Alaska. Disney vs Celebrity

[simpleohio]

Am on fence. I love my Disney but for Alaska should I consider switching to celebrity. The cost is lower and the agendas look similar. We are 2 adults!

Thoughts?

 

[jdb in AZ]

Celebrity will be quieter without all the kids. We like Celebrity's food better than DCL. Once per cruise they have a really nice buffet -- better than Palo without an upcharge, and everyone is included.

For Alaska I would choose Princess with a one-way itinerary that includes Glacier Bay, then spend some time in the interior, especially Denali National Park.

 

[xlxo]

Yes... please include Princess in your selection for the Glacier Bay experience. I like HAL too, but I think Princess is better with families. Wait... just 2 adults? Look at HAL... the smaller ships are more intimate and can get to places the big ships can't. The Yukon Denali may be worth checking out with HAL.

 

[xlxo]

Also have you considered which month? cost vs dry weather vs warmth vs daylight vs wildlife experiences. I like late July, but it costs more.

 

[Karlzmom]

We've done both. I'd have no issue with picking celebrity. Save your money for fabulous excursions. Hubbard is amazing - I'd agonized over glacier bay or hubbard. Looking back it was really a silly thing to get worked up over.

 

[simpleohio]

I will look up princess

Going late August.

Seattle I get: Tracy Arm and Vancouver I get Hubbard.

Debating on those 2 agendas

I thought the money I save I can out toward a 4 night Disney in winter lol. Since I love xmas decor on the ship.

 

[xlxo]

Keep in mind.... late August is statistically wet with September best for storm chasers. There's a reason why it's cheaper after early August.

This year.... DCL pulled the Wonder out early in August to avoid the wet season for reimagining.

If you want to see glaciers.... go to Hubbard. Tracy Arm is best an example of glacier extinction. The glacier has melted over 31 miles and cruise ships need a few hours to find it in Tracy Arm.

Vancouver is much more exciting than a Victoria stop.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Vancouver has a lot to do, including Capilano Bridge, but Victoria is quaint and has Buchart Gardens.

Yes, it takes awhile for the ship to get into Tracy Arm but it's a very scenic fjord along the route.

 

[RedSox68]

When we decided to do Alaska, Disney was the last line I wanted to do it with. They don't go to Glacier Bay and they were ridiculously priced. We went with HAL and had a wonderful time, in a verandah, for half of what Disney wanted -- and HAL visited Glacier Bay which we felt was a must and well worth it.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

we did our Alaska cruise last year with celebrity. We were on the last cruise of the season in September. All in all I thought the weather was fantastic. Celebrity was a great cruising experience although I missed the family friendly shows. My kids still had a great time as they were one of very few children on board.

Price wise, it was a great deal. It was an 11 night cruise and included drink packages for all of us and most of our tips paid for for about the same price as a seven night Disney cruise. Part of the reason why is I would've wanted to get two rooms on Disney as we were three adults and two children. But on celebrity I got one large family room that was two bedrooms a balcony two windows and dining area and over 500 ft.².

Alaska is so beautiful it was really an amazing cruise for that reason alone. I love Disney and we are going on our seventh Disney cruise next month, but for Alaska I don't think it was a priority to do Disney because the scenery and the destination is the true star of the trip.

 

[DnA2010]

So for those Alaska experts out there, we are considering Alaska next year, open to any line- we want to see glaciers, our party includes 2 couples with babies that will be around 11 months, a 13 year old, and my mom - what line/cruise would you recommend?

 

[cmarsh31]

Glad to see this question - we're doing Celebrity in 2018 for Alaska as well (July) - 5 adults, 3 kids. Adding Hubbard to my goals!

 

[ldo]

for babies that will be around 11 months, I would look at the policies for babies in kids clubs, etc. DCL will have a nursery and open house time in the kids clubs, but other lines might have also baby/toddler play time scheduled. Having taken a 18 mth old on a cruise, somewhere to run around/play, esp. on a sea day, would be really good.

 

[xlxo]

So for those Alaska experts out there, we are considering Alaska next year, open to any line- we want to see glaciers, our party includes 2 couples with babies that will be around 11 months, a 13 year old, and my mom - what line/cruise would you recommend?

Thoughts....

• at those ages... you can cruise with any line as the pixie dust influence will be minor.
• HAL/Princess offers the most sailings for Glacier Bay. A must for glacier seekers.
• how many days do you want go? How much do you want to see? 7/9/14 day round trips? One way? South Central Alaska? What about a Yukon Denali adventure?
• again think about what's important to you for each month. Rain vs dry vs price vs temperature vs wildlife opportunities. Perfectly safe to feed Alaskan wildlife as the mosquitos are Zika free!
• check the videos earlier in the thread.

 

[Aby]

We are 2 adults, and we've been on 3 DCL cruises to Alaska and we loved them all. Can't comment on the other lines, but we enjoyed the itinerary and the glacier viewing in Tracy/Endicott Arm and wouldn't hesitate to sail the same cruse again. We love the customer service and atmosphere we get on DCL!

Aby

 

[DnA2010]

Thoughts....

• at those ages... you can cruise with any line as the pixie dust influence will be minor.
• HAL/Princess offers the most sailings for Glacier Bay. A must for glacier seekers.
• how many days do you want go? How much do you want to see? 7/9/14 day round trips? One way? South Central Alaska? What about a Yukon Denali adventure?
• I would say 7-9 days, round trip - no idea on the south central, have to lookup the Yukon Denali
• again think about what's important to you for each month. Rain vs dry vs price vs temperature vs wildlife opportunities. Perfectly safe to feed Alaskan wildlife as the mosquitos are Zika free!
• Important would prob be dry, price, temperature
• check the videos earlier in the thread.

Thank you so much for your reply! Unfortunately I don't think Disney is in the budget

 

[DnA2010]

We are 2 adults, and we've been on 3 DCL cruises to Alaska and we loved them all. Can't comment on the other lines, but we enjoyed the itinerary and the glacier viewing in Tracy/Endicott Arm and wouldn't hesitate to sail the same cruse again. We love the customer service and atmosphere we get on DCL!

Aby

Unfortunately I don't think Disney is in the budget

 

[xlxo]

• I would say 7-9 days, round trip - no idea on the south central, have to lookup the Yukon Denali
• Important would prob be dry, price, temperature

Thank you so much for your reply! Unfortunately I don't think Disney is in the budget

OK... I recommend...

• look to May - June for cheaper cruise prices in dry weather.
• skip Yukon Denali.. you need more days than you have time for
• check out HAL/Princess for Glacier Bay opportunity to skip the pixie dust premium.

 

[simpleohio]

So is Holland a good cruise line? They have a great agenda with glacier bay and Tracy arm plus it's a round trip. I want to do the round trip out of one city for ease of my flights.

I still have Disney on hold but it's an ocean view not balcony. The price is good but worried I should do Celebrity or someone else for the same costs. Not sure why I can't figure this out. I think it's because I am taking my mom and want her to feel special but it has to still be affordable for me.

I liked the princess agenda but I want a couch in room and that means a mini suite which takes that out of the price point.

So now it's back to Celebrity vs Disney but then I found an awesome hollAnd agenda but not great reviews.

I am flex on my dates. Either May or June or very late August.

 

[Dug720]

So is Holland a good cruise line? They have a great agenda with glacier bay and Tracy arm plus it's a round trip. I want to do the round trip out of one city for ease of my flights.

I still have Disney on hold but it's an ocean view not balcony. The price is good but worried I should do Celebrity or someone else for the same costs. Not sure why I can't figure this out. I think it's because I am taking my mom and want her to feel special but it has to still be affordable for me.

I liked the princess agenda but I want a couch in room and that means a mini suite which takes that out of the price point.

So now it's back to Celebrity vs Disney but then I found an awesome hollAnd agenda but not great reviews.

I am flex on my dates. Either May or June or very late August.

I was NOT impressed with my experience on Holland - Glacier Bay (meh - it was very foggy our day, so there is no guarantee of a great experience there...I'd personally never base a trip choice solely on that, but others disagree) included. I found the staff cold - even when I would say "Hello" (or "Good [insert time of day]" I would get a startled glance and "Oh, um, hello" even from officers, even when they were NOT in conversation with anyone. The dining room service was barely competent - orders were constantly mixed up (so if there are any food allergy issues involved, that would also be a red flag for me - it was not once or twice, it was every dinner), we had to ask for things that we should not have had to. I think I've read that they might have finally revoked the smoking on the balconies so that would make them *slightly* more tolerable, maybe. And if you were thinking of using the kids' clubs at all, I honestly cannot remember seeing them open (from my cabin I often had to pass the club areas and at least when I was back and forth never saw them open) and overhearing kids complaining to parents apparently when they were they weren't very interesting.

I have not cruised Celebrity, but I've heard good things. If that is more in your budget than Disney, I'd go with that.