karatemom2

This may be the case, but I think it would be wise for the OP to confirm before making her booking decision. I know this is not the case in my daughter’s cruise history count on her total number of Princess cruises. Her honeymoon cruise last year just added to her cruise count by one, not three. And it was three separate voyages but is reflected in her loyalty history as one cruise. As I said, that was inconsequential for her, but if I was basing my booking decision on it I would want to get confirmation from Princess loyalty.

If that’s the case it news to me since that wasn’t the case for us many years back when we were trying to get to Elite status. We did a B2B Alaska cruise that could also be booked as a single itinerary and the Captain’s Circle host I spoke with at the time told us we would only get credit for two cruises if we booked both individually and had two distinct reservation numbers. Perhaps that has changed but that was the way it worked for us when we were counting up to Elite status. OP, seems like there is conflicting information, so best to confirm with Princess loyalty.

If you book it as B2B it will count as 2 separate cruises with two distinct reservation numbers. If Princess offers it as a single itinerary as well and you book it that way it will count as one cruise with one reservation number. My daughter and her husband booked their Med cruise last year as a 21 day single cruise itinerary, but it was also offered as three 7 day cruise itineraries as well. The cost was slightly better booking as a single itinerary and my daughter is already Elite so trip count didn’t really matter. Only you can determine what works best for you. If you are trying to achieve Elite status, it might be more beneficial to book it as two separate reservations if cost is equal. Sounds like you would achieve your Elite status by taking your second cruise leg, so you would not get benefits until your next Princess cruise after that. In terms of your shareholder’s benefit, you would get $100 OBC each leg if you book it as two trips or $250 if you book it as one. You wouldn’t be able to get the $250 if you book two separate reservations as the OBC credit is credited per reservation based on the benefits defined for that reservation.

If the ship docks on time you should be able to get off by 12:30. You may be able to get a taxi but it’s a pretty long drive outside of town. It’s a beautiful place to visit, but if that’s a priority for you I would suggest renting a car. That’s how we have visited in the past. Much easier to just be able to drive yourself.

If you really want to drive to San Francisco and leave your car parked there in a safer and more accessible parking area, you might consider parking at one of the long term airport parking lots and getting a taxi or Uber from there to the port. Lots of options for parking at SFO that may be more accessible for you.

We have used Evergreen Taxi Service on past trips and found them very reliable. I'm sure they can assist with your questions about communication and meeting point. The taxi companies are very informed about ship arrival times, locations, etc. http://www.evergreentaxi.com/

I have never seen a discount offer on specialty dining on Princess. In some instances a TA may offer a specialty meal as a perk included with your booking or if you have casino benefits your host may arrange a complimentary specialty dinner. Also people booked in suites get the benefit of a free meal in a specialty restaurant on embarkation day. But other than that or getting it included in your Premier package, the price for anyone purchasing onboard remains consistent.

I will share a suggestion that worked really well for us when we had a late flight out of Vancouver. We rented a car at the port, used it to enjoy touring the city for the day, and then returned it at the airport location and took the rental car shuttle to our terminal. It worked great - we had our own transportation all day, no problem with storing our luggage which just went in the trunk, and it was way cheaper than the Princess transfers. If my memory serves me right we rented from Hertz, but Enterprise and Avis both also have offices near Canada Place.

The easiest place for self hikes within in walking distance of the ship is probably in Skagway. Here is a link with some info: https://www.nps.gov/klgo/planyourvisit/hiking.htm In Ketchikan, there is some good hiking around the Ward Lake area, but you would need transportation. We generally rent a car. Same in Juneau - there are hikes at Mendenhall Glacier, Perseverance Trail, and Treadwell Mine, but all would require you to have a means of transportation to get there. One option in Juneau that is walkable from the ship is to take Mount Roberts Tramway to the top, (or you can hike up, but that is strenuous and muddy at times), and there are hiking trails at the top that you can take from the Visitor's Center area.

Princess tends to have better itineraries - longer port times and docks directly in Ketchikan instead of remotely at Ward Cove so take a good look at the itinerary comparison. Generally Princess offers a superior Alaska experience. Glacier Bay as part of the itinerary is an important consideration as well. The weather may be a little colder and wetter late in the season, and you will have less daylight, but on the upside you may get a chance to glimpse the Northern Lights that late in the season. Some tours and shops may be closed, but as long as the ships are still coming, there will be plenty offered. Enjoy!

It’s a great tour but I am not sure it would be the best for a 9 year old child. There are likely age minimums. It’s pretty strenuous and there are some inherent hazards. As a parent, I would not have chosen that excursion for my child at that age. We did it with them when they were in high school and college.

A few ideas to consider: https://www.alaskazoo.org https://www.crowcreekgoldmine.com https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/matsu/indepmineshp.htm https://www.alaskanative.net https://www.anchorage.net/outdoors/wildlife-viewing/

We have not seen waitstaff in the theatres since prior to COVID. It used to be so nice on the older ships that have the foldout table in the armrest to order a cocktail prior to the show from one of the waiters wandering around taking and delivering orders. Just another relic of past times on Princess.

Options for dinner would be Skagway Brewing Company, the Red Onion, or Fish Company near the dock.

Oh my gosh. We haven’t seen Alfred and Seymour for years. They were regulars on many of our West Coast cruises for many years prior to COVID. They are very funny guys and super personable when you run into them around the ship.