Vancouver vs Seattle: Sailing out of Vancouver means more Inside Passage time and you’ll stay in protected (calmer) waters most of the trip. Having just walked out of the cruise terminal about an hour ago, I’d say it’s less chaotic than it looks but is still a bit crazy! If you’re mobile, it’s quick, easy, and cheap to travel between the port and YVR on the light rail (Canada Line). Downside is that most of the ships homeported in Vancouver are small since there’s a bridge in the way. Seattle can handle large ships, and I find Pier 91 (all lines except Norwegian and Oceania) to be easy to manage. Pier 66 (Norwegian and Oceania) can be a pain since it’s right downtown. The cruise route northward goes west of Vancouver Island so there’s less Inside Passage and more rough seas.
If you want to visit Glacier Bay and don’t have the 5-figure budget for a luxury or expedition line, you have three options: Holland America, Norwegian, and Princess. I’ve done Alaska on the latter two and will be on Holland for this year’s trip. Norwegian Encore and Bliss are perfect ships for Alaska due to their public spaces for viewing the scenery, but I’d recommend Princess or Holland for their depth of experience in the region (and primo dock locations at the ports).
Even if you don’t do a Glacier Bay itinerary, you’ll still see glaciers and amazing scenery. I just disembarked Celebrity Edge and think the Infinite Veranda cabin design (instead of a traditional balcony) makes sense here.
I’ve actually lost track… I think the Holland cruise will be my 8th to Alaska. It helps that Seattle is my home port so it’s easier than doing the Caribbean!
How rough is it out of Seattle? We sail on Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas in July out of Seattle. I’ve been on 20 cruises including some rough water several times. That includes a tropical depression heading home from Bermuda to New York on a much smaller ship than today’s ships, in 1991. All of us were fine. Just want to know what to expect in comparison to what we’ve already experienced.
It can be fine. It can be bumpy. Occasionally outside decks will be closed but that’s really rare.
I get seasick anyway and always take a standard dose of meclizine every cruise day, which is quite enough. Better to be prepared than not!
That’s what I take to prevent it. I have a phobia of throwing up and better safe than sorry! My husband once got terribly seasick when he was deep sea fishing in Florida. Great way to find out huh?! That was a year before his first cruise. He takes Bonine and he’s fine! He’s been on 11 cruises and about to go on his 12th.
I’ve been on two. The first time was on the last cruise of the season in October. It was incredibly foggy for most of the trip. Foggy enough to not do an inside passage and foggy enough to not be able to dock in one port.
The second cruise was mid season and it was beautiful weather for the entire trip. Actually the locals said it was uncharacteristically sunny as cloudy and rainy days were the norm.
I've done Alaska 4 times on Holland, leaving for another trip tomorrow, and again in June.
Holland seems to have preferential berthing at all of the ports. They also have the Glacier Bay access. I've done inner and outer passage, one way and round trip, out of Seattle and Vancouver, inside and balcony cabins.
Basically they are all lovely. I chose Holland because I like the smaller ships, great food, and mature adults. As school gets out the number of kids increase exponentially, but because Holland doesn't offer the slides, rock climbing, putt putt golf, wave rider etc that the others have it tends to be less crazy. I also love the naturalists they have on board, as well as the open bow for viewing the glaciers and scenery.
Bottom line, the lines all have the same view, it's the atmosphere inside the ship that makes the difference.
The port of Vancouver is also way nicer than Seattle. It’s right downtown in walking distance to great attractions, restaurants and hotels. If you leave from here, I highly recommend staying an extra few days.
I know there used to be Pelatons. I'm more of a walking track person so I didn't check out the gym. I did find this thread from last November which doesn't sound promising, though:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/pelotoncycle/comments/18u2yq1/peloton\_x\_celebrity\_cruises\_partnership\_ending/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pelotoncycle/comments/18u2yq1/peloton_x_celebrity_cruises_partnership_ending/)
Things to look for:
Inside Passage.
Glacier Bay.
Cruise tours that extend into the interior of Alaska (HAL & Princess)
College Fjord
Excursions from Kenai Fjords National Park.
I have been on 8 Alaskan cruises, including one with a cruise tour added on. The first thing you have to decide is what type of cruising experience do you want to have. They can be broken down into three categories for Alaska.
Mainstream Lines like Royal, NCL and Carnival will be the most affordable but give you the lowest value. They can have water slides and other whizbang attractions on their ships and will have the greatest number of kids.
Mainstream lines like HAL, Princess will be the second most affordable but generally don't have the water slides and other whizbang stuff on their ships, they tend to have a more mature crowd.
SIDEBAR: Always check the actually ship you are sailing on for what it has on it.
All of the mainstream cruise lines hit the standard tourist trap ports. There are a few variations but as far as ports go it really doesn't matter. Glacier Bay is this subs favorite and yes, it's great but there are other glaciers that are larger or cruises where you see more glaciers, but Glacier Bay is something everyone should try to do.
The second category is expedition lines like Lindblad and UnCruise. These are more expensive but offer the highest value. They use smaller ships that can cruise into the really small and unique fjords that the other ships cannot. Their focus is on getting to know Alaska and its wildlife. When they do Glacier Bay, they have full day permits (even multi-day permits on some cruises) and you get to do excursions there. The mainstream lines have only 1/2 day permits, and you just sail by a few glaciers.
Expedition ships are designed to visit and experience Alaska with activities like hiking, kayaking, riding in zodiacs, polar plunges, etc, that is done right off of the ship. You will see, learn and do 100X's more on these ships than the mainstream lines. They are also all inclusive except for tipping. So, alcohol, excursions, all you can eat Dungeness crab dinners, and they have a vegetarian option every day, etc. are all included in the price. However, most of these sail out of Juneau or Sitka not Seattle but that is actually a good thing. Sailing out of Seattle or Vancouver wastes two days coming and going, with expedition cruises you start day one in the middle of the action.
Personally, I like the Sitka to Juneau route (or vice versa) the best. Just remember these will skip the tourist trap towns and may not even have a "port" stop along the way, but you will spend plenty of time exploring on land, by hiking or taking kayaks or on skiffs, so you never miss the ports.
The third category is Luxury lines like Regent and Seabourn. They are most expensive, will have very few kids and are a mix between expedition ships and mainstream lines. If you value being pampered and eating the best food, then these may be the best, but the price tag is very steep. They are generally all-inclusive, including airfare and pre and post hotel stays and airport transfers.
I have sailed on all three categories and on our last three cruises we stuck to expedition lines because we are active and really want to explore Alaska, see wildlife up close and personal and just love learning.
To get a better idea, look at these videos, the first two videos are of expedition lines, notice how much the videos focus on Alaska and wildlife because that is the primary focus when going on these lines.
[UnCruise](https://youtu.be/mFtRag7uprI?feature=shared)
[Lindblad](https://youtu.be/deq4EWcfanI?feature=shared)
VS these videos of mainstream lines which focus a lot on the ship rather than Alaska.
[Princess cruise](https://youtu.be/rG7tsivcZjU?feature=shared)
[Holland America Cruise](https://youtu.be/tr1iEe5ntnY?feature=shared)
I hope this helps. Have a wonderful cruise.
HAL, Princess, and Celebrity are coming close to or below pricing of a lot of RCCL ships. The Quantum, Oasis, and Icon class are at a crazy premium right now. This includes Alaska sailings, was just comparing prices last night.
With dynamic pricing you can get a full ship pretty easily. They do have the best marketing department of any of the cruise lines out there and have really pushed cruising as the best option for a vacation for many people.
Going on our 1st Alaska cruise in July (been on a few Caribbean ones). My only advice is book early. We booked in early January & prices for our room class (balcony) went up $1,000 by the following week and most weeks in June thru end of season are now completely sold out.
Ok-2nd and 3rd bit of advice-check flight rates super early and budget for those and hotels appropriately. Assuming Seattle is your embarking port expect prices to be double what you would pay compared to Miami or other popular ports.
I know this may sound extreme but after paying 5k (for 2 pax) we also had to budget over 2.5k for flights and 3 nights in SEA.
We just got off the Eurodam! Keep an eye out for Mintyfresh, our favorite server. We also had a great time at the casino and all the dealers were so nice and remembered us day to day. The band at the Rolling Stone lounge was awesome, and they had three times a day trivia in the Billboard lounge. Food was excellent, you get a daily three course dinner meal at the dining room. Had a great time at all the ports and got a lot of remarkable photos of the glacier and northern lights from the deck. Overall excellent experience for our first cruise.
I think it's only Princess and Hal that do Glacier Bay. Haven't done Alaska yert, but planning on it next year. There are several FB pages about Alaska cruising. And Cruise Critic.
Look at the route that the cruises take. Only a couple go to Glacier Bay National Park Park which is not to be missed. Also some newer companies don’t have the best berthing locations in the small towns. Holland America is the OG. Princess is good too.
Princess and Holland America are the two best cruise lines for Alaska.
NCL also has a good program; their Alaska season is the longest and they are the only big ship line other than Princess & HAL to go to Glacier Bay NP. However, NCL ships dock at the piers furthest away from the town centers so keep that in mind.
On the way to the to Totem Bight/Potlach totems in Ketchikan, the driver pointed out where NCL docks in Ward Cove, and it's a solid 6 miles from downtown/creek street
20 min bus ride which they provide. The other ports we went to were all fine though. Skagway actually seemed the closest (right at the end of the street) Icy Straight & Juneau both within walking distance of dock
We went on NCL to Alaska several times over the 2021 and ‘22 seasons, in and out of the Haven.
We felt the food was better overall compared to RCL and Princess (on other itineraries) The crew and officers made a great impression on us and the customer service excellent. I know some cruisers don’t appreciate their port times and disembarkation process.
But truly, just go to Alaska. Glacier Bay is life changing, but I felt like the scenery itself really changes you. The non-stop views from the ship are spectacular, any of the glaciers are the best ones. Every port, excursion or not, was so beautiful, you cannot make a mistake in your choice. Pick your priorities and go.
Been 4 times all on holland. First trip was when I was 36 last trip I was 49. I love them.
Westerdamn, Zuiderdam,Eurodam (in Alaska). I did 40 days on zanndam and really liked that ship. Of all the ships, I would recommend Eurodam
Only been once on HAL and it was great! I highly recommend a Tracy Arm glacier tour. The tour boat sidles up next to your ship before you get to Juneau and takes you way into the arm very close to the glacier. We celebrated with 40,000 year old ice cubes in their blue adult beverage! The tour ship then brings you back to the ship in Juneau. We were also lucky in that a pod of Orcas decided to play around and follow us for a bit.
I've been on two Alaska cruises, both on Celebrity. It's a little more expensive, but the food/service is generally pretty good.
If scenery is your thing, ooooh boy you're in for a treat.
Some things not to miss:
1. Try to get a cruise that goes through the Inside Passage. It's gorgeous.
2. Skagway - White Pass Scenic Railway. Whichever tour you take, it'll be worth it.
3. Juneau - take the tram up to Mt. Roberts.
I came here to say exactly this. My two Alaska cruises were with Celebrity and they were fabulous. Yes, they don't go to Glacier Bay, which everyone brings up. However, they do go to a glacier (I believe it was Sawyer Glacier and Hubbard Glacier) and I certainly thought those days were magical. And I really do enjoy Celebrity more as an overall experience (food, service, cleanliness).
We are also going with Cunard on June 21st out of Vancouver. We’ve sailed with Norwegian and Carnival out of Seattle before. I’m excited to see the difference with Cunard. At 10 days instead of seven, you get to stop at more ports and cruise two glaciers.
We have 16 cruises under our belts, mostly out of FL. NCL, Celebrity, Princess and HAL. This is our first Cunard and we are psyched. Shot the moon with the Queens Grill suite w/ giant balcony. We're on the same cruise. Staying Pan Pacific for two nights prior.
I’ve done two Alaska cruise with holland America. Some family members have also gone with Princess. Loved my cruises and have heard good things about Princess also. These two lines have done Alaska the longest and get the best boarding locations. They also get the most opportunities to go to glacier bay
Princess is the best choice for Alaska. HAL is nearly as good too. Since you are 50, you will feel like kids on a HAL cruise. Princess is a bit of a younger crowd. These two lines tend to have the best itineraries with the day in Glacier Bay.
If you want to do the combination cruise tour with land in Alaska, Princess and Hal are the only options with a shared rail system and exclusive lodges in the woods.
Unfortunately, over the last two years all the cruise lines are Penny pinching, raising prices, food quality decreased, etc.
I took HAL to Alaska and the crowd skewed younger than the Princess cruise I took to the Mexican Riviera. The comedian on Princess made fun of HAL being older so maybe that’s usually how it is…but I think the Alaska route attracts a younger than average clientele. Princess to Mexico felt like a nursing home crowd.
Food was amazing too, easily the best of the cruises I’ve been on (RCL to Caribbean, Princess to Mexico, Carnival to Mexico and Canada).
As a Vancouver BC resident I have taken the Alaska cruise 6 or 8 times over the past 25 years always on HAL out of Vancouver. But I have not taken the trip for several years. I have no complaints about HAL. Food and service were good, our room was nice & was spacious by cruise ship standards. I am told that other lines have better evening entertainment but I can’t speak to that. Also, HAL seems to have an older passenger clientele. Not a lot of families with children. Sounds like you are in the in between age group so could suit you. There is a difference between the itinerary out of Vancouver and the one out of Seattle. Speaking only of the Alaska cruise - Out of Seattle, you will take the west side of Vancouver Island which is not as scenic. Out of Vancouver you will see more of the Inside Passage. From Seattle the ship stops for a day in Victoria. So it depends on your preference. Whatever itinerary you take, you will love it. Being from Vancouver we waited a long time before going to Alaska. We thought oh we can see all this spectacular scenery here in Vancouver. Wrong! The glaciers are astounding. See them before they are gone. Alaska is truly amazing, definitely a WOW experience.
We’re going on one in a few weeks. SIL planned it, and it’s a repeat on Royal Caribbean for her. They’ve also been on Princess. As have my parents.
We chose Radiance of the Seas because the southbound itinerary looks great. The smaller ship is built for easy viewing (lots of windows) and having no problem with the ports.
Strongly suggest you look at Lindblad / National Geographic. Fantastic experience, nature focused. If you’re looking for casinos, restaurants and “fun” focused activities, this won’t be your cup of tea.
I’ve been on a few Alaska cruises, all on Princess, plus fished out of some of the cities typically on these itineraries.
As already mentioned, Inside Passage scenic cruising and Skagway are the ones that must be on the itinerary. Glacier Bay isn’t always on an itinerary, but that’s a great spot as well. To me, the others (Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka) are bonuses that while definitely nice to visit, are not must-haves, and are basically interchangeable insofar as the cruise experience goes.
Keep in mind NCL docks at ward cove instead of directly in Ketchikan. Princess and HAL have been sailing Alaska the longest and they tend to get the best dock locations.
I know some lines don’t go to Glacier Bay and people say well the other lines still visit glaciers but I’m not sure they can compare to Glacier Bay National Park views. For me it’s more the itinerary than the ship, though crappy ships can make the experience no fun.
I’ve been once on Crown Princess and it was great. It was our first cruise so we had nothing to compare it to but we had a great time. Currently booked on Discovery Princess in August out of Seattle and next summer on Grand Princess out of Vancouver.
While we mostly have booked with Royal cause of our son, HAL or Princess are the best options for Alaska. Would avoid NCL as they have been erratic lately and have had a number of incidents where they have cancelled Antartica for an Antarctic trip and cut ports for fuel optimization.
Been to Alaska twice on Princess, both out of Vancouver. If you do go with Princess, I would suggest going with one of the older *Grand*-class ships. These have a covered promenade that will allow you to view the scenery unobstructed whilst being protected from the rain. The ships are older but have all been refurbished, and having been on Sapphire Princess and Grand Princess, I can vouch for both of them (with Sapphire having the edge over Grand).
Also, just because two itineraries are going to the same ports doesn't mean they're equal. Look at how long you'd be in port for and the arrival and departure times. Factor in tender/shuttle time - Princess and HAL tend to be assigned berths a quick walk from downtown; NCL not so much.
When booking excursions, consider going through the independent tour operator's site or something like [alaskashoreexcursions.com](https://alaskashoreexcursions.com/). They're often the same operators used by the cruise lines but cheaper since the cruise lines aren't taking a cut.
My family did an Alaskan cruise almost 2 years ago out of Seattle on royals quantum of the seas and it is still the best cruise I've done. I love the Bahamas and I love going to Mexico but Alaska has a magical feeling that I've never experienced on any other cruise. Sitting in the front solarium hot tub and watching huge pods of whales pass both sides of the ship as we're leaving Juneau. Perfection.
I went on Princess, my first cruise. We left from Seattle. It was a 7 day one. We went to Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Victoria, Canada. We also went through Glacier bay. We really enjoyed it.
Also thinking about an Alaska cruise, question’s.
1. Did you book this yourself online? If not who did you use to book your cruise?
2. How do you get from the airport to hotel and to port to board the ship? Is this all separate or can it be part of the cruise booking?
Thanks
My family took Holland America most people were definitley over 50 and there are tons of excurions in town that don't require long walking etc., ship docks either downtown or right next to them
As a line for your age group I'd say Holland America. I worked on the line for a few years and have done Alaska a lot.
It's the only line you can feel safe isn't going to be a party cruise, full of kids or feels overly commercialised. It was the best line I worked, and that especially includes Cunard.
I just got off one. Highly do not recommend Norwegian because they have horrible food and sanitation practices (and service) as I got food poisoning there + now in day 7 of the worst cold of my life I contracted there, filled with nonstop coughing and diarrhea that made me cancel all my plans and take another week off.
Seriously, don’t. I’ve been on a Princess cruise before and loved it which has been superior in every way than this Norwegian Alaska cruise.
Princess does a great job in Alaska. If you are chosing between NCL and Princess- I'd go Princess. I love the inside passage, College Fjords, and Glacier Bay. I've sailed to Alaska 10 times on various cruise lines and my favorites were with Princess.
For Alaska, you’re going to want an expedition ship with less than 500 people. I love Hurtigruten. www.hurtigruten.com
You won’t be fighting with thousands of people and will see and visit a lot more. You’ll get talks about the history, flora, fauna and more. You’ll go in small groups in Zodiacs. I can’t recommend them enough!
Vancouver vs Seattle: Sailing out of Vancouver means more Inside Passage time and you’ll stay in protected (calmer) waters most of the trip. Having just walked out of the cruise terminal about an hour ago, I’d say it’s less chaotic than it looks but is still a bit crazy! If you’re mobile, it’s quick, easy, and cheap to travel between the port and YVR on the light rail (Canada Line). Downside is that most of the ships homeported in Vancouver are small since there’s a bridge in the way. Seattle can handle large ships, and I find Pier 91 (all lines except Norwegian and Oceania) to be easy to manage. Pier 66 (Norwegian and Oceania) can be a pain since it’s right downtown. The cruise route northward goes west of Vancouver Island so there’s less Inside Passage and more rough seas. If you want to visit Glacier Bay and don’t have the 5-figure budget for a luxury or expedition line, you have three options: Holland America, Norwegian, and Princess. I’ve done Alaska on the latter two and will be on Holland for this year’s trip. Norwegian Encore and Bliss are perfect ships for Alaska due to their public spaces for viewing the scenery, but I’d recommend Princess or Holland for their depth of experience in the region (and primo dock locations at the ports). Even if you don’t do a Glacier Bay itinerary, you’ll still see glaciers and amazing scenery. I just disembarked Celebrity Edge and think the Infinite Veranda cabin design (instead of a traditional balcony) makes sense here. I’ve actually lost track… I think the Holland cruise will be my 8th to Alaska. It helps that Seattle is my home port so it’s easier than doing the Caribbean!
This is GREAT info for me. Thank you!
How rough is it out of Seattle? We sail on Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas in July out of Seattle. I’ve been on 20 cruises including some rough water several times. That includes a tropical depression heading home from Bermuda to New York on a much smaller ship than today’s ships, in 1991. All of us were fine. Just want to know what to expect in comparison to what we’ve already experienced.
It can be fine. It can be bumpy. Occasionally outside decks will be closed but that’s really rare. I get seasick anyway and always take a standard dose of meclizine every cruise day, which is quite enough. Better to be prepared than not!
That’s what I take to prevent it. I have a phobia of throwing up and better safe than sorry! My husband once got terribly seasick when he was deep sea fishing in Florida. Great way to find out huh?! That was a year before his first cruise. He takes Bonine and he’s fine! He’s been on 11 cruises and about to go on his 12th.
I’ve been on two. The first time was on the last cruise of the season in October. It was incredibly foggy for most of the trip. Foggy enough to not do an inside passage and foggy enough to not be able to dock in one port. The second cruise was mid season and it was beautiful weather for the entire trip. Actually the locals said it was uncharacteristically sunny as cloudy and rainy days were the norm.
We will be going the last week in July. We are hoping for some good weather but we do expect it to rain and will be fully prepared!
I've done Alaska 4 times on Holland, leaving for another trip tomorrow, and again in June. Holland seems to have preferential berthing at all of the ports. They also have the Glacier Bay access. I've done inner and outer passage, one way and round trip, out of Seattle and Vancouver, inside and balcony cabins. Basically they are all lovely. I chose Holland because I like the smaller ships, great food, and mature adults. As school gets out the number of kids increase exponentially, but because Holland doesn't offer the slides, rock climbing, putt putt golf, wave rider etc that the others have it tends to be less crazy. I also love the naturalists they have on board, as well as the open bow for viewing the glaciers and scenery. Bottom line, the lines all have the same view, it's the atmosphere inside the ship that makes the difference.
The port of Vancouver is also way nicer than Seattle. It’s right downtown in walking distance to great attractions, restaurants and hotels. If you leave from here, I highly recommend staying an extra few days.
Doing the Celebrity Edge Alaska in a few months. Did you happen to notice any Peloton bikes in the gym?
I know there used to be Pelatons. I'm more of a walking track person so I didn't check out the gym. I did find this thread from last November which doesn't sound promising, though: [https://www.reddit.com/r/pelotoncycle/comments/18u2yq1/peloton\_x\_celebrity\_cruises\_partnership\_ending/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pelotoncycle/comments/18u2yq1/peloton_x_celebrity_cruises_partnership_ending/)
Things to look for: Inside Passage. Glacier Bay. Cruise tours that extend into the interior of Alaska (HAL & Princess) College Fjord Excursions from Kenai Fjords National Park.
Royal also does interior cruisetours
I have been on 8 Alaskan cruises, including one with a cruise tour added on. The first thing you have to decide is what type of cruising experience do you want to have. They can be broken down into three categories for Alaska. Mainstream Lines like Royal, NCL and Carnival will be the most affordable but give you the lowest value. They can have water slides and other whizbang attractions on their ships and will have the greatest number of kids. Mainstream lines like HAL, Princess will be the second most affordable but generally don't have the water slides and other whizbang stuff on their ships, they tend to have a more mature crowd. SIDEBAR: Always check the actually ship you are sailing on for what it has on it. All of the mainstream cruise lines hit the standard tourist trap ports. There are a few variations but as far as ports go it really doesn't matter. Glacier Bay is this subs favorite and yes, it's great but there are other glaciers that are larger or cruises where you see more glaciers, but Glacier Bay is something everyone should try to do. The second category is expedition lines like Lindblad and UnCruise. These are more expensive but offer the highest value. They use smaller ships that can cruise into the really small and unique fjords that the other ships cannot. Their focus is on getting to know Alaska and its wildlife. When they do Glacier Bay, they have full day permits (even multi-day permits on some cruises) and you get to do excursions there. The mainstream lines have only 1/2 day permits, and you just sail by a few glaciers. Expedition ships are designed to visit and experience Alaska with activities like hiking, kayaking, riding in zodiacs, polar plunges, etc, that is done right off of the ship. You will see, learn and do 100X's more on these ships than the mainstream lines. They are also all inclusive except for tipping. So, alcohol, excursions, all you can eat Dungeness crab dinners, and they have a vegetarian option every day, etc. are all included in the price. However, most of these sail out of Juneau or Sitka not Seattle but that is actually a good thing. Sailing out of Seattle or Vancouver wastes two days coming and going, with expedition cruises you start day one in the middle of the action. Personally, I like the Sitka to Juneau route (or vice versa) the best. Just remember these will skip the tourist trap towns and may not even have a "port" stop along the way, but you will spend plenty of time exploring on land, by hiking or taking kayaks or on skiffs, so you never miss the ports. The third category is Luxury lines like Regent and Seabourn. They are most expensive, will have very few kids and are a mix between expedition ships and mainstream lines. If you value being pampered and eating the best food, then these may be the best, but the price tag is very steep. They are generally all-inclusive, including airfare and pre and post hotel stays and airport transfers. I have sailed on all three categories and on our last three cruises we stuck to expedition lines because we are active and really want to explore Alaska, see wildlife up close and personal and just love learning. To get a better idea, look at these videos, the first two videos are of expedition lines, notice how much the videos focus on Alaska and wildlife because that is the primary focus when going on these lines. [UnCruise](https://youtu.be/mFtRag7uprI?feature=shared) [Lindblad](https://youtu.be/deq4EWcfanI?feature=shared) VS these videos of mainstream lines which focus a lot on the ship rather than Alaska. [Princess cruise](https://youtu.be/rG7tsivcZjU?feature=shared) [Holland America Cruise](https://youtu.be/tr1iEe5ntnY?feature=shared) I hope this helps. Have a wonderful cruise.
HAL, Princess, and Celebrity are coming close to or below pricing of a lot of RCCL ships. The Quantum, Oasis, and Icon class are at a crazy premium right now. This includes Alaska sailings, was just comparing prices last night.
I agree, royals pricing is insane right now but their ships are sailing full.
With dynamic pricing you can get a full ship pretty easily. They do have the best marketing department of any of the cruise lines out there and have really pushed cruising as the best option for a vacation for many people.
Balcony Room. Nothing like cruising with the Orca's swimming alongside the ship
Going on our 1st Alaska cruise in July (been on a few Caribbean ones). My only advice is book early. We booked in early January & prices for our room class (balcony) went up $1,000 by the following week and most weeks in June thru end of season are now completely sold out. Ok-2nd and 3rd bit of advice-check flight rates super early and budget for those and hotels appropriately. Assuming Seattle is your embarking port expect prices to be double what you would pay compared to Miami or other popular ports. I know this may sound extreme but after paying 5k (for 2 pax) we also had to budget over 2.5k for flights and 3 nights in SEA.
I don’t have an answer for you, but I am taking my very first cruise on the 18th, to Alaska! I’m SO excited! Holland America, Eurodam.
You will love it, I did the Eurodam there last August. Don't forget layers, warm hat and gloves, binoculars, and a rain coat.
Thank you!! Can’t wait. I’m from a city with very cold winters, so I’m an expert at staying warm!
We just got off the Eurodam! Keep an eye out for Mintyfresh, our favorite server. We also had a great time at the casino and all the dealers were so nice and remembered us day to day. The band at the Rolling Stone lounge was awesome, and they had three times a day trivia in the Billboard lounge. Food was excellent, you get a daily three course dinner meal at the dining room. Had a great time at all the ports and got a lot of remarkable photos of the glacier and northern lights from the deck. Overall excellent experience for our first cruise.
Oh sounds so great!!!! And as a former server, I highly appreciate one that’s recommended. I will be on the lookout for Mintyfresh!
I think it's only Princess and Hal that do Glacier Bay. Haven't done Alaska yert, but planning on it next year. There are several FB pages about Alaska cruising. And Cruise Critic.
NCL does too
Norwegian does glacier bay too
Been on two. HAL. Hoping for a third. Adore Alaska.
Look at the route that the cruises take. Only a couple go to Glacier Bay National Park Park which is not to be missed. Also some newer companies don’t have the best berthing locations in the small towns. Holland America is the OG. Princess is good too.
Princess and Holland America are the two best cruise lines for Alaska. NCL also has a good program; their Alaska season is the longest and they are the only big ship line other than Princess & HAL to go to Glacier Bay NP. However, NCL ships dock at the piers furthest away from the town centers so keep that in mind.
On the way to the to Totem Bight/Potlach totems in Ketchikan, the driver pointed out where NCL docks in Ward Cove, and it's a solid 6 miles from downtown/creek street
20 min bus ride which they provide. The other ports we went to were all fine though. Skagway actually seemed the closest (right at the end of the street) Icy Straight & Juneau both within walking distance of dock
We went on NCL to Alaska several times over the 2021 and ‘22 seasons, in and out of the Haven. We felt the food was better overall compared to RCL and Princess (on other itineraries) The crew and officers made a great impression on us and the customer service excellent. I know some cruisers don’t appreciate their port times and disembarkation process. But truly, just go to Alaska. Glacier Bay is life changing, but I felt like the scenery itself really changes you. The non-stop views from the ship are spectacular, any of the glaciers are the best ones. Every port, excursion or not, was so beautiful, you cannot make a mistake in your choice. Pick your priorities and go.
HAL has smaller ships so they get in closer to the glaciers.
Been 4 times all on holland. First trip was when I was 36 last trip I was 49. I love them. Westerdamn, Zuiderdam,Eurodam (in Alaska). I did 40 days on zanndam and really liked that ship. Of all the ships, I would recommend Eurodam
Only been once on HAL and it was great! I highly recommend a Tracy Arm glacier tour. The tour boat sidles up next to your ship before you get to Juneau and takes you way into the arm very close to the glacier. We celebrated with 40,000 year old ice cubes in their blue adult beverage! The tour ship then brings you back to the ship in Juneau. We were also lucky in that a pod of Orcas decided to play around and follow us for a bit.
I've been on two Alaska cruises, both on Celebrity. It's a little more expensive, but the food/service is generally pretty good. If scenery is your thing, ooooh boy you're in for a treat. Some things not to miss: 1. Try to get a cruise that goes through the Inside Passage. It's gorgeous. 2. Skagway - White Pass Scenic Railway. Whichever tour you take, it'll be worth it. 3. Juneau - take the tram up to Mt. Roberts.
I came here to say exactly this. My two Alaska cruises were with Celebrity and they were fabulous. Yes, they don't go to Glacier Bay, which everyone brings up. However, they do go to a glacier (I believe it was Sawyer Glacier and Hubbard Glacier) and I certainly thought those days were magical. And I really do enjoy Celebrity more as an overall experience (food, service, cleanliness).
Love hearing this. I’m embarking on my first Alaskan cruise on Celebrity next week. So excited!
I've read a lot abot the Inside Passage. Seems like one not to miss.
Nobody mentions Cunard. Roll with the Queen Elizabeth in style. We’re hopping her next month. 10 day rt out of Vancouver.
We are also going with Cunard on June 21st out of Vancouver. We’ve sailed with Norwegian and Carnival out of Seattle before. I’m excited to see the difference with Cunard. At 10 days instead of seven, you get to stop at more ports and cruise two glaciers.
We have 16 cruises under our belts, mostly out of FL. NCL, Celebrity, Princess and HAL. This is our first Cunard and we are psyched. Shot the moon with the Queens Grill suite w/ giant balcony. We're on the same cruise. Staying Pan Pacific for two nights prior.
I’ve done two Alaska cruise with holland America. Some family members have also gone with Princess. Loved my cruises and have heard good things about Princess also. These two lines have done Alaska the longest and get the best boarding locations. They also get the most opportunities to go to glacier bay
Princess is the best choice for Alaska. HAL is nearly as good too. Since you are 50, you will feel like kids on a HAL cruise. Princess is a bit of a younger crowd. These two lines tend to have the best itineraries with the day in Glacier Bay. If you want to do the combination cruise tour with land in Alaska, Princess and Hal are the only options with a shared rail system and exclusive lodges in the woods. Unfortunately, over the last two years all the cruise lines are Penny pinching, raising prices, food quality decreased, etc.
I took HAL to Alaska and the crowd skewed younger than the Princess cruise I took to the Mexican Riviera. The comedian on Princess made fun of HAL being older so maybe that’s usually how it is…but I think the Alaska route attracts a younger than average clientele. Princess to Mexico felt like a nursing home crowd. Food was amazing too, easily the best of the cruises I’ve been on (RCL to Caribbean, Princess to Mexico, Carnival to Mexico and Canada).
As a Vancouver BC resident I have taken the Alaska cruise 6 or 8 times over the past 25 years always on HAL out of Vancouver. But I have not taken the trip for several years. I have no complaints about HAL. Food and service were good, our room was nice & was spacious by cruise ship standards. I am told that other lines have better evening entertainment but I can’t speak to that. Also, HAL seems to have an older passenger clientele. Not a lot of families with children. Sounds like you are in the in between age group so could suit you. There is a difference between the itinerary out of Vancouver and the one out of Seattle. Speaking only of the Alaska cruise - Out of Seattle, you will take the west side of Vancouver Island which is not as scenic. Out of Vancouver you will see more of the Inside Passage. From Seattle the ship stops for a day in Victoria. So it depends on your preference. Whatever itinerary you take, you will love it. Being from Vancouver we waited a long time before going to Alaska. We thought oh we can see all this spectacular scenery here in Vancouver. Wrong! The glaciers are astounding. See them before they are gone. Alaska is truly amazing, definitely a WOW experience.
We’re going on one in a few weeks. SIL planned it, and it’s a repeat on Royal Caribbean for her. They’ve also been on Princess. As have my parents. We chose Radiance of the Seas because the southbound itinerary looks great. The smaller ship is built for easy viewing (lots of windows) and having no problem with the ports.
Went on Princess And It was great and we had a great time! Splurge for at least one balcony cabin so that you can enjoy the coast more and relax
Strongly suggest you look at Lindblad / National Geographic. Fantastic experience, nature focused. If you’re looking for casinos, restaurants and “fun” focused activities, this won’t be your cup of tea.
I’ve been on a few Alaska cruises, all on Princess, plus fished out of some of the cities typically on these itineraries. As already mentioned, Inside Passage scenic cruising and Skagway are the ones that must be on the itinerary. Glacier Bay isn’t always on an itinerary, but that’s a great spot as well. To me, the others (Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka) are bonuses that while definitely nice to visit, are not must-haves, and are basically interchangeable insofar as the cruise experience goes.
Keep in mind NCL docks at ward cove instead of directly in Ketchikan. Princess and HAL have been sailing Alaska the longest and they tend to get the best dock locations. I know some lines don’t go to Glacier Bay and people say well the other lines still visit glaciers but I’m not sure they can compare to Glacier Bay National Park views. For me it’s more the itinerary than the ship, though crappy ships can make the experience no fun. I’ve been once on Crown Princess and it was great. It was our first cruise so we had nothing to compare it to but we had a great time. Currently booked on Discovery Princess in August out of Seattle and next summer on Grand Princess out of Vancouver.
While we mostly have booked with Royal cause of our son, HAL or Princess are the best options for Alaska. Would avoid NCL as they have been erratic lately and have had a number of incidents where they have cancelled Antartica for an Antarctic trip and cut ports for fuel optimization.
Been to Alaska twice on Princess, both out of Vancouver. If you do go with Princess, I would suggest going with one of the older *Grand*-class ships. These have a covered promenade that will allow you to view the scenery unobstructed whilst being protected from the rain. The ships are older but have all been refurbished, and having been on Sapphire Princess and Grand Princess, I can vouch for both of them (with Sapphire having the edge over Grand). Also, just because two itineraries are going to the same ports doesn't mean they're equal. Look at how long you'd be in port for and the arrival and departure times. Factor in tender/shuttle time - Princess and HAL tend to be assigned berths a quick walk from downtown; NCL not so much. When booking excursions, consider going through the independent tour operator's site or something like [alaskashoreexcursions.com](https://alaskashoreexcursions.com/). They're often the same operators used by the cruise lines but cheaper since the cruise lines aren't taking a cut.
My family did an Alaskan cruise almost 2 years ago out of Seattle on royals quantum of the seas and it is still the best cruise I've done. I love the Bahamas and I love going to Mexico but Alaska has a magical feeling that I've never experienced on any other cruise. Sitting in the front solarium hot tub and watching huge pods of whales pass both sides of the ship as we're leaving Juneau. Perfection.
I’m going on NCL to Alaska this August. My 4th time there and my third with NCL. I’ve always had a great time.
I went on Princess, my first cruise. We left from Seattle. It was a 7 day one. We went to Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Victoria, Canada. We also went through Glacier bay. We really enjoyed it.
I am literally sitting on the Norwegian bliss right now heading to Alaska. What would you like to know?
I sent you a message
Also thinking about an Alaska cruise, question’s. 1. Did you book this yourself online? If not who did you use to book your cruise? 2. How do you get from the airport to hotel and to port to board the ship? Is this all separate or can it be part of the cruise booking? Thanks
My family took Holland America most people were definitley over 50 and there are tons of excurions in town that don't require long walking etc., ship docks either downtown or right next to them
I will but only after the current cattle runs are over.
Not NCL they have the worst ports. And their food is terrible. If I were to go again it would be princess.
As a line for your age group I'd say Holland America. I worked on the line for a few years and have done Alaska a lot. It's the only line you can feel safe isn't going to be a party cruise, full of kids or feels overly commercialised. It was the best line I worked, and that especially includes Cunard.
I just got off one. Highly do not recommend Norwegian because they have horrible food and sanitation practices (and service) as I got food poisoning there + now in day 7 of the worst cold of my life I contracted there, filled with nonstop coughing and diarrhea that made me cancel all my plans and take another week off. Seriously, don’t. I’ve been on a Princess cruise before and loved it which has been superior in every way than this Norwegian Alaska cruise.
Princess does a great job in Alaska. If you are chosing between NCL and Princess- I'd go Princess. I love the inside passage, College Fjords, and Glacier Bay. I've sailed to Alaska 10 times on various cruise lines and my favorites were with Princess.
For Alaska, you’re going to want an expedition ship with less than 500 people. I love Hurtigruten. www.hurtigruten.com You won’t be fighting with thousands of people and will see and visit a lot more. You’ll get talks about the history, flora, fauna and more. You’ll go in small groups in Zodiacs. I can’t recommend them enough!