decided we might want to do a 7-night Alaska cruise in summer 2020 and think Regent might be best for us. We've never been to Alaska before nor cruised with Regent. We just returned from a Paul Gauguin French Polynesia cruise and did a Mediterranean on Azamara last year, so I think we'll love Regent. Want to stick with the more all-inclusive smaller ships - we've been spoiled by these last two trips.

 

I've read the opinions that say book a starboard cabin for a northbound Alaska cruise and a port cabin for a southbound, but I've also read some reviews that say it doesn't matter. Problem is, most of the starboard cabins seem to already be booked on the northbound 2020 cruises and the port sides are mostly booked on the southbound. We had hoped to wait to make a final decision and book after my wife recuperates from a surgical procedure in about 10 days, but the cabin availability has us wondering if we need to move faster.

 

So, for those of you that have cruised Regent to Alaska, does the side of the ship really matter that much?  

[GrJ Berkshire]

Does not matter at all ,most of the time you are away from the coast. When you are not like in Glacier bay, Hubbard glacier the ship will turn so both sides see. Plus you can go up on deck or in the observation lounge.

[SWFLAOK]

We took Regent Mariner from Vancouver to Seward last August, with a starboard cabin. While we were able to get on of the last cabins on the "preferred" side of the ship for a north bound passage, I would not hesitate to book a cabin on the port side, if that's what's available.

[califsealion]

When we did our Alaska cruise, I guess we were technically not on the preferred side of the ship.  We didn't spend a lot of time on our balcony anyways, as it was pretty windy and somewhat rainy.  I agree with GrJ that most of the time you are sailing away from the coast, so it doesn't matter, but when you are close to shore going through inlets and passages, there is often scenery on both sides of the ship.  And there's always deck space or lounges.

[Travelcat2]

We have been to Alaska five times (three of those were on Regent).  I agree about there not being a preferred side.  If there is something that is important to see, we hang out in the Observation Lounge and get much better views that from a balcony on either side of the ship.  

 

Not sure when you are planning on going.  You mention "summer" which likely means June/July/August.  While it may not matter, June, July and the first half of August the ship has many families (and children) - there could dozens of children onboard.  I recommend going in May or the last two sailings in August (but we prefer sailing with mostly adults).   

[JIMinNC]

4 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

We have been to Alaska five times (three of those were on Regent).  I agree about there not being a preferred side.  If there is something that is important to see, we hang out in the Observation Lounge and get much better views that from a balcony on either side of the ship.  

 

Not sure when you are planning on going.  You mention "summer" which likely means June/July/August.  While it may not matter, June, July and the first half of August the ship has many families (and children) - there could dozens of children onboard.  I recommend going in May or the last two sailings in August (but we prefer sailing with mostly adults).   

 

We were thinking about a couple of mid-late June sailings - one northbound, the other south. Depending on whether we did the northbound with the Denali land tour on the back end or the southbound with Denali on the front end, either trip could overlap with my wife's birthday. I've also read the June weather is sort of the sweet spot - a little warmer than May, but less rainy than July and August. We can't do August because we're planning a land trip to Tuscany for September and would prefer better spacing between the trips. Looking at the schedule, looks like Regent has no May Alaska cruises in 2020, so June or July it will have to be. The June overlap with the birthday is appealing, plus the aforementioned rumors of slightly better weather. Any input of the June weather since you've been five times? 

Edited June 30, 2019 by JIMinNC

[GrJ Berkshire]

Weather in Alaska is random. We were there prior to Seward- Vancouver south on Mariner 10 years ago. Alaska was baking in early August 28°C, good weather down a bit more variable around Sitka, but dry in Ketchikan ( rare I gather). We left Seattle in a heat wave hit 100°F and could not cope with temps as expected it to be like UK. Denali is great, but I gather you have to be 'lucky' with weather, have friends who went and saw nothing but cloud, we had clear blue skies.

You will need to fit dates which work for you, not on weather patterns.t

[Hambagahle]

We did a southbound sailing on the Mariner in a PHC which was on the port side.   When you are between ports you are out in the shipping lanes so it makes no difference where your suite is located.   In port much depends on how the ship is moored and you cannot tell that in advance.  So don't fuss about the side!

 

Our cruise was in June.  We had 4-5 days prior to the cruise in Girdwood near Anchorage and did some flight-seeing which was great.   Drove to Seward to board and it chucked it down all the way!  when I checked the car in the woman at hertz said it always rains in Seward!!   Next day was cool but then when we go to Juneau temperatures were in the 30sC which is HOT.  And stayed that way until we got to Vancouver.   You cannot count on this though - take layered clothes and be ready for anything...

[JIMinNC]

Thanks for all the thoughts. We'll not sweat the side of the ship.

 

Having said that, and after digging further, it appears that for the sailing that works best for us, the only Concierge Suite D or E cabins now available are on deck 10 under the pool deck or restaurants. I think it's best to avoid those cabins under the public spaces, so it appears we are a bit late to book for 2020. We're now thinking to do other things in 2020 and defer the Alaska cruise until a future year when we can be more timely in our booking. 

[Travelcat2]

21 hours ago, JIMinNC said:

 

We were thinking about a couple of mid-late June sailings - one northbound, the other south. Depending on whether we did the northbound with the Denali land tour on the back end or the southbound with Denali on the front end, either trip could overlap with my wife's birthday. I've also read the June weather is sort of the sweet spot - a little warmer than May, but less rainy than July and August. We can't do August because we're planning a land trip to Tuscany for September and would prefer better spacing between the trips. Looking at the schedule, looks like Regent has no May Alaska cruises in 2020, so June or July it will have to be. The June overlap with the birthday is appealing, plus the aforementioned rumors of slightly better weather. Any input of the June weather since you've been five times? 

 

Really had to think about the weather in Alaska.  As has been said, it is unpredictable.  However, due to the reasons I mentioned previously, we have only sailed to Alaska in May and September (and are going again this coming September).

 

Although historic data does not mean much, there are only 3-4 degrees difference between the temperatures in May or June (checked Juneau and Ketchikan).  We have been in 85 degree temperatures in Juneau (in May) - had good weather in September (except for Sitka where it was raining so hard that there was a landslide and people on excursions had to take a boat to get around the closed road.

 

So, in spite of how many times we have been there, we have no clue what the weather is going to be like.  I do feel strongly that June/July and early August sailings are not representative of a typical Regent cruise so we choose to avoid sailing at that time.  

Wish that I had a better answer but the weather is so unusual that it could be 100 degrees in June next year.  On the other hand, it could be 50 degrees.

[JIMinNC]

11 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Really had to think about the weather in Alaska.  As has been said, it is unpredictable.  However, due to the reasons I mentioned previously, we have only sailed to Alaska in May and September (and are going again this coming September).

 

Although historic data does not mean much, there are only 3-4 degrees difference between the temperatures in May or June (checked Juneau and Ketchikan).  We have been in 85 degree temperatures in Juneau (in May) - had good weather in September (except for Sitka where it was raining so hard that there was a landslide and people on excursions had to take a boat to get around the closed road.

 

So, in spite of how many times we have been there, we have no clue what the weather is going to be like.  I do feel strongly that June/July and early August sailings are not representative of a typical Regent cruise so we choose to avoid sailing at that time.  

Wish that I had a better answer but the weather is so unusual that it could be 100 degrees in June next year.  On the other hand, it could be 50 degrees.

 

Thanks. Not as much concerned with temperatures as rain/clouds. I'm a pretty serious photographer so sun usually makes for better landscape pictures than clouds. I'll gladly deal with families and kids if the odds of sunny weather are a bit better, and everything I've read says June has slightly less rain, on average, than the other months.

 

In any event, as I said just above, we decided to pass on Alaska for now since most of the desirable cabins are already booked for June 2020 and will try again in a future year when we aren't already late on the booking calendar.

[ronrick1943]

We cruised in April/May of this year-once in Alaska had great weather except of one day.  Also Regent does a great job so which side doesn't matter.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I don't think the side matters, frankly.  The weather is variable enough that it's not likely you'll be able to spend much time just sitting on your balcony.

 

On the other hand, depending on your age, when you *do* book, it might be important to get a walk-in shower cabin, rather than the awkward bathtub/shower combo.  The former get snapped up first.  This is assuming it will still be Mariner in the future.

[Travelcat2]

18 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I don't think the side matters, frankly.  The weather is variable enough that it's not likely you'll be able to spend much time just sitting on your balcony.

 

On the other hand, depending on your age, when you *do* book, it might be important to get a walk-in shower cabin, rather than the awkward bathtub/shower combo.  The former get snapped up first.  This is assuming it will still be Mariner in the future.

 

Mariner will be in Alaska in 2020 and Explorer will be there is 2021.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

1 hour ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Mariner will be in Alaska in 2020 and Explorer will be there is 2021.

 

Right, because the 2021 WC ends in Barcelona at which point Mariner does a refurb.

 

Exciting to see Explorer in Alaska, wonder how that will work out.

[Travelcat2]

7 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

Right, because the 2021 WC ends in Barcelona at which point Mariner does a refurb.

 

Exciting to see Explorer in Alaska, wonder how that will work out.

 

There will likely be many complaints from Regent cruisers that are used to an outside forward area (outside of the Observation Lounge) and an aft outside area.  Explorer has neither but doesn't bother us a bit.

[IndiTravler]

On 6/29/2019 at 6:33 PM, GrJ Berkshire said:

Does not matter at all ,most of the time you are away from the coast. When you are not like in Glacier bay, Hubbard glacier the ship will turn so both sides see. Plus you can go up on deck or in the observation lounge.

 

Pour Regent Alaska cruise was our first cruise.   We went to a great deal of trouble to be on the ”correct” side of the ship.   As many others noted, it didn’t end up making a difference.  

[JIMinNC]

After deciding in post #9 above to probably delay our Alaska cruise until 2021, we're back considering it for June 2020.

 

As I mentioned, most of the best cabins are taken, so we're trying to determine if what is available will be acceptable or not (i.e. noise or other issues). Since the consensus is side of the ship doesn't matter, of these general cabin locations, which would be preferable for Alaska on the Mariner. We're preliminarily looking at Concierge Suite D or E:

 

1) midship Deck 10 under the pool deck

2) midship Deck 8 above the tenders/lifeboats

3) aft Deck 10 under La Veranda

 

Might give some consideration to a Penthouse C, and if so would likely be Deck 9 more toward forward. I'm assuming that's better than any of the above, but we may decide to save the $$ and go with D or E, so need some input on which would be the best option.

Edited August 15, 2019 by JIMinNC

[flossie009]

I am sure you will have an enjoyable cruise on Mariner whichever suite you choose.

 

If it were me, my preference would be a PHC forward on deck 9, followed by the D midship on 8.

 

My overriding criteria would be to check which suites are being offered as “shower only”;  marked with an asterisk on the deck plans; IMO these are far preferable to other suites which have a bath (tub) with shower over.

[jeb_bud]

14 hours ago, JIMinNC said:

After deciding in post #9 above to probably delay our Alaska cruise until 2021, we're back considering it for June 2020.

 

As I mentioned, most of the best cabins are taken, so we're trying to determine if what is available will be acceptable or not (i.e. noise or other issues). Since the consensus is side of the ship doesn't matter, of these general cabin locations, which would be preferable for Alaska on the Mariner. We're preliminarily looking at Concierge Suite D or E:

 

1) midship Deck 10 under the pool deck

2) midship Deck 8 above the tenders/lifeboats

3) aft Deck 10 under La Veranda

 

Might give some consideration to a Penthouse C, and if so would likely be Deck 9 more toward forward. I'm assuming that's better than any of the above, but we may decide to save the $$ and go with D or E, so need some input on which would be the best option.

 

We were above the lifeboats in a Cat E.  No noise, smooth ride. We did not have any tender ports. 

 

We we were almost above the tenders on our Mediterranean cruise this spring on Explorer. We tendered at Dubrovnik and deploying and recovering the lifeboats made very little noise. 

 

For me me the biggest consideration is whether we have a shower-only bathroom. 

[Pinksunset]

In our May Alaska cruise we were mid-ship in 1010, on Mariner, under the pool deck. There were no noise issues at all.  It was a fabulous cruise!  

[Travelcat2]

23 hours ago, JIMinNC said:

After deciding in post #9 above to probably delay our Alaska cruise until 2021, we're back considering it for June 2020.

 

As I mentioned, most of the best cabins are taken, so we're trying to determine if what is available will be acceptable or not (i.e. noise or other issues). Since the consensus is side of the ship doesn't matter, of these general cabin locations, which would be preferable for Alaska on the Mariner. We're preliminarily looking at Concierge Suite D or E:

 

1) midship Deck 10 under the pool deck

2) midship Deck 8 above the tenders/lifeboats

3) aft Deck 10 under La Veranda

 

Might give some consideration to a Penthouse C, and if so would likely be Deck 9 more toward forward. I'm assuming that's better than any of the above, but we may decide to save the $$ and go with D or E, so need some input on which would be the best option.

 

Since what you listed are the only choices at the moment, I won't suggest something that you cannot book.  I would do Deck 8 midship above the tenders/lifeboats since being under the pool deck or La Veranda can be very noisy (depending upon where the suite is). 

 

My first order of business would be to put a deposit on the category of suite that you really want.  It is 100% refundable and you will be ahead of others on the list that do not make a deposit.

[JIMinNC]

Thanks for the input. Between Wednesday when I posted my question and tonight, three of the cabins we were considering in Concierge Suite category D and E must have been booked because they disappeared, so we opted to just go for Penthouse Suite C on Deck 9. Made the deposit online on suite 903 and doing Denali pre-cruise.

 

Thanks again. Looking forward to our first Regent cruise. We did Azamara Mediterreanean last fall and Paul Gauguin French Polynesia a couple months ago.

Edited August 17, 2019 by JIMinNC

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Very often there are cancellation around final payment. You can certainly switch suites at that time. 

Also, since some of the cabins that you expressed interest at the beginning of the week, may still become available. Many people put cabins on a hold for a week. You never know.. it’s happened to us several times. 

Give me our deposit and keep your eyes on the prize. 

Good luck. Enjoy!

sheila

[Pam]

My son-in-law has problems getting time off in June, and I refuse to fly out of Anchorage if I can avoid it, so our choice was June 24, Seward to Vancouver.  We'll spend a couple of days in Vancouver before flying home on July 4th.