Which ship to Alaska?

[Harrylinden]

So we decided to do a land first then cruise on Princess.Just deciding which ship to pick? Coral Princess or Royal Princess.I know Royal is newer and larger

and can't decide which one to pick? Anyone who has been on either ,I would like your input! 
Thank's in advance!

[memoak]

My personal pick is the Coral. 

[voljeep]

Royal - for the ship 

[1025cruise]

Which itinerary includes Glacier Bay? That one.

[BarbinMich]

We've been on both ships, although not to Alaska.  But we have sailed to/from Alaska 4 times and I don't recommend the Royal as it doesn't have covered outdoor promenade decks as the Coral does.  Those are particularly important if you're cruising early in the season and going to be in Glacier Bay.  It's can be quite cold as the ship is always moving even it's only rotating.  At least this is true in May and Sept., the months we've cruised there.

[wheezedr]

Have sailed both ships on multiple occasions. We love the amenities and layout of the Royal Princess. However some things, such as the buffet, may have to change a lot post COVID-19. It also has some size issues with its course in Alaskan waters. That being said, we would prefer the Coral for the better viewing areas and full promenade.  We last sailed on it to Antarctica and it was fabulous having so many spots to see scenery from.

[KreinKrunker]

We like the Royal class ships, but not for this cruise.  

We will be going on the Coral next summer.  Reasons have been listed.  Coral has much better exterior viewing areas.  

[Coral]

Coral Princess.

[donaldsc]

12 hours ago, Harrylinden said:

So we decided to do a land first then cruise on Princess.Just deciding which ship to pick? Coral Princess or Royal Princess.I know Royal is newer and larger

and can't decide which one to pick? Anyone who has been on either ,I would like your input! 
Thank's in advance!

 

The most important thing in AK is the itinerary and not the ship that you do the cruise on.  Not the broad outline of the itinerary but the exact details including ports, port arrival and departure times, how many other ships are in port at the same time and a whole bunch of other stuff.  Until you come back w all these details, none of us can intelligently answer your question.  You also have not told us the exact details of your proposed land tour.

 

DON

Edited August 13, 2020 by donaldsc

[wolfie11]

Been to Alaska on both.  Absolutely the Coral.

[Coral]

8 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

The most important thing in AK is the itinerary and not the ship that you do the cruise on.  Not the broad outline of the itinerary but the exact details including ports, port arrival and departure times, how many other ships are in port at the same time and a whole bunch of other stuff.  Until you come back w all these details, none of us can intelligently answer your question.  You also have not told us the exact details of your proposed land tour.

 

DON

They often have the same itinerary/times in port.

[nini]

Really decide on an itinerary first. It looks like you are wanting to depart from Anchorage?

[ontheweb]

I don't know if there is a way to check who the Naturalist will be on board the ship, but if you can go with whichever ship has Michael Modzelewski (assuming he is still on Princess ships).

[Kamloops50]

I would take the Coral. The Royal isn't really designed for Alaska. With no promenade deck around the ship . Viewing close to the ocean is limited. The Royal also has missed ports because it doesn't handle very well in the wind.

[HS2BS]

We were on the Coral last July with our 14 year old grandson, and it was the right ship for all of us. There is a large indoor pool area on the Coral that occupied the teens till late in the evening, well supervised. If there are young people with you then the actives are what iyou want to go with. When I told our grandson that I had signed him up prior to the cruise, he balked at the thought of going to “camp”. Turned out he had a ball.

The Royal might be much newer, but with a multigenerational group(we have done an 18 day ta and multiple 7 day Caribbean cruises on Royal) it’s outside decks are not wrapped around the ship. Coral also has access doors to the bow of the ship on some decks giving you an unbelievable view.

 

Hal

[Thrak]

22 hours ago, Kamloops50 said:

I would take the Coral. The Royal isn't really designed for Alaska. With no promenade deck around the ship . Viewing close to the ocean is limited. The Royal also has missed ports because it doesn't handle very well in the wind.

 

While we have yet to sail Royal (or any of that class of ship or newer) I have to agree with this assessment. Coral has fantastic viewing areas fore and aft on Baja and Caribe decks as well as a full wrap-around Promenade deck. Royal lacks these things and Alaska is all about the view. Even if one books a balcony cabin the balconies on Royal are far more cramped and less suited to "hanging out" to view the scenery. It is also "just too dang big" for the port stops in Alaska.

[Kelownabccan]

Put this in another thread....but the Sun Princess is also doing Alaska....my thoughts about this ship

 

Thinking of doing a Sun Princess cruise from Vancouver to Alaska and back....looking at May 25th.....all though there is another one on May 18th....these are all 7 day round trip ones......was looking at the Sun Princess schedule and it arrives from a long 17 day cruise from Asia arriving Vancouver on May 18th....and has really started in Australia on March 23.....my  thinking is "if" the virus hits that ship somewhere along the long trip back to North America boy things would be really screwed up!!!!....Alaska sure would not want them to stop and I am sure Vancouver would not want the ship to dock there also......there are too many unknowns for us to decide to go yet. The nice factor for us is we can drive to Vancouver and skip flying and be somewhat safer??.....Also the ships arrives from Tokyo on May 18th and leaves on May 18....what about some delay for a better cleaning after so many days at sea with "who knows what sickness on the ship"......I wonder if my wife and I are too paranoid.....What is your take on this????

[CRUZBUDS]

That is a tough call.  I think I would prefer to do the second one after it's transit from Asia.  Being able to drive is a huge plus to us.  -(- I have a cousin that lives in Kelowna.  We are doing road trips now and hope to get up there in the next year or two)

 

Keep in mind that the Sun Princess has terrible balconies, very small and closed in.  We are booked for a round trip LA/Alaska next summer on her.  We were hoping the Sun Princess would be on the hit list to be scrapped and another ship be substituted.  We enjoy our balconies and are spoiled after many cruises on the Grand Class ship's Carib balconies.  

[Coral]

7 minutes ago, CRUZBUDS said:

That is a tough call.  I think I would prefer to do the second one after it's transit from Asia.  Being able to drive is a huge plus to us.  -(- I have a cousin that lives in Kelowna.  We are doing road trips now and hope to get up there in the next year or two)

 

Keep in mind that the Sun Princess has terrible balconies, very small and closed in.  We are booked for a round trip LA/Alaska next summer on her.  We were hoping the Sun Princess would be on the hit list to be scrapped and another ship be substituted.  We enjoy our balconies and are spoiled after many cruises on the Grand Class ship's Carib balconies.  

I love the Sun Princess. I don't mind the balconies as they are all covered. The Grand class has better but then they went backwards with the Royal class.

 

I think the Sun Princess is a great ship for Alaska. I have sailed her sister ships to Alaska many times.

[Kelownabccan]

Yep...better to be on a smaller ship in Alaska....half the pass than the Royal....those ports are so small and crowed if three ships in at the same time....too bad....they should only allow one at a time....but bad for business.....

[KreinKrunker]

 

 

On 8/14/2020 at 7:17 PM, Kelownabccan said:

Thinking of doing a Sun Princess cruise from Vancouver to Alaska and back

 

Have taken the Dawn to Alaska.  So the Sun might be better than Coral, in my opinion.

[Kelownabccan]

Looked at the Princess cruise book.....the Sun  was made in 1995....so is 25 years old.....I wonder how the ship is holding up.....sometimes the older builds are nicer than the new ones.....larger spaces????...ideas???