Miracle Alaska Cruise 2024

[Stowaway LFC]

3 hours ago, jsglow said:

Unless I missed it you didn't say what month you were going @Stowaway LFC.  We've done Alaska both in late May/early June and late August/early September, both considered shoulder season. I'd have to think long and hard about which I liked better but would absolutely do the Spring/Fall thing again.  We were lucky to have solid weather for both trips. That doesn't always happen.  The issue is more rain than cold but the Lido deck can and will be chilly at times. It ain't the Caribbean.

 

You're also going to want to think about mosquito season when you are ashore. Up there they can carry away dogs and small children!  Our two trips were before and then after so we were fine.

September 6th 2024 from San Fransisco!  OMG I didnt know the mosquitos are on steroids there, they must have migrated from Texas then!  Thanks for that advice, adding bug spray to the list! Nasty critters!!

[Linsuesue]

We love the Spirit Class Ships and have been on the Miracle many times.  My advice would be to book an Obstructed view Inside Cabin on deck 4. Yes, they are right behind the lifeboats, BUT, you are only paying a smidge more and you get an inside cabin that has large windows in it. If the weather is too windy, rainy, or chilly, you probably wont want to stay out on that balcony anyway.  Save that money that you would have spent on a balcony and use it for excursions.  Harv & Marv’s is a great one for sure. 

[jsglow]

12 minutes ago, Linsuesue said:

We love the Spirit Class Ships and have been on the Miracle many times.  My advice would be to book an Obstructed view Inside Cabin on deck 4. Yes, they are right behind the lifeboats, BUT, you are only paying a smidge more and you get an inside cabin that has large windows in it. If the weather is too windy, rainy, or chilly, you probably wont want to stay out on that balcony anyway.  Save that money that you would have spent on a balcony and use it for excursions.  Harv & Marv’s is a great one for sure. 

Our two Alaska trips were both in Obstructed; one an OV, the other a Balc.  Perfect.

[thesmiths]

We're on this May 15th 10 day, 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Our first Alaska cruise. 

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by thesmiths

[Stowaway LFC]

52 minutes ago, thesmiths said:

We're on this May 15th 10 day, 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Our first Alaska cruise. 

 

Awesome! Thank you!  And early Happy Anniversary!

 

 

[FastShip24]

On 4/8/2023 at 12:35 PM, BlerkOne said:

It really isn't that cold. I was on an Antarctica cruise a couple of months ago and spent a lot of time on my balcony. It was warmer and less crowded than up on deck.

You realize cold is subjective?  🤦

[Eli_6]

We did Alaska on the Splendor. Book the smaller boat that goes up the Fjord asap as they book up fast and that excursion is well worth the price.  In Icy Straight Point, I recommend just buying the gondola passes once you get there and riding them up and down the mountain rather that booking anything through the cruise.  That is an experience in and of itself.  There are also hiking trails around there that are fun. It was one of our best days.  In Junea, we took a helicopter to the top of the glacier.  I am glad we did it once, but I probably won't do it again because those excursions are $$$$.  

 

Bring a rain jacket. I got one that condenses down super small for packing, but still works great.  Bring an eye mask or chip clips to keep the curtains closed if you are in a balcony room because it never gets completely dark.  

[Stowaway LFC]

16 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

We did Alaska on the Splendor. Book the smaller boat that goes up the Fjord asap as they book up fast and that excursion is well worth the price.  In Icy Straight Point, I recommend just buying the gondola passes once you get there and riding them up and down the mountain rather that booking anything through the cruise.  That is an experience in and of itself.  There are also hiking trails around there that are fun. It was one of our best days.  In Junea, we took a helicopter to the top of the glacier.  I am glad we did it once, but I probably won't do it again because those excursions are $$$$.  

 

Bring a rain jacket. I got one that condenses down super small for packing, but still works great.  Bring an eye mask or chip clips to keep the curtains closed if you are in a balcony room because it never gets completely dark.  

Thank you! Good information to know!

[BlerkOne]

2 hours ago, FastShip24 said:

You realize cold is subjective?  🤦

Yes, I do. And if you are cold on a balcony, you will surely be cold on deck.

[calbred01]

On 4/8/2023 at 5:45 PM, Stowaway LFC said:

September 6th 2024 from San Fransisco!  OMG I didnt know the mosquitos are on steroids there, they must have migrated from Texas then!  Thanks for that advice, adding bug spray to the list! Nasty critters!!

We will be on that cruise also. I have been to Alaska before but to Fairbanks and (believe it or not) during a heatwave (it was close to 100!), since I am of a certain age (and it does NOT seem to want to hurry and leave me alone) I am my own weather front and it is usually a very warm one! I have started researching excursions and will be talking to my daughter & son in Law who lived in Alaska for years.

[madera cruiser]

On 4/8/2023 at 5:45 PM, Stowaway LFC said:

September 6th 2024 from San Fransisco!  OMG I didnt know the mosquitos are on steroids there, they must have migrated from Texas then!  Thanks for that advice, adding bug spray to the list! Nasty critters!!

Wifey and I will be on this same sailing! Milestone cruise for us and a retirement gift to me.

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by madera cruiser
left out a word

[SDPadreFan]

So for the introverts - one of the best spots on the Miracle is Gatsby's Garden on the 3rd Deck. All the way forward to the showroom. It's an indoor promanade that goes around the outside or the showroom. Lots of seating and plenty of large windows to look out. Usually quiet as a library. A hidden gem on all Spirit Class ships (but others have different names).

 

September is definitely rainy season in Alaska so be prepared. Heading north from San Francisco will find you heading smack into the southbound winds and southbound Alaskan current. Want to know how strong that Alaskan current. The pictures below will show you the water around Southern Baja (Cabo San Lucas) in October and again just a few weeks ago. It will stay rough for a couple of days until you get up towards your first port of call which looks like Juneau. You will be in open water until you get that far north and then you will head into the inside passage where it will be much calmer.

[SDPadreFan]

We did this cruise on the Miracle last June (end of June) and our weather was pretty much perfect for our port days. Light jacket was all we needed. Our port calls were Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm (cruising), and Icy Strait Point.

 

Completely agree that the small boat excursion when the ship is cruising Tracy Arm is the best money you can spend. We saw 4 calving's of the Sawyer Glacier up close and the even rarer iceberg flip (sometimes called a Lurking Iceberg). My wife saw that one - I missed it. But the crew was jumping up and down and yelling with excitement.

 

In Juneau, we did the Rainforest Trails & Whale Watching excursion thru Carnival with Gastineau Guiding and it was also fantastic. My wife even got to hold onto a broken piece of glacier (photo op). A note about whale watching in Alaska. The whales are pretty serious in Alaska. They are there to feed and that is pretty much it. For the most part, you will see them spout, then arch their back, then the tail and then they are gone on another deep dive. Orca's tend to be more interesting a sight in the wild of Alaska (to me). If you are lucky enough to see the whales bubble feeding around Juneau then that is definitely worth seeing.

 

Gastineau Guiding link

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31020-d1763972-Reviews-Gastineau_Guiding-Juneau_Alaska.html

 

Whales do like to party, but it is down in Southern Baja (Cabo San Lucas) as well as Puerto Vallarta and also Hawaii. So if you want to see the party, go down to Cabo San Lucas in January or February. You can either do a land vacation or a cruise out of Long Beach, San Diego, or Los Angeles (depending on the ship). Just make sure the ship is in Cabo long enough for the excursion. Usually when Cabo is the first port of call - they are there a little longer. Here is a picture of the party in Feb 2008 on the catamaran Pez Gato in Cabo.

 

[SDPadreFan]

This link has a short video of the Alaska’s Whales, Glaciers & Rainforest Trails excursion we took thru Carnival with Gastineau Guiding. The glacier seen in the video is the Mendenhall Glacier and the little beach area is where my wife got to hold a piece of broken off glacier.

 

https://www.stepintoalaska.com/excursions/alaskas-whales-glaciers-rainforest-trails/

 

[Stowaway LFC]

17 hours ago, calbred01 said:

We will be on that cruise also. I have been to Alaska before but to Fairbanks and (believe it or not) during a heatwave (it was close to 100!), since I am of a certain age (and it does NOT seem to want to hurry and leave me alone) I am my own weather front and it is usually a very warm one! I have started researching excursions and will be talking to my daughter & son in Law who lived in Alaska for years.

Let me know what you decide on!  I've been looking at the 2023 cruises like mine to see what all excursions there are.  The absolute must one is the Tracy Arm boat. I kinda have an idea of the rest but watch them change them all up next year and I'll have to choose again lol.

[Stowaway LFC]

11 hours ago, madera cruiser said:

Wifey and I will be on this same sailing! Milestone cruise for us and a retirement gift to me.

 

Awesome! Happy retirement!  I will get there someday, maybe!

[Stowaway LFC]

11 hours ago, SDPadreFan said:

So for the introverts - one of the best spots on the Miracle is Gatsby's Garden on the 3rd Deck. All the way forward to the showroom. It's an indoor promanade that goes around the outside or the showroom. Lots of seating and plenty of large windows to look out. Usually quiet as a library. A hidden gem on all Spirit Class ships (but others have different names).

 

September is definitely rainy season in Alaska so be prepared. Heading north from San Francisco will find you heading smack into the southbound winds and southbound Alaskan current. Want to know how strong that Alaskan current. The pictures below will show you the water around Southern Baja (Cabo San Lucas) in October and again just a few weeks ago. It will stay rough for a couple of days until you get up towards your first port of call which looks like Juneau. You will be in open water until you get that far north and then you will head into the inside passage where it will be much calmer.

My hubby has never cruised before period. I have twice, one to Mexico and one to Bahamas. Looks like alot of Dramamine might be needed.  I figured it would be wet alot so planning packing for that!

Thanks for the introvert tip! Hubby is an extrovert; I'll leave him on Lido lol

[Stowaway LFC]

10 hours ago, SDPadreFan said:

We did this cruise on the Miracle last June (end of June) and our weather was pretty much perfect for our port days. Light jacket was all we needed. Our port calls were Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm (cruising), and Icy Strait Point.

 

Completely agree that the small boat excursion when the ship is cruising Tracy Arm is the best money you can spend. We saw 4 calving's of the Sawyer Glacier up close and the even rarer iceberg flip (sometimes called a Lurking Iceberg). My wife saw that one - I missed it. But the crew was jumping up and down and yelling with excitement.

 

In Juneau, we did the Rainforest Trails & Whale Watching excursion thru Carnival with Gastineau Guiding and it was also fantastic. My wife even got to hold onto a broken piece of glacier (photo op). A note about whale watching in Alaska. The whales are pretty serious in Alaska. They are there to feed and that is pretty much it. For the most part, you will see them spout, then arch their back, then the tail and then they are gone on another deep dive. Orca's tend to be more interesting a sight in the wild of Alaska (to me). If you are lucky enough to see the whales bubble feeding around Juneau then that is definitely worth seeing.

 

Gastineau Guiding link

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31020-d1763972-Reviews-Gastineau_Guiding-Juneau_Alaska.html

 

Whales do like to party, but it is down in Southern Baja (Cabo San Lucas) as well as Puerto Vallarta and also Hawaii. So if you want to see the party, go down to Cabo San Lucas in January or February. You can either do a land vacation or a cruise out of Long Beach, San Diego, or Los Angeles (depending on the ship). Just make sure the ship is in Cabo long enough for the excursion. Usually when Cabo is the first port of call - they are there a little longer. Here is a picture of the party in Feb 2008 on the catamaran Pez Gato in Cabo.

 

Wow! Amazing pictures!

[calbred01]

4 hours ago, Stowaway LFC said:

Let me know what you decide on!  I've been looking at the 2023 cruises like mine to see what all excursions there are.  The absolute must one is the Tracy Arm boat. I kinda have an idea of the rest but watch them change them all up next year and I'll have to choose again lol.

We are looking for stuff to do that we don't have to book through the ship, I want to do some hiking and I know one friend of mine wants to find a place to eat really good halibut! The train into the Yukon and Emerald lake is one I am researching (My boss did this and said the scenery is amazing!) Since excursions are expensive we are trying to figure out one that we MUST do and can't do anyplace else (I keep seeing the Princess commercials where they are in an ice cave and I sooooo want to do that, Lol) Hubby is claustrophobic so I believe a helicopter ride and walk on a glacier is probably not in my future.

[SDPadreFan]

3 hours ago, calbred01 said:

We are looking for stuff to do that we don't have to book through the ship, I want to do some hiking and I know one friend of mine wants to find a place to eat really good halibut! The train into the Yukon and Emerald lake is one I am researching (My boss did this and said the scenery is amazing!) Since excursions are expensive we are trying to figure out one that we MUST do and can't do anyplace else (I keep seeing the Princess commercials where they are in an ice cave and I sooooo want to do that, Lol) Hubby is claustrophobic so I believe a helicopter ride and walk on a glacier is probably not in my future.

Looks like you already have Skagway plotted out with the train ride up to the Yukon. There are some hiking trails close by the pier. One goes to the Lower Dewey Reservoir and for the truly adventurous you can continue to the Upper Dewey Reservoir. A more pedestrian walk is also close by. After you cross over the Skagway Footbridge, there is a trail that leads to Yakutania Point and then to Smugglers Cove. It's a loop trail (out and back).

[Stowaway LFC]

On 4/11/2023 at 7:15 AM, thesmiths said:

We're on this May 15th 10 day, 

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Our first Alaska cruise. 

 

 

 

Are you excited yet?  Can't wait to see your review!