Are you considering an Alaska Cruise with your family? Good choice! We recently went on one with a variety of ages – from 5 to 71 – and it was a blast! There are a few things we wish we’d done differently and wish we’d known before. But here is a play-by-play of our best tips for an Alaska Cruise for a family!
Hello, cruisers (and cruisers to be!). Babzanne here! I am Katie’s mom, and her dad and I recently returned from our first cruise to Alaska with Katie and Forrest and their three boys. We had so much fun!
We thought it would be helpful to put together a blog post about our thoughts on this cruise for others that are considering a Luminosa cruise to Alaska. There are TONS of options when it comes to cruising to Alaska, and it can feel a little overwhelming. In the days leading up to the cruise, Katie was having major second thoughts after reading some of the reviews, but it ended up being a lot of fun. Here are all our thoughts and experiences to help you decide if this is the right cruise for you!
We always book our cruises through Get Away Today! They offer great perks and customer service and answered all of our questions.
Is the Carnival Luminosa Family Friendly?
First off – was it a family-friendly cruise? In our opinion, you can easily take your littles on this cruise–there is much for them to enjoy! While it’s not a Disney Cruise, we believe a cruise is what you make of it. There were pools, kids clubs, and many family activities, and we all felt like we had MORE than enough things to do the whole time! Not everything is family-friendly, so pay attention to the activity ratings.
Speaking of pools – there are a few options. There is one larger, family pool and two hot tubs. They were covered the entire time, and there was almost always amovie going on. There was an adult0bly area that had two hot tubs. Forrest and I enjoyed those. We were a little bummed that they didn’t have any slides, though.
KATIE: Carnival Luminosa won my boys over with their kids’ camp. I love that they have camps for different ages and offer various activities. My youngest son came out every time with a huge smile (and often his face painted). The activities are age-appropriate and allow the kids to connect with others their age.
My oldest went to the “tween” club, and he loved it! He made some great friends, and hanging out with other kids was a safe environment. He liked the freedom to come and go as he pleased.
On our first cruise, we made the mistake of never taking our kids. We felt bad just dropping them off! But we discovered that they could have a lot of fun there during times when they might not be as interested as being with adults.
We went on a Disney Cruise last year, and I’ll admit that the kids enjoyed their kid’s club more. But the Carnival Cruise kids club was still a lot of fun and provided our kids with a safe and fun place to be. Our almost 9-year-old (at the time of the cruise) took a little bit of time to warm up, but in the end, he seemed to really enjoy it.
BABZANNE: Although children are welcome in the Kids Camp all day, there are lots of other things for them to do on the ship, including games for families and kids to participate in together. There were at least three different trivia games daily, including general knowledge, country western songs, I Love Lucy, etc. The trivia games were open to all ages, adults and children, and the winner of each game received a trophy!
KATIE: Other games and activities were directed to children and their families: Axe-throwing (with foam axes), Scavenger hunts, Kids Camp Bingo, and others). Our kids were VERY excited for the games where there was a chance to win a trophy or medal. In addition, a mini-golf putting green and giant-sized chess set was available on a first come basis, a swimming pool, and nightly movies on the Lido Deck.
Kids’ menus were available in the main dining room and always included cheeseburgers, pizza, chicken fingers, banana splits, and a variety of other kid-friendly fare. Our 12-year-old enjoyed ordering (and eating) anything from the adult menu, including filet mignon and prime rib. Deck 9 – (the Lido deck) consisted of a massive buffet from the aft to the stern (back to the front!) Made-to-order omelets, tacos and burritos, cheeseburgers, and pizza were popular items (and delicious). There is something for everyone!
THINGS WE LOVED:
BABZANNE: The staff and crew were amiable, helpful, and almost always smiling. I enjoyed that they represented over 60 different countries and lots of nationalities.
The other travelers on the cruise were also extra friendly. Because Bruce was awaiting a knee replacement, we rented an electric scooter for him. Honestly, every time we took an elevator, other guests would hurry to hold open the door and ushered us on first. We made mini friendships that may have only lasted as long as an elevator ride, but made the cruise even more fun.
KATIE: There are so many things to enjoy while on the ship. We loved the talks and presentations given by Emily, the naturalist! She was very entertaining and interesting. On one of her on-deck presentations she showed us how to spot whales spouting water in the distance. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed these presentations; they quickly became something we always wanted to attend.
BABZANNE: To be honest, you must get pretty lucky to see an actual whale jumping out of the ocean. But once you realize that all those waterfalls cascading up from the iocean are coming from whales, it’s pretty cool. When you see one, keep looking and you will almost always see the tail of the whale come up as the whale dives back down. Maybe not quite what you were hoping for, but still how often do you see a whale tail back home?? (We didn’t take a whale-watching excursion, so we can’t comment on those – we wish we had!).
KATIE: There was music everywhere–some of it a little too loud for my mom! But we all loved the piano bars and musicians performing all around the ship. We also loved the comedians! At one show the performer picked out our four-year-old son to talk to and their exchange was hilarious. We chose only to attend the PG shows and felt the ones we saw were appropriate for families.
We aren’t gamblers, but they do have a casino on board. To get to some of the presentations, you have to walk through the casino. Although smoking is not allowed in most places on the ship, it is allowed in the casino, so be aware if you are sensitive to smoke (like I am).
BABZANNE: We loved having a window in our stateroom. We also loved sitting on the different decks and looking out at the beautiful ocean and mountains as we sailed along. Next time I would add more time just to relax and enjoy the view!
KATIE: After you book your cruise, you will want to download the free Carnival HUB app. It gives you info on what to do before you arrive at the cruise ship and lists of daily activities available once you get there. In addition, each person in the group you are traveling with can pay five dollars to text with the others in your group. This proved very valuable as we occasionally received texts from one of our groups asking, “Where are you?”
I loved being able to see the Northern Lights. We weren’t sure if we’d be able to (it was right at the time of year when they may or may not appear), but there was an announcement in the middle of the night that they were visible. I was exhausted and almost didn’t go, but it was worth it bundling up to go to the back of the ship to see the Northern Lights. You have to look at them through your camera phone, but it’s an incredible sight!
Forrest and I enjoyed going to the fitness center every day for a little bit. There was almost no one there, but it was a nice way to end a long day of eating!
THINGS THAT SURPRISED US:
BABZANNE: There was only one electrical outlet in the cabins and none in the bathrooms! This is fairly common on cruise ships, but it was not a welcome surprise for two seniors traveling together with CPAP machines, a scooter, and a curling iron! We immediately mentioned it to our steward and within a short time he had brought us a power strip with about six outlets. When cruising again, we will probably bring our own.
The only place to order cranberry juice is at the bar, which costs almost four dollars for a glass. Sodas are also only available for an extra charge, although a soda package may be purchased beforehand. Lemonade, apple juice, and orange juice are free.
You can only purchase soft chocolates or truffles in the small touristy towns we docked at. Call me crazy, but I expected the gift shops on board the ship to be stocked with delicious chocolates!
When Bruce and I went on our only other cruise 25 years ago, all food and non-alcoholic beverages on the ship were included in the price you paid for passage. Things are much different now. On the Luminosa, there are upscale restaurants and a sushi bar, which is not covered by what you pay for food. You can purchase drink or soda packages either ahead of time or on the cruise. Hot chocolate, lemonade, apple and orange juices, coffee and tea, water and ice are covered.
Funny Story: I called Carnival to see if ice was available on the ship. She told me just to ask at the bar or where we were eating for a cup of ice to go. That didn’t sound too convenient when everyone seems to carry a water bottle, but that is what we were expecting. It was a nice surprise to find plenty of ice available at all the beverage stations! Some of them were even in covered containers with scoops.
KATIE: The biggest surprise was that it didn’t rain a single drop for eight days! We were told that it had rained every day the week before, so be sure to bring those raincoats, as you will probably need them! It was a pleasant surprise for us, though; we wore shorts and t-shirts most days!
A few times, I told Forrest, “I kind of feel like we are in Colorado.” We don’t have the amazing ocean and marine wildlife, but many of the places we went when we were in Alaska felt very similar to what’s in our own backyard here in Colorado. We loved the trip, but I’m not sure if I was as “wowed” as I thought I would be! That’s where I think getting better excursions would make a big difference.
EXCURSIONS:
BABZANNE: Each port offered several excursions and a discount for booking them on the ship. However, you could also book many shorter local excursions once you had disembarked, which cost much less.
KATIE: Next time, I will check out some of the local excursions ahead of time and purchase those in port. For example, visiting the Totem Pole Village in Juneau rather than as part of a larger excursion would have saved us $70 off the adult price and given us a closer look at the totem poles. I would have also picked excursions that guaranteed sightings of animals I truly wanted to see – I was surprised we didn’t see more wildlife during our cruise.
BABZANNE: Most prepurchased excursions included two or three different events. Some of our favorite stops were the Mendenhall Glacier, the Salmon Bake, and the horse-drawn trolley ride through Alberta. The boys loved the fish hatchery!
KATIE: Although I’d pick different excursions next time, we enjoyed the ones we did. In Ketchikan, we went on an Eagles, Lighthouse, and Totems excursion. I got a bit seasick, and I wish we’d seen more wildlife—but we saw a handful of eagles and seals. The tour guides provided us with a really tasty snack and fantastic chocolate. The tour guide and staff were friendly and accommodating.
I also really enjoyed the Salmon Bake that we went to and hiking around Mendenhall Glacier. While in Skagway, we opted not to do an excursion but went on a hike—the Lower Dewey Lake Trail. The first 30 minutes were tough—lots of switchbacks and uneven ground. However, once you get to that top, you can take a leisurely walk around the lake, which is incredible. There were even canoes and kayaks available for anyone to use. This was a highlight of the trip.
After our hike, we went to a Vaudeville-type show in Skagway that’s been going on for decades. We weren’t sure what to expect. It ended up being a little bit less family-friendly than we anticipated. Forrest and I both got pulled up on stage, which was interesting. We did enjoy the show, and the cast was very talented. But we weren’t expecting parts of it to be so risque!
Victoria, BC, in Canada, was the last place we stopped. This is a city many people skip, but we decided to get off so our kids could check Canada off of the countries they’ve visited. We went on a very long, windy walk to downtown, which was an adventure. We stopped at a grocery store and bought some Canadian candy, and then we went to a really yummy ice cream place called Chocolate Flavors. It was a really pretty place to walk around at night – tons of lights everywhere!
THINGS WE LEARNED:
KATIE: The farther in advance you book your cruise, the better deals you will find. The earlier you book, the more likely you are to be eligible for paid gratuities, cabin upgrades, and free excursions or beverage packages.
BABZANNE: There are jewelry stores in every port. There is also a jewelry store on the ship.
Many coupons are offered for free items, mainly pendants and some necklaces. They are offered to get your attention and get you to spend time in the jewelry stores! Unless you are looking to buy some beautiful (and expensive) bling, I suggest you choose only one free item. Once you are in the store, the high-pressure sales begin. Just sayin!
Anything purchased on the ship is free of taxes and duties. On our trip, every passenger was allowed $800 in duty-free purchases to bring back on the ship.
KATIE: Although every passenger is assessed gratuities to cover their stewards and servers on the ship, you may still want to tip the porters who handle your luggage, the singers at the piano bars and lounges, the bus, trolley, or van drivers, and the tour guides on the excursions. For an 8-day cruise, we recommend bringing at least $30 in one and $20 in five. It’s totally up to you, but the fantastic services you receive will probably make you want to be a little more generous than you expected. The cruise staff truly goes above and beyond.
What We’d Do Differently:
BABZANNE: I’d bring a power strip and extension cords, a six-pack of cranberry juice, and a box of truffles! Although we enjoyed the less expensive excursions we took, I think I’d spend a little more money and go on some of the more expensive options, particularly the train ride above Skagaway. Surprisingly to me, the priciest excursions (such as the salmon fishing trips and helicopter rides) sell out first.
KATIE: This is the third cruise we’ve been on, so I felt I was pretty informed going into it. However, an Alaskan cruise differed from the previous tropical cruises we had been on. While we were content going to the beach in our cruise ports previously, excursions truly make the trip for an Alaskan cruise. You can explore independently (like what we did in Skagway), but many of the best adventures will involve excursions.
We initially booked an interior room and were later offered an upgrade to an “obstructed view” room. I am SO glad we took advantage of this. However, if I were to go on an Alaskan cruise again, I would 100% get an actual window room. The views are amazing, and so much of the fun of an Alaskan cruise is watching the ocean and its surroundings. We could see some from our window, but we usually had to go to an outside deck to see much of anything. Splurge and get a nicer room!
I am not much of a soda drinker, but I craved some ginger ale. I didn’t remember you could bring soda on the ship, so I would do this next time!
I also should have reviewed this blog post about a cruise packing list and brought some of those items. I always forget to order lanyards for our keycards and regret it!
I would not have pre-purchased the photo package. They ended up having better deals on the cruises. We had bought 5 photos for $100, and it was the same if we chose 5 of the 5×7 or 5 of the 8×10. So I felt like we needed to get larger pictures to get the most bang for our buck.
Finally, I would have researched the cruise itinerary and the cruise ships we went on. Carnival doesn’t go to Glacier Bay, which was a bummer. Only certain cruise lines are allowed. We did go to Tracy Arm Fjord, but for the safety of the passengers, we didn’t get to see it. I hadn’t researched the different Carnival ships, and in hindsight, I may have picked another one than the Luminosa. While it was a nice ship, it had no water slide or full-sized mini golf course. It wasn’t a huge deal, but those things can be fun!
Leave a Reply