Alaska

[PigRedMachine]

My wife and I are thinking about taking a cruise to Alaska the end of this summer. Has anyone been on an Alaskan cruise?

[McKdaddy]

Yes, one of my most enjoyable vacations. The wife and I went in 2001 when we were in our mid-20's and were easily the youngest people on the ship, ha/ha, but frankly that is our crowd more so than those on caribbean cruises.

So much about that trip we loved, particularly the weather in June.

[Boarcephus]

Went a couple years ago on one and loved it.  Flew to Vancouver and sailed to Anchorage, took the 9 hour train ride to Denali and spent 3 days up there.  If you do decide to take one, get a room with a balcony.  All I wanted to do was sit on that sucker and watch the scenery pass by. 

We plan on going back in the next year or so and will do a couple things differently. 

[McKdaddy]

Went a couple years ago on one and loved it.  Flew to Vancouver and sailed to Anchorage, took the 9 hour train ride to Denali and spent 3 days up there.  If you do decide to take one, get a room with a balcony.  All I wanted to do was sit on that sucker and watch the scenery pass by. 

We plan on going back in the next year or so and will do a couple things differently. 

Agreed on the balcony. We've not cruised w/ out a balcony. Some say not to get one b/c you won't spend much time there. We disagree, as we spend tons of time on our balcony. We usually have breakfast on the balcony, read books on the balcony on the "at sea" days, and generally relax & watch the world go by from it. 

[Boarcephus]

Agreed on the balcony. We've not cruised w/ out a balcony. Some say not to get one b/c you won't spend much time there. We disagree, as we spend tons of time on our balcony. We usually have breakfast on the balcony, read books on the balcony on the "at sea" days, and generally relax & watch the world go by from it. 

Unless you can swing it financially and go the smaller ships, it's the only place you can go to get away from (as HiM would say) 3000 of your closest friends. 

[McKdaddy]

Unless you can swing it financially and go the smaller ships, it's the only place you can go to get away from (as HiM would say) 3000 of your closest friends. 

Very true.

[PigRedMachine]

Thanks for the tips...any recommendation on a good cruise line?

[Boarcephus]

Depends on what you enjoy and how much you want to spend.  We went on the Diamond Princess with the Princess Cruise Line and it was nice.  Food is decent, rooms are nice, itinerary was good, just 3000 people are on it.  One thing I did like at Princess is if you enjoy a drink or two, they figure you're spending a pretty penny to sail with them and they'll look the other way if you want to smuggle booze on board.  Every port of call was a bootlegging mission for us.  Others are not so lenient, or that's what I'm told. 

IMO, the smaller ships are the way to go if you can swing it.  Regent Seven Seas is a good one and everything is included with them including excursions and alcohol and you don't have to tip if you don't want to.  The food is several notches above what you get on the mega ships and there is a helluva difference between 500 guests on a ship and 3000.  Plus, they're easy to get around on because  the ships are simply a lot smaller.  If you want to know anything else, pm and I'll answer what I can. 

If you decide to go, you'll love Alaska but when we do it again we'll fly to Anchorage, kick around a couple days and sail to Vancouver instead of the other way around.

[Boarcephus]

nm

[Old Tusk]

We went Un-Cruise. Max 76 pax. Food was excellent. The guides were marine biologists. I highly recommend the cruise.

[Big Daddy]

Great experience! Beautiful country and love the cool sea air!

[OakTreeHawg]

We went on Holland America Volendam in 2010.  Flew to Seattle; one-way car rental to Vancouver via Whitby Island); seven-day cruise of Juneau, Skagway(train ride excursion), Glacier Bay, and Ketchikan; 1.5 days in Vancouver upon return; bus back to Seattle; two days in Seattle.  Highly recommended vacation.  Rivals Yellowstone as our favorite.  We were frugal on everything and our total expense was $3600.  It will cost us more than that to visit Banff and Calgary Stampede this summer.