Alaskan Cruise Questions

[shanfam]

We are also on the way there this summer and my DD will be 8. She picked this trip this time last year (when she was 6). That's right, SHE selected our destination. We gave her several choices and showed her photos and videos online and she decided Alaska is where she wanted to travel next (other selections including Caribbean cruise, Walt Disney World, and Aulani). So while I can't tell you what she thought of it (yet) I can tell you that she is super excited and it was her choice to go. So I think the best age is the age at which your kids express interest!

Very good point!

 

[shanfam]

We have gone to Aulani twice --- loved loved it. We find it more relaxing than cruising.

I am thinking about Alaska ... We are all Platinum now ... My youngest son will be 11 next year and graduates from Elementary school. I thought about this cruise for end of June beginning of July or during the summer ??? But they have not released any dates for 2017. We have taken so many Caribbean cruises on DCL - loved them all but want to to do something different. I prefer the smaller ships! It is either Alaska or Aulani and I think my the cruise just is a better fit ... I have two older children -- 17 and 19 and I think they will all love Alaska --plus I want to get there before it melts ! or completely freezes over!! Any suggestions? Is it really super expensive compared to Caribbean ... I have been on the Dream, the Fantasy for New Year's eve cruises and honestly the costs was not worth it.

e e

 

[labdogs42]

We are doing Alaska for the first time with our 11 year old this August. Aulani is on our list for 2018!

 

[Melissa_E]

Tell me more about the train ride!

We did the same as the poster you asked. There is an Amtrack train at 7:45am. We got business class seats which got us off the train first and our bags off first too. We even had a delay during the train ride (which freaked me out because we sailed the same day) but made it by 1pm.

Our itinerary was,
Fly into Seattle- got there early in the morning, spent the rest of the day touring around the town.

• Went to the Public Market
• Space Needle
• Chihuly Museum

Stayed overnight in Seattle

Took the train to Vancouver (if you do this, make sure you get tickets to Vancouver, BC, I almost had the wrong tickets to Vancouver, WA)
Got on the cruise, came back to Vancouver.

Spent the rest of the day in Vancouver, walked around town, ate some of the BEST oysters on the half-shell EVER.

Stayed the night in Vancouver, took the train to Seattle, flew home.

 

[Pooh2]

For those who took the train, how early did you get to the station on each end?
In Vancouver, how did you get back and forth from train to cruise terminal?
Thanks!

 

[MamaBear58]

Also just off the Fantasy on Saturday, and hubby wants to do Alaska next. Does anyone have a recommendation as to the best time to go? I think I heard July because the salmon swim and as a result we can see bears, but what about June? too cold? I think August is out for us because we typically travel a week with family that month.

Also, is there a "mosquito" season to avoid? I never would have thought of that but saw a post somewhere else that now has me wondering.

Thanks!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Also just off the Fantasy on Saturday, and hubby wants to do Alaska next. Does anyone have a recommendation as to the best time to go? I think I heard July because the salmon swim and as a result we can see bears, but what about June? too cold? I think August is out for us because we typically travel a week with family that month.

Also, is there a "mosquito" season to avoid? I never would have thought of that but saw a post somewhere else that now has me wondering.

Thanks!!

Each month in Alaska has different experiences. We've been there in May/June and September. Next time we're going in July to see the flowers.

As to the mosquitoes - they can be quite pesky (are really large!), but that's more an interior of Alaska (when you are in the trees) problem. Not so much in the port towns.

 

[MamaBear58]

Each month in Alaska has different experiences. We've been there in May/June and September. Next time we're going in July to see the flowers.

As to the mosquitoes - they can be quite pesky (are really large!), but that's more an interior of Alaska (when you are in the trees) problem. Not so much in the port towns.

We would go late June so I guess our experience would be different than yours was. Good to hear about the bugs though!

 

[tnshsms]

We're going to Alaska this summer--my youngest DD will be 12. We started taking the kids on National Park trips when my youngest was 8. 8 was when I felt she would be safe enough for Yellowstone. We did the national parks in WY and SD. She talked about the Yellowstone trip for a couple of years, I'm pretty sure she still remembers that trip, especially when she sees pictures from it. We did the national parks of UT and AZ when she was 10. I really feel that any child over 8 will remember some of the trip--especially if you take lots of pictures and look at them with the child over the years. I made Shutterfly photobooks from both those trips--so it's easy enough to look through at any time.

Enjoy!

I agree with this! I was 8.5 when I went to Hawaii and I remembered it so vividly that when I went back at age 27 I even remembered what roads to turn down to go to certain places. Granted my parents kept reminding me at age 8 to "take it all in, you never know when you might get to come back" which we all laugh about now because I've been back once, my brother twice and my mom once.

 

[RedSox68]

We went on an Alaskan cruise in 2012 on HAL mostly because the Disney cruise didn't go to Glacier Bay and in laws didn't want to have to go out of Vancouver. My daughter turned 2 while on board and my son was 12- we had an awesome time and would do it again in a heartbeat ( but prob not on HAL)

We did ours on HAL too because we wanted Glacier Bay, but also combined a land tour which was awesome. Ours did sail out of Vancouver (which was a great city), but in order to save on airfare we flew into Seattle for a couple of days and then took Amtrak up the coast to Vancouver. It was still cheaper than flying direct to Vancouver. And the train trip is breathtaking.

 

[RedSox68]

For those who took the train, how early did you get to the station on each end?
In Vancouver, how did you get back and forth from train to cruise terminal?
Thanks!

The train trip up left around 7:30 a.m., so we got there about 6:30 a.m. Once they opened up the bag check and we got rid of our bags it was pretty quick after that. We had the business class and sat in the upper level. It's a beautiful ride, quiet and relaxing and the scenery cannot be beat. They also have a food car to buy snacks, sandwiches and breakfast items. Coming back I think our train was a little later, so we went to the station at about 8 a.m.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Each month in Alaska has different experiences. We've been there in May/June and September. Next time we're going in July to see the flowers.

As to the mosquitoes - they can be quite pesky (are really large!), but that's more an interior of Alaska (when you are in the trees) problem. Not so much in the port towns.

You mean fireweed? It's funny to me that anyone would travel to AK to see fireweed. (But then again, they give me terrible allergies. And are a harbinger of winter.)

My cousin first visited my family in AK when she was 11 and had a great time. She still talks about her trip (over 20 years later) - halibut and salmon fishing, digging for clams,... Growing up there, we started doing those things at a very young age - I think I was about 15 months old when we got out first boat for halibut fishing, and my brother was going on hunting trips at 4 years old. (Obviously tour operators will have minimum ages.)