Looking for best Alaskan cruise for family with 3 kids, 13, 13 and 10. Which line would you recommend?

Question

We want a summer cruise through gulf, either direction. Want to see a glacier or two up close, and some Alaskan towns.

Have a 10 year old social butterfly girl, needs people to interact with. Also 13 year old twin boys into video games and swimming pools. They don't need social and probably would avoid it as they are each other's best friends. Maybe some cute girls.

Wife and I want good food, casual atmosphere, not party animals. Nice stateroom. Probably oceanview.

Priorities are

1. itinerary (Anchorage - Seattle/Vancouver either way)

2. appropriate for pre and early teens

3. glacier views, wildlife and scenery, towns to see

4. comfort, food, exercise, pools etc

Appear to have choice of Carnival Spirit

Celebrity Millennium

HAL Veendam, Volendam, Zaandam

and Princess Island, Coral, Diamond and Sapphire

RCCL no open cabins for us in this time

Answer 1

I think that Princess and Holland America do Alaska the best. Given that you have kids, I'd definitely choose Princess.

Answer 2

Have you check Norwegian ? I have been on the Island Princess. All cruise lines stop at just about the same ports. The Island Princess will take you within a 1/2 mile of the glaciers. Seems alot closer and as the ship enters it will turn slowly so you get many great views. They have an exercise room, you will see plenty of wildlife from the deck  plus. if you try the buffet go all the way to back as it is all windows with a door on each side for taking pictures. They also have speciality rest. Food is good.

Plenty of excursions in Ketchikan, Juneua and Skagway. There is plenty for the family and the children to do. A great cruise.

If you have not already booked your cruise and have the time your whole family would really love Princess cruisetour. Much more wildlife, Alaska, Denali National Park & Fairbanks where you cruise on a real paddle wheel boat. Which ever you decide on a great cruise.

Enjoy.

Answer 3

With the age of your kids I would consider Carnival.

Won't be too many party animals on an Alaskan cruise...

Good Luck!

Answer 4

Carnival tends to offer the best benefits for the kids.

Spirit would be a great choice and is most likely your best value.

Answer 5

I have cruised on Celebrity, Princess, Norwegian and Royal Caribbean and I think that Princess or Royal Caribbean would provide the best cruise for you.  There are some differences among the cruise lines. Princess, Celebrity and Holland America have great ships and have more reserved passengers. Holland America has more senior citizens cruising on its ships. Carnival has more first time cruiser and young people who want to party, party, party. Royal Caribbean caters most to families and has the most and best on ship activities.  All of the cruise lines do have kids programs and places where they can hang out.  The kids' programs and facilities do vary by ship.

We cruised to Alaska on a Princess ship a few years ago and that ship and cruise was great.  The ship we were on, the Star Princess, was lovely.  It, like most ships going to Alaska, has a solarium; a glass covered and enclosed  pool and hot tub area so you can enjoy those without being out in the cold.

All ships these days have a gymnasium and a walking/jogging track.  Some are better than others.  The newer ships tend to have more and better amenities so look at the initial launch date as you choose.

As I said I recommend Royal Caribbean and that's because they generally have the most on board activities for kids and everyone else; they cater to families.  My favorite of their ships, the Radiance of the Seas, does do Alaska cruises and I recommend that ship.  

Regardless of which cruise line you take you will see beautiful scenery and glaciers.  The ports stops and towns you see there will be a little different per cruise.  But the best way to really see wildlife is to take a cruise-tour.  That's a cruises that is preceded or followed by a land tour to other cities away from the ocean like Anchorage, Fairbanks, Talkeetna, Denali National Park and some other places like Kodiak and Whittier.  The cruise tours are your best bet to see wildlife, especially if you elect to spend at least one night in the Denali National Park area.  When we did the cruise-tour we saw moose, caribou, wolf,  fox,  and eagles.  Plus the train ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks was fantastic  (you can do that either way also).

Three of the cruise lines that you mentioned do the cruise tour using the train, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, and Princess.  RCCL and Princess have special domed train cars for the tour.

I suggest that you look at and consider the cruise tour.  One final note.  The Alaska cruise season is mid-May through mid-September only.  So your options for dates are closing quickly as the season is almost here for this year.  The prices will now not be as good as if you had booked 6 months ago and you will likely now get the best prices for a September cruise.  Prices are typically lower in May and September.

Answer 6

I went to Alaska on a Princess cruise/tour. It was everything you want and more. They have special things for kids to do and a place just for them. We went to Glacier bay and saw the glaciers crack and fall into the bay. We started in Fairbanks and did 4 days touring the land first. That was where we saw most of the wildlife, bears,eagles, moose,etc. When then went to Anchorage by train, then to Seward, the port. We had several stops along the way on the cruise. One tour we took that was the best was the White pass railroad. Kids would Love that tour. Such scenery like you have never seen. The food on Princess is always very good. They have a buffet that has food 24 hours a day. If you do not want to do the formal thing, fine, just eat in the buffet court. No problem. Myself, I liked the dinning room a lot because you are waited on, but the buffet is the same food. Go to Princess.com and check out the itinerary's there. I have been on 8 Princess cruises because I like them so very much.

Answer 7

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