Advice about Alaskan cruises please!

[LoriKay]

My DH and I are thinking about an Alaskan cruise, however, we have never been on a cruise and are clueless about where to start. I'd like to hear any advice on any aspect of an Alaskan cruise. What to do, what not to do, everything! Thanks.

 

[janette]

I don't really know much but my in-laws went on an Alaska cruise several years ago. There only complaint was you don't get a good view of the scenery, just mostly what you can see from the boat.

My sister has a charter/tour bus company and she's got a tour planned for Alaska in Aug 2003, they are going from Lubbock, TX. Here is her tour plan from their website. It might give you some ideas. This is their first time to go to Alaska.

August 4-29, 2003, a great sight-seeing tour

Alaskan Highway & Juneau - Travel the Alaskan Highway the easiest way! With someone else driving. We will spend two nights in Edmonton, visiting the Fort Edmonton Park and the West Edmonton Mall. The overnight stays along the Alaskan Highway will be Dawson Creek (where the Alaskan Highway starts), Fort Nelson, Watson Lake, Whitehorse, Beaver Creek and Fairbanks. We will spend time along the way to stop and view the wildlife, of course. There are museums at Dawson Creek and Whitehorse that we will visit. We will spend two nights in Fairbanks. An Alaska Salmon Bake has been arranged with a theatre show about the settlers that came to Fairbanks in the early years. It ought to be a fun show. The next night we will spend near Denali Park (Mt. McKinley), with a National Parks bus taking us into the park on a “nature tour.” The next two nights will be in Anchorage. We will go to a couple of museums while we are there. Also, there may be a side trip to the base if they will let visitors on the base. We will drive to Tok, Haines Junction and Skagway, where we will take a FERRY to Juneau. We will be arriving in Juneau late. The next day we will take a boat trip down the Tracy Arm Fjord (pictures to the left) to get a close-up view of the glaciers. The next day we will have some free time in Juneau. An optional glacier helicoptor tour could be done on this day. There are several other sightseeing events that can be arranged there as well. We will catch the FERRY that evening, heading towards Washington state. We will be traveling the inside passage (the same route the cruise ships take) as we travel south to the lower 48. We will be on the ferry for two full days, although it will be three nights. We will catch the ferry in the evening and spend the next two full days on the ferry. When we wake up the third morning we will be landing in Bellingham, WA. Private cabins are reserved on the ferry. The ferry trip will be relaxed and casual. Meals on the ferry are not arranged and will be left up to the individual. There will be plenty of time for relaxing, visiting the locals and seeing the sights as we travel. After landing in Bellingham, WA, we will head towards home. Several of the hotels/motels we will be staying in have guest laundry facilities within the hotel. Those places will be noted on the itinerary.

 

[DonnaS]

We're going on one in July. Check out www.cruisecritic.com. They have excellent bulletin boards. Also check out the different websites for the cruiselines.

Some good books include:

Alaska by Cruise Ship: The Complete Guide to Cruising Alaska

and

Cruising Alaska: A Traveler's Guide to Cruising Alaskan Waters and Discovering the Interior

 

[Helopoh]

Ask BINNY...I am sure she'll reply to this. If my failing memory serves she worked for an Alaskan cruise line (or a fleet that went there) a while ago..

 

[kpgclark]

My husband and I went on an Alaskan cruise with Royal Caribbean about 9 years ago. I was around 32 at the time. We and another couple we met were by FAR the youngest people on the cruise. I thought the entertainment was schlocky (not a real word, but you get what I mean). The cruise was interesting but it was chilly. We went in late June I think. Don't expect sun and fun. PM me and I'll be glad to tell you as much as you want to know.

 

[binny]

hi there lol Helo thankyou for the grand introduction.


I worked for Holland America in Alaska but I did the road tours. My most frequent tour was form Skagway to Dawson City though I did do some Skagway to Fairbanks and the day boat from Skagway to Juneau on occasion.

I would be glad to help you any way I can if youre planning on doing the road tour part ( which I HIGHLY reccomend it is QUITE the adventure )

 

[tigercat]

My dh & I went on the Regal Princess from Vancouver to Juneau, Skagway, Sitka and then back to Vancouver after seeing the Glaciers. It was a wonderful trip. We went the end of May. It is cold at that time but we had a balcony so we were able to see a lot of the scenery from that. Oh and the hot tubs at the back of the ship were wonderful at night. Let me know if you want any more info.
tigercat