Alaska Cruise Planning Help!

[ashish6499]

We are planning to spend a couple of days in Juneau and then in Denali before the cruise. Assuming we fly into Juneau from NYC, spend some time there (go to Glacier Bay) and then head on to Denali.

So ideally I would like a cruise that leaves from Anchorage / Seward. 

 

Tracy Arm fjord also looks incredible. Thanks for the suggestion! 

 

So after reading all your comments (thank you so much!) it really comes down to choosing between:

1. Princess Sapphire

2. Norwegian Jewel

3. Celebrity Millenium

4. HAL Nieuw Amsterdam

 

Do you think one of these would offer a significantly superior experience to the others (assuming we get the 2nd highest cabin class)

 

Thanks!

[Coral]

35 minutes ago, ashish6499 said:

We are planning to spend a couple of days in Juneau and then in Denali before the cruise. Assuming we fly into Juneau from NYC, spend some time there (go to Glacier Bay) and then head on to Denali.

So ideally I would like a cruise that leaves from Anchorage / Seward. 

 

Tracy Arm fjord also looks incredible. Thanks for the suggestion! 

 

So after reading all your comments (thank you so much!) it really comes down to choosing between:

1. Princess Sapphire

2. Norwegian Jewel

3. Celebrity Millenium

4. HAL Nieuw Amsterdam

 

Do you think one of these would offer a significantly superior experience to the others (assuming we get the 2nd highest cabin class)

 

Thanks!

I honestly think you need to relook at things. Going to Juneau, then to Gustavus and then getting to Denali somehow - are you flying from Juneau to Anchorage? Once in Anchorage driving to Denali and then back to catch the ship? I think you are under estimating distances in Alaska. Also, Denali's road is partially closed due to rock slide this year. So you can't get that far into the park.

 

I think the part that I am struggling with is flying to Juneau to do Glacier Bay and then doing Denali and then a cruise. If you were going to do a land trip from Anchorage to Denali and then back to Anchorage to catch a ship (Whittier or Seward) then that makes sense. 

 

It would make much more sense to fly to Anchorage - do the land portion you want to do (Denali, etc...) and then catch a ship in Whittier or Seward. I would plan your land portion in advance due to distances and having to reserve hotels, etc... I think you are underestimating what it is like to get around in Alaska, that is unless you have access to a private plane.

 

I would give up going to Glacier Bay from Juneau and just pick an itinerary with it on the ship.

Edited February 13, 2023 by Coral

[Coral]

25 minutes ago, ashish6499 said:

We are planning to spend a couple of days in Juneau and then in Denali before the cruise. Assuming we fly into Juneau from NYC, spend some time there (go to Glacier Bay) and then head on to Denali.

So ideally I would like a cruise that leaves from Anchorage / Seward. 

 

Tracy Arm fjord also looks incredible. Thanks for the suggestion! 

 

So after reading all your comments (thank you so much!) it really comes down to choosing between:

1. Princess Sapphire

2. Norwegian Jewel

3. Celebrity Millenium

4. HAL Nieuw Amsterdam

 

Do you think one of these would offer a significantly superior experience to the others (assuming we get the 2nd highest cabin class)

 

Thanks!

I would define what you consider superior. Quality of food, times in port as far as seeing Alaska, ports, glaciers, viewing areas, shows, etc....

 

I rank times in port, ports and which glaciers first.

 

I would consider reading more about Alaska. Alaska by Cruiseship (Anne Vipond) has a great book.

[ashish6499]

57 minutes ago, Coral said:

I honestly think you need to relook at things. Going to Juneau, then to Gustavus and then getting to Denali somehow - are you flying from Juneau to Anchorage? Once in Anchorage driving to Denali and then back to catch the ship? I think you are under estimating distances in Alaska. Also, Denali's road is partially closed due to rock slide this year. So you can't get that far into the park.

 

I think the part that I am struggling with is flying to Juneau to do Glacier Bay and then doing Denali and then a cruise. If you were going to do a land trip from Anchorage to Denali and then back to Anchorage to catch a ship (Whittier or Seward) then that makes sense. 

 

It would make much more sense to fly to Anchorage - do the land portion you want to do (Denali, etc...) and then catch a ship in Whittier or Seward. I would plan your land portion in advance due to distances and having to reserve hotels, etc... I think you are underestimating what it is like to get around in Alaska, that is unless you have access to a private plane.

 

I would give up going to Glacier Bay from Juneau and just pick an itinerary with it on the ship.

 

thank you, this makes sense!

[ashish6499]

53 minutes ago, Coral said:

I would define what you consider superior. Quality of food, times in port as far as seeing Alaska, ports, glaciers, viewing areas, shows, etc....

 

I rank times in port, ports and which glaciers first.

 

I would consider reading more about Alaska. Alaska by Cruiseship (Anne Vipond) has a great book.

 

time in port, quality of food would top my list

[Northern Aurora]

Just a few comments from someone who actually lives in Alaska --  I agree with the advice in post #27.  It just doesn't make sense to me to fly to Juneau for several days to go to Glacier Bay and then fly to Anchorage (there is no commercial air service to Denali).  If you want to go to Denali then fly to Anchorage, spend several days, and then take a cruise which includes Glacier Bay.

 

But I wonder if our OP realizes that the single road into Denali National Park is closed by the Pretty Rocks rock slide issue.  That means that folks can't reach the Polychrome Overlook (mile 46), Toklat River rest stop (mile 53), Stony Hill Overlook (mile 62) or the Eielson Visitor's Center (mile 66).  It was closed in August 2021, and just this last January the National Park Service announced that the contract to bridge the problem area was signed.  If all goes well they hope to have the road opened in 2025.  I've always thought that folks who don't go into the DNP as far as Eielson Visitor's Center short change themselves.  

 

An alternative to Denali which isn't discussed as much as it deserves is the Wrangel -- St. Elias National Park and Preserve.  Consider it.

[Panhandle Couple]

22 hours ago, ashish6499 said:

Thanks, I do like the ncl itinerary. Did you get the haven package? Did you like the jewel? 

I'm not trying to start a "which line is better" war here.

But, Disneyochem has a cruise line in their name, so maybe some bias.

As for on board food, read through the many posts for each cruise line.  You will not find much of a consensus.  At best, most people will admit that food is up to the beholder, and their own tastes.

Since you have never been on a cruise, your first will have the best (and potentially worse) cruise food you have ever had. After about 4 or 5 will you have enough variety to start making your own opinions.  And food quality varies from ship to ship in each cruise line.  And from time of year on each ship.

Why?

A ship is not your local restaurant.  They rotate staff every 9 months.  A very good chef in February sailing won't be there for an October sailing.  And he/she may return to a different ship for their next rotation. And they do have turn over, there are always some new chefs and cooks.

 

So that being said, last year we cruised the Discovery Princess to Alaska.  That was their brand new ship.  It had been sailing for 4 months, so all the kinks with the equipment and staff should have been worked out.

I can honestly say I had 3 of the worst meals ever on that ship.  One was in their Italian specialty dining room!  Of course, on a ship you can always send it back and ask for something else.  I didn't do this because each dinner lasted over 2 hours.  After waiting 90+ minutes to get a main course, I wasn't waiting another 30 minutes for something else.

 

Other food options are the buffets.  Some like them, some don't.  Everyone seems to eat at them once or twice during a cruise just for convenience.  I have talked to some that only eat at them.  To each their own. We found the Discovery Princess buffet seating area too small for the amount of people on board. (but that is a sample of 1 for Princess)  NCL Breakaway (and Breakaway +) (same class size) has more room.  The Jewel is smaller than those, but it has an outside aft deck for eating room (with a mini-buffet), that doubles as a bar area during the day.

I also found coffee very hard to get on Princess, buried in the buffet at only 2 locations.  NCL has several coffee locations either just inside the buffet, or outside them.  Every ship seems to have a Starbuck$, if that is what you like.

 

To answer your question, I have been on the Jewel (and Pearl, sister ship) never sailed Haven class.  Haven sounds good, but for me, probably not worth the price.  For NCL, I would recommend the family suite, it has extra room and a few extras for a much smaller increase.  Or an aft balcony, but those are probably taken by now.

 

If you go in peak summer (July), all ships will be crowded, all will have kids "running around" and all will have overworked staff and crowded hot tubs.  All cruise lines are saying they are 90%+ booked for the summer.  I would recommend an early September cruise if you can swing that.  Less kids after school starts.

 

And, when we did sail NCL Bliss in Glacier Bay, they had a Park Service member on board describing the park, wildlife and such.  It was over the ships public comm.

Princess did have their own commentator for cruising Endicott arm, same deal, on the ships comm.

If you are very interested in wildlife lectures, I'm sure their are many on youtube to watch before you go.  Attending a lecture while on board also means you could miss something else you wanted to do at the same time.

 

I know I included a lot of things here.  Hope you don't get overwhelmed and ultimately, have a great cruise.

 

[Coral]

22 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

 

 

And, when we did sail NCL Bliss in Glacier Bay, they had a Park Service member on board describing the park, wildlife and such.  It was over the ships public comm.

Princess did have their own commentator for cruising Endicott arm, same deal, on the ships comm.

 

 

It is a requirement that any ship that goes to Glacier Bay - has the National Park Service Rangers come onboard. They provide enrichment talks and I believe has someone on the Bridge. This is because it is a National Park.

 

Some lines do have additional speakers such as Naturalists who speak all week. Princess and Celebrity are two examples.

 

From what I can gather, food quality has gone down on all lines since COVID. It can be hit or miss. 

[disneyochem]

1 hour ago, Panhandle Couple said:

I'm not trying to start a "which line is better" war here.

But, Disneyochem has a cruise line in their name, so maybe some bias.

 

 

Did you read my response?  Don’t think I advocated for Disney Cruise Line (which, by the way, has nothing to do with my name on CC).  We’re platinum on NCL, 3 star on HAL and elite on Princess with only three cruises on Disney.

 

Have been on six NCL cruises to Alaska (including the Jewel and Pearl) and, in my experience (which was a cruise just last summer on the Jewel), there was not a lot of Alaskan enrichment programs/activities compared to other lines.  Having an Alaskan focus during a cruise to Alaska increases my enjoyment of the cruise.  YMMV.

 

Happy cruising.

[ashish6499]

Thank you to everyone who responded. We are going with Celebrity Millennium! 

[SoloAlaska]

On 2/13/2023 at 11:29 AM, ashish6499 said:

We are planning to spend a couple of days in Juneau and then in Denali before the cruise. Assuming we fly into Juneau from NYC, spend some time there (go to Glacier Bay) and then head on to Denali.

So ideally I would like a cruise that leaves from Anchorage / Seward. 

 

Tracy Arm fjord also looks incredible. Thanks for the suggestion! 

 

So after reading all your comments (thank you so much!) it really comes down to choosing between:

1. Princess Sapphire

2. Norwegian Jewel

3. Celebrity Millenium

4. HAL Nieuw Amsterdam

 

Do you think one of these would offer a significantly superior experience to the others (assuming we get the 2nd highest cabin class)

 

Thanks!

I did my first Alaskan cruise as a single woman of 32. I went on millennium northbound and am returning this year southbound. The one thing to note was that the stage shows were horrible. The best part of the cruise to me however is the naturalist and all the presentations they do. one thing I wish I had know. Was to take the 6pm dinner time if you want to make it to the presentations.