Thinking of Alaskan Cruise

[JEN5508]

We are in our mid 40s and thinking of an Alaskan Cruise next Summer for our 25th Anniversary.  We've only cruised to the Caribbean previously.  Do you recommend it and if so, which ports/ship/cruise line.  I know I'm on the RC board, but it's all I've ever cruised on.  I realize Alaska is a whole different animal.  We also considered visiting Ireland.  As you can see, we are all over the radar.  Looking for any advice you can offer.

 

thank you!!

 

Jennifer

[aubreyc1988]

for the first time, you want to go to Glacier Bay. Idk if RCI is sailing to Glacier Bay or not, but try to get it on the itinerary if you can. I've done the route from Seattle with Glacier Bay twice with NCL. The park rangers come on board and give as little talk and will mingle with the guests and answer any questions you might have. And the whole day sailing into Glacier Bay, in my opinion, just feels really special and awe inspiring. I've not done an Alaskan cruise out of Seward, AK or Vancouver, but I've heard those are also really fantastic. 

[Kathscof]

One ways are great as you get more time in ports and usually waste less time getting to/from Alaska.  Glacier Bay I hear is fantastic, but I have only done Royal last year from Seward and am going again this year, they go to Hubbard glacier.  I also suggest a one way because of the ability to add on a land vacation too, we are doing Denali and Seward (AMAZING glacier viewing from there) before we hop on the ship.  

 

I think Princess is one of the top for Alaska, or the ones who have been doing it the longest (can't quite remember).  

 

I would say that you could "do" Alaska on trains and not need a car specifically, but Ireland you would need a car to do any part of it justice (or vehicular transportation like a bus).  

[time4u2go]

You should definitely go on Princess. They go to Glacier Bay, which is amazing. Be sure to include staying at their lodges. 

[reallyitsmema]

1 hour ago, JEN5508 said:

We are in our mid 40s and thinking of an Alaskan Cruise next Summer for our 25th Anniversary.  We've only cruised to the Caribbean previously.  Do you recommend it and if so, which ports/ship/cruise line.  I know I'm on the RC board, but it's all I've ever cruised on.  I realize Alaska is a whole different animal.  We also considered visiting Ireland.  As you can see, we are all over the radar.  Looking for any advice you can offer.

 

thank you!!

 

Jennifer

 

Alaska is amazing and you are going to find a lot of strong opinions about what is the best cruise and cruise line to do.  I would suggest you look at the reviews in the Alaska forum and try to decide what is best for you.  We have done two Alaska cruises, one roundtrip from Seattle and the other a one way southbound from Seward to Vancouver with a land tour prior.  We loved both of them but the one way was our favorite as we got to see Denali National Park.

 

 

[mek]

37 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

You should definitely go on Princess. They go to Glacier Bay, which is amazing. Be sure to include staying at their lodges. 

Agree - IMO, Princess does Alaska best.

[tomcherv]

I would also recommend Princess.  I cruised Alaska 7 years ago and both my wife and I would go again.

 

We did a seven day northbound: Vancouver - Ketchikan - Juneau - Skagway - Glacier Bay (cruising) - Whittier/Anchorage.

 

We arrived a couple days early and spent a day in Victoria on Vancouver Island - Butchart Gardens was inspiring.

[Tree_skier]

I would recommend Ovation or Quantum if you don't want to be bored to tears while you are the ship.  Far more entertainment options available.  Unless you are early to bed people who do not have much interest in fun shipboard entertainment Princess isn't your answer.

[D4]

We've cruised to Alaska 3 times - on Princess, NCL, and Carnival.

 

They were all great cruises.  My favorite itinerary is a one way northbound cruise.  The scenery just keeps getting more beautiful every day. 

 

For Alaska and Mediterranean cruises, the itinerary is much more important to us than the ship or cruise line.

 

Be aware that excursions in Alaska cost a lot more than excursions in the Caribbean.

[JEN5508]

I'm worried we will get bored so I'm considering RC over Princess.  Was anyone unhappy with Alaska?  Should we try something another destination?  We've been to the Caribbean so just looking for something different.

[Tree_skier]

8 minutes ago, JEN5508 said:

I'm worried we will get bored so I'm considering RC over Princess.  Was anyone unhappy with Alaska?  Should we try something another destination?  We've been to the Caribbean so just looking for something different.

No Alaska is special and you will have a great time.  I've been to Alaska three times.  My favorite one was Ovation of the Seas. It was great coming back to the ship after seeing some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable to then be entertained with some very top flight entertainment well into the evening.

 

The only thing to be aware of is there is absolutely no guarantee when it comes to weather.  Expect cool and damp weather.  If you get sunshine and warm temps consider yourself blessed.

Edited February 14, 2023 by Tree_skier

[alexgtp]

Yes, Yes and Yes. Still one of my all time favorite cruises.

Depends on your budget, as Alaska peak season is $$$. We did NCL as at the time they were offering all in promotions with Air. Price was too good to pass up.

Look for an itinerary that will satisfy what you like to do. We are avid wild life enthusiasts. So we made sure Juneau and Yukon Territory were on there.

 

[KBS1607]

We did Princess Land and Sea in 2018. We loved it. I was disappointed in the weather because it was hot. The lodges do not have AC because they don’t usually need it. 
 

It was a wonderful trip.

[time4u2go]

20 minutes ago, JEN5508 said:

I'm worried we will get bored so I'm considering RC over Princess.  Was anyone unhappy with Alaska?  Should we try something another destination?  We've been to the Caribbean so just looking for something different.

If you are going for the natural beauty then you will most definitely not get bored on Princess. They truly make it amazing, not just by where they go, but with other features like bringing National Park Service rangers onboard. And their lodges are not to be missed. Also, the visit to Glacier Bay alone is worth going on Princess. 

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by time4u2go

[reallyitsmema]

18 minutes ago, JEN5508 said:

I'm worried we will get bored so I'm considering RC over Princess.  Was anyone unhappy with Alaska?  Should we try something another destination?  We've been to the Caribbean so just looking for something different.

 

We found the entertainment on our Radiance southbound trip to be lacking.  Many nights there was a movie in the theater, we don't cruise to watch movies.  We loved the itineraries and did lots of excursions, with long days in port, so didn't mind the down time to just sit at a lounge and listen to music.  We also sailed Quantum, roundtrip from Seattle, which had much better entertainment and more restaurant choices on the ship.  The itinerary was not as good and port times were shorter, 1 to 9 in Juneau, weird hours in Victoria not conducive to excursions.  

 

We would do either itinerary again in a heartbeat though.  Quantum if we only had a week to get away and Radiance if we had 2+ weeks to do a land tour and a southbound cruise.

[reallyitsmema]

8 minutes ago, KBS1607 said:

We did Princess Land and Sea in 2018. We loved it. I was disappointed in the weather because it was hot. The lodges do not have AC because they don’t usually need it. 
 

It was a wonderful trip.

 

Interesting.  We sailed May 2018 and it was warm and both our hotel in Fairbanks and our one in Denali had AC.

[Kathscof]

My choice last year was Radiance, and unlike the pp, it was just enough to entertain us before we needed to be in bed.  The pub singer was a fav!  We had shows in the theatre every night, and plenty of other places with great music.  We had to schedule our bands, and even missed some!  I wish we had time for a good movie, but we had no time.  A lot of people seemed to need their energy to do the excursions instead of the nightlife and activities on the ship. I didn't need any more......I guess it all depends on your expectations as it was my first cruise.  

 

We had ZERO rain our entire trip until our sea day in Canada, and they said our of the last 85 cruises, only two had ZERO rain, ours and the one before us.  

Edited February 14, 2023 by Kathscof

[Deeliteful]

You could not get bored on an Alaskan cruise. I have been twice, once in June and then early September.
The September one was better because we got to see bears catching salmon! I went on Celebrity from Vancouver. Stayed in the Pan Pacific which is right at the dock. I also went to Vancouver Island for 3 days pre-cruise and went on awesome whale and bear watching trips.

Coming back down the Inside Passage, I ordered room service dinner as the views and whale watching from my aft balcony was too good to miss.

 

Just fantastic.

 

 

Edited February 14, 2023 by Deeliteful

[crd27]

1 hour ago, JEN5508 said:

I'm worried we will get bored so I'm considering RC over Princess.  Was anyone unhappy with Alaska?  Should we try something another destination?  We've been to the Caribbean so just looking for something different.

Yes, you should do Alaska!  We went in 2019 after going on several Caribbean cruises.  I don't even put the Alaska cruise in the same category as the Caribbean cruises.  You can't compare them, they are completely different. But I love both of them.  Alaska is the most beautiful place and to see it on a cruise is a good choice.  As you are sailing along, you see waterfalls cascading into the ocean, the snow-capped mountains are very majestic. The beauty is unmatched.

 

As someone mentioned, be prepared for any weather.  We were lucky (or blessed) and had amazing sunny weather for most days so we count ourselves fortunate. We did go on Princess which I do recommend.  I wouldn't say we were bored to tears on Princess but there are definitely more options to keep you entertained on an RCI ship. The ability to go into Glacier Bay is worth the trade-off, in my opinion.

 

We are booked on Quantum in June this year going back to Alaska so it will nice to compare and contrast with our first experience.

[CruiserMickey]

If you are choosing between a Vancouver or Seattle departure, I would recommend Vancouver. Those cruises go through the Inside Passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland of BC. The waters are protected and you have beautiful views on both sides of the ship. Cruises going out of Seattle sail on the west side of Vancouver Island and the seas are rougher.

[Nilbog]

We've done Alaska twice, and going back for a third trip in September.  Our first was NCL Pearl, roundtrip from Seattle.  That one visited Glacier Bay.  Our next was Radiance of the Seas, one-way from Vancouver to Seward.  That one visited Hubbard Glacier.  After that one, we took the train to Fairbanks to stay with our daughter for a couple weeks.  The train went by Denali and we got to see the whole mountain (rare because of the weather and cloud cover).  Our upcoming cruise is on the NCL Jewel (same class as the Pearl).  These are all three smaller ships in the fleets without all the water slides and stuff.  But we didn't need them, as the scenery was beautiful, and we'd sit on deck or on our balcony and watch the scenery and marine life.  Do Alaska, you'd won't be disappointed.

[JeffT237]

1 hour ago, JEN5508 said:

I'm worried we will get bored so I'm considering RC over Princess.  Was anyone unhappy with Alaska?  Should we try something another destination?  We've been to the Caribbean so just looking for something different.

 

We recently took our first Alaska cruise last May with Princess. We were primarily cruising the Caribbean cruises and almost all of them were with Royal and most of those on Oasis class ships.  We like the entertainment they offered, I do tend to get bored easily, and we almost always try and cruise on newer ships for all they offer.  We will continue to cruise the Caribbean on Royal ships, we sail next month on the Wonder.  

 

The exception was Alaska.  We chose Princess round trip out of Seattle for Glacier Bay which Royal does not offer. The day of our visit was spectacular. I do agree with the comments that it is more about the itinerary than the ship for Alaska.  Our next cruise to Alaska will not be a round trip out of Seattle, it felt like too much open ocean and not enough scenery  and shorter times in port. Whatever line we chose it will be a northbound out of Vancouver through the true inside passage.  We want more scenery.  So you'll have to ask yourself what is most important to you, as only you know your own likes.  Is it the newest ship? Entertainment? Scenery?  With a Caribbean cruise you can often hit all of those on one class of ship, with Alaska there's some give and take.  For instance if your'e set on the newest ship with more on board entertainment then you'll probably end up with a Seattle roundtrip cruise.  If it's scenery you want you'll probably end up with a one way cruise that starts or ends in Vancouver.  This was at least our experience in planning Alaska and we look forward to our next one.  Best of luck!

[reallyitsmema]

1 hour ago, Kathscof said:

My choice last year was Radiance, and unlike the pp, it was just enough to entertain us before we needed to be in bed.  The pub singer was a fav!  We had shows in the theatre every night, and plenty of other places with great music.  We had to schedule our bands, and even missed some!  I wish we had time for a good movie, but we had no time.  A lot of people seemed to need their energy to do the excursions instead of the nightlife and activities on the ship. I didn't need any more......I guess it all depends on your expectations as it was my first cruise.  

 

We had ZERO rain our entire trip until our sea day in Canada, and they said our of the last 85 cruises, only two had ZERO rain, ours and the one before us.  

 

I am glad you enjoyed you first cruise.  We did not have high expectations for entertainment on a Radiance class ship as we have sailed all the ships in this class, some of them more than others.  The cruise director on our sailing was the worst we have experienced and his morning show was just a preview of the movies that were available that day.  The headliner on the show was a ventriloquist that we have seen way too many times, he does the same show and it gets old quickly, so he was a hard pass.  The Royal Caribbean singers and dancers were fine.  We just prefer the Broadway style shows on the larger ships and the tribute bands.  

 

We take Alaska cruises for the itinerary and sit on our balcony many nights watching the scenery. If we were taking it for the ship, we would choose a Quantum class ship over a Radiance class ship.  Quantum class ships offer more entertainment venues and restaurants.

 

The original poster is concerned about being bored on a smaller ship and I was just sharing our experience.

[crzndeb]

Here’s a little different take. I’m not sure where you are from, but I live in the PNW, close to Seattle. Personally for me, I don’t go for scenery, because I see the same where I live, well, except for glaciers…LOL That being said, I will be going to Alaska for the 5th time in May, but I’m sailing the Ovation all the way home from Sydney. It will also be my 4th Alaska trip on the Ovation (my fave).
But for somebody’s first time, it is definitely worth it. You may decide on one and done, but I think you would be really missing out on its beauty. I would look at prices and what is important to you. My very first trip was in 2012 on Carnival Spirit. It was the first leg of  3 taking the ship to Australia. Because it was the last Alaska sailing, they went to Glacier Bay. It was beautiful, but it wouldn’t be a deal breaker to me if entertainment is more important to you. 
I would go on YouTube and check out videos on different ships before you decide. There are some good vloggers, who have down multiple cruises to Alaska on different ships. Then you can decide what looks better for you. We all have our own opinions, but one size doesn’t fit all…😉 

But I would make the trip. You won’t be sorry.

[Tree_skier]

7 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

Here’s a little different take. I’m not sure where you are from, but I live in the PNW, close to Seattle. Personally for me, I don’t go for scenery, because I see the same where I live, well, except for glaciers…LOL That being said, I will be going to Alaska for the 5th time in May, but I’m sailing the Ovation all the way home from Sydney. It will also be my 4th Alaska trip on the Ovation (my fave).
But for somebody’s first time, it is definitely worth it. You may decide on one and done, but I think you would be really missing out on its beauty. I would look at prices and what is important to you. My very first trip was in 2012 on Carnival Spirit. It was the first leg of  3 taking the ship to Australia. Because it was the last Alaska sailing, they went to Glacier Bay. It was beautiful, but it wouldn’t be a deal breaker to me if entertainment is more important to you. 
I would go on YouTube and check out videos on different ships before you decide. There are some good vloggers, who have down multiple cruises to Alaska on different ships. Then you can decide what looks better for you. We all have our own opinions, but one size doesn’t fit all…😉 

But I would make the trip. You won’t be sorry.

I'm like you.  I spent my first 50 years of life in Vancouver.  I was raised around the scenery much like Alaska.  I loved going but I also consider the ship to be part of the destination.  That's why Ovation is my recommendation.