Cruise Talk: Which Company for cruising to Alaska ?

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Topic: Which Company for cruising to Alaska ?

Italian Cruiser
First Class Passenger
Member # 1684

posted 03-29-2001 02:43 PM

If I would take a cruise to Alaska(in Italy this is a very new and also inusual destination) with no doubt I'd book with RCCL.This company offers very good prices and a good international assistance program (a thing that is very important for me).Also Carnival with the introduction of the brand new Carnival Spirit should be a good choice.I know that the two leading companies for this itinerary are Princess and HAL but I think that their cruises are a bit overpriced (Princess has operated a fantastic itinerary for many years with the Sky Princess departing from San Francisco,and there is a pity that after the transfer of this ship to P&O Australia it doesn't perform this itinerary).I'd avoid only NCL because the Norwegian Sky has very small cabins compared with the prices required.

Posts: 887 | From: Orvieto (Italy) | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

jeff
First Class Passenger
Member # 614

posted 03-29-2001 03:28 PM

i would stick with royal caribbean with the new "radiance". she will performe 7 day's roundtrip from vancouver or the "rhapsody" spending 7 day's from vancouver to seward (anchorage). i have been on holland america and if i had a choice...i would sail the "volendam" or the new "zaandam". priness is o.k. but there land packages sound better than the cruises....and carnival will be full of kid's....which is great educational experience on the wilderness of alaska or if you have kid's.....have fun....jeff

Posts: 180 | From: vancouver,b.c.,canada | Registered: Jun 99 | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 03-29-2001 05:18 PM

I'd go with HAL for sure!
There various itineraries and you don't have to spend a fortune on the cabin because 'doing Alaska' means being on deck as much as possible - there's always something to see.

Lower priced cabins on HAL are, give or take a few inches, exactly the same size as those higher priced (except for veranda cabins of course). Service does not vary with your cabin choice.

Happy Cruisin'

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

cruznut6
First Class Passenger
Member # 543

posted 03-30-2001 12:26 PM

Celebrity offers a great product and value, especially to Alaska. The Infinity would be a great ship to sail, plus the food is great and the passage/crew and space ratio is better than RCCL

Regards...Bob

Posts: 161 | From: Mount Laurel, NJ, USA | Registered: Apr 99 | IP: Logged

Blizzard54
First Class Passenger
Member # 1824

posted 03-30-2001 07:24 PM

I have cruised Alaska with Princess,HAL and one of the lines no longer with us...
At this time I would go with either RCCL or HAL. The Radiance looks to be the best ship ever built for Alaskan cruising. HAL has always done Alaska well.

Posts: 118 | From: Seattle,WA | Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

bmajor
First Class Passenger
Member # 1754

posted 03-31-2001 02:47 AM

RCI's Vision of the Seas....Just great!!!...

Posts: 1371 | From: Orewa.New Zealand. | Registered: Jan 2001 | IP: Logged

bubbles
First Class Passenger
Member # 1415

posted 03-31-2001 05:17 AM

We 'did' Alaska with Princess and have no complaints at all. The tours packages and the Princess product was excellent, we did a 7 day Vancouver round trip. We had wonderful access in Glacier Bay which is probably something you should look for in your itinerary as some lines do not go to Glacier Bay. We also docked in town in the ports we visited while some other ships were further out and were bussed in or had to come by tender. I have not been on the other lines to Alaksa but from what people are saying perhaps you should be driven by itinerary and price as we all seem to think the product is just as good with several lines. Our particular cruise had a stop at Sitka which was a lovely little place entirely different to anywhere else on the coastline, not many cruises do stop at Sitka because of the tides.

Posts: 133 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2000 | IP: Logged

recab
First Class Passenger
Member # 1677

posted 03-31-2001 05:31 AM

Without doubt the Radiance of the Seas. Was on the Vision of the Seas last summer and had a marvelous cruise.

Posts: 730 | From: Aland, Finland | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 03-31-2001 06:54 AM

One thing to keep in mind, you'll be spending a lot of time out on deck looking at the scenary etc. Check which ships are best for that. The Sun class Princess ships have a wrap-around prom deck, which is something a lot of these new floating Hyatts don't have ( we were in Papeete with the R3 and R4 and they have almost nowhere to lean on a rail and look over the side - horrible ships.)
...peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

Green
First Class Passenger
Member # 171

posted 03-31-2001 04:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by gohaze:
One thing to keep in mind, you'll be spending a lot of time out on deck looking at the scenary etc. Check which ships are best for that. The Sun class Princess ships have a wrap-around prom deck, which is something a lot of these new floating Hyatts don't have ( we were in Papeete with the R3 and R4 and they have almost nowhere to lean on a rail and look over the side - horrible ships.)
...peter

That's the beauty of HAL - the whole 'dam' fleet has wraparound decks!!

Posts: 2913 | From: Markham, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

CB
First Class Passenger
Member # 58

posted 03-31-2001 11:16 PM

I agree that HAL or Princess is the way to see Alaska. It is always a great viewing option with the warp around promenade deck. Why the other lines neglect this when building a ship is a mystery to me.

Posts: 109 | From: Arlington, TX, USA | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 04-01-2001 12:25 AM

Regal Princess has extremely limited forward viewing from outdoors; room for only the smart few that are able to find it, and then boldly pass the crew only sign! The topmost deck also has limited outdoor viewing. The remainder of the Alaskan fleet is fine in this regard. However, I somehow suspect no ship will be able to satisfy your insistance on Italian language services. Vancouver does have a large Italian community however.

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

bubbles
First Class Passenger
Member # 1415

posted 04-01-2001 05:07 AM

Grant I know where you mean about limited forward viewing on Regal Princess and we did find our way there several times. However, in Yakutat Bay we stayed aft and had wonderful views as the ship turned and stayed moving so that everyone could enjoy the most wonderful views and sights, you could also hear the commentary very well (in English) all over the ship. I think any lines selling directly into the Italian market should be the first port of call as they are more likely to have Italian commentaries if they have a sizeable number of Italian passengers.

Posts: 133 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2000 | IP: Logged

Italian Cruiser
First Class Passenger
Member # 1684

posted 04-01-2001 05:28 AM

Thanks to alls for your interesting replies.Next year if I will decide to cruise to Alaska I'll choose the Carnival Spirit that offers dicated assistance and services to the italian speaking passengers.Also the services of NCL are excellent but I don't like the ships deployed to Alaska.HAL will be excellent bit it's a too traditional company for my tastes.

Posts: 887 | From: Orvieto (Italy) | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

James
First Class Passenger
Member # 1351

posted 04-01-2001 01:05 PM

To each his own! We have been on HAL twice from Alaska to Vancouver and four times other trips and wouldn't take any other. I guess we like traditional!

Posts: 202 | From: Illinois, Home of Lincoln and great graft | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

Bob from PA
Just Boarded
Member # 48

posted 04-02-2001 11:43 AM

Haven't done Alaska yet (probably in 2002) but will do it with either HAL or Princess due to their Alaska reputations.

Posts: 5 | From: Johnstown, | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged

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