Alaskan Cruise

[ars13]

I am looking to put a deposit on an Alaskan cruise next week for summer 2025. This is my wife and I‘s first Disney cruise ever and first Alaskan cruise. I noticed that the seven night oceanview price is about the same as the nine night interior price. What do you guys think is more worth it? The ocean view or the extra 2 nights? We are troopers and would take the boiler room if need be, but we do consider this a once in a lifetime experience. I’m posting the itineraries below. Thank you in advance for your advice! BTW I’m assuming oceanview doesn’t mean balcony?



7 night- August 11 - 18, 2025 inside: 3,932 Oceanview: 5,080

• Glacier Viewing (Stikine Icecap), Alaska
• Icy Strait Point, Alaska
• Juneau, Alaska
• Ketchikan, Alaska

9 night - July 7 - 16, 2025 inside: 5,800, Oceanview 7,546

• Ketchikan, Alaska
• Glacier Viewing (Stikine Icecap), Alaska
• Juneau, Alaska
• Icy Strait Point, Alaska
• Sitka, Alaska
• Victoria (British Columbia), Canada

 

[tvguy]

I've done two Alaska cruises on HAL. We had an ocean view both times but to be honest, you're missing most of the scenery if you spend a lot of time in your cabin. On an Alaskan cruise, the place to be is on the upper decks where you have a 360 degree view because it is BREATHTAKING in Alaska.

 

[sadiecatie]

We did an inside cabin for Alaska - no regrets. I agree that you’re going to want to spend more time enjoying the views out on deck anyways. As a tip, if you do go for an inside, I recommend one of the sideways inside cabins - the layout feels more spacious. (We stayed in 5513, it was a great room)

 

[ars13]

Thank you! Ok inside decided! So now what about the 7 night VS the 9 night. Is the 9 night itinerary worth an extra 2k?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you! Ok inside decided! So now what about the 7 night VS the 9 night. Is the 9 night itinerary worth an extra 2k?

Probably - IMO longer is always better. Now, whether it's $2000 better I don't know.

 

[auntlynne]

Sitka is going to be history and nature. The Russians were the European settlers in this area. Raptors, bears and trees. Look at this website for info in the community.

https://visitsitka.org/

Victoria is the capital of British Columbia. Most cruise ships only stop here after dark, for 4 hours, to meet US requirements regarding cruising from (in this area) Seattle. With the length of this cruise, I would hope this means a daytime visit. For me, that means you could have the opportunity to do Orca viewing boat or Butchart Gardens. The Gardens were lovely on a July 4 visit and are reported to be lovely nearly year round.

Our first AK cruise was with Disney - inside, sideways, as @sadiekatie recommended.(We have also had the two cabins next to hers on various cruises). Those cabins have a little more usable floor space than other inside cabins. But a single unit bathroom (most DCL cabins have a split bath, with a toilet + sink room and a shower + sink room. ) The hallway in that area is short, lightly travelled (it’s not a thoroughfare for elevators). It has easy access to stairs, elevators, the movie theater.

Yes, oceanview is a porthole (fairly large), but no access to fresh air.

I have sailed with a balcony 1 time out of 5 cruises to AK. I also ascribe to the idea that there is plenty of wide-open viewing on the ship. And many days, you are off the ship in ports.

Excursions can add up (along with hotel costs in Seattle or Vancouver and summer flights). You get the same service, meals, and shows for any room category other than Concierge level.

 

[swimfin]

We did an inside cabin for Alaska - no regrets. I agree that you’re going to want to spend more time enjoying the views out on deck anyways. As a tip, if you do go for an inside, I recommend one of the sideways inside cabins - the layout feels more spacious. (We stayed in 5513, it was a great room)

Which way is sideways? The length of the ship cabins or the normal “side to side” cabins?

 

[auntlynne]

Which way is sideways? The length of the ship cabins or the normal “side to side” cabins?

They run longways front to back of the ship. Most cabins are side to side of the ship.

The doorways opens right into the living area. Normally cabins open to a little walking area between the bathroom and the closet.

 

[auntlynne]

Don’t remember the cabin number but here are a couple of pix of a sideways room on I think the Magic????

View attachment 746530View attachment 746531

This was from a thread earlier this year. You can see the door to the hallway on the left, just past the TV.

 

[auntlynne]

Oceanview. Take away the porthole (window) and get one of the layouts of an interior cabin - bed could be head against the wall where porthole is here.


Here’s what you see when you open the door the an oceanview (or interior/ no porthole cabin).

 

[shosh1530]

I'd spend some time looking at the excursions offered in each port before making your final decision. We did the night cruise to have more money to spend on excursions, which cost us over $1000 per person.

We did the itinerary with Skagway and that was by far my favorite port. But I've also heard great things about Sitka.

 

[msmama]

We're doing the 9 night because I believe longer is always better.

But like someone else said, $2000 is a lot of money. Would you rather put that toward excursions or more time on the ship? I've got no interest in flying in anything (helicopter or float plane) and don't need private anything so that leaves out the most expensive excursions for me, but Alaska is still pretty pricey, whether you book with Disney or an outside vendor. So I'd take a look at possible excursions and see how that impacts your budget (even if things change you can get an idea).

 

[swimfin]

Oceanview. Take away the porthole (window) and get one of the layouts of an interior cabin - bed could be head against the wall where porthole is here.
View attachment 842430

Here’s what you see when you open the door the an oceanview (or interior/ no porthole cabin).


View attachment 842431

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

 

[Flossbolna]

We did inside last year and loved our cabin. We were on deck 1 and it was a great location. Close to atrium (two floors up) and if we needed an elevator it was always empty. We went with the category 10 inside for a bit more space and the split bathroom. I had a category 11 sideways one before and was not a fan.

As to itinerary: We loved our excursion to the Yukon from Skagway als well as walking around that town. So, I would not want to choose an itinerary without Skagway. But I also think 2000$ more for two days is too much. Are these the only dates that work for you? There is an 8 night one in September that has Sitka and Skagway. It’s very end of season, but it seems that people who sailed in September to Alaska did enjoy their cruises a lot still.

 

[AgentMama]

We've done Alaska a couple of times and are fine with an interior room. We spend almost all of our time out and about. If you can afford the extra $2k and don't think you'll be doing Alaska again, do the longer itinerary.

 

[AnnaS]

Following

We were supposed to cruise Princess Alaska tour (3 days land) 6/2020. We know what happened on 3/2020.

We never rebooked. We went to Italy instead for three weeks as soon as we had the opportunity to plan a big trip.

Alaska cruise is on my mind again - missing cruising - it has been a few years. Might consider Alaska again HAL, Disney or Princess? Those thoughts agin.

 

[jujubiee4]

Thank you! Ok inside decided! So now what about the 7 night VS the 9 night. Is the 9 night itinerary worth an extra 2k?

After booking and cancelling the 9 nights several times (because of price) we finally decided to take it last year. It was easily in top 3 of our cruises. We have been on several Alaska cruises on Princess which is fine
also. But the DCL one was the best. Wouldn't do it again due to cost but it was a worthwhile bucket list.

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

I would hands down do the 9 night inside over the the 7 night.

 

[MomOTwins]

I would pick the 7 night and use the money to pay for some nice excursions or just enjoy the money savings. Special/unique itineraries on Disney are priced much higher than the extra nights—their price factors in that they are always very popular because repeat cruisers who have already done the standard itineraries want something new. But as this is your first time, I’d enjoy the standard itinerary—it is standard for a reason. 7 nights is a good amount of time to enjoy Alaska and and you can add an extra night in Vancouver before or after the cruise for a lot less money and Vancouver has as nice or better sights to see than Victoria.

 

[blabbermouth]

7 nights was really good for us, and we also liked the inside "sideways" cabin. We really didn't spend much time in our room, but it seemed like a lot of people did because aside from glacier day there just weren't many people out and about on the decks or in the adult areas!