Cruise Advice

[geist1223]

We have some acquaintances that did a group Inland Waterway Alaska Cruise on a converted Ocean Tug this past summer. They had a wonderful time.

 

[VacationForever]

Hi Joan. I hadn't considered anyone here would be interested in my review, so I didn't post much on Tug about it. But if you want to read the review on the CruiseCritic website, this is the link: https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=591974 (I hope that link works. If it doesn't, search there for my screen name. I'm DaveNW there, too.)

It was a great cruise, and I would happily do it again. One caveat: Check the itineraries for ships leaving Seattle vs. ships leaving from Vancouver, BC. We found the in-port schedule was MUCH better on the ships leaving from Vancouver. Added bonus: The passengers on our cruise were many people from Australia and Europe, so the conversations were very enjoyable! There is so much more to see in Alaska, I think next time I'd like to fly to Anchorage to explore that area, then head up to the Interior. I'd love to see Denali! (Luckily, I have relatives who live in Anchorage, so this may actually happen.)

Dave

We did one with Celebrity last year and I did not do enough research and missed the part that none of the Celebrity Cruises to Alaska cover Glacier Bay. I had spent 2 weeks in Glacier Bay on a private yacht before and really enjoyed it. My husband had not been on a cruise or Glacier Bay prior to the trip so he did not know what he missed. We enjoyed Celebrity Solstice very much but not going into Glacier Bay was a lowlight. If we were to go back to Alaska, it will be on a liner that goes into Glacier Bay. I know some of the Princess and Holland America ships include Glacier Bay.

 

[Passepartout]

If we were to go back to Alaska, it will be on a liner that goes into Glacier Bay. I know some of the Princess and Holland America ships include Glacier Bay.

Princess and H/A are the only lines that go into Glacier Bay as far as I know.

 

[VacationForever]

Princess and H/A are the only lines that go into Glacier Bay as far as I know.

I remember reading that there was one more, a higher end cruise liner, is also allowed to cruise into Glacier Bay. I also read about a process where cruise liners bid for permits to go into Glacier Bay and only 3(?) highest bids are given the permit, and the permit is for 10(?) years. After the 10(?) years, 3 get awarded again based on the 3 highest bids.

 

[VacationForever]

Found the article regarding 10-year permits to cruise into Glacier Bay
http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Alaska-s-Glacier-Bay-awards-10-year-deals-to-cruise-lines