Who's going to Alaska in 2010?

[ladyjane550]

We were going on the Sapphire Princess 6/13/2010,but changed to the Golden Princess 6/12/2010 because I found out it is going up to Glacier Bay next summer.

[ClassyShots]

I am planning a B2B on Princess (Vancouver - Whittier - Vancouver) or 14 night out of Seattle.

 

Will probably go last week in May and first week in June. At least that is the plan.

 

I will probably wait until spring to book it.

 

We didn't wait, wanted to make sure of the cabin and really enjoy the planning ALMOST as much as the cruise.

 

We have booked B2B Northbound and Southbound cruises on the Island for May31st and June 7th. It is almost a year away, but we are already looking forward to our return to Alaska. June 2005 on the NCL Sun was good and we think this trip will be even better!

 

We booked C309 and are hoping it lives up to our expectations. We understand it is a little less private on the balcony, but the view aft should more than make up for that.

 

Besides, last trip I found there were very few others standing on the balcony with their coffee cup watching Alaska slip by at 5AM.

[ClassyShots]

I keep reading about the excursion that people can take in which they board a small boat and get up close to the glacier.

 

I am a little out dated since I don't know if they are doing this in 2010, but I can say that cruising the Tracy Arm in a smaller, (100 feet) boat and then watching the Sun come sailing in was great. We were on the “Tracy Arm Glacier Explorer” excursion boat. We boarded from the dock in Juneau and left ahead of the Sun. Along the way to Tracy Arm we slowed to view humpback whales, harbor seals with pups, and bald eagles feeding at sea. We were able to navigate to the face of Sawyer Glacier and spent between 30 and 45 minutes there before starting back to meet the Sun. We got great photos of the Sun as she sailed towards us. Be sure to book this one thru the ship so you can reboard the Sun when she arrives in the fjord.

[brunolvr]

I am reporting back on what I decided to do for Alaska 2010.

 

We were clear that we were going to leave from Seattle and roundtrip seemed to make the most sense for our family. After obsessing about it for many days we booked the NCL Pearl 8-8-10. This goes to Glacier Bay. My DW is so excited! She has been wanting to go on an Alaska cruise for several years. We got the last aft balcony on deck 10 on the Pearl! This seems to be a popular place to be as all of the aft suites on this deck also appear to be booked at this time. I cannot even find this cabin available on the other dates in July or early August so I am glad I decided to book.

 

Hi, jimswims! I'm sure you made a good decision and will enjoy Alaska, Glacier Bay and also the Pearl. Oh, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your aft cabin! We'll be cruising on the Pearl to Alaska for the 3rd time next May 30th.

 

Have you seen this great info on the Pearl? Besides just the 1-10 above, look down lower on the page for links to many different photo galleries & info on the Pearl.

http://cruises.about.com/od/norwegianpearl/ss/norwegian_pearl.htm

[room4five]

July 4, 2010, Sapphire

[jimswims]

Hi, jimswims! I'm sure you made a good decision and will enjoy Alaska, Glacier Bay and also the Pearl. Oh, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your aft cabin! We'll be cruising on the Pearl to Alaska for the 3rd time next May 30th.

 

Have you seen this great info on the Pearl? Besides just the 1-10 above, look down lower on the page for links to many different photo galleries & info on the Pearl.

http://cruises.about.com/od/norwegianpearl/ss/norwegian_pearl.htm

 

Thank you for the info on the Pearl, Sandy. We are really happy with our decision. We have been on the Majesty(2 times), Spirit(2 times), Dream, and Dawn(2 times). It is now time for us to try out a NCL Jewel class ship.

[born 2 cruise]

Returned 6-20. our 1st. Booked on Radiance Nb 7-30-10 and Ryndam Sb. 8-8-10.

Don't know that I will be able to take the wait.

 

Vis

[RHBMSB]

We are booked for a cruisetour with Princess cruise lines in May 2010 starting from Fairbanks on the 17 th and ending up in Whittier on the 24 to board the Island Princess for a 7 day glacier cruise to Vancouver.

[negc]

Headed to Alaska on Radiance of the Seas in June 2010 for our 40th anniversary and post-retirement celebrations!!!!!!!!!

What date are you sailing. We are on the Radiance on June 11th at the conclusion of our land tour to Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna, and Anchorage. There is a thread for our June 6th cruisetour. If you will be on the Radiance with us, please join the thread.

[camtran]

We are booked for June 27, 2010 on Celebrity Mercury. This will be our first cruise to Alaska and we will be celebrating our 35th anniversary!

[laginog]

We have a group of 11 going. Half of us from Illinois and half from California. The Illinois half are myself Kathi and my husband Jim (53 & 51), our nephew Dominick (9), my Mom Donna (70), and our friend Scott (52). The California half are some friends that we met several cruises ago on another Alaska cruise. We are celebrating his retirement from the Navy, which will happen 3 days before this cruise. Michael & Monica (late 40's) & their 4 children, Seth (13), twins Jacob & Grant (12) & Rebecca (9). Can't wait (to see them again....and to see Alaska again!!!)!!! Loved it the previous two times!!!

[room4five]

We have a group of 11 going. Half of us from Illinois and half from California. The Illinois half are myself Kathi and my husband Jim (53 & 51), our nephew Dominick (9), my Mom Donna (70), and our friend Scott (52). The California half are some friends that we met several cruises ago on another Alaska cruise. We are celebrating his retirement from the Navy, which will happen 3 days before this cruise.

 

Kathi, we are going for our daughter's graduation from high school. We are retired military (Navy) and what a great reason to celebrate a retirement than a cruise! Right now, it will be my husband Darryl and myself Anna (46, 40), my Mom Betty (66), our daughter Ashlee (16) and my brother Rob and his wife Deanna (50, 51). We are working on getting more family to go with us as well so I am glad it is early and there is still time to recruit :p

[jakzak]

Party of 5 Confirmed on Celebrity Infinity, July 2nd from Seattle. 1st Alaska Cruise/ 26th cruise to many other places. We were able to secure a FV Corner room. 250 square foot balcony. Does it get any better then that!

 

Alan

[slotmomma3]

Thanks for all the great info, everyone, about Holland America. That 14-day cruise is a great itinerary!:) For some reason I thought HAL was still formal every night--maybe because their ships look so formal dressed in black & white!;)

 

We have only cruised NCL (so far) and love their suite service with Concierge, Butler & VIP perks. Is room service "free" on HAL ships?

 

Yes, there is a lot of fun in the anticipation and planning of your cruise!:)

We are with you on the Pearl 5/30/10. Can't wait. We are in an AE aft suite.

[2bamboo]

Just booked the Norwegian STAR for June 26th 2010. Trying an AFT AE cabin for the first time on our first trip to Alaska. We will also be stuffing four young adults in to a porthole cabin next door....suppose they will be spending some time on our deck.

[hrfs]

I was in Alaska on NCL Pearl in May and knew before I got off the ship that I wanted to go back next year. Problem is with DH's work schedule it will probably be "oh look, you're free next week, let's see who still has a cabin available" and it has to be during DD's summer vacation. So, 99% sure we are going next summer just don't know date or ship yet.

[LoveCruisin72]

Will be on the Island Princess beginning May 24th, 2010. Will do a five day cruisetour prior to boarding the ship. Since you've been to Alaska so many times, you must have lots of advice.

 

Deb

[DizzyDallasDi]

I am reporting back on what I decided to do for Alaska 2010.

 

We were clear that we were going to leave from Seattle and roundtrip seemed to make the most sense for our family. After obsessing about it for many days we booked the NCL Pearl 8-8-10. This goes to Glacier Bay. My DW is so excited! She has been wanting to go on an Alaska cruise for several years. We got the last aft balcony on deck 10 on the Pearl! This seems to be a popular place to be as all of the aft suites on this deck also appear to be booked at this time. I cannot even find this cabin available on the other dates in July or early August so I am glad I decided to book.

 

I just want to comment that you will love love love having an aft cabin. I've had one on my last 3 cruises (Caribbean and Alaska) and can't imagine not being in one for any of my future cruises. Welcome to the world of wake lovers :) and the best seat in the house.

 

Diane

[Old McDonald]

We haven't booked yet but hopefully my husband and I will be going then.

So far we are doing research on NCL Pearl & Star along with Golden Princess and Sapphire Princess. We are going to book a mini suite so we are not only looking at who has the best price but reading all the posts regarding balconies,food,excursions etc. We are past NCL Pride of Hawaii (now in carribean) and loved the NCL experience especially the free style restaurants. We are hesitant to book on Princess because we are very, very casual dressers and don't want to look dowdy next to the princess passengers. Any comments on the difference in each ship??

 

Does anybody know if the balconies on NCL Pearl or Star are covered? Partially covered?

 

Thanks and happy cruising to everyone!

[Blindie]

We are booked on the Sea Princess out of SFO on June 11, 2010. It is our annual family trip which is usually to Maui. But for something different we are taking the whole clan to Alaska and supporting our favorite non-profit, The John Marsh Historic Trust here in California. Since it is also a fund raiser to help save the Stone House of Dr. Marsh we feel quite benevolent. We travel together as a family every summer. We can't imagine going without each other. My husband is a retired geologist, turned historian. He was the Division geologist for Alaska for several years, so will share his knowledge with our group. We have 7 staterooms for the family, and no idea how many friends will sign on between now and next spring. The primary joy of this cruise is no need for airplanes. We will drive or take BART to the ship, it doesn't get better than that. If you want more info about this cruise give me a holler and I can share the details for a very good deal. Blindie

[Blindie]

Hi Old McDonald, I was surprised to think of Princess passengers as being a standard for causual dress. We took a 33 day last fall from the Med across the Atlantic and I thought things were extremely casual. On the warm sea days shorts & tank tops everywhere. It is true that on formal nights the Princess crowd is lookin' pretty good. For dinner all I id was throw on a pretty little top with my day time slacks and felt very appropriate. We also met many Princess people who never dress for dinner because they are devoted to the buffet. So please don't avoid Princess, you sound like a fun passenger thst I would love to meet even in the most casual dress! Warm regards, Blindie

[jimswims]

I just want to comment that you will love love love having an aft cabin. I've had one on my last 3 cruises (Caribbean and Alaska) and can't imagine not being in one for any of my future cruises. Welcome to the world of wake lovers :) and the best seat in the house.

 

Diane

 

Thank you. We are really looking forward to this trip!

[brunolvr]

We are with you on the Pearl 5/30/10. Can't wait. We are in an AE aft suite.

 

WOW! I'm envious, slotmomma3! You've got 3 cruises booked and 3 cruises to look forward to! Have you been to Alaska before?

[slotmomma3]

WOW! I'm envious, slotmomma3! You've got 3 cruises booked and 3 cruises to look forward to! Have you been to Alaska before?

This will be our first alaska trip. I am so excited. Usually it is just the caribbean, although last year for our 25th anniversary we did Mediteranean, which was amazing also.

[sassyredhat]

We are !!! :D

Booking our 2nd cruise to AK on Aug 1st. (waiting for a price drop.)

Ten dayer RT from San Francisco on Sea Princess.

I really need to save my money now ! :eek:

Pat