Room picking for an Alaska cruise

[laceltris3]

My advice is to get a verandah, which side doesn't matter. I cannot imagine having to stake out and guard a viewing site on the deck, and having to stay there for hours. Or having to try to push through a throng of people just to get pictures. My favorite thing was going and getting my soup in a bread bowl and then coming back to eat in my room and watch the whales from our verandah.

 

[auntlynne]

Are all the balconies on the Wonder covered? We are looking at deck 7 balcony for May 2022. Thanks!

Actually, no. This is not what you are asking about (Deck 7), but Accessible Concierge one bedrooms at the back of Deck 8 are uncovered.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

On our DCL Alaska cruise on glacier day, they faced once side of the ship towards the glacier and then we turned around and left. The other side didn't get any viewing time of the glacier front. I'm not sure what happened on that trip, but I was really surprised when we left instead of turned for the other side to get a view. On the plus side, our room was on the side that got all of the glacier-front viewing time!

There must have been some emergency. Our Alaskan cruise was in 2012 and we sailed up Tracy Arm Fjord to Sawyer Glacier and we spent a good while at the glacier, turning back and forth for both sides. The glacier calved and we got such great pictures of it. Then loads of seals (probably 100) all hopped onto the little bergy bits. A CM hooked up a big hunk of iceberg and put it out on deck 4. The whole thing was so surreal and definitely the highlight of our cruise. The sun was low in the sky when we left. It was definitely not a quickie view and leave but it took a few hours to sail up the fjord. There were no excursions being offered that day. That would be cool to get in a smaller boat to get up close.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

But either side of the ship will work in that case. On HAL they had crew handing out blankets and cups of hot split pea soup on the decks during the most scenic times. One of my top 10 cruise experiences.

DCL did this too except it was hot chocolate. Of course they sold commemorative insulated travel mugs which my dad bought for our kids and we still have them from 2012. The dishwasher has been a bit harsh on them.

 

[bcwife76]

Sept 2017.

We've cruised Alaska twice on DCL (verandah both times). Our first time was August 2017 and both sides of the ship got equal viewing time on glacier day. Maybe something happened ( a storm brewing??? It was getting late???) And you had to get out of the area a bit sooner than was planned?

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

Honestly, the one thing with Alaska Cruises that sucks: The cost of Oceanview vs. Verandah.

We were looking at 2022 pricing and its a 2.5K/3K price difference between an oceanview on Deck 2 or a Navigator's verandah which drives me insane. Thats easily flights and spending money while on board

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Honestly, the one thing with Alaska Cruises that sucks: The cost of Oceanview vs. Verandah.

We were looking at 2022 pricing and its a 2.5K/3K price difference between an oceanview on Deck 2 or a Navigator's verandah which drives me insane. Thats easily flights and spending money while on board

For us, it was cheaper to get a balcony for 2 and put our kids across the hall in an inside cabin vs. all 4 of us in balcony. They were teenagers and very experienced cruisers so I didn't worry too much.

 

[BruinEd03]

Honestly, the one thing with Alaska Cruises that sucks: The cost of Oceanview vs. Verandah.

We were looking at 2022 pricing and its a 2.5K/3K price difference between an oceanview on Deck 2 or a Navigator's verandah which drives me insane. Thats easily flights and spending money while on board

If You had to choose between the two, I’d say save the money, go for OV deck 2, and knock it out with good excursions.

There’s plenty of good spots to view the glaciers from the upper decks, or deck 4.

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

If You had to choose between the two, I’d say save the money, go for OV deck 2, and knock it out with good excursions.

There’s plenty of good spots to view the glaciers from the upper decks, or deck 4.

That's what I've always thought personally. Plus, those big Portholes are great to look out of. The excursions are very pricey too so that would help out a lot.

Originally I disliked the idea of Oceanview rooms, but we had one on a 7 night Fantasy sailing back in 2019 that totally changed my mind.

 

[dvcdisney]

I would say both sides as well, but we've always booked starboard as a personal preference.

For us, the verandah was nice, but we spend most of our time on the upper deck. It was crowded but we didn't have any issues getting a good photo.

Our second Alaska cruise it was a bit drizzly and cold but we just went in and out to get warm and they provided lots of blankets. And hot chocolate was definitely a must for us.