First time Alaska

[simpleohio]

I plan to take my mom in summer 2017 and I'm looking at the rates in the most economical rate is end of August.

Is there a good time to visit based on the current itineraries for Disney?

Then I'm concerned because it doesn't really have an actual glacier stop or does it

Thoughts?? I'm thinking I'll do an ocean view and skip the veranda because I think it would be better to be up top anyway


Date Port Ashore Onboard
Monday 28-Aug-2017 VANCOUVER 4:00 PM
Tuesday 29-Aug-2017 AT SEA
Wednesday 30-Aug-2017 TRACY ARM
Thursday 31-Aug-2017 SKAGWAY 7:15 AM 7:45 PM
Friday 01-Sep-2017 JUNEAU 6:45 AM 4:45 PM
Saturday 02-Sep-2017 KETCHIKAN 11:15 AM 7:45 PM
Sunday 03-Sep-2017 AT SEA
Monday 04-Sep-2017 VANCOUVER 8:00 AM

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I plan to take my mom in summer 2017 and I'm looking at the rates in the most economical rate is end of August.

Is there a good time to visit based on the current itineraries for Disney?

Then I'm concerned because it doesn't really have an actual glacier stop or does it

Thoughts?? I'm thinking I'll do an ocean view and skip the veranda because I think it would be better to be up top anyway


Date Port Ashore Onboard
Monday 28-Aug-2017 VANCOUVER 4:00 PM
Tuesday 29-Aug-2017 AT SEA
Wednesday 30-Aug-2017 TRACY ARM
Thursday 31-Aug-2017 SKAGWAY 7:15 AM 7:45 PM
Friday 01-Sep-2017 JUNEAU 6:45 AM 4:45 PM
Saturday 02-Sep-2017 KETCHIKAN 11:15 AM 7:45 PM
Sunday 03-Sep-2017 AT SEA
Monday 04-Sep-2017 VANCOUVER 8:00 AM

Really, anytime to Alaska is spectacular.

Disney does schedule Tracy Arm (there's a glacier there, but no stop). And it's quite possible that Endicott Arm may have to be substituted (as they're doing this year). Generally, if you want any sort of close up Glacier experience, you'll have to find another cruise line.

I concur with the Oceanview vs Verandah option. I find it best to be up on deck, where you can get the 360 degree view, not just one side at at time.

 

[bcwife76]

We're doing the 5 night at the beginning of August 2017 in an oceanview (going to plan to spend as much time as we can on Tracy Arm day up on decks 4, 9 & 10). Weather with Alaska can be tricky - it can be super hot, it can be raining, and it's never the same month to month. I haven't been (yet) but have read enough reports to know you just pick the date that works best for your schedule/budget. The ones at the end of the season tend to be cheaper because weather *can* be worse. My mom has gone on two Alaska cruises - one year she went mid September and had fantastic weather; two years later she went a month earlier, mid-August and had rain and fog for a great deal of her cruise.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We're doing the 5 night at the beginning of August 2017 in an oceanview (going to plan to spend as much time as we can on Tracy Arm day up on decks 4, 9 & 10). Weather with Alaska can be tricky - it can be super hot, it can be raining, and it's never the same month to month. I haven't been (yet) but have read enough reports to know you just pick the date that works best for your schedule/budget. The ones at the end of the season tend to be cheaper because weather *can* be worse. My mom has gone on two Alaska cruises - one year she went mid September and had fantastic weather; two years later she went a month earlier, mid-August and had rain and fog for a great deal of her cruise.

While not on DCL, our two cruises in Alaska were mid-Sep and early June. We experienced exactly the same weather on both cruises - grey, misty rain in some ports, and cold on the glacier cruising days. Temperatures in the mid 50s to low 60s.

 

[xavier2001]

You get the Tracy Arm (or Endicott Arm) glacier experience by boat and also you get Mendenhall glacier in Juneau which you can see from afar or take a helicopter and land on the glacier. There are also flight seeing tours in float planes that go over top of several glaciers (the Taku Lodge one is coming to mind right now). Its an AWESOME trip, we were on the Wonder in June.

 

[xavier2001]

And also, we debated back and forth about OV vs. verandah and were SO glad we splurged for the verandah, we spent HOURS out there looking at the scenery go by, it was nice to have that private space and there is always something to see as you are near land nearly the entire time. And depending on time of year the sun doesn't set until 11 p.m. so lots to see in the evening too. There is more wildlife later in the season with the Salmon Run but supposedly better weather earlier in the season. Cheaper to go in May or September but weather is less predictable.

 

[xlxo]

End of August (and September) is cheap for a reason..... it's wet. Great for storm chasers.... but I like dry weather for excursions... I'll pay a little more in July for that dry weather.

 

[xlxo]

BTW... there are three oceanview windows.

• Deck 1 gets the twins
• Deck 2 front and back gets a giant porthole. It feels like being on a climate controlled balcony.
• Deck 2 mid ship gets an even larger porthole where a child can lie into it! Check out this post link and scroll down....
  http://www.disboards.com/threads/a-...-all-carry-on-luggage-may-2016.3515261/page-2
• oceanview window size comparison....
  http://www.disboards.com/threads/mid-ship-portholes-on-wonder-and-magic.3441296/#post-54293477

 

[KashasMom]

I plan to take my mom in summer 2017 and I'm looking at the rates in the most economical rate is end of August.

Is there a good time to visit based on the current itineraries for Disney?

Then I'm concerned because it doesn't really have an actual glacier stop or does it

Thoughts?? I'm thinking I'll do an ocean view and skip the veranda because I think it would be better to be up top anyway


Date Port Ashore Onboard
Monday 28-Aug-2017 VANCOUVER 4:00 PM
Tuesday 29-Aug-2017 AT SEA
Wednesday 30-Aug-2017 TRACY ARM
Thursday 31-Aug-2017 SKAGWAY 7:15 AM 7:45 PM
Friday 01-Sep-2017 JUNEAU 6:45 AM 4:45 PM
Saturday 02-Sep-2017 KETCHIKAN 11:15 AM 7:45 PM
Sunday 03-Sep-2017 AT SEA
Monday 04-Sep-2017 VANCOUVER 8:00 AM

Weather can be hit or miss. I've been on an Alaskan cruise very early in the season (May) and on another in mid-August and we lucked out with the weather. Just be prepared for rain and cold as well - plan to dress in layers. We had a veranda on both cruises and we used it a lot...even saw whales once. I loved being up very early with my coffee and my binoculars! It's one of the very few places I've loved having a veranda.

If you really want to see a glacier up close I highly recommend taking doing a glacier landing via helicopter. Temsco Helicopters has excursions out of Juneau & Skagway (including a dog sledding trip out of Skagway). I'd recommend taking it out of Juneau. We did a pilots choice double glacier landing that was fantastic. In any case, I'd recommend getting up in the air (helicopter, sea plane) so you can fully appreciated the vastness and beauty of Alaska. All of the companies we used in Alaska were great (used Island Wings out of Ketchikan for Misty Fjords and Anan Creek Bears - both sea planes). Orca Enterprises out of Juneau was another stand-out. In general excursions are expensive in Alaska but there are so many great ones to choose from! I wouldn't hesitate to book privately. Enjoy!

 

[anricat]

BTW... there are three oceanview windows.

• Deck 1 gets the twins
• Deck 2 front and back gets a giant porthole. It feels like being on a climate controlled balcony.
• Deck 2 mid ship gets an even larger porthole where a child can lie into it! Check out this post link and scroll down....
  http://www.disboards.com/threads/a-...-all-carry-on-luggage-may-2016.3515261/page-2
• oceanview window size comparison....
  http://www.disboards.com/threads/mid-ship-portholes-on-wonder-and-magic.3441296/#post-54293477

This isn't quite right. The porthole you see the child sitting in the above referenced post for deck 2 midship is in one of the public areas on deck 3, not a stateroom.

The portholes on deck 2 mid are large, but they don't have a little seat in them. Here's what it looks like. The top image is the slightly smaller porthole (forward and aft) and the second photo is the larger midship porthole.