Carnival: Alaskan cruise vs. Caribbean/Bahamas

[firefly333]

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[pe4all]

After many Bahamas/Caribbean cruises we took a bucket list Alaska cruise on CCL.  When we debarked we all decided we would take one again in the future!  Tracy Arms was amazing - took the small boat and got close and saw a calving of the ice, tons of seals.   We took a helicopter up to Mendenhall Glacier and visited a dog sled camp and went dog sledding in the snow - never to be forgotten experience.  We saw the lumberjack show in Ketchikan.  Took the White pass train excursion.  All tours were expensive, but worth every penny.  Dress in layers.  We were comfy in a long sleeve shirt and a fleece, with a windbreaker on top when on our balcony or up on deck.  We went at the end of August, and it was 80 degrees in Ketchikan!  Very relaxed atmosphere onboard, and there was a naturalist giving lectures, descriptions of what was seen outside, etc.  Dress is casual.  Mostly adults on our cruise.  Really one of the best we ever took.

[mondello]

We went 7/5/2016 on Carnival Legend. I didn't know if or when we'd be back to Alaska so I splurged all out. First class airfare, nice hotels for a couple days pre- and post-cruise in Seattle and our first balcony cabin. Yes, the excursions are pricey but well worth it. We enjoyed the White Pass railroad into the Yukon. Also, the boat picks you up from the ship and takes you down a very scenic route to an up close and personal view of the glacier. We were diverted to Tracy Arm due to ice blocking our scheduled route, but it was still spectacular. The wind picked up and was roaring through the fjord-like valley, sure glad we had every layer. Our best investment was the good quality rain jackets that we still use 5 years later. This excursion gets you a lot closer to the glacier than the ship is able to maneuver. We found the bus to Mendenhall glacier, great hike to walk right up to a beautiful waterfall and views of the glacier. We saw countless whales, both from the decks and our balcony. A bear on a distant hillside. Lots of eagles by mudflats. Even a brief view of a caribou. When we met up for the Tracey Arm excursion, one of the boats was broken down and a large group that had booked last got the bad news they had been cancelled. Early July and the Salmon Bake excursion wasn't available yet, guess it opened mid-July. I think the best weather, and highest fares, would be late July through mid-Aug. I'm so glad we did everything without having to wait until I might be ready to kick the bucket before I crossed it off my list. I definitely want to go back.

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by mondello
Correction

[iheartmarshall]

Thank you everyone for the replies!  We talked and are definitely going to book, just have to figure out  the best option for us and set a budget.  Like some of you said, this may be our only visit to Alaska so I want to make sure we take full advantage of it.  

 

And even if we end up going the last week available in September, the colder temps don't bother us -- we're from West Virginia and it snowed yesterday. Go figure. 🙃

 

 

[dbrucern]

18 hours ago, iheartmarshall said:

I'm thinking of booking an Alaskan cruise on Carnival in September 2023.  It's been on our bucket list for a while and I'm almost ready to go for it.

 

We've only ever cruised to the Caribbean and Bahamas and of course Alaska will be different.  What are some things we should expect when cruising there that are different?  What's the vibe like (is it a party feel or more laid-back?).   I know it'll be cooler so hanging out by the pool on sea days probably won't be an option.  But what are some other things we should know prior to booking?

 

Thanks in advance!

We went in August of 2019 and I have to admit that it was absolutely wonderful even though I didn't want to go (I'm from Canada but on husbands bucket list) The cruise was very relaxed, people wore jeans and sweatshirts most of the time onboard and the shops on board the ship are geared towards this.  With that said it was probably the hottest temps Alaska ever had and I was going into the first T-shirt shop I could find on our first stop.  It is an expensive cruise but as said by others well worth it.  Make sure you go to the Red Dog Saloon and have a Duck's Fart.   

[skrufy]

On 4/22/2021 at 6:42 AM, iheartmarshall said:

Thank you everyone for the replies!  We talked and are definitely going to book, just have to figure out  the best option for us and set a budget.  Like some of you said, this may be our only visit to Alaska so I want to make sure we take full advantage of it.  

 

And even if we end up going the last week available in September, the colder temps don't bother us -- we're from West Virginia and it snowed yesterday. Go figure. 🙃

 

 

If it might be your only visit to Alaska, and you can budget it, look into a land and cruise vacation. Princess and Holland America do them very well. Again if you can budget it, do a 10 or longer. You will see more of Alaska besides the usual stops in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. Plus possible multiple Glacier stops on the longer cruises.

[Tapi]

On 4/22/2021 at 7:42 AM, iheartmarshall said:

...just have to figure out  the best option for us and set a budget.  Like some of you said, this may be our only visit to Alaska so I want to make sure we take full advantage of it.  

I do want to say that, even if your budget doesn’t allow you to book the most spectacular and expensive shore excursions, you can still have a memorable Alaska cruise. 
 

We cruised to Alaska with our extended family. Our budgets ranged wildly. Personally, I had just started a career with my present company so I was on a more limited budget than other family members.
 

I did a lot of research and planned most activities ashore on our own without shore excursions. We took the Glacier Express to Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. We hiked through the Sitka National Forest and visited the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka. We did a land and sea tour in Ketchikan (the only tour we booked), and we went to the waterfront in Victoria, walked from the Parliament into town and had dinner. And of course, we witnessed the majesty of Glacier Bay free of charge right from the ship. We had an absolutely wonderful cruise, and the memories are truly amazing. 
 

With that said. I thought I hadn’t missed much until I saw my sister’s photos from the same cruise. They were on a more generous budget (two doctors) and they did the helicopter ride landing on a glacier. They went dog sledding. They rode a sailplane over the fjords, and went whale watching as well as kayaking. They probably spent more on excursions than on the actual cruise. But their photos had me salivating and wishing to one day return and experience what they experienced!

 

Long story short, I’m still very satisfied with  everything that I did get to do on this cruise, even if it wasn’t as fantastic as what my sister did. I got to explore Alaska on like a $50pp excursion budget. But now I do want to return and do what I didn’t get to to do the first time!

[mexicobob]

Love cruising in warm weather places. That being said on a scale of 1-10, Alaska would be about 37. Unbelievable. Excursions that involve helicopters or small airplanes are well worth it but very expensive. 

[BelowDeck4us]

1 hour ago, mexicobob said:

Love cruising in warm weather places. That being said on a scale of 1-10, Alaska would be about 37. Unbelievable. Excursions that involve helicopters or small airplanes are well worth it but very expensive. 

You hit the nail on the head.  Couldn't agree with you more.  One of the first airplane excursions we ever took was to Taku Glacier Lodge.  To this day it remains our favorite cruise excursion.  Just incredible, though expensive.  

 

Everyone's budget is consideration #1, but if cruising in a balcony room is on your bucket list, then doing it on an Alaskan cruise should be at the top of your list.  

[sgttami]

My favorite cruise was Alaska, the last cruise of the season.  The weather was unseasonably warm and we sat by the pool and pool bar almost every day.  Stores in port were giving the stuff away to get ready to close and it was the first time ever that I had to buy a suitcase to bring home what I bought.  Jackets, vests, and hoodies that were $50, I got for $5.  The suitcase I bought was $6, marked down from $40. 

 

I had a balcony and wouldn't cruise Alaska without one.  The scenery was spectacular and it was nice to have privacy while enjoying it.  Met some great party people and had a blast with them.  I think a lot of people were in good spirits because the weather was so warm and everyone was expecting it to be cold and rainy.   It was nice being on a glacier with the sun beating down...LOL

 

That cruise was almost 16 years ago and as much as I'd love to go again, I know that a cruise that was SO perfect will never happen again....That cruise was on RCL(Serenade of the Seas) but I'd consider doing one on Carnival from Seattle.  The first one was from Vancouver so it would be something different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Trueblueky]

On 4/21/2021 at 4:25 PM, xDisconnections said:

I’ll be the odd one out and suggest you look at Princess or Holland America Line. These two cruise lines have the most experience sailing the region and will provide an experience focused on Alaska. Choosing fun is cool but with Alaska, you want to be immersed in what Alaska has to offer. These two cruise lines will also have better itineraries including land based options in Denali and the Kenai peninsula and will secure more entries into areas such as Glacier Bay.

 

Also, Carnival traditionally offers their Alaska cruises on Tuesday to Tuesday so keep that in mind in case it impacts a work schedule.

We normally cruise Carnival, but took an HAL cruisetour for Alaska.  The Princess and HAL land tours are very similar. For instance, the Princess hotel at Denali is next to the HAL one.  So glad we did the land portion in addition to the cruise.

 

We started in Fairbanks, getting there a day early, took a tour from there that included a boat ride, dog murders and such. Then to Denali for three nights. Train to Anchorage. Overnight. Stop at a glacier end route to Seward, where we stayed in cabins outside town.  Cruised Kenai Fjord to see orcas and other wildlife before getting on the cruise.

Edited May 3, 2021 by Trueblueky

[Illbcruzn4life]

36 minutes ago, Trueblueky said:

We normally cruise Carnival, but took an HAL cruisetour for Alaska.  The Princess and HAL land tours are very similar. For instance, the Princess hotel at Denali is next to the HAL one.  So glad we did the land portion in addition to the cruise.

 

We started in Fairbanks, getting there a day early, took a tour from there that included a boat ride, dog murders and such. Then to Denali for three nights. Train to Anchorage. Overnight. Stop at a glacier end route to Seward, where we stayed in cabins outside town.  Cruised Kenai Fjord to see orcas and other wildlife before getting on the cruise.

 

YIKES!! darn talk to text...😲 

[Trueblueky]

8 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

 

YIKES!! darn talk to text...😲 

Yep. Autoincorrect at work.  I meant dog mushers.  Thanx

[SNJCruisers]

11 minutes ago, Trueblueky said:

Yep. Autoincorrect at work.  I meant dog mushers.  Thanx

Thanks for the update.  Don't have to contact PETA about you. 😆

[scpirate]

On 4/21/2021 at 5:04 PM, tallnthensome said:

Good thing that most well versed cruisers don't think the way you do. Perhaps you enjoy going to Nassau 13 times and nowhere else but most do not. 

I must have fell and bumped my head.the first time I actually agree with you.