Anyone been on an Alaskan cruise?

Question

I would like to take my husband on an Alaskan cruise for our wedding anniversary in September. I am thinking way ahead so I can plan this right :-)

If any of you have advise on planning one, I'd love to hear it!

Answer 1

Yes, and we absolutely loved it.

Princess cruse lines has a very good Alaska package. If you have been on multiple cruises before you will find that different cruise lines cater to different types of crowds. For example Carnival caters more to the 20 something wanting to have fun in the sun in the Caribbean so their entertainment and attitude is geared towards that. On the other hand, Alaska is much more about the breathtaking scenery than about playing volleyball so you will be more interested in more quality on-board shows and dining. Princess caters more to that type of crowd.

You definitely want to take the North to South trip. True, you get to see all the same ports of call going South to North. However, the travel time to the port at the North end is much longer. You want to get this out of the way up front rather than after your trip when you have been traveled out.

As far as the side trips go, spend the extra bucks to take a helicopter ride to walk around on a glacier. It is one of the most memorable moments from our trip, if for no other reason than a chance to ride in a helicopter. Also, I don't remember why, but we decided not to do the whale watching side trip. Now I kind of wish I had.

September is likely to be pretty darned cold up there. You might want to think about taking the trip in the summer instead.

Answer 2

My whole family and I went on an Alaskan Cruise to celebrate my parents' 40th anniversary. We all had a blast and I got engaged while on the cruise! We went the first week of August - we made the reservation through vacationstogo.com - they have some pretty good deals. The sooner you book the better deals you will be able to get. I have also heard - if you are flexible on the dates and can go without much notice to wait and call the cruise lines directly the week before you want to go - then they have last minute deals and will offer really low prices just to fill up the boat! I think Sept might be a little cool (but I am from Florida and I have thin skin!) but if you go early in Sept it will still be ok I'm sure. The Alaskan Tourist season is only from May through Sept anyway - then all those little cruise port towns close down. We took a one way cruise, so we spent a few days in Vancouver first and then went on the seven day cruise and then spent a few more days in Alaska and went up to Denali national park. We went on a whale watching tour and a zip line adventure and a train ride and all sorts of other cool stuff. You will have a great time no matter which cruise line you choose or which ports of call it goes into.

Answer 3

OK I've never been on an Alaskan cruise but since I have lived there I do have a few suggestions.
1.) Go between the months of June-August. That"s when Alaska is at it's most beautiful.
2.) If you have the time, fly to Fairbanks first and then take the train from Fairbanks to Anchorage. This way you can go through Denali National Park and really see Alaska and the wild. When you take the cruise you just travel along the coastline and never really see the interior and splendor that Alaska has to offer.
When you finish the train ride then catch the cruise in Anchorage and go from there till you reach Seattle or where ever it happens to end. You will still see everything the cruise has to offer and also visit the true Alaska.
Hope this helps a little.

Answer 4

You need to check out the last sailing dates for an Alaskan Cruise. They may still sail in Sept. I went in July a couple years ago. It was fantastic, Contact a good travel agent and they can help you. I have used Ron, at 800 211-5107 or 888 202-4068 for many cruised. He does a fantastic job. Carnival and most cruise lines go there. Some people plan a "see Alaska tour" with the cruise. Its just a matter of choice and how much you want to spend. The side trips in Alaska can be very expensive, especially the one the cruise ship sales on board. But you can find plenty of trips after your ship docks.

Be sure and take a warm jacket, the weather is always cooler than down here.

Answer 5

I took an Alaskan cruise three years ago. Best experience ever. I went in September as well and let me tell it does get cold. If you are from the south, it'll be quite a wake up call.
Tips:
-Take as many "off the boat" excursions as your budget will allow. You'll never see the beautiful state from your cabin window.
-If you can't find a excursion to take, still get off the ship, everytime you dock. You won't regret it.
-The locals are nice, don't be afraid to ask for a good restaurant. Don't eat some place that you have back home. (i.e. McDonald's)
-The shopping is awesome! So be prepared for that. Every port as something different to offer.
-If you do drink, the alcohol in the ship gift shop goes extremely quickly. We're talking within minutes of leaving the original port. And that's it for the whole voyage.
-Don't forget the Dramamine. They offer it in the gift shop, but it's always safe to bring extra. Even if you don't normally get sea sick, bring it, you never know! Mint candy works well, too.
-My favorite port was Juneau. It's such an amazing town and very full of history. May I recommend the Red Dog Saloon. Totally awesome!
-Also, try a salmon bake! There's nothing like fresh Alaskan Salmon.
-I didn't get to try it, but I heard that the Glacier Adventures were amazing!
-Although it gets colder at night, try to make it outside on the ship to view the Aurora Borealis. Truly beautiful, it is hard to see in September.
-Be prepared to eat!! And it's great food!
-Depending on what cruise line you take you will need at least two formal outfits (or you could wear the same one..I don't think it matters) Traditionally, it's the first full day and the last full day that are the formal dinners. Nice suit for your husband, dress for yourself.
-Just have fun! Explore the ship, go to the shows they offer, get a facial, get a manicure, dance, and enjoy!!!
Have a great time!

Answer 6

I know you have lots of other good advice here, so I will just say that I took my wife on a 13 day cruise tour package to Alaska and it was the best vacation I ever took! It was for our 25th anniversary and was she ever surprised. Your husband will love you for it, especially if you're the type that loves nature. One word of caution, I think the cruise lines only run until Sept 15th and after labor day some things shut down. But enjoy it and I wish I was going again, it is the only place I've been on vacation that I would go back in a heartbeat. I just wish I had more time then what they give you a cruise. Next time I may drive and take the Alaskan highway and stay in each port as long as you like.

Answer 7

We have been to Alaska half a dozen times. In May the weather is the best and everything is open. When we went in September or October many things had already closed for winter. Not to worry, however, the cruise ship has many excursions and you won't be disappointed. Calving of glaciers is a must see and you don't even have to leave the ship to see it. I use vacationstogo.com [e-mail]. Scotty is a seasoned professional and will set up a special cruise for you at a good discount. Depending on the cruise line (Royal Caribbean puts a sign on your door) you'll be treated to champagne, etc.

Try and take the cruise tour - about 11 days or so - go to Denali Park and see all the wildlife before they hibernate for the winter. Every port has something to show, and every port offers spectacular tours you can arrange through the cruise line. I say through the cruise iine because if a tour runs late you don't miss your ship. Scotty will arrange airfare and cruise and you won't be disappointed.

Eileen

Answer 8

I think an Alaskan cruise is great for an anniversary. I highly recommend Princess Cruises. I worked at one of their lodges and they take very good care of their guests. They have several cruise options and 5 land-based lodges. One of them (Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge) is the largest hotel in Alaska and has the largest restaurant in the state. It is absolutely beautiful. It sits right on the Nenana River and is only 1 mile from the entrance to Denali National Park.
I recommend starting in Fairbanks if you plan to do any land tours or lodges. This makes the first part of your trip the more hectic and then you can just relax on ship. Take the train as much as possible from lodge to lodge. It is a little more expensive, but much nicer and roomier than motor coach.
Also, don't be tempted to book a lot of tours and sight-seeing trips ahead of time. Many of them leave VERY early in the morning and they keep you running all day. I found that quite a few people that I came in contact with were tired and grumpy because they had booked too much and didn't really get to enjoy just BEING in Alaska..the last great frontier of America.
I hope you enjoy your cruise.

Answer 9

I haven't been to Alaska, but I've been to a cruise to Hawaii. The cruise was a lot of fun, but I personally felt like it took away from the location because there was so much to do in the ship (and I was in Hawaii). I guess Alaska might be a good place to go on a cruise because if you don't find much to do outside, the cruise itself is already enternaining. I also read something about smaller cruise ships focus more in the destination. I wanted to try that next time. I like the idea of doing the long trip north in the beginning and then stop on you way back, because you will have time to enjoy the ship and get used to things in the beginning of the trip and not feel like you are missing time in the port.
If you are on a budget I would suggest accounting for the expenses during the trip upfront. The shore excursions are expensive, and drinks add up. They often charge you a gratuity per day per person, but it does not include bartender tips. Once you are in the cruise it feels like they will do charge you for anything they can. And if there is any problem and they have to skip a port, they hardly compensate you for that (at least NCL didn't do much). So remember although food is included with your booking, it has more costs to be added.
On the good side, you can book as early as possible, and if you see a sale later you may be able to change your reservation without penalties (untill you pay the remainder). And you may also consider renting a car or buy tours though local agencies. They will charge you cheaper than the cruise line for exactly the same tour, they have more variety available and may even pick you up in the port. The only disadvantage is that if any accidents happen, the cruise will not wait for you, but that is kind of rare. If you don't need a tour guide talking in your ear the whole time (it gets old quick), renting a car seems to be a great idea to save.

Answer 10

We went in September, 1998. We flew into Seattle (from Philadelphia) and were bussed up to Vancouver where we boarded the Legend of the Seas (Royal Caribbean). We had fabulous weather the entire time. We were actually in the inside passage wearing short sleeve shirts while watching the glaciers fall off into the sea. Can't promise the weather is always that good though. We were talking with a store owner in Juneau and she said that people from the cruise the week before were complaining that they would never come to Alaska again because it was cold and rainy. I went biking where we rented bikes and they hauled us 20 miles out of town and we road the bikes back to town (mostly downhill the entire way). I also took a helicopter ride where we landed on a glacier. I'll never forget that. To actually be on a glacier and look down the crevices (which were all around you. I wondered if they would just leave you if you ever fell in because they are so deep that I couldn't imagine how they would get you (your body) out. We did Juneau, Skagway, Ketchacan, Sitka and one other town (can't recall the name). Anyway, hope you have as good a time as we did. P.s.-the food was great and the wait staff was very fun and pleasurable. If you do the Royal Carribean make sure you do the midnight desert run. You'll love it.

Answer 11

I went on an Alaskan Cruise before and the best advice that I could give you is to plan a few days on the mainland. The cruise itself was spectacular but you miss out on some really great parts of Alaska because it is time consumed by the cruise ship. What I would do (if you can afford a few extra days) is plans the cruise and try out some of these: salmon fishing, helecopter ride to the top of a glacier (this is a must!), panning for gold, and whale watching. Those were just a few of the things that we did. We missed out on a lot because we didn't have any time to go tour the mainland ourselves. I would have loved to see Mt MkKinley andwe didn't get to do that. Check into it, and good luck with your trip!!!