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Topic: Best Alaska Cruise?

Carolina
First Class Passenger
Member # 1233

posted 04-18-2000 12:53 PM

I'm cruising the Med soon but I'm already dreaming about the next cruise after that. We're thinking of cruising Alaska. Does anyone have any thoughts on which ship we'd enjoy?

Posts: 15 | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-18-2000 02:02 PM

What ship/line are you cruising on in the Med? This might help us give you an answer. I have cruised with HAL, but there are a number of other lines in Alaska

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Carolina
First Class Passenger
Member # 1233

posted 04-18-2000 02:06 PM

I'm cruising on the Sunbird. This will be my third cruise but I can already see how addictive cruising can be. Would like to save up for a higher level line next time. I'm not sure whether I'd prefer a larger ship or not. Any insight would be welcome.

Posts: 15 | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 04-18-2000 02:35 PM

Carolina.....

I would recommend one of the Statendam
sisters of Holland America Line. I don't
like mega-ships so I avoid Princess for the
most part.....and most of Celebrity. One
of the Crystal Cruises ships would be nice,
but you are paying a very big price for
not very much more than some of the other
lines.....I noticed lots of cut-backs the
last time I was on Crystal.

Hope this helps a little.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

Bernard
First Class Passenger
Member # 1038

posted 04-18-2000 03:02 PM

I Totally agree with NAL.

Posts: 94 | From: The Netherlands | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Mercy
First Class Passenger
Member # 322

posted 04-18-2000 09:09 PM

I went on Celebrity Cruise Lines "Mercury" to Alaska last year. Everything about the cruise was PERFECT! I have also been on the Norwegian Sky and enjoyed myself, but it isn't up to par with Celebrity. I am going on the Vision Of the Seas in a month. They also have a nice itinerary for Alaska. Just DON'T go on the Jubilee!!!! I have never talked to anyone that went on an Alaska cruise that was disappointed in Alaska.

Posts: 697 | From: Stanwood, Wa. USA | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

CruiseBuff
First Class Passenger
Member # 94

posted 04-19-2000 10:40 AM

I sailed to Alaska (Inside Passage) last year on Celebrity's Galaxy, and like Mercy, the cruise was Perfect. Although in the "mega ship" category, I think the Celebrity ships are so well desigend, you never feel crowded. The itinerary and the ship made for a very enjoyable cruise experience.

Posts: 27 | From: Denver, CO USA | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Lorrie
Just Boarded
Member # 286

posted 04-21-2000 11:25 AM

Glad to hear your good report on the Galaxy as we'll be doing an Alaska cruise on this ship in June. I was on the Norwegian Sky in December and had a great time. I'm looking forward to an even better time on the Galaxy. Can't wait!
Lorrie

Posts: 6 | From: Belleville, Ontario Canada | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-21-2000 11:53 AM

Lorrie - friends are sailing on the Galaxy to Alaska in August and would love to hear about your cruise when you return. Hope you will let us know about your trip on this forum.
Have a great time.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

cruznut6
First Class Passenger
Member # 543

posted 04-22-2000 11:07 AM

We also did the Inside Passage in June 99 on the Galaxy and thought this was our best cruise ever! Every port was clean and friendly, and we couldn't stop admiring the
fantastic view from both ship and shore.
Just make sure you "layer" clothing so you
can remove some if the temperature rises. A
good all-weather jacket in also a must as it's rainy-damp much of the time. Have fun
choosing a ship, but HAL, Princess and Celebrity would be my picks.

Posts: 161 | From: Mount Laurel, NJ, USA | Registered: Apr 99 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 04-23-2000 08:26 AM

Carolina.......

Be absolutely sure Glacier Bay is on your
itinerary.....I feel this is a must see.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

webbdavis
Just Boarded
Member # 1262

posted 04-23-2000 05:47 PM

We sailed the inside passage on the Dawn Princess. Although it is a mega-ship, we never felt crowded...although the ship had a capacity group. It was a superb trip. Glacier Bay was unbelievable. We also loved Skagway and Juneau. The service, food, and atmosphere aboard ship was super. We loved Princess so much we are sailing the Baltic and seeing Scandanavia this summer...any suggestions for this?

Posts: 1 | From: Beaumont, Texas USA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

PFopma
First Class Passenger
Member # 356

posted 05-21-2000 12:24 AM

If your cruising Alaska - consider a small cruise ship company like Cruise West or Glacier Bay Tours. You don't have the luxury you find on a big ship but you do get up close to nature which is what Alaska is all about. Both companies have small cruise ships that accomodate passengers in cabins on board and Glacier Bay has a program where you are on boats during the day and land at night. The company is native Alaskan owned and operated. I did this tour 2 years ago which included 2 nights at Glacier Bay Lodge and three in Juneau. We also spent a day whale watching, a day cruising Glacier Bay and another day in Tracy Arm. We also had time for sighseeing on land. We saw lots of wildlife since the boats can get into places the big ships can't go. We spent 1/2 an hour watching a mother Grizzlie with two cubs frolicking on the beach of the bay and we were accompanied by several pods or Orcas on our way from Glacier Bay to Juneau!

Pat

Posts: 14 | From: Fair Lawn, NJ | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-21-2000 09:30 AM

Hi Carolina, I also had an enjoyable cruise on Celebrity's Mercury in 1998. Most of the ships that cruise Alaska are Mega-ships. This is not necessarily a problem. Although you share your holiday with up to 2000 other passengers, these giant ships rarely seem crowded.

We choose a longer itinerary which was LA to Vacouver, via Alaska. Check out the prices, it did not cost much more than the shorter version.

I must admit that I found the main ports of Alaska to be much more commercialised than I expected, with lots of T-Shirt shops. However, all the cruise lines offer lots of excursions to take you into the wilderness - at that's what Alaska is all about!

If you need more advice: oliver.01@virgin.net

Malcolm, London, UK.

[This message has been edited by Malcolm (edited 05-21-2000).]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Sherry
First Class Passenger
Member # 421

posted 05-22-2000 06:38 PM

We were also on the Galaxy in June 99. I agree with CruiseBuff and cruznut6. The Galaxy is a wonderful ship.

CruiseBuff and cruznut6. Our cruise was 6/4/99, when did you sail?

Posts: 66 | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Sailing
First Class Passenger
Member # 1283

posted 05-22-2000 11:25 PM

Carolina, I agree with Mercy, Malcolm and Cruise Buff that you certainly would not be disappointed in sailing on Celebrity's Mercury to Alaska My husband and I sailed with another couple last June on her and despite the fact that she is some 77,000 tons never felt crowded except during the lifeboat drill when every one of the passengers was on deck. That said, we thought the service, food, and entertainment excellent. A couple of tips: don't take the rather expensive ship's tour in Juneau. Hire a taxicab with a local driver as guide. After we came back from the tour we had the cable car take us up to the top of the incline and had a wonderful walk in the crisp mountain air and looked far down below on what appeared to be a toy--our ship. Not to be missed in Skagway is the train trip on the old time Yukon Railroad up to White Horse pass.

We sailed with this Captain before on Celebrity's Zenith to the Panama Canal, and when we encountered what he thought was some magnificent scenery in Glacier Bay with icebergs calving, he lowered one of the ship's launches and had the ship's photographer take a number of spectacular photographs which we prize as souvenirs. Another nice touch: he somehow remembered us from the New York to Acapulco cruise and sent a note to our cabin apologizing again for not having been able to call at Cape Canavaral or Hualtuco because of high winds. He then invited us to sit at his table for dinner one night, and afterwards we received a beautiful 8 x 10 photo of the table.

Posts: 13 | From: Boston, MA, U.S.A. | Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 05-23-2000 04:57 AM

Carolina, you might like to bear in mind that Celebrity's 'Mercury' and 'Galaxy' are sister ships and are identical, apart from the decore.

Even the inside cabins are reasonably spacious - if you are on a budget.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

cruznut6
First Class Passenger
Member # 543

posted 05-23-2000 10:17 AM

Sherry,

We sailed on the Galaxy 6/25/99. This was our first Alaska cruise and 4th with Celebrity. Can't wait to sail the Millennium or Infinity next year! Happy Cruising :-)

regards, cruznut6

Posts: 161 | From: Mount Laurel, NJ, USA | Registered: Apr 99 | IP: Logged

CruiseBuff
First Class Passenger
Member # 94

posted 05-23-2000 11:29 AM

Sherry,

We were on the same sailing! Wasn't that a spectacular cruise? I look at our photos and still can't believe we've "been there, done that." We're leaving a week from Friday, 6/2, for the Eastern Caribbean on the Century (our second sailing on that ship -- and every bit as wonderful as the Galaxy).

Posts: 27 | From: Denver, CO USA | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

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