Alaska in June 2020 on Joy - inside passage

[drvmywifecrzy]

So a few questions for those that have done Alaska before.

 

1. Is a balcony or better a must on Alaska so you can sit on your balcony and enjoy the sights?
2. How late in the day is it daylight in June?
3. The times in port seem concerning.  Do they really work for sightseeing and what does one do about breakfast?

   Mon	Ketchikan, Alaska	7:00 am	3:00 pm
   Tue	Juneau, Alaska	7:00 am	1:30 pm

[smithop]

We enjoyed a balcony on this itinerary, used it a lot of time because there is always something to see on an inside passage.  Its nice to be able to step inside and warm up if its cold outside, may not be an issue in June, we went in September.  You don’t have to fight the crowds for a rail view on the decks.  You can listen to the park ranger commentary on the tv with the door open during the glacier bay cruise day.

 

We are early risers, prefer early port times.  Order early delivery of breakfast to your cabin or go to the buffet, it will open early when there is an early port time.

[Sauer-kraut]

Did the Inside Passage on the Jewel last June.  Daylight until about 11 pm.  We had gotten an upgrade from an inside to a porthole.  We didn't miss a balcony, we used a lot of outside deck seating and the Observation Lounge.  Juneau is a shopping port, lots of ships and you will have to take a shuttle bus from the NCL docking area.

 

In Ketchican we took the free town shuttle to the Totem Museum which was small and to Creektown and a slow walk back to the ship.

[Oakman58]

The Joy would be my last choice for an Alaskan cruise.  It doesn't visit Glacier Bay Naitonal Park, it doesn't visit Hubbard Glacier, it doesn't do the Tracy Arm or the Endicott Arm.  One reason people take Alaskan cruises is to see some of its famous glaciers and spectacular scenery.  In June there is a lot of daylight in Alaska.

 

In my opinion the Bliss out of Seattle would be a much better choice.  For a June cruise out of Seattle my first choice would be the Ruby Princess.  Just saying.

Edited December 7, 2019 by Oakman58

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, drvmywifecrzy said:

So a few questions for those that have done Alaska before.

 

1. Is a balcony or better a must on Alaska so you can sit on your balcony and enjoy the sights?
2. How late in the day is it daylight in June?
3. The times in port seem concerning.  Do they really work for sightseeing and what does one do about breakfast?

   Mon	Ketchikan, Alaska	7:00 am	3:00 pm
   Tue	Juneau, Alaska	7:00 am	1:30 pm

A balcony is a must. We spend hours on our balcony watching the alaskan scenery and sea lift (whales, dolphins). 

 

Sunset is 9:00 pm and sunrise is 3:00 am. (So it is dark about 6 hours).

 

Oakman is incorrect. Your cruise is a morning call in Juneau and it spends the afternoon cursing tracy arm and the Dawes glacier. You can see a lot in the morning and enjoy the glaciers in the afternoon. We always take the Glacier Explorer shore excursion visiting the glacier, up close and personal, in a small boat and reboarding the Joy has it completes its glacier watching. (photos on link)

 

A live post of our recent cruise is on the link below

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by BirdTravels

[bonvoyagie]

2 hours ago, Oakman58 said:

The Joy would be my last choice for an Alaskan cruise.  It doesn't visit Glacier Bay Naitonal Park, it doesn't visit Hubbard Glacier, it doesn't do the Tracy Arm or the Endicott Arm.  One reason people take Alaskan cruises is to see some of its famous glaciers and spectacular scenery.  In June there is a lot of daylight in Alaska.

 

In my opinion the Bliss out of Seattle would be a much better choice.  For a June cruise out of Seattle my first choice would be the Ruby Princess.  Just saying.

The Joy will visit either Endicott Arm or Tracy Arm whichever they can access at the time - Hokum Bay is generic to both fjords so folks can't claim a bait and switch as  to which fjord they visit.

 

I agree that the Bliss is slightly better due to Glacier Bay - however you don't get the best port times in Juneau or Victoria.

 

The absolute best NCL AK experience is the Jewel - skips Victoria but on the North bound voyage spends all day in the main ports, does Glacier Bay, and  Hubbard Glacier. Yes you have to return from Anchorage to your home - or you can make a real vacation out of it and do a land tour.

 

I agree that early port times can be a pain - but in June the sun is up very early - and so are the cooks. Breakfast is served in the MDR and the Buffets usually starting well before docking. Also docking usually occurs well before the announced time. 

 

We like to cruise AK in mid to late June - the further north you go the later the sun is out - around the 21st is the summer solstice - the longest day of the year.

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by bonvoyagie

[kdmbluerzr]

Great input, thanks to all. We'll be on the Jewel southbound, Seward to Vancouver, July 27, 2020. So looking fwd to more posts, info and tips. This will be our first trip to Alaska.

[tallnthensome]

Check out the Alaska forum as well.

[Alynna715]

We have sailed Alaska with an Oceanview and a Balcony. If it is in your budget go for the balcony but if not there are lots of places you can be outside that will be empty since it is so cold. The Joy also has the observation deck so you can get by without it. I personally love sitting out on the balcony day and night. I don't care if I need to be wearing my coat. I would go out for little bits of time. There always seems to be something to look at. 

 

I also found with the sun rising so early I naturally woke up early. 

[zqvol]

13 hours ago, drvmywifecrzy said:

So a few questions for those that have done Alaska before.

 

1. Is a balcony or better a must on Alaska so you can sit on your balcony and enjoy the sights?
2. How late in the day is it daylight in June?
3. The times in port seem concerning.  Do they really work for sightseeing and what does one do about breakfast?

   Mon	Ketchikan, Alaska	7:00 am	3:00 pm
   Tue	Juneau, Alaska	7:00 am	1:30 pm

 

In June the Sun will rise about 5:00 a.m. and set around 1:00 a.m., so you get about 20 hours of light.

 

NCL doesn't really do an inside passage, except as it goes between ports, the long distances are at sea and there is nothing to see. While between ports you are close enough to land to see some sights.

 

To me those port times seem very short, but you will have enough time to do some sightseeing.

[don't-use-real-name]

Check the specific itineraries - - -

 

In general Alaska sailings out of Seattle do not use the (Canada Vancouver) Inside Passage

The route taken is the open Pacific Ocean side of Vancouver Island.

- - - they do use the Inside Passage native to Ketchikan Juneau Skagway Icy Strait Point.

The return route back to Seattle and (Victoria BC) is the same.

 

 

Vancouver sailings north and south bound do sail the exciting Seymour Narrows north of

Campbell River - Inside Passage - this passage is usually in the middle of the night

going either direction peak summer cruises more optimum for viewing.

These cruises terminating originating at Anchorage (Port of Seward) do not always have

a smooth ride - there is a portion of open ocean the Gulf of Alaska between Seward and

the Hubbard Glacier (near Yakutat AK).

 

Each of these cruises has something unique to Port calls - Glaciers visited.

There is no one cruise or cruise line that does it all in one trip.

There are 7 day round trips - 7 day one way - and multiple day cruises usually about

the open of closing of the cruise season (Repositioning cruises).

 

The cruise season in Alaska is so competitive - there are many major cruise lines

plying these waters - port call times can be a real problem fitting in all the ships to

make port calls to prime dock/pier space - tendering is always an issue depending on

the arrival and departure - check your shore excursion times carefully or just how

far you can walk hike rent a vehicle away from the port.

 

But don't let any of this keep you from visiting - plan carefully - pack as much fun in as possible ! 

 

[Oakman58]

18 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

A balcony is a must. We spend hours on our balcony watching the alaskan scenery and sea lift (whales, dolphins). 

 

Sunset is 9:00 pm and sunrise is 3:00 am. (So it is dark about 6 hours).

 

Oakman is incorrect. Your cruise is a morning call in Juneau and it spends the afternoon cursing tracy arm and the Dawes glacier. You can see a lot in the morning and enjoy the glaciers in the afternoon. We always take the Glacier Explorer shore excursion visiting the glacier, up close and personal, in a small boat and reboarding the Joy has it completes its glacier watching. (photos on link)

 

A live post of our recent cruise is on the link below

 

 

I stand corrected BirdTravels.

[drcarp4]

We were on Jewel this June. It got dark around 11:00. We had an aft balcony and I would go out in the early in the morning and see whales occasionally. It was also handy when we went to the glaciers because they would turn the ship slowly to give everyone a view. Of course you could go up and view it from the ship's deck but it was just more convenient to be able to have access to your room. 

[kdmbluerzr]

17 minutes ago, drcarp4 said:

We were on Jewel this June. It got dark around 11:00. We had an aft balcony and I would go out in the early in the morning and see whales occasionally. It was also handy when we went to the glaciers because they would turn the ship slowly to give everyone a view. Of course you could go up and view it from the ship's deck but it was just more convenient to be able to have access to your room. 

We will be in a balcony stateroom deck 9 port side. Not an aft facing room but aft section of the Jewel.

[bonvoyagie]

Another thing to note is that with early port calls, the nightlife on these cruises is almost non existent - people are more excited about their excursions in port that they go to bed early so they are rested and ready. These cruises also tend to attract older folks and families with all ages of kids. 

[Harratine]

On 12/7/2019 at 2:18 PM, kdmbluerzr said:

Great input, thanks to all. We'll be on the Jewel southbound, Seward to Vancouver, July 27, 2020. So looking fwd to more posts, info and tips. This will be our first trip to Alaska.

We will be on the trek south bound on July 13th and our first to Alaska too

[drcarp4]

5 hours ago, kdmbluerzr said:

We will be in a balcony stateroom deck 9 port side. Not an aft facing room but aft section of the Jewel.

Take binoculars. 

[kdmbluerzr]

9 minutes ago, drcarp4 said:

Take binoculars. 

For sure. We plan to.

[Oakman58]

Don't forget to pack your camera.