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Any pointers for picking an Alaskan cruise for grandparents, and middle aged children, and maybe some younger kids and grands too.
My pointer to you is not to do it until this covid junk has totally passed.
If anyone tests positive while on a cruise, they are quarrantined to their cabin with their travel companion, even if they tested negative.
It becomes a living he-l-l!
Don't do it.
I'm sitting in the Juneau airport right now after our pals 6 day quarrantine ended because we all just wanted to return home asap, and end this train wreck of a cruise.
It is all very real, and happens to ~1 in 10 passenger on our Alaskan cruise. Its not worth the risk. Make sure this covide stuff is 100% over BEFORE you pay 1 penny to any cruise line or travel agent or ailines.
Also, when you do go, avoid Canada at all costs. If something goes wrong it compicates everything a LOT. Avoid Vancouver on any cruise.
They are dropping the pre-travel test requirement for crusiers and international travelers, so it is easing up.
I wont cruise until the 6-day lock-up is reduced to less days, or the 1st negative or inconclusive test.
Our travel pal tested inconclusive twice during her 6 days, & even had she tested negative, the 6 days must run its course. That is wrong. If she tested negative, she should have been let out of her cabin.
Last edited by beach43ofus; 06-11-2022 at 09:32 AM..
I will revive this because we just reserved a spot on an NCL cruise tour for July 2023. All Covid restrictions are over. We have until March to cancel.
I’m amazed at how they nickel and dime you for everything now. The “free” unlimited bar comes with a $152. pp tip charge. The specialty restaurants have an up charge. The airport shuttles are extra.
I doubt we will take any excursions because they’re all hundreds of dollars, and I’m darned if I’m paying another dime. I bet there won’t be any lobster on the menu either.
I doubt we will take any excursions because they’re all hundreds of dollars, and I’m darned if I’m paying another dime. I bet there won’t be any lobster on the menu either.
You can do Alaska on the cheap although you’d be missing some good stuff. Alaska is more about what’s off-ship than onboard. If you really will be doing no organized excursions in port research how to get out of the downtown areas, they’re mostly retail shops set up for visitors and don’t reflect what Alaska is really about. Ketchikan, for example, has a city bus for 2 bucks that takes you out to Totem Bight and also Saxman Native Village. Totem Bight is one of the more popular tourist venues in Ketchikan.
I I’m amazed at how they nickel and dime you for everything now. The “free” unlimited bar comes with a $152. pp tip charge. The specialty restaurants have an up charge. The airport shuttles are extra.
I doubt we will take any excursions because they’re all hundreds of dollars, and I’m darned if I’m paying another dime. I bet there won’t be any lobster on the menu either.
There's nothing new to those "upcharges", except they've increased the price. Been around for decades.
As far as excursions, we avoid the ship excursions and go independent. Better prices, better experience. But Alaska has such a limited tourist season - ALL excursions are expensive.
My biggest regret is that when we did the Alaska cruise we didn't bite the bullet and pay those very, very high prices. We missed out on some once in a lifetime opportunities.
There's nothing new to those "upcharges", except they've increased the price. Been around for decades.
As far as excursions, we avoid the ship excursions and go independent. Better prices, better experience. But Alaska has such a limited tourist season - ALL excursions are expensive.
My biggest regret is that when we did the Alaska cruise we didn't bite the bullet and pay those very, very high prices. We missed out on some once in a lifetime opportunities.
We are going on the train to Denali and some sort of bus tour, so I’m sure I’ll get a good enough overview. My daughter picked the cruise, so we’re just going along. I would much rather have taken the southbound, with the cruise at the end of the trip, but we’re doing it the other way.
^ We took the train ride from Whittier to Denali...~ 11 hrs, inc several stops for snagging mail, etc.
While some like train rides, and I have ridden on trains all over Europa and Japan, and Amtrak in eastern US corridor, (all for biz back in the day), we found the W to Denali ride to be almost interminable: seats were tight, expected scenery was hours of pine trees and little to no view, Jr High style on board 'games' by the staff, etc.
But, some liked/will like it...it is a long day and at end of train we had to board the bus for ride to 'Denali' hotel site(s), (most are run/connected to cruise lines).
As for on shore activities, we booked almost all of our shore stuff on line vs via the cruise ship:
similar to same 'tours', a third to half the cost, and were all very good. Only downside is slight chance of non-boat booked tour being late back to the ship, but it never happened.
Also, at every shore stop for the day, there were dozens of tour hawkers on dock pitching their tours, often at v good prices, trying to fill that particular tour, fwiw.
Back in Denali area, we did a half day+ bus ride 'into Denali' but the school bus like vehicle is very limited as to how far it can actually go into 'Denali park' area; we saw very little, (have more wildlife species in our mountain home 'back yard'), and the bus ride seemed aimed at non US citizens visiting, who had never been out of a metro area.
Otoh, our AK smaller ship cruise from Vancouver to Whittier, was interesting, often rainy, but worth a one time trip... Vancouver city and Victory Island were very fine.
Having been on a cruise to the Antarctica peninsula, the AK cruise was a bit ho hum, by comparo...
My 50Cts
GL, mD
The nice thing about Alaska is that there are so many cruises available for whatever the interest level might be.
We were more interested in nature, so we went the charter route. Left Juneau and didn't step off into a town until Sitka eight days later. Anchored in a different bay each night, got up each morning had breakfast and maybe a quick kayak ride and then we were on our way. Cruising along watching for orcas, humpbacks, seals, sea otters, sea lions, etc. Stopping now and then to do a little halibut fishing along the way. Late afternoon would find us in a new bay, with time to do some kayaking or maybe a ride to shore in the skiff to take a short hike. After dinner, some of us would play cards while others might just sit around talking. Then around eleven it was time to call it a day.
No internet; no phone service; no crowds. Probably the majority of people would have been bored to death but our group really enjoyed it. We had invited a grand niece and her husband who we did not really know very well at all. Found out that they were really a lot of fun so that was a nice bonus.
If you are on YouTube, Chris Wong is a Royal Caribbean employee who works on a ship that has been in the Alaskan market since April. Over the curse of this summer, he has been at all four major ports and done many of the shore excursions. You might pick up some ideas as to some of the attractions that you can find in each port.
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