The wife and I are planning on vacationing in Alaska this summer. We are thinking about going on a Princess Cruise. Anyone ever cruised in Alaska? Our travel agent talked us out of going at the end of May since it may be rainy. I've got a couple weeks off in August...so if we go, it will be then. Any tips or recommendations? Princess Cruise Lines are supposed to get you the best Alaskan experience. Would it be worth our while (save money) to do something other than a cruise? We really want to see some glaciers calving, wildlife, and I'd like to spend a day salmon fishing. Go.
Donnie, I done did! I actually won the cruise thru work at the time ... it was AWESOME!!!... What we did: ATE - 5 star cuisine Mountain bike tour - breathtaking beauty Train up mountain - Skagway Whale watching - up close and personal ... you feel SO small Kayaking in the ocean - Bald Eagles flying over, dolphins swimming next to us King Salmon Fishing - A 40# is small .. a 20#er is considered a "shaker" and can't even be brought out of the water Glacier Bay - wales , glaciers calving ... you pull up right next to them Oh, and ATE! The Cruise was an Inside Passage ... left Vancouver and cruised to Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Haines .... we saw whales, seals, dolphins, pilot whales, Orcas, Bald Eagles (like seagulls to us) I am off to hunt, but I will scan some pics and post them up for ya ... you will NOT regret it
Tony...you make it sound so fun. Did it rain a lot that first week of June? June was unavailable to me for taking vacation so August will have to do. I still read that it is considered peak season. We didn't want peak due to the people and price. I'd rather pay a few hundred extra to go when it won't be raining the entire time. The mountain biking, train ride, and kayaking...were they "excursions" that you were responsible for or included with your cruise? You lucky SOB...a free cruise to Alaska is AWESOME! Can't wait to see those pics.
It didn't rain at all when we went ... the excursions were free for me as it was all inclusive... you can't imagine the beauty ... to be so close to a glacier that is caving into the bay is unexplaneable .... pics will come ... hunted all day ... so I am chillaxing :D
Went on a Holland America Ship a few years ago. Much older crowd but we got an outside cabin which is a plus. Went to Yellow Stone afterwards which is also a great trip.
Been there.... done that. We went the second week in August I believe. We went a week early. Flew into Anchorage, rented a car and did Dinali and all that. Then we caught a boat out of Seward to Vancouver. They have two types of cruises.... the inland passage and the one we took. The Inland starts in Vancouver, goes up along the coast making stops and returns. In that cruise you do NOT get to see Glacier Bay and all that. I'd definitely do the one way all the way trip like we did. We based out of Anchorage for a week on our own, then caught the train from Anchorage to Seward(which you have to reserve a seat on way before you get to Alaska). The train trip is great. On ALL of these ships they have a gourmet restaurant that you have to pay extra for. I'm telling you.... make reservations at the gourmet restaurant. The normal cruise menus are plentiful..... but they're cooking for 2500 people. The gourmet is worth the extra $50 or whatever it was. They bring you cheeses and treats you never dreamed of. The main meals were to die for. You will not regret making reservation and blowing a few extra bucks. Service at the gourmet restaurants is unmatched. You sail at night and wake up in a new port. All sorts of day trips to do ashore. Everything cost a few hundred dollars. Anything involving a plane or chopper is a bit pricey..... but you only get to do it once. We did whales, bears, Misty Fiordes etc. It was a fun deal.... I've done it once and don't need to ever do it again. I would like a meal in the gourmet restaurant though. LOL Got a zillion pictures but am feeling lazy. I'll find a couple. I took this first picture through the window on the train from Anchorage to Seward. Everything is done with a float plane. LOL This is next to Anchorage airport. Those aren't boats.... they're all planes.
David...thanks for taking the time to write that up. Your trip sounded awesome! I hope we can have a similar experience.
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My family did the Alaska experience three years ago. It was amazing and I would do it again. We cruised with Royal Caribbean and took off from Vancouver the third week of August. The weather was great. We took the inside passage and made stops at Sitka, Juneau, the Hubbard Glacier, Seward, Icy Strait Point, and ended up taking a bus trip to Anchorage. Spent a day there and then took the train to Denali where we spent a few days. From there we took the train to Fairbanks and spent a day and then flew back home. Two weeks total. We did a one day fly-in flyfishing trip for salmon that was amazing. We went whale watching (humpback and orchas), dogsledding, saw glaciers calving, watched black and coastal brown bears on several occasions. We took a helicopter tour of a glacier at Denali and actually landed on the glacier and got out to hike on it. We saw huge bull moose,sheep, and mountain goats, caribou, ptarmigan, etc., We also took the bus tour of Denali park, amazing. Went whitewater rafting at Denali also. We spent one day trolling for salmon and went zip-lining. Do yourself a favor and spend a little extra to get a room on the coast side of the ship with a balcony. Which side of the ship obviously depends on whether you will be cruising to the north or to the south. We spent a lot of time on the balcony watching dolphins, bears, sheep, goats, eagles, etc. Take some good binoculars, you will use them all the time. Take good rain gear and comfortable hiking boots. As an outdoorsman, you will be in paradise. PM me with any questions, I would be glad to help with any information I can. One of the best trips of my life.
Yup, I made a second trip for 10 days of fly fishing in a wilderness camp on the Alagnak River. Lots of fun and critters.
