Alaska cruise experience requested

[pearljammer]

we are hoping to book Alaska for 2018.

Any thoughts on going out of Seattle vs Vancouver??? If an option.
Also, what to pack that are must haves? I realize verandas are great but if we can save the money for excursions, did those of you with inside rooms wish you'd done oceanview/paid more for veranda? I can't imagine what opening price difference will be but hoping that gold status and having day early booking will help with pricing???

Would love to hear thoughts please! We are clueless on this Alaska route! Thanks all

 

[KristiMc]

DCL sails out of Vancouver for the Alaskan cruises. We did the cruise in June 2015 and loved it. We had a balcony and loved sitting out there on Tracy Arm day. I ordered coffee from room service and just enjoyed the views. Many people though do inside rooms and love the cruise just as much so go with what fits in your budget.

We flew into Seattle and did two one-way car rentals. Stayed at the Pan Pacific which is in the the same building as the cruise terminal. We all loved Vancouver and spent the day before the cruise touring and then the day we got off the ship we drove back to Seattle and toured before flying out the following day.

 

[tigerchic89]

We did Alaska June 2016 and we are planning June 2018. I can't justify the price of the verranda, but we did spend a lot of time outside on the public decks just looking out.

We loved having:
binoculars
rain jacket
lots of quick dry layers
hand warmers
I wish I would have brought my waterproof hiking boots.

we also stayed at the Pan Pacific and thought it was worth the extra money

 

[pearljammer]

DCL sails out of Vancouver for the Alaskan cruises. We did the cruise in June 2015 and loved it. We had a balcony and loved sitting out there on Tracy Arm day. I ordered coffee from room service and just enjoyed the views. Many people though do inside rooms and love the cruise just as much so go with what fits in your budget.

We flew into Seattle and did two one-way car rentals. Stayed at the Pan Pacific which is in the the same building as the cruise terminal. We all loved Vancouver and spent the day before the cruise touring and then the day we got off the ship we drove back to Seattle and toured before flying out the following day.

Oh thanks, I wouldn't have thought about driving into Vancouver as I heard flights in/out of Seattle were cheaper.

 

[tink1970]

Actually one year DCL did sail out of Seattle (2012 I believe). I've sailed out of both and prefer Seattle since it's an awesome city and when we were in Vancouver the exchange rate was not great. That said, I believe DCL is committed to Vancouver and there are several threads with suggestions of things to do and places to stay (I sound like a Dr Seuss book!). Since my DD's bff (at the time) lived in Seattle we flew from there to Vancouver for our 2011 cruise which was an incredibly short yet pleasant flight; many will drive or take the train so options are many.

I'd recommend packing layers (it was actually warm-ish 2011),a rain jacket/poncho/coat and good walking shoes/boots. Although I love a verandah, my parents were very happy with their inside cabin-the curtains work pretty well but there is a lot of daylight in Alaska in the summer so if they aren't adjusted well you could be waking up at 4 am!

I went on 2 Alaska DCL cruises and enjoyed them both so have fun planning and researching.

 

[pontikes67]

Just this week Dreams Unlimited Travel show discussed Itineraries and Alaska was one. Tracey noted they go out of both Seattle and Vancouver, though the latter is the predominant one. We found the Train ride at Skagway, using Viator for Whale watching in Juneau, and just kicking it around Ketchikan (visit Creek Street and the Gondola to the hotel, eat lunch in the hotel (beautiful view and amazing Baked Brie Crab Dip) was awesome and reasonably priced. I'd spend the money on the verandah, as there's so much scenery and it's relaxing just to be out on your own space and not having to find a good viewing spot.

 

[Pens Fan]

We also sailed on DCL out of Seattle. While I absolutley love Seattle, I'm looking forward to leaving out of Vancouver this summer on our Alaskan cruise. When you sail out of Seattle, the itinerary is different, not necessarily better or worse, just different. We had a very short stay in Ketchikan (we were sailing away from port while eating lunch). Then we had an even shorter (maybe 4 hours or so??) stop in Victoria around dinner time the next day. That was kind of an awkward stop due to the short amount of time and the time of day, but we did enjoy Victoria. We had late dinner seating, so we had a chance to get out and explore a little and really enjoyed it. When you sail out of Vancouver you miss the Victoria stop. One other difference, at least when we did it, was that instead of heading straight to the inside passage, we sped up the coast in open waters to Skagway, then headed back down through the inside passage. That first day we were really speeding along and the waters were rough - pools closed, some decks closed, etc. None of us get seasick and we loved it. Others, not so much.

At the end of the day, I don't think you can go wrong on any Alaska cruise. It's simply breathtaking. There are a lot of options: Glacier Bay vs Tracy Arm (though DCL only does Tracy Arm), one way cruises (again not an option on DCL) that allow for time in mainland Alaska vs a round trip, Seattle vs Vancouver. Honestly (and I understand this really doesn't help much!) they all are amazing. Our first Alaskan cruise was on DCL and we loved every minute of it. We are going on NCL this summer because we want a different experience (Glacier Bay and a one way cruise to Seward), but that does not mean that our DCL cruise was anything less than spectacular.

As for the verandah, yes they are wonderful for Alaska. We spent hours on ours. But make sure you budget for excursions, as there are some incredible options and they are very expensive. If you can't swing the excursions you want along with the verandah, personally I'd go for a less expensive stateroom. We went whale watching and to the Mendenhall glacier in Juneau, did the Takshanuk Mountain trail by 4X4 in Skagway, and took a float plane to Neets Bay for bear watching in Ketchikan. All were terrific. Also consider the budget if you plan on spending time in Vancouver (or Seattle if you decide to go that route) before or after your cruise.

 

[xlxo]

Thoughts....

• There's 3hr difference by car between the two cruise terminals on Google Maps. Weekend border congestion pre-cruise can be a challenge. On long weekends, it may add a few hours to the trip.
• While flights into Seattle are cheaper....
  • there's a $60 Quick Shuttle that can get you from the airport into Vancouver. It's a 5 hour bus ride. There's 6 to 7 daily trips to meet your schedule
    http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm
  • Bolt/Amtrak buses and trains also travel between Vancouver and Seattle. Some buses and trains require additional cost of a hotel due to their early or very late schedules. You also need to budget extra transfer time and cost between the train stations in both cities.
• some like to add in Victoria on a one way trip between Seattle and Vancouver. You can even Orca whale watch your way between Seattle and Vancouver.
  http://princeofwhales.com/tours_van/vancouver-to-seattle/
• Budget extra pre/post-cruise days in Vancouver.... lots of tourist activities there to fill a few days, possibly a week too
• Seattle does make sense if you plan to explore that city too.
• Consider flying into Vancouver and then fly out of Seattle as an option

 

[tnshsms]

We didn't want to spend the money on a full on veranda so we did the navigator's veranda and loved it. BUT there aren't very many and you almost have to book opening day to get one (or so I'm told...we did book opening day). If you want to see what it looks like its my trip report...the link is in my signature. Have fun, its been our favorite DCL so far!

 

[Pooh2]

We flew to Seattle from the east coast, then took Amtrak to Vancouver the day before the cruise. The train ride was beautiful along the coast and part of the vacation for us. We enjoyed touring both Seattle and Vancouver.

The day we got off the ship in Vancouver, we did an excursion that we booked onboard that picked us up at the cruise terminal, toured downtown, Stanley Park and Capilano suspension bridge. Most of the passengers were taken to the airport after the excursion, we were dropped back at the cruise terminal and walked to the train station for the 5:30pm train back to Seattle.

I did not know DCL went out of Seattle!
Sure would make it cheaper and easier for us to do Alaska again if we were able to go out of Seattle.

 

[GoofyLovingFamily]

Alaska has been our best cruise. The best excursion we did was renting a car in Skagway. We bought the Murray driving guide. We explored the Yukon and saw so much. We stopped and took pics when we wanted. We loved Pan Pacific for precruise stay. It was nice to get in elevator and be at cruise port.

 

[amberwc]

I think the veranda question comes down to a) budget, and b) are you the type of travelers that like to always be around others or savor your alone time. For us, we had a veranda, and it was less windy then being on deck, our view was great, and we really enjoyed the peace of sitting outside while the kids had little naps in the afternoon.
I like PP idea of the navigators veranda as that is more budget friendly.

 

[pearljammer]

I never thought of the navigator balcony. I found you tube videos but can't tell if you can see out while sitting down (eye level) or if you have to stand? Thanks all! Now that we're gold status hope to book the day prior to public open

 

[KristiMc]

I never thought of the navigator balcony. I found you tube videos but can't tell if you can see out while sitting down (eye level) or if you have to stand? Thanks all! Now that we're gold status hope to book the day prior to public open

You can not see out while sitting.

 

[bcwife76]

I never thought of the navigator balcony. I found you tube videos but can't tell if you can see out while sitting down (eye level) or if you have to stand? Thanks all! Now that we're gold status hope to book the day prior to public open

Also Navigators verandah's only sleep 3 (not sure if you are travelling as a couple or with children).

 

[cruisehopeful]

I did both Seattle and Vancouver with DCL. The port stops were much shorter when we sailed from Seattle. My teen as well as all the kids at our dining table slept through the stop in Ketchikan. I prefer Vancouver because there is more port time. Both Seattle and Vancouver are worth a visit, though.

I had an ocean view room both times and didn't regret not getting the veranda. If you can afford it, by all means book a veranda, but we were very happy to spend time out mingling with other people on the open decks and getting the hot food/drinks. Even the passengers we spoke with who booked inside rooms were very happy as there is so much deck space and it's nice to be out walking around and getting a 360 view.

Be sure to comparison shop other lines, too. We loved our DCL cruises, but are thinking Princess for the next one because the ships have more to do and the itineraries are more varied.

 

[xlxo]

Be sure to comparison shop other lines, too. We loved our DCL cruises, but are thinking Princess for the next one because the ships have more to do and the itineraries are more varied.

If not DCL for Alaska..... look for a ship that includes Glacier Bay.

 

[cyclenut]

We did sail DCL to Alaska out of Vancouver during the inaugural season. We thoroughly enjoyed Alaska and DCL but had our share of issues too. If you are going to Alaska give serious consideration to the Princess cruises that sail between Denali and Vancouver. They give you much more Alaska, including Glacier Bay.

We sailed with a Navigators Verandah and would definitely recommend it if you can swing it with the budget. Even if it means stretching the budget a bit. We found that being able to go out on the Verandah provided more shelter from the wind and rain while still providing an unobstructed view of the grandeur that is Alaska. We stayed warmer and didn't fight the crowds out on the deck along the rail. Tracey Arm day was especially great to have the Verandah because that is all day of sights alongside the ship. You go in, turn around and then go back out so you see both sides of the Fjord without having to cross the deck.

As for what to bring. Bring layers. Go to a sporting goods store if you don't have high performance fabrics for the undergarment layer. You'll be glad you did. That first layer is a wicking layer that keeps the moisture from direct contact with the skin. That alone will keep you warmer. The next layer is more typical clothing over that wicking layer, but if it is cotton, be prepared to change it out as it could become damp and cotton just doesn't dry well. The next layer is a nice fleece layer with the outer layer being a waterproof shell. You can add or remove any of the outer layers as needed for warmth. The outer shell protects from wind as well as rain and helps create a convection effect to keep you warm.

Bring gloves. People forget this but your hands do get cold at times, even on the ship. I like the kind that are not too think and restrictive so I can still use my hands. You don't need snow pants or anything like that, but some sort of long underwear (see above comments about the wicking layer) and jeans or a similar heavy pant. You may also want to consider layered socks as well. Do not do cotton socks if you are going to be doing any excursions that include hiking or long walks. Your feet will sweat, the socks will become wet and your feet will become cold, even with multiple layers. A thin wicking layer followed by a thicker outer wool and then a sturdy boot.

We brought more shoes to Alaska than any other cruise. Boots, athletic shoes, slippers, crocs (for the pool area) and dress shoes (for formal night). No need for water shoes.

Don't forget some sort of knit cap for the head. Heat escapes from there faster than anywhere.

I've probably made you feel cold. It isn't really that cold. We went in early August and for the most part temperatures were in the high 60s with occasional rain. It just feels cold. It can get much cooler in the evening but I don't think it dipped below the 50s when we were there. The ship is moving though and it does create a wind chill so having some cold weather gear can make you feel more comfortable.

Bring a good camera! I bought my first Digital SLR before the trip and took some time learn how to use it. I still marvel at the photos I was able to take.

 

[GTRARNP]

DCL sails out of Vancouver for the Alaskan cruises. We did the cruise in June 2015 and loved it. We had a balcony and loved sitting out there on Tracy Arm day. I ordered coffee from room service and just enjoyed the views. Many people though do inside rooms and love the cruise just as much so go with what fits in your budget.

We flew into Seattle and did two one-way car rentals. Stayed at the Pan Pacific which is in the the same building as the cruise terminal. We all loved Vancouver and spent the day before the cruise touring and then the day we got off the ship we drove back to Seattle and toured before flying out the following day.

How close to the cruise terminal in Vancouver could you return the car??? We are thinking of doing the same thing you did in Aug 2018....flights are cheaper to Seattle by a lot on Southwest and we would love to see Seattle!

 

[xlxo]

How close to the cruise terminal in Vancouver could you return the car???

Depends on who you are renting from....

• Alamo, National, and Enterprise have a small lot inside the cruise terminal/hotel
• Hertz has an office 3 blocks away from the cruise terminal.