Glacier Bay vs Icy Strait Point and Hubbard Glacier.

[sa4]

NCL RT from Seattle includes Glacier Bay. 1way cruises include the 2 others. Opinions between these 2 choices. TIA.

[auntmeg]

Have you been on an Alaska cruise previously? If not and this is your first time, choose the trip with Glacier Bay. But also look at the port times at the other ports. Roundtrip cruises from Seattle often have poor port times in Alaska. Take a look at Vancouver departures as well.

[donaldsc]

You have not posted the rest of the itineraries so this info might impact my answer.    However based on just the choice of glacier stops Glacier Bay is a sure thing.  Hubbard is a maybe.  Take the Take the Glacier Bay cruise.

 

DON

[Coral]

Post full itinerary with times in port.

[sa4]

Thanks for responses. Just found out Glacier Bay is now included on both. Original confirmation just said “at sea” and actual itinerary varies per web page. 

Edited January 7 by sa4

[Ferry_Watcher]

I don't think I am seeing when the ship visits ISP.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Your grandkids would love the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's tour out of Ketchikan.  I highly recommend that you do that.

 

If your ship does visit ISP, it is very kid friendly.  They can get down on the beach and get their hands in some Alaskan waters.  I also recommend Glacier Winds whale watching in ISP.  Small boats - one holds 6 passengers, the other 13.

[Aquahound]

It's a good thing that you found out both itineraries have Glacier Bay, because I would have totally disagreed with the others.  IMO, one-way cruises are far better than RT Seattle cruises and I do not think GB on the RT cruise would have been better than the one-way.  I'm assuming the one-way itinerary is out of Vancouver, which means sailing the Canadian Inside Passage, and not having the obligatory stop in Victoria.  

 

Icy Strait Point is one of my favorite AK stops because it has not yet been ruined by the building of a Diamonds International, Cariloha, and other tacky cruise garbage stores.    

[donaldsc]

7 hours ago, Aquahound said:

It's a good thing that you found out both itineraries have Glacier Bay, because I would have totally disagreed with the others.  IMO, one-way cruises are far better than RT Seattle cruises and I do not think GB on the RT cruise would have been better than the one-way.  I'm assuming the one-way itinerary is out of Vancouver, which means sailing the Canadian Inside Passage, and not having the obligatory stop in Victoria.  

 

Icy Strait Point is one of my favorite AK stops because it has not yet been ruined by the building of a Diamonds International, Cariloha, and other tacky cruise garbage stores.    

 

Another port that is fairly unruined is Sitka plus several of the smaller ports.  However Sitka is beginning to be hit by Monstrosities of the Seas ships so if you can visit it now and not a few years from now.

[MississippiMom]

On 1/6/2024 at 6:31 PM, sa4 said:

Thanks for responses. Just found out Glacier Bay is now included on both. Original confirmation just said “at sea” and actual itinerary varies per web page. 

I keep running into this issue, too.  Several sites, where you can compare the various cruise line options are only listing the ports where you actually are able to get off the ship.  I find myself pulling up the Glacier Bay port schedule to determine which ships are there on which day.

[Coral]

On 1/7/2024 at 5:07 PM, Aquahound said:

 

 

Icy Strait Point is one of my favorite AK stops because it has not yet been ruined by the building of a Diamonds International, Cariloha, and other tacky cruise garbage stores.    

Though I almost feel like Icy Strait Point is a fake port - a port made up by cruise lines. Hoonah though is a real Alaska port which you can get to from Icy Strait Point.

[Coral]

18 minutes ago, MississippiMom said:

I keep running into this issue, too.  Several sites, where you can compare the various cruise line options are only listing the ports where you actually are able to get off the ship.  I find myself pulling up the Glacier Bay port schedule to determine which ships are there on which day.

I am surprised at that. You may want to post the itineraries on this board as many of us can weed through the details. For example - some may say Tracy Arm but sometimes it is only operational for those doing a tour there.