Help!!!Carnival or Princess

[jan15]

Trying to decide between a southbound Alaskan cruise on Carnival or Princess. Carnival has pricing out for 2006 - still waiting for Princess. We have booked with Spirit for June 21st 2006 but now am not sure if we should consider Princess. We have sailed with both lines many times to the Carribean. We are two families with total of 4 teens if that makes any difference. Any input would greatly be appreciated.

[cruisebrat15]

I have also sailed Carnival & Princess. Next year we are going to take Princess land and sea package. In speaking to my TA and a few friends who have gone already thet say Princess has the best tours in Alsaka and have been doing it the longest. Also Princess has top rated hotels there. I was trying to do the land on my own but there is too much involed. It not like going to Flordia then the Caribbean. Princess prices will be out in May for 2006. We are going to go July. If everyone goes who says there going to go we will have some large group. Hope this helps. Also I been checking reviews from the Alska cruises and some of the pictures people have taken are amazing.

[LindaKE]

Does the Spirit get into Glacier Bay and College Fjiord? I don't think they did the year we went. IMO that would be the deal breaker if they don't get in. Princess goes on all their north/south bound itineraries, but access is limited for ecological reasons. I've heard that, in Alaska, the cruise lines are much the same without the variations found in the Caribbean.

[caviargal]

Princess is well respected for their Alaska land and sea tours and has a lot of experience in this area. They have been sailing in those waters for a long time, have lodges all over the state, their own railroad cars, etc. I think this is worth considering

 

That being said, I have done NCL and RCI in Alaska and enjoyed both but much preferred the one way Seward to Vancouver itinerary.

[derf5585]

Mostly though we concentrate on Princess and Carnival.

from

http://www.lifeiscruising.com/start_here

[CruiseIsGood]

Carnival only goes to Glacier Bay three times, once in May and twice in September, and that itinerary is more expensive. College Fjord is beautiful too, though. But I agree with previous posters--Princess really does Alaska right, especially if you want a land tour too.