Very Long Review - Coral Princess 7/30/11-8/6/11 - Alaska Cruisetour

[dee66]

Coral Princess Review July 30, 2011-August 6 2011 from Vancouver to Whittier.

 

 

Post-cruise three day land tour with 2 nights at Denali Princess and 1 night at McKinley Princess.

 

 

Hi,

Here is my review of our first cruise ever and first time in Alaska. I sectioned it off into specific topics and tried to keep it chronological order. If anyone has questions or needs more details please feel free to email me at dee66 at yahoo dot com. I would like to thank everyone who answered my questions prior to the cruise and appreciate everyone’s input on these boards. It is a wonderful resource.

 

Background/Planning

This was a family cruise of eleven people ranging in ages from 4 to 86. It was very difficult to always get everyone to agree on the cruise, travel plans, etc., thus we ended up doing a last minute booking of the cruise. In fact we booked after final payment about 63 days prior to the cruise. This worked in our favor because we were able to book four mini-suites on the Caribe deck, starboard side (C211-C205) right next to each other for the lowest price I tracked for six months. By having four mini-suites next to each other allowed us to have a large balcony area once we requested the balcony dividers to be removed from all rooms.

 

The cruise was a Northbound Inside Passage cruise from Vancouver to Whittier on the Coral Princess. The ports visited were Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. The cruise included 1 day cruising Glacier Bay and 1 day cruising College Fjord.

 

The land portion of the cruise tour was a 3 day “on your own” Princess Package which contained 2 nights at Princess Denali Lodge and 1 night at Princess McKinley Lodge with drop-off at Anchorage Airport. Transfer from Whittier to Denali was by Motor coach (train was sold out), and then train between Denali and Talkeetna, and motor coach from Talkeetna to McKinley Lodge and from McKinley Lodge to Anchorage Airport.

 

I planned all the excursions, travel details, etc and after reading a lot on Cruise Critic and doing research, I booked almost all our excursions independently.

 

For eight out of the eleven people including me this was our first cruise. I will try to insert comments dealing with the following throughout the review since these were important issues for us.

 

1. Cruising with two young kids (Ages 4 and 5).

2. Cruising with five people that needed wheelchairs and/or scooters.

3. Cruising as a large group and dealing with logistics.

4. Cruising with two vegetarians.

5. First time cruising.

 

Pre-Cruise - Vancouver

We booked all our flights independently and arrived two days prior to the cruise in Vancouver so we do not feel rushed and to see the City. We rented two SUV’s at the airport and returned them in downtown the day of our cruise. We drove around the City enjoying the sights and food. I have been to Vancouver multiple times and it is one of my favorite cities, so I was the tour guide. We saw Stanley Park, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Gastown, Chinatown, Sea to Sky highway up the coast, Granville Island, downtown, etc.

 

Embarkation Day and Process

The night before embarkation we put the luggage tags that were reinforced with scotch tape (idea from a CC post) on the luggage. The day of embarkation we loaded 11 people and 16 bags into the SUV’s. We stopped at a Whole Foods and Safeway in downtown to buy cases of bottle water and organic milk cartons before arriving at Canada Place to see the Coral Princess for the first time. We pulled up to the unloading zone and reversed the cars into place as directed. Princess or dock workers unloaded all the luggage and directed everyone where to wait while two of us returned the rental cars about 2 miles away. The workers were quick and very helpful in unloading the vehicles. We dropped off the cars and took a taxi back to Canada Place. By then the five passengers needing wheelchair assistance were ready with Princess Attendants.

 

We bypassed the main line due to the wheelchairs and rolled right up to security. We cleared security quickly. It is not as stringent as airport security. You did not have to take off your shoes and belts, open laptops, etc. After security all passengers entered the US immigration check. At this point the wheelchair passengers were sent to different lines than the rest of us. I had instructed everyone to not board the ship until we were all together for the embarkation photos. After immigration we completed a health survey and then directed to the Princess Counters where we received our room cards and ship maps. After clearing the Princess counters I saw the big book of coupons for the Alaska ports. I grabbed four copies and was happy I did, because no one else in our group saw the books. Immediately after was the spot for the embarkation photo by Princess. It was a backdrop of the ship with Alaska Type scenery. We had several shots done with everyone and individual families before continuing to board. Once entering the ship we had our pictures taken and key cards synced for security and were then escorted to the elevators and our floor (Caribe deck). My first impression of the ship was it looked like the ship on the “Love Boat” with all the wood paneling and brass. I also thought the ceiling was lower than I had imagined for newer ships.

 

After going to our cabins and having lunch we decided to explore the ship before the muster drill. We walked across the lido deck and ended up at the spa. My wife made some appointments and I signed up for the Thermal Suite package for $149. We were headed to the Children’s area directly below the spa and gym when they announced the muster drill. We headed back to our rooms and located the life jackets in the closet and headed towards the Princess Theater. The theater was packed and some of the cruise staff was conducting the drill. Everyone had to put on the jacket once and tie it around you. The kids were blowing the whistles and having fun. The drill lasted about 45 minutes. After the drill we returned to our rooms to check on our luggage which finally arrived. We put away the life jackets and started to unpack, and then went up to the top deck for the sail away from Vancouver. There was a band singing on the lido deck and the view was great as we left Vancouver and went under the Lions Gate Bridge. There were no open chairs or tables anywhere on the Lido or Top deck. This was the only time I observed a shortage during the cruise. I am sure it is much worse on a Caribbean or other Tropical cruises. After the sail away we returned to our cabins and finished unpacking and changed for our 7:45 pm traditional dining assignment.

 

 

Cabins and Room Steward

Our cabins were almost at the most forward starboard side of the ship. The mini-suites were very roomy and nice. The balconies were wonderful and I do not think I could cruise again without a balcony and the extra room of a mini-suite or suite. The balcony dividers were not removed when we boarded, but the room steward stated he wanted to confirm that we wanted to have the dividers removed. We confirmed it and it was done by the time we returned from lunch. Our excursion tickets and casino credits that we ordered were also in our rooms when we arrived. The egg crates for all the beds were prepared as requested. A luggage mat was on the bed to place your luggage on when unpacking. and luggage can be stored underneath the bed. The Patter for embarkation day and other information was on the desk. We had ordered two scooters through Care Vacations and both were in the correct rooms and ready to be used. The room steward brought all of us a glass of cold champagne (the only mini-suite perk), which was ok. Our bags did not arrive until after we returned from the buffet.

 

Throughout the cruise our room steward was attentive and always made sure all of our rooms were clean and well stocked with towels. Whenever he called or paged him the callback was within 1-2 minutes and was always very helpful. He emptied the mini-bar for us so we could keep our water bottles and organic milk inside. The refrigerator was roomy and there was plenty of storage for extra items next to the refrigerator. He also arranged for cookies each evening at 4pm for the kids and prepared the sofa bed each night during dinner. Turndown service each night included a few chocolates left on the bed with a breakfast and fruit ordering forms for the morning. We did like and ordered each night our selection of fresh fruits for the next day.

 

The bathroom in the mini-suite was nice and included the usual toiletries found in a Marriott, Hilton, etc type hotel. The tub was roomy, but the shower curtain did stick to you if touched. Princess should replace the straight shower rod with a curved one that allows for more space in the tub area. Also, a removable shower massage head would have been nice instead of a fixed shower head. The shower head was also low and I (height of only 5’ 11’’) would have to bend my head to get under the shower head. If you are very tall this would be a big issue as there is not much headroom in the shower. The tub did have a clothes line, but clothes would never get dry in the bathroom or in the room.

 

There was plenty of space for all our clothes and luggage in the closet and wardrobe cabinet. It was nice having to pack and unpack only once for seven days. I use a CPAP machine at night and always travel with an extension cord and had no trouble using the outlet plugs located at the desk area. I ran the cord behind the mattress and left the CPAP machine on the nightstand. The only issue is the space on the nightstand is limited because the lamp on the nightstand is bolted down and cannot be moved. So the CPAP machine was just barely on the surface of the nightstand at an angle. Not a big deal and did not cause any inconvenience. There are two empty outlet plugs near the desk and two behind the TV. The ones behind the TV are a little tight to access, but are good for charging camera batteries, iphone’s, etc. I used the ones near the desk for a laptop and the CPAP machine.

 

The balcony area was very roomy and fully covered. It had four chairs and a table. We enjoyed having the space of four balconies and we would move from one room to another using the balcony area instead of the hallway. We never had any issues with noise or smoking with the balconies above, below, and next to us.

 

Each night the following day’s Patters and other notices would show up in the mailbox outside the cabin door. I will try to scan the patters and post them. I liked reading all the information on the patters, but they are extremely busy in the format and filled with small ads. For first time cruisers it seems overwhelming at first. I do believe Princess wastes a lot of paper printing so many documents throughout the cruise. On certain days it seemed like we had pages and pages of homework to read and organize.

 

 

Motion Sickness

This was my main worry on going on a cruise and the location of our cabins. I am extremely susceptible to motion sickness and can get seasick in my backyard pool sometimes. I cannot emphasize how easy I get motion sickness on any size boat or helicopter. So the morning of the cruise I applied my first prescription patch behind my ear and put on a sea band and prayed for the best. The patch worked extremely well. I never felt any motion sickness on the entire cruise or on excursions, including whale watching, float planes, and helicopter rides. The only time I felt a little uncomfortable during the cruise was when were leaving Glacier Bay and in the open seas going towards College Fjord. The ship was experiencing some motion in our rooms. I felt a small uneasiness, but no feelings of vomiting or head spinning, etc that I normally feel.

 

I did experience a slight dry mouth on the first day, but was easily taken care of by water. I also experienced a slight eye focusing/blurry issue when reading. This only occurred when I changed the patch on my second day of use after losing one in the sauna. I believe this was due to the doubling up of the medication in the patch that occurred, because I had to apply a new one after one day of use instead of at day three. It never occurred again and was only a very minor irritation for 5-6 hours when reading a menu or something on the computer. After losing the patch in the sauna I would always remove the patch before showering or when in the sauna. I did not experience any motion sickness when the patch was removed. Thus, the patch worked extremely well for me and will always use it for cruising and highly recommend it.

 

 

Horizon Court, Pizzeria, The Grill, Ice Cream

We missed the lunch in the MDR on Embarkation day so we went to the buffet at Horizon Court. The Horizon Court on the Coral Princess is on deck 14 forward. We basically just had to take the elevators up from the deck 10 (Caribe) and we were there. Outside the Buffet, attendants were selling the ultimate Kids Sticker for unlimited soft drinks, milkshakes, mocktails, etc. I had not planned to purchase one since I do not drink soft drinks, but decided to join my brother in purchasing one after seeing the list of mocktails and milkshakes. The cost was $56.35. There was no hard sell or pushing people to buy the package. I did not see anyone selling the sticker after the embarkation day.

 

The Horizon Court was very busy at 1:30pm on embarkation day. We had to wait and circle around a few minutes to find 2 tables available. Embarkation day and the morning in Juneau seemed to be the busiest days we observed at Horizon Court. I only ate breakfast or lunch (during sea days) in the Horizon Court. The food at the buffet I felt was just ok and average for a buffet. It is not a nice Hotel in Vegas type buffet, but adequate with an average selection and taste. The entrees were either hit or miss so I would recommend just taking a small amount and trying it before filling your plate. The desserts during lunch or breakfast were the most disappointing in the buffet. Not good at all and definitely not worth eating for the calories. Breakfast was good for me and I liked making my own breakfast muffin sandwich each morning instead of taking the prepared one. The waiters/attendants in the buffet were attentive and anything requested was quickly executed. Some of the waiters were the same as the MDR at night. Hand washing at the Horizon Court was strictly enforced at all times which was nice to know.

 

We saw many people bringing pizza from outside the Horizon Court, so I followed the crowd and found the pizzeria just outside the doors of the buffet near the Lido pool. The pizza was just as good as I read about and everyone in our group liked the pizza all week. Each day they would have a pizza of the day along with cheese or pepperoni. The pizzas were always hot and available.

 

The grill located just above the pizzeria served hamburgers, hotdogs, and french-fries. I only had the hotdogs, and they were your typical hotdog. Nothing special but not bad and the kids enjoyed them several times. The Grill also had a grilled fish lunch buffet after leaving Ketchikan on day 3. It included crab cakes (average tasting), grilled salmon, and reindeer chili. I found the food ok, but enjoyed the reindeer chili the best. On Glacier day they prepared an Alaska seafood Buffet next to the pizzeria. There were some tasty items such as mussels, fresh salmon, poached halibut, shrimp, etc. Clam chowder was also available starting at 10am though lunchtime during Glacier Bay Cruising Day.

 

The ice cream shop located near the spa area on Lido deck (just aft of the midship elevators) served free soft serve ice cream all week and milkshakes (free if you had the Ultimate Kid drink sticker). There always seemed to be a line at the ice cream shop of a few minutes. The ice cream shop was located in the covered pool area which had a lot of families, thus the kids were always eating ice cream.

 

We did do the pub lunch one day at the Crown Grill. It was a standard pub lunch of fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, ploughman’s sandwich, bangers and mash, and trifle for dessert. The fish and chips was the best on the menu. The steak and kidney pie was just ok and actually tasted sweet for some reason (onions maybe). Trifle was just ok and once again not worth the calories.

 

 

Traditional Dining in MDR

We were reserved for Traditional Dining at 7:45pm in the Provence Dining room. Our group of 11 had an entire table to ourselves. We ate every dinner of the cruise at this time and place. Our waiters were from the Philippines and the Maître’ D was Neville from India. I do not think the service by the entire staff could be any better or more considerate. Their attention to detail and trying to make the experience memorable and fun went beyond expectations. We had a diverse group of people from four elderly people, 2 vegetarians, a couple of foodies with high expectations (particularly me), and 2 kids. To make all these people happy was very appreciative. The staff liked to entertain the kids and Neville and the waiters promised the two boys that on galley tour day they can see the refrigerators “that are as big as a house”. The kids enjoyed the tour and had their pictures taken with the head chef and Neville.

 

Our group was first and second generation Indian and very well traveled so we like ethnic foods of all types. On the first night they asked us if we would also like to eat Indian food along with the standard menu. We agreed and after that each night we would have a four to five course Indian meal served along with the standard food. By the third night we had to beg the staff to not bring so much food to the table as we could not eat so much and felt guilty for throwing away so much food. The Indian food was quite good and authentic.

 

The standard menu food was also better than expected, but the entrees could be a hit or miss. I generally found the seafood and sauces to be good. The beef was average at best, and the chicken or lamb to be average. The appetizers were overall very good, especially the soufflés and cheese plates. The broth based soups were over salted. The pasta was as good as I had read about, particularly the fettuccini alfredo and table prepared pastas on Italian night. Any of the pasta dishes could be ordered as an appetizer. There was always a good selection of vegetarian items. Almost every type of potato was something to avoid. Any food request would generally be honored by the next night.

 

Lobster night was a disappointment. The lobster tail served was small, although you could order as many as you want. I felt the lobster was over cooked and you could taste that it had been frozen for a long time. Do not expect the taste of fresh lobster or shellfish. The lobster was served with large prawns that were cooked well, but had no flavor or spice to them.

The desserts were much better than in the buffet and were all good. I just wished that there was a pie offering as I love fresh fruit pies. The ice creams were excellent, especially the nutella, tiramisu, almond, and vanilla flavors. I found myself ordering one scoop of ice cream along with another dessert each night. We had several special occasions at dinner so they presented us with a special chocolate cake each time. It was good and went well with ice cream.

 

On the last night we had the baked Alaska parade which was just like in the “Love Boat”. A little cheesy, but it was fun. The dessert was just average. I have lots of pictures of the food and will try to post once I go through all the 2000 pictures we took on the trip.

 

The kids menu portions were very big especially the desserts. Our boy ordered the love boat sundae dessert on the kids menu and it was huge. We all indulged in that one.

 

We did not try any of the specialty restaurants.

 

 

Formal Nights and attire in Dining Rooms.

This issue was a big discussion for us prior to the cruise. I never take a suit with me on vacation unless I am going to a wedding or similar type function. I do not believe in wearing formal attire on vacation and especially carrying it in luggage across country. However, I decided I would pack a suit for the trip and wore it on the two formal nights. The first Formal night I would say was much more “formal” than the second night. The majority of the men did have at least a coat and tie with many in tuxedos. I did see more than several with just a shirt and tie and no coat. I did not see anyone except children not wearing at least a coat and tie, or shirt and tie, or coat and shirt the first night. There may have been one or two, but what I am trying to convey is it was not obvious. The second formal night was considerably different and was much more informal including men in a nice golf shirt and trousers or shirt and trousers with no tie or coat. I did not wear a tie on the second night, but did have a coat.

 

One thing that Princess could do on formal nights to encourage people to dress up is to describe the photography that is available prior to dinner. Princess actually did a very good job on the photos we had taken. I thought it would just be some cheesy pictures near the champagne waterfall, etc. However, the photographers were actually patient with us and suggested various poses for the family which came out excellent. Maybe people who have cruised before know about this, but as first time cruisers we did not know how extensive the picture taking was on formal nights. Also, they should describe the different backgrounds available for pictures and locations in the patters.

 

My opinion on formal nights is that Princess should open a Dining room for people not in formal attire. With luggage restrictions, workplace being more casual, and more families cruising (especially to Alaska), it would be better for a less formal attire option in the main dining rooms. On the other nights I saw everything but shorts and tank tops on people. The last night of the cruise was the most relaxed dress night. Plenty of jeans, fleece jackets/vests, some t-shirts and track suits, etc. I was expecting someone to show up in pajamas since we had to have our suitcases out by 10pm for disembarkation!

 

 

Children’s Zone

We registered the two boys, age 4 and 5, at the children’s center. The kids really enjoyed the activities and allowed us some downtime. Princess does a good job of keeping them entertained and busy and I would highly recommend it for families. We did not use them during dinner or port days. During sea days when you drop the kids off, they give you a pager in case they need to reach you. They have special activities that are described in the packet that is placed in your room on embarkation day such as Park ranger visits during Glacier Bay day. The kids received junior park ranger badges that they wore the rest of the trip. Many activities had Alaska themes such as animals, nature, etc. Overall I would definitely recommend the use of the facility for any family.

 

 

Entertainment/Bars/Lounges/Casino

Since our 7:45pm dinner finished between 9:30 -10:00pm each night and having small kids we never went to any of the entertainment, especially on ports days we were just exhausted and wanted to hit the rooms. This was my biggest regret on the cruise and wanted to at least experience the entertainment so we could critique it. Maybe next time we will do an early dinner and then go to the shows. Some in our group did attend the Motor City show and enjoed the singers and dances and music selection of mo-town.

 

I did play blackjack in the casinos several times and enjoyed it. Not much smoking so that was nice. I did order casino credits before leaving and it was easy to cash in and use. On the last day of the cruise I even received a phone call from the casino reminding me to cash in my remaining certificates. This option to purchase casino credit without a transaction fee was nice and convenient for not having to carry cash or use an ATM with transaction fees.

 

 

SPA and Thermal Suite

Our group used some spa services. I purchased the thermal suite couples package for $149 for the length of the cruise. We used it 3-4 times and really enjoyed it. I have a back issue and really enjoyed the tile lounge chairs in the thermal suite. The showers in the spa were very roomy and the water pressure was better than in the rooms. I would have liked to have used it more, but the port days were busy and spending time with the kids took priority. I would highly recommend the Thermal Suite as a nice thing to purchase.

 

 

Shopping

I was surprised by how much jewelry is being sold on and off the ships in Alaska. The ship had a different jewelry exhibit near the dining rooms each night. The ports were filled with jewelry stores and apparently are the same ones that are in the Caribbean in the winter.

 

Do not forget to pick up the big book of coupons before boarding the ship on the first day. They had lots of coupons for free souvenirs or costume jewelry that you can get in the port shops.

 

The best shopping on the trip was in our first port of Ketchikan. We felt that the prices in Ketchikan were the lowest than all the other ports and from the ship for everything from jewelry, souvenirs, clothing (especially rain jackets and fleece), salmon, etc. In fact, I would recommend not packing a rain jacket or fleece if Ketchikan is your first port. You can buy it cheap in Ketchikan and enjoy it the rest of your cruise and have a souvenir to take home. We tried to patronize the Alaskan owned shops in port for arts and crafts. The stores display signs if they are locally owned and operated.

Since we were doing a northbound cruise with a land tour to Denali we definitely noticed the prices going up as we moved further north. The same jacket in Ketchikan for $19.99 was $36.99 in Denali.

 

In your room on the first day is a coupon book for items that can be purchased on the ship. If you plan to shop on the ship I would recommend keeping this book with you at all times. It contains coupons for spa services, photos, jewelry, etc. Prices for jewelry were cheaper at the end of the cruise versus the beginning. We stopped by the Art auction on the ship, but did not participate due to lack of time. High dollar liquor in the Princess store had very good prices compared to prices at home.

 

Do not forget to buy a Future Cruise Credit which is totally refundable and is only $100 per person.

 

 

Sea Days

On our itinerary the only full sea day was on day 2. I do not consider embarkation day as a sea day since we did not depart until 4:30pm. Day 6 and 7 were at sea but included Glacier Bay and College Fjord scenic cruising which required being on the open decks or balcony to enjoy. The limited number of sea days on this itinerary is the one thing I did not like about the cruise. It made it hectic to enjoy the ship and totally relax especially for first time cruisers who want to explore the ship, enjoy the spa and thermal suite, understand/participate in the activities that take place on the ship, and also spend time with the family. I heard this comment from several people on the cruise. Although we are there to see mainly Alaska a couple of extra sea days would have been nice. After all it is a vacation.

 

On our sea day we had breakfast at Horizon Court, then registered and dropped off the kids at the Children’s Center and hit the spa, thermal suite, and casino and explored the ship. Many people were at both the Lido pool and the covered pool near the spa. Movies were playing on the MUTS (Movies under the Star) screen near the lido pool. There were plenty of lounge chairs available on all decks.

 

We also spent some time relaxing on the balcony. I brought a portable speaker for my ipod/ipad so we enjoyed listening to music and watching the scenery and enjoying the great weather. Some in our group went to high tea at 3:30pm. Everyone who went enjoyed the tea and food that was served and would recommend it. At 6:30pm we started to get ready for our first formal night dinner (see Formal nights section for details).

 

 

 

 

 

CruisePort Days and Excursions

This was our first time in Alaska so we wanted to do some memorable excursions. Listed below are the activities during port days, excursions we took, vendors, and our experiences by port.

 

Ketchikan

Arrived at 6:30am and all aboard was at 1:30pm. This was the shortest time spent in a port. We docked at birth 4 which was the furthest in town. In fact, for every port we had the worst dock assignment in regards to proximity to the town center. The gangplank coming off the ship was very steep and the elderly people needed wheelchair assistance for the gangplank.

 

Ketchikan has a free shuttle from birth 4 into the center of town so we used it both ways. We purchased canned salmon and got some free trinkets using the coupon book. We bought some rain jackets and other souvenirs. Best prices of all the ports. The town has some great totem poles all around the town. If you stop at the visitor center or order online before your cruise you can get a walking tour map of the major attractions and totem poles located in the town. I would recommend taking a walk along Creek Street, see the salmon ladders, and take pictures of the totem poles, the welcome sign, rain gauge, etc. We also enjoyed sharing a quick fish and chips and chowder at the Alaskan Fish and Chips shack located near the visitor center which was highly recommended on the CC boards and Frommers. We took the last free shuttle back before our last call to board with shopping bags full and great memories. Our first stop in Alaska had great weather and really enjoyed the excursion to Misty Fjords. Once we boarded the ship we had lunch at the Grill which had grilled Alaskan fish. The scenery sailing away from Ketchikan was nice with the great weather. After lunch we hit the thermal suite and casino for fun and relaxation. The kids returned to the Children’s center which they enjoyed. Tonight’s dinner was casual.

 

Ketchikan Excursions

1. We chartered a 10 seat float plane with Misty Fjords Air & Outfitting for a float plane trip to Misty Fjords. They picked us up in front of the ship and drove us to the float plane dock. It was a steep decline to the dock for the elderly people, but we all made it and had a wonderful 2 hours. The pilot narrated the entire trip on noise canceling headphones. We landed on a pontoon dock in Misty Fjords and got out for pictures and stretching the legs. The scenery was amazing. We saw sea otters swimming and playing right near the plane. On the flight back the pilot spotted a bear and circled three times so we could get pictures and watch the bear. On the approach to Ketchikan the pilot circled the harbor so we could get an aerial view of the cruise ships in port. An excellent start to the excursions.

 

2. Lumberjack Show – seven of us went to the early lumberjack show at 8:00am. We took the free Ketchikan shuttle into town instead of waiting for the Princess shuttle. Just a quick 5-10 minute ride and we had 20 minutes to explore before the show. The kids liked the show, but the DW said she would have rather gone shopping. If you have seen this show before, then there is no need to repeat.

 

3. Duck Tour – one member of our party did the duck tour and she enjoyed it. Good way to see the town if you have mobility issues.

 

 

Juneau

The ship arrived in the morning and would be in port from 8:00am to 9:00pm. All aboard was at 8:30pm. The weather was partly cloudy in the morning with clear skies by midday and we had no rain all day. The Horizon Court was very busy this morning and had to wait five minutes for an open table. Once again our ship docked far from the center (Mt. Roberts tram area).

 

Our group was splitting up today and everyone had various excursions. The younger people were going to a helicopter ride and land on the glaciers and a whale watching trip. The elderly people were going to do a city tour with a stop at the Mendenhall Glacier, then take the Mt. Roberts Tram if it was a clear day. Unfornately, two of the elderly people missed the City bus tour due to not getting a wheelchair disembarkation fast enough to meet the tour (not princess). Based on this experience I would probably always recommend people with mobility issues always book a Princess tour even if does not cover everything you want to see, since the Princess tours will always wait for you. We had booked an independent tour because there was not an equivalent one offered by Princess that did a City tour and Mendenhall Glacier stop. In addition, the elderly or mobility impaired people should also allocate twice as much time to reach your destination either on or off the ship. I had spoken with a Princess rep prior to the cruise that there would be a shuttle bus available for people between the Franklin dock and Mt. Roberts Tram area where many of the tour originate. However, this was not the case in the morning. I will discuss this issue further under the Mobility section of the review.

 

Shopping was good in Juneau, the prices were the same for basic souvenirs and clothing. We observed jewelry prices and native arts and crafts were higher than in Ketchikan, but more variety. Once again the coupon book saved us a lot of money. We ate at Tracy’s crab shack for lunch which was good, but expensive.

 

Juneau Excursions

1. Mendenhall Glacier Helicopter Tour with ERA Helicopters.

Six of us did the Helicopter landing on the glacier tour. We met the ERA shuttle bus at the Mt. Roberts Tram area (5-10 minute walk from the Franklin dock) and drove to their facility. After checking in and putting on our life vests and special walking shoes we were split up into 2 helicopters for our flight. The flight was enjoyable and the pilot described things as we flew. In Hawaii when I flew on a helicopter I got motion sickness and vomited, but the patch did its job and I never felt sick. We landed on the Juneau Ice field and had about 25 minutes to walk around the glacier and take pictures. After, reboarding the pilot flew us on a longer flight around the ice fields and glaciers and we saw some spectacular scenery before landing. After landing the pilot gave us a topography map and she used a marker to highlight the route of our flight with an X on the glacier that we landed on. I thought this was nice and our other party which flew on the second helicopter did not get one from their pilot.

 

2. Whale Watching with Orca Enterprises

Eight of us did the late afternoon Whale watching tour with Orca. We met at their offices across from the Mt. Roberts Tram at 3pm and left with about 20 people total to their docks. It took about 30 minutes to drive to the dock and board the ship. The boat was manned by 3 people including Captain Larry, a naturalist and an assistant. It took about 20 -30 minutes of sailing till we go to where the whales were feeding. For the next 2 hours we saw an amazing amount of whales playing, breaching, eating, bubble-feeding, etc. It was an amazing show to watch and was one of the highlights of our Alaska trip. It seemed that there were whales everywhere and the kids loved watching the show. The naturalist was very good and answered everyone’s questions, showed the kids whale models, and the boat even had binoculars for people to use. There was a small snack of salmon and crackers and juice provided for the people on the boat. I would highly recommend whale watching in Juneau. I have done whale watching in Maine and Hawaii and there was no comparison in the quantity and quality of whale watching in Alaska. Once again my motion sickness patch worked great and did not feel anything. After the tour we had Orca drop us in front of the Ship at 7:15pm. We returned to our cabins to freshen up and meet everyone for our standing 7:45pm dinner in the MDR.

 

3. Juneau & Mendenhall Glacier Tour by Might Great Trips (MGT).

The elderly people in our group did this tour in the morning while we are at the helicopter tour. Like I stated earlier two in our group missed the tour and could not get another one. The three that attended enjoyed the tour and glacier viewing.

 

Skagway

Our last port was Skagway and we docked early in the morning and all aboard was at 8:30pm. We had arranged a Yukon Rail and Bus Tour with Chilkott Tours which cam highly recommended by many people on Cruise Critic. Since we booked the Bus up and train down the tour did not start until 8:30am. If you do the reverse it starts at 7:30am, so if you want to sleep in an extra hour then book the bus up and train down. Everybody I spoke with stated there is no difference in the tour.

 

The ship docked at the railroad dock and the train was right in front of the ship. We were to meet the tour van after the security gate which was about 2-3 minute walk. I had spoken with Princess prior to the cruise and they stated there would be golf carts available to help the people in our group that could not walk a long distance. Since we had the issue in Juneau on disembarking I urged everyone to be early for the 8:15 tour pickup. After disembarking, Princess did have golf carts available to shuttle passengers to the security dock entrance. We boarded the tour van with a total of 20 people with our driver. The weather was partly cloudy and windy in the morning, but by afternoon it was warm and sunny. Once again we got lucky and had a great driver and tour guide. He was an a great story teller and new a lot of Yukon History. I would highly recommend this tour. We stopped at all the usual points, but since it was a smaller shuttle bus than a Princess Motor coach we could stop when we saw animals. This happened when we spotted a bear on the way and we turned back. It turned out to be a mother bear with three cubs. They crossed the street right in front of us and played on the side of the road before going into the brush and down the hill. This was a great scene to watch. Along the way to Carcross and Emerald Lake we stopped by waterfalls, the welcome to Alaska and Yukon Sign, Carcross Desert, and finally up to Caribou Crossing for Lunch. At the border with Canada near the rail depot we had a passport check by Canadian immigration.

 

At Caribou Crossing we had lunch of BBQ chicken, potato, and cole slaw, with donuts for dessert which was included in the tour price. The lunch was ok and the donuts were good, but not as good as I had read about. After lunch we had arranged for the kids to do the dog cart ride, which they a lot of fun. The DW did shopping in the gift shop and we also toured the stuffed animals the owner has in the museum. I would highly recommend taking the time to see the wonderful taxidermy work. There were an amazing number of animals on display. After reboarding the bus we stopped at Emerald Lake for a quick view and pictures and then headed back to board the White Pass train at Frazer.

 

The train depot was very crowded with all the tour buses unloading the passengers. We boarded in the second car and enjoyed the scenery back into Skagway. The commentary on the train was average, but the scenery was good and it was nice to just relax and enjoy the nice weather.

 

After arriving in Skagway at 4:30pm we walked around the town and did some shopping. By now we were veteran cruise shoppers and could quickly identify all the same stores we saw in the previous ports. We took the City shuttle back to the ship at 7:30pm and had dinner.

 

Scenic Cruising – Glacier Bay and College Fjord

These were the days I was looking the most forward to before the cruise started due to hearing and reading so much on how great the scenery is at these locations. We started out in Glacier Bay with cloudy and foggy weather, but as we made our way through it became sunny to partly sunny and we were able to see everything. These days are the reason you have to have a balcony in your cabin when coming to Alaska. We would walk around from the top open decks, to the open forward viewing area on the Caribe deck (just 4 rooms down the hall from our room) or sit on our balcony. It was cold outside and we wore fleece jackets and hats to keep warm. The naturalist commentary was broadcast on the open decks and on the TV in the rooms. We saw sea lions, but no whales. We took the kids to the Children’s center after lunch so they could meet with the Park Rangers. This was the highlight of the trip for them. The naturalist announced before we turned around in Glacier Bay that this was the closest the ship had gone all summer. After the ship turned in Glacier Bay and started heading towards College Fjord, in about 3 hours the seas became rougher and we could feel the motion in our rooms and at dinner.

 

The last day at sea was at College Fjord. The not so secret forward balcony on the Caribe deck was a great place to see the Fjord. I actually enjoyed College Fjord more than Glacier Bay. We got extremely close to the Harvard Glacier. We saw lots of sea lions and otters on icebergs. The naturalist did a great job and they sent out a small boat to film everyone on their balconies looking at the scenery. The Captain did a great job of turning the ship so we could a 360 degree view of the glaciers. Once again the weather was just ok in the morning, but by the time we reached the main area for viewing it was clear. I enjoyed the scenery so much that I did not go to the Thermal Suite.

 

 

 

Disembarkation

On the last day, Princess gives you luggage tags and disembarkation instructions. Once again I felt that the instructions were not well written and organized. Basically, they divide everyone into groups based on what you are doing post cruise, i.e. land tour, airport transfer, rail, motorcoach, etc. You have to have your luggage in the hallways by 10:00pm except for your carryon bags. They actually do not start picking up the bags until 11:30pm I observed. Your final bill is delivered late at night or early morning. Good luck if you need to correct anything as the lines I heard were big. I would recommend you review charges every few days and before dinner on your final night to avoid the crowds for any corrections needed.

 

Each group is assigned a gathering area on the ship where a staff member will give you some more information and walk you to the exits for leaving the ship. Since this was my first cruise I do not know if this is what usually happens, but it seemed that everyone just sort of gravitates towards the exit with people pushing their way. We grabbed a quick breakfast in Horizon Court with our bags in hand and then went to our gathering point at the Universe Lounge. From there we went down to deck 5 and left the ship. The walkway from the ship to our motorcoach was covered in case of rain, and it was just a short walk. They checked your names and then directed you to your assigned motorcoach. Once we got to the motor coach, I understood why everyone was running and shoving off the ship. There are no assigned seats on the tour motor coaches or airport shuttles, so if you want a particular seat get there quick. The train we took later in our tour did have assigned seats.

 

 

Complaint about Princess Luggage Policy:

Prior to the cruise and in our cruise documents Princess repeatedly told us that we would only be allowed a small carryon, such as a backpack or small bag on the Trains and motor coaches. In addition, only one piece of luggage per person would be sent to each of your nightly destinations. It turned out that our entire luggage was sent with us every step of the way. Also, there was plenty of room in the motor coaches and train to store your carryon bags. Whenever boarding a motorcoach if you did not want to carry a bag on the bus, the driver readily stored it for you underneath and gave it to you at the destination. This will allow you to keep one of your smaller bags that contain your toiletries whatever else you need on the last night of the cruise or overnight in the lodges. I had a small rolling carryon that held 2 laptops, ipad, camera equipment, etc. that I would never leave in the hallways of the ship and lodges, but I was glad to be able to check it in underneath the bus or under the train seat. The trains had more limited storage under the seats, but could still easily hold 2 carryon bags and a backpack.

 

 

Land Tour

The land portion of the cruise tour was a 3 day “on your own” Princess Package which included 2 nights at Princess Denali Lodge and 1 night at Princess McKinley Lodge with transportation and luggage services from Whittier to Denali by Motor coach. The Princess train between Denali and Talkeetna, and motor coach from Talkeetna to McKinley Lodge and from McKinley Lodge to Anchorage Airport.

 

Since we booked the cruise very late our options were limited on the land tour portion. We wanted to take the train from Whittier to Denali, but it was sold out. This was a major disappointment for us before the cruise started, but after the trip was finished we did not feel as we missed anything since we had the train from Denali to Talkeetna and we saved 2 hours getting to Denali.

 

The motorcoach to Denali was full and we cleared the tunnel soon after boarding. The drive after the tunnel was very scenic and traffic was minimal. The driver was good and described the scenery and how is living in Alaska. Once we arrived near Anchorage he stated that we were running ahead of schedule so he took us on a quick tour of Anchorage. After leaving Anchorage we stopped in a Shopping center which had a grocery store (Fred Meyer) and restaurants so we could purchase food for lunch. We would also stop again on the way at a Veteran’s memorial on the Park Highway to eat lunch and stretch the legs. We arrived at the Princess Denali Lodge around 4:00pm. Upon arrival a lodge employee boarded the bus and asked for certain people to stay on the bus as they would be staying in Building 10 and 11 of the lodge and the bus would drive to it (just up a small hill). Our group was one of the names called so we stayed on the bus till they drove up to the buildings. I believe we were assigned building 10 and 11 because we had requested first floor rooms or near elevators due to mobility issues for some in our group. I was worried about staying away from the main lodge, but after seeing the entire lodge over 2 days I would recommend everyone to stay in Building 10 or 11. They have a great enclosed public space with free wi-fi access and view of the mountains and an open area overlooking the river. These rooms are really the best in the lodge with a view. There is a trolley that runs every 5-10 minute up and down the hill to the main lodge building and where you pick up tour and shuttle buses. The trolley circles the entire lodge complex, but will not go across the street where there is a row of shops and restaurants not on Princess Property. We did not eat at the restaurants at the Princess Denali. We did buy some Chinese and Thai food from across the street for dinner and bought some sandwiches from subway for our shuttle bus tour into Denail National Park. The Denali Doghouse had really good hotdogs and other people said the Salmon Bake across the street were good. We heard good things also of Prospectors Pizza across the street, but we did not try it.

 

After dinner we went to bed early because the next day we would have a long bus day in Denali national Park.

 

Denali National Park

After much debate in our group we decided to take the shuttle bus into Denali all the way up to the Eielson Visitor Center, about 66 miles into the park. We had initially booked the Tundra Wilderness Tout (TWT) through Princess, but never liked the timings, either 7:00am or 2pm. After much researching I decided to book all of us on the Shuttle Bus for 9:30am which allowed us time to sleep in, but still finish the tour by early evening. Also, the Eielson Shuttle Bus went further than the TWT and if the weather cooperated, a great view of Mt. McKinley at the Eielson Visitor Center.

We woke up to some very cloudy skies and slight drizzle. Immediately, I was disappointed because we had such great weather thus far and now when we would like to see Mt. McKinley the weather was not cooperating. However, I never would have guessed how the weather would change all day.

We bought sandwiches at Subway (open 24 hours) across the street for the trip since no food is provided. We took the 9:00am princess Shuttle to the Wilderness Access Center in the park which took 10 minutes. Once we arrived people were already in line for the shuttle buses. I picked up our reserved tickets at the counter and spoke to the attendant if we could reserve the first four seats in the bus for our elderly and mobility impaired people in our group. He said no problem and allowed them to board first. By the time the shuttle Bus finished boarding the weather had turned worse with constant rain and lots of fog. The driver introduced himself and gave us an overview of the trip and rules. We would make 2 rest room stops before arriving at the Eielson Visitor center for 30-40 minutes stop. We would be allowed to get off anytime and catch another shuttle if room was available. If we see any animals just yell out “STOP” and state the animal and location based on a clock hand. The driver had been at Denali for 18 years and gave us a great commentary the entire trip. We have been very lucky for all our tours that the guides and drivers were excellent and made the trips very special.

 

Just before our first stop, I spotted 2 bears and yelled stop. The driver reversed so everyone could get a good look and then moved the bus forward and stated we could get a better view at the rest stop up ahead. He stopped the bus and everyone ran out of the bus and went to the overlook at the rest stop and saw the two bears. It was a great view of the grizzly bears looking for food. The weather was still not good and was drizzling and cloudy. After we boarded back, we started winding up the hills of Denali and the weather started changing. Little snowflakes started to fall and soon we were in a full whiteout blizzard for the next 45 minutes. The snow was coming down fast and furious. And soon the ground was completely covered with snow and you could barely see more than 6 feet in front. Suddenly, the driver stopped and shouted “Wolf, at 10 o’clock”. A wolf was on the side of the road and just staring at us and then walked by our bus. Everyone was climbing over each other to get to the left side of the bus for pictures. We continued on and saw Caribou and then a Moose sitting in the snow. I was thinking if we cannot see Mt. Mkinley at least we are having some great views of animals. The kids were definitely excited by this point seeing the snow and animals.

 

Right before our second stop which was at or near Toklat (mile 53), which I believe is where the TWT stops and turns around. There was a bear spotted eating a dead caribou. The driver stated that a pack of wolves had killed the caribou, but the bears had driven the wolves off and was know protecting the kill and eating. We stopped at Toklat for a restroom break and took some great scenery pictures. The snow had stopped and unbelievably a spot of sun was trying to break through the clouds. As we continued to Eileson the weather started making dramatic changes again. The grey clouds parted and the sun started to shine. Soon there were actual blue skies! Maybe we would get lucky and catch at least a glimpse of Mt. McKinley and be in the 30% club. As we approached the Visitor center at mile 66 we could see parts of McKinley and everyone rushed to get off the bus. We stayed for 40-45 minutes and the views got better every minute we were there. Like magic the cloud cover was moving so we could finally see the peaks of Mt. McKinley. It was a great view and experience to see.

 

On the way back to the Wilderness Center the driver stated it was a very unusual day for the weather. We did not experience any more rain or snow on the return. On the way back we spotted more moose, caribou, and several grizzly bears. The 8.5 hours went by quickly and everyone enjoyed the shuttle bus. I would definitely recommend the shuttle bus as an alternative to the TWT.

 

After returning to the lodge we had dinner and enjoyed the scenery from the patio and used the Wi-Fi in the lodge. We were required to have the bags outside our room by 8:00am. Tomorrow we would take the Princess Train from Denali Train Depot to Talkeetna.

 

 

Princess Train – Denali – Talkeetna – Princess McKinley Lodge

The bags were outside the door at 8:00am and we went across the street for breakfast and some last minute shopping. I picked up some reindeer hotdogs for the kids from Denali Doghouse to eat on the train. The shuttle bus picked us up at 11:30am and dropped us at the Denali Train depot. The train departed at 12:15 and was approximately 4 hours to Talkeetna. The train was relaxing and we enjoyed the overhead dome cars. The food and drinks on the train were better than expected and the commentary was also good. We enjoyed going on the large open platform and taking pictures inside and outside the train. We arrived at Talkeetna around 4:45 and the younger people in our group decided to walk around town and have dinner and then take a later shuttle to the lodge since the distance from the Princess Lodge and Talkeetna is large and takes 45-60 minutes each way. The others continued on to the lodge and have dinner there. Talkeetna is the base camp for the people that want to climb Mt. McKinley and was the town based on the show, Northern Exposure. The weather was now cloudy and would soon rain. We did not plan any excursions since we by now had our fill of activity. We walked around town and browsed the shops and an open market behind the post office. Nothing caught our eye as interesting and the prices were more than our previous stops. We had dinner at a place called West Rib café. Apparently the show Man vs. food had filmed an episode there for some big burger they have. The food was not that good and we were tired so we caught the next shuttle bus back to the lodge. On the way to the Princes McKinley Lodge it rained hard the entire time and continued to rain until we left at 8:00 am the next day for the airport. No views of the mountain could be seen with the rain and fog. Since we did not see the mountain from here the visit to the lodge was in fact a true of waste of time and I do not understand why Princess does a stop here for such a short amount of time.

 

The lodge was very similar to the Princess Denali Lodge in function and layout of different buildings, tour bus operation, etc. We had to have our bags outside our door at 6:00am for departing by motor coach at 8:30am. The ride to the Airport was uneventful and rainy. We arrived at the airport at 11:30am and took possession of the luggage. Some of us were leaving on flights immediately and the rest of us had evening flights. We decided instead of sitting at the airport we would rent a car and take a drive back to Portage Glacier and Turnagain Arm. We picked up the minivan and drove down Turnagain Arm towards Seward. This was the same route we took when we left Whittier after the cruise. The weather had cleared up so the drive was enjoyable and we got some good pictures of the glaciers and lakes. We did not take the Portage Glacier Boat ride due to lack of time, but it did not seem busy at all at the boat dock. Hardly any people were in the parking lot. We returned to Anchorage and we were tired so we decided to forget about shopping in downtown and just return the car and check in. The airport has free wi-fi so we caught up on email and watching the stock market crash. I guess it is back to reality and work.

 

Packing for Cruise

 

 

There are several packing lists available on the boards so I will just list some items I found essential or helpful.

• A good pair of binoculars.
  
• Camera with a large optical zoom with a spare battery and memory card.
  
• Ipad for viewing and organizing pictures. Great when on a train or bus. Also store all your planning documents on your Ipad or your iphone.
  
• A rain jacket with hoodie and removable fleece liner.
  
• A rugged and water resistant backpack to use during port days.
  
• sandals/flipflops to use in spa or pool. I forgot these and I wish I had them many times.
  
• A folder or large envelope to pack all the paper you accumulate throughout the trip.
  

Do not overpack. I had packed too many clothes. Just keep to the layer, layer, layer theory. On the coldest days at College Fjord and Glacier Bay a fleece jacket and a knit cap was more than enough. The DW and DS used gloves on the open decks on these days.

 

 

Conclusion

Overall it was a great family trip and vastly exceeded my expectations. I would definitely do another Alaska vacation and expect more cruises in my future. I enjoyed the cruise and I can understand why people are attracted to it. I wish I had more time to enjoy the ship, but our vacations around the world are always hectic and jam-packed with activities, but this one was a little more sedate than usual so I cannot complain. If you want to do a big family vacation with diverse group of people I would recommend a similar trip. It allows everyone to have fun and still be together for dinner or on you ship balcony and share the day’s experiences.

 

Before booking a land tour with Princess look into their web site www.Princesslodges.com and see if it is cheaper for you to book separately. I met many people that did this and had more flexibility with where to stay and for how long. Do not be afraid to book an independent tour especially in Alaska. I do not think I would have enjoyed the tours as much if I was in a big Princess motor coach packed full of people with no flexibility. Spend time to research the independent tour operators on Cruise critic and other web sites. It is worth the time.

 

Now, my small number of issues with Princess and maybe other cruise lines and/or ships.

 

1. There needs to be a way for people to communicate on the ship without using 1985 technology of a voicemail on the phone or a sticky on the door. In today’s world and large ships, the cruise lines need to give passengers the ability to text or call someone on the ship. Even you have cell phones they do not always work at sea and are very expensive. This was a major irritant on the ship. How do arrange to meet up or if change of plans to communicate to your group? I heard that Disney has phones that allow communication between passengers onboard. If this is true then why are the other cruise lines not providing this? We received pagers from the Child center in case of an emergency, so they do have some mechanism in place.

 

2. Princess should have some sort of first time cruise class onboard or online webinar to help people know what and how is available. I know it might sound silly, but I spoke with many first time cruisers onboard that just did not know what was happening or what to do. The class could show them how to use the patters, read the map layout, what to look for on each deck, etc.

 

3. Clear information on what is available to get mobility impaired people once off the ship and clear the entrance to the dock. Depending on who I spoke with I would get different answers.

[LARGIN]

Great review, thanks.. The Coral is our favorite ship..

[Coolmama_1]

Fantastic review. Sounds like you had a fabulous time!

[CruzinNoony]

WOW!!! That was an excellent review. I have been to Alaska 7 times and love it. I'm sure first time cruisers would learn a lot from your review. Thank you for spending so much time on it!:)

[Phyljim]

Wonderful, well written review! Thank you for taking the time to write it.

[Clutterlady]

Wonderful review. Thank you so much:)

[ceilie1]

Thank you so much for taking the time to write your review.

Your review was well written, informative and makes me want to go on that cruise all over again.:)

[Gram's Cruisin]

Great review. I'm concerning a fall cruise and have limited mobility. Was told I would have to get a handicapped room if I wanted to rent a scooter. Did your folks have any trouble getting a scooter in the mini suite? I like the couch in those. Thanks.

[TracieABD]

Very, very detailed. Nice job. Glad you had a nice time.:)

[srpilo]

Wow thats what I call a review !

 

 

 

Thanks for the effort

Srpilo

[dee66]

Great review. I'm concerning a fall cruise and have limited mobility. Was told I would have to get a handicapped room if I wanted to rent a scooter. Did your folks have any trouble getting a scooter in the mini suite? I like the couch in those. Thanks.

 

 

Hi, You should have no problem if you have experience using the scooter and ideally if someone holds the door for you. You can still manage without door help, but it is a lot easier if you have it. I will try to upload some pcitures of the room later.

[Woobstr112G]

Wow, what a fantastic review.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Host CJSKIDS]

Really enjoyed your review, thanks. Glad you had such an amazing family cruise.

[TM]

Great review! We too sailed the Coral when we did Alaska. However, we did a B2B instead of a land tour. Glad to hear that you had such a good time.:)

[jean s]

Absolutely fantastic review! We did the same cruise on the Coral so review brought back great memories. I also agree with you on your suggestion about assisting folks with mobility issues.

[napunani]

Great review that gave me lots of "tips" for our 2012 Alaska cruisetour. THANKS!

Two questions for you, if you don't mind...

1. Hubby has meds that need refrigeration - were there refrigerators in the Princess lodges?

2. Were there guest self laundry in the Princess lodges?

[dee66]

Great review that gave me lots of "tips" for our 2012 Alaska cruisetour. THANKS!

Two questions for you, if you don't mind...

1. Hubby has meds that need refrigeration - were there refrigerators in the Princess lodges?

2. Were there guest self laundry in the Princess lodges?

 

 

Hi,

You can request a refrigerator. We requested one at both the Denali and Mckinley lodges. No charge. There are self laundry facilities on site, but did not use them so I have no details or cost. Have a great time.

[PatriciaF]

Loved your review--almost felt I was on the cruise with you!

 

Thank you so much for spending so much time writing this excellent review.