60s couple looking for best cruise line / itinerary

[websiteauthor]

We're thinking of doing a cruise next summer in Alaska and we're interested in your thoughts on the best cruise line and itinerary. Our particulars

• Early 60s couple coming from Texas
• Probably prefer US departure/return but open to ideas
• Interested in photography, videography of scenery
• excursions would be sightseeing as opposed to active options
• Love to see glaciers, wildlife and scenery
• probably a 7 day trip, give or take

 

we'd appreciate your ideas!

Jeff & Monique

 

[AKStafford]

59 minutes ago, websiteauthor said:

Probably prefer US departure/return but open to ideas

So are you thinking something like :

https://www.alaskandreamcruises.com/

https://discoveryvoyages.com/

 

Any of the big cruise lines will still include a Canada stop to comply with the Passenger Vessel Service Act law. So a round trip cruise out of Seattle will include a stop in Victoria.

[websiteauthor]

we are happy to make stops in Canada if that's part of a good itinerary. We're just thinking it might be easier for us to fly in and out of US airports. But again, we're open to everyone's thoughts.

[Cbtours]

1 hour ago, websiteauthor said:

we are happy to make stops in Canada if that's part of a good itinerary. We're just thinking it might be easier for us to fly in and out of US airports. But again, we're open to everyone's thoughts.

We flew in from Australia last May, spent five days in Vancouver staying at pan

pacific over the port (highly recommend). Explored vancouver fir five days and loved it. So easy to get around etc.

boarded grand princess fir 14 day return journey to vancouver. So 7 days up turn around anchorage, 7 days back. This gave us 4 days glacier cruising, two stops in each of the ports (Juneau, skegway, Ketchikan) which was ideal as soooo much to do, plus if we missed something we really wanted to do eg re weather, we had chance to do on way back etc.

our trip was beyond spectacular! The scenery was breathtaking, weather perfect (not always guaranteed hehe). 
readon we chose this way was we can fly direct from Sydney to Vancouver, so didn’t need extra stops, change airports eyc.

it was the perfect cruise, and one I’d do again in a heartbeat! First preference of every holiday we’ve ever taken.

enjoy planning 🥰

 

[edinburgher]

6 hours ago, websiteauthor said:

we're interested in your thoughts on the best cruise line and itinerary.

Princess and HAL have long experiences of cruising Alaska, and on land own several of the trains and lodges should you be considering a land extension pre or post cruise.  Looking at the websites of both should give you an indication of possible options. They also offer longer port times than some lines and usually have preferred docking locations and for all of these reasons are often recommended here on CC. There should be many threads on the Alaska Ports forum  asking the same "which cruiseline for ALaska?" question.which you would find helpful to read.  Once you decide on a cruiseline, you can use the same board for port questions. As for itinerary, again reading about ports of call might help you decide, but I would recommend you include Glacier Bay and maybe a couple of other glaciers.

 

As for photography, there is a forum you might want to also browse for helpful info.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/72-photo-camera-discussions/

Edited October 21, 2023 by edinburgher

[websiteauthor]

thanks for the terrific replies!

We will review all the suggestions you provided . . . awhile back I had looked at an Alaskan cruise and heard at that point that one of the cruise lines had the best itineraries for getting closest to the glaciers. I bet it's Princess or HAL.

 

I have only used Royal Caribbean before, so this will be a new experience either way!

[Cbtours]

36 minutes ago, websiteauthor said:

thanks for the terrific replies!

We will review all the suggestions you provided . . . awhile back I had looked at an Alaskan cruise and heard at that point that one of the cruise lines had the best itineraries for getting closest to the glaciers. I bet it's Princess or HAL.

 

I have only used Royal Caribbean before, so this will be a new experience either way!

Purposely included our balcony railing for perspective of how close we were 🥰

 

 

[websiteauthor]

wow, that's a great view!

[Cbtours]

Just now, websiteauthor said:

wow, that's a great view!

There were endless ones like it. It was spectacular 🥰

 

mendenhall glacier and nugget falls 😁

[websiteauthor]

cbtours, were you able to find excursions where you could get away from the ship and enjoy scenery? That's the kind of thing we would enjoy. 

[Cbtours]

12 minutes ago, websiteauthor said:

cbtours, were you able to find excursions where you could get away from the ship and enjoy scenery? That's the kind of thing we would enjoy. 

Definitely. I’ll reply asap 🥰

[wolfie11]

If you go out of Seattle you will be in open ocean the first and last day of the trip as you go outside of Vancouver Island.  From Vancouver you’re inside Vancouver Island.  Huge difference in scenery and great photos in Johnstone Strait.

[edinburgher]

14 hours ago, websiteauthor said:

you could get away from the ship and enjoy scenery? That's the kind of thing we would enjoy. 

Do remember that in Aaska you can enjoy just as much scenery from the ship itself, some from inside if you prefer, but do venture onto the open decks for wider views, and on some lines in especially scenic spots, the captain will allow the  opening of  bow decks, access to which is  not normally available to passengers.

[Earthtones]

Check out Seabourn. Smaller ship (450 passengers), large cabins, truly all-inclusive (including alcohol and gratuities), and the itinerary for the southbound cruises is totally nature-based (not shopping). We sailed a southbound cruise this past summer (preceded by trip to Denali) and our excursions were zodiac trips in Misty Fjords and Alert Bay, whale watching in Prince Rupert, and hiking to the Anan bear preserve where we observed several black bears fishing for salmon right under the platform we stood on (amazing!!!).

[oaktreerb]

Choose a cruise line that goes to Glacier Bay.  Sitka is the most beautiful of the major ports.  Cruising out of Vancouver is very scenic.  Holland America and Princess will have the best docking locations of the major cruise lines.  If your cruise has a service call at Tracy Arm sign up to take the small ship excursion into Tracy Arm.  Your Holland or Princess ship may include College Fjord if you do a one way to Whittier.

[Cbtours]

On 10/22/2023 at 8:57 AM, websiteauthor said:

cbtours, were you able to find excursions where you could get away from the ship and enjoy scenery? That's the kind of thing we would enjoy. 

Our two week itinerary included

• Glacier Bay visited twice
• College Fjord
• Hubbard Glacier
• First stop Ketchikan we did the "duck" amphibian? vehicle for water and land tour around town. Lots history and good overview to where walks would take you. Second visit we did the lumberjack show and had a lovely walk around town
• Juneau we did the Allen family whale watching and wild life cruise. Exceptionally good. Whale sightings guaranteed or you get $100 each refund. Gorgeous scenery everywhere. Second visit we did the Mendenhall glacier and Nugget Falls excursion. Spectacular.
• Skagway we did the White Pass Railway. Beyond spectacular with all the snow. Stunning scenery. Our second excursion from Skagway was to the Kroschel Wildlife Refuge (Haines/Chilcoot). About 40 minute drive so plenty scenery to be seen. The most entertaining, quirky, amazing day. Steve Kroschel is such a character, a totally unique setting, NOTHING like any wildlife refuge we have ever been to. 

Also Princess had exceptional rangers on board while cruising the glaciers etc with commentary, pointing out all sorts of features (eg a caribou being changed by a bear along the shoreline) a good pair of binoculars are worth every cent!

 

Hope some of this info gives you an idea of the adventure awaiting you. 

[shiner6]

 Howdy Neighbor!  We are from Fort Worth and in our 60's. We have sailed to Alaska 3 times. Next summer we are doing a land and sea trip.  We think Princess has the best itineraries and easy access to ports, but HAL is a very close second. We now definitely prefer sailing out of Vancouver over Seattle for many reasons already stated here. Photos and scenery are spectacular.  The only reason that I would sail out of Seattle is if there is a long enough stop in Victoria to do an excursion to Butchert Gardens.  Hope this helps.

[Coral]

If you do a 7 night RT Seattle, you will probably only have 1 glacier day and less times in port compared to RT Vancouver or one way from Vancouver to Seward/Whittier.

 

I prefer one ways. 

 

Sometimes you can find a 10-14 night RT out of Vancouver or Seattle and those have more ports and would be appealing.

 

I am not a fan of 7 night RT out of Seattle. Or 10-11 night out of LA or SFO.

[robbinsca]

We’ve been on the NCL Jewel a couple of times up there and have decided not to take that ship again. Celebrity Summit was our first cruise and I think it had a bit of a halo effect as we loved it 20 years ago. We are returning next summer again on the Summit.

 

Vancouver is a great city to get a start from, and Victoria is a great stop. I would stay away from a Seattle start or finish, and only go one direction- not a round trip. We chose Summit - Northbound to see Sitka as we have been there yet. 
 

No need to go on adventurous excursions, just soak in the sites like Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau or the White Pass RR in Skagway.

[ABQrobin]

YouTube is your friend.  Hundreds of videos to look at and show you excursions.... not just mine, I do have videos, but other people's adventures.  You can also check out videos by Parodeejay, they go to Alaska for several trips back-to-back every summer.  Tons of videos and information that would be helpful.  As for us, we have done Carnival to Alaska twice and loved it, planning to go again this year if we can work it into our schedules.