Calling all Alaska cruise experts!!!

[nycdisneygal]

One of my dreams is an Alaskan cruise...Would love to do DCL (have been on the DREAM several times), but wow its so much more than other cruises. While researching Royal caribbean, I found that some people say that Glacier Bay is a MUST!! That would leave me with Holland or Princess. We will be a 11 or 12 yr old (depending on if we go in 2017 or 2018) and a 1.5 or 2.5 year old, plus a few extra adults!

Any opinions based on experience? I am open. This will be a big investment so I want to do it right!

 

[Dug720]

If smoke is an issue, be aware that Holland America has the most liberal smoking policy at least among US-based cruise lines - they STILL allow it on stateroom balconies. For that fact alone I would choose Princess.

I've never done Princess, so I know zip about their kids' program (I assume they have one), but I was on HAL a few years ago, and I don't remember ever seeing the kids' club open - it must have been at least a couple of times because I heard what looked like a tween whining to his parents that "it sucked" and he didn't want to go back. (And even as an adult, I was less than thrilled with HAL.)

Also, to add regarding GB... It was EXTREMELY foggy our day in. The sun did eventually come out which finally allowed us to go towards the glacier, but until then it was kind of a bust. So if I went with a ship that does GB, just be aware that weather conditions could mean you don't really see much.

 

[nycdisneygal]

If smoke is an issue, be aware that Holland America has the most liberal smoking policy at least among US-based cruise lines - they STILL allow it on stateroom balconies. For that fact alone I would choose Princess.
.

Thanks! Smoke would be an issue and I had forgotten that other cruise lines would still allow it!

 

[Dug720]

Thanks! Smoke would be an issue and I had forgotten that other cruise lines would still allow it!

You're welcome! I did have a balcony on that trip, but I got VERY lucky. I asked the agent in charge of our group to get me as high and far forward as possible. I only had about 4 or 5 cabins in front of me, and luckily none of THEM smoked. There was at least one smoker below, and the person in the cabin next to me aft smoked, but that was really only an issue when we were in port. It could have been MUCH worse though, and I would have had no recourse in terms of complaining that people were smoking on their balconies. To me, it's just not worth the chance. (I also found anywhere even close to the casino reeked as the casino was smoking - even when it was closed, the nasty stale smoke odor remained.)

 

[xlxo]

Other thoughts...

• if you are a glacier seeker.... love Glacier Bay. Tracy Arm's Sawyer is so tiny!
• when I went on a DCL cruise.... I was surprised others were less than half price compared to DCL on the week I wanted to go.
• HAL/Princess also offer one way cruises to Central Alaska.
• HAL has a Yukon Denali option where your segment North of Skagway can be over land/air.
• HAL offers a photo package option like Disney, Princess does not.

 

[NancyIL]

I have been to Glacier Bay once (Princess), Hubbard Glacier twice (HAL), and Tracy Arm twice (Princess and HAL). Any of them can be affected by the weather and/or ice in the water. My first visit to Hubbard Glacier was a bust, as it was foggy and we couldn't see the glacier very well from afar. However, we had a great view of Hubbard the 2nd time. The weather was gorgeous when we were in Glacier Bay, so we had a great view of several of the glaciers. On my first visit to Tracy Arm - we didn't get far enough down the fjord to see the glaciers at the end, as we timed out and had to turn around. The second time we could see the glaciers, but still from quite a distance.

I'll be on back-to-back Alaska cruises on Radiance of the Seas next May - with 2 opportunities to see Hubbard Glacier. Hopefully the weather will cooperate at least once! I also plan to do a Glacier Bay flight from Haines, and take a small boat from Juneau to Tracy Arm with Adventure Bound Alaska.

As an FYI - southbound Princess cruises go to both Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay (http://www.princess.com/find/cruiseDetails.do?voyageCode=9626), whereas northbound Princess cruises go to Glacier Bay and College Fjord (http://www.princess.com/find/cruiseDetails.do?voyageCode=9713).

 

[cruisehopeful]

If your main interest is Glacier Bay, I've seen itineraries for Glacier Bay on NCL and Carnival in addition to Holland and Princess.
I've been twice with DCL and am itching to go again, but I am considering doing a one way Princess cruise instead.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I went with DCL, and booked a flight from Skagway to Glacier bay, to be honest, i thought Tracy Arm was far better.

 

[NancyIL]

I went with DCL, and booked a flight from Skagway to Glacier bay, to be honest, i thought Tracy Arm was far better.

Flying over one and sailing through the other are apples and oranges. After you cruise in Glacier Bay (or fly over Tracy Arm), then compare similar experiences.

 

[ultimate_ed]

I sailed Royal from Vancouver to Seward back in June. After three sailings with Disney, this was our first Royal cruise. For me, the one way sailing ending in Alaska was key as we had plans for a self directed land tour up to Denali after the cruise. Plus, for what it would have cost for my family of 4 on a Disney balcony, we were able to get two balconies and an inside, putting my parents in one balcony, my wife and I in the other, and our teen age kids in an inside room directly across the hall from us.

My kids are older now and even on our most recent Disney cruise, had no interest in interacting with characters, so that was a factor for us as well.

Our last day brought us to Hubbard Glacier. The weather was looking iffy at first, but the fog cleared for a few hours as we approached and enjoyed some gorgeous views.

So, to a degree, I think an Alaska sailing is somewhat less about the specific cruise line and ship, and much more about the itinerary and what you want out of an Alaska tour.

I did a pretty big write up on my family's experience in a review: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=539867

For my parents, it was a once in a lifetime experience and I'm glad we were able to take them. My kids were old enough to be able to enjoy and appreciate it. I expect to sail it again someday when it is just my wife and I.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Flying over one and sailing through the other are apples and oranges. After you cruise in Glacier Bay (or fly over Tracy Arm), then compare similar experiences.

I can judge the difference very easily, it's just perspective, now my chartered plane flew, over, down low, across the bay, up, far more than any ship could ever do. So I totally disagree.

 

[NancyIL]

I can judge the difference very easily, it's just perspective, now my chartered plane flew, over, down low, across the bay, up, far more than any ship could ever do. So I totally disagree.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. However, if you had the same flying experience over Tracy Arm, you might think differently about it. The perspective is quite different from the air as opposed to from a cruise ship - and even more so from the smaller boats that sail in Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay.

 

[wombat_5606]

I have to agree with NancylL, you have to see Glacier Bay from sea level.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Flying over one and sailing through the other are apples and oranges. After you cruise in Glacier Bay (or fly over Tracy Arm), then compare similar experiences.

I agree. I also find it interesting that one Alaska cruise makes someone an "expert". Hey, I've been on two, and I certainly don't feel that way.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

You are certainly entitled to your opinion. However, if you had the same flying experience over Tracy Arm, you might think differently about it.

Thank you, you a moment I felt I wasn't entitled to any opinion, I have also had a helicopter tour over Glaciers from Juneau, and a charter plane over to the misty fjords, some here do IMHO " hype up" glacier bay, as DCL do not go there, I had a private charter for 90 minutes at Glacier bay, it's " OK" , we few over, up, around, low, close to the water and up, you really can't get that experience from a cruise ship. Tracy Arm was far more spectacular for so many reasons, we had a great view there as well, from the officers private forward viewing point.

To be honest, all of what I have seen in Alaska, was blown away by the views in Iceland, there not in the same league.

Anyway, yes I have a different opinion.

 

[xavier2001]

We did Alaska on Disney this year and LOVED it, Endicott was amazing, have never been to Glacier Bay so I can't compare, I can offer up a convo we had with 2 ladies in Skagway who were on the Holland America ship and saw our Disney lanyards. They begged us to take them back on board with them, they had cruised both DCL and Holland and went on and on about how much better DCL was. Again I've only ever cruised Royal (pre kids) and DCL (post kids).

 

[NancyIL]

Thank you, you a moment I felt I wasn't entitled to any opinion, I have also had a helicopter tour over Glaciers from Juneau, and a charter plane over to the misty fjords, some here do IMHO " hype up" glacier bay, as DCL do not go there, I had a private charter for 90 minutes at Glacier bay, it's " OK" , we few over, up, around, low, close to the water and up, you really can't get that experience from a cruise ship. Tracy Arm was far more spectacular for so many reasons, we had a great view there as well, from the officers private forward viewing point.

To be honest, all of what I have seen in Alaska, was blown away by the views in Iceland, there not in the same league.

Anyway, yes I have a different opinion.

I was not questioning your opinion - but pointing out (again) that you didn't have the same kind of viewing experience in Glacier Bay as in Tracy Arm. Or perhaps it was the "officers private forward viewing point" that influenced your opinion of the Tracy Arm experience. That would tend to make it even more special.

Regarding Alaska vs. Iceland: there's a LOT more to Alaska than what you can see on a 7-night round-trip cruise from Vancouver. My impression of Iceland, based on one rainy cruise ship day in Reykjavik, wasn't very good. I need to return to see more of Iceland - hopefully with better weather!

I have seen fjords and glaciers in Alaska, Norway, New Zealand, and most recently in Chile and Argentina. The South America trip was the most recent, and I have actually looked at those photos again! All were beautiful, but I still rank Alaska at the top.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I was not questioning your opinion - but pointing out (again) that you didn't have the same kind of viewing experience in Glacier Bay as in Tracy Arm. Or perhaps it was the "officers private forward viewing point" that influenced your opinion of the Tracy Arm experience. That would tend to make it even more special.

Regarding Alaska vs. Iceland: there's a LOT more to Alaska than what you can see on a 7-night round-trip cruise from Vancouver. My impression of Iceland, based on one rainy cruise ship day in Reykjavik, wasn't very good. I need to return to see more of Iceland - hopefully with better weather!

I have seen fjords and glaciers in Alaska, Norway, New Zealand, and most recently in Chile and Argentina. The South America trip was the most recent, and I have actually looked at those photos again! All were beautiful, but I still rank Alaska at the top.

Just curious - was Alaska first (of the glaciers/fjords)?

 

[NancyIL]

Just curious - was Alaska first (of the glaciers/fjords)?

Yes, I visited them in the order listed.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Yes, I visited them in the order listed.

I just wondered if that may color which was "best". Our first cruise to Alaska we visited both Tracy Army & Glacier Bay (in that order). When we were in Tracy Arm my breath was taken away. I felt it was so spectacular (first glacier ever). Then, in Glacier Bay, it was trumped! As someone who's done both locations (same time of year, from the same ship) I feel that Glacier Bay is massively "better" than Tracy Arm. BUT Tracy Arm is certainly worthwhile, also.