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Alaska


Lwlawlor

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I can't speak to RCCL specific options in Alaska, but I do have a few points to share based on our recent experience.

 

We did Alaska on Oceania in May.  SF, Astoria, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Ketchikan, Juneau, Victoria, Vancouver.  Fantastic trip in every way.  After many cruises this was our first time doing Alaska and we'll certainly go back.  

 

One consideration though is that many of the Alaskan ports of call are very small towns, so along with all the other things you account for in picking a ship/itinerary/schedule, I'd look at a site like www.cruisett.com and see how many passengers are scheduled to be in a port on a given day.  Ketchikan may be a lovely stop to spend time in when there are 4k pax, but when there are 10k pax it could be like Main Street in the Magic Kingdom on Christmas day (or Times Square on New Year's Eve - as my wife points out this is a more universal reference to *insanely crowded*)

 

Also, while I usually consider a verandah a 'nice to have' but make the decision based on price, for Alaska it should be a priority.  If you're on a larger ship the open decks could get a bit busy when cruising past glaciers, fjords, and small towns.  Even if on a smaller ship though there will be hours you'll just want to sit and relax as you watch the sights go by.  We spent more time on our verandah on the Alaska trip than all of our other sailings combined.

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We did Alaska back in '08 on the Radiance.  We chose the southbound, flying up to Anchorage and spending the night.  The next morning we took the train down to Seward (a GREAT experience itself!) and boarded.  

 

The itenerary was great, having perfect weather at Hubbard Glacier.  Juneau, Skagway, Hoonah (Ict Strait Point) and Ketchikan were all fun.

 

Our only issue was that when we arrived in Vancouver to depart, hurricane Ike was paying a visit to Houston, so we sat in vancouver for 4 days trying to get home and wondering if the house was still there (it was)!

 

The loyalty ambassador and staff were wonderful, knowing we were going to have this problem they were helping us secure lodging and transportation in Vancouver!

 

Wanted to go again this summer but oh well ;)

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We live in Woodstock, Vermont so I understand tourists and crowds. Thanks for the tip about crowd size, I never go into the village during peak foliage or Christmas week. Too much!! It would be important that we watch how many ships are in port. I also spend time in Portland Maine, which is part of the New England foliage route for cruise lines. It is a real boon for the economy, can be quite crowded. It you do ever go, some of the best breweries in the nation are right there.

 

I had not thought about the actual trip, return or one way, but I can say that this will probably be the only time we would cruise in Alaska.

 

We may take the Canadian railway first, if I can convince my husband to ride the rails. He worked as a conductor for CSX for 30 years, so not sure.

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I was on Radiance of Seas this past June (2015).  We did a 4-night land tour before the 7-night Hubbard Glacier Cruise, which started north and headed south.  We flew from Seattle to Fairbanks.  The land package was Fairbanks, Denali, Anchorage and Seward.  Cruise ported at Juneau, Skagway, Icy Point, and Ketchikan.    Final destination was Vancouver, where we spent a day sightseeing, then made our way back to Seattle for another day of sigthseeing, then flew home from there.   It is pricey, but all in all, it was a great trip, especially for our group of 10.   

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'll add too, that Denali was probably a highlight of the trip.  While booking a cruise through Alaska, try to add on a land package that includes Denali (or do it on your own).  This was a trip my parents took us on, and my Dad pretty much did all the planning, so I don't know what's involved in doing extra land excursions.  I did do a lot of research on port excursions, so feel free to contact me if you need assistance with any of that.  

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I can't speak to RCCL specific options in Alaska, but I do have a few points to share based on our recent experience.

 

We did Alaska on Oceania in May.  SF, Astoria, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Ketchikan, Juneau, Victoria, Vancouver.  Fantastic trip in every way.  After many cruises this was our first time doing Alaska and we'll certainly go back.  

 

One consideration though is that many of the Alaskan ports of call are very small towns, so along with all the other things you account for in picking a ship/itinerary/schedule, I'd look at a site like www.cruisett.com and see how many passengers are scheduled to be in a port on a given day.  Ketchikan may be a lovely stop to spend time in when there are 4k pax, but when there are 10k pax it could be like Main Street in the Magic Kingdom on Christmas day (or Times Square on New Year's Eve - as my wife points out this is a more universal reference to *insanely crowded*)

 

Also, while I usually consider a verandah a 'nice to have' but make the decision based on price, for Alaska it should be a priority.  If you're on a larger ship the open decks could get a bit busy when cruising past glaciers, fjords, and small towns.  Even if on a smaller ship though there will be hours you'll just want to sit and relax as you watch the sights go by.  We spent more time on our verandah on the Alaska trip than all of our other sailings combined.

Thanks for this information.  I'm sure it will come in handy for us.  We are considering an Alaska cruise in 2017.  Did you see any of the Northern Lights while there?

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Thanks for this information.  I'm sure it will come in handy for us.  We are considering an Alaska cruise in 2017.  Did you see any of the Northern Lights while there?

 

We did not.  I'm not going to claim to have so much as Googled for this, but I'd suspect seeing them during a sailing could be challenging because they're generally visible during the winter months.  It is also possible that I've destroyed all the brain cells that were previously responsible for this knowledge I absorbed in 8th grade and this is all incorrect.

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I *knew* this was a good class of people on this board. :)

 

73s,

Bill

I mainly sought the license in the event of the zombie apocalypse or the takeover by Skynet.

 

Seriously, though, I'm part of the local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), so I earned my license to help in the event of a major emergency, which will likely be an earthquake in my neck of the woods.

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  • 11 months later...

Folks - new to this site.  usually use TA but they don't seem to have as much on cruises.  Doing Radiance up to Seward at end of June/early July.  Are there any trip reports here for details?  I have researched the stops pretty well but especially interested in tips on the ship.  My first time cruising north and assume there isn't any time by the pool, etc. so wondering what to do when on board.  Thanks.

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Folks - new to this site. usually use TA but they don't seem to have as much on cruises. Doing Radiance up to Seward at end of June/early July. Are there any trip reports here for details? I have researched the stops pretty well but especially interested in tips on the ship. My first time cruising north and assume there isn't any time by the pool, etc. so wondering what to do when on board. Thanks.

The Radiance does have a covered pool, so you can indulge if you wish.

 

I booked book excursions only as they can sell out and prepare to pay more than you would in the Caribbean. Exceptions would be in Juneau where you can take a cheap blue shuttle bus from the duck to Mendenhall Glacier or the tram up to Mt. Robert's from the dock. In Skagway, you can also rent a car and drive up and through the Yukon Territory of Canada, provided you bring your passport off the ship with you.

 

If you have a balcony, the ship will turn when sailing the glaciers. If not, claim your spot early. Also, pack in layers. It tends to be really cold in the mornings, but can warm up in the afternoon. We went from coats and gloves to t-shirts with about four hours.

 

MEI travel is a sponsor of this site, but I and many others here have had exceptional service from them. I use Michelle Cunningham and currently have four cruises booked with her and she's been PHENOMENAL to work with. This is also the agency used for the blog's group cruises, so if your looking for a cruise TA, you might want to give them a try.

 

Regarding trip reports, check out the podcast. I don't recall if anyone has talked about the Radiance, but I've been on her the sister ships, Jewel, Serenade, and Brilliance, and have talked about them on the podcast. For many here, the Radiance class is one of our favorite ships because of all the glass which offers lots of viewing opportunities.

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