Alaska: Silversea vs. Visit to Glacier Bay

[ciaoYacht]

Hello seasoned Silversea cruisers!  I am new to Silversea, I have sailed on Seabourn and Windstar in the past.  I am hoping to do an Alaska cruise this summer and I'm interested in the new Silver Nova, it looks awesome.  However, from all my research and Youtube cruise video watching, it seems that everyone recommends Glacier Bay National Park as a "must see" and cruises are mostly limited to Holland America and Princess (some others but I am not really interested in Norwegian).  I really enjoy "luxury" cruising and have been reluctant to sail on a more mass-market or large scale line.  After watching a ton of videos Holland America it does look nice (although I have some reservations about the food) and I was considering booking a Holland America Neptune suite.  This would end up costing more than a port-to-port sailing on Silver Nova to Alaska, especially after I add in shore excursions, gratuities, etc... but I would get to visit Glacier Bay.  So I suppose my question is for seasoned cruisers and those familiar with Silversea and Alaska:  Is it worth it to forego Glacier Bay in order to sail on the new Silver Nova.  Would the service, quality, and amenities make up for the lack of visiting Glacier Bay?  Or is visiting Glacier Bay a must-see and therefore I should spend slightly more (for possibly a lower quality food, lower level of service) on Holland America?  Your thoughts and insight are greatly appreciated!  This has been a tough decision for me.

[barcrab]

Glacier Bay is quite amazing. We were on a Crystal ship a few years ago and saw Glacier Bay but their itineraries do not include it this year. It is difficult for cruise lines to get permission to go there. Looks like Seabourn goes to Glacier Bay in May which is not a bad time for Alaska. You can go on Silver Nova another time.

[ciaoYacht]

24 minutes ago, barcrab said:

Glacier Bay is quite amazing. We were on a Crystal ship a few years ago and saw Glacier Bay but their itineraries do not include it this year. It is difficult for cruise lines to get permission to go there. Looks like Seabourn goes to Glacier Bay in May which is not a bad time for Alaska. You can go on Silver Nova another time.

Thank you for the feedback.  Forgot to mention that my schedule is limited to July 2024 sailings only as that is when I have pre-blocked time off that can't be moved, unfortunately.  From https://cruisedig.com/ports/glacier-bay-alaska/arrivals it looks like only Holland America, Princess (would consider but even more expensive than HA for a suite), and Cunard (not really interested in this line) are visiting Glacier Bay in July 2024. 

Edited February 1 by ciaoYacht

[goofysmom99]

I've taken Alaska cruises on both Celebrity (Hubbard Glacier) and HAL (Glacier Bay) - I'd opt for a Glacier Bay itinerary regardless of the ship.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Princess and HAL don't give their Suite passengers the extra love that Celebrity (Retreat), MSC (Yacht Club) and NCL (Haven) do, so you could get the cost down by booking a regular Veranda cabin and paying for specialty restaurants to improve the food.  I agree that Glacier Bay should be a must-see on a first cruise in Alaska.  

 

Another suggestion for great glacier viewing is an itinerary that starts in Whittier rather than Seward – you can take the train from Anchorage in the morning (which will send your luggage directly to the ship), then take a Prince William Sound cruise in the afternoon (on a small ship that gets even closer to the glaciers than the big cruise ships can in Glacier Bay – also includes lunch), and board your cruise ship well before final call.  We did that on Princess in 2013 and had a great time.

[gaspari]

Not been to Alaska , but spent 3 weeks on Nova in December. It is a lovely ship, but much more suited to warm weather cruising than cold, with the outdoor dining spaces and lack of space in the main dining room, which effectively creates a 7pm and 9pm two seating arrangement

[HalFan]

While many will say that Glacier Bay is a “must see,” I think the Hubbard Glacier is a close second.  We visited Glacier Bay many years ago on one of our HAL cruises and it is impressive.  However, after our last cruise on HAL in 2019, we decided the ships were too big for us.  After 18 cruises on HAL, we are no longer Halfans (see our cruise critic nickname).

 

Last summer we booked an Alaska cruise on the Silver Muse and loved it so much that we booked a three week cruise on the Silver Dawn in the Caribbean which we took last month.  I was afraid that I might be disappointed by not going to Glacier Bay on the Alaska cruise, but Hubbard Glacier is quite a sight.  The ship sails up a smaller bay and circles around in front of the glacier for an hour or so – similar to what they do in Glacier Bay but for a shorter time frame.

 

Given that you enjoy luxury cruising, I would recommend taking the Silver Nova especially after you mentioned that HAL would cost more.  Although it’s been several years since we were on HAL, the food, service and amenities were never at a level with Silversea.  We were in a Neptune Suite once, and while there is a concierge in the Neptune Lounge, they never provided the level of service that you receive from your butler on Silversea.

 

If you do take a cruise to or from Seward, I would recommend staying there an extra day and taking the Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise.  The one we took was about 6 hours and we saw glaciers, whales, puffins and lots of other amazing scenery and wildlife.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Having Hubbard on your itinerary is not a guarantee of seeing Hubbard. On our cruise there was too much ice in that bay so the ship couldn’t get in. I would want an itinerary with both Glacier Bay and Hubbard to make sure of seeing one. 

[ciaoYacht]

I appreciate all the feedback thus far, and the additional suggestions to see some great sights!  Still lots to think about and consider.  Pros and cons of both voyages I suppose.  Seeing "once in a lifetime" things is definitely on my Alaska list, regardless if its Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier.  Please keep the thoughts coming!  

 

I have my first Virgin sailing coming up in 2 weeks so I may see how I like the larger ship atmosphere before making a final decision. 

[AusMum]

54 minutes ago, ciaoYacht said:

I appreciate all the feedback thus far, and the additional suggestions to see some great sights!  Still lots to think about and consider.  Pros and cons of both voyages I suppose.  Seeing "once in a lifetime" things is definitely on my Alaska list, regardless if its Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier.  Please keep the thoughts coming!  

 

I have my first Virgin sailing coming up in 2 weeks so I may see how I like the larger ship atmosphere before making a final decision. 

I've just been on Virgin's Resilient Lady

Have been to Alaska twice.  Our last cruise was on Celebrity where the highlight for us was Icy Straits - we got to witness whales bubble feeding.  It was a very emotional experience.

[ciaoYacht]

On 2/2/2024 at 4:22 AM, Host Jazzbeau said:

Princess and HAL don't give their Suite passengers the extra love that Celebrity (Retreat), MSC (Yacht Club) and NCL (Haven) do, so you could get the cost down by booking a regular Veranda cabin and paying for specialty restaurants to improve the food.  I agree that Glacier Bay should be a must-see on a first cruise in Alaska.  

 

Another suggestion for great glacier viewing is an itinerary that starts in Whittier rather than Seward – you can take the train from Anchorage in the morning (which will send your luggage directly to the ship), then take a Prince William Sound cruise in the afternoon (on a small ship that gets even closer to the glaciers than the big cruise ships can in Glacier Bay – also includes lunch), and board your cruise ship well before final call.  We did that on Princess in 2013 and had a great time.

I have not personally experienced suites on any of those lines you mentioned.  But I looked into the "suite experience" on HAL and while they don't have ship-within-a-ship concepts like those other lines, they have the separate "Club Orange" dining room for suite guests and seem to offer elevated amenities for suites:

Suite Amenities

• Binoculars for use during your voyage
• Fresh flowers
• Choice of firm, medium or soft pillows
• No-host mini-bar
• In-suite coffee/espresso machine
• Bose® SoundLink® Mini Bluetooth® audio system
• Complimentary mimosa with in-suite breakfast
• Complimentary laundry, pressing and dry cleaning
• Welcome glass of sparkling wine at dinner on embarkation day
• Premium in-room dining breakfast menu
• Premium bathrobes
• Exclusive tote bag
• Use of the exclusive Neptune Lounge and personal concierge service
• Cocktail party with the Neptune Lounge Concierge
• Club Orange private dining venue
• Breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill
• Priority check-in/disembarkation
• Priority boarding for tendered ports
• Priority dining and seating requests

Do I think HAL suites will be as nice as those other lines?  Probably not... But the decision I am weighing is with the HAL amenities and the physical suite itself, as well as the chance to go to Glacier Bay - is it worth it to go on HAL vs. foregoing Glacier Bay in the favor of luxury sailing on Silversea?

[Port Power]

3 minutes ago, ciaoYacht said:

I have not personally experienced suites on any of those lines you mentioned.  But I looked into the "suite experience" on HAL and while they don't have ship-within-a-ship concepts like those other lines, they have the separate "Club Orange" dining room for suite guests and seem to offer elevated amenities for suites:

Do I think HAL suites will be as nice as those other lines?  Probably not... But the decision I am weighing is with the HAL amenities and the physical suite itself, as well as the chance to go to Glacier Bay - is it worth it to go on HAL vs. foregoing Glacier Bay in the favor of luxury sailing on Silversea?

I think you have already answered your own question.  You really want to visit Glacier, Bay, so do that.  HAL is a good line, so book it.  Enjoy the change so you can appreciate your next Silversea cruise more.

[ciaoYacht]

24 minutes ago, Port Power said:

I think you have already answered your own question.  You really want to visit Glacier, Bay, so do that.  HAL is a good line, so book it.  Enjoy the change so you can appreciate your next Silversea cruise more.

 

I agree I am leaning towards Glacier Bay, I wanted to see if people have compelling arguments against that decision or saw fatal flaws with sailing on HAL as opposed to the more luxe option.  I also agree with trying things out to see what you like, and so you can better appreciate other experiences.  It is just an expensive trial 😂

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, ciaoYacht said:

 

I agree I am leaning towards Glacier Bay, I wanted to see if people have compelling arguments against that decision or saw fatal flaws with sailing on HAL as opposed to the more luxe option.  I also agree with trying things out to see what you like, and so you can better appreciate other experiences.  It is just an expensive trial 😂

So with better focus:  a suite on HAL will provide your own personal retreat from the crowds, and the Club Orange dining room also offers a quieter setting with better service (and one special entree, IIRC) – this is enough for me to assume that the HAL onboard experience won't be a disaster.  And they are known for their Glacier Bay expertise, so that should be very good.  You can complete the cruise elevation by booking private excursions (e.g. we used Island Wings for a flight seeing tour of Misty Fjords, which was a much more personalized experience than the tours offered through Princess).  I would recommend HAL.

 

I would also recommend adding in a pre-cruise visit to Denali (with a full day bus trip into the National Park to get close to the mountain) and Talkeetna (where you can book a flight seeing tour that circles Denali and lands on a glacier).  HAL offers such packages but if possible it's better on your own – you can stay right in Talkeetna for easy access to the air strip, and the National Park Service offers bus trips into the park.

[flyers]

Having Seen Alaska and specifically Glacier Bay on both the Pacific Princess (in the 80`s) and Hal`s Amsterdam then more recently other Alaska areas including twice on Seabourn I feel Glacier Bay 'could` be overrated as there are so many other wonderful vistas that I would be hard pressed to choose a mainstream line over say a luxury line such Silverseas, Seabourn or Regent just for the privilege of seeing Glacier Bay!

Here are some examples:

[flyers]

Click on each picture to see the location