Help me appreciate Alaska!

[DisneyManFamily4]

I have to admit I was somewhat let down when the announcement was Alaska. I think reading everyone else's posts have rubbed off on me, it's perked my interests. Only thing is, I don't know anything about Alaska! What should I want in an Alaskan Cruise? What are the pros and cons about doing Alaska on Disney? (I have noticed others posting about their disappointment in Disney's choices with Alaska, and the skyhigh prices.) If you could only do Alaska once, (which I think will be the case for me), what are the MUST Do's and MUST See's?
By the way, I'll have husband and two kids with me on this cruise. In my head I'd love to leave the kids, but don't know if I could actually have the heart to do it.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I'm with you- don't really know anything about Alaska at all!
Best I can say though is that on other threads people have said that if you're sure it's a "once in a lifetime" trip to Alaska that they wouldn't do it with DCL since they aren't going to Glacier Bays. We're going with DCL to Alaska because we've never been and DCL is what we want to do for our vacations at the moment/for awhile. I don't think we'd say it's the ONLY time we're going to Alaska though... so that's something to consider.

LOL though- I can relate to what you said. Sometimes in my head I think maybe we could go alone for a cruise and leave the kids -save a ton of money (we always have to get 2 rooms or suites), do what we want, not have to deal with our youngest attached to our hips the entire time, not have to worry if our oldest are obeying our rules while not in our presence, etc. but I haven't come even close to being able to book without them! I, too, don't have the heart to do it. Unfortunately the kids grow up fast and I know it won't be long before we'll be down to a 4person family once our oldest is grown/college/etc. I'm not ready for it and it's coming up fast!

 

[Inkmahm]

We LOVE Alaska and plan to continue visiting (we've been there twice so far) in future years.

For a first cruise or a once in a lifetime cruise, I'd say that Glacier Bay is important. Also, we did two excursions out of Whittier to see the glaciers close up on a smaller boat. NO comparison at all to seeing them from a cruise ship, you really need to do the smaller boat to get close.

I also would not do just a cruise for a one time trip to Alaska. You would miss Fairbanks, Denali, the train to/from Anchorage, Anchorage itself, Kenai, etc. There is so much to see and do on land that you can't do just on a cruise. If wildlife is a focus for you, you really need to get to Denali park to have the best chance to see it.

For a once in a lifetime trip, I would definitely NOT do this itinerary from DCL. I would do Princess (have done Princess twice to Alaska so far and plan future cruisetours with Princess, too.)

 

[dato63]

Inkmaham - did you take children on the princess cruise? DH and I are have been planning Alaska for 2011 for a few months now - so were tickled when DCL announced they were going. But I've not booked due to Glacier Bay not being on the itinerary. However, I keep going back to DCL due to the kids club (our twins will be 7 and love the Disney characters).

Just curious how other children liked the Princess kids club compared to Disney's.

I don't see this as a once in a lifetime cruise for us - if we like it we'll be back to Alaska again. So I lean to DCL as our kids will only be little for a short time. But I like the train/Anchorage (have family in Anchorage as well) and Glacier Bay itinerary better for DH & I.

 

[NancyIL]

To learn about Alaska you need to READ. Go to the library or book store and get some travel books. My two favorites are Frommer's Alaska by Charles Wohlforth and Alaska By Cruise Ship by Anne Vipond.

I did a roundtrip cruise out of Seattle last May that had basically the same itinerary as DCL, plus Victoria. (Cruises leaving from Seattle have to stop in a Canadian port, and most do so for a few evening hours in Victoria.) It wouldn't have been my choice of itinerary for a first Alaska cruise, but it was my 3rd Alaska cruise and the price was right!

Seeing the interior of Alaska on a land trip is as good as (if not better than) seeing it on a cruise ship. My first two visits were northbound cruises followed by 9-day independent land trips with a rental car, rather than a cruise tour. We concentrated on south central Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula on the first land trip: Kennicott, Valdez, Homer, Seward, Anchorage. I visited Denali National Park on the second Alaska trip, and would definitely like to return there on a land trip in 2011.

 

[Goofy559]

Just curious how other children liked the Princess kids club compared to Disney's.

I took my daughter on the princess cruise last year - she was 9 -- slightly older than your DDs - she loved it! The highlight for her was glacier bay -- the whole morning in the kids club was spent with a National Park Ranger who comes on board -- she did presentations, activities etc with the kids -- when they were done, they were all made junior rangers. It was quite amazing.

Overall, she quite enjoyed the club -- it is different from Disney, with specific times it is open during the day. It was also much less crowded, as there are far fewer kids on the cruise - meaning more personal attention.

I also have to echo that the train from Anchorage to Whittier and the Glacier Cruise in Whittier are both phenomenal. We actually saw a Glacier calve in Glacier Bay, so that was a highlight.

Unfortunately, we didn't have time to do the pre-cruise Denali park tours, but plan to do so next time.

I know there has been lots of discussion about the pricing and iteneraries Disney is offering. By way of comparison, we sailed last August, in outside cabins, for under $1000cdn for the two of us -- that left lots of money for special excursions -- we went whale watching with a marine biologist in Juneau (only 6 total on the boat), and took a float plan in Ketchican to go bear watching -- another highlight. We were about five feet from a bear cub on a viewing platform -- very amazing.

When I told my daughter Disney was going to Alaska, she was excited, but chose to cruise again with Princess because "the park ranger was awesome, and I would rather do more cool stuff on shore" -- All good reasons for me! Plus, I personally would rather do a one-way cruise than a round-trip -- more variety in the viewing options from the ship.

Either way, I'm sure your daughters will enjoy Alaska.

 

[Capt_BJ]

Alaska???? this ain't an Alaska trip .... it is the inner passage ....

come see Kodiak, Dutch Harbor and Adak, maybe even St Paul or Nome .... THEN tell me you went to Alaska

 

[disneycrazzzy]

In 1995 we did an Alaska Cruise/Tour of a lifetime and I would say that the "cruise" portion only touched on the true beauty of Alaska. If you wanted to really see Alaska from the cruise trip you had to pay big bucks for pricey excursions. We spent a week doing Ancorage/Denali/Whittier etc. and then cruised south to Vancouver on HAL. A complete Alaska visit MUST include a close up look at glaciers AND a day or two at Denali. If we were to do Alaska again, we wouldn't do the cruise and just spend two weeks on land using the money saved to stay in some of the nicer accomodations in the interior...we "roughed" it on our first visit.

I love cruising...but I really don't think Alaska is best seen from a cruise ship. If I wasn't worried about the cruise being my only chance to visit Alaska, I would love to see DCL's take on Alaska. I'm sure they'll do it well. If you love the outdoors and don't need warm weather/beaches to fulfill your vacation needs, I would think a DCL cruise to Alaska would be awesome.

 

[Inkmahm]

Inkmaham - did you take children on the princess cruise? DH and I are have been planning Alaska for 2011 for a few months now - so were tickled when DCL announced they were going. But I've not booked due to Glacier Bay not being on the itinerary. However, I keep going back to DCL due to the kids club (our twins will be 7 and love the Disney characters).

Just curious how other children liked the Princess kids club compared to Disney's.

I don't see this as a once in a lifetime cruise for us - if we like it we'll be back to Alaska again. So I lean to DCL as our kids will only be little for a short time. But I like the train/Anchorage (have family in Anchorage as well) and Glacier Bay itinerary better for DH & I.

No, we have no children. I took my inlaws with us on the last trip, does that count?

If you will go again in the future, then I think there is nothing wrong with starting out with the DCL cruise. There's a lot to do in each port so you won't run out of ideas for future cruises just because you've been there before.

 

[shoes99]

This was the highlight of my Diamond Princess cruise to Alaska Inside Passage 5 years ago. Worth every penny. This picture was taking in Skagway and it was freezing on the glacier, but on land by the ship it was 90 degrees.... Go figure.

 

[dato63]

No, we have no children. I took my inlaws with us on the last trip, does that count?

If you will go again in the future, then I think there is nothing wrong with starting out with the DCL cruise. There's a lot to do in each port so you won't run out of ideas for future cruises just because you've been there before.

Thanks Inkmahm. I do see us going again if we like it. So that sounds like the way to go. DCL this time while the kids are in that magical place - and another line later.

Yup - I think at times in laws do count! Spouses too.

Shoes99 - that picture is amazing. I was debating the helicopter/sled dogs as I read it is the most cancelled excursion. But that picture sure makes it look worth shooting for. We don't get snow down here - so that background alone would put my DDs in awe. . .toss in some dogs and they would be in heaven. Thank you for sharing.

 

[DisneyManFamily4]

I'm tempted to try Alaska on another line, but hate to miss out on that Disney touch that keeps me coming back. I know on the PC crossing we had special theme nights, presentations and deck parties for the various ports we were at. What do you think Disney will do to make Alaska special? Would they still have deck parties? What would you wear?

 

[NancyIL]

I'm tempted to try Alaska on another line, but hate to miss out on that Disney touch that keeps me coming back. I know on the PC crossing we had special theme nights, presentations and deck parties for the various ports we were at. What do you think Disney will do to make Alaska special? Would they still have deck parties? What would you wear?

I'd wear a lot of layers if it were held outside!

 

[llachance]

be doing Alaska with DCL but have done the inside passage twice...once on Princess and once on HAL. Loved both of them as the scenery is some of the most spectacular that I have ever seen. I wouldn't hesitate - Glacier Bay or not because sometimes the ice stays thick enough that you can't get there anyway! Spent 10 days traveling around by car (yet another trip) and saw Denali etc. I would go again and will someday but there are other trips to take right now I am taking the Vancouver to LA repo because the price is right and I love hanging out at sea.