Cruises. ⛴️

MissAdventurous

As someone who's never been keen to go on one, I happen to have an upcoming Alaskan cruise trip now coming up as a surprise. ❤️

For those that have gone, in general, what did you like/dislike the most? ☺️☺️

I'll have a balcony room while onboard and few excursions in both Alaska and (ending in) Canada.

I'm a nature lover so any activity related to the world around me is greatly appreciated.

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This is a double bonus: as I've never left the country before and getting my passport in March 2020 (we all know why that didn't work out..) it'll be good to finally gain some traction

ComfortCurator

Avid cruiser here (Been on about 15 among the brands, but mostly on RCCL)...Alaska is an AMAZING cruise. I cruised from Seattle, went to Ketchikan, through Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau, Victoria BC, and back to Seattle. It really all depends on budget and how strenuous you want your adventures to be. Which excursions did you choose? You're also welcome to message me if you have any other questions.

SBG

As a not-super-avid cruiser but one who has gone on a few (including Alaska) - I'd say a balcony room is the way to go, and it helps me to be looking at the water as we leave port so my brain can get used to the motion of the sea. Might not be a big deal along the inner passage, but there could be a disconnect as you walk around this building-sized ship that you feel shouldn't be moving under your feet, but is. Take some non-drowsy Dramamine - I slept a lot on my first cruise because the ship's infirmary only had the regular, drowsy kind. And I hardly ever get motion sick. But being in view of the water at the start of the voyage seems to help me.

On the pro side: so much food! And if you don't see it, ask for it - they will generally do everything in their power to find it for you. And if you want two different things? Get both! It's all included. We've always loved getting to know our table people and the wait staff, though some cruises have smaller tables now. I'm still friends with some we met 20 years ago. Make sure to check out any adult spaces, like over-18 sections of the deck or spa areas. And definitely go into it to be friendly. Depending on your cruise line, the nightly shows could be great. (Or it could be bingo, I've been there.) Your cabin staff will do anything they can for you. (But tip well - usually it's included either up front, after, or you could leave some every day.) Usually great music and bands and bars everywhere. If you need a quiet place, there's almost always a library, and there's almost always no one in it.

For Alaska specifically, it's fun to see the small towns if you go to Juneau or Ketchikan - make sure to do excursions to get yourself out of town, or figure out a way to get a bus. Otherwise, being off the ship can feel just the same as being on - a little too insular (for me, at least.) If you go into Tracy Arm or Glacier Bay, the glaciers are amazing but don't be disappointed if you don't see one calve. We didn't and I was kinda bummed, but it's still cool. And if you love nature make sure to attend any ranger talks on the schedule - I know in Glacier Bay, they put one on board for a while.

Other cons besides the insular nature of cruising: there's always the possibility of getting sick, make sure to wash your hands and use sanitizer, it will probably be everywhere. Every cruise ship I've been on makes me think of a casino, which isn't really my thing - lots of shiny, shiny things - can be sensory overload. IF there is an actual casino on board, you might be forced to walk through it to get anywhere else, and it might be the one place that allows smoking, keep that in mind. On the cheaper cruises, you will probably be upselled about every 10 minutes - there's a drink of the day, or pay to play a game, or do an activity, etc, etc. If there's a hot tub on board, it will probably be full nearly 24/7 so if you see room in it, go for it.

My parents and I went on a Princess cruise to Alaska and there were lots of silly "love boat" kind of retro things, like a champagne glass tower and a balloon drop that were corny but really a lot of fun.

/Y'all, I did not realize I have so many opinions about cruises...(I do travel for a living, tho)/

MrPaul

If you have the opportunity to do an excursion where you can hike on a glacier, do not miss that! It was the most awesome thing I did on the Alaska cruise.

Bring good binoculars so you can spot eagles and whales from the ship. Have full rain gear and waterproof shoes. It rained a lot on my cruise but I was prepared.

I personally didn’t really like the cruise ship itself (I enjoy being in nature and the ship is like being in a Vegas shopping mall), so I went on every outdoor excursion that they offered to get off it.

Bring every kind of motion sickness remedy you can find with you, as you may need it. One night the dinner hall was empty because 90% of passengers were seasick including myself.

Sideon

Take the tram in Juneau. Yes, it's insanely expensive but do it. There are hiking trails up there.

If you can, find the kayak or catamaran excursions.

Glacier at Mendenhall - everyone goes there, but it's stunning. Not sure how accessible RIGHT now since they just had major flooding...

Wrangall is a great town but not viable for big cruise ships...only possible for less than 1K ships or less.

Enjoy the balcony. Watch for dolphins, whales, killer whales, etc.