Inside passage cruising

[Roaming Rover]

Which catergory  of cabin would you choose for cruising the inside passage ??? Inside.......outside .....Balcony or would all your viewing of the scenery  be from the outside on the top decks??? 

[CruiserBruce]

We always cruise in a balcony cabin or above. But, the best viewing is always top deck, outside, or in the Crow's Nest, because the view is much closer to 360 degrees, and the scenery is definitely not just on one side.

[Mary229]

I have done it both balcony and inside cabin.  When in an inside cabin I pick a location close to an outside public deck.  In either case I usually do most of my viewing from public locations.  The DH loves the social interaction and a balcony is wasted on him so we pay for them less and less often.  (He did love the Lanai cabin but I found it too small)

[KirkNC]

We do inside, we can take more cruises that way and don’t spend time in our cabin other then to sleep.  As CB says, you need to be outside to get the best views.

[Roaming Rover]

Thanks  for your wise words !!! inside it is !!!! No cruising for a while by the sounds of it 

[bennybear]

I like a window at least, that way I can peak out.  But even when we’ve had a suite I’ve spent most of the day outside or in the Crowsnest.  

[Essiesmom]

The problem with a balcony is that when the naturalist or captain sees wildlife, it is inevitably on the other side of the ship...  If you are out on deck, you can run to the other side to see it.  EM

[farjar]

We prefer doing an inside cabin.  Frequently in Alaska it is too cold to sit on a balcony.  We use the money we save on the cabin to go on shore excursions instead.  That way we see and experience more for the same price.

[Mary229]

10 minutes ago, farjar said:

We prefer doing an inside cabin.  Frequently in Alaska it is too cold to sit on a balcony.  We use the money we save on the cabin to go on shore excursions instead.  That way we see and experience more for the same price.

I so agree.  For us the cruise ship is a floating hotel/restaurant.  What we do onshore is much more important.  When we were younger we did all independent now I love having a knowledgeable guide or the ease and convenience of port side pick up.  That is where my dollars go

[Paulinda]

We cruised the inside passage several years ago on the MS Amsterdam.  It was our first HAL cruise and we chose an OV cabin.  The cabin was perfect as it was only several cabins away from an exit door where we did many laps on the walking path.  We loved it.

 

Usually we select a verandah cabin but since it was early June and the weather was still a bit chilly at the time we felt we wouldn't use the verandah.  Most of day was spent either walking laps or in the Lido where we could sit and view the passing scenery.  It was a good choice for us.  

 

No matter what you select you will have a great time.  It's an awesome cruise destination.  

[Roaming Rover]

Thanks for reassuring me inside is the one to book, as you say you can spend more on the shore excursions . Talking of excursions which ones  would you recommend on this inside passage trip ? We have  just had 2021 trip cancelled  so rebooking for June 2022. 

[Mary229]

The only must do, at least once, is the White Pass train ride.  Do it with the cruise line as they buy up blocks of tickets anyway and the cost should be the same.  Mendenhall Glacier is a must for a first timer, how you see it depends on your interests and activity level.  

[farjar]

I totally agree with Mary229.  The White Pass Scenic Railway in Skagway is a must.  We've done it twice.  Besides breathtaking scenery you get an insight into what the Yukon prospectors had to endure to make it to the goldfields.  It's both beautiful and educational.

[Cruiz'nBaers]

On 3/3/2021 at 1:05 PM, farjar said:

We prefer doing an inside cabin.  Frequently in Alaska it is too cold to sit on a balcony.  We use the money we save on the cabin to go on shore excursions instead.  That way we see and experience more for the same price.

We booked an inside cabin for our Alaskan cruise, because of the early sunrise.  HAL gave us a complimentary upgrade to an Ocean View.  The first morning as we lay in bed talking, it was quite light out, we decided to go up to the lido for breakfast.  Fortunately we looked at our phones, it was 4:39AM.  Needless to say, we went back to bed.