aliciasfolks

My husband & I are 42 and are thinking about a cruise to Alaska. Any general advice?? Best ports, cruise lines, what to do or not to do??
Thanks!

nukeng

I'm also planning my first cruise vacation, and Alaska is my choice,too.
I found this URL,"http://www.cruisealaska.com/tips/", quite useful.

jacketwatch

We went to Alaska in 2005. Fantastic!!
1. Avoid going close to the last cruises of the yr. It can get pretty cold then. We went late August and had no issues w/ temperature. There ws some rain but it wasn't a problem.
2. Get a room with a balcony if possible. The views are just too good to be missed though you can see them from a common deck as well. Its just more cozy in your own room.
3. Be sure to bring a good pair of binoculars.
4. Alaska has perhaps the best excursions in the world. We loved ours which included a helicopter to Mendenhall glacier, the White Pass RR in Skagway, and whale watching in Victoria so go over what is offered in the ports you will be in and pick what appeals to you the most. Bear in mind the excursions are pricey but worth it!
5. Dress in layers.
6. Some will disagree but personally pick a ship AND the ports. That is don't take a ship just because the ports are what appeals to you the most. The ship counts too. Alot I think.
7. Skip the reindeer sausage.
8. Have fun!! Larry

aliciasfolks

Thank you so much for the advice. One thing that I am constantly hearing is picking the itinerary (ship we picked out already).
The itinerary is:
Vancouver
Cruise the inside Passage
Ketchikan
Tracy Arm
Juneau
Skagway
Sitka
Hubbard Glacier
Seward

What does anyone think?? Thanks!!

kfusto

I agree with Larry, especially on the reindeer sausage

Of my five Alaska cruises, the very best weather and wildlife wise were in late June. I would not do Alaska without a balcony and the ship is important as their definitely "styles" of cruising.

IMO, having a naturist on board was a wonderful perk. NCL does not do this.

I booked all the excursions privately and saved $$$. I cannot imagine experiencing Alaska without taking full advantage of the excursions in each port of call.

For my money, I prefer a smaller ship. And, it is nice to have an enclosed pool so that one can enjoy the outdoors in comfort during inclement.

I also enjoy having a specialty restaurant available to enjoy a more intimate dining experience.

BudgetQueen

With your one way cruise choice, I highly recommend you add another week for interior touring. Take advantage of being there. At the VERY least spend the full day and enjoy Seward, don't be in a rush to get home.

My preference for Alaska cruising is outside the ship- the itinerary. You have a very good one chosen. I've been on enough ships that they all look alike. If it's important to you, then consider the ship choice.

Do NOT expect big savings booking tours independently, but you will get superior tours with far more personal attention, this isn't the place to skimp either.

Do your homework. It will pay off many times.

aliciasfolks

Dear all... What great advice! Thank you for all of your help!

Curt

We did a September cruise last year on Celebrity and it was excellent. The weather was not too cold, but a bit cool. We only had one rainy day and that was just drizzle. We really enjoyed the cruise in the cool weather (but we are also the types the prefer to visit Europe in the winter). One thing that was good about the September cruise was all the shops were getting ready to close for the season so lots of the "stuff" was on clearance - especially the clothing (hats, jackets, t-shirts, sweat shirts, etc)...not just on sale but deeply discounted. I bought nice quality t-shirts, wiht very low profile logos on them for $3 each. I suspect they would have been at least $10-15 in June or July. Now I know that is not the reason to visit but it is worth mentioning.

We thought Celebrity was an excellent line and really enjoyed the ship, service, and food.