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My sister, nephew, and I are planning a cruise out of either Seattle or Vancouver to Alaska. She and I are both handicapped, don't drink alcohol. We're bringing our mobility scooters with us.
As an Alaskan, my advice is if you can afford it book a cruise that includes a land tour up to Fairbanks or Denali. Coastal and interior Alaska are both incredibly beautiful but in different ways.
💯 agree. I lived in Anchorage for 15 years and was a driver-guide in Juneau during my college summers. I made several trips to Fairbanks and Denali. I’ve taken the ferry several times but my first Alaskan cruise will be this May Seattle to Juneau and back. I call Alaska my beloved and cannot wait to breathe her sweet fresh air again! ❤
Been to Fairbanks twice. '19 & '23 Wasn't cruising and was able to spend 4 months each time. The town has Midnight Baseball on June 21st without any lights because they are not needed. Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum is a must see.
Repeat Alaskan cruiser here. So absolutely beautiful! Love seeing the whales from the ship. Don’t miss out on the onboard lectures so full of knowledge.
I have cruised Alaska 26 times and even worked at a Princess lodge in Alaska. I am sure I will go back. I have cruised pretty much every route there is to do in Alaska and when I see a new route I do try to book it. The thing that causes me to keep returning is the fact that the scenery is never the same twice, the towns may be the same however with the change of weather, snow and wildlife it is always different. For those that want to buy Alaskan made products your best bet is to get off the main drags in towns and head a few blocks in where the local shops are and the local people still own the shops.
I’m turning 80 this month. Giving myself a trip to Alaska in June - Pathway to Victory. I can walk and climb steps so want to squeeze a lot in my days while I’m in such good shape. I’ve watched several of your podcasts and thank you so much.
My husband and I went on an Alaskan cruise for our 25th anniversary in 2018. It was our first time cruising- we were definitely not prepared. Our cruise was during the first week of July- it rained every day and was bone numbing cold (according to the locals it was unseasonably cold and wet). That aside, Alaska is one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited and I would not hesitate to do it again. We cruised with Celebrity on the Silhouette, and it was amazing! I’d pack my bags and go back in a heartbeat. I highly recommend that everyone experience Alaska at least once in their lifetime.
One thing I would recommend to any traveler, cruising or not -- if you think it is going to be hot, take a jacket of some sort. If you think it's going to be cold, take one lightweight outfit. If you think it will be dry, be sure that jacket is waterproof and has a hood. If you think it's going to rain all the time, take sunglasses. I darn near froze to death on my first trip to Europe. The next time I made sure I had warmer clothes, but my mother insisted on tucking in one lightweight dress. It turned out I wore that dress almost every day! (Washed it out in the washbasin.) And I will never forget the smug feeling I got on a tour of Leeds Castle in England on New Year's Day when it turned out a day of blinding sunshine and we Californians quietly brought out our sunglasses! Be prepared for the unexpected.
Two comments: 1) Ship selection to Alaska is critical. We went to Alaska on the old Costa Riviera which was designed for warmer climares. We could not use a number of features of the ship due to the weather. 2) if you are making purchases in port, you can generally send it home in a fixed rate box for under $25 at the local post office.
Tracey's crab shack now has two Juneau locations. The older one can get quite crowded but the new one is not very much farther on and last year at least mostly undiscovered. Going again in May, this time on the Edge and bringing my wife. We tend not to do excursions. I just want to go ashore, eat the local seafood and drink the local beer.
I am so happy that I had a balcony cabin on the Alaska cruise to watch the wildlife and the beautiful blue ice crash into the ocean. Folks that watched outside got very wet while I could enjoy the incredible experience staying dry on my balcony.
Thank you for mentioning this! That was my #1 thing about the whole cruise & I have people look at me funny because there are so many places to lounge & so much to do, but we’re low key people & I don’t really care to people watch.
Did Princess 10years ago north bound. Pre trip 3 days in Vancouver and post cruise trip to Denali by train with a bus tour back to Anchorage. It was our first cruise, we did that one because we heard it was a must and we didn’t know if we would like cruising. We loved it.
everyone back east (NY) says that!! I can image someone from South Dakota (Alaska will seem "balmy"!!). Alaska not as cold in June as they make it out to be.
We loved it so much we are going back in September. The tip we got was end of season has the fewest bugs and we did not experience any. The salmon run is going at that time which was very cool to see in Ketchikan. Also the Arctic Bar is a lot of fun for the adult crowd.
We did Alaska on NCL last May out of Vancouver. It was cold but amazing. There is so many reputable booths in town to do excursions through. NCL wanted 1000.00 for an excursion ( whale watching ) than we got for 300.00. There were only 5 people in the large 2 decker boat plus 2 environmentalists. Ee were out 1 1/2 hours longer than the ships excursion. It was like a personal guided tour. There is also many safe places to hike.
Alaska is beautiful, visited my cousins a couple of times in Juneau, once we were swimming in a small pond, i must have disturbed some fish and a bald eagle swooped down right next to me and caught a fish, I felt its feather wing tip touch me and the sound of it beating its wings to lift off again was amazing. We also hiked on a glacier, the blue of a glacier is just amazing. I am going on a cruise this summer to finally bring my husband :D
We did an Alaskan round trip cruise last May and it was one of the best trips we’ve ever done! Dog sledding and train ride up the mountain in Skagway were big highlights. The balcony was definitely well worth it. We definitely felt it certain days with the motion (I can get really bad motion sickness) and my relief band and sitting out on the balcony really helped against that motion sickness. Bonus seeing those glaciers without fighting for the view! We even saw part of the glacier break off while we watched from our balcony!
As a long time Juneau Alaskan resident, I think your video did a great job covering all the good tips to know when taking a cruise to AK. I totally agree that there are so many amazing reasons to live here but the beautiful, crisp air is one of the best features. It is that temperate rainforest with all the trees and soft (most of the time) rains that you mentioned that keep the air so amazingly fresh and breathable!
We went on an Alaskan Cruise about 15 yrs ago on Princess at the end of July., leaving out of Vancouver , inside passage. My father had been stationed at an Army Air Corps base in the Anchorage area. My parents were on a bus tour & the bus driver stopped so my father could get off & walk around for awhile. The guide told the bus why they had stopped & when my father got back on the bus, he received applause. My parents met & were married in Vacouver.My mom was a Ukrainian living in Vancouver with her parents at that time. They had moved from Wostok Alberta. My grandparents moved to Edmonton after my parents were married. I still have family in Vancouver. (my mom was only 17) The scenery in Alaska was unbelievable & it did rain a lot. Definitely take a rainproof poncho or coat, some of the tours provided us with rain gear. In Glacier Bay we saw so many seals & the calving of the glaciers was amazing. We had a lady who spoke from the bridge while we were there & she was amazing.Do take a winter coat as it was cold in Glacier Bay! After we left the ship we spent the entire day in Anchorage as our flight did not leave until 9pm & the cruise line had a hospitality suite available for people. Our plane left 2 hours late due to engine trouble & we saw the Nothern lights which was awesome. We also saw whales on our last day at sea. I definitely recommend an Alaska cruise. There were basically no little kids but a few older kids.
Alaska was my first ever cruise just last summer (Celebrity Solstice)! LOVED, LOVED, LOVED every minute. Was in Skagway for the 4th of July and thoroughly enjoyed the town’s parade - the locals came out in droves with their dogs, their kids, and their smiles. It was wonderful! I look forward to another cruise to Alaska in a few years will take advantage of going on some special excursions. Your channel has been so helpful to me in planning my next three cruises - thanks so much!
My best recommendation with adjusting to changes in time zones is : Never think about “ back home it’s this time.” Just jump into whatever time it is currently where you’re at. If this means eating breakfast when your brain says it’s bedtime, just do it. Your body may be tired, but it’ll adjust so much faster.
I agree! It’s a lot like the time change. If people don’t complain about it a lot, I don’t usually think about it very much & it doesn’t bother me because I’m not dwelling on it. Great tip!
I picked up and have followed the same advice from Rick Steves years ago and it's true. His thought is that Jetlag hates the daylight. So if possible try to get outside and do some exploring or wandering when you get to the destination so you get that sunlight and also get a good night sleep your first night.
Merci Ilana! Been to Alaska 3× with the Canadian Navy but First time on a cruise in May 2024. Looking forward to sharing the scenery with the kids. Thank you again for your great videos!
5 time Alaska cruiser, absolutely love having a balcony and being on the best side of the ship, the scenery is too magnificent to miss any of it. We had better flights to and from Seattle and Vancouver, fewer options and more red eye flights from Anchorage. Glacier bay is the ideal itinerary. Expect rain! Memory cards for your camera can be hard to find, take several.
My wife and I did the Holland America Alaska cruise last May(2023) the one you were on. Our first cruise since I was a kid so about 50 years between cruises. I did the the helicopter flight in Junea which was the first stop after Vancouver, I looked at it and thought a 1.5 hour flight/tour.. and was around $450USD each which we booked through the cruise beforehand as a lot of the tours book out even before the cruise starts weeks before. Sadly my wife got sick at the last moment and was unable to go but I took our friends daughter as a treat. The helicopter flight ended up being 6-7 minute each way flight to and from the glazier. This was very disappointing with one hour 15 minutes being the bus trip and sitting at the airport..... a complete ripoff $900USD. The Skagway train was excellent which left from the wharf and was 2-3 hour trip. Otherwise we had a great time exploring each port, the cruise was great.
HAS ANYONE HERE BEEN TO JUNEAU AND HOW IS IT THERE COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE STATE? ALSO HOW BAD REALLY IS THE WEATHER BETWEEN LATE APRIL AND LATE OCTOBER? (all caps so hopefully more people see this comment)
We did a southbound itinerary for our first (definitely not our last) Alaska cruise in Aug 22. We spent 4 days doing day trips around Anchorage, and that really helped with the time change too. Doing a one-way cruise, you also get a lot more time in the ports.
We have booked Celebrity for all three Alaska cruises we took and also booked aft cabins for all of them. We have embarked out of three different ports: Vancouver, Seward, and Seattle. They were all amazing experiences and I would highly recommend that anyone who can should definitely go to Alaska at least once. And book that aft cabin. You won’t regret it. 😘
Pamela, the aft cabin you mentioned is that the one at the very back of the ship? The one that you can see the wake of the water? I want to go to Alaska so I'm trying to gather all the information I can to start planning. Thank you!
What Ilana said about the port and check in process in Vancouver is bang on. Very much like an airport. We did a round trip from Vancouver during the midnight sun season. The sun set, but did not disappear, and it never got dark. Just being part of that history was such an amazing feeling. If your itinerary includes Skagway, or Haines (From Haines you take a fast ferry to Skagway - its about 40 mins each way and cost about $35.00) it's an absolute MUST to go to the "Red Onion Saloon" Its very period, very energetic, friendly, fun, just an over all AMAZING and authentic feeling experience. The bar maids are very happy to pose with you for pictures and they are not at all shy, they will play the part. Thanks for your tips and tricks for this destination. I'm not sure I will do another Alaska sailing, but your channel is so informative I love to stay up to date on things. Thank you.
QUESTION: the binoculars you have in your link are they good enough for seeing out in the ocean and other wild life at a distance? I’ve heard you don’t want to get a bad pair.
There is a 1/2 mile walk to the visitors’ center. What a great idea to rent a car for the day. That way I’m sure you didn’t miss a thing! I’m going to do that this July. Sailing on the Sapphire Princess. 😊
I am a 40+ year Juneau resident and yes you can take the city bus but please be ready for a 1.6 mile one way hike to the visitor center from the city bus stop and another 1.6 mile one way hike back. When you get to the glacier area, you'll also want to take one of many trails for hikes that average 2-5 miles round trip so bring good walking shoes. If you want to save 3 of those miles, don't take the city bus but book one of the local tour buses (you don't have to book it through the cruise line). The USFS has limited the number of permits that local companies who take tours to the glacier can have during each season so look online for a company with good reviews and book your tour early. Another thing to understand about the city bus is that if it fills up with tourists going to/from the glacier, some of the locals who are trying to get to work or school or just do their daily routines may get passed by if there is no room on the city bus when the bus reaches that stop. Unfortunately, this happened to a number of locals last year leaving residents in wheelchairs and elders at the bus stop to wait a full hour before the next bus arrived (hopefully not full as well)!
We used our balcony more on our Alaska cruises than on any other. It's so nice to sit there with a hot drink and all wrapped up and watch the scenery go by! One time we took back-to-back cruises on the Island Princess up and back on the same ship. We had to change cabins, but the stewards were very helpful.
@@LifeWellCruisedThanks! And I want to mention I highly agree with your suggestion about taking ziplock plastic bags. I usually take several of different sizes.
Hello, you mentioned it taking over an our to embark in Vancouver but what is your experience embarking from Seattle on the Bliss? Did it take long and would you recommend buying the priority access pass? Thank You.
2001 was our very first cruise, a Alaskan 7 day round trip from Vancouver with our kids. September 2022 was our 2nd,14 day round trip from Vancouver. Planning on a third for 2026. We never get tired of the scenery, ports, park ranger talks & wild life. We enjoy all of your video's, look forward to them & your right about the Alaska air, it's great.
Thank you for these details. First time cruise to Alaska. I like the hint of bringing 2 binoculars and a good camera. Now we’re also thinking about the water proof back pack. Thanks again for these details.
On my first Alaska cruise, I packed lots of warm, heavy clothes, because I thought it was going to be cold. Boy was I wrong. I was a sweaty mess until I bought a few tshirts.
Did an Alaska cruise last year in May. I was fortunate with the weather, only one day of rain while in Juneau. Enjoyed Tracey's Crab shack near the dock. Food was fresh, hot and really hit the spot to warm me up. It can be pricey but I chose the 6 piece crab cakes and the crab bisque, so good and was a good value. I was fortunate to have enough OB credits through a Princess promo and my travel agent that covered the cost of all my excursions. Had a balcony cabin where I spent a lot of time watching scenery late into the night. Particularly enjoyed the south bound trip through the inside passage. I agree with Ilana about going a few days early if traveling from Vancouver. Very beautiful city to explore. I traveled alone and felt very safe exploring Vancouver and all the ports of call. Best cruise I have ever taken. Now understand why people travel there repeatedly.
What cruise did you go on? I’m about to go work on some tour boats in Juneau from mid to late April all the way to October, and I’m Lowkey shitting my pants I’ve never been away from friends and family that long let alone 2000 miles away from home😂
When I do an Alaskan cruise next year, I have soo many things I am going to do. One item I would love to get, is a small totem pole. Try not to laugh, Ilana. I want to find a 4 to 5 foot one , to place in my back yard. I have always found them anazing.
I think I rolled my eyes when I found the same shops in Alaskan ports that I'd seen in the Caribbean. If you like Diamonds International, you'll be happy. I am going on my third Alaska cruise in early September, this time on Disney. I'd previously done one way from Seward to Vancouver on Royal Caribbean, and round trip from Seattle on Princess. Disney is round trip from Vancouver. As I flew from my home in Las Vegas, I didn't have to worry about time zones. On the one out of Seattle, I flew the same day (taking the earliest flight), and found Princess cruises had a bag drop-off service at the airport (for a fee). I did so, and took the train into the city, then took the monorail to the Space Needle. When I debarked in Vancouver, I took the Skytrain to the airport. If you can handle your bags for a few blocks, it's the way to go. It's much cheaper and faster than taking a ship bus, taxi, or Uber. With my upcoming trip, I'll be taking it to the Pan Pacific hotel on the way in, and back to the airport.
I agree with taking the light rail from Vancouver airport to the port. We timed the walk from the station to the port. It was just 3 minutes. It takes much longer to walk through an airport even.
I'm flying into Seattle from the UK in July. Staying over in a hotel near Seattle Tacoma airport when I arrive, then need to head to the cruise terminal the following day. I'm on a budge and can manage my bags - which would be the cheapest option to get to the ship (sailing with NCL). Thanks in advance.
We are going on our first Alaska cruise in May 2024. It is also our first cruise ever. Thanks to you I feel prepared. I just wanted you to know that I really enjoy your videos even when they weren’t Alaska related and that it really helped us be prepared for our trip, which we are really looking forward to.
I have sailed both Holland America and Princess to Alaska. Our favorite was with HAL and a combination land tour / sea cruise. We spent about 9 days seeing internal Alaska via, train, bus and riverboats. We had a truly immersive experience following the 1898 gold rush history. I would recommend doing the land portion first, the days were long and busy. Early morning starts going all day long. Our guide was quick to say the land portion was an Adventure and our sea days would be more of a vacation and slower pace. We went in a few days early, and the Kenia Peninsula was a highlight prior to the cruise.
I have been thinking about going on an Alaskan cruise for so long and now after watching your very informative video I might just get serious about it. Honestly, thank you so much for covering so many important details. I have been thinking about each and every point you made. I have also read all the comments. Wish I could go this May but I already have a different cruise booked for beginning of June. If you or any other reader has more advise, especially what cruise line would be the best, I would love to read your recommendations. Especially what cruise line would be best for a solo traveler. Again, Thank You so much for ALL your videos!!!
I've been watching your videos since I booked our very first cruise. Your videos are so helpful and took notes of your tips. So excited for our trip to Alaska this summer. Thanks for sharing 😍
Our Alaska cruise was our first cruise to see if we liked cruising. That did it, we were hooked. We were in an ocean view cabin at is was the last cruise of the season. We had great weather and it wasn't that cold. Granted we are from the northeast.
Differences between port and starboard side...when going into Glacier Bay, the captain will do a 180 once the ship gets to the Margerie Glacier, but the narrating naturalists will have discussed the Reid, Lamplugh, and Johns Hopkins Glaciers on the port side before that. Starboard side cabins will see those glaciers after the 180, and the naturalists will have gone silent by then.
take a raincoat and a down jacket! a packable one as well as a waterproof packable backpack. All were life savers. We went in August and it did get very cold and rainy in Juneau - but we still did our excursion and had fun. the shopping was excellent in all ports - prices much better than i imagined for sweatshirts and t-shirts.
We're taking our first Alaska cruise this year. Going on Discovery Princess. First time time to Alaska and first time on a Princess cruise. Very excited 😊 Thanks for the tips. Keeping them in mind as we plan our trip.
Spot on great advice! I would add that if you have the time and funds to do it, and you are starting or ending in Seward / Whittier, consider adding the 3-4 day add on days from your cruise line to go even further north by train or bus up into the Denali area. We did, which ended in Anchorage. We did Vancouver for 2 days, 7 days north with RCCL, 3 nights on land after. Well worth doing this once.
Living in Florida I feel like I can visit the Caribbean anytime, but the Alaska cruise I went on & I would do over and over. We took RCL Ovation of the Seas. It was the best vacation of my life.
I brought a semi professional Canon camera, found my iPhone did do very well. My Canon was able to get good pictures with a zoom lens. I like the phone because it is easier to carry especially when taking videos
Getting back into cruising, after a four year break. Two for 2024. A 7 day Alaska, mid June, and a 21 day Panama, mid October. Booking excursions early is smart. I've even booked most of my October cruse excursions. I was going to ask about what month you went, but you said May. You mentioned rain. I've read that May, June, and July are the months with the least rain. I'll be on the Bliss in June, and the Encore in October. PS. Sub'd.
Vancouver was gorgeous! We did the same thing, spent the weekend in Vancouver, and sailed off on Monday. It was perfect! We did all our excursions through Viator. They were 1/2 the price of the cruise line and excellent service.
Where did you do “ glacier viewing”? I am doing a round trip cruise from Seattle to Sitka, icy straight, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria. I am doing a vow ceremony and wanted to do professional photos with glaciers in the background.
Where did you do “ glacier viewing”? I am doing a round trip cruise from Seattle to Sitka, icy straight, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria. I am doing a vow ceremony and wanted to do professional photos with glaciers in the background.
First timer. Going on viking. Tokyo to alaska finishing in Vancouver ( where we plan to stay perhaps 2 weeks. Some Victoria and some rocky mountains ) Your advice is great. We are Australian and didn’t realise it would be so cold in May/ June .. i have binoculars and will try to get an extra zoom attachment to my iPhone.. .. i plan to book private tours with locals but also take advantage of the included excursions offered by Viking.
My 3rd Alaska cruise starts in April. A Journeys cruise aboard the Carnival Miracle. Round trip out of Long Beach California. I live in California so time change is not an issue for me. I’m looking forward to several ports I haven’t visited yet. I’ve been blessed with really good weather on prior trips so I’m preparing for a little colder/wetter weather.
We have 2 Alaska cruises booked! This Aug on Ovation OS, then May 2025 on Radiance OS with the whole family. This video was getting me so excited- I can't wait!!!
I’m actually retiring in southeast Alaska and one reason is the air. It’s so clean and the smell of Alaska is just heavenly. One piece of advice, shop for souvenirs in the small shops. The big shops are stuffed with Made in China merchandise. Every cook needs an Alaskan Ulu knife. There is a great little local art shop in Ketchikan near the Lumberjack show with hand made Ulu knives.
I googled the ulu knife to keep my eyes open for it when we go & just realized my parents had one of these in a kitchen drawer pretty much my whole life & I never knew what it was for. I know they've never been to Alaska, so now I'm gonna have to ask how they got it and if there's a story behind that. Mind you, this was back in the 90s before things like Amazon existed & u could have one delivered the next day. Thanks for the tip 😊
I have a couple questions I hope someone can help me with: 1. I’ll be driving up, so I was wondering about the safety of the parking that’s close to the pier? Or should I leave my truck with a camper at the hotel. I will have a lot of camping gear with me for the drive up from and back to Texas. 2. I’d like to bring my dog for the drive up and back, he loves to camp. I was wondering if anyone has used a kennel in the area that you trust with your best Freind? Thanks for the advice.
It sounds like we’re watching just isn’t for you. I completely get it. Generally, the whales will not be close to the boat that said we were really happy to do this excursion, so I think it does depend on each person.
This will be our first Alaskan cruise. Our cruise will be in early September. Please tell me the most important things to know. My wife and I are in our late 60’s. Should we purchase the key program. It seems expensive, but might be better for us because of the luggage, shows and priority treatment for excursions. I would also like to purchase trip planner.
I just went on an Alaskan cruise Holland America Koningsdam& we stayed in a Neptune suite, Aft corner cabin. Does any other cruise line have that nice of a cabin for less then $10,000 for 7 days?
Our first Alaska cruise was Sept. 7, 2010, which was a land and sea on the Coral Princess. We went to Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier. Our best excursion was the helicopter ride to Mendenhall Glacier, where we walked on it and drank the water. We are going again May, 31, 2025, on Royal Princess to Glacier Bay and doing the whale watching and salmon bake in Juneau. Then, my sister and I are doing a girls Alaskan cruise September 5, 2025, on Celebrity Edge, where we will see Dawes Glacier. Best tip I have is to always carry your iPhone/camera wherever you go on the ship because you never know when you will see wildlife. On our first Alaskan cruise, we were in the dining room and as I looked out the window, there was a seal/otter floating by on an iceberg and I didn’t have my camera with me.
The information U give about the Side of the ship taking? It didn’t help at all! Use other regular words that we can understand better!!! U neither give tips about outfits to pack x Alaska…;(
I have some incredible pictures when we went on our Alaska cruise last year! The sun would set so late, it was beautiful! We were lucky to have great weather when we arrived in May. Best cruise ever!!!
@@gailhoover9263 we did not. We took the Alaska itinerary out of Seattle. We went May 11-18 and we booked excursions but everything was open with no issue when we went shopping.
Our very first cruise was on Princess in 2018 it was a round trip 11 days From San Francisco to Alaska and it was Amazing!!!! We even went back in 2019 for Princess lantour also Amazing!!!
I LOVE your videos. I was wondering are there any cruises, short or long that allow dogs? Also which cabin for the least amount of walking since i use a walker.
I love this video thanks in advance so I have a couple questions... do you think will be a good idea to travel with kids (8 and 12 yrs old), second one... on may is still possible to see northern lights...thanks
You're not allowed to bring camera drones or drones of any kind by cruise ship to Alaska, at least that was the rule on Norwegian Cruise Line. They took mine and kept it until the end of the cruise. They told me that I might hit an endangered bird.
