Alaska Sailing in September - No Good?

[TNewman1024]

We are booked on this cruise next year. Our first Disney Cruise was the last Alaska of the year back in in 2013. It was great and last cruise of the season that year. A couple rainy days, Tracy Arm was beautiful it was socked in with fairly low clouds and light rain. It was really neat looked like the water was running right out of the clouds down the mountain and into the Fjord.
We are from AZ and its hot in the summer Alaska on DCL is our get away. usually in July. We have done the Wonder to Alaska 5 times. This Sept 11 2023 will be our 12 DCL cruise and we jumped on the 8 night as soon as we saw it. We like the longer cruises, not 3 and 4 nights they just don't cut it.

Our favorite Excursion is Taku Glacier Lodge out of Juneau. Its a little pricey but worth it. Its a float plane to the lodge. The lodge sits on the river and look across the river and the Glacier is right there. The area is lush green rain forrest. We have been on it twice and seen bears both times. They have a lunch at the lodge and usually a hike (walk through the woods need bug spray) but it is so beautiful and calm.

The guide kept the black bear a little at bay, then another bear showed up with 2 cubs. They smelled the Salmon cooking for lunch. The mama and the cubs went up the tree and watched us for about an hr.

This was one of our best excursions ever on DCL. But there are really lots in Alaska, and we have never really had a bad one. We always do something new each trip and sometimes go do the repeats on really good ones.

Our favorites in no specific order

St Georges inlet and crab feast in Ketchikan
Taku Lodge in Juneau (Float Plane so its a little $$)
Train in Skagway
Whale watching at Ice Straights Point
Otters and Wildlife watching in Sitka
Neats Bay out of Juneau (Float Plane) Bears and Salmon running

We did a ATV trail out of Skagway, takes you to Haines and then you drive a 4 wheeler up the mountain. There is a lodge fresh cookies ont he way up to the summit and on the way back lunch fresh caught Halibut and Salmon. It was really fun. Our son whos is 13 now still talks about eating the wild blue berries off the bushes at the summit.


Photos are from our 9 night in 2017 and the Taku Lodge

 

[wabbott]

This thread is of interest to me. We are planning an Alaska cruise for mid-September next year, - it will be our first AK cruise. I want to do the Inside Passage and plenty of Skagway stuff related to the Klondike Gold Rush. We'll incorporate the trip into a Western US/British Columbia auto trip, so air matters are moot. Should we look at Vancouver or Seattle? Big ship or small?

The Inside Passage has always fascinated me every since as a kid I read the Uncle Scrooge comic "The Strange Shipwrecks."

http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-strange-shipwrecks.html

There was an old Nat Geo story on "Ripple Rock" which is part of the passage, IIRC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripple_Rock

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I can’t wait to do this cruise next year as well it’ll break up the typical Caribbean or Beach vacations and hopefully the baby will be big by then to appreciate it

 

[MrMarcus]

Our favorite Excursion is Taku Glacier Lodge out of Juneau. Its a little pricey but worth it. Its a float plane to the lodge. The lodge sits on the river and look across the river and the Glacier is right there. The area is lush green rain forrest. We have been on it twice and seen bears both times. They have a lunch at the lodge and usually a hike (walk through the woods need bug spray) but it is so beautiful and calm.

Yes Taku Glacier Lodge is a bit pricey, but it has been a highlight for us several times.

We took the seaplane to the lodge last week on our cruise, and that was the first time we did not see the bears up near the lodge or investigating the fire pits. The hosts said that they had not seen the bears nearly as much this year. There is a host family living at the complex with a couple of young children this summer -- not sure if the additional activity from the kids living there for the summer influenced the bears not poking around as much, but it was the first time we did not see them at all.

Regardless, I agree with the recommendation for Taku Glacier Lodge Flight and Feast!

 

[auntlynne]

TMI. Sorry.

 

[auntlynne]

This thread is of interest to me. We are planning an Alaska cruise for mid-September next year, - it will be our first AK cruise. I want to do the Inside Passage and plenty of Skagway stuff related to the Klondike Gold Rush. We'll incorporate the trip into a Western US/British Columbia auto trip, so air matters are moot. Should we look at Vancouver or Seattle? Big ship or small?

The Inside Passage has always fascinated me every since as a kid I read the Uncle Scrooge comic "The Strange Shipwrecks."

http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-strange-shipwrecks.html

There was an old Nat Geo story on "Ripple Rock" which is part of the passage, IIRC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripple_Rock

Mid-September in SE AK and the season is winding down. But ships will be sailing for another month. It may be colder, but still comfortable. My last cruise started Sep 4. I actually got to crack King Crab legs at Tracy’s Crab Shack in Juneau without waiting in a long line to get a table. Some activities may not be offered. Hopefully, next year will see some relief in finding workers to staff excursions.

First thought: Skagway. This year brought some rock slides at one of the piers. Some scheduled stops were cancelled, while others used tenders to get from ship to shore instead of docking. Otherwise, Skagway is often a long day in port, allowing you plenty of time for a Klondike history visit. It is a very small town. One year, we did both the train and a helicopter ride with glacier landing. And still time leftover.

I have no idea whether to leave from Vancouver or Seattle. it sort of depends on where else / when you are visiting BC. It is a fascinating idea. Both towns are great places to visit.

[Here was something we did after a cruise. Off ship in Vancouver. Got to Victoria/Vancouver Island) by a big car & bus ferry. Visited Butchart Gardens. Next day we took hydrofoil to Seattle. (We were without a vehicle - but I think there is a car ferry to Port Angeles, WA. You are right there on the Olympic Peninsula at The National Park.)]

I would pick departure point by the cruise itinerary and ship that appeals to you. If Vancouver, you should be able to stay outside the city and get a reasonable hotel. Vancouver is an expensive town. Downtown Seattle is expensive, too, but hotels in Tukwila, near SEATAC airport, are reasonable.

Seattle RT: you will have to visit Victoria, BC, to meet a federal marine transportation law for foreign-flagged ships. Due to geography/ travel time, it is likely the stop will be short (4 hours) and mostly after dark. It seems like a poor use if time and port fees, but consider the cruise as a whole to determine if it matters to you.

First check: time in port for Skagway.

Almost every cruise will go through the Inside Passage. Early season out of Seattle, ships might go on the western/ outside route of Vancouver Island due to residual Winter ice. Same concern when visiting glaciers early in the season. Some report it as rougher. I think we did it but it wasn’t a detractor. Still cruised up by BC and the Inner Passage towns.

Passengers - I have never noticed the stereotypical “Alaska is for old people cruise” feeling. I find this destination to have lots of active excursions.

I think you can check out any of the cruise lines and various size ships to select a cruise right for you. Yes, Disney will give you those special Disney touches - characters, WD Theater productions, and their standard MDR experiences. But it is AK itself that is the star of these cruises.

I don’t take advantage of the bells and whistles on the big shops enough to warrant choosing them. And I prefer a smaller passenger count to make disembarking at ports (especially if a port is required at Skagway) and going on excursions quicker.

Take into account your onboard alcohol and internet costs. Some lines have excellent packages now that bundle gratuities, specialty dining, drinks, WiFi.

To the Last Frontier!

 

[Cruzin’Sisters]

Mid-September in SE AK and the season is winding down. But ships will be sailing for another month. It may be colder, but still comfortable. My last cruise started Sep 4. I actually got to crack King Crab legs at Tracy’s Crab Shack in Juneau without waiting in a long line to get a table. Some activities may not be offered. Hopefully, next year will see some relief in finding workers to staff excursions.

First thought: Skagway. This year brought some rock slides at one of the piers. Some scheduled stops were cancelled, while others used tenders to get from ship to shore instead of docking. Otherwise, Skagway is often a long day in port, allowing you plenty of time for a Klondike history visit. It is a very small town. One year, we did both the train and a helicopter ride with glacier landing. And still time leftover.

I have no idea whether to leave from Vancouver or Seattle. it sort of depends on where else / when you are visiting BC. It is a fascinating idea. Both towns are great places to visit.

[Here was something we did after a cruise. Off ship in Vancouver. Got to Victoria/Vancouver Island) by a big car & bus ferry. Visited Butchart Gardens. Next day we took hydrofoil to Seattle. (We were without a vehicle - but I think there is a car ferry to Port Angeles, WA. You are right there on the Olympic Peninsula at The National Park.)]

I would pick departure point by the cruise itinerary and ship that appeals to you. If Vancouver, you should be able to stay outside the city and get a reasonable hotel. Vancouver is an expensive town. Downtown Seattle is expensive, too, but hotels in Tukwila, near SEATAC airport, are reasonable.

Seattle RT: you will have to visit Victoria, BC, to meet a federal marine transportation law for foreign-flagged ships. Due to geography/ travel time, it is likely the stop will be short (4 hours) and mostly after dark. It seems like a poor use if time and port fees, but consider the cruise as a whole to determine if it matters to you.

First check: time in port for Skagway.

Almost every cruise will go through the Inside Passage. Early season out of Seattle, ships might go on the western/ outside route of Vancouver Island due to residual Winter ice. Same concern when visiting glaciers early in the season. Some report it as rougher. I think we did it but it wasn’t a detractor. Still cruised up by BC and the Inner Passage towns.

Passengers - I have never noticed the stereotypical “Alaska is for old people cruise” feeling. I find this destination to have lots of active excursions.

I think you can check out any of the cruise lines and various size ships to select a cruise right for you. Yes, Disney will give you those special Disney touches - characters, WD Theater productions, and their standard MDR experiences. But it is AK itself that is the star of these cruises.

I don’t take advantage of the bells and whistles on the big shops enough to warrant choosing them. And I prefer a smaller passenger count to make disembarking at ports (especially if a port is required at Skagway) and going on excursions quicker.

Take into account your onboard alcohol and internet costs. Some lines have excellent packages now that bundle gratuities, specialty dining, drinks, WiFi.

To the Last Frontier!

Do you do Disney excursions? If not, how do you find others?
TIA

 

[belle032]

We did Alaska in 2020 in September (not DCL) and had a fantastic time - I don't think you have a reason to be worried about your dates! We visited Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point & Ketchikan and had a day sailing through Tracey Arm Fjord. We went during the pandemic, so the entire Alaska season was kind of uncertain. We had 3 cancellations and then suddenly we came across an amazing deal when it was determined we could sail - so we jumped on it without knowing exactly what to expect. No regrets!

All excursions I booked were 3rd party, which I am usually very comfortable doing (depending on the port!) I initially just Google, then use Trip Advisor/FB for reviews. I wouldn't hesitate to book outside of the cruise line in Alaska.

Juneau - whale watching and a trip to Mendenhall Glacier. Booked through Alaska Tales. Had lunch on our own at a little place up from the docks and I swear I had the best soup I've ever had in my life - salmon chowder!

Skagway - This 100% reminded me of a town in the wild west. We rented a Jeep on our own and explored. Saw the Gold Rush Cemetery, walked some really cool trails, drove to the Alaska sign and all over the little town. During any normal time, you could cross the border and drive through Canada. Unfortunately, due to COVID, we couldn't - but that's no ones fault. We would definitely do this again!

Icy Strait Point - no excursion here, easy to explore on your own. Not sure how many cruise lines visit this port. It was an original salmon canning factory and now owned by the local tribes I believe. I heard the whale watching is fantastic though.

Ketchikan - husband was supposed to go fishing, but it was cancelled due to weather. Expect rain here! Explored Creek Street and did some shopping. Lots of souvenir shops! I wanted to do a Crab Fisherman's Tour, but they weren't running the tour due to COVID.

Husband is ready to do Alaska again ASAP - wants to take his parents. It was definitely a calmer & older atmosphere on the ship- just a different vibe than the Caribbean. Not a bad thing! Again, we went during a strange time, so there were zero kids. Literally because they weren't permitted to sail. Overall, an amazing cruise!

 

[auntlynne]

Do you do Disney excursions? If not, how do you find others?
TIA

I started out my cruising life mainly using the ship’s excursions. I’ve slowly added DIY or independent companies over the years.

Check Viator or TripAdvisor to get an idea of what’s is typically offered in any given port. You can see the names of the actual Independent agency there. (Viator is basically a clearinghouse). Alaska Shore Excursions is another website to check out. Do a web search for port towns.

I watch videos and read reviews to get reports. Mostly you will get positive recommendations - Which I believe are because bad providers don’t last long.

I would be more leery of picking an excursion from a dockside kiosk than booking online with a company other reviewers have mentioned.

Our first AK cruise, we had DCL excursions for
Whale Watch + Mendenhall Glacier (Juneau)
White Pass & Yukon Railroad (Skagway)
Helicopter flight with glacier landing (Skagway)
Bike, Hike & Raft (Skagway)
Kayaking (Ketchikan)

We independently booked
Floatplane into Tongass Forest with Glacial Lake Landing - Island Wings (Ketchikan). They have had excellent reviews for years. People love Michelle, the pilot/ owner.

In Skagway, three of us did the train and helicopter excursions on the same day. Others did the hike…

That’s my DCL AK cruise experience.

We ventured out to independent providers with Princess, or just walked around town. One time, in Skagway, we rented a car and drove to Emerald Lake and then up to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory.

On my latest AK, with NCL, they offered $50 off each of my excursions (not just per port). So my excursions were all ship offerings.

There is freedom in using the ship excursions when you go out in a boat or anyway you are more than a quick return to ship. Knowing they won’t leave you is such a relief. That said, independent providers know they need to get you back and will adjust activities as needed - but they can’t control breakdowns or transportation stoppages.

 

[beckicnm]

This thread is of interest to me. We are planning an Alaska cruise for mid-September next year, - it will be our first AK cruise. I want to do the Inside Passage and plenty of Skagway stuff related to the Klondike Gold Rush. We'll incorporate the trip into a Western US/British Columbia auto trip, so air matters are moot. Should we look at Vancouver or Seattle? Big ship or small?

Disney only has Wonder going to Alaska (at least for now). It is a smaller ship and leaves from Vancouver.

I have sailed to Alaska from Seattle, and am sailing there from Vancouver next month. I like smaller ships for sure. I will be on Celebrity Millennium next month, which is a smaller ship and I love sailing her. Big ships have more activities, and if my kids wanted to go to Alaska, I would pick a bigger ship just for the activities (they are 22 and 18), like Norwegian Bliss.

Leaving from Seattle or Vancouver really just depends on where the ship is leaving from that you want to sail or has the itinerary that you want. Both are expensive as far as hotel rooms go. Most ships except Norwegian leave Seattle from Pier 91, which is north and west of downtown, but we stayed downtown for that sailing. Vancouver's Canada Place is very convenient to the train to the airport and is right downtown.

The Inside Passage has always fascinated me every since as a kid I read the Uncle Scrooge comic "The Strange Shipwrecks."

http://duckcomicsrevue.blogspot.com/2017/10/the-strange-shipwrecks.html

There was an old Nat Geo story on "Ripple Rock" which is part of the passage, IIRC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripple_Rock

 

[beckicnm]

Mid-September in SE AK and the season is winding down. But ships will be sailing for another month. It may be colder, but still comfortable. My last cruise started Sep 4. I actually got to crack King Crab legs at Tracy’s Crab Shack in Juneau without waiting in a long line to get a table. Some activities may not be offered. Hopefully, next year will see some relief in finding workers to staff excursions.

I am going to Juneau and I LOVE Tracy's. It's all I have planned, other than maybe riding the gondola. It costs the equivalent of an excursion, lol, I'm budgeting $80 (per person). Last time we were in Juneau, we took the bus to Mendenhall Glacier and hiked all day, both there and at the top of Mount Roberts. It was beautiful and cheap.

First thought: Skagway. This year brought some rock slides at one of the piers. Some scheduled stops were cancelled, while others used tenders to get from ship to shore instead of docking. Otherwise, Skagway is often a long day in port, allowing you plenty of time for a Klondike history visit. It is a very small town. One year, we did both the train and a helicopter ride with glacier landing. And still time leftover.

You can check what pier you will be at and for how long. I do not believe the ORE pier that Wonder is docking at requires tenders. Millennium is going to dock at BRD the day I am there, which also shouldn't require tenders. Wonder uses this one too. Larger ships (or a 3rd ship) have to use RRA and I believe tender in, but there's a lot of changes going on right now. There are some interesting historical stops in Skagway - the national park service has a little museum.
https://claalaska.com/?page_id=1551 is the most up to date port calendar I have found. But whatever pier we end up on, I'm good as long as we still get the Skagway stop. I am really looking forward to it. It was my favorite stop last time.

I have no idea whether to leave from Vancouver or Seattle. it sort of depends on where else / when you are visiting BC. It is a fascinating idea. Both towns are great places to visit.

[Here was something we did after a cruise. Off ship in Vancouver. Got to Victoria/Vancouver Island) by a big car & bus ferry. Visited Butchart Gardens. Next day we took hydrofoil to Seattle. (We were without a vehicle - but I think there is a car ferry to Port Angeles, WA. You are right there on the Olympic Peninsula at The National Park.)]

I would pick departure point by the cruise itinerary and ship that appeals to you. If Vancouver, you should be able to stay outside the city and get a reasonable hotel. Vancouver is an expensive town. Downtown Seattle is expensive, too, but hotels in Tukwila, near SEATAC airport, are reasonable.

Seattle RT: you will have to visit Victoria, BC, to meet a federal marine transportation law for foreign-flagged ships. Due to geography/ travel time, it is likely the stop will be short (4 hours) and mostly after dark. It seems like a poor use if time and port fees, but consider the cruise as a whole to determine if it matters to you.

I've stopped at Victoria several times, and it was shorter than some stops, but all stopped during the day. It was 80 degrees and beautiful the first time. We visited the Royal BC Museum. Last time, it was 50's and raining, so I didn't get off.

First check: time in port for Skagway.

Almost every cruise will go through the Inside Passage. Early season out of Seattle, ships might go on the western/ outside route of Vancouver Island due to residual Winter ice. Same concern when visiting glaciers early in the season. Some report it as rougher. I think we did it but it wasn’t a detractor. Still cruised up by BC and the Inner Passage towns.

Passengers - I have never noticed the stereotypical “Alaska is for old people cruise” feeling. I find this destination to have lots of active excursions.

I think you can check out any of the cruise lines and various size ships to select a cruise right for you. Yes, Disney will give you those special Disney touches - characters, WD Theater productions, and their standard MDR experiences. But it is AK itself that is the star of these cruises.

I don’t take advantage of the bells and whistles on the big shops enough to warrant choosing them. And I prefer a smaller passenger count to make disembarking at ports (especially if a port is required at Skagway) and going on excursions quicker.

This is me too. I don't do all the activities - I entertain myself just fine - and I like not feeling like I'm trapped in a small city.

Take into account your onboard alcohol and internet costs. Some lines have excellent packages now that bundle gratuities, specialty dining, drinks, WiFi.

If you don't drink alcohol and don't mind catching up on emails and such when you are at port (Verizon works fine in Alaska, and Canada with the right plan), I haven't found the packages make much financial sense, but it's like the Disney Dining Plan of old - sometimes you just want to feel your vacation is all-inclusive. If you drink, it's probably worth it.

To the Last Frontier!

Alaska is one of the best cruising destinations out there. Enjoy it.

 

[Lesley Wake]

I like a good deal! I just wanted to know if we would be missing out on anything! Last time we went to Alaska we were suppose to do the dogs via helicopter but it got rained out!

It's always a 50-50 chance because the weather changes drastically in very little time. I don't recall if others at our table ( ah, the good old days of multiple couples at a table for 8) did helicopter/dog sled, but the whale watching/ Jeep trips for bear were good.

In September the Helicopter/Dogsledding will probably not be running anymore. I just got off the Wonder a week ago. I had booked that excursion with another operator and a week before cruising they sent me an email that the conditions at the dog sled camp (Herbert Glacier) were too poor so they were closing up shop early (they still offered a helicopter tour). I ended up finding another operator that was still running and thankfully we had amazing weather and got to go. But the musher said they were planning on packing up the next week; I followed her on instagram and indeed, they just left Norris Glacier a couple days ago. I'm not sure about the one Disney contracts with and if they are still on the glacier, but it is something to be aware of.

At nearly every stop I heard operators talking about closing up and heading home within the next week or so (our Naturalist on the Misty Fjords boat was heading back to college and someone with the Skagway tour company came along to see Liarsville since she also was heading out).

But we adored the cruise. And the towns are very cute, which we didn't have much time to explore. I would be happy to go again and do it without excursions at all lol!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

In September the Helicopter/Dogsledding will probably not be running anymore. I just got off the Wonder a week ago. I had booked that excursion with another operator and a week before cruising they sent me an email that the conditions at the dog sled camp (Herbert Glacier) were too poor so they were closing up shop early (they still offered a helicopter tour). I ended up finding another operator that was still running and thankfully we had amazing weather and got to go. But the musher said they were planning on packing up the next week; I followed her on instagram and indeed, they just left Norris Glacier a couple days ago. I'm not sure about the one Disney contracts with and if they are still on the glacier, but it is something to be aware of.

At nearly every stop I heard operators talking about closing up and heading home within the next week or so (our Naturalist on the Misty Fjords boat was heading back to college and someone with the Skagway tour company came along to see Liarsville since she also was heading out).

But we adored the cruise. And the towns are very cute, which we didn't have much time to explore. I would be happy to go again and do it without excursions at all lol!

Would you mind telling me what travel company you booked the dog skiing helicopter tour with and you think it would have made or break your time in Alaska if you didn’t do it I feel like now it’s 50-50 for me going in September at the very least I want to see the lumberjack show the train maybe one of the big ticket excursion

 

[TNewman1024]

Sept is a good time too. As I said we have been 5 times on DCL one mid June, 3 around 4-15 of July and our first trip was Set 20th. The Sept 20th trip was so good we booked onboard for the next year and brought the in-laws along.

Really you can't miss with AK and almost everything you do is really outstanding. Its not like going Nassau and there are 3 excurisions that are worth a darn. The port adventures list in AK is packed plum full and like I said we have not had a bad one. Even just doing the towns are great.

One thing as I noted in my other post we have done somethings a couple times and each time the results were a little different. All great but not the same thing twice. You got to the Caribbean and once you do X its about the same each time. But in Alaska the Weather can change and that's not bad.

One time we did Tracy Arm and it was rainy about 55-60deg and just drizzly on and off. The clouds we low and the waterfalls coming down the mountains looked like they were streaming from the clouds. It was like a really neat view of the area. Late in the year (sept) ice bergs we still in the channel but we got almost right up tot the face of the glacier. Ice Calving off and you could hear the rumble because the cloud layer. It felt like you were watching through a movie screen. A water proof wind breaker jacket was all that was needed. Crew serving hot soup bowls and grilles Salmon on deck. Its was one of the major deals that sealed our second trip.

The very next year we did Tracy Arm and the temps was about 65-70deg and sunny blue sky, almost dead calm no wind, and nearly perfect mirror surface on the water. You could see the mountain tops 5-6000ft above you that we never saw on the first trip. The water had some more ice bergs it was 4th of July timeframe, could not get as close to the Glacier as year before and not as much Ice Calving but mountains reflected on the mirror surface of the water and it looked like 2 mountains on top of each other. Lots of Seals on the Ice bergs that's probably one reason we didn't get as close to the face.

One time in Ketchikan it was raining pretty good and our float plane deal got cancelled. It was July timeframe. So we just walked around the town and hung out on creek street. It was fun brought home some goodies from the shops.

Then a couple trips later we did the Neats Bay float plane trip for the 2nd time. This time it was about 75degs and the people in town were complaining about a heat wave. We didn't see much bear activity because it was so warm, but it was really nice hiking and seeing the Salmon hatchery at the bay. We did see a a Bear but only from the side then the back as he/she was running away from us on the hike. A few years before we did the same excursion on a 60-65 deg day it was spotty for rain and cloud cover. The Salmon were getting ready to run and the bay was chalk full of fish. The bears were lined up at beachy area and as low tide pulled out the were scooping fish out of the muddy puddles. in the beach at low tide. There were like 4-5 black bears and a couple with cubs. We could have stayed till dark watching them but had to get back all aboard at like 445.


So my point is every time we go to Alaska its a new adventure and things are different than before. We have never been Whale watching and not seen a whale or 2 couple times we we saw a bunch right up next tot he boat in Juneau, and another at Icy Straight. One time whale watching in Icy Straight we only saw a couple whales and not very active. But we saw 2 different Pods of Orcas. The one Pod had 2 babies in it. They followed right up to the boat.

I could go on and on and sound like a commercial for Alaska Cruises...but we will take an Alaska cruise over any vacation around. It beat Hawaii even Aulani which is fabulous, it beat WDW because of the crowds. It beats Panama Canal Cruise on the Wonder but not by much. Panama Canal was awesome in its own right but I'd take Alaska first if I had a choice.

We saw the 8 night and jumped on right away even though our son will be in 9th grade next year and miss school for it. For us never going outside DCL Sitka is a rare one and only been there once on a 9 night to Hubbard. We went on excursion to see the Otters and other wildlife. It was excellent and we want to go back and see more of the town and try some other stuff in Sitka.

We love Cruises to Alaska so much that we have been looking at doing some of the other cruise lines but we know and love the Wonder. We want to hit Hubbard Glacier every time its the best we have seen. But DCL only does it on the 9 night and its once a year. With high premium on it too. Also maybe on the list is to try Glacier bay and on up to Anchorage. We would love to go to Denali. So DCL needs to step up the Alaska game a bit. The problem is they have a pretty good run of 7 nighters. its easy to plan and easy to manage. we hit Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau, ect once a week and every once in a while we toss in a Icy Straights or a Sitka instead of Skagway.

 

[auntlynne]

…

I could go on and on and sound like a commercial for Alaska Cruises...but we will take an Alaska cruise over any vacation around. It beat Hawaii even Aulani which is fabulous, it beat WDW because of the crowds. It beats Panama Canal Cruise on the Wonder but not by much. Panama Canal was awesome in its own right but I'd take Alaska first if I had a choice.

We saw the 8 night and jumped on right away even though our son will be in 9th grade next year and miss school for it. For us never going outside DCL Sitka is a rare one and only been there once on a 9 night to Hubbard. We went on excursion to see the Otters and other wildlife. It was excellent and we want to go back and see more of the town and try some other stuff in Sitka.

We love Cruises to Alaska so much that we have been looking at doing some of the other cruise lines but we know and love the Wonder. We want to hit Hubbard Glacier every time its the best we have seen. But DCL only does it on the 9 night and its once a year. With high premium on it too. Also maybe on the list is to try Glacier bay and on up to Anchorage. We would love to go to Denali. So DCL needs to step up the Alaska game a bit. The problem is they have a pretty good run of 7 nighters. its easy to plan and easy to manage. we hit Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau, ect once a week and every once in a while we toss in a Icy Straights or a Sitka instead of Skagway.

“I could go on and on and sound like a commercial for Alaska Cruises...but we will take an Alaska cruise over any vacation around.”

I know the feeling. My favorite vacations are an AK cruise and Hawaii. And neither one has to be Disney for me. It is definitely the destination, itself.

I can imagine the crispness of the fresh air on the cruise. It is always hot at home during the AK season, so it is such a relief.

It‘s not for everyone and it is expensive, but I have seen almost no negative reports for an AK cruise.

My Dream AK cruise would include Sitka (I haven’t gotten there yet), Icy Strait Point, a full day in Victoria and College Fjord (in Prince William Sound, near the northern terminus for Royal And Princess northbound cruises). You could throw in Glacier Bay for good measure, but College Fjord has some many glaciers concentrated in a small area, it is really satisfying). This is just a fantasy, as I have never seen such a unique combo.

Nice to hear from another AK cruise fan.

 

[auntlynne]

In September the Helicopter/Dogsledding will probably not be running anymore. I just got off the Wonder a week ago. I had booked that excursion with another operator and a week before cruising they sent me an email that the conditions at the dog sled camp (Herbert Glacier) were too poor so they were closing up shop early (they still offered a helicopter tour). I ended up finding another operator that was still running and thankfully we had amazing weather and got to go. But the musher said they were planning on packing up the next week; I followed her on instagram and indeed, they just left Norris Glacier a couple days ago. I'm not sure about the one Disney contracts with and if they are still on the glacier, but it is something to be aware of.

At nearly every stop I heard operators talking about closing up and heading home within the next week or so (our Naturalist on the Misty Fjords boat was heading back to college and someone with the Skagway tour company came along to see Liarsville since she also was heading out).

But we adored the cruise. And the towns are very cute, which we didn't have much time to explore. I would be happy to go again and do it without excursions at all lol!

The biggest drawback to end of season sailing: if the college kids are still there to run the excursions. Sort of depends on when BYU resumes classes.

Flexibility in picking excursions would help in deciding to cruise late in the season. But there’s no guarantee they will happen during peak season, either. Weather and animals determine a lot if go/no go decisions. Actually, a big component of cruising in general.

 

[Lesley Wake]

Would you mind telling me what travel company you booked the dog skiing helicopter tour with and you think it would have made or break your time in Alaska if you didn’t do it I feel like now it’s 50-50 for me going in September at the very least I want to see the lumberjack show the train maybe one of the big ticket excursion

I went with Alaska Shore Tours, which contracts with Northstar Helicopters; I think the other people booked direct with that company but the vendor I used was just fine. I believe Coastal Helicopters was the original company which had to close up camp early. They were still running flightseeing, just no more dogsleds.

While it was a highlight of my vacation, not doing it wouldn't have broken the trip for me. There was still room on other excursions, including the one my parents did (Mendenhall Glacier visitor center and whale watching), which they still really enjoyed. I would have scrambled a bit to find a replacement, but I went into the trip knowing it was 50/50 if the weather would hold up anyways to let the helicopters take off (apparently the company said the earliest one that day did not get to run; I went around noon). I still really enjoyed the other ports and wish I had the energy to see more of them. And just the scenery from the boat itself was amazing. I actually never went to an evening show because I preferred to relax on the verandah watching everything lol!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Talked my other half into booking this!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Dumb question do the characters only come out one day dressed in Alaska gear

 

[auntlynne]

Dumb question do the characters only come out one day dressed in Alaska gear

I have photos of them dressed in outdoor AK attire only on the day we sailed up Tracy Arm. Out in the upper deck. Wonder if that was it? That day really focused on everyone‘s hanging around outside.

Hopefully a recent cruiser has a clearer memory (or photo proof).

Hope you have as much fun as the AK enthusiasts have expressed.