Alaskan Cruises

[holz99]

I'm looking to book an Alaskan cruise for this next summer. I have no clue where to start. It will be myself and my parents and we will have somewhat of a budget for it. I'm thinking we need less than $650/person. We might could do $700. And we want to do a 7-night. Plus we have to think about flight costs. I just don't know what the best cruise lines are and such. I know Disney is doing some to Alaska but I haven't checked their prices.

Anybody have any suggestions on best prices and cruise lines?

 

[mrsklamc]

We really liked Holland America... Don't know about that price point but I cannot recommend strongly enough that you NOT cruise Disney. The most AMAZING part of our cruise was Glacier Bay and Disney isn't going there.

 

[lisabarr]

We took a Holland America cruise. We did it in May to get the best price. We paid $499 for the 1st and 2nd person and the kids sailed for free!!! Matter-of-fact, just got a mailer with those same prices in it. We just took the kids out of school for the week and it was well worth it!

It was a great cruise. I had done the Carribean a million times, but this was just beautiful!

 

[antmaril]

I took a Holland America Cruise to Alaska in late August. I'm not sure about your price point, but I can highly recommend Holland America and Alaska. Glacier Bay is spectacular!

 

[silmarg]

I sooo much wanted to do an Alaska cruise on DCL. But the prices are out of sight.

 

[notes4theheart]

Last summer we went Holland America to Alaska (the one way Vancouver to Seward Alaska on the Ryndam). We paid $400 PER PERSON!!! Needless to say, we took her round trip (for a total of 14 days) at that price!

Also, they were offering third and fourth person free. This was for the Aug 14th sailing

 

[bumbershoot]

We had our honeymoon on an Alaskan cruise. We chose Royal Caribbean. It seemed less "partyish" than Carnival felt, but younger than Holland or most of the others. We *loved* it. We were on Radiance of the Seas, and loved that class of ship. We'd do it again in a heartbeat!

We left out of Vancouver (some find that it's less expensive to fly into Seattle then take Amtrak up to Vancouver...we live right here so we took the train, then a cab over to our hotel, next day started the cruise, had a hotel for a day after the cruise, then took the train back to WA) and did the 7 day that hit Skagway (love), Ketchikan (yawn...but it was the last stop and we felt we'd seen it all AND we didn't have money to get out of the touristy part of town...we did end up regretting that we didn't go to the logger thing...felt it was silly but found out later it's kinda cool), and Juneau (really enjoyed, ate at a Mexican restaurant out of the way).

 

[Mom21]

We had our honeymoon on an Alaskan cruise. We chose Royal Caribbean. It seemed less "partyish" than Carnival felt, but younger than Holland or most of the others. We *loved* it. We were on Radiance of the Seas, and loved that class of ship. We'd do it again in a heartbeat!

We left out of Vancouver (some find that it's less expensive to fly into Seattle then take Amtrak up to Vancouver...we live right here so we took the train, then a cab over to our hotel, next day started the cruise, had a hotel for a day after the cruise, then took the train back to WA) and did the 7 day that hit Skagway (love), Ketchikan (yawn...but it was the last stop and we felt we'd seen it all AND we didn't have money to get out of the touristy part of town...we did end up regretting that we didn't go to the logger thing...felt it was silly but found out later it's kinda cool), and Juneau (really enjoyed, ate at a Mexican restaurant out of the way).

I second this. We did the 10 day repositioning cruise that ended up in L.A. My ex had family there so we entended the trip to 3 weeks including Vegas. The Alaskan cruise was wonderful, except for the transistion from inner passageway to outside to the Pacific to go down to LA. But you run the risk of high waves on any cruise, and it didn't last long. What a blast we had. My dd was 6 and loved it. We only cruise Royal Caribbean.

 

[disneylove69]

I did HAL and loved it. The passangers are mostly over 60 but they were a blast. I was looking at going this spring and the prices were very good.

 

[EPCOT is a verb]

Have you been to cruisecritic.com? Tons of reviews and information to help with cruising.

 

[PHXscuba]

I second Cruise Critic for great information. They have a specific Alaska board, plus boards for each cruiseline when you narrow down which itinerary/line you want to travel.

I would seriously look into how much some of the excursions are. The cabin prices people have quoted are great (although they may get higher as some ships won't be there in 2010), but excursions soak up a lot of your budget! If I were only going to Alaska once, I'd want to do it all, but that gets very pricey. Plus the airfare of course. With a one-way cruise you get to see more but the airfare can be significantly more.

I definitely want to go on an Alaskan cruise, but when we priced out how much it would be with our desired excursions and airfare (for our family of 6), we've decided to wait a couple years until our youngest is a little bit older to appreciate it.

PHXscuba

 

[bumbershoot]

Can't believe I didn't mention cruisecritic, too.

They *made* our honeymoon. My husband wasn't used to my obsessive online planning yet, but the cruise is what convinced him (if only he'd gotten to that point during wedding planning!).

We did one official excursion; the "tea" at Jewell Gardens in Skagway. They picked us up on a bus (or shuttle), we had a lunch and tea, wandered the gardens (with the Alaska sunshine there's an extended growing season AND that area was a Superfund cleanup site so who knows what that did (they mentioned that)), bought some tea, it was very nice. Interestingly, their tea (or at least the kind we fell in love with) is from the east coast.

But the other stuff we did on our own or *would have* done on our own, if we'd had the money. We went to Mendenhall Glacier by getting off the ship, finding the big blue bus, paying about $5 each which took us roundtrip. We would have arranged a whale watching trip without the ship being involved, etc. Cruisecritic tells us SO much about the companies that are trustworthy, etc. The only thing that going through the ship gets you is that if their transportation makes you late, they KNOW where you are and will help you get back to the ship, even if the ship has to go. If you're on your own and YOU lose track of time (or if you're on an official tour and wander off), you're on your own to get to the next port.

But they tell you what time the ships leave, etc, so if you don't try to do *everything*, you can do your darndest to get back *well* in advance, no worries about that.

Anyway, cruisecritic is awesome. Though sometimes the RCCL board (that one in particular, it's very odd) feels like the community board here, LOL.

 

[4Seasons]

Holland America and Princess the the 2 lines that do Alaska the best.
Your "shoulder season".......mid may to mid September........will be the least expensive but you will also likely encounter much colder, undesireable weather during those timeframes.
I know it's really not in your budget, but I always always always recommend my clients book a balcony cabin for an Alaskan cruise. You want to make the absolute most of the gorgeous scenery right outside your window.

 

[tommya60]

We've done Alaska on Holland America twice, once for our honeymoon and 10 years later we went again with our DD--she has a blast. I'd definately check out cruisecritic.com Our most recent cruise was on Royal Caribean, I saved alot of money thanks to cruisecritic.

Our favorites (combined from both trips): hiking the Chilkoot trial (easy hike, beautiful area, DD loved it), Helicopter to top of a glacier, then landed and walked around (honeymoon--no way would I do it with DD), kayaking, just sitting on the deck and watching the shore, we took a catameran (SP) trip and saw a pod of humpback whales breeching.

By the way, you definately want to go to Glacier Bay. It's amazing, there is nothing like it--the sights, the sound of the glacier calving, the whole experience. I understand that cruising past the Hubbard Glacier is wonderful, too, but I'd definately check that out carefully. Not every cruise in every cruiseline goes to Glacier Bay, so check carefully if that's important to you.

 

[shortbun]

Alaska is the cruise destination where an outside cabin with a balcony pays off. There is sooooooo much scenery and it's simply breathtaking!!! Find some more money and do it just this one time! I have not looked at the cost of Alaska in a long time but your stated budget may be very unrealistic. I hope you can make it work.

 

[KKB]

My mom & dad have done Alaska; we have all cruised multiple times.
Cruisecritic is INVALUABLE--it is to cruising as DIS is to WDW.
Edge to Princess over Holland, tho not a big edge.
Disney knows kids--it was a great cruise. BUT for the 30-50% higher price tag, it was NOT 30-50% greater cruise (DH & I agreed, DCL did a few things better,and Princess did a few things better) Some will only do DCL. But we have NEVER paid more than $500/7 day cruise on Princess...DCL would have a hard time matching that! (DCL has no casino, that is why their prices are higher)
DEFINTELY get a balcony for Alaska.
And prices...I have used www.bestpricecruises.com for years & have booked every one of ours and half of my parents (and their friends!) thru them. Alaska prices last summer were $399/7 days!--and Alaska had been notoriously more expensive than Caribbean.
Most who cruise love it--and are usually addicted (OH, like WDW...) A few don't like it. I remember reading one post who said her DH was bored--WHAT??!! OK...you have to TRY to be bored on a cruise! You get a daily newsletter listing the activities of the day...I get out my highlighter & go nuts. I usually have the dilemma of things going on at the same time & I have to choose!
(usually early bingo...hit the pool (pool games)...martini tasting...late bingo, maybe horse races...dress for dinner...hit a show and/or casino...late dancing for us!)
PS Bingo on a cruise ship is a HOOT!
Have fun!
Hmmmm....we haven't had a cruise in a year (we cruised last Oct., WON a cruise while on it...and cruise 6 wks later the wk after TG!) Time to start planning another...

 

[LoraJ]

My parents told us last night that they want to take the whole family on a cruise to Alaska for their 50th anniversary in August '11. They love Holland America, so I am sure that's who we will be cruising with. I worry there won't be enough evening entertainment. I really loved Princess and the variety of entertainment they had at night.
I also highly recommend cruise critic.

 

[RachaelA]

We were planning on crusing Alaska on DCL in May 2011, but after doing a bunch of research (especially here on Dis) we're going to cruise Princess in May 2011 instead and are now just waiting for the dates to be released. We plan to do a 7 day cruise and a 4-5 day land package. Princess seems to have awesome prices. Good luck planning!

 

[KKB]

We were planning on crusing Alaska on DCL in May 2011, but after doing a bunch of research (especially here on Dis) we're going to cruise Princess in May 2011 instead and are now just waiting for the dates to be released. We plan to do a 7 day cruise and a 4-5 day land package. Princess seems to have awesome prices. Good luck planning!

We continue to want to try a new line, but at $500 or less/7 days no one else can compete! (tho we will probably do RCL when we take the kids again w/in the next few years)

Lora--I think most cruise lines have assorted evening entertainment. BUT I will say--we were visited w/ some activities crew on one of our Princess cruises who had worked on Holland. They did comment on the much older clientele...and how Holland is the only line that has a morgue!

I think you will find Alaska cruises to have an older clientele overall, but not as much in the summer. Our cruise last December was an older clientele overall than our Oct or Mar cruises. (we are 40s) We went to the "Newlywed Game" one night & the youngest couple was in their 50s!!!! (usually they do 4 couples from asst decades...one older couple NOT being newlyweds)

 

[LoraJ]

Haha!!! My parents cruise HAL all the time and get all the frequent cruiser perks. I think I will have a hard time talking them into Princess. They are sailing to Europe on Princess next fall and said they will see how that goes and maybe consider it. DH will be fine as long as there is a casino.

My nephew will be 10, so hopefully HAL has a decent kids program.