Alaska Cruise - turns out it's on grandma's bucket list - new question in post 74

[disneyholic family]

DD and DSIL would like to go on one of the DCL cruises to Alaska, but they have a few questions that i'm hoping someone here can answer - especially those of you who live in hot climates.

1. first and foremost, what is the weather like on the cruise? We live in a very hot climate. DD is afraid that the cruise will be too cold for them. She's read that the temperature is about 65 degrees. For us, 65 degrees is really cold - what we get in the dead of winter and only occasionally. For those of you who are from hot climates, was it cold for you?

2. related to the first question (how cold it is), what did you do on the ship? She likes to lie out in the sun by the pool, but presumably, it's too cold to do that on an alaska cruise. So what did you do on the ship on the days you weren't in port, off on an excursion?

3. her other big dream in addition to seeing alaska is to go to Hawaii - not on a cruise, but actually to visit hawaii. Do you think she'd be better off doing hawaii rather than the alaska cruise because of the weather? Personally, i think alaska is the more interesting of the two - hawaii is just another tropical paradise (she's already been to a bunch in southeast asia) whereas Alaska is one of a kind (i've never been there, but it seems that way to me from the pictures and videos i've seen)...

any other information you'd like to share - tips, advice, etc. - would be most appreciated!!!

 

[starwood]

1. first and foremost, what is the weather like on the cruise? We live in a very hot climate. DD is afraid that the cruise will be too cold for them. She's read that the temperature is about 65 degrees. For us, 65 degrees is really cold - what we get in the dead of winter and only occasionally. For those of you who are from hot climates, was it cold for you? We went in August. It was cold/rainy on Tracy Arm day and cloudy and 50's in Skagway but it was upper 60's and 70's in Juneau and Ketchikan. It will be colder in June and July.

2. related to the first question (how cold it is), what did you do on the ship? She likes to lie out in the sun by the pool, but presumably, it's too cold to do that on an alaska cruise. So what did you do on the ship on the days you weren't in port, off on an excursion? We did the programs offered on the ship but a lot of time was spent on the veranda or deck watching the incredible scenery. The captain will make announcements that a whale is off the port side and everyone will run there.

3. her other big dream in addition to seeing alaska is to go to Hawaii - not on a cruise, but actually to visit hawaii. Do you think she'd be better off doing hawaii rather than the alaska cruise because of the weather? Personally, i think alaska is the more interesting of the two - hawaii is just another tropical paradise (she's already been to a bunch in southeast asia) whereas Alaska is one of a kind (i've never been there, but it seems that way to me from the pictures and videos i've seen)...I've been to Hawaii and it is incredible but so is Alaska. I think everyone needs to do Alaska at least once in their life. Having said that, with the opening of Aulani I'm getting the urge to go back to Hawaii (We haven't been there in 20 years.) The cruise to Hawaii is 14 days as compared to 7 in Alaska.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Hey Beth!

While Tom can answer better about the cruise, I can speak for Hawaii - been there about 6 times.

The "things to do" level varies between islands, but you will never lack for an adventure -if you want it. For instance, if you are a more outdoorsy type and like kayaking, hiking, and other nature sports, Kauai, the Big Island and Maui are the islands for you. Oahu has somewhat of a "big city" feel in the south (Honolulu and Waikiki), but also has more "established" tourism places - like the Bishop Museum, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, the Iolani Palace, Haunama Bay (for controlled snorkeling), and the like. If you want to see the active volcano fields, the Big Island is your choice. Many folks split their time and visit between islands, to make sure they get the exact vacation they dream of. (Our personal favorite is Kauai.)

Hope that helps!

 

[disneyholic family]

thanks for the response!

wow! that's really cold....that's colder than it ever gets where we live...
she's very worried about that...
for me, it seems so incredibly beautiful, i'd be willing to suffer a bit of cold, but she's not a cold weather person at all....hmmm...

she wouldn't take a cruise to hawaii - she would fly there and spend her holiday there - probably on maui and/or kauai..

another trip she's considering is any cruise that's on the Dream or Fantasy, so that she can see one of the new ships (she's been on the old ones with us)...

maybe the thing for her to do is take the alaska cruise and then fly to florida for a week with mickey in the sun!!

 

[starwood]

 

[disneyholic family]

Hey Beth!

While Tom can answer better about the cruise, I can speak for Hawaii - been there about 6 times.

The "things to do" level varies between islands, but you will never lack for an adventure -if you want it. For instance, if you are a more outdoorsy type and like kayaking, hiking, and other nature sports, Kauai, the Big Island and Maui are the islands for you. Oahu has somewhat of a "big city" feel in the south (Honolulu and Waikiki), but also has more "established" tourism places - like the Bishop Museum, Diamond Head, Pearl Harbor, the Iolani Palace, Haunama Bay (for controlled snorkeling), and the like. If you want to see the active volcano fields, the Big Island is your choice. Many folks split their time and visit between islands, to make sure they get the exact vacation they dream of. (Our personal favorite is Kauai.)

Hope that helps!

very helpful, thanks! yes i figured she'd go to maui/kauai....i've never been to either, but i've been to oahu a number of times (many many many years ago - it was our R&R stop on the way back from the far east when i was little), and that's totally not for her...
(and the oahu i'm remembering is from 40 years ago, even though we always stayed on the far side of the island, nowhere near waikiki. i imagine oahu's much worse now)

do you have a favorite resort on kauai? my sister goes to maui a lot, but never to kauai, so she didn't know what to recommend there.

 

[disneyholic family]

those pictures are gorgeous!!!
it really is absolutely breathtaking...

i see the clothes people are wearing in ketchikan...we'd probably be in snowsuits, hats and gloves - we wear winter boots and coats here the moment it drops below 70...

 

[starwood]

I know what you mean. I prefer warm weather too. But Alaska was definitely on my must see list and I'm so glad I suffered through the cold. It helps to have a veranda room so you can go inside and warm up (and order room service cocoa and cookies). It was very strange packing for this trip when I usually pack shorts and a bathing suit to packing heavy sweatshirts, gloves and clothes to layer.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Our favorite Kauai resort has to be the Hyatt in Poipu. It's further from Hanalei (on the north side), but the weather is always great, due to its location in the south. Others like the Westin in Princeville, but I think the feel is a bit too snooty - the same vibe I get when I enter the Swan in WDW (also a Westin). Princeville is a more exclusive community area - kind of like where Aulani is.

 

[starwood]

Others like the Westin in Princeville,

We stayed there once a long, long, long time ago. My mouth dropped open when we walked in and saw how elaborate and ornate the grounds were.

 

[disneyholic family]

I know what you mean. I prefer warm weather too. But Alaska was definitely on my must see list and I'm so glad I suffered through the cold. It helps to have a veranda room so you can go inside and warm up (and order room service cocoa and cookies). It was very strange packing for this trip when I usually pack shorts and a bathing suit to packing heavy sweatshirts, gloves and clothes to layer.

i would definitely be willing to brave the cold to see it...from every picture/video i've ever seen, it looks absolutely stunning!!....
it seems like the alaska cruise is one where a verandah really is a must....
does it matter which side of the ship your stateroom is on? is one side better than the other?

Our favorite Kauai resort has to be the Hyatt in Poipu. It's further from Hanalei (on the north side), but the weather is always great, due to its location in the south. Others like the Westin in Princeville, but I think the feel is a bit too snooty - the same vibe I get when I enter the Swan in WDW (also a Westin). Princeville is a more exclusive community area - kind of like where Aulani is.

thanks! i'll tell her to check both of those out..
i'd like to go back to hawaii, but the thought of the flight kills me....flying all the way from here to the states, then across the states, then across the pacific....neverending...
actually, my dream is to do a round the world cruise - but i'd have to rob a bank first, not to mention retire

 

[disneyholic family]

2. related to the first question (how cold it is), what did you do on the ship? She likes to lie out in the sun by the pool, but presumably, it's too cold to do that on an alaska cruise. So what did you do on the ship on the days you weren't in port, off on an excursion? We did the programs offered on the ship but a lot of time was spent on the veranda or deck watching the incredible scenery. The captain will make announcements that a whale is off the port side and everyone will run there.

what sort of programs were offered on the ship?

 

[starwood]

We were on the port side and it seemed like everything was happening on the starboard side. If I did it again I would request starboard.

They had a naturalist speak on different topics and different ports. They had the usual art of entertaining series and lots of movies. We definitely weren't bored.

 

[NancyIL]

Alaska is beautiful, and well worth dressing warmly! I cruised to Alaska for the 4th time in August. After a long, hot summer, it was so nice to wear long pants and jackets in Alaska!

I don't do well in hot and humid climates., and that's why I have no interest in WDW or a Caribbean/Bahamian cruise in the summer.

 

[jackieinJuneau]

Our average temps in the summer are all the low 60's about 63 or so if it gets 70 or above us Alaskans don't know what to do! Best luck with weather is early in the summer end of May through mid July for sunny-ish weather and higher temps. Our warmest month is July by mid Aug fall weather starts coming back though we can still get up into the 70 once in a while. Its important to remember its a rainforest so odds are it will rain. Best of luck!

 

[disneyholic family]

i just read all your answers to her and after hearing them and looking at the pictures, you've convinced her!!!

she's now busily planning her alaska cruise for july 2012 and has already picked (together with DSIL) their port excursions...

so now her question is what do you think of her choices?

Skagway: Skagway Triple adventure (biking, hiking and rafting)
This one is only half a day, what would you suggest for the other half of the day?

Juneau: Sled dog discovery plus mushers camp - is that fun for a young couple or is it childish?
They also are thinking of going to the Mendenhall visitors center on their own, after the doggie visit.

Ketchikan: Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary, raptors and totems.

So what do you think of those?

Also, this cruise starts in Seattle, so it stops in Victoria, Canada, for a few hours at night. Any suggestions on what to do there?

And finally, should they do the evening show first and then dinner? or dinner first and then the show? They prefer whichever one will have the fewest children.

oh, and one more thing she wants me to ask - since they are nervous about cold, is it warm on board the ship - indoors i mean (obviously not out on deck). And if it's warm inside, is it super warm, as in stuffy hot? or just nice and comfortable?

Thanks so much for your help!!

 

[sayhello]

i just read all your answers to her and after hearing them and looking at the pictures, you've convinced her!!!

she's now busily planning her alaska cruise for july 2012 and has already picked (together with DSIL) their port excursions...

so now her question is what do you think of her choices?

Skagway: Skagway Triple adventure (biking, hiking and rafting)
This one is only half a day, what would you suggest for the other half of the day?

Juneau: Sled dog discovery plus mushers camp - is that fun for a young couple or is it childish?
They also are thinking of going to the Mendenhall visitors center on their own, after the doggie visit.

Ketchikan: Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary, raptors and totems.

So what do you think of those?

Also, this cruise starts in Seattle, so it stops in Victoria, Canada, for a few hours at night. Any suggestions on what to do there?

And finally, should they do the evening show first and then dinner? or dinner first and then the show? They prefer whichever one will have the fewest children.

oh, and one more thing she wants me to ask - since they are nervous about cold, is it warm on board the ship - indoors i mean (obviously not out on deck). And if it's warm inside, is it super warm, as in stuffy hot? or just nice and comfortable?

Thanks so much for your help!!

If she has time, the White Pass & Yukon Railway is a really great trip for Skagway.

Just remember that the excursions that are currently on the website are probably from last year, and things (such as selection and times for excursions) may change for 2012 with the shorter times ashore.

Sayhello

 

[disneyholic family]

If she has time, the White Pass & Yukon Railway is a really great trip for Skagway.

Just remember that the excursions that are currently on the website are probably from last year, and things (such as selection and times for excursions) may change for 2012 with the shorter times ashore.

Sayhello

why will it be shorter times ashore?

 

[sayhello]

why will it be shorter times ashore?

In order to accommodate having to visit Victoria, BC, they had to shorten the amount of time in the Alaskan ports in order to get to Victoria in time on the last day. The cruise, since it now leaves from Seattle, has to visit a foreign port. The ship is not registered in the US. It's registered in Nassau. Maritime law says that a non-US registered ship cannot sail between US cities without including a foreign port. When they sailed from Vancouver, that counted as the foreign port. Now it's Victoria.

Sayhello

 

[disneyholic family]

In order to accommodate having to visit Victoria, BC, they had to shorten the amount of time in the Alaskan ports in order to get to Victoria in time on the last day. The cruise, since it now leaves from Seattle, has to visit a foreign port. The ship is not registered in the US. It's registered in Nassau. Maritime law says that a non-US registered ship cannot sail between US cities without including a foreign port. When they sailed from Vancouver, that counted as the foreign port. Now it's Victoria.

Sayhello

i didn't realize the victoria stop is on the way back - i wasn't looking at the schedule when we were on the phone together..
she was basing what she decided on what's on the DCL website now, which i assume is already updated for the 2012 cruises (since the 2011 cruises are over aren't they?)

she compared the excursion times to the itinerary times listed for the cruises she's considering (one of the cruises in july 2012)..

someone mentioned that in 2013, DCL may return to vancouver as the starting point....is there an advantage/disadvantage to starting in seattle?

of course, one disadvantage i suppose is missing out on vancouver itself...though on the other hand, in that case you miss out on seattle...