Disney Alaska versus Princess Alaska research

[llkoolj40]

I am not for sure and someone may want to confirm, but I thought Disney was not going to shoot off fireworks in Alaska.

[fshagan]

Disney does have the 5 person "Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah" for $6061.12 on the Aug. 31, 2011 sailing. That includes $218 for trip insurance and $98 for airport transfers. Disney tends to quote prices as all-inclusive that way, rather than pp/do.

 

I was just looking at our cruise date and wanted to see how much more a Family Stateroom was than ours.

[tamsocal]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm the one who originally wrote about our booking, and I realize now that you all are right, and I am mistaken. I booked Category 10B, not Category 9B, as I had originally posted. We have booked 2 interior connecting staterooms (no view/no windows) on Deck 2 as a category 10B. That total cost, for the 5 of us (2 adults, 3 kids aged 10 and under), is $6600. I have been looking at lots of boards to understand my choices better. I think $6600 is a lot of money, too. For that price, it seems to me that we should have a balcony! I have learned that most ships can't accommodate 5 in one stateroom, unless you move up to an expensive suite, and that many ships do not have connecting staterooms. Soooo.....I am wondering, have any of you traveled to Alaska with 3 elementary-aged kids? And how did you do it? Also, which ship is going to be a great choice for kids' entertainment to Alaska? My kids love kids clubs.

 

For Alaska I would go w/ Itinerary, cost & then cruise line. Your kids are a bit older than ours. But our 7yr old loved princess. They had a naturalist on board for the cruise & they were great w/ the kids offering lots of great kid friendly activities & discussion about glacier bay, wahles, other sea life , etc. If you consider this to possibly be a once in a lifetime trip to Alaska -- I would not personally prefer to see Tracey Arm over Glacier Bay. Also Inside Passage cruise that we had done multiple times was not even comparable to our last cruise that stayed outside of Vancouver Island & did not sail in the IP. Which also leads me to -- we have cruise with & without balconies and have had a great time in insides to suites. If there were any cruises thus far that we have taken & I had to choose which I most preferred having a balcony it is ALaska. the IP with a balcony was great-- especially since we had young kids. However, if Disney is not going in the IP & is going to Tracey Arm your inside connecting cabins would be my 1st choice of cabins on Disney--- the balcony would personally not be worth it for me. If you change lines & do go IP/ Glacier Bay or Hubbard-- if finances can afford it for you-- I would book a balcony. WE have booked a cruise where we all 5 slept in a suite for 4-- booked an inside cabin for cheap for one that we didnt use (except to get double cruise days for the single occupancy). If you just want a Disney cruise & don;t care that you are going to Alaska-- I'm sure you will have a fabulous time-- I'm only responding w/ several Alaska cruise experience & likes/dislikes..... looking forward to our 1st DCL cruise next year

[owensjro]

I am not for sure and someone may want to confirm, but I thought Disney was not going to shoot off fireworks in Alaska.

 

Correct, no fireworks on Alaskan cruises per Disney.

 

Also correct that they are not going an inside passage route. This has been confirmed from Disney as well. It's not a mistake on the map they provide.

 

I love DCL and have cruised them many times, but if we do Alaska it probably won't be with them. Alaska is the destination as opposed to the ship itself so I would choose itinerary/route over anything else.

 

Jim

[Juliamichelle]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm the one who originally wrote about our booking, and I realize now that you all are right, and I am mistaken. I booked Category 10B, not Category 9B, as I had originally posted. We have booked 2 interior connecting staterooms (no view/no windows) on Deck 2 as a category 10B. That total cost, for the 5 of us (2 adults, 3 kids aged 10 and under), is $6600. I have been looking at lots of boards to understand my choices better. I think $6600 is a lot of money, too. For that price, it seems to me that we should have a balcony! I have learned that most ships can't accommodate 5 in one stateroom, unless you move up to an expensive suite, and that many ships do not have connecting staterooms. Soooo.....I am wondering, have any of you traveled to Alaska with 3 elementary-aged kids? And how did you do it? Also, which ship is going to be a great choice for kids' entertainment to Alaska? My kids love kids clubs.

Hi, we are in the same "boat" no pun intended. We are wanting to book Disney alaska for Aug 2013 since we have 3 kids. We are getting same price...$6,700 for connecting inside cabins. You have to an adult in each cabin and they charge based on 2 adults in each room. We liked the prices better at princess but sails out of Seattle and we can't do the flight times. Plus ,we want to visit vancouver couple days before the cruise. We chose Disney since we have 7 yr old twins and all 12 yr old. If the kids are melting down I would rather be in a ship that is prepared for kids and pay extra so the kids don't ruin ours and everyone else's. How was your Disney cruise??? Worth tbe extra cost or not really? Thanks

[Donut23]

I'm leaving $$$$$ out of the conversation and will discuss quality of experience.

 

Years of Experience in Alaska

 

Disney - a few

 

Princess - 50+ years

 

 

Sorry, don't want to insult or sound flip, but Princess has a few advantages with her years there.

 

First, Alaska allows a small number of ships near the glaciers and the truly great viewing ones.....Glacier Bay and Hubbard have a long waiting list. Disney must take left overs.

 

Let's face it. How often do any of us think we will visit Alaska. Do we really want the left overs, tendering vs. a spot at the pier. Princess has an advantage up there which Disney, no matter how much we love the Wonder, cannot compare.

 

Something else to think long and hard about----grab a balcony cabin if you can afford it.....and take binoculars for everyone. It will be worth the upgrade cost cruising up to Skagway and the Inland Passage down to Vancouver.

 

Finally.....yes, my ramble is nearing the end......

 

Princess has wonderful lodges ashore with transportation. They make it easy. One lodge is actually inside Denali National Park and only 40 miles from the base of Mt.McKinley. 20,320 feet - tallest mountain on the N American continent.

 

Ok....REALLY finally. Princess has the BEST BLOODY MARY'S !!!!!!!

[NancyIL]

I'm leaving $$$$$ out of the conversation and will discuss quality of experience.

 

Years of Experience in Alaska

 

Disney - a few

 

Princess - 50+ years

 

 

Sorry, don't want to insult or sound flip, but Princess has a few advantages with her years there.

 

First, Alaska allows a small number of ships near the glaciers and the truly great viewing ones.....Glacier Bay and Hubbard have a long waiting list. Disney must take left overs.

 

Let's face it. How often do any of us think we will visit Alaska. Do we really want the left overs, tendering vs. a spot at the pier. Princess has an advantage up there which Disney, no matter how much we love the Wonder, cannot compare.

 

Something else to think long and hard about----grab a balcony cabin if you can afford it.....and take binoculars for everyone. It will be worth the upgrade cost cruising up to Skagway and the Inland Passage down to Vancouver.

 

Finally.....yes, my ramble is nearing the end......

 

Princess has wonderful lodges ashore with transportation. They make it easy. One lodge is actually inside Denali National Park and only 40 miles from the base of Mt.McKinley. 20,320 feet - tallest mountain on the N American continent.

 

Ok....REALLY finally. Princess has the BEST BLOODY MARY'S !!!!!!!

 

The McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge is within Denali State Park - not Denali National Park (http://www.princesslodges.com/mckinley-lodge.cfm?gclid=COiryr-9s7YCFYI-MgodEUEAPw). The Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge is just outside Denali National Park (http://www.princesslodges.com/denali-lodge.cfm) - as are many other hotels.

 

I have cruised to Alaska twice on Princess and twice on HAL, and both do a great job in Alaska. However, we did our own land trip with a rental car after two one-way cruises. Princess has a bad habit of including the Natural History Tour on almost all of their Alaska cruisetours, rather than the Tundra Wilderness Tour that goes farther and lasts longer.

 

I hope Juliamichelle realizes that this thread was started in September 2009. For more current info about DCL in Alaska, post your question on the Alaska board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

[Juliamichelle]

Thank you for letting me know! :)