Island Princess Alaska Land/Sea Part II-Long review

It was a clear, sunny Monday and the temps were up to the 50's. The Salmon Bake was our choice for breakfast which we again enjoyed with the spectacular view. We went up to the lodge to wait for our bus for the 8 hour drive to Whittier and the ship. We were once again on bus #3 with a very good driver/guide.

On the road our driver pointed out that you could see Mt. McKinley very well. Sure enough, we were able to see both peaks clearly. Finally I was able to get some great pictures even if we were moving. The driver apologized that he could not safely pull over so we could get some pictures. We did have a rest stop where we could see the North Peak clearly. The park tour had informed us that only 30% of people see some of the mountain and only 10% actually see both peaks. We were batting 1.000.

A one hour lunch stop in Anchorage gave us the opportunity to try Humpy's. As much publicity as this place gets I expected a lot more. Half the menu was mostly salmon (as was every other restaurant we tried) and we had a salad which was tasteless. This was a glorified tavern and not worth the stop. The Glacier Brewhouse was 100% better. We made it to Whittier and went through the famous tunnel to emerge and see our ship! Walked into the terminal and got into line which moved quickly to check in at 5 PM.

I told Jan that I felt we were finally on vacation! I didn't realize how much I disliked moving from place to place every day and living out of a suitcase. Deciding to do the land tour first was the best idea we had. I felt like I took a big breath when I got onboard the Island Princess.

Our room was E-726, near the aft elevators with a nice sized balcony. There were 2 reclining loungers, 2 regular chairs and a nice size table. It was still the new, uncomfortable furniture but better than what we had on the Grand last year. Our luggage was outside the room when we arrived so we unpacked quickly. Our big bags, which we last saw in Anchorage, were there to Jan's relief. She was worried that they would not make it. I was glad to see that my bottle of wine which I had double-wrapped in bubble wrap and 2 plastic bags had survived the trip. There was a message on our phone from someone (couldn't make it out) about a bottle of liquid in my suitcase and please come down to deck 4 about it. Well, since my bag was delivered, I couldn't understand why they considered this a problem. But, I schlepped the wine, still all wrapped up downstairs to Security where they said ok and marked it off on a list.

Jan wanted to do the Scavenger Hunt again so we set off to visit the different areas on the ship. I was pleased to see that the Island was identical to the Coral in layout and decor. This is such a nice ship with a good passenger to space ratio. The decor is pleasing and comfortable. I had forgotten how long it was!

Stopped in Sabatini's to get our cards stamped and to make a reservation for Wednesday dinner. We could have eaten there that night as the place was empty but I wanted to be more relaxed so we could enjoy it. Jan was a bit hesitant to do this but I wanted it to be my treat. Last year we had booked a bungalow on Princess Cays and she was talked into purchasing the special lunch without realizing the BBQ was included.

Talking about food was making us hungry since it was now over 6 hours since our salads in Anchorage. We had Anytime Dining which had worked pretty well the last year. I have never walked into the MDR wearing jeans but figured it might be ok since people were still boarding. No problem at all. The dining room was not very busy as they offered us a table for 2 but we asked to join a group. I knew Prime Rib was on the menu and wanted to get a non-salmon meal after 5 previous days of it.

Met some nice people and while we were chatting, I looked out the window and saw the train disembarking passengers. These were the same people who had left Denali when we did and they were just arriving! It seems there was a danger of avalanches and the train could only travel at 35 mph. Our bus trip was about 7-8 hrs and this was 10.5 hours. It was now only 1/2 hour until the Safety Drill and one couple at our table left without dessert so they could be on time. We figured we could sneak it in under the wire and lo and behold, an announcement was made that the Safety Drill and Sailing were to be postponed due to the late arrival of the last passengers. So we had our dessert and the drill too.

Off to the first show, a taste of singers and dancers and the comedian. After that we realized we were sailing and the casino was open for business. Jan tried some slots and I sat down to chase my money playing 3 card Poker. Neither lasted very long and we decided to call it a day. For the first time, we could sleep in without any plans for the next day. It was heaven!

Tuesday was cruising the Hubbard glacier and lots of activities around the ship. After breakfast we tried our luck at Bingo and I won the first pot for $100 which I had to split. (Little did I know that was the last money I would win while gambling.) We spent some time on our balcony admiring the scenery and then went down for the Naturalist's talk on Glacier Bay. The theater was packed but seats kept opening up as he wasn't a very dynamic speaker. I heard a few snores around me and we left early to play Bingo again.

Back in our room, we started watching a movie and fell asleep. Awakened by someone knocking on the door, it was our cabin steward looking to make up the room for the evening! We had a good laugh about this and got ready for formal night. This was our night to eat in Sabatini's and it was money well spent. Jan was a little skittish thinking perhaps she would not like the menu since she is very picky. However, every course was delicious. Jan had the chicken and I opted for the lobster trilogy. What a nice surprise as the lobster was a perfect size and delicious. The only thing I didn't like was their version of a Napoleon for dessert. The creme brûlée was in a large shot glass and Jan said it was perfect.

Dinner was about an hour and we had time to make the late show "Shall We Dance?" which was very good. After that we headed to the Universe Lounge for the comedian who was pretty funny. Can't remember his name. I really should bring my Princess Patters home with me so I can reference them for these reviews! Off to the Casino again for some "fun" and crashed around midnight.

Wednesday was cruising Glacier Bay. The only things in the Patter where the times we were arriving at different glaciers. The Naturalist was on the bow cam station and he discussed what we were seeing. Our cabin on the port side was really perfect for this trip. We had breakfast in the MDR that morning for a change of pace. Much more civilized than the buffet but I do like to graze the choices. They didn't have Jan's favorite chocolate croissants so we actually headed up to the Horizon Court in search of them. Alas, they did not make an appearance until Sunday.

That afternoon we stood on our balcony as we came up to Margerie (the blue one) glacier right off our port (cabin) side. Weather was sunny and no breeze so we were comfortable being out there, albeit in heavy clothing. But no need for gloves or earmuffs this time. Saw some "calving" but no Titanic-proportion icebergs out there. Just a lot of small ice pieces breaking away with lots of noise that sounded like thunder. The glacier was actually very noisy with pops and cracks. I was glad that I could get some of this on video.

Before we left, my SIL had recommended getting bigger memory card for my camera. I went to the local camera store and the clerk informed me that I had room for 800 photos or 23 minutes of video. That seemed like a huge amount of space so I decided against upgrading. I was sorry later when we went on our 2 amazing excursions that I will discuss later.

After the Captain started turning the ship around so everyone could see both glaciers, Jan and I went upstairs and out on the deck in the sunshine to continue viewing the glorious scenery. As we walked throughout the ship, we were amazed at how much viewing space there was inside with huge windows. Outside, we joined several people on Deck 10 forward to share the experience. Everyone agreed that this was what we had come to see. It is quintessential Alaska. I had cruised the inside passage 10 years previously but had not seen Glacier Bay. Now I saw what I had missed. Do not take this cruise unless Glacier Bay is on the itinerary. We left Glacier Bay to head to Skagway, our first port.

There wasn't much to do around the ship so Jan & I headed back to our room to watch a movie and fell asleep to be awakened by our cabin steward knocking on the door! By the time we cleaned up and went down to dinner it was almost 8 PM. No problem getting seated for dinner with another group of new friends. It did not feel that late as there was still quite a bit of daylight. Saw the late show "On the Bayou" in the Universe Lounge. They did this show at least 4 times that night and we were so glad we saw it. This has to be the best show I have ever seen on my 11 cruises. If you have the chance to see it, don't miss it. A visit to the casino to chase our money and off to bed.

Thursday was our first stop at Skagway. We had booked the breakfast/tour to the Red Onion "Brothel" and the Canadian suspension bridge. This was the only tour we booked through Princess and we were told to bring our passports. It was quite chilly and a bit damp on the pier where the mountains shaded the area. The Golden Princess was docked in front of us and there was controlled bedlam as all the tour buses arrived. Finally all boarded for the short ride into town where the sun was shining for another glorious day.

First stop, the Red Onion for breakfast and a tour of the "facility". Our hostess was the "Madam", Lacy Knickers. Awaiting us were a choice of beverages: Mimosa, Bloody Mary, plain orange juice, coffee or water. The Bloody Mary was our selection and it was very mild. (Good thing or I would have slept through the rest of the tour!) Lacy and another madam gave a short history of the place and the "workers". Breakfast was served with scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuit and sausage gravy on the side. It was pretty good. A walk upstairs to view the remains of the cribs and the madam's bedroom. Tips were accepted graciously even if you didn't want to place it in Lacy's cleavage. The ladies were very agreeable to pose for pictures.

Back on the bus with our driver who was a young woman (can't remember her name.) who was an Nome, Alaska native who "came South" to Skagway for the season to make money for college. We hit the Alaska highway and headed up to the Continental Divide and Canada. On the way, the driver suddenly slowed down and yelled out "Bears ahead!" Sure enough, there was a black bear momma and her two cubs in the middle of the road. Hearing the bus, they started moving quickly so we had to be fast to get some pictures. At no time was it suggested we get off the bus. On the land tour we had heard over and over about not getting near bears and especially cubs. Safety was paramount.

We had to go through Canadian Customs to enter Canada and a trooper boarded the bus while everyone held up their passports. Arriving at the suspension bridge there was a person there who would stamp our passports for us with a stamp that said "Yukon Suspension Bridge. The area was set up to show the history of gold mining and how it was done. Crossing the bridge we found a facsimile trapper's cabin which was quite compact. There was the usual opportunity to purchase trinkets and snacks then back on the bus for our hour trip back to Skagway.

On the way, our road paralleled the train tracks for the White Pass Railway. Talking to people who had taken this tour we found that they thought it was pretty boring. Our tour took in all the same scenery and was much more interesting. We were dropped in downtown Skagway near the main drag. I had a spa appointment @ 3PM so I wanted to expedite the souvenir shopping time.

Jan & I were in the Christmas shop checking out Made in Alaska ornaments when I heard someone say "OMG!" Turned around to see a former classmate of ours. Cathy had attended one semester of nursing school and we had lost touch with her for 40 years. She had found another of our former classmates on Facebook and re-connected with her in Florida. We saw her at one of our reunions about 5 years ago and had been Facebook friends ever since. Never knew that she was not only was in Alaska but also on the Island Princess with her hubby. We made plans to meet for dinner.

Off to my spa appointment of facial, full body massage, and foot massage. It was a special for people who purchased a Princess excursion. It was Heaven! I was so relaxed at the end the only thing that could have made it more perfect is if they could roll me out of there and dump me in my bed. But we had to meet Cathy & Dick @ 5:30 so more rest was not possible. Good thing as we probably would have fallen asleep again!

Back to the Bordeaux dining room and received a table for 4 and it was Italian night. We had a great time catching up with Cathy & Dick and enjoyed a good dinner at the same time. We wanted to see the show and they were headed elsewhere so we planned to dine together one more time and share some wine. I think this was the night they had the Rock and Roll trivia and dance party which was well attended and a lot of fun.

At this time, I want to comment on the cruise food. Last year, I was disappointed in the quality of the entrees and the sides served, especially the tiny "lobster" and shrimp combo. This year the lobster was actually a lobster and not a prawn. I did try the pasta special as an appetizer a few times and enjoyed it. The sides are still the cheapest veggies you can buy, i.e.; corn and zucchini.

Friday was Juneau and our whale watching trip @ 10:30 with Harv and Marv. Jan and I walked into town early only to find the store she wanted to see was not open yet. The weather was quite pleasant with some clouds. We got separated and I went back on the ship to get my phone so I could call her. I hadn't seen anyone with a sign for Harv and Marv so I was getting concerned. Jan had inadvertently found our ride at the opposite end of the lot where we were looking for them. No one else had booked this trip at this time so we had a private tour! The ride was about 20 minutes to the other side of Juneau to the public dock. Captain Sean was our guide for our 3.5 hour tour. Saw 6 whales and with blows and tails and some sea lions. Alas, no bubble net feeding or breaching. Sean is a certified cetacean behavior specialist so he was very informative about what we were seeing. Jan had forgotten her sea-sickness patch so she took 2 Bonine before we left just in case. The boat was small and could seat 6-8 but it was ours alone.

We could have gone to see Mendenhall glacier on the way back to the ship but Jan wanted to find one store and we were sailing @ 4:30 PM so just decided to skip it. We were hungry but didn't want to eat a lot so we went up to the Grill and had hot dogs.

Saturday we landed in Ketchikan, our last stop. When we were getting off the ship, I spotted Cathy & Dick again and we made a date for the next night to share some wine and have a last dinner together. Here we had booked the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's tour AKA "Deadliest Catch". I had all my paperwork but forgot to print out the instructions on how to find them. We kept wandering up and down the area by the pier and getting worried. Jan found their info in the Tourist building and I called them. I was told to look for the bright yellow jackets. Sure enough, there he was holding up a Princess tour sign.

We were directed to walk down the pier and look for the Aleutian Ballad. The last ones on board, again, and we were off for the tour. They turned around so we could see a whale. These guys were the real deal and no B.S. Engaging, funny, personable and entertaining, they made this is the most outstanding tour I have ever taken. They demonstrated how they caught a variety of seafood and not just crab. We went to an island where there were numerous bald eagles. Fish were chopped up and thrown in the water where the eagles just swarmed to get it. I wish I had more memory on my camera so I could have recorded it. We all got to hold crabs and pose for lots of pictures. The crew was so amiable and agreeable to take photos with every person.

This port gave us more time to wander around the downtown and do some last minute shopping. I was in search of a way to send my kids some fresh salmon which I had done on my last trip. The cost to ship 1 lb. of salmon by FedEx was $280! No way was I spending that. I settled on 1 lb. of smoked, sealed salmon that I could take in my luggage. (They were happy to get it.)

This was the last formal night and we were invited to the Past Passengers party. We arrived a little early and got into line. Saw a few tuxes and sequins, mostly on older passengers and an assortment of nice dressier clothing on others. No one looked sloppy. The show band played dance tunes and some people danced. I have learned to ask for the type of cocktail I want instead of taking the pre-made ones. It was served with a smile and in a timely manner. The Captain gave the gift to the most travelled passenger. I think it was 600+ days! After that we headed for our formal dinner. Jan doesn't eat fish so the job of checking out the lobster. Last year it was pathetic. This year was a big improvement. The lobster tail was just about the size of the one I paid $25 for in Sabatini's. Crappy sides with zucchini and corn. This is where Princess does not measure up to Celebrity's food. We went to the Universe Lounge for a show by the piano man in the atrium. He did a decent job of entertaining us.

Sunday was our last day and it was a sea day. Jan & I went to play Bingo in the morning and wandered around the ship checking things out and taking pictures. Unfortunately, I found the Library on this day and was sorry I had missed it earlier. We must have walked by it dozens of times but on the other side of the ship. Did spend a considerable amount of time packing since our luggage was supposed to be out by 10:00. We went down for the last Bingo game which of course we did not win. Since I had casino chips to cash in, I went into the casino for some last minute action. I actually won a few dollars but called it quits to get ready for dinner.

This was the day we had Cathy & Dick over for some wine on our balcony before dinner. We all went down for our last dinner and again shared a large table. Jan & I wanted to see the last show so we said our goodbyes and went to the theater. After that was time to put out the luggage and get to sleep early to make our early alarm.

At the beginning of this review I mentioned that our flight home was not direct from Vancouver. Our TA had booked us on a 10:30 AM flight from Vancouver to Seattle where we would board our flight to O'Hare. She had also gotten us a Princess transfer from the pier to the airport. The early flight cutoff time was 10:15 AM. Posting this info on the cruise boards got me a lot of flak from CC members telling me it would never work even though Princess had given us the transfer. One person suggested we get Global Entry cards from the government to facilitate getting through Customs. Jan and I felt that if spending $100 would help us make our flight, it would be worth it. One person who had worked as a Princess boarding agent, spelled out how the process would work and he was the only one with correct information.

As it happened, Princess has this down to pimple on a gnat's a$$. A few days before we disembarked, we received a letter in our mailbox confirming that we were part of this transfer. The night before there was detailed info with our Red-One luggage tags assuring us we would have expedited passage for Canadian Customs. Our luggage would be trucked ahead of us to the American terminal at YVR.

Jan & I headed to the Buffet for our early breakfast and where she snagged an extra chocolate croissant for the flight. We had to meet in the Universe Lounge at 7:30. At 7:40, someone came to get us and we all trooped up to level 7 and the gangway set up. Everyone was instructed to have their passports, Canadian customs forms and the little tag off the luggage tags open and available. There was some discourse between Canadian Security and our passenger reps to verify that we were all American citizens going to American destinations. Off the ship into the terminal where our passports were scrutinized by Security and the customs forms were collected. Downstairs to the first bus in line where we showed our little Red One tag and could put our passports away.

Even though this was Memorial Day for us, it was a regular Monday morning in Vancouver. The driver said it would be about a 45 minute drive to the airport and he gave us some commentary as we traveled. We arrived in 30 minutes and a Princess rep boarded the bus to tell us how to proceed. Dropped at the American terminal, we were directed to the end of the building where our luggage was being unloaded. Lucky for us, it was right across from the Alaska Airlines desk. Once we got our luggage we got in line to check in. The AA reps came around making the announcement that if you weren't on the 10:30 or 11:15 flights to go to the end of the line. I think the only people in line were the ones on our bus! Paid the fees for the luggage and then headed to Security. Something on my hands lit up the detector and they had to swab my hands for explosive residue. It was only hand lotion. Now to US Customs and used our Global Entry at the kiosk to fly through this station. As it happened there were only 4 people in line! A longish walk to our gate and we arrived 1/2 hour before boarding was called.

Just a half hour to Seattle on a turbo prop where we deplaned on the tarmac in the rain. Trying to check in with Alaska Airlines, we found out our flight was changed to American but at the same time. (Poor DH at home had a heck of a time trying to find out if we were on time since the flight number was changed.) We had a nice lunch at Chili's which was directly across from our gate and took the leftovers with us for "dinner". Landed on time at O'Hare, got the luggage quickly, DH was there to pick us up and our beautiful trip was over.

Holy thorough write-up, Batman! :) Thanks SO much for posting this; I felt like I was there with you.

Great review.Thanks

Thanks for the great review.

well done.

thanks!

So grateful for a current review from the Island Princess! I’m a first-time cruiser sailing in a few weeks and I really appreciate the information. In your review you mentioned movies – do you happen to remember which movies are currently running on the Island?

THanks! nice review

Holy thorough write-up, Batman! :) Thanks SO much for posting this; I felt like I was there with you.

Thanks for the kind words. I do get rather wordy, LOL.

Sue

So grateful for a current review from the Island Princess! I’m a first-time cruiser sailing in a few weeks and I really appreciate the information. In your review you mentioned movies – do you happen to remember which movies are currently running on the Island?

I am really drawing a blank here. I will have to ask Jan what we saw in cabin. I do remember the new Nemo movie on MUTS. Wait, Lincoln was one because she & I had seen that in the theater. But remember, we fell asleep on them!

Sue

Thanks for the kind words. I do get rather wordy, LOL.

 

Sue

That is just fine. Sometimes we need more words to paint a word picture than are required for a classified ad! :D We thank you for this review. We will be on the Island for two weeks in late August, and this review was exactly what we were looking for.

Thanks for the review. We are doing that trip shortly and this 1) helped a lot and b) got me all excited

So grateful for a current review from the Island Princess! I’m a first-time cruiser sailing in a few weeks and I really appreciate the information. In your review you mentioned movies – do you happen to remember which movies are currently running on the Island?

In the room: Lincoln, Trouble with the Curve, Guilt trip.

In the theater: Silver Linings Playbook

There were others but that is what we saw.

Sue

In the room: Lincoln, Trouble with the Curve, Guilt trip.

 

In the theater: Silver Linings Playbook

 

There were others but that is what we saw.

 

Sue

:(

All so old ... Wish there were more current films available

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

:(

All so old ... Wish there were more current films available

Also Jack Reacher on TV. You won't get first run movies.

Sue

Great review! We will be on the Island on July 29th...

Debating when to book specialties..was the formal night menu impressive?

:confused:

Really nice review, thanks for taking the time to write that up. :)

Great review! We will be on the Island on July 29th...

Debating when to book specialties..was the formal night menu impressive?

 

:confused:

The only good thing, IMHO, was the lobster on the last formal night. At least it WAS a lobster and not a prawn! There is nothing special on the first formal night except Prime Rib and that is also on the first night's dinner menu. If you do a search on this site you can probably find the menus.

We really did enjoy Sabatini's. The new menu setup is much improved over the former tasting menu and the food is better also.

Sue

If you can find a Costco, this is where to get the 1lb packages of smoked salmon. Also the Carrs/Safeway grocery stores have the best souvenirs at cheaper prices than downtown Anchorage, Juneau, etc.

If you can find a Costco, this is where to get the 1lb packages of smoked salmon. Also the Carrs/Safeway grocery stores have the best souvenirs at cheaper prices than downtown Anchorage, Juneau, etc.

The cheaper souvenirs will be Made in China. I was looking specifically for things made in Alaska. There is a great store in Skagway that offers Xmas ornaments that were on the White House tree. A few other stores also in Skagway specify Made in Alaska by Alaskans.

On my first trip to Alaska 10 years ago, I found the best prices in Ketchikan but I wasn't paying attention to the source of the souvenirs.

Sue

Thank you for writing and sharing this review.

Keith

Thanks for the report!

You are all very welcome. Writing it was such fun remembering this great trip. Part I is all about our land tour.

Sue

Hi Sue: Thanks for the great review. I am excited to read how large the balcony was for your cabin; do you know if the cabin next to you, E730, has the same set up?

Our room was E-726, near the aft elevators with a nice sized balcony. There were 2 reclining loungers, 2 regular chairs and a nice size table.

Were those full length recliners and did they have pads on them?

Thanks!

Patricia

Thanks for taking time to write a review.

Hi Sue: Thanks for the great review. I am excited to read how large the balcony was for your cabin; do you know if the cabin next to you, E730, has the same set up?

 

Were those full length recliners and did they have pads on them?

I didn't get to peek at my neighbor's balcony. Maybe I should have!

The recliners were half chair/recliner and NO pads. They were the crappy new web furniture that Princess purchased two years ago.

They didn't look like they were wearing well so hopefully it will be replaced with better stuff sooner than later.

Sue