Discovery Princess AK, May 14-21; took a break from NCL

[HenGypsy]

Fabulous cruise. Lovely ship. Excellent service. I am sharing some miscellaneous observations here in case they are useful to others, plus a couple comparisons to NCL. I have learned so much from Cruise Critic forums, and I want to pay it forward with some info that may be helpful to others. We cruise at least annually and have sailed on many lines. For the past maybe 4 years we've been sailing mostly NCL. First time back on Princess in perhaps a decade. I will do several posts, including the daily Patters. Here's my first installment.

 

Check-In, Carry-Ons: Check-in was fast and painless. Our party of three was on board by 11am. We opted to pick up our medallions at the pier during check-in. It did not slow us down. There were no issues with carrying on our own bags. No one said anything, and our 18” roller suitcases fit easily through the x-ray machine. We were able to slip our bags into our cabin right away even though our room was not ready. (Note for your return: If you’ll be taking a ride-share when you get back to Pier 91, skip the taxi area and instead walk north against traffic to a lot behind some buildings; it’s not too far. We ordered our Lyft once we arrived to this lot and the car arrived within a couple minutes.)

 

We much prefer Pier 66 for cruises out of Seattle. Pier 66 is right downtown with easier access.

 

Obstructed deluxe balcony, E323: Because this cabin is “deluxe,” it has a loveseat, which the room steward pulled out to a bed each evening. When the bed is out, there is no clearance between the end of the bed and the desk/fridge. This means we couldn’t get to the fridge without pushing in the bed part way, or to the balcony without literally climbing over the bed. [see photo] Not a big issue for us, really, but we were not impressed with the design. We’ve been sailing on NCL Breakaway Plus Class ships for the past few years, yes even thru the pandemic, and were surprised at how much smaller Princess cabins seem to be. Our deluxe was notably smaller than our regular balconies on NCL. Bathrooms are smaller than NCL’s, too. Yes, stewards still provide service twice a day. Lots of great free movies on the telly.

 

This is an obstructed balcony, with the top of an orange lifeboat right outside. [see photo] (Obstructions vary from cabin to cabin.) We do not mind obstructed views. In this cabin, we were mostly unable to see down, but our view out to sea was just fine for us. The balcony railing is clear glass. We like to be on the lowest balcony deck so we have easy stair access to the main public floors below. Also, we can use the money we save on these cabins to purchase other extras. The balcony was notably smaller than those on our recent NCL ships.

 

COMING UP: Patters, my observations on formal nights, food, room service...

 

[HenGypsy]

Here are some more of my thoughts about our recent cruise. 

 

Formal Nights, Lobster: I just love formal nights on Princess. People dressed up in a big way, especially on the first formal night. (In my view, a very happy change from NCL’s dress-up-or-not nights, which are mostly “not.”) We saw many long gowns and lots of finery and fancy hair. The formal nights happened on the at-sea days. Lobster night was the second formal night. The lobster shows up on the menu as “land and sea” and is served with a steak. There is an up-charge if you want a second lobster.

 

Food: The food was consistently excellent. Princess pays good attention to presentation in the dining rooms and the fine service makes everything even better. For us, hot food was served hot. In the buffet, there were many great choices. Even though many items were the same each day, enough stations rotated every day to provide a variety of excellent choices. (Even so, I personally think NCL has Princess beat in the buffet department.) Pay attention to the daily dinner specials in the buffet, too – see photo. A couple times we went to a dining room for dinner then came later to get a treat in the buffet. We very much enjoyed afternoon tea in the dining room. It’s not a “high tea” but the treats and tea were delicious.

 

If you have the Plus package, your gelato order doesn’t have to be those sugar-waste-monstrosity-towers. Scoops of gelato, or sundaes, or other options are included in your package. There is a wide variety of flavors. (Regular soft serve ice cream is free to all on the pool deck.) Pizza on the pool deck was wonderful, almost as good as Gigi’s. Gigi’s has no charge, and the salad plates and tiramisu were also delicious. We enjoyed a nice dinner (yes, with a fine view) in Sur Le Mer. The filet was perfect.

 

Room Service: We ordered room service thru the app 4 times. There is a nice selection of options. Some have a charge. All items we ordered were complimentary. (I think NCL has a flat charge for room service, except for maybe continental breakfast orders.)

1^st time: took over an hour for pizza delivery; the pizza was Excellent

2^nd time: food NEVER showed up even tho the app said it was delivered

3^rd time: pizza showed up after about 2 hours, fruit and sandwich showed up separately even later

4^th time: pizza and salad and cookie showed up together maybe 1.5 hours after ordering

The app consistently showed the delivery time was way earlier than the actual time.

 

Beverages: There are many wonderful bartenders on the ship (and a couple grumpy ones, too). We tried many new drinks with our Plus package; it was lots of fun. One of our party doesn’t generally drink alcohol, but he did go to a for-fee fine wine tasting where there was supposed to be caviar and other fancy offerings with the wine. However, they apparently oversold the event and he was given cheeses and other more humble accompaniments and an I’m-sorry-free-pass to the next basic wine tasting event; he did not go to that second one. We went to the “good spirits at sea” thing, but were confused about what was actually happening. A bartender narrated while mixing a special drink, then played several short video clips about drinks or ingredients from places around the world? But all the while, it was mostly regular bar activities, not a show or formal presentation.  Many places/bars on the ship serve fancy coffees, including one in the dessert area of the buffet. These are included if you have a package. On this ship the juice bar is also located in the dessert area of the buffet. They are not freshly squeezing the juices right at the bar, but rather pouring out of jugs - see photo of menu. We thoroughly enjoyed the juice bar (also included in some packages). And the crepes station next to it!

[Kay S]

Great post, and I think you might be unique in finding formal night "formal." 🙂

[HenGypsy]

MORE THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS

 

The ship: The ship is beautiful, still new. The interior designs are fabulous, echoes of art deco style. [Random photos below.] I was happy just to walk from space to space admiring the floors, the walls, the furniture. Don’t miss the sea walks on the pool deck where you can see through to the sea below – there are two, along the outside edges behind divider-type structures, as you exit the buffet area. Even with the sea-walks, it seems to me that the ship isn’t very outside-oriented. Besides the top decks of the ship, there is very limited access to the outside, and views are not really showcased on the lower main decks. We missed the elegant observations lounges on our recent NCL sailings (and recent RCCL sailings, too) – a huge amenity when sailing in Alaska. The Discovery layout mostly works, except for the locations of the main dining rooms. It can be tricky to find at least one of them, because you have to go to a different floor than it’s on in order to access it. Or something. The ship felt crowded, but had good energy. We did not find many quiet alcoves, and there is no library. Even so, we loved it. 

 

Entertainment: Excellent (on par with NCL, I think). We enjoyed the two production shows, Rock Opera and Spotlight Bar. Some great talent. Also enjoyed all the super bands around the ship. The volume was mostly tolerable, a nice change from the overloud NCL (earplugs, please). The “Puppies in the Piazza” event was disturbing. I think one of the puppies had a very real injury; his distressing yelps of pain were basically ignored as he was being handled. This puppy wasn’t just fussing; he was hurting. We had to leave. Ship navigation talk was interesting. The culinary demonstration was amusing and enjoyable, as was the fruit carving show. Towel folding was participatory and fun; us  passengers created dogs and swans; the staff created masterpieces worth seeing! There were 3 staff-led Arts and Crafts sessions. Two were origami paper folding, the other was a bracelet kit with string and plastic buttons. Lots of activities to choose from; we were well entertained.

 

In port: After having been to Ketchikan scores of times (for work and cruising) we finally went to the Lumberjack show. It was lots of fun, not corny at all. We also enjoyed our visit to the humble little museum above Creek Street ($6 per person) and our walk on the Married Man’s trail. Don’t miss Creek Street or this mostly easy trail -- in the past, we’ve seen oodles of salmon, river otters, and even eagles swooping down for lunch.  In Juneau, we picked up some smoked salmon at TAKU, the green building near the end of the main drag. We also dropped some postcards in the Post Office which is also a neat shop. The native shop next to the Post Office is worth a visit, btw. It's easy to spot eagles in Juneau, and ravens are everywhere. We spent quality time interacting with the ravens; they are super intelligent.  In Skagway, we went on a tour bus to the Canadian Border and played in the snow and stood in awe of the grand peaks and turquoise ice ponds surrounding us; stops at waterfalls and view overlooks made good photo ops. (We did not purchase this excursion through the ship.) Later in the season, the full beauty of this very special ecosystem high up in the alpine will be on display. In town, we took a peek in the Red Onion to spot any ghosts that might be lurking; sadly none to be found. We also went into the one grocery store (no signage to indicate it's a grocer, btw) and saw cans of soup for nearly $6. Of course everything is shipped in so costs are high. 

[sunviking90]

Glad you enjoyed your cruise! We were on the Discovery in April and she is a beautiful ship, but not our favorite at all. Does feel crowded and you are right she’s very interior oriented. I don’t think this class of ship is suited to Alaska. You are also right that Princess cabins are small! We also cruise HAL and Celebrity and enjoy the size of their cabins (and bathrooms) much more.

If you do go on another Royal class Princess ship, the “obstructed” balconies on the bump out on Emerald deck don’t  have life boats in front so you can enjoy a nicer view out. We always try for one of these.

[HenGypsy]

As I mentioned in a previous installment, one of our party attended the fine wine tasting. Here is a photo from that event. As noted, they ran out of the "fine" hors d'oeuvres and provided some lesser substitutes and a pass to the regular wine tasting.

 

Tomorrow I will load the Princess Patters for the week.

 

Cheers and happy sailing to everyone!

[HenGypsy]

44 minutes ago, Kay S said:

Great post, and I think you might be unique in finding formal night "formal." 🙂

Compared to NCL, we enjoyed the level of formality on this ship's formal nights. So many gowns (full-length!), and men in fine suits. Didn't see any tuxes, tho. There was even a large group of people from North Korea, and all the ladies wore their traditional hanboks, so lovely. 

[HenGypsy]

6 minutes ago, sunviking90 said:

Glad you enjoyed your cruise! We were on the Discovery in April and she is a beautiful ship, but not our favorite at all. Does feel crowded and you are right she’s very interior oriented. I don’t think this class of ship is suited to Alaska. You are also right that Princess cabins are small! We also cruise HAL and Celebrity and enjoy the size of their cabins (and bathrooms) much more.

If you do go on another Royal class Princess ship, the “obstructed” balconies on the bump out on Emerald deck don’t  have life boats in front so you can enjoy a nicer view out. We always try for one of these.

Thanks for your post! Good to know about the bump out. I am confident our balcony this time was more obstructed than most, but the price was right and we didn't mind at all. Cheers!

[kasowell2]

I hate to bother you but could you give more information on the tour you took in Skagway? We went last year and really don’t want to go on the train again.

 

[HenGypsy]

5 minutes ago, kasowell2 said:

I hate to bother you but could you give more information on the tour you took in Skagway? We went last year and really don’t want to go on the train again.

 

Of course! The tour company is called Southeast Tours. The name of our tour was "Skagway City and White Pass Summit." Our tour guide/driver was interesting and informative and drove safely. We got out of the van at several leisurely stops. The tour van (with nice tall windows) loaded in town and dropped us at the dock afterwards. It was billed as a 2.5 hour tour but it lasted about 2 hours, I think. Since we crossed into Canada, passports were required. We were very happy with this outing.

Cheers to you!

[Bemidji Ty]

Thank you for taking the time to post.

 

[HenGypsy]

58 minutes ago, HenGypsy said:

Compared to NCL, we enjoyed the level of formality on this ship's formal nights. So many gowns (full-length!), and men in fine suits. Didn't see any tuxes, tho. There was even a large group of people from North Korea, and all the ladies wore their traditional hanboks, so lovely. 

Please pardon my insensitive mistake. These kind and wonderful people were, of course, from SOUTH Korea.

[HenGypsy]

2 minutes ago, Bemidji Ty said:

Thank you for taking the time to post.

 

You are most welcome. It has been fun to revisit and remember our happy vacation. Feeling blessed.

[red4u2]

4 hours ago, HenGypsy said:

As I mentioned in a previous installment, one of our party attended the fine wine tasting. Here is a photo from that event. As noted, they ran out of the "fine" hors d'oeuvres and provided some lesser substitutes and a pass to the regular wine tasting.

 

Tomorrow I will load the Princess Patters for the week.

 

Cheers and happy sailing to everyone!

Thank you do much for all this information and great review!    we will be on the Discovery in just a couple weeks!!

 

By any chance do you have any photos of the dinner menus from the dining rooms?   thank you!

[HenGypsy]

10 hours ago, red4u2 said:

Thank you do much for all this information and great review!    we will be on the Discovery in just a couple weeks!!

 

By any chance do you have any photos of the dinner menus from the dining rooms?   thank you!

I’m sorry I do not have dinner menu photos.  Have fun on your upcoming Discovery cruise! 

[Lady Arwen]

Thank you so much for sharing your adventures on Discovery Princess.  I appreciate the information regarding the comparison to your NCL cruises.  I’m surprised to hear that formal night was acknowledged as such.  We’ve read so much lately on these boards that formal wear on Princess has gone the way of the Dodo bird.  Thanks for setting everyone straight.

Yes, the cabins and bathrooms and balconies on Royal class ships are small compared to other lines, especially Celebrity for us.  However, we book mini suites and they serve us well, so no complaints.

Looking forward to reading the rest of your report!

[jeromep]

Possibly one of the best reviews in the forums.  Nicely structured, covers just about everything we ask about, and includes great photos.  It has been a pleasure to read.

[HenGypsy]

7 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

Thank you so much for sharing your adventures on Discovery Princess.  I appreciate the information regarding the comparison to your NCL cruises.  I’m surprised to hear that formal night was acknowledged as such.  We’ve read so much lately on these boards that formal wear on Princess has gone the way of the Dodo bird.  Thanks for setting everyone straight.

Yes, the cabins and bathrooms and balconies on Royal class ships are small compared to other lines, especially Celebrity for us.  However, we book mini suites and they serve us well, so no complaints.

Looking forward to reading the rest of your report!

You are most welcome. Yes, I'm beginning to think maybe the level of formality on our specific cruise wasn't typical. I was so surprised to see so much formal wear, especially since this is an Alaska cruise (always more laid back), and I know the trend is definitely leaning less formal all the time. And, yes, just this one time, I was wishing for a mini-suite; I especially love the idea of the closing curtain to divide the room. Cheers!

[HenGypsy]

54 minutes ago, jeromep said:

Possibly one of the best reviews in the forums.  Nicely structured, covers just about everything we ask about, and includes great photos.  It has been a pleasure to read.

Thank you so very much. <heart>

[KruzeKrazy!]

What times were the production shows -- 7:30pm and 9:30pm, 8pm and 10pm, or something else? Thanks! 

[HenGypsy]

Now I will post the Princess Patters for the week of May 14-21. Sorry for the wait. I am figuring out how to get the photo files in order. Here are the first few, front and back. Hope this works. Please disregard the personal markings and such. I will get the rest of them in order and post them tomorrow. Enjoy! 

[HenGypsy]

58 minutes ago, KruzeKrazy! said:

What times were the production shows -- 7:30pm and 9:30pm, 8pm and 10pm, or something else? Thanks! 

The two main production shows (Rock Opera and Spotlight Bar) ran at both 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm, on day 2 and day 6 respectively. We enjoyed them. 

[KruzeKrazy!]

53 minutes ago, HenGypsy said:

The two main production shows (Rock Opera and Spotlight Bar) ran at both 7:30 pm and 9:30 pm, on day 2 and day 6 respectively. We enjoyed them. 

Thank you sooooo much!

[HenGypsy]

Here is the next batch of the Princess Patters for the week of May 14-21. Thanks for your patience.

[HenGypsy]

The Princess Patters for Days 6 and 7 are below.