Alaska - What is difference leaving from Seattle or Vancouver?

[CrusinAgain]

Would you please give your reasons why there is a difference leaving from Seattle than Vancouver for the Princess Alaska cruise if in the end you still go to the same ports?

 

Also why is there a difference for Princess to do the one ways. Is it just to go to Whittier and do the Princess excursions or are people missing something big by only doing round trip.

 

Thanks much. :)

[ARRTrain]

By going out of Vancouver and going into Whittier, you get to see all the glaciers in College Fjiord.

[SeattleCruiselover]

You do not go as far north into the Gulf of Alaska leaving from Seattle, as there would not be time to do that on a seven day cruise and still make it back to Seattle.

 

From Vancouver, you sail only one way, with the final stop being Whittier. Most people who do the one way north or southbound cruises also do a cruise tour/land tour.

[ellbon]

I loved sailing South on princess but next time i want to go North. I notice if out of Seatle some ships do Victoria at nigt while i went after the cruise.

[paul929207]

The Alaskan cruises out of Seattle do the inside passage route. They go north to Juneau or so, then come south back to Seattle. The ones from Vancouver go one way from Vancouver to Ancorage. By US law, most cruise ships cannot carry passengers from Seattle to Alaska.

[chrysalis]

The Alaskan cruises out of Seattle do the inside passage route. They go north to Juneau or so, then come south back to Seattle. The ones from Vancouver go one way from Vancouver to Ancorage. By US law, most cruise ships cannot carry passengers from Seattle to Alaska.

 

 

They don't all just go "on way"...the Tahitian goes 14 days round trip from Vancouver.

[RichardK]

Three (3) major differences I can think of>>>Leaving from Seattle, you will need to stop (thanks to the Jones Act) in a foreign port (Vitoria?); you may sail to the west of Vancouver Island, making for the possibility of rougher seas; and, from the U.S. Mainland, airfare to Seattle is cheaper.

[Thomkm]

Three (3) major differences I can think of>>>Leaving from Seattle, you will need to stop (thanks to the Jones Act) in a foreign port (Vitoria?); you may sail to the west of Vancouver Island, making for the possibility of rougher seas; and, from the U.S. Mainland, airfare to Seattle is cheaper.

 

A few other differences; on the Vancouver cruise you get the same ports, but the time in port is longer, you also get scenic cruising on Glacier Bay and College Fiord.

 

We cruised out of Seattle in 2006 and Vancouver in 2007. Our personal favorite was Vancouver hands down. We are planning another Anchorage /Vancouver for 2009.

 

Here is our pics from the 2007 Vancouver cruise. We started out our cruise with a couple of days in Vancouver.

 

http://family.webshots.com/album/559447884xvMEeY

[monalloh]

Having done the 7 day Voayage of the Glaciers before, the absolute high points of the cruise for me were College Fjord and Glacier Bay. We had terrible weather in College Fjord, but the day in Glacier Bay was glorious. It was one of the most memorable days of cruising that I have ever experienced. In order to do Glacier Bay you must do a 7 day cruise out of Vancouver. And if time and money allow, do a land package (cruise-tour) in Alaska too. There are not many more stunning sights than Denali on a clear day. Enjoy!

[UT-Volsfan]

Having done both routes, definitely go out of Vancouver. As others have said previously, you don't go as far north on the round trip out of Seattle, and the glacier viewing on the one-way out of Vancouver was much better, also.

 

Plus the visit to Denali Park is great (if you have time for a few land days at the end of the cruise).

[dzcruisers]

We have gone round trip out of Vancouver and round trip out of Seattle. We preferred the round trip out of Vancouver, more port time, more glacier time.

[CrusinAgain]

Thanks to all that respond. Just trying to decide which route to take my sister on for her first time and we would drive to Seattle but that 14 dayer sure looks so good.

 

In looking at the Princess ships from Seattle they do not go to Glacier Bay and only go to Tracy Arm and I definitely would not would to miss that Glacier Bay or is Tracy Arm just as impressive? I don't understand how NCL and HAL can go on a 7 day round trip to Glacier Bay but Princess can not from Seattle. All the ships from Vancouver are also one way so if I want to go on a Princess ship I would have to take her on the one way and if she has time from work try a round trip and if not fly back. I don't see any from Vancouver that are round trip like I had taken before on the original Star Princess.

 

So the ships take the exact same route from Seattle (once it reaches the route the ship from Vancouver would be on) to the ports? It is all inside passage? I thought some ships called it inside passage from Seattle but when people took it it was all exposed and scenery only on the right and not both sides.

 

Also between the ships going the North/South route - which ship is the best for viewing? Our plans are to snag an aft balcony. I have been on the Diamond and loved her but I have read the Coral/Island are beloved ships. Thoughts?

 

Please keep your suggestions coming. You have no idea how helpful you are being. Thank you!

[RSWBADGER]

Princess and Holland A,erica each have 71 entries into Glacier Bay yearly allocated to them. Princess uses a majority of those on their one-way Whittier to Vancouver and reverse.

 

Cruise Ship Concession Authorizations

Cruise ship services are currently authorized under concession permits. A specific number of entries/use days are allocated to each Cruise ship concessioner to operate in Glacier Bay during the prime season, June - August. These concessioners then coordinate their scheduling to insure compliance with the daily and seasonal limits. The current concession franchise fee is $5.00 per passenger plus the actual cost of the on-board NPS Interpretive Program (ranges from $0.75 - $1.50/passenger). Two Concessioners (Holland/America and Princess Cruises) are currently historical operators, as defined by ANILCA section 1307, which entitles them to non-competitively continue their historic use (seventy-one entries), 36CFR, Sec. 13.305. The remaining entries are competitively allocated. If you are interested in providing cruiseship services in Glacier Bay, please contact the concession staff below to be put on a list for updates on when the prospectus will be released and for a copy of the prospectus for Cruise Ship services.

 

http://www.nps.gov/glba/parkmgmt/cruise-ships.htm

[ellbon]

Hi Cruiseagain

 

I see you everywhere. I loved being o nthe Saphaire. I wanted to be on her so much i waited from 05 to 06 to go to Alaska to celebrate my bday. I also spent two days in Vancouver and still wish i had more time thee.

 

I will be back. i want another cruise or two. I lucked out and had very strong sun in Glacier Bay. I have a great picture of me in a small bathing suit again a Blue Glacier. it is a big wow!!

 

I enjoyed the Coral when i was on her but I am gla i waited the extra year. if you decide to do anytime dining you have 4 rooms to go ot. i love the small rooms that i never ate in but I ate on land twice.

 

I also had a cabin on D deck and used the balcony everyday but one. wore my bathing suit alot-hot tubs!

 

see you in 2 months and we can talk then

[taxatty]

The Coral from Whittier to Vancouver was wonderful--we preferred it to our round-trip out of Seattle on the Diamond. The Coral didn't have an aft balcony, but it had an open aft area on Caribe Deck that was great for viewing the glaciers with very few pax there.

Les

[CrusinAgain]

Hi Robin, I think we are wanting to do either the North or South version but it really depends on the schedules of the ships since we are doing this around my daughters college graduation and my sister wants to do the Alaska cruise on the same trip. The Coral looks great but no aft balconies and I promised myself Alaska I would splurge for one finally.

 

Yes, we will see you soon. :)

[mrmac]

Glacier Bay and College Fjord, as has been mentioned, are far superior glacier viewing areas than Tracy Arm. In Tracy Arm, though beautiful, many times you will not get close to the glaciers. Plus when you leave or sail to Vancouver you are on the inside of Vancouver Island and it is more calm. If you are on a southbound or RT Vancouver cruise your last day at sea is very scenic between Vancouver Island and the mainland and you may be lucky enough to see orca pods. Seattle cruises spend much more time in the open ocean and, at least in Princess' case, do not visit Glacier Bay. It's too bad Princess doesn't do a 7 day roundtrip Vancouver cruise that includes Glacier Bay like HAL does. But Princess is very successful selling their $$$ cruisetours to their 1 way passengers. The only benefits of the Seattle cruises are convenience and and a lower airfare.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Mr. Mac,

 

I was researching cruises to Alaska, and unless I am missing something, which may very well be true, I don't see the HAL 7 day Vancounver roundtrip sailing that you refer to above that visits GlacierBay/Collefe Fjord? Which ship(s) and sailings do this?

 

Thanks,

Carole in NC

[sunsetbeachgal]

Mr. Mac,

 

I think I found the HAL ones' I refered to above-the Ryndham and the Statendam? Thanks anyhow!

[CrusinAgain]

Glacier Bay and College Fjord, as has been mentioned, are far superior glacier viewing areas than Tracy Arm. In Tracy Arm, though beautiful, many times you will not get close to the glaciers. Plus when you leave or sail to Vancouver you are on the inside of Vancouver Island and it is more calm. If you are on a southbound or RT Vancouver cruise your last day at sea is very scenic between Vancouver Island and the mainland and you may be lucky enough to see orca pods. Seattle cruises spend much more time in the open ocean and, at least in Princess' case, do not visit Glacier Bay. It's too bad Princess doesn't do a 7 day roundtrip Vancouver cruise that includes Glacier Bay like HAL does. But Princess is very successful selling their $$$ cruisetours to their 1 way passengers. The only benefits of the Seattle cruises are convenience and and a lower airfare.

 

Thank you so much Mr. Mac - alot of helpful information here. Now the cruises from Seattle do take the inside passage even if it isn't stated in the itinerary like some do that leave from Vancouver? And, I do see the Ryndam and the Statendam go the round trip from Vancouver, however both Saturday departures and of course we need a Sunday or Monday departure.