Alaska cruise tour: time of year? Celebrity?

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EllsnS

Guest
Hello:

DH and I are considering a cruise tour to Alaska for his 60th BD next summer. What are your suggestions regarding a good time to go? Northbound or southbound: one better than another?

Also, our only experience has been with Celebrity, so we're inclined towards that line. Anyone here with an opinion on Celebrity's cruise tours?

We're still waiting for information from both HAL and Princess, so one of those lines might take over the #1 position.

Thanks in advance,
Ellen
 
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BSeabob

Guest
Infinity does 7 dayer's spring and to mid season return out of Vancouver. Later on 10 dayers out of San Francisco
Mecury is out of Seattle most of the time I believe return.
Cruise tours you obviously do before or after a one way trip and the ship is Summit out of Vancouver. I have not done a cruise tour so can not really comment. I would suggest the tour before the cruise so as to just relax after the travelling bit.
I recommend the Infinity as have been on her. I would expect the other ships to be similar. HAL has been doing Alaska for a long time and their ships will be just fine too.
enjoy the planning.
Make sure if you do travel out of Vancouver you poke around here far a day or two. It's a grreat city..
 
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halfdome86

Guest
One consideration regarding Celebrity is that they do not go to Glacier Bay. IMHO Glacier Bay is a must for a first time Alaskan cruise.

Princess, NCL, and HAL do have ships go to Glacier Bay. Not sure about RCCL or Carnival.
 
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JoleneMc

Guest


We are planning a cruise, maybe on Royal Caribbean in July....what is there in Vancouver that is a must see? This will be our first cruise to Alaska. Our 25th wedding anniversary. Want to make it special. We have been told the Radiance of the Seas is a beautiful ship...so that is the one we are thinking about. We have only done one other cruise a three day trial to see if I would get sick....it was on Monarch of the Seas. So no experince with any other ship line.
 
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BSeabob

Guest
Hey Welcome JoleneMc

Nice place to spend ones 25th is on a Cruise. Did that..great...
First I'd like to update this thread a bit. It is an old thread..

The Mercury contrary to my post above THIS YEAR has returned to Vancouver

The INfinity will be leaving out of Ballantyne Pier not Canada Place.

That out of the way the Radiance IS a very nice ship.

For one Must See in Vancouver.. On a nice day I would want to get up high so to see everything. A seabus across to NOrth Vancouver and then up the Grouse Mountain Tram.. connections by city bus are easy I guess would be the one thing I'd do.

Weather means so much here on the coast. July could be really great and we do have super beaches (world class when its warm)

Have a look at my Favorite Vancouver and Alaska prep. site. It will give you some more idea's and then come back and ask away. Someone will know the answers.

<http://www3.telus.net/cruise_watch/info.htm>
 
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Seabeacon

Guest
We were thinking about Celebrity but we'll probably go on Princess since we liked our first cruise on them.
 
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barbee524

Guest
My only bit of advice is no matter what cruise line you choose is to take the land portion first if you are able to.

We were in 4 different hotels in 5 nights and up early each morning during the tour portion. It was so nice ot finally get onboard the ship and unpack for 7 days. Not to mention a couple of sea days to relax.
 
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gsweene1

Guest
Dear Barbee 524,
My wife and 2 adult children are doing a Princess Land Tour starting in Fairbanks on May 27. We will be doing the 4 hotels in 5 days, and then inside stateroom on Diamond Princess Southbound to Vancouver. Any tips, advice from your experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
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Jeana

Guest
JoleneMc - just to add my 2 cents worth re: what not to miss in Vancouver, I would strongly suggest you see Stanley Park - it is magnificient! Lots to do, sightsee, gardens, totem poles, horse and buggy tour, beaches, restaurants, etc.

You'll love the Radiance - we have been on the Radiance to AK. It is a gorgeous ship and very comfortable. ENJOY!
 
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dpearce124

Guest
hello there! Just wanting to put in my 2 cents worth as well...my daughter is on board Celebrity's Summit ship as I type this! She is working as the Youth Activities staff for the summer Alaska cruise. She loves it, and all the passengers love it as well. You cannot go wrong with the staff, service and appointments on this ship. The cruise itself is wonderful.
 
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nu2cruising

Guest
We are also planning an Alaska cruise...2 yrs down the line.......
This is freat advice...we went on the Princess Diamond for our 25th to the Mex Riviera last October...LOVED the ship! Thinking of trying Celebrity tho, as I heard that their food is top notch. Since neither me or my wife drinks or gambles, the main attractions for us are the food and spas........and, a great cabin with a balcony...

:chef=sleep
 
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BSeabob

Guest
nu2. It's never too early to start planning and checking on which ships are going to be where. X is changing up it's ships again for '08. Using the Merc, Infinity and the Millie for Alaska out of Seattle and Vancouver. The Infinity will be in Seattle. So looking at what they do this /next yr will give you some idea's for you 2 yrs out. But things do change.

Little things like first and last cruises and repos along the Pac Nor West are things you might want to look at also. First cruises up from San Fran etc.
I'm partial to cruises out of Vancouver just because I'm near there but you gain inside passage time out of Vancouver vs Seattle but lose $$in transportation if you fly to the West Coast etc etc.

Have fun planning and give us a shout if you need anything answered.
 
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wave runner

Guest
[quote EllsnS]Hello:

DH and I are considering a cruise tour to Alaska for his 60th BD next summer. What are your suggestions regarding a good time to go? Northbound or southbound: one better than another?

Also, our only experience has been with Celebrity, so we're inclined towards that line. Anyone here with an opinion on Celebrity's cruise tours?

We're still waiting for information from both HAL and Princess, so one of those lines might take over the #1 position.

Thanks in advance,
Ellen[/quote]

Celebrity used to be my favorite cruise line but in 2006 on the Celebrity Summit I was caught up in what I found out later was a mechanical failure that was caused by a design flaw. The Infinity, Millennium and Summit are known for having propulsion problems about once per year resulting in many, many missed ports and cancelled cruises. On our cruise on Celebrity we never even saw any glaciers and skipped two ports completly because of the need to cut speed because of the problem. So for a cruise to Alaska I would recommend checking out the many other great cruise lines that cruise Alaska. Our new favorite to Alaska is Princess and we sailed back to Alaska this year on the Island Princess and after our heart breaking experience are now a Princess convert. As a bonus the condition of the ship was much better than Celebrity and the food, service and entertainment were just as good.
 
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