Alaska Cruise Help

[ITGirl50]

We want to sail Alaska in May of 2022. We are Platinum Disney cruisers and have been on all 4 ships because we started sailing before the Dream and Fantasy. We have only done the Bahamas and Caribbean sailings. We are a party of three (me, DH and DD 25 at the time of sailing).

We have been researching other cruise lines for the Alaska cruise because we want to experience other ships and want to stay in a suite. We were going to book on the NCL Encore, but noticed the ship doesn’t go up and back through the inside passage. It swings out into the Pacific as it goes up the coast, where Disney stays inside for the entire trip. Of course we can get a 2 bedroom suite on the NCL Encore for the same price as a regular stateroom on Disney. After we saw the itinerary we are now thinking of paying more for Disney, just for the itinerary. We know all about cruising with Disney as adults, so I don’t need to be told those benefits.

Adding, NCL Encore is a new ship and looks beautiful.

my question... is the Disney itinerary a lot better than the NCL itinerary where if we wanted a suite on Disney it would cost $7K more than NCL? Our NCL cruise would be concierge level so I think service would compare to Disney. I’m just concerned about the itinerary. We can’t change our dates, so this is the only option we have. I’m also assuming Disney will have the same itinerary in 2022.

NCL on left.

 

[vegs1]

We want to sail Alaska in May of 2022. We are Platinum Disney cruisers and have been on all 4 ships because we started sailing before the Dream and Fantasy. We have only done the Bahamas and Caribbean sailings. We are a party of three (me, DH and DD 25 at the time of sailing).

We have been researching other cruise lines for the Alaska cruise because we want to experience other ships and want to stay in a suite. We were going to book on the NCL Encore, but noticed the ship doesn’t go up and back through the inside passage. It swings out into the Pacific as it goes up the coast, where Disney stays inside for the entire trip. Of course we can get a 2 bedroom suite on the NCL Encore for the same price as a regular stateroom on Disney. After we saw the itinerary we are now thinking of paying more for Disney, just for the itinerary. We know all about cruising with Disney as adults, so I don’t need to be told those benefits.

my question... is the Disney itinerary a lot better than the NCL itinerary where if we wanted a suite on Disney it would cost $7K more than NCL? Our NCL cruise would be concierge level so I think service would compare to Disney. I’m just concerned about the itinerary. We can’t change our dates, so this is the only option we have. I’m also assuming Disney will have the same itinerary in 2022.

NCL on left.
View attachment 552010

My family went to Alaska a few years back and did the Inside passage. As I haven’t done the other cruise, I can’t compare first hand but the staff on the ship and other cruisers told us that you always want the inside passage as it’s calmer and much more scenic.

Have you checked Holland America? Perhaps they would have an itinerary that is better than MCL but cheaper than Disney.

We loved Alaska and really hope to go back. Our cruise was one way, northbound from Vancouver to Whittier and we visited Sitka which was one of our favourite ports. If you can find an itinerary that does that, check it out.

 

[Chrissy-Mickey]

I've done a Holland America Alaskan cruise and besides the 'it's not Disney' very much enjoyed the experience. Service, food, Alaskan information sessions, and cleanliness were all top-notch, and the itinerary was similar to DCL.

 

[darwinsrule]

You get Glacier Bay which is a massive plus. We spent probably 8+ hrs either on our balcony or on deck in 2018 just taking everything in. That was one of those days you don't forget. We haven't done Encore, however we love teh -Away class ships NCL has (and Encore is Away+). We have a couple of cruises on Getaway (had to cancel a third a couple of years ago), outside of the Fantasy she is our favourite ship. The only issue I have is the race track on Encore, personally I think it is absolutely stupid, but my opinion my not be shared by others.

The trip around Vancouver Island can get 'rough' so if you are prone to sea sickness, something out of Vancouver might be a better idea. DW and younger DD spent 3/4 of the first full day at see sick, almost as bad as hurricane Irene in 2011. It is the first time I have ever felt anything I might add. The last day however heading in to Victoria (DW and I talk about retiring there) was the opposite, smooth seas, and whale sightings all around the ship for about 3 hrs in the afternoon, including a breech about 50 metres off our balcony.

We did have HAL Koningsdam booked for last August out of Vancouver. which of course was cancelled. Still looking for the 'next' opportunity to head back to Alaska however.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Book an intinerary with Glacier Bay. It is a must do and DCL does not have a contract to do GB.

 

[cruisehopeful]

The inside passage is beautiful. I haven't seen Glacier Bay and that would be my next choice if I were to cruise Alaska again. On Disney, the first 3 days were onboard the ship the whole time. With that in mind, look carefully at what you will be doing while you are on the ship. We love one day on the ship, but 3 days in a row and we get stir crazy. Yes, the third day was the glacier and that was awesome, but it's still being on the ship all day.

Have you looked at Princess? We were going to do a one way cruise on Princess that included Glacier pay and still went through the inside passage. We had to cancel for home repairs and never got to do it.

 

[ITGirl50]

Thank you for your advice. The next choice was Celebrity Eclipse Alaska Hubbard Glacier. This one skips Skagway and the White Pass trainso I felt this not an option.

We haven’t had terrible sea sickness and we have had some rough cruises, but we do get vertigo that can last after the cruise if it’s too rough.

I did notice there is three days at sea on Disney and we do get bored with too many sea days. I get tired of spending money on upscale dining, bingo and alcohol tastings. I can do it for one or two days then I’m done.

Our dates are firm because DD has only a specific week she can be gone from work.

I will check out Holland America. Here is the itinerary for Celebrity. Please let me know if I’m wrong about it not proving the opportunity to ride the train. I don’t see us going back to Alaska a lot (I said that about Hawaii when we went to Aulani too and we have gone three times in 4 years ).

 

[ITGirl50]

You get Glacier Bay which is a massive plus. We spent probably 8+ hrs either on our balcony or on deck in 2018 just taking everything in. That was one of those days you don't forget. We haven't done Encore, however we love teh -Away class ships NCL has (and Encore is Away+). We have a couple of cruises on Getaway (had to cancel a third a couple of years ago), outside of the Fantasy she is our favourite ship.

Thank you. This makes me want to stay with the NCL Encore.

 

[ITGirl50]

Book an intinerary with Glacier Bay. It is a must do and DCL does not have a contract to do GB.

Thank you, I think we will stay with NCL. My DD really wanted to try a new ship too.

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

If it helps, you can check out this post with unofficial information on the Disney DCL Alaska '22 plans. https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...ine-agencies-of-alaska.3823449/#post-62629298

On another note, I enjoyed the inside passage, but it wouldn't be a make or break for me. Doing one of the "arms" however would. Tracy Arm/ Endicot Arm was an amazing day! We did the PA where we got off the Wonder onto a smaller ship and went up close to the glacier. Amazing. Haven't don't Glacier Bay but have heard it is amazing. Out of the 3 ports we went to, Skagway was by far our favorite. It's to taste though, I've heard varying options for each port being a favorite. Skagway had a small west coast gold rush town feel, expect in Alaska. It was easy to walk around, had some great shops, the post office was easy to find and very friendly and helpful staff (honestly an issue in other ports since we were trying to mail post cards from each port) and we had one of our favorite Port Adventures, a Helicopter and walking tour of a glacier, out of Skagway. We really liked all the ports, but if I had to pick one to skip, I'd be Juneau. Probably because it had the most city feel. Besides the great view, it felt the most like a lower 48 city.

I believe there are some cruise ships that are too big for the inside passage, so they do more open ocean time. I would guess if the NCL Encore isn't doing the inside passage, this would be why. No matter what line you go with, Alaska is amazing and it's probably one of the things that lives up to all the hype.

 

[ITGirl50]

If it helps, you can check out this post with unofficial information on the Disney DCL Alaska '22 plans. https://www.disboards.com/threads/a...ine-agencies-of-alaska.3823449/#post-62629298

On another note, I enjoyed the inside passage, but it wouldn't be a make or break for me. Doing one of the "arms" however would. Tracy Arm/ Endicot Arm was an amazing day! We did the PA where we got off the Wonder onto a smaller ship and went up close to the glacier. Amazing. Haven't don't Glacier Bay but have heard it is amazing. Out of the 3 ports we went to, Skagway was by far our favorite. It's to taste though, I've heard varying options for each port being a favorite. Skagway had a small west coast gold rush town feel, expect in Alaska. It was easy to walk around, had some great shops, the post office was easy to find and very friendly and helpful staff (honestly an issue in other ports since we were trying to mail post cards from each port) and we had one of our favorite Port Adventures, a Helicopter and walking tour of a glacier, out of Skagway. We really liked all the ports, but if I had to pick one to skip, I'd be Juneau. Probably because it had the most city feel. Besides the great view, it felt the most like a lower 48 city.

I believe there are some cruise ships that are too big for the inside passage, so they do more open ocean time. I would guess if the NCL Encore isn't doing the inside passage, this would be why. No matter what line you go with, Alaska is amazing and it's probably one of the things that lives up to all the hype.

Thanks for the calendar, it did confirm Disney is doing the same cruise next year. All other cruise lines have posted the 2022 cruises, so it is annoying Disney has not. I can only assume it will be the same price or more next year. With all the 125% credits out there, I bet it will be more in 2022. We don’t have one of those, but we do have a 10% OBB, but that won’t work on concierge level. The Wonder lounge does look amazing and the 1 bedroom suite looks very nice with the two full bathrooms.

Anyway....

We were thinking of doing a glacier helicopter out of Juneau.

We were going to book the Disney PA to see the glacier close up while the Wonder sails through.

I guess you can’t see all of Alaska on one trip. We just need to get our must do’s the first time just in case we never get back.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We want to sail Alaska in May of 2022. We are Platinum Disney cruisers and have been on all 4 ships because we started sailing before the Dream and Fantasy. We have only done the Bahamas and Caribbean sailings. We are a party of three (me, DH and DD 25 at the time of sailing).

We have been researching other cruise lines for the Alaska cruise because we want to experience other ships and want to stay in a suite. We were going to book on the NCL Encore, but noticed the ship doesn’t go up and back through the inside passage. It swings out into the Pacific as it goes up the coast, where Disney stays inside for the entire trip. Of course we can get a 2 bedroom suite on the NCL Encore for the same price as a regular stateroom on Disney. After we saw the itinerary we are now thinking of paying more for Disney, just for the itinerary. We know all about cruising with Disney as adults, so I don’t need to be told those benefits.

Adding, NCL Encore is a new ship and looks beautiful.

my question... is the Disney itinerary a lot better than the NCL itinerary where if we wanted a suite on Disney it would cost $7K more than NCL? Our NCL cruise would be concierge level so I think service would compare to Disney. I’m just concerned about the itinerary. We can’t change our dates, so this is the only option we have. I’m also assuming Disney will have the same itinerary in 2022.

NCL on left.
View attachment 552010

For me, it's a toss up. NCL goes to Glacier Bay, DCL doesn't. But I haven't cruised on NCL to know how the onboard activities/services compare to DCL.

If the itinerary were the only decision maker, I'd probably do NCL. Or, more likely, HAL, or Princess (they've done Alaska the longest and have better itineraries than DCL).

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

We were thinking of doing a glacier helicopter out of Juneau.

I would say if it fits in your budget, definitely do a helicopter tour in Alaska. I would 100% make sure it is one that lands on a glacier and allows for a walking tour of some kind. Just a helicopter tour would be great, but actually getting out, walking on the glacier and having a chance to drink the water (recommended by our guides btw) straight from the glacier. Priceless. The colors are also stunning and not something you can see on land. That ice blue!!! Amazing. All 3 ports have options for tours. We picked Skagway to fit around our choices in the other ports, and loved it. The helicopter tour company is right across the street from where the Wonder parks. Less than a 5 minute walk.

We were going to book the Disney PA to see the glacier close up while the Wonder sails through.

This was pretty awesome. I wouldn't be surprise to learn other cruise ship companies offer this as well. It was run by a third party so I could see other companies contracting with them as well. Won't ever forget the sound of ice calving. We didn't have to worry about having a verandah room, we spend most of the day in Endicot arm off the ship on our tiny vessel sailing around. Views could not be beat. It was windy, a bit cold, and it did rain. The boat has a covered/heated section but to really experience the sights/smells we mostly stayed outside. Completely worth it. Bonus, there was a bathroom onboard. It was a 3-4 hour experience. Very glad to find out they had facilities once we got onboard.

 

[darwinsrule]

Another thing occured to me is the dining situation. With DCL you don't want to miss a single restaurant (loved TP back last February on the Wonder). With the fixed dining times, you really are locked in to eat when and where you are scheduled. NCL's freestyle dining will allow you to set your own schedule. Whales off the port side? Dinner can wait. Off the ship touring around? No reason to rush back.

Oh and hit Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau (hoping she makes it through two seasons without tourists).

 

[ITGirl50]

Another thing occured to me is the dining situation. With DCL you don't want to miss a single restaurant (loved TP back last February on the Wonder). With the fixed dining times, you really are locked in to eat when and where you are scheduled. NCL's freestyle dining will allow you to set your own schedule. Whales off the port side? Dinner can wait. Off the ship touring around? No reason to rush back.

Oh and hit Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau (hoping she makes it through two seasons without tourists).

Both great points. The DCL dining is difficult. Early is too early and late is too late. We don’t mind missing the MDRs on Disney we have sailed so much. We typically eat at Palo for dinners so we can pick our own time BUT it gets expensive and Palo prices have increased significantly over the past few years. We do get one free Palo meal, so that helps.

 

[darwinsrule]

Lots of options for dining on the Away class which is nice, including speciality spots. Nothing however comparable to Palo (not surprising). Nothing on NCL like the quick serve around the pool you see on DCL however.

The one thing we miss when cruising DCL is hitting the buffet after the show and having second and third dessert. Because sometimes you just need pie. Or cake. Or cookies.

 

[tvguy]

HAL owns the Alaska market. Take a look at their routes.

 

[John VN]

HAL owns the Alaska market. Take a look at their routes.

DW and I are almost set for a 2022 HAL Neptune Suite will stay with MSC YC for Caribbean

 

[ITGirl50]

HAL owns the Alaska market. Take a look at their routes.

We checked it out and looks really good. Reviews say it’s an older/retired crowd. If it were just DH and I we would do it, but our DD (25) probably would feel out of place. This will be a family trip.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We checked it out and looks really good. Reviews say it’s an older/retired crowd. If it were just DH and I we would do it, but our DD (25) probably would feel out of place. This will be a family trip.

While HAL has the reputation of the "older/retired crowd", the passengers on the Alaska cruises tend to be a bit younger. That said, HAL recently has cut back quite a bit on the entertainment onboard, which I'm not happy about. Mostly live music (BB King and such) that I find too loud and not at all relalxing.