help me decide: Mexican Riviera or Alaska

[northshoremama]

family of 5: me, DH, DD10, DD8, and DD4

never cruised before.
looking at a 7 night cruise...mexican riviera or alaska

any feedback/input would be helpful. if you've gone on both, which do you prefer? which would you recommend as a 'first cruise'.

i know both are very different places...so i'm torn...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

family of 5: me, DH, DD10, DD8, and DD4

never cruised before.
looking at a 7 night cruise...mexican riviera or alaska

any feedback/input would be helpful. if you've gone on both, which do you prefer? which would you recommend as a 'first cruise'.

i know both are very different places...so i'm torn...

For me - Alaska. And that's saying something, as I don't do COLD well.

That being said, I'll have to ask you - are you cruising for the Disney experience? Or are you cruising for the itinerary experience? If for Disney, the Mexico might be better. It costs less than Alaska. If you're looking for the itinerary - I would suggest you check other cruise lines for Alaska. Often they have better itineraries (ports & port times) than DCL.

Also, with the Mexico itinerary, you don't need to pack as much. Beach days don't require as many clothes as cold weather.

 

[northshoremama]

For me - Alaska. And that's saying something, as I don't do COLD well.

That being said, I'll have to ask you - are you cruising for the Disney experience? Or are you cruising for the itinerary experience? If for Disney, the Mexico might be better. It costs less than Alaska. If you're looking for the itinerary - I would suggest you check other cruise lines for Alaska. Often they have better itineraries (ports & port times) than DCL.

Also, with the Mexico itinerary, you don't need to pack as much. Beach days don't require as many clothes as cold weather.

thank you for the quick response!

i'd have to say "both" for the experience and itinerary. we love disney and have heard such wonderful feedback on disney cruises. we love warm weather as well, but would be sooo awesome to see glaciers and all of alaska's wonders!

the only concerns i have about the mexico one (and maybe these are just non-issues): 1) zika (i can buy/pack bug repellent), and 2) dangerous ports in mexico?!...but maybe that's just me being overly-cautious.

i was looking into other cruise lines for alaska as there are many that leave from seattle (and we live just 20 mins north of seattle, so no need to fly anywhere to get on the boat!)....

 

[AndreAggie]

I'd wait until the youngest is older...unless you plan to go to Alaska multiple times. Alaska is sort of a once in a lifetime for some and if I'm paying that much, I want my family to remember it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Alaska is sort of a once in a lifetime for some

Our first cruise to Alaska, was going to be a "once and done" trip for me. As I said, I don't do cold well, and I really wanted to go there. In doing my research I got worried because the choices on the itineraries seemed to be cruises that went to either Tracy Arm or Glacier Bay. I was sooooo happy I found a cruise that went to both, so I didn't have to make the choice which one would be my Alaska experience.

Suffice it to say by day 3 (our Tracy Arm day - hadn't even made it to Glacier Bay, yet) I knew I'd be returning. We went back 3 years later on a 20 night land/sea tour that included the Yukon and Denali.

And we're going back again. One day.

 

[MUN]

family of 5: me, DH, DD10, DD8, and DD4

never cruised before.
looking at a 7 night cruise...mexican riviera or alaska

any feedback/input would be helpful. if you've gone on both, which do you prefer? which would you recommend as a 'first cruise'.

i know both are very different places...so i'm torn...

I think the Mexican Rivera would make for a better first cruise than Alaska. It's warm, with beaches and plenty of fun things for kids to do.

MUN

 

[Drusilla99]

We've done both and if able to choose either to do again, we'd all, teens included, would go for Mexico. We aren't huge fans of the Mexican ports, but we love the weather, which makes things on the ship like the pools more accessible, and we do love beaches. Alaska was beautiful and we are glad we went, and glad we waited until the kids were older, but we don't really want to go back either.

 

[DisMommyTX]

We prefer the Caribbean hands down over either one, but I'll give my input on the ones you asked about. Alaska was boring. It was very relaxing, nice down time, but DH and I (thank goodness no kids with us) were bored more on that cruise than any other. Literally, the highlight was sitting on our balcony staring at a glacier waiting for ice to melt. Okay, it might not have been as bad as that sounds, but we have no plans to go back. We had the most amazing whale watching excursion and saw some great wild life but most of it was very far away and our kids would not have been at all impressed. The scenery was majestic and captivating for the first few hours, even a couple days, but day after day it was just more of the same. After 15+ Caribbean cruises and one Alaskan cruise, we might have just figured out that we are beach people.

We were not nearly as impressed with the Mexican Riviera ports as the Caribbean, but the cruises had a similar overall feel. We enjoy the flavors and themes and overall warmth. However, I found the ports to be on par with the worst of the Caribbean. Most we will never get off the ship again. Only get off the ship if you have pre-booked an excursion with stellar reviews (which can be unusually hard to find). We cruise the Caribbean for the destinations/ports. A Mexican Riviera cruise (for us) is all about the onboard experience--which is ideal for a Disney cruise!

If waterslides, pools, beaches and flip flops are more your thing, then I would head south. If you prefer nature, wildlife, hiking boots, and relaxing down time, then go north. Either way, I hope you love your cruise and that it is the first of many!

 

[Love2Cruz]

With young kids, I would choose Mexico..they would get to enjoy the pools more. I haven't been to Alaska yet, but plan to in the future, when my DD is a bit older so she can appreciate the naturist on board.

 

[Love2Cruz]

We went back 3 years later on a 20 night land/sea tour that included the Yukon and Denali.

Now that sounds like a trip of a lifetime!

 

[jetskigrl]

We have done both (also the Bahamas and Caribbean) and Alaska was by far our favorite cruise. But we are from So. California so sun and beach is almost year round anyway.

Alaska was calm sailing with constant scenery. Everything was so beautiful. The excursions were far better (we did whale watching on both and Juneau was far superior to Cabo). Alaska was actually the only cruise where my DS swam every day. We avoid the pools on the warm weather cruises because they are too crowded to enjoy. But in Alaska, the water was super warm and only a few people were swimming at a time. My DS was able to go down the slide over and over with no one waiting in line.

The water cruising to and from Mexico is a lot choppier. The weather was beautiful (cruised both in April and October to Mexico) but I think both trips it wasn't until we got further south that it got really warm. Last October was actually miserably hot and humid in Cabo (even the locals were saying it was worse than usual). But that was in port and out at sea it was just fine.

The onboard activities were basically the same (except the seasonal stuff - we had Halloween on the High Seas in Mexico last year). On our April Mexico cruise, they had an arrival in Mexico deck party (which I'm not sure if they will bring back next year or not). But on the Mexico cruise there was nothing like the Tracy Arm day on the Alaska cruise (which was awesome).

I would do either one again. Actually we are going to do the 5-night Alaska next year combined with 4 nights in Vancouver (but I wouldn't suggest the 5-night for a first cruise to Alaska). I would have no problems booking another Mexico cruise too

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Since you live in Seattle, I would vote for doing the Alaska cruise as a first cruise. You're already on the West Coast so you will save time and expense by doing Alaska. You also will not be traveling with children fighting jet lag. We've done both Caribbean and Alaska cruises (we sailed NCL out of Seattle) and loved them both. DS was on the Alaska cruise when he was 5 and he still remembers flying in a helicopter and going dog sledding and even remembers the lumberjack show in Ketchikan. We went in late August of 2013 and the weather was in the low 70's the whole time. It was absolutely gorgeous. Try Alaska! And if you like it, then make the investment to travel across the country and try the Mexican Riviera cruise.

 

[dclpluto]

Alaska

 

[PrincessShmoo]

and we live just 20 mins north of seattle, so no need to fly anywhere to get on the boat!

That little tidbit would have been useful to know before I made my recommendation. I'd do Alaska then. But Disney doesn't cruise out of Seattle. If you want a Disney experience on top of some Alaska, then you'd have to go to Vancouver.

 

[northshoremama]

That little tidbit would have been useful to know before I made my recommendation. I'd do Alaska then. But Disney doesn't cruise out of Seattle. If you want a Disney experience on top of some Alaska, then you'd have to go to Vancouver.

I don't mind flying down to San Diego for the Mexico cruise (we head down to DL every year)... Or up north to Vancouver for the Alaska cruise. Just don't wanna fly cross country to do a Bahama/Caribbean cruise as a first (but this is definitely on our list!).

 

[Shanti]

family of 5: me, DH, DD10, DD8, and DD4

never cruised before.
looking at a 7 night cruise...mexican riviera or alaska

any feedback/input would be helpful. if you've gone on both, which do you prefer? which would you recommend as a 'first cruise'.

i know both are very different places...so i'm torn...

Alaska. No contest.

 

[angelinaxox]

If the type of weather is not an important factor in your decision, then I will say Alaska. I have done both itineraries although neither were on Disney.

I have sailed a wide variety of itineraries on the various cruise lines. If I had to rank all the itineraries I have sailed (Alaska, Bahamas, Bahamas and Florida, Bermuda, British Isles, Canada, Canada and New England, Eastern Carribean, Southern Caribbean and Venuzuela, Western Caribbean, Hawaii and Kiribati, Iceland/Norway/Scotland, Eastern Coast of Mexico, Eastern Mediterranean, Western Mediterranean, Mexican Riviera, and the Baltic), Alaska would rank as my favorite and the Mexican Riviera would rank as my least favorite.

I really did not like the ports on the Mexican Riviera at all, but absolutely loved the beauty of Alaska. My Mexican Riviera cruise was my next cruise after my Alaska cruise and it just couldn't compare.

 

[bethy]

I'm in the Pacific Northwest also and we just did our first DCL last year (and are booked for 2 more, lol!) If you decide you want warm weather I personally think it might be worth flying to Florida since you are getting on a plane anyway. From what I've heard about the Mexico cruises they can be pretty rocky at sea. I also like the ports a little better in the Caribbean - all that crystal clear water and white sand that the Pacific does not have . . . Also, while the Mexican cruises are cheaper than the Alaska cruises I'm pretty sure they are still more expensive than the Caribbean cruises just due to there being so few of them.

We've personally decided it's worth hopping on a direct Alaska flight to Florida all three cruises. It's about the same flight length as to Hawaii from here. We also have a 4, almost 5 year old so long flights are no laughing matter!

 

[cmph]

Not DCL, but I went on cruises to both Alaska and the Mexican Riviera as a teenager. Alaska made quite an impression on me. Panning for gold was cheesy, but the setting unlike anything I was used to growing up in the midwest. My younger sister and I were fascinated by the glaciers and icebergs and just the "different-ness" of it all. Of the Mexican cruise, I remember thinking Cabo was the prettiest of the 3 ports... but I don't really remember what it looked like compared with every other coastal beachy port I've seen in my lifetime. My only clear memory is eating Mexican food at a local place in Mazatlan on an excursion. Nothing about it stuck with me the way Alaska did.

Of course you live in Seattle, so the dramatic scenery change isn't going to be quite as dramatic, aside from the glaciers/icebergs. Would I remember Alaska so well if I had been younger like your kids? I'm not sure. (I was 14.) DD can't remember much of anything from her first parks visit at age 6. We definitely plan to take our kids to Alaska, but we're waiting for the 7yo to be a little older.

 

[xlxo]

Alaska. And that's saying something, as I don't do COLD well

Another vote for Alaska.

Thoughts....

• going in July will be warmer than April/May
• the Alaskan glaciers are not getting bigger
• Alaska accepts US dollars... no foreign currency issues
• Is Mexico a Zika threat?