Alaska with Children?

[Cruisemonsterdelux]

We took our first cruise w/ kids last Spring (Mexico, Princess) and it was spectacular. Now we are thinking of cruising again next year but this time to Alaska. We've heard from a couple of people that Alaska is not a great destination for kids--ours are 10 and 6, that it skews a little old and they may be out of place. Any thoughts?

[Terpnut]

We took our first cruise w/ kids last Spring (Mexico, Princess) and it was spectacular. Now we are thinking of cruising again next year but this time to Alaska. We've heard from a couple of people that Alaska is not a great destination for kids--ours are 10 and 6, that it skews a little old and they may be out of place. Any thoughts?

It's a myth that Alaska cruises are crowded with a significantly older crowd. There are almost as many kids as there are on some Caribbean sailings. My kids (8 and 6) had a great time and, with the exception of having limited pool and water activities, didn't feel any different than on any of our other cruises. IMO, the main differences between Alaska and Caribbean cruises from a family perspective are: (1) an Alaska cruise vacation will cost you at least double or even triple a comparable length Caribbean one because cruise fare, port charges/fees, flights, excursions, souvenirs, hotels and food are all much more expensive and thus the "value proposition" is tougher, (2) Alaska is about nature, wildlife and scenery (not fun in the sun) so your kids must have the patience for and be able to enjoy long whale watching, hiking, kayaking, park shuttle and/or glacier viewing trips, and (3) Alaska is much harder to pack for due to the wide variety of clothing and other stuff you will need (read: twice the luggage).

[Cruisemonsterdelux]

Terpnut, thank you for your timely reply. I hadn't thought about double the packing but it sounds like an adventure my kids would enjoy. We live in California so they already get a lot of sun and beach time! Enjoy your upcoming cruise.

:p

[Cortesefam]

We're planning an Alaska cruise next summer on Radiance of the Seas, northbound from Vancouver to Seward. Our kids (11 and 14 next year) love cruising, and are excited about a different experience than our usual summer/sun routings (we did a 10 day Mediterranean cruise on Brilliance of the Seas in August 2005, and the kids are disappointed we cannot find a 10-12 day cruise for Alaska!).

 

I used to travel 4-6 times a year to Alaska for work (still go salmon fishing every summer in Kenai--this will be our first cruise to Alaska), and I agree with many posts that the key for the cruise will be the excursions--all the towns in SE Alaska are small, and can become very crowded when 2-5 ships are in port. Packing will be key as well--it will get wet.

 

We are very excited about our trip next summer--bears, whales and glaciers top our kids list of "must see/do" activities.

 

Thanks

[Cruise Arizona]

What kid wouldn't enjoy the Lumber Jack show, or Salmon Fishing, or Seeing a Glacier for the first time, or whale watching, or puffin watching, or sea lion watching!!! We are taking the kids on the Celbrity Mercury to Alaska next summer. DH and I went for our Honeymoon 14 years ago, so we know that the itenerary is great. The kids went with us on our last cruise and loved the kids program. So Ithink that taking the kids to Alaska will be great!!!

[CabinForFour]

We took DS (6.5 yrs) and DD (3.5 years) on the Norwegian Star (Seattle and Inside Passage) in May. They had a blast. We went whale watching with Captain Larry in Juneau, rode the White Pass Railroad and then took a private bus tour into the Yukon from Skagway, cruised Glacier Bay, viewed the Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan, and went on a carriage tour in Victoria. They had a blast. Despite several previous cruises with kids, this was our first experience with the kids' clubs onboard, and they were constantly begging to go! Definitely don't let what you've heard from others deter you going to Alaska. It is VERY kid-friendly, and we wouldn't hesitate to take the kids again!

 

I have lots of photos posted of our excursions and the kids' activities, if you wish to get an idea of what we did. They're at http://theleslies.shutterfly.com . Just scroll down on the page 'til you see the photos from Seattle, and there are several after that one.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I think more and more families are taking Alaskan cruises. The cruises are going during summer vacation. They're educational: my girl was 8 when we went on ours. In third grade, the kids studied different native Americans so she was able to relate to the totem poles after seeing actual ones in Ketchikan. She also went through Dolly's house and I explained the women who worked there were entertainers and that was enough of an explanation.;)

 

As for clothing, just remember layers are best. I overdid the woolies (woolen scarves, gloves, etc) that we didn't used. The week before we went the weather was pretty warm and sunny. It got rainy and in the 60s for our trip. So bring the heavy coat (especially if your glacial viewing is in the morning as ours were), jeans, and some flannel shirts and sweaters. We actually were gone a couple of weeks (we travelled to Seattle by train, which was a 40-hr trip each way and stayed some days post-cruise in Seattle) so we did laundry on the Sapphire and once in the hotel so that we could wear our clothing more than once. That really cut down on luggage.

[lumpkin]

We did Mercury to Alaska this past Aug, with 9 and 12 yr old, and they loved it. Particularly the shore excurs. with modified dogsled (on wheels,thru forest trail). They got to hold the huskies. Also did some horse-drawn wagons thru town and the lumberjack show. Great fun for all of us.

Definitely go with layers, and don't pack too much. Gloves and a scarf are a must for glacier viewing...that was really the only time it was very cold. And prepare for the rain in most Alaskan ports --- ponchos are a good idea.

[Terpnut]

What kid wouldn't enjoy the Lumber Jack show, or Salmon Fishing, or Seeing a Glacier for the first time, or whale watching, or puffin watching, or sea lion watching!!! We are taking the kids on the Celbrity Mercury to Alaska next summer. DH and I went for our Honeymoon 14 years ago, so we know that the itenerary is great. The kids went with us on our last cruise and loved the kids program. So Ithink that taking the kids to Alaska will be great!!!

Actually, only some activities are clear hits for kids. Remember, the younger your kids are, the less patience they will have to sit still for long rides or cruises. Parents with small children should probably NOT consider the long shuttle bus rides deep into Denali NP, nor the 6 hr+ Kenai Fjords cruises. On the 6 hr Kenai Fjords cruise, for example, my youngest sat bored for long stretches despite all the puffins, sea lions and seabirds (and the occasional whale). Throw in seasickness and it was definitely not the highlight of his trip. We never made it to Denali, but I am sure neither of my kids would have tolerated that either. The White Pass RR was fun for all of 30 min and then they got bored quickly. On the other hand, the cheesy show and gold panning in Liarsville (Skagway), whale-watching w/Capt Larry and walking/hiking in Sitka, for example, were hits with our kids!

 

Thus to get the most out of Alaska with children, choose your activities wisely. The younger your children are, the shorter the excursion/activity should be, and the more "immediate gratification" will be required.

[katmandoo]

We sailed nb on Carnival Spirit Aug 06 and kids loved it! They loved the ship/Camp Carnival/ and they did excursions with us 3/5 days. The other two days they wanted to stay on the ship! (I kept the 2 yr old)

Still talking about the Kayaking in Juneau, Lumberjack show in Ketchikan,salmon in Ketchikan.

We skipped the expensive sled dog excursion and stayed in Palmer AK for 3 days post cruise and did AK state fair, Iditarod MUseum where they did 3-4 sled rides for $5 each! Glaciers were amazing, the kids still talk about our amazing trip!

My motto is, go wherever you want to go, you will always find something geared towards kids.

We did it for cheap too. Airfare from NY was FF miles and we stayed in an inside cabin opposite my parents Balcony. Best of both worlds. I must say, someone MUST have a balcony in your party if not you. It is great to wake up in the am and see where you are from the comfort of your own room.

[CaribbeanBound]

I vote to take the kids to Alaska. We did.

 

We enjoyed all three Alaskan ports (Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan) and the Tracy Arm Glacier. We had incredible weather. We did not book any cruise ship excursions —– yet we saw more scenery and wildlife than most passengers. We were a family of four staying in one inside cabin aboard the Star Princess. We would do it again. Complete Alaska review: http://www.lavasurfer.com/info/alaska.html

[Lesterbird]

Took our five year old and he had a blast. The lumberjack show, whale watching, kids club, special attention by the cruise staff, glaciers, raptor center, other kids on board (all they need are a few others their own age), the seals (or sea lions, I forget) on the ice bergs, the food - it was all awesome to him. We live in California also and travel to the beach and Hawaii so he gets plenty of surf and sand. It was good for him to experience something different.

 

Have fun!

[CassCruise]

I also agree with all the above re taking kids to Alaska - we have just done a b2b on Diamond Princess in September - very few kids but that didn't stop my 5&8 yr old dd's from having a wonderful time - they actually swam most days - the first week we did bear watching in Ketchikan, dog sledding in Juneau (their birthday present) and they stayed in the kids club whilst we drove with friends to Emerald Lake (thought that would be pushing it!) the second week we did the railway in Skagway (after the 5 yr old desparately pleaded to do it) whale watching with Capt Larry in Juneau and then in Ketchikan we did the lumber jack show and akduck tour!! (all the excursions were the reason we decided on a b2b) I must say the girls thoroughly enjoyed all the excursions and never complained of boredom on any of the excursions. I agree with layering and despite some people saying they wouldn't bother we ended up buying snow rated coats and were very pleased with that decision - worked well for us! Don't hesitate just do it:D

[C&S]

I just had to reply! By all means, take the kids. We took our children when they were 8 and 12 for back to back cruises in Alaska. They loved them! We were on Princess and on the ship they had great activities, (park rangers, dissecting squid, a shark study and more.) We did many great activities and tours in the ports (lumberjack show, duck tour, fast ferry to Haines, trip to Emerald Lake/Carcross). They also loved the wildlife.

 

It is a great trip for everyone.