Deciding on Rebooking Alaska (Again)

[strickerj]

So I'm looking into rebooking my HAL cruise to Alaska yet again - I had the Glacier Discovery Northbound (Vancouver to Whittier, formerly to Seward) on Noordam booked for late May 2020, 2021, and now 2022, and I'm still a bit concerned about that not happening without restrictions I'd find unacceptable. I'd like to rebook for 2023 but with the road through Denali closed past mile 44, I'm considering some different options. Glacier Bay is a must, and Skagway would be highly desirable since I'd like to take the White Pass & Yukon train. Here are my options as I see them:

 

1) Same itinerary as 2022 for 2023 (Noordam from Vancouver to Seward departing on Sun. 5/28). With a Verandah cabin and the Have It All promo, it's about $200 more pp than our current itinerary, and there will be 3 of us in 2 cabins (so charged for 4), so this is not inconsequential but still doable. Upon arrival, we would spend a few days around Anchorage and Seward, adding to the cost but also getting the itinerary as close to our original plan as possible without Denali.

 

2) Roundtrip from Vancouver on Koningsdam departing on Sat. 5/27. With a Verandah cabin and the Have It All promo, it's about $250 more pp than our current itinerary. This appears to be a considerably bigger ship - any thoughts on whether that's a positive or negative for Alaska?

 

3) Roundtrip from Vancouver on Volendam departing on Wed. 5/24. It looks like the Lanai cabins open up to the promenade deck, and to get a private balcony, we'd need to upgrade to a Vista Suite. This would make it substantially more expensive, unless we forego the promo or go 2 weeks earlier. (Drinks and WiFi would be nice but aren't necessary, and I probably wouldn't pay extra for them. The $100 off shore excursion pp credit would be useful but for my solo mother-in-law, we'd be paying for the promo twice but only getting one person worth of benefit.) Ship is also a good bit smaller, but all it appears to be missing from the bigger ships (besides more staterooms) is Tamarind and the Music Walk venues, which I don't think we'd miss.

 

Anyone here have experience with Volendam's Lanai cabins vs. other ships' Verandahs? How about going earlier (May 10-17)? We initially booked the week we did to get to Denali for opening week, but with that no longer a consideration, we're a little more flexible - is there usually that much sea ice that the ships can't get close to the glaciers, or would a smaller ship like Volendam have an easier time?

 

Lots to consider. Truth be told, we'd prefer to cancel outright and wait it out, but it looks like we're stuck with the FCC since we accepted it back in 2020, and I also bought gift cards during the 20% promo last year, so we've got to use those. Thanks in advance!

[RuthC]

Cabins on the Volendam are larger than cabins in the same category on the Noordam, which are larger than cabins in the same category on the Koningsdam. As the ships have gotten larger, the cabins have gotten smaller, in comparable categories. 
The Volendam Lanai cabins are converted outsides, which were the smallest outsides on the ship. They are noticeably smaller than the other outsides on the ship, and even smaller than the insides across the passageway. The Lanai cabins have two reserved loungers outside the sliding door, which is the public promenade. 
Otherwise, the Volendam is a very comfortable ship, and does a great cruise to Alaska. 

Usually there is a fare that is refundable, but does not have the promos included; the rate is lower. Perhaps that would be a good option for your mother-in-law, should you decide to take that ship. 

[strickerj]

Thanks; I was starting to wonder if the rooms on the newer ships were smaller - it doesn't seem they've gotten larger in size by the same proportion as they've gotten more staterooms. My concern on the Lanai cabin isn't so much the size as the privacy - my MIL wouldn't mind it but my wife and I aren't as social.

 

Looks like the only fare options now are the nonrefundable best rate or the Have It All, which is $350 more pp. (That was the case for all the 2023 HAL Alaska cruises I looked at.) I'm thinking that isn't worth it since the latest HIA promo doesn't include the daily gratuity. My fare is already de facto nonrefundable since I used FCC, unless I'm mistaken on that?

[zgscl]

8 hours ago, strickerj said:

Anyone here have experience with Volendam's Lanai cabins vs. other ships' Verandahs? How about going earlier (May 10-17)?

 

IMO there is a large difference between the lanai and a private balcony, particularly on a sailing like Alaska where the scenery makes up a major part of trip. Having the private space for viewing in places like Glacier Bay vs trying to get a good spot on the public decks makes an enormous difference. As Ruth mentioned the cabins are larger on Volendam vs the newer ships. For Alaska I would absolutely go with a balcony. 

 

HAL does not do Skagway out of Seattle (which really bothers me as we are Seattle based and we are not willing to forgo the convenience of leaving from our home port). It may be worth looking at a round trip out of Seattle. They offer them with Glacier Bay but Sitka instead of Skagway. Not sure on the pricing difference but if you are US based the cost to get to & from Seattle can be significantly lower than Vancouver even though it is just a 3 hour drive. 

 

8 hours ago, strickerj said:

Glacier Bay is a must, and Skagway would be highly desirable since I'd like to take the White Pass & Yukon train. Here are my options as I see them:

100% agree Glacier Bay is far better than any of the other glacier options. Love Skagway and the White Pass & Yukon unfortunately I have only been once. Sitka is a great port too but really want to get back to Skagway at some point. 

 

I have not been up to Seward/Anchorage so I can't really weigh in on that but if it were me I think I would do a round trip from Vancouver for the convenience and lower cost if not going all the way to Denali. 

 

9 hours ago, strickerj said:

This appears to be a considerably bigger ship - any thoughts on whether that's a positive or negative for Alaska?

I will be on my first sailing on Koningsdam in just over 2 weeks. We were hesitant to book our first sailing on Eurodam due to the size and had avoided it for years. We ended up really loving it once we actually got onboard and I suspect the same will hold true for the Pinnacle class. The added music walk venues are a really great benefit along with the Royal Dutch Cafe. The theater is actually smaller on Koningsdam despite the higher passenger count and they actually do three shows instead of two in a more intimate setting. I will definitely report back after sailing but the reviews I have seen have been mostly positive (unless you are very much attached to a traditional promenade deck). 

 

9 hours ago, strickerj said:

is there usually that much sea ice that the ships can't get close to the glaciers, or would a smaller ship like Volendam have an easier time?

Very hard to predict. The smaller ships usually get a bit closer, but that being said it would not have made a difference on our last Alaska cruise. No ship could get close at all to Johns Hopkins and the Margerie & Grand Pacific Glacier were very accessible. 

 

9 hours ago, strickerj said:

Ship is also a good bit smaller, but all it appears to be missing from the bigger ships (besides more staterooms) is Tamarind and the Music Walk venues, which I don't think we'd miss.

I have sailed many cruises on the R class and the slightly smaller S class ships. They give a great cruise (and cabins are a bit larger). It really depends on what you enjoy doing in the evenings. You are correct on the differences. I didn't think we would like the Music Walk but we actually really enjoyed it. Between the venues most folks will find something they like especially on the larger ships. Unless having the smaller ship or all of the new features I don't think you can really go wrong either way. I would not hesitate to book on any HAL ship and I hope to have a chance to sail on one of the last remaining R class ships while they are still in the fleet. 

 

5 hours ago, strickerj said:

My concern on the Lanai cabin isn't so much the size as the privacy - my MIL wouldn't mind it but my wife and I aren't as social.

Definitely another concern. I believe the door is tinted if I remember correctly from walking past but I would also feel rather uncomfortable with a giant window onto a public deck and probably keep the curtains drawn the whole time. The R class ships were designed before the huge shift to balcony cabins and a very large number of ocean views vs balconies compared to the newer models. If you look at the deck plans you will find a lot of similarities on deck 2 & 3 of the newer ships with decks 4 & 5 of the R class. The design basically flipped these to make more balcony cabins and put the public decks lower down. Then they stretched it and added some venues to the extra space. As Ruth mentioned the lanai cabins were an afterthought to make up for the lack of balcony cabins. They are smaller than the other ocean views. A true balcony cabin will be a much better experience.

 

 

[Cruise Suzy]

8 hours ago, strickerj said:

Looks like the only fare options now are the nonrefundable best rate or the Have It All, which is $350 more pp. (That was the case for all the 2023 HAL Alaska cruises I looked at.)

 

There is a third fare (I believe it's called Advantage.) that is refundable but has no included perks. It is not shown online. Your TA or PCC can request it.

[strickerj]

8 hours ago, zgscl said:

IMO there is a large difference between the lanai and a private balcony, particularly on a sailing like Alaska where the scenery makes up a major part of trip. Having the private space for viewing in places like Glacier Bay vs trying to get a good spot on the public decks makes an enormous difference.

Thanks for that detailed info! That's kind of what I suspected - looking at the pictures on HALFacts, the promenade looks to be fairly wide with a lot of structural features, which might not make for the best view from inside the room. I know there's supposedly reserved deck chairs, but some people might not respect that, and I hate confrontation. 🙂 Vista Suite it is then!

 

8 hours ago, zgscl said:

HAL does not do Skagway out of Seattle (which really bothers me as we are Seattle based and we are not willing to forgo the convenience of leaving from our home port). It may be worth looking at a round trip out of Seattle. They offer them with Glacier Bay but Sitka instead of Skagway. Not sure on the pricing difference but if you are US based the cost to get to & from Seattle can be significantly lower than Vancouver even though it is just a 3 hour drive. 

I've noticed that - Sitka looks interesting too, but for my first trip, I've got to take the train from Skagway. (My parents did this excursion and highly recommended it.) I'm flying from Detroit, so Seattle would be nonstop, but I've already been there but not Vancouver, so that favors the latter. My dad also used to live there and has plenty of suggestions on what to see and do.

 

8 hours ago, zgscl said:

Very hard to predict. The smaller ships usually get a bit closer, but that being said it would not have made a difference on our last Alaska cruise. No ship could get close at all to Johns Hopkins and the Margerie & Grand Pacific Glacier were very accessible. 

What time of year was that? Sounds like the smaller fjords might not be accessible but there will always be something to see in Glacier Bay? This itinerary also has a half hour in Tracy Arm listed as a stop but I doubt we'd get all the way in.

 

8 hours ago, zgscl said:

I have sailed many cruises on the R class and the slightly smaller S class ships. They give a great cruise (and cabins are a bit larger). It really depends on what you enjoy doing in the evenings.

I wouldn't mind trying one of the mega-ships in the Caribbean, but for Alaska I'm there for the scenery. I kind of feel the more traditional experience on a smaller ship would be better suited for that. Am I correct to assume you can board/deboard faster from a smaller ship? (That would be a consideration when time in port is limited.) Or do the bigger ships have proportionately more gangways so it's a wash?

 

5 hours ago, Cruise Suzy said:

There is a third fare (I believe it's called Advantage.) that is refundable but has no included perks. It is not shown online. Your TA or PCC can request it.

Thanks; I'll ask about that when I call in. I assume though if I paid with FCC, I'll be refunded in the form of FCC? At this point, even nonrefundable deposits can be cancelled for FCC, so that might be a wash.

[strickerj]

Just occurred to me, is the WP&YR excursion even running that early in the season? Or does it start as soon as the first cruise ship arrives? The 5/10 departure from Vancouver would be in Skagway on 5/13.

[zgscl]

15 hours ago, strickerj said:

looking at the pictures on HALFacts,

Oh I can't believe I forgot to mention HAL Facts! So glad you are already familiar with it! Wonderful resource for making life's biggest decisions. 

 

14 hours ago, strickerj said:

I'm flying from Detroit, so Seattle would be nonstop, but I've already been there but not Vancouver, so that favors the latter. My dad also used to live there and has plenty of suggestions on what to see and do.

I will say it is a very easy train ride from here up to Vancouver. Depending on the timing of your trip you may save a lot flying in here vs Vancouver (though obviously more complicated). I saw comments one group of 5 or 6 people who were going to $3K or so by flying in and out of Seattle even with the added hotel nights. Hopefully as we get into the next year flights across the boarder get more affordable. 

 

15 hours ago, strickerj said:

I know there's supposedly reserved deck chairs, but some people might not respect that, and I hate confrontation. 🙂 Vista Suite it is then!

Totally agree! 

 

15 hours ago, strickerj said:

What time of year was that? Sounds like the smaller fjords might not be accessible but there will always be something to see in Glacier Bay? This itinerary also has a half hour in Tracy Arm listed as a stop but I doubt we'd get all the way in.

 

This was in August. We have sailed at various times in the year including May and have never had trouble getting into Glacier Bay. One of the huge advantages is that you actually see 4 different glaciers. This is a huge advantage as if you can't get into some you will most likely be able to get into others. There is always a risk of not being able to go, especially during the shoulder season. An itinerary with both Tracy Arm & Glacier Bay would give you the best of both worlds. I haven't been to Tracy Arm in years but as I recall it is a very quick visit (but perhaps we had lots of ice flows blocking things). 

 

15 hours ago, strickerj said:

Am I correct to assume you can board/deboard faster from a smaller ship? (That would be a consideration when time in port is limited.) Or do the bigger ships have proportionately more gangways so it's a wash?

To  be honest it doesn't make that big of a difference IMO at least within the HAL fleet unless there is a tender port where it makes a big difference. When we were in Alaska they were fairly quick to get a second gangway opened after docking. We had absolutely no issue getting on and off. Icy Strait Point was just a 3 hour stop and that probably had the biggest rush to get off, but we still got off with no problems to make our tour departure time. The biggest challenge we had was in Juneau where they announced a second gangway was open and we had the brilliant idea of going there since we figured it would be less crowded. They were actually only doing new crew sign on and we had to wait for the elevator to go back up, then go to the other set of elevators and then wait for the elevators going down. We almost missed our tour! That is probably the only time we have ever had difficulty getting off the ship (and of course the only cruise where my mom has been in a wheelchair and we couldn't just run up and down the stairs for the 1 deck). I wouldn't hesitate to book the Signature or Pinnacle class for this. 

 

15 hours ago, strickerj said:

Thanks; I'll ask about that when I call in. I assume though if I paid with FCC, I'll be refunded in the form of FCC? At this point, even nonrefundable deposits can be cancelled for FCC, so that might be a wash.

I think this is correct. 

 

When I have inquired about the advantage fare it seems to float about half way between have it all and the non-refundable fare. The math actually pushed me to up to the have it all. While I didn't think I would get $350-400 in value out of HIA I am unwilling to take a non-refundable deposit especially during these times. From the advantage fare I found the extra ~150-200 was worth it for me. But I also travel mostly as a solo or just with one other person and obviously we all find different value in the perks. 

 

12 hours ago, strickerj said:

Just occurred to me, is the WP&YR excursion even running that early in the season? Or does it start as soon as the first cruise ship arrives? The 5/10 departure from Vancouver would be in Skagway on 5/13.

I would guess they run the full cruise season but I will have to defer to someone who has sailed to Skagway more recently confirm. 

 

And a few photos from our most recent trip to Glacier Bay. Even on a cloudy day it is always a spectacular sight. 

 

[strickerj]

Thanks; sounds like this is a good itinerary. I'm surprised it was that icy in August; I guess waiting until June wouldn't make a difference then. Pending confirmation that the WPYR train is running, it sounds like we've decided on the May 10 sailing.

 

I'll definitely check on flights to Seattle and the Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver once booking opens up for those dates. I do love train rides, and it looks like that's a scenic route.

[oaktreerb]

On 10/27/2021 at 8:04 AM, strickerj said:

Thanks for that detailed info! That's kind of what I suspected - looking at the pictures on HALFacts, the promenade looks to be fairly wide with a lot of structural features, which might not make for the best view from inside the room. I know there's supposedly reserved deck chairs, but some people might not respect that, and I hate confrontation.

 

What time of year was that? Sounds like the smaller fjords might not be accessible but there will always be something to see in Glacier Bay? This itinerary also has a half hour in Tracy Arm listed as a stop but I doubt we'd get all the way in.

 

 

Good choice with Vista Suite.  Lanai cabins are pretty small for two people.

 

The half hour you reference in Tracy Arm should be listed as a service stop.  This is for an excursion into Tracy Arm.  When you purchase the Tracy Arm excursion you have an opportunity to see Tracy Arm from a small boat.  You transfer to the smaller vessel at the entrance to Tracy Arm and the HAL ship will continue on to Juneau.  At the end of your Tracy Arm viewing you will meet your HAL ship in Juneau.  This is a highly recommended excursion so book it early, it will sell out.

[strickerj]

4 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

Good choice with Vista Suite.  Lanai cabins are pretty small for two people.

 

The half hour you reference in Tracy Arm should be listed as a service stop.  This is for an excursion into Tracy Arm.  When you purchase the Tracy Arm excursion you have an opportunity to see Tracy Arm from a small boat.  You transfer to the smaller vessel at the entrance to Tracy Arm and the HAL ship will continue on to Juneau.  At the end of your Tracy Arm viewing you will meet your HAL ship in Juneau.  This is a highly recommended excursion so book it early, it will sell out.

Yes that's what it says... so the HAL ship doesn't actually venture far enough into Tracy Arm to see anything without the shore excursion? And would taking the Tracy Arm excursion delay your arrival into Juneau and affect your shore excursions there?

[cruzn single]

I did the WP&Y train ride in fairly early  May twice.  Totally doable and spectacular narrow gauge train tour.  My DH was a train fan so I have done quite a few train excursions.  This was memorable!

[RuthC]

20 minutes ago, strickerj said:

Yes that's what it says... so the HAL ship doesn't actually venture far enough into Tracy Arm to see anything without the shore excursion? And would taking the Tracy Arm excursion delay your arrival into Juneau and affect your shore excursions there?

Correct, the stop at Tracy Arm is exactly that---a stop to let those on the shore excursion up Tracy Arm to transfer from the ship to the catamaran. The ship then continues to Juneau, while those on the shore excursion do their thing. 
The catamaran returns those passengers to the ship, which has long since docked in Juneau. I can't recall what time the catamaran returned to Juneau, but it was mid-afternoon. Depending on what time the ship sails from Juneau there may be time for another excursion, or only time to walk around the downtown, or make a favored stop. 

I once took the Volendam to Alaska for the sole purpose of doing this shore excursion. I loved the scenery, and to be able to see Sawyer Glacier from a handful of feet above sea level, not to mention close to the face of the glacier, was a thrilling experience. 

[strickerj]

1 minute ago, RuthC said:

Correct, the stop at Tracy Arm is exactly that---a stop to let those on the shore excursion up Tracy Arm to transfer from the ship to the catamaran. The ship then continues to Juneau, while those on the shore excursion do their thing. 
The catamaran returns those passengers to the ship, which has long since docked in Juneau. I can't recall what time the catamaran returned to Juneau, but it was mid-afternoon. Depending on what time the ship sails from Juneau there may be time for another excursion, or only time to walk around the downtown, or make a favored stop. 

I once took the Volendam to Alaska for the sole purpose of doing this shore excursion. I loved the scenery, and to be able to see Sawyer Glacier from a handful of feet above sea level, not to mention close to the face of the glacier, was a thrilling experience. 

Thanks; tough choice then... I imagine we'd still be able to get to the evening whale watching excursion out of Juneau? (It leaves around 5:30.) Hoping to take the tram up Mt. Roberts in the daylight too.

[RuthC]

Just now, strickerj said:

Thanks; tough choice then... I imagine we'd still be able to get to the evening whale watching excursion out of Juneau? (It leaves around 5:30.) Hoping to take the tram up Mt. Roberts in the daylight too.

You can't do all three, that's for sure. 
If you do the Tracy Arm excursion, you may or may not have enough energy to go whale watching later. Check the time your ship sails to see if there is a late afternoon whale watching tour. 

Remember, you can always save some of these tours for the next time you go to Alaska, as I expect there will be. 
I made my 'first and only' cruise to Alaska with my husband in 1990. I have now cruised there nine times. So far. 😁

[zgscl]

14 hours ago, strickerj said:

Thanks; sounds like this is a good itinerary. I'm surprised it was that icy in August; I guess waiting until June wouldn't make a difference then. Pending confirmation that the WPYR train is running, it sounds like we've decided on the May 10 sailing.

 

I'll definitely check on flights to Seattle and the Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver once booking opens up for those dates. I do love train rides, and it looks like that's a scenic route.

Does this itinerary stop in Icy Strait Point? There is an evening whale watching tour there if you want to save Juneau for the Mt Roberts Tram and the Tracy Arm excursion. 

 

Yes the Cascades route up to Vancouver is absolutely gorgeous. We have done the drive along the tracks several times and it is very beautiful. 

[strickerj]

7 hours ago, zgscl said:

Does this itinerary stop in Icy Strait Point? There is an evening whale watching tour there if you want to save Juneau for the Mt Roberts Tram and the Tracy Arm excursion. 

 

Yes the Cascades route up to Vancouver is absolutely gorgeous. We have done the drive along the tracks several times and it is very beautiful. 

No, this one's just Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, plus Glacier Bay of course. The one that goes to Icy Strait skips Skagway, so that wasn't ideal.

 

My wife and mother in law really want to do the whale watching excursion, so I'll probably skip Mt. Roberts in that case.

[zgscl]

2 hours ago, strickerj said:

No, this one's just Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, plus Glacier Bay of course. The one that goes to Icy Strait skips Skagway, so that wasn't ideal.

 

My wife and mother in law really want to do the whale watching excursion, so I'll probably skip Mt. Roberts in that case.

Ah that makes sense. We really enjoyed whale watching in Juneau. It was fun and you could see the glacier from the boat. 
 

Mt Robert’s tramway is a short walk from the pier as I recall and you can always just get tickets there if you end up having time. Even just an hour or so is enough to go up and enjoy the views and get some pictures. 

[strickerj]

Well I guess I spoke too soon - I called in to rebook for 2023 and was informed I couldn't apply the FCC from my 2020 cancellation since it expires at the end of 2022. I'm surprised they're being that rigid about it, but I guess I'll be going next year after all.

[zgscl]

47 minutes ago, strickerj said:

Well I guess I spoke too soon - I called in to rebook for 2023 and was informed I couldn't apply the FCC from my 2020 cancellation since it expires at the end of 2022. I'm surprised they're being that rigid about it, but I guess I'll be going next year after all.

That is too bad. They have been very flexible with the FCDs but as those are refundable I guess they have more incentive to let you extend it rather than give it back. 

[strickerj]

1 hour ago, zgscl said:

That is too bad. They have been very flexible with the FCDs but as those are refundable I guess they have more incentive to let you extend it rather than give it back. 

Well, I read the terms of the FCC when they were offered after my 2020 cruise was canceled, and I didn't see anywhere that accepting them made your deposit nonrefundable. I thought I could change my mind at any time and cancel for a refund of what I had paid. The original T&C seemed to imply as much but with the caveat that it's "subject to change".

Edited November 12, 2021 by strickerj

[leerathje]

Not to "toot my own horn", but plain and simple, departing from Vancouver and the cruise up the Inside Passage between Vancouver Island and the Mainland is SO MUCH prettier than outside Vancouver Island, which is how all Seattle departures go.  You are more likely to see whales, sea lions and other wildlife on the Inside passage than the outside.  The scenery is spectacular.  If you are cruising to see things, this is the way to go.

 

We live an hour from one of our very favourite camping spots. And when cruise ships are cruising, they go right past our campsite. I found some photos, and i didn;t know that I heven had photos taken of the Ryndam back in 2010!

 

[HappyInVan]

Best of luck for 2022. 👍

[strickerj]

Thanks, it does look like the inside passage is nice. We were interested in switching to a roundtrip from Vancouver on Volendam since our reason for staying in Alaska after the cruise (Denali) will still be partially closed. I'll find something else to do around Anchorage then. I'm just surprised they're being this rigid about the FCCs from a cruise they canceled, particularly since the 2023 cruise I wanted to switch to was more expensive than the one I have now.

[tupper10]

May I make a suggestion for dinner in Anchorage - the Marx Brother's Cafe. You have to make a reservation early and it is not cheap but the food is fabulous.  

 

 

 

Edited November 12, 2021 by tupper10
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