Help me choose an Alaska itinerary

[BlazerFan]

I'm looking at the Alaska cruises. Of the 7 night cruises, one has Icy Straight Point and the other doesn't. Is there a favorite itinerary?

 

[Geomom]

We did the 'normal' 7 nt Alaskan itinerary in 2016 and loved it--that's the only type of sailings they had that year. When you add Icy Strait Point, your Juneau day is cut short (1PM all aboard vs. 4:45PM) as they combine it with 'Tracy Arm Day.' If there is anyone with motion sickness in your party, it would likely be worse for them with Icy Strait Point as it sails the open ocean longer to get there.

I would check out excursions for Icy Strait Point to see if there is anything there to interest you. Icy Strait Point is a privately owned tourist destination--essentially made for cruise ships to visit. Also think about what you want to do in Juneau and if you'd have enough time to do it with a 1PM all aboard time

 

[Shanti]

I'm looking at the Alaska cruises. Of the 7 night cruises, one has Icy Straight Point and the other doesn't. Is there a favorite itinerary?

I would opt for a full Juneau day over Icy Straight Point. Juneau was the best port on our cruise by far. You can take a bus to Mendenhall Glacier, walk the nature trails in that area, get close to the glacier & touch the waterfall. It's beautiful & impressive, and you won't want to be rushed.

And for this reason, I recommend against going to Mendenhall as part of an excursion, which will limit your time. There are buses you can take (for a fee) to Mendenhall, and they return every 30 minutes, so you can catch the one you want when you're finished. No need to reserve or pay in advance. They'll be at the port area all day, making regular trips to the glacier. It's easy.

 

[DVC Doc]

If it was my first cruise to Alaska, I would do the cruise with the full day of Juneau. Icy Straight Point is truly wonderful though! Consider the 9 night which includes both, as it also goes to Hubbard Glacier which was the highlight for us.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Yes, with the others. A full day in Juneau give you more opportunities for longer adventures. A half day at Tracy Arm and half day at Juneau is very limited.

 

[BlazerFan]

Thank you everyone for the responses. Especially for the comment about people prone to sea sickness. That helps.