First time to Alaska, Help!

[larrybritt]

I am wanting to plan a cruise. We have only ever been to the Caribbean. But it’s my wife’s dream to go to Alaska. We are in South Carolina so this would be a big trip for us and want To make the most of it. Should we do more than a 7 day? Which route would be the best? Should we spend a couple extra days in Seattle or Vancouver? Let’s say we had 10 days, what would be our best way to spend it to see the most? Thanks for any suggestions as we know this would be a once and a Life time trip.
 

[Rick&Jeannie]

We have evolved into always taking a day or two pre-cruise and at least one post-cruise just to take the stress of all the airline issues off the table.  7 days is plenty for a "first time".  We have done 3 Alaska sailings, all round-trip out of Seattle.  Didn't particular plan it like that...that's just what the timing and itinerary presented.  Try to pick one that visits Glacier Bay.  That's a "can't miss"!  Especially if you think this is a "one and done" trip.  But just to let you know...we thought our first would be a one and done...we've done two more since!  Most people (once they've seen the absolute beauty of Alaska) just seem to *know* that they'll be back!

[Outerdog]

Choose a Glacier Bay itinerary.

 

Do at least a day before and day after. 

 

Do not try to "do everything" -- once is not enough for Alaska. I've done 7 and have not seen it all (from the cruise perspective).

 

[hpeabody]

My recommendation to Alaska first timers is to do a cruise/tour.  Princess offers many.  There is so much missed if you do not get into the interior.  It will be 11 or 12 days.  Try to find one with 2 nights in Denali NP.  I agree with making sure you get to see Glacier Bay on the cruise portion.

[MustangGT]

If you can manage it, I suggest a land & cruise package.

If only a cruise, I agree to be sure to visit Glacier Bay!

Happy planning!

[milolii]

Agree to look at the cruise tours, amd make sure you cruise Glacier BAY. 

[VibeGuy]

Perfect world:   Sail north from Vancouver, spend 4-7 nights exploring the rest of Alaska that isn’t Southeast, sail back south to Vancouver.  With three ships running the Vancouver 7NT linehauls, this is possible.  Spend some time in Vancouver and environs on either end. 
 

If three weeks isn’t in the cards, cut out the southbound sailing.  You lose the Inside Passage in daylight, but you’ll see a lot of trees, hills and water on the rest of the trip.  Two weeks, with half on a cruise and half split between Alaska and Vancouver seems about right.  
 

If two weeks is pushing it, I’m going to say Vancouver over Alaska for the extra days, because the Lower Mainland is spectacular - arts, culture, food, shopping, outdoor activities, sightseeing - it’s uh-may-zing.  Alaska is beautiful, but the weather can be dicier in summer and it’s A Lot Of Natural Wonder and the rest is nothing like the vibrance of Vancouver.   Others will roast me, but I live someplace with trees and wildlife, but without the best Chinese food in the world.  yes, including China and Hong Kong.  Fight me. 

[startedwithamouse]

If this is a once in a lifetime cruise, 7 days isn't enough! Suggest you take a 14 night round trip from Vancouver called voyage of the glaciers. You will get to see most ports TWICE, so you won't have to choose just one excursion or feel rushed. We've done this and loved our trip. 

[Nelsj099]

When I went to Alaska the first time, it was supposed to be the only time I went.  But, that was before I lived overseas and traveled more.  This year I am going back to Alaska, after having been away cruising other amazing Fjords.  The Fiordland National park in New Zealand and the Milford Sound, and Geiranger and the Fjords of Norway, I knew I needed to go back to Alaska.  The wildlife in Alaska is amazing. I think the more I travel and see new things it makes me want to go back to old favorites and visit again to see new things and have new experiences.  Maybe it is just that Alaska is "on my way home" this summer.  

 

If you can do Glacier Bay try to fit it in.  I looked at a bunch of different lines this summer and I found that Princess was what gave me long cruises (which I prefer) and a balcony for a reasonable price.  I am usually an NCL girl, but they have priced themselves out of my range this season.  I got 21 days for the price of 7 on NCL. However the Black Friday deal with Cunard was also good for a balcony room (does include Glacier Bay). I am a bit more of a refuse to get dressed up customer than Cunard is looking for. 

 

Depending on Budget & Vacation Time 

14 days- Voyage of the Glacier -  I am booking this for 2024 North and then back South

10 days - Princess has some 10 day sailings, but they included 3 Sea Days and a glacier day. 

10 days- Lots of excursion size ships are also doing 10 day itineraries I want to do an American Queen Voyages  trip

10 days- there are also some trips leaving from San Fransisco doing Alaska for 10 trips 

11 days - Princess has these as well with 3 Sea Days and a glacier day 

9 days - NCL Spirit is doing 9 day trips from Vancouver with Glacier viewing days 

7 days-  These trips cost about the same if not more than the longer trips.  More of them have Glacier Bay though.  If you do 7 you could go North or South bound or round trip, North or South would give you longer port times.  You could spend +3 either side doing a Cruise tour in Alaska going up to Denali or 3 days in Vancouver or Seattle both are nice.  These trips start almost every day and run on most lines.  

 

Other considerations:

It is not just the cruise Alaskan excursions cost a lot.  Do you want to go dog sledding? 700$, a whale watching tour 200$.  Tracys Crab Shack for a Big bucket 220$ 

Do you like sea days to relax?  (maybe not by the pool) Or could you do without them? (I will say by adding the three Sea Days on my Princess cruise it actually dropped the price of the cruise fair by about 700$ but time off then factors in for most people)

 

I don't know if there is a best trip.  The best trip is the one you are on.  I like longer port days, the long days of Alaskan sun (or liquid sun).  Sitting on my balcony with a hot coffee and watching whales, and reading a book.   

 

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, Nelsj099 said:

When I went to Alaska the first time, it was supposed to be the only time I went.  But, that was before I lived overseas and traveled more.  This year I am going back to Alaska, after having been away cruising other amazing Fjords.  The Fiordland National park in New Zealand and the Milford Sound, and Geiranger and the Fjords of Norway, I knew I needed to go back to Alaska.  The wildlife in Alaska is amazing. I think the more I travel and see new things it makes me want to go back to old favorites and visit again to see new things and have new experiences.  Maybe it is just that Alaska is "on my way home" this summer.  

 

If you can do Glacier Bay try to fit it in.  I looked at a bunch of different lines this summer and I found that Princess was what gave me long cruises (which I prefer) and a balcony for a reasonable price.  I am usually an NCL girl, but they have priced themselves out of my range this season.  I got 21 days for the price of 7 on NCL. However the Black Friday deal with Cunard was also good for a balcony room (does include Glacier Bay). I am a bit more of a refuse to get dressed up customer than Cunard is looking for. 

 

Depending on Budget & Vacation Time 

14 days- Voyage of the Glacier -  I am booking this for 2024 North and then back South

10 days - Princess has some 10 day sailings, but they included 3 Sea Days and a glacier day. 

10 days- Lots of excursion size ships are also doing 10 day itineraries I want to do an American Queen Voyages  trip

10 days- there are also some trips leaving from San Fransisco doing Alaska for 10 trips 

11 days - Princess has these as well with 3 Sea Days and a glacier day 

9 days - NCL Spirit is doing 9 day trips from Vancouver with Glacier viewing days 

7 days-  These trips cost about the same if not more than the longer trips.  More of them have Glacier Bay though.  If you do 7 you could go North or South bound or round trip, North or South would give you longer port times.  You could spend +3 either side doing a Cruise tour in Alaska going up to Denali or 3 days in Vancouver or Seattle both are nice.  These trips start almost every day and run on most lines.  

 

Other considerations:

It is not just the cruise Alaskan excursions cost a lot.  Do you want to go dog sledding? 700$, a whale watching tour 200$.  Tracys Crab Shack for a Big bucket 220$ 

Do you like sea days to relax?  (maybe not by the pool) Or could you do without them? (I will say by adding the three Sea Days on my Princess cruise it actually dropped the price of the cruise fair by about 700$ but time off then factors in for most people)

 

I don't know if there is a best trip.  The best trip is the one you are on.  I like longer port days, the long days of Alaskan sun (or liquid sun).  Sitting on my balcony with a hot coffee and watching whales, and reading a book.   

 

 

You missed the best option of all - a 7 day one way trip to or from AK with 7 or more days on a DIY land trip.

 

DON

Edited December 4, 2022 by donaldsc

[gottagocit]

Our first Princess cruise was to Alaska and we’ve been back 4 times. If it was our first trip and knew we may not be able to return I would book fly into Anchorage a few days prior to boarding a southbound Voyage of the Glaciers voyage to Vancouver that will include Glacier Bay National Park.
 

Book a rental car in advance and pick it up upon arrival at the Anchorage airport and spend the first night near the airport perhaps the Comfort Inn. Spend the rest of the day exploring Anchorage before leaving ANC the next morning and driving to Seward, stoping along the way at the Alaska Wildlife Center and walking to exit glacier. In Seward stay two nights at the Seward Inn and take the Kenai Fjords Bay boat tour. The scenery from the water is breathtaking. 
 

Next drive to Denali National Park for two nights near the park entrance. Visit the visitors center and take the tour they offer into the park (the only way to see the interior of the park). If you’re up to a long day take the 12 hour tour to the far back of the park. Be prepared to see lots of animals on this tour including grizzly bears. 
 

After Denali drive to Anchorage airport, return your rental car and take the Princess precruise transfer from the airport to the ship. The drive to the ship is about an hour and it’s worth the cost of the transfer in this case. 
 

This will give your family a good opportunity to see some of the most beautiful parts of Alaska in a few days. The drive from Anchorage to Seward is one of the most beautiful in the world and worthy of several stops for photos. You will need to book both tours far in advance but both give you an awesome experience you won’t find elsewhere. Spurge for a balcony on the port (left) side of the ship if southbound for good views the entire cruise. 
 

Chris 

[cruzsnooze]

I've done several Alaska cruises and I prefer the 10 day cruisetours out of Vancouver. There are lots of cruisetours to choose from. If budget is an issue pick  the beginning of the season in May or end of season in Sept for the lowest fares. 

[deultgen]

Others have given good suggestions.  I will add.

 

It sounds from your original post that a 7 night is likely best for you with the possibility of a couple of extra days in the area.

 

I think any of the 7 night cruises out of Seattle would be good for a first timer.  Yes, Glacier Bay is spectacular but for someone on their first Alaska cruise, everything will be spectacular.

 

Staying a couple of days in Seattle could be fun, especially if you like larger cities.

 

Another option would be to fly to Seattle and spend a couple of days in Olympic National Park (not far from Seattle)

 

My own best advice for your cruise, is to bring good binoculars.

[GoDucksNation]

I would suggest doing the Cruisetour packages. Do the interior part first and then the cruise on the end. This way you get to go to Denali and see the interior which is beautiful. The first few days can be pretty hectic cause you’re changing hotels and going on trains and buses. But well worth it. This way you have the last seven days to relax on the cruise portion.

[Senga]

We did the 14 day Voyage of the Glaciers, Vancouver return in May and were thrilled with our decision.  Glacier Bay National Park was the highlight and a must for any return Alaska trips.

[sirclean]

Alaska is Great!  I went five or six times before Covid, but will return in June 2023!

 

It is different every time you go!

May is cheaper, but the salmon are not usually running, and it may be cooler, but it will be closer to Spring, so Blooms Abound (and thus pollen, if you are susceptible).  

June and July are warmer and it stays light for a long time! 

Late August/September is still good, but if you go to the spawning areas, there will be a lot of dead fish from the prior spawning species.

 

It is a rain forest area so it will rain often, but that is not usually an issue.

 

I have done a Cruise Tour and it was Spectacular! 

 

Some suggestions for options.

First, Glacier Bay is NOT an option!  IT is mandatory!  It is spectacular and bring warm clothes and plan to be on a smaller ship and plan to be on deck for that day!  The sights are phenomenal and you dont want to be inside and miss them!  IF you get a balcony (and you should), the first, best option is to be on the left (port) side because most of the discussion of the sights will be going into Glacier Bay, but the Starboard view is also wonderful!

Second, IF you fly to Anchorage, consider First Class. It is a long set of flights and if you can afford it, it will be more comfortable.

Third, A Cruise Tour is fantastic, and My suggestions is a longer one, and make sure that it includes the Train. IF you can, find one that stays 2 days at each hotel, as there are plenty of things to do and that will split up the days of bus rides.

 

IF a cruise tour is not in the cards, then try to find the 14 day cruise, or book it yourself as one way north and stay for a back to back to return South. This will reduce the time for air travel, and it is cheaper to fly to Vancouver or Seattle round trip.  Also 7 days is not exactly long enough for the trip, especially with all of the travels.  Also, the itineraries will be similar (though the ones that leave on Wednesday may visit Icy Straight Point on the way North, but not necessarily on the way South, so there can be some variety.  However, visiting the same ports means that you dont have to make as many hard choices about which tours to book (or book one tour, and then spend the day on your own the second time). 

 

Im sure that others will join in to note what a great cruise Alaska is!  I am sure that whatever you decide, you will enjoy it, but be warned, that no matter what you decide on this trip, there are plenty of things you will miss and want to see again, so this may end up being just the First of Many visits!

 

 

[phonejock]

Hi As others have said, do a cruise tour and then a 7 day cruise.  In the early 2000’s DH and I took our very first cruise and like you we wanted to go to Alaska. We booked through AAA and the while the agent was competent, she did not suggest the cruise tour option. We flew in from New England and while it was not a bad flight, it was LONG. I got off the plane in Anchorage and knew it was too long of a trip for one week. In 2016, we were lucky enough to be able to go back to Alaska with Princess. We did a five day land portion and then the 7 day cruise. We stayed at three lodges with a night in Anchorage.   We felt we really  saw Alaska. It was amazing. I hope you have a great time! All the best.

[sirclean]

In 2018 my travel buddy and I looked (and booked) somewhat last minute bookings in Alaska.  We found that it was cheaper to book the second week (the Southern Leg) than booking a flight from Anchorage!  I admit we had inside cabins, but my travel buddy is cheap, and really, how much time do you spend in the cabin?  I will say, though, that the inside cabin can be made dark, and a balcony cabin will not be as dark and even in August it is light well into the evening!

 

One option (I have written somewhere else) would be a One Way trip from Vancouver/SEattle to Anchorage(Whittier), then get a transfer to Anchorage from the ship, and start the Tour Part that day or as soon after as possible.  You will get a night at the Captain Cook Inn in Anchorage, and then do the Tour part, and then cruise back to Vancouver!  More than 2 weeks, could be 3, BUT it would be One Hell Of A Trip!!!

[Shippy]

Absolute best itinerary I have seen so far....in fact I might take it     :O)

 April 29th on the Sapphire Princess

   It is 11 nights & hits all the good ports.

Also round trip out of Vancouver which is a beautiful city.

[satxdiver]

I have been to AK twice on land trips and several times on the ship.  By all means spend time in AK if nothing else go to Denali NP to see mount Denali (was named McKinley).  It is well worth seeing it.  If you have more time go north to Fairbanks where you can see the AK pipeline and many other sights.  There is one direct road out of Anchorage to Fairbanks and passes by Denali NP and Talkeetna (worth a stop).  The capital of AK is Juneau which can only be reached by sea or air.  It is a good place to see a glacier up close.  Glacier Bay NP is a must on any AK cruise.  I would prefer spending time in AK before sailing south as opposed to sailing north.   

[jeromep]

On 12/3/2022 at 7:01 PM, larrybritt said:

I am wanting to plan a cruise. We have only ever been to the Caribbean. But it’s my wife’s dream to go to Alaska. We are in South Carolina so this would be a big trip for us and want To make the most of it. Should we do more than a 7 day? Which route would be the best? Should we spend a couple extra days in Seattle or Vancouver? Let’s say we had 10 days, what would be our best way to spend it to see the most? Thanks for any suggestions as we know this would be a once and a Life time trip.
 

I guess I live in a different world, but I have in-laws in the Atlanta area, and my wife has friends and extended family in a wide range of places, like Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Louisville, Nashville, Philadelphia, SoCal, etc.  We live in Eastern Washington State, so we aren't near any major airports, but to be honest, it is only a day's travel, including drive time to an airport, plus time wasted in the airport waiting for the flight, and then the flight itself, to get anywhere in the U.S. for us.  No place is really tht far, just a waste of a day involved in air travel.  But whenever we are planning vacations, cruise or otherwise, we always figure at least 1 travel day on the front and back end of a trip due to all the time it takes to actually get someplace.  That said, you'll only have a travel day to get to the Pacific Northwest, and a whole travel day going back home.  Be certain to figure a travel day and overnight lodging before and after your cruise to make the whole experience more comfortable and enjoyable.

 

While a great deal of the appearance of SE Alaska, what you would see sailing on the inside passage on any Alaska cruise, is very similar to the appearance of the Washington Cascades or the Olympics, we still like cruising to Alaska because it is actually so very convenient for us to do an Alaska cruise that is RT Seattle.  We live 2.5 hours from Seattle, so a summer drive over I-90 Snoqualmie Pass is easy and relatively quick.

 

If you intend to do a Voyage of the Glaciers, which are one-way southbound or northbound, you will have at least one very long travel day with a number of plane changes.  Voyage of the Glaciers either starts in Whittier and ends in Vancouver, BC, or starts in Vancouver and ends in Whittier.  To be honest, if I'm doing this cruise, I'm going to make it a cruise tour and include a land portion of the vacation in Alaska at one of the Princess lodges.  I don't have any strong feelings about any of the lodge locations, all will be beautiful, you'll just have different scenery and different lengths of trip from Ancorage to the lodge and back again to meet the ship.  However, I think starting your vacation with the land tour first strikes me as the most logical.  You'll end your vacation in Vancouver and your flight home will not be as long as your flight there.  Vancouver is a pleasant metropolitan area, and very picturesque, so you may want to add a day or two there to explore.

 

If your vacation time is more limited you may want to consider the RT Seattle cruise option.  Sea-Tac is a major airport with lots of connections.  I did some poking around and Alaska Airlines offers direct flights between Charleston and Seattle.  I have a gag I always tell people about Alaska Airlines.  They have many convenient hubs, so long as you consider Seattle convenient, because Seattle is their hub to everyplace.  I've flown the SEA-ATL flight so many times I can't count them.  And I've done the SEA-BOS and SEA-PHL flight a few times, too.  The direct flight will make your travel day experience a lot better and you'll be less fatigued in spite of the time difference and the hours on the plane.

 

Seattle is, or used to be, a beautiful city, depending on who you talk to and where in the city you are visiting.  Seattle Center is a nice tourist destination and a trip to the top of the Space Needle, while expensive, will give you the best views of the Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier, and a good chunk of northwestern Washington.

 

All Princess cruises depart out of Pier 91, which is on the far north side of Elliot Bay.  You will have to take a cab or Uber/Lyft to get there.  If you are flying in on embarkation day you can get an airport transfer from Princess, but that is a very long travel day and with air travel the way it is right now, you really do need to pad your travel time accordingly.  It is very industrial in the area of Pier 91, and also houses the southern access to the Magnolia neighborhood (which is beautiful and very suburban in nature in spite of it being in Seattle proper).  The other pier, Pier 66, also known as the Bell Street Pier, serves a number of other cruise lines including NCL. 

 

The cruises out of Seattle are all 7 days RT.  Some include Glacier Bay, some include some of the other fjords that have glacial activity.  We are booked on the July 2, cruise on the Discovery Princess.  This cruise is Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier.  We've done Glacier Bay a number of years ago.  For this cruise we wanted some different scenery and we wanted to sail on a new ship.

 

The vibe on an Alaska cruise is totally different compared to Caribbean.  You will probably sail in the summer, but you'll find that people are more bundled up more of the time.  Alaska in July isn't necessarily cold, but it is never tropical.  Seattle and Vancouver can get quite warm in the summer, but not necessarily hot.  I recall our day in Juneau started out cool and misty, and by mid-day it was 75 degrees out and sunny.  This is why the clothing advice for cruising Alaska is "layers".  Your morning will start out cool and maybe harsh, and by mid-day you are stripping off layers because you are too hot.

 

The vibe on board ship is also more subdued.  Plus most port days are very active for most cruisers, so night life can be a bit of a downer.  The cruise staff do all the activities, but a significant chunk of people have had dinner, watched a show and then turned in for the night.  That means more space for you in the night club or for the late shows.

 

We always book at least a balcony room.  When not in port, we do like to have our cabin be our retreat, and your balcony is the best location for watching the shore pass or for glacier viewing days.  We did a special glacier viewing balcony breakfast on our Glacier bay day.  It was great.  We had plenty of food in our room, turned on the channel with the park rangers narrating, and were able to pop in and out of our cabin to the balcony.  Go out, look at things, get cold, come in to warm up and repeat.

 

The round trip Seattle cruise is very busy considering most days are port days, with only a few sea days, and the port times are sometimes rather compressed.  So, the crowd on board is pretty laid back, but the schedule isn't.  Be prepared to be busy or feel scheduled.

 

There is probably a lot more to share.

[VibeGuy]

On 12/4/2022 at 4:36 PM, Shippy said:

Absolute best itinerary I have seen so far....in fact I might take it     :O)

 April 29th on the Sapphire Princess

   It is 11 nights & hits all the good ports.

Also round trip out of Vancouver which is a beautiful city.

It’s a great itinerary but it’s definitely the coldest weather of the cruise season and some of the wettest (September is definitely wetter, late August is a +\-).  Wildlife is also less active and harder to spot.  Here’s an example:  this is just outside Skagway at 11 in the morning in late *May*. Being three weeks earlier is really pushing it unless you like grey drizzle. 
 

[cruisequeen4ever]

Do a one way Voyage of the Glaciers and do a cruisetour that includes Denali at least. Ideally, do a Connoisseur Cruisetour that also includes Kenai and Copper River. Happy planning!

Edited December 7, 2022 by cruisequeen4ever

[Wishing on a star]

Yes,  definitely do a lot of planning!  And Princess is great in Alaska!

SO many options.  First, do as much of a trip as time and budget will allow.

Your budget and time-frame will be the place to start.

 

We were limited, and have not seen Denali.  If you hit the 15-20% chance that it will be clear enough to see that incredible mountain and scenery, I think it would be worth it.

 

For the cruising.  Glacier Bay, of course, is a must. The Voyage of the Glacier itineraries are excellent.  Look at the different ships and itineraries and look at port times (some are short, some are longer) and look at the excursion options. 

 

I would love to have the chance to do an excursion from Juneau (or right off the ship on some cruises) up into Tracy Arm Fjord.  (If you are cruising this next year, I believe Northbound on the Voyage of the Glaciers have long port days at Juneau which would allow this.  I understand some cruises that do Hubbard Glacier (the Southbound itineraries) also have an option for a smaller boat tour.  These more up close and personal tours really are different and add a lot.  And, an itinerary which would allow these in addition to Glacier Bay will be a double whammy.  You do an itinerary that includes Glacier Bay and add an excursion to do this.  You can't, that I know of, do an itinerary that does not have Glacier Bay, and add that as any kind of excursion.

 

There are also tours, like the 27 Glacier Tour, out of Whittier.  We did that before boarding our cruise on the Coral.

 

About the timing.  I love that photo above from May!   I wanted to still see more snow, and we cruised in late May.  That is the time for that.  Awesome when there is still a lot of snow on the mountains.   Earlier in May, some things, including some excursions, might not be up and running yet.

 

If you want to see more wildlife, and Alaskan bears, then I think mid-to-late July is when to do this.  During the Salmon run there will be excursions to see bears.  Some of these are quite expensive.  Looks like you get pretty close to the bears on the water.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by Wishing on a star