DCL vs. NCL Alaska

[Rambler5678]

Which do you prefer and why? NCL suites for what DCL ocean view rooms cost plus Glacier Bay. DCL Characters and the Disney experience.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Which do you prefer and why? NCL suites for what DCL ocean view rooms cost plus Glacier Bay. DCL Characters and the Disney experience.

It depends if you are looking for a Disney cruise with Alaska included, or an Alaska-only cruise.

Either answer is correct.

Personally, I'd go with Holland America or Princess - they've been "doing" Alaska longer than the others and hold most of the permits for Glacier Bay.

If I were limited to a choice between DCL or NCL, with NCL doing Glacier Bay and DCL not, I'd probably go with NCL. Even though I love DCL.

 

[holula]

I would be hard pressed to go on another Alaska cruise that didn't include Glacier Bay. It looks amazing and since we did DCL in Alaska we did not visit. That is a must do for me next time (many years in the future). I enjoyed NCL Epic a lot but Epic is a huge ship with tons to do. I also would probably look at Princess over NCL.

Personally I would do a cheaper room on NCL over an OV on DCL and then use the rest of the money for excursions.

 

[darwinsrule]

Other thing to consider is just doing a mini-suite (consider it a deluxe balcony) on NCL and dropping the rest of the price difference on the excursions. Pretty much our plan for next summer.

 

[Rambler5678]

Looking at NCL northbound out of Vancouver. It does the three ports DCL does plus Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier.

 

[holula]

Then I would definitely pick NCL - and go with the mini-suite - and tag on a few days on land the other end.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I'm looking at the same choice, actually. I have done Disney Alaska before. When the itineraries come out for my dates, I'll probably decide based on that. If they are basically the same, I'll consider more about pricing. If you are traveling with kids, I'd lean towards Disney.

 

[Rambler5678]

Our girls will be 13 and 6 on the cruise. How are the kids clubs/kid activities on the NCL sun?

 

[bceagle76]

It depends if you are looking for a Disney cruise with Alaska included, or an Alaska-only cruise.

Either answer is correct.

Personally, I'd go with Holland America or Princess - they've been "doing" Alaska longer than the others and hold most of the permits for Glacier Bay.

If I were limited to a choice between DCL or NCL, with NCL doing Glacier Bay and DCL not, I'd probably go with NCL. Even though I love DCL.

Be on 1 NCL cruise wouldn't go again for nothing

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Be on 1 NCL cruise wouldn't go again for nothing

I'm hesitant about giving NCL a try, also. But OP was asking for an opinion. Given the choices offered, I selected NCL.

But I'd really do Alaska on HAL, or Princess.

 

[Ofinn]

I may do alaska once on Dcl with the kids and then maybe some of the other ships with or without the kids. I could see myself going to Alaska several times visiting different ports each time. We have been to the caribbean several times and I havent gotten tired of it. I have a feeling Alaska will be the same. Im ok with an inside cabin. Inside cabins make Alaska an affordable destination. If this is your one and done Alaska trip then I would choose itinerary over the ship.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Our girls will be 13 and 6 on the cruise. How are the kids clubs/kid activities on the NCL sun?

I don't have an answer for you, but there is a NCL forum on cruise critic where you can probably get an answer.
If I were going with kids those ages, I'd choose Disney. There is always something for the kids to do on the Wonder.

 

[darwinsrule]

Another thing to pay attention to is that NCL actually will offer sales that occasionally, sadly not always, include the Alaska cruises. We booked Last February under the KSF offer. Four of us, balcony room, for NCL Jewel for $3,800 for next August. DCL is over twice the price, enough to cover air, excursions, time in Seattle pre-cruise and a boat load of crab in AK.

Would love to do DCL, but sometimes you need to visit the dark side. Besides, if you read jenseib review she has going right now, does it really sound so terrible???

 

[bcwife76]

We chose DCL for Alaska next August because our kids are still young (will be 8 &5 at the time of the cruise) and while the trip is to celebrate our big birthdays, we still need to know the kids will be having a blast (so that we, in turn, can have a fabulous cruise). I can see us doing Alaska again in a few years though (on a land/sea trip) and at that time we'd probably choose NCL or RCCL since the kids will be older then (I'm talking teenagers by then lol)