Updated for 2021
- Best Time to go:
- From the weather perspective, the best times to go are from June through August;
- Best deals are usually available for cruising in May & September
- Best Cruise line:
- Princess has invested heavily in Alaska cruises & has good support for logistics at the ports.
- We went by Royal Caribbean to Alaska & it was good. Our parents were travelling with us -- so we had requested for Indian food for dinner every day & they accommodated this request.
- We have cruised on NCL in other places - they have fewer rules & policies (e.g.: dinner time, where to get seated for dinner, choice of restaurants, etc.)
- Disney offers good cruises for kids.
- Check out CruiseCritic for lots of reviews & info.
- Best Deals:
- Monitor prices on VacationsToGo -- they specialize in last minute (90 days) deals.
- OR request quotes on CruiseCompete ;
- You can eventually buy through any online agency like Expedia or Orbitz.
- Once we bought through CruiseCompete & later cruises through Travelocity
- Best places to visit:
- Depends on what ports the ship takes you to. Again, CruiseCritic is loaded with info on the various ports-of-call.
- Booking local tours after you land at the port tends to be cheaper (vs booking through the cruise line)
- Choosing an Itinerary
- Consider an one-way cruise from/to Vancouver, BC. One way Alaska-cruises from Vancouver take you further into Alaska & offer better prices & choices of itineraries. That said, you can't beat the convenience of cruising round-trip directly from Seattle (or Vancouver).
- Get an itinerary that includes cruising around a Glacier.
- Choosing the ship
- Check out review of the specific ship on CruiseCritic - when was it built? when was it last renovated? etc. If possible - avoid an older ship that's not renovated in the last 5 years.
- Choosing a cabin
- IMHO, outside/ocean-view cabins are not worth the extra price. Either go for an inside or a balcony cabin.
- Try to get a cabin mid-ship - helps minimize sea-sickness, if you are prone to it.
- When choosing a cabin, ensure that there are no noisy areas (restaurants/dance-floors/elevators) above/below/nearby.
- Other notes:
- Cruising is a nice experience --- plan on spending some time to enjoy the ship, food & the on-board activities.
Comments