Alaska 2023

[vicarrieous]

We are debating an Alaskan cruise for my hubby's 40th bday. I know Disney hasn't released their itinerary for summer 2023 yet, but I am trying to gather as much info prior as possible. Any excursion or stateroom advice? It would be myself, DH and two sons (12&10 at the time)

We also debated Norwegian or Princess but I keep going back to Disney. We have only cruised once before (5 night Dream to CC) and our feelings were mixed. We are hoping a location with more ports we want to visit will win us over and our travel style has changed a bit that maybe cruising is back on the table.

I realize this post was a bit of a rambling mess, but I am looking for some guidance in preparation of early booking and what to do/research. THANKS

 

[CampbellzSoup]

If you want me to be totally honest with you we did a Norwegian cruise to Alaska in 2018 and I honestly had the best time of my life they provide you with hot chocolate and blankets like Disney does and there’s someone over the intercom who never rates the glacier portion at this point it’s up to you which ship you prefer

I might do a Disney cruise in Alaska next year as well because my toddler will be three years old by then and will enjoy the clubs while we enjoy the ship and Disney’s spin on Alaska plus I have to get photos with the characters in there cute costumes!

 

[vicarrieous]

If you want me to be totally honest with you we did a Norwegian cruise to Alaska in 2018 and I honestly had the best time of my life they provide you with hot chocolate and blankets like Disney does and there’s someone over the intercom who never rates the glacier portion at this point it’s up to you which ship you prefer

I might do a Disney cruise in Alaska next year as well because my toddler will be three years old by then and will enjoy the clubs while we enjoy the ship and Disney’s spin on Alaska plus I have to get photos with the characters in there cute costumes!

We are oscillating between Disney/Norwegian/Princess. Cost is obviously quite different across the three. Our main concern is having enough to do as we felt there was a lot of downtime on our Disney Cruise, which may just be the pace of cruising. We are less go go go like we were in 2018 so we think we may want to give it a try again and hubs really wants to explore Alaska.

 

[holula]

I would pick the itinerary that goes to Glacier Bay and not worry about which line you sail with in Alaska. Princess and NCL both do Glacier Bay (NCL has less cruises going there.)

Alaska is truly all about the ports.

 

[rwthompson82]

We opted for Norwegian on June 12, 2023 because it was one way and did both Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay. At the time of booking, we were able to get a 2-bedroom suite on NCL for the same price as a veranda on DCL. Since we will be spending a lot more time in ports than in the ship we decided to try out NCL.

 

[vicarrieous]

We opted for Norwegian on June 12, 2023 because it was one way and did both Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay. At the time of booking, we were able to get a 2-bedroom suite on NCL for the same price as a veranda on DCL. Since we will be spending a lot more time in ports than in the ship we decided to try out NCL.

We had also thought about this too. We plan to spend more time in ports. We had thought about NCL with round trip out of Seattle for ease,instead of Disney round trip out of Vancouver.

 

[DLR70]

As much as I love DCL, we chose to sail Princess to Alaska this summer. We could get a mini suite with verandah for much less $ and leave from Seattle instead of Vancouver. We'll be on the new ship Discovery Princess, so I'm looking forward to that and seeing some new entertainment.

 

[pjacobi]

Make your Alaska cruise choice on one-way vs. round-trip.

One-way allows for more time in the Alaska interior (Denali NP).

Disney only does round-trip. I wanted a one-way trip, so Disney was out.


-Paul

 

[auntlynne]

You thought you rambled; here’s a hodgepodge set of my thoughts.

I’ve sailed all three cruise lines you are considering, doing Princess three times in the middle. Most of my other sailing has been on Disney. I will be trying Royal Caribbean out of Seattle in about a month - the first week in May (and only 5 nights).

We’ve never sailed with children who do clubs. Just teens and above, who spent most of their time with us or exploring the ship on their own (no daycare and homeschooled).

For a first visit to AK, I wouldn’t say there is not a specific set of ports that are a must-do. Most 7-night cruises are going to include Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan. And include a day viewing a glacier. If you don’t find AK spectacular enough to go back, ANY itinerary is fine. . I have never repeated an itinerary. Nor ship.

The DCL cruise aspect won’t differ that much from your previous cruise; smaller ship, more of the Fab 5 in seasonal / geographic garb wandering the ship on Glacier-viewing day. But similar food, entertainment, the Disney look / vibe.

We switched to Princess on the advice from a mother of many children (including 5 yo twins) - and a big Disney cruiser. She said her kids enjoyed the Princess kids’ club.

As far as kids’ clubs, you are typically only going to have two days when you will have a large amount of ship time - the first full day and the last or next-to last.

Budget is a big consideration for me (I’d rather have more vacations than more-expensive ones). As far as AK cruising goes, I want to be able to do big excursions, so I try to keep down the cruise cost and flights. (A balcony on Disney can be double (this is not hyperbole) what others cruise lines’ balconies sell for.)

So I pick Seattle over Vancouver (which usually means no Disney). I have done the flight to Seattle and taken Amtrak to Vancouver to save (that was a fun experience). Checking flights for a May cruise, Vancouver was in the $1200 range v. $600-700 for Seattle.

Likewise, hotels are cheaper in Seattle, with seemingly more options available. And comparably as nice ones, too.

Vancouver is a beautiful city; I would say it’s nicer, but one or two days pre-cruise in either city is not that different.

Most cruise lines offer many of the same excursions at similar prices; if there is something unique you really want to do, that could be a great decider.

My NCL cruise was very adult-oriented. I’ll take Disney entertainment over anybody else’s, based on quality and subject. The bars are more attended than Disney; the one in the Atrium, next to the area for trivia and music, was never empty. I have never noticed a crowd in the Dream’s Atrium bar, nor the Promenade Lounge. [I was on a cruise with no one under 12 yo, due to vaccination requirements.] They often have a free drinks offer.

NCL’s Encore (it has a sister, the Bliss) won me over for actual ship. They were purpose-built for cruising AK, with a large, glass-walled Observation Lounge (the front third or fourth of Deck 15) and a large walking / sitting space on Deck 8.

Princess has been a leader in AK. They bring on a ranger to do talks and presentations. They are allowed to sail in Glacier Bay, which is a limited group of cruise lines (Disney does not; NCL does). The rooms run on the smaller side in some categories, although the mini-suite does offer a large sitting/sofa area, two TVs, and a real bathtub. And would probably be a lot less expensive than a regular balcony on DCL. We enjoyed eating in the buffet on days we went on excursions; more variety and less formal than MDRs.

Most likely, in 2023 (only change was for 2021), you will stop in Victoria, BC, for a distant port stop requirement when sailing RT from Seattle. This is often at night, with little to do.

Disney

+ smaller ship (Wonder)
+ kid-friendly entertainment (great for all ages who enjoy Disney)
+ Vancouver (easy access to port from most hotels)
-Vancouver (only) w/increased airfare and lodging
-Price

NCL

+Bliss or Encore ship, designed for AK cruising. Larger, newer ships
+ Sails from Seattle
+ Lower fares
+ Free drinks and Specialty Dining offers
-Adult-oriented entertainment

Princess

+Ships built for AK
+Lower fares
+Solid reputation
-Less kid-friendly entertainment


Other than transportation and cruise fare cost, I would ask how much evening entertainment matters to your family. And how much you enjoy Disney entertainment.

 

[vicarrieous]

You thought you rambled; here’s a hodgepodge set of my thoughts.

I’ve sailed all three cruise lines you are considering, doing Princess three times in the middle. Most of my other sailing has been on Disney. I will be trying Royal Caribbean out of Seattle in about a month - the first week in May (and only 5 nights).

We’ve never sailed with children who do clubs. Just teens and above, who spent most of their time with us or exploring the ship on their own (no daycare and homeschooled).

For a first visit to AK, I wouldn’t say there is not a specific set of ports that are a must-do. Most 7-night cruises are going to include Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan. And include a day viewing a glacier. If you don’t find AK spectacular enough to go back, ANY itinerary is fine. . I have never repeated an itinerary. Nor ship.

The DCL cruise aspect won’t differ that much from your previous cruise; smaller ship, more of the Fab 5 in seasonal / geographic garb wandering the ship on Glacier-viewing day. But similar food, entertainment, the Disney look / vibe.

We switched to Princess on the advice from a mother of many children (including 5 yo twins) - and a big Disney cruiser. She said her kids enjoyed the Princess kids’ club.

As far as kids’ clubs, you are typically only going to have two days when you will have a large amount of ship time - the first full day and the last or next-to last.

Budget is a big consideration for me (I’d rather have more vacations than more-expensive ones). As far as AK cruising goes, I want to be able to do big excursions, so I try to keep down the cruise cost and flights. (A balcony on Disney can be double (this is not hyperbole) what others cruise lines’ balconies sell for.)

So I pick Seattle over Vancouver (which usually means no Disney). I have done the flight to Seattle and taken Amtrak to Vancouver to save (that was a fun experience). Checking flights for a May cruise, Vancouver was in the $1200 range v. $600-700 for Seattle.

Likewise, hotels are cheaper in Seattle, with seemingly more options available. And comparably as nice ones, too.

Vancouver is a beautiful city; I would say it’s nicer, but one or two days pre-cruise in either city is not that different.

Most cruise lines offer many of the same excursions at similar prices; if there is something unique you really want to do, that could be a great decider.

My NCL cruise was very adult-oriented. I’ll take Disney entertainment over anybody else’s, based on quality and subject. The bars are more attended than Disney; the one in the Atrium, next to the area for trivia and music, was never empty. I have never noticed a crowd in the Dream’s Atrium bar, nor the Promenade Lounge. [I was on a cruise with no one under 12 yo, due to vaccination requirements.] They often have a free drinks offer.

NCL’s Encore (it has a sister, the Bliss) won me over for actual ship. They were purpose-built for cruising AK, with a large, glass-walled Observation Lounge (the front third or fourth of Deck 15) and a large walking / sitting space on Deck 8.

Princess has been a leader in AK. They bring on a ranger to do talks and presentations. They are allowed to sail in Glacier Bay, which is a limited group of cruise lines (Disney does not; NCL does). The rooms run on the smaller side in some categories, although the mini-suite does offer a large sitting/sofa area, two TVs, and a real bathtub. And would probably be a lot less expensive than a regular balcony on DCL. We enjoyed eating in the buffet on days we went on excursions; more variety and less formal than MDRs.

Most likely, in 2023 (only change was for 2021), you will stop in Victoria, BC, for a distant port stop requirement when sailing RT from Seattle. This is often at night, with little to do.

Disney

+ smaller ship (Wonder)
+ kid-friendly entertainment (great for all ages who enjoy Disney)
+ Vancouver (easy access to port from most hotels)
-Vancouver (only) w/increased airfare and lodging
-Price

NCL

+Bliss or Encore ship, designed for AK cruising. Larger, newer ships
+ Sails from Seattle
+ Lower fares
+ Free drinks and Specialty Dining offers
-Adult-oriented entertainment

Princess

+Ships built for AK
+Lower fares
+Solid reputation
-Less kid-friendly entertainment


Other than transportation and cruise fare cost, I would ask how much evening entertainment matters to your family. And how much you enjoy Disney entertainment.

Thanks! This was helpful and what I was coming up with on my lists as I did my initial research. I keep waffling, but I think roundtrip out of Seattle may be the best option which rules out Disney. I guess I struggle that other ships will be less kid friendly (kids will be 10/12) and our first cruise experience being a bit meh. I am going to do a bit more research with NCL and Royal and read some reviews. I saw on Royal is a non-refundable deposit which is also a bit off putting with a trip that is more than a year out.

 

[Dug720]

Bliss looks pretty kid-friendly to me...

Show-wise any line other than Disney is not really going to be kid-focused

 

[auntlynne]

Many of the Royal ships have rock climbing walls (age 6+), mini golf, table tennis. The Ovation and Quantum should also have bumper cars in the indoor sportsplex.

I am not a fan of non-refundable deposits for anything. Even if I am booking something for the next day. And I don’t like the option of paying more to get a non-refundable price. (I’ve seen that for an additional $500 On RC.)

Somebody had a kids sale free price recently. And Royal has lots of sales; as one finishes, another starts fairly soon.

Don‘t forget to watch for Black Friday sales on cruises, drinks packages, and shore excursions. I keep seeing people mention they purchased cruise stuff then. (Royal, not Disney!)

 

[auntlynne]

From the Royal Caribbean website (bottom of main page):

”Understand What the Cruise Offer Includes
The first step to really taking advantage of specials like our Black Friday cruise deals and Cyber Monday savings is understanding the benefits each promotion includes. Deals like instant savings and onboard credit are often available. Instant savings are deducted directly from your total vacation cost the moment you book. For example, if you see “Up to $200 in instant savings” advertised as part of a cruise offer, that means you’ll enjoy up to $200 off the total cost of your booking. The amount of instant savings you receive usually depends on the stateroom category you book — higher stateroom categories, like suites, enjoy the most savings. On the other hand, if you see “onboard credit” advertised as part of a cruise offer, that means you’ll score money to use onboard the cruise ship or ahead of your cruise on things like shore excursions, drink and dining packages, and more. The next step is making sure you take advantage right now, because our Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers are our best sales of the year.

Finally, keep an eye out for resident-only cruise specials. These deals usually apply to folks who live near a departure port, such as Florida, and often include instant savings in the form of a percentage off your cruise fare.

Make sure you review the specifics of the deal you’re interested in because they may change every year, and the terms and conditions may also change over time.”

Are you making a list of what they are quoting for this and next years’ prices for a reference? I am not sure their prices escalate as much as Disney‘s do. I‘ve seen people talking about calling to get their prices adjusted down as sales come out.

 

[vicarrieous]

From the Royal Caribbean website (bottom of main page):

”Understand What the Cruise Offer Includes
The first step to really taking advantage of specials like our Black Friday cruise deals and Cyber Monday savings is understanding the benefits each promotion includes. Deals like instant savings and onboard credit are often available. Instant savings are deducted directly from your total vacation cost the moment you book. For example, if you see “Up to $200 in instant savings” advertised as part of a cruise offer, that means you’ll enjoy up to $200 off the total cost of your booking. The amount of instant savings you receive usually depends on the stateroom category you book — higher stateroom categories, like suites, enjoy the most savings. On the other hand, if you see “onboard credit” advertised as part of a cruise offer, that means you’ll score money to use onboard the cruise ship or ahead of your cruise on things like shore excursions, drink and dining packages, and more. The next step is making sure you take advantage right now, because our Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers are our best sales of the year.

Finally, keep an eye out for resident-only cruise specials. These deals usually apply to folks who live near a departure port, such as Florida, and often include instant savings in the form of a percentage off your cruise fare.

Make sure you review the specifics of the deal you’re interested in because they may change every year, and the terms and conditions may also change over time.”

Are you making a list of what they are quoting for this and next years’ prices for a reference? I am not sure their prices escalate as much as Disney‘s do. I‘ve seen people talking about calling to get their prices adjusted down as sales come out.

I am just starting to make a spreadsheet to compare quotes but holy buckets there are so many options lol. We will probably find a travel agent and help with it now that we have been able to narrow down to a few options.

 

[IAmMerida]

My family is about to book our 4th Alaska Cruise (5th for Hubs), 3rd on Disney. IMO the only reason to book a DCL cruise over one of the other lines is for the kids clubs, and/or the love of Disney and that magical Disney experience.

My in laws are avid cruisers and have been all over the world on various lines. Hubs and I have also done Alaska on HollandAmerica. Each line has it’s own personality and they are each wonderful in their own way. When we do family cruises it is always on DCL because nobody comes close to Disney in what they offer for kids and families. Plus we absolutely LOVE DISNEY and the immersion of the ship!

 

[lklgoodman]

We opted for Norwegian on June 12, 2023 because it was one way and did both Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay. At the time of booking, we were able to get a 2-bedroom suite on NCL for the same price as a veranda on DCL. Since we will be spending a lot more time in ports than in the ship we decided to try out NCL.

My family is going on this same NCL cruise. We've done 7 Disney cruises, including one to Alaska in 2014. Really looking forward to trying out NCL. The Encore looks amazing!

 

[Intr3pid]

Contrary to what some may have noted, a themed Disney cruise has tremendous appeal to families going to Alaska. Honestly, your kids will look at the mountains on day 1, say 'oh, that's pretty', and pretty much forget about them the next day. Disney cruises provide that great mix between the adults enjoying the outdoors and the kids enjoying the ships - and both coming together on excursions.

As for Princess and HAL, understand that they have been criminally convicted twice in the last six years for dumping in Alaskan waters. Would like to see more remorse from those companies before getting on their ships in Alaska.

If you really want to visit Glacier Bay, try NCL if traveling with kids - or if you are adults, Cunard is another choice.

Finally, sailing out of Vancouver is as much part of a great Alaskan cruise as is seeing the glaciers. It's a much nicer experience than Seattle. If you are going to splurge on an Alaskan cruise, say, once every five years, you might as well do it right.

 

[tmg4612]

I’m so glad I found this thread. I came on to ask when anyone thought Dis summer 2023 dates would open. I had to cancel our May 2022 trip earlier this year for my son’s school event and have been despondent. I’ve only done DCL because we love Disney, love the dining rooms and the entertainment. No need for kid rooms. I also like the one time fee. I researched the other cruise lines for half the price. The entertainment doesn’t look comparable- is there enough to do on sea days? Will I ever master the ins/outs of the added costs like drink packages, specialty restaurants, etc? I would love to save money but I am comfortable with the planning of DCL.

 

[auntlynne]

@mullysisters - you recognized yourselves in my comments, right?

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

We went to Alaska when my kids were 2 and 7. We chose DCL for the kids club and nursery, since other lines don't offer a nursery, and for the kid-friendly entertainment, character meets and shows. If I were sailing exclusively with pre-teens/teens, I would consider a different line and do a one-way cruise that hit Glacier bay and add a land tour in Denali. It's true that young kids get bored with the gorgeous scenery after a few minutes, my eldest was begging to go back to the kids clubs after an hour on deck on Tracy Arm day. We had 3 sea days so all the entertainment onboard for kids was crucial. But with older kids who can go on more adventurous excursions, I might budget differently.