ALASKA
Alaska Related Questions
When is a good time to visit Alaska?
The Alaskan cruise
season runs from May to September. Cruise prices are more
favorable in early May and September. More families travel in
the summer months of July and August. May is a great month
for wild flowers and September for Autumn colors.
Which cruise route should I select?
There are three basic
Alaskan cruise routes. There is the Inside Passage, the
Northbound Glacier Route and the Southbound Glacier
Route. We have included on the site several routes that
showcase the Pacific Northwest. The Inside Passage is usually a
roundtrip cruise from Vancouver or Seattle. The Route offers
spectacular viewpoints of British Columbia's coastline and
visits Alaskan panhandle ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka,
Skagway and Haines. The highlight of the cruise is a visit to
Glacier Bay or Hubbard or Sawyer Glacier. The Northbound Glacier Route is a
one-way cruise that takes in more glaciers and northern
viewpoints. This route often includes spectacular Prince
William Sound and the numerous glaciers of College
Fjord. The
Southbound Route is simply the reverse of the Northbound with your
starting point being Anchorage. Most land tours are available with
the Northbound and Southbound Glacier Routes. The Pacific Northwest.
Washington State and British Columbia. A beautiful area of
the world where urban life and nature coexist. This route
includes shorter 3 & 4 day cruises between Seattle, Vancouver
and Victoria.
Do the cruise lines vary in
service?
All
the cruise lines that sail Alaska offer exceptional service.
However, each varies in how they deliver that service, shipboard
amenities and land tour / shore excursion options. Click here to find a cruise line right for
you.
What are cruise tours?
These are pre and post cruise land
extensions/tours. Cruise tours provide you with the time to
explore Alaska and Canada. Celebrity, Princess and Royal
Caribbean offer the most extensive variety of add-on land
extensions/tours.
How to be less of a tourist and more
of an explorer?
Alaska is meant to be experienced not observed.
This is possible on a cruise. You can extend your Alaskan
vacation either pre or post cruise by adding land components that
allow you to travel deep within Alaska and Canada. You
participate in adventurous or culturally rich shore
excursion. Each Port of Call offers an opportunity to explore
and learn.
When should I book?
As a general rule the best cabins
go quickly. The number of ships sailing are restricted as to
minimize the impact on the Alaskan environment. The
cruise lines offer their most favorable discounts to those that
book early.
Who should I book with?
You should book with a
travel agency that specializes in cruising. If you go with a
mainstream agency or a smaller all travel agency you risk being
placed on a cruise line and ship that will not match your
expectations. At My Cruise Club.com, we specialize in
cruising. We can answer all your questions and help make that
Alaska experience one you will want to repeat again and
again.
General Travel Questions
Is a passport required?
US and
Canadian Citizens: No passport is required. Your Port
of Calls are either American or Canadian. The cruise lines
require proof of citizenship (birth certificate and photo
ID). We recommend you still take your passport.
Other Nationals: Most foreign
nationals will be required to have a Passport and Visa to enter the
US and Canada.
It is the passenger's
responsibility to provide acceptable proof of citizenship.
There are no refunds to passengers denied boarding for lack of
proper documents.
Should I get travel insurance?
We do
recommend buying trip cancellation coverage. In the event
your trip is cancelled because of a medical emergency in your
immediate family you will recover the nonrefundable portion of your
cruise price. This coverage does not include any pre-existing
medical conditions. Additional coverage is also available for
Baggage Protection, Emergency Evacuation and Medical
Coverage. Call one of our knowledgeable agents at
1-888-847-4555 to discuss specific coverage details.
Do I need travelers checks?
Not
really. On board you will get a very convenient shipcard that
will let you charge all your onboard expenditures to your ship
account . ATM machines can be found at all Port of Calls and
on most cruise ships. The major credit cards are accepted
everywhere.
How do I arrange airfare?
Airfare can
be arranged through the cruise line or separately by your Alaska
Cruise Expert. Call 1-888-847-4555.
Family Cruise Questions
Will my family be welcome?
Yes!
Children often can travel at substantially reduced rates. If
your kids are active and love adventure they will enjoy an
Alaskan cruise.
Several cruise lines
visiting Alaska cater to and provide facilities and services for
families. If you
have young children we recommend Carnival, Celebrity, Norwegian,
Princess and Royal Caribbean for the their programs for children
and babysitting services.
Carnival, Celebrity,
Holland America and Royal Caribbean do not permit guests under the
age of 21 unless they are accompanied by an adult 25 years or
older. Crystal, Princess will not allow children under six
months to travel. Restrictions towards children vary with
each cruise line and therefore we recommend you contact one of our
knowledgeable agents.
Can children cruise for free?
Norwegian
allows children under two to sail for free. This is assuming
they will be staying in a stateroom with two or more paying
guests. However, port charges and government fees still
apply. The other cruise lines offered greatly reduced pricing for
children if they are the 3rd or 4th in the stateroom.
Is there entertainment and programs for
kids and teens?
Yes, but
pick your cruise line and ship carefully.
Carnival offers Camp
Carnival® program which features supervised activities for Children
2-15, with limited activities available for 16 to 18 year
olds.
Celebrity offers
children's programs for four age groups: Ship Mates (ages 3-6),
Celebrity Cadets (ages 7-9), Ensigns (ages 10-12) and Admiral T's
(ages 13-15 and 16-17). Onboard counselors are always
available and activities take place daily.
Norwegian offers
Kid's Crew on of the most comprehensive supervised children's
programs at sea. Junior Sailor (age 3-5), First Mates (ages
6-8), Navigators (ages 9-12) and Teens (ages 13-17).
Norwegian has shore excursions just for kids.
Princess offers
supervised activities at its Youth and Teen centers.
Nickelodeon is even available on your stateroom TV. However,
children under the agent of two are not permitted in the Youth
Center.
Royal Caribbean
offers Adventure Ocean programs for children 3 and
older.
Are babysitting services available?
Yes, but
only on some cruise lines. For example, Princess offers a baby sitting
service at the Youth Center. There is a $4.00 per hour per
child when the ship is in Port. On Norwegian private babysitting services can be
arranged between 12noon and 2:00am.
These arrangements
must be made 24 hour in advance and there is a fee.
Are pets allowed?
Sorry, no
pets are allowed. Special exception will be given to seeing
eye dogs.
First Time Cruise Questions
Is there much to do on board?
A cruise
ship is like a floating resort. It will take you days just to
explore the your ship. And most days the ship will visit a
new port with many activity options. Your biggest problem
will be deciding what to do!
Will I feel confined by the masses?
No.
These ships are so large that the passengers seem to get lost
within the ship. The only time you will notice the masses is
at embarkation and if you choose to eat in the larger dining
rooms.
Is cruising a good value?
Yes.
There is a cruise vacation for every budget. And when you
factor in what is included in the price it is an unbeatable
value.
What is included in cruise price?
When you
purchase a cruise the following is included:
- Your well appointed
comfortable stateroom
- All Meals and
Snacks including Room Service
- All Onboard
Entertainment - Broadway Productions, Performers and Comedy
Shows
- Pools, spas and
saunas
- The Fitness
Facilities
- Wonderful viewing,
reading and relaxing spaces
- Children & Teen
Programs while at Sea
- Lectures on ports
the ship will visit
- The spectacular view
and all the fresh air you can breathe in.
- And of course the
Amazing Service
What isn't included in the cruise price?
When you
purchase a cruise the following is not included:
- Airfare to/from your
Port of Departure and Arrival
- Governments Fees and
Local Departure Taxes
- Pop and
Alcohol. But juice is included.
- Spa treatments,
Hairstyling and Massages (Sorry!)
- Shore
Excursions
- Phone calls and
Internet Access
- Tips (this is
optional)
- All other items of a
personal nature
What are the cancellation penalties?
Penalties
vary by cruise line. As a rule the closer you get to your
departure date the greater the penalty. If you do have
concerns consider cancellation insurance.
Can I eat healthy and exercise?
Yes.
You will be tempted to indulge in endless rich and sweet foods
available at every moment. Yet for the strong willed there
are always health and light menu items available.
All ships have
exercise facilities. You can workout in the gym, attend an
aerobics class, jog, swim or play basketball. On some ships
you can even play golf or tennis.
Am I confined to set dining times?
Absolutely
not. Today's cruising involves lots of dining
options. Most lines offer an early or a late
sitting.
There is great
variety between the different cruise lines so make sure you
identify your preference to our cruise consultants at My Cruise
Club.com.
What if I have a special diet?
On request
you can have a salt-free, low-carbohydrate or Kosher diet.
This request should be made at time of booking.
Are there 'non-smoking' areas?
In most
ships there are non-smoking staterooms and areas of the ship.
Most cruise lines have designated their dining rooms and lounges as
nonsmoking. If this is important to you mention this to your
Alaska Cruise Expert.
Will I feel motion sickness?
Most people
will not experience motion sickness. The modern ships of
today are equipped with stabilizers that greatly reduce the amount
of motion at sea.
If you consider
yourself sensitive consider booking a cabin near the center of the
ship where there is less motion. You may also
want to consider the patch. Not for smoking but for motion
sickness. Transderm Scopolamine, is a patch that is applied
behind the ear. It is only available by prescription and can
create some side effects so talk to your doctor if you are
concerned. If you don't like taking drugs
consider strapping on a Sea-Band wristband the minute you
embark. This little accupressure device can curb nausea
without any drug side-effects. Sea-Bands are available at all
major drug stores.
Is it easy to stay connected with the
outside world?
It is easy
to stay connected to the rest of the world while at sea. You
have a phone in your stateroom and fax services are
available. However, watch out as phone charges are
high. You can stay connected via email as internet services
are now available on most ships visiting Alaska.
Can I celebrate a special occasion?
You can
celebrate your honeymoon, anniversary, birthday and almost any
important occasion to you. The cruise lines offer different
packages for all of these occasions. The important thing is you
prearrange this on booking with us at Alaska Cruise
Experts.
Can I use my hair dryer and shaver?
The North
American standard 110-volt outlets are used on all cruise
ships.
How should I dress?
Today's
cruise vacations are more casual by day whether on ship or
ashore. In the evening, dress codes may vary.
Most lines vary their
dinner dress codes daily from casual to semi-formal to
formal. On casual evenings, open neck shirts, slacks and
sports outfits fit right in. On semiformal evenings, ladies
wear dresses or pantsuits and men wear coats and ties. On
formal evenings, women deck themselves with evening gowns or
cocktail dresses and men don tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark
suits.
Other lines are more
formal or completely casual. Talk to your Alaska Cruise
Expert Agent for the right ship for you.
What should I pack?
You can pack
more on a cruise. You only have to unpack and pack once on
your entire trip. Remember to cross-pack your bags with each
others clothing, in case your luggage goes missing en route to the
cruise ship.
Will I have access to medical
services?
Yes, medical
staff and facilities exist on the ship. Hopefully you will
never need to see them.
Are there laundry services on board?
Yes, most
ships offer laundry and dry cleaning services. Some ships
have self-serve laundromats.
Can I bring a visitor on board?
Sorry, no
guests are allowed on board.
How much do I have to tip?
Tipping is
at your discretion. A large part of cruise staff income comes
from tips, so if you are treated well, show your appreciation
with a gratuity. As a general rule, plan to pay $3.50 per day
to each of your waiter(s) and cabin steward(s), and $2.00 per day
to each of your bus boy(s). All lounge, beauty salon and spa
service staff receive a 15% gratuity automatically (on most ships)
so you may not need to tip them additionally.
All tips are paid on
the last evening of the cruise. You will be provided
envelopes so you can hand the tips to the staff in person.
Some cruise lines will automatically charge your ship account
unless you request otherwise.
You will find that
the cost of tipping is rather small when compared to the excellent
quality of service you will receive while on board.
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