Princess Cruise to Alaska - Initial Planning

[cusematt4]

Hi All,

 

We are planning an Alaska cruise for a milestone birthday - parents with adult kids.  RCL is our favorite line, but we are open to Celebrity, NCL or Princess.  We've been on Princess awhile ago which was fine but have heard decreased quality since Carnival's acquisition years ago. 

 

We want the best possible first-time Alaska experience, but we still also want to be on a great modern ship with good food and entertainment. 

 

Does anyone have any experience with RCL vs Celebrity vs NCL vs Princess for a cruise to Alaska?  If so, we'd appreciate any insight into your experience and knowledge.  Some questions we have include:

 

-What's the best way to go about choosing a cruise to Alaska for June, July or August 2024?  Princess seems to be one of few who go to Glacier Bay National Park.  Is this a strong recommend to have included if going for the first time?

 

-Is June vs July vs August a better time to go?

 

-If we were to go with Princess - any preference on ship (all have the same Northbound/Southbound itineraries):

Sapphire Princess vs Royal Princess

(Majestic and Ruby only do roundtrip)

 

-For first timers, is it better to do a one-way trip rather than round trip?

 

-For first-timers to Alaska, is a pre or post tour cruise with Princes a must?  Are their tours and lodges unique and is this what makes Princess so great for Alaska?

 

How would we go about even choosing a princess pre or post cruise tour?  Are these tours, trains and lodges exclusive to Princess?

Would we see different things than when cruising?  Options include:

-5 or 6 night Explorer Tour options - A balance of structure and time on your own, Explorer Tours feature rail travel with Denali National Park as a focal point, with some activities included on select tours.

-6 or 7 night Escorted Tour options - Travel through Alaska accompanied by a knowledgeable guide to provide local insight and handle all travel details. Some sightseeing and many meals included.

-1 to 4 night Denali Rail Tour options - Ride the famous Alaska Railroad route in glass-domed rail cars with overnights in Denali National Park, South Denali near 

 

 

-Is there any advantage to doing a Northbound (ending in Anchorage) vs Southbound (starting in ANchorage) trip?

 

The main difference seems to be related to times of arrival/departure from ports and College Fjord (Scenic Cruising), Alaska vs Hubbard Glacier (Scenic Cruising), Alaska

 

The itineraries would be:

 

Northbound:

 

Sat, Jul 20Saturday, July 20th 2024	Vancouver, CanadaView excursions in Vancouver, Canada on Saturday, July 20th 2024		04:00 pm
Sun, Jul 21Sunday, July 21st 2024	At SeaView onboard experiencefor Sunday, July 21st 2024
Mon, Jul 22Monday, July 22nd 2024	Ketchikan, AlaskaView excursions in Ketchikan, Alaska on Monday, July 22nd 2024	06:00 am	02:00 pm
Tue, Jul 23Tuesday, July 23rd 2024	Juneau, AlaskaView excursions in Juneau, Alaska on Tuesday, July 23rd 2024	08:00 am	09:00 pm
Wed, Jul 24Wednesday, July 24th 2024	Skagway, AlaskaView excursions in Skagway, Alaska on Wednesday, July 24th 2024	07:00 am	08:30 pm
Thu, Jul 25Thursday, July 25th 2024	Glacier Bay National Park (Scenic Cruising), AlaskaView excursions in Glacier Bay National Park (Scenic Cruising), Alaska on Thursday, July 25th 2024	06:00 am	03:00 pm
Fri, Jul 26Friday, July 26th 2024	College Fjord (Scenic Cruising), AlaskaView excursions in College Fjord (Scenic Cruising), Alaska on Friday, July 26th 2024	06:00 pm	08:30 pm
Sat, Jul 27Saturday, July 27th 2024	Anchorage (Whittier), AlaskaView excursions in Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska on Saturday, July 27th 2024	12:30 am

 

Southbound

 

Sat, Jun 1Saturday, June 1st 2024	Anchorage (Whittier), AlaskaView excursions in Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska on Saturday, June 1st 2024		08:30 pm
Sun, Jun 2Sunday, June 2nd 2024	Hubbard Glacier (Scenic Cruising), AlaskaView excursions in Hubbard Glacier (Scenic Cruising), Alaska on Sunday, June 2nd 2024	03:00 pm	08:00 pm
Mon, Jun 3Monday, June 3rd 2024	Glacier Bay National Park (Scenic Cruising), AlaskaView excursions in Glacier Bay National Park (Scenic Cruising), Alaska on Monday, June 3rd 2024	09:15 am	07:30 pm
Tue, Jun 4Tuesday, June 4th 2024	Skagway, AlaskaView excursions in Skagway, Alaska on Tuesday, June 4th 2024	07:00 am	08:30 pm
Wed, Jun 5Wednesday, June 5th 2024	Juneau, AlaskaView excursions in Juneau, Alaska on Wednesday, June 5th 2024	06:30 am	04:00 pm
Thu, Jun 6Thursday, June 6th 2024	Ketchikan, AlaskaView excursions in Ketchikan, Alaska on Thursday, June 6th 2024	10:00 am	06:00 pm
Fri, Jun 7Friday, June 7th 2024	At SeaView onboard experiencefor Friday, June 7th 2024
Sat, Jun 8Saturday, June 8th 2024	Vancouver, CanadaView excursions in Vancouver, Canada on Saturday, June 8th 2024	07:30 am

 

 

Apologies for the lengthy post.  Thanks so much for any insight, advice and help.

[Potstech]

If I had just those two for a choice I would take the Southbound trip.  There is a long bus ride from Anchorage to the port in Whittier in order to board. A much shorter taxi, bus or Sky train ride to the airport in Vancouver. All else looks to be about the same.

Definitely take a trip that goes to Glacier Bay if it is likely to be a once in a lifetime trip.

We would choose the Royal but many would go with the smaller Sapphire. Do some research on both and make a decision.

 

Edited July 13, 2023 by Potstech

[mtnesterz]

How about downloading the brochure and making some choices first?

https://www.princess.com/brochures/

All I'll say now is if you're first time in Alaska and doing a Cruisetour, pay for the Connoisseur package. Tour first, cruise later. Sapphire, then Grand.

We have been to Alaska on Celebrity, Princess and RCL. Princess first, then Celebrity and RCL, least favorite.

Edited July 13, 2023 by mtnesterz

[Potstech]

Also plan to spend 2 days at Denali lodge and take the longer Tundra Wilderness tour.

[TW6cruiser]

I agree with a lot posted above.  Look at the Princess brochure to see what interests you. 

We did the connoisseur tour and loved it-for us we thought it was worth the price.

We did the tour first then cruise (got to rest on the ship after all the moving around).  Those tend to be more pricey as they are more popular.   We also went mid August. We had great weather, and less children due to back to school (for us, traveling as two couples, we had no kids in tow).   Around mid-August the price goes down too as those with families go earlier in the summer. 

 

We stayed at Fairbanks/McKinley Lodge/Denali lodge and Kenai lodge and loved all of it.  Two days at Denali are needed for the longer Tundra tour as posted above.  

 

Last year we went back and just did a cruise (to join other family members).  Although the glacier viewing is great from the ship, I don't think you get a sense of Alaska without a land tour. Just my opinion.

[karatemom2]

 

As someone who has cruised in Alaska numerous times and on four different lines, I will offer my thoughts on your questions.

 

-What's the best way to go about choosing a cruise to Alaska for June, July or August 2024?  Princess seems to be one of few who go to Glacier Bay National Park.  Is this a strong recommend to have included if going for the first time?

I would never consider a cruise that did not include Glacier Bay as a first time Alaska cruiser. We have done itineraries that did not include Glacier Bay, but only because we have been there many times now. If this was my first Alaska experience Glacier Bay would be a must.

 

-Is June vs July vs August a better time to go?

They have different advantages. We have been in each of those months and also May. May and June tend to have less rain, more snow still on the mountains, but you are there before the salmon run. Late July into August trips when the salmon are running offer you an opportunity to experience that phenomenon and also increases your opportunity to see bears.

 

-If we were to go with Princess - any preference on ship (all have the same Northbound/Southbound itineraries):

Sapphire Princess vs Royal Princess

(Majestic and Ruby only do roundtrip)

We have done both roundtrip and Northbound/Southbound. Both are great, but the one ways do offer you a chance to spend some extra time in Anchorage if you want to do a land portion. We have also done back to back Northbound/Southbound which in essence gives you a two week round trip which I loved. Yes, you visit the same ports, but there is so much to do and see have extra days in those ports is well worth it. Both the Royal and Sapphire are wonderful ships - Royal is the new class which some people prefer, but honestly I love the older designs and the Sapphire is especially unique with its 4 special dining rooms. Sapphire and Diamond are two of our favorite Princess ships. Also they hold less passengers, which I prefer as I'm not big on crowds. Another advantage, and this is a maybe, is that the Sapphire is likely small enough to do the real inside passage from Vancouver, while the Royal definitely is not and always goes around. Now, that doesn't mean they do that route with Sapphire, but at least it is possible on that ship and if that is the case, it is definitely a superior route.

 

-For first timers, is it better to do a one-way trip rather than round trip?

Either are great if it offers good itinerary, long port times and Glacier Bay. Advantage with one ways is extra glacier day and option to do a land tour.

 

-For first-timers to Alaska, is a pre or post tour cruise with Princes a must?  Are their tours and lodges unique and is this what makes Princess so great for Alaska?

I wouldn't say it's a must. We have done dozens of Alaska cruise and never done a Princess pre or post tour. But we aren't as invested in doing a land tour.

 

In addition to Princess we have cruise with NCL, RCL and Holland in Alaska, and for us, Princess wins hands down in providing the best Alaska itineraries and experiences.

[cusematt4]

Thanks for all of the info and advice so far.

 

Is there any reason to start there vs starting from Alaska?  Or would going from Alaska one way to Vancouver or Seattle be the same thing? 

 

Also, is there any reason to start/end in Vancouver vs Seattle, or is it the one way that matters most and allows ut to see the most?

 

I'm looking at a number of Princess cruises - in particulr, Royal or Sapphire that leave from Anchorage and end in Seattle.  We could also start from Seattle and end in Anchorage if there's any advantage to that.  Our thinking was to start from Anchorage and do a pre-cruise tour with Princess and then after 3-5 days do the cruise from Anchorage to Seattle.

 

Also, does anyone have advice on how to go about picking the best pre/post cruise tour to see Alaska (train/lodge/Anchorage/Danali combo)?  Per Princess Cruise Lodging/Tours, there are many options to choose from including:

 

-5 or 6 night Explorer Tour options - A balance of structure and time on your own, Explorer Tours feature rail travel with Denali National Park as a focal point, with some activities included on select tours.

-6 or 7 night Escorted Tour options - Travel through Alaska accompanied by a knowledgeable guide to provide local insight and handle all travel details. Some sightseeing and many meals included.

-1 to 4 night Denali Rail Tour options - Ride the famous Alaska Railroad route in glass-domed rail cars with overnights in Denali National Park, South Denali near 

 

Thanks so much.

[sunviking90]

I have been to Alaska numerous times from Seattle and Vancouver. I would recommend the Southbound to Vancouver AND make sure you choose a ship (Sapphire if Princess) that will take the inside passage at the south end between Vancouver island and the mainland. The scenery is beautiful and this last day of cruising was usually been our favorite because if this. This has always been the day we have seen whales too. Southbound is also preferable as you’ll be cruising this mostly in the day/evening whereas going Northbound it will be at night.
The Royal Princess is too large to take this route and has to go outside of Vancouver Island and you won’t see much except open sea.

I actually prefer Hubbard glacier, but depending on weather and other conditions they may not be able to get too close. If so it is gorgeous.

Edited July 14, 2023 by sunviking90

[roadster08]

Honestly, lower your expectations or risk major disappointment.  Cruises are like sunsets. You can experience many in a lifetime but only a few will be perfect. 

 

Think along the lines of If I make it to X I will try to do Y. That way, every successful day will be special. 

[cusematt4]

1 hour ago, sunviking90 said:

I have been to Alaska numerous times from Seattle and Vancouver. I would recommend the Southbound to Vancouver AND make sure you choose a ship (Sapphire if Princess) that will take the inside passage at the south end between Vancouver island and the mainland. The scenery is beautiful and this last day of cruising was usually been our favorite because if this. This has always been the day we have seen whales too. Southbound is also preferable as you’ll be cruising this mostly in the day/evening whereas going Northbound it will be at night.
The Royal Princess is too large to take this route and has to go outside of Vancouver Island and you won’t see much except open sea.

I actually prefer Hubbard glacier, but depending on weather and other conditions they may not be able to get too close. If so it is gorgeous.

Thanks so much for the info

 

A few follow ups if you don’t mind

 

-What do you mean by the below?

 

Southbound is also preferable as you’ll be cruising this mostly in the day/evening whereas going Northbound it will be at night.

 

we we’re originally leaning start in anchorage with a pre cruise land tour and then do the one way to Vancouver. What do you mean by daylight during the day vs at night?  We would be fine ending in anchorage and doing a post cruise tour if that makes more sense or could be better or more optimal.

 

I was under the assumption it’s light out in Alaska for around 20 hours a day in June - August.  Is this not the case for both north and south bound trips?

-the north and south bound itineraries are the same for the most part minus the times and one sea day.  the length in each port is the same but the times differ - early morning vs afternoon.  Does anything in the above north vs south itinerary stand out time wise that may make a difference or that we should consider?

 

-besides arrival time differences, the other north vs south itinerary difference is

College Fjord (Scenic Cruising), Alaska vs Hubbard Glacier (Scenic Cruising), Alaska

Is either of the above preferable?  What’s the difference?  Is there a reason why this differs in the north vs south itinerary ?

 

-Is there a way to tell which ships would take the inside passage route?  Is this at all related to or explained by the above Hubbard glacier vs college fjord?  Is it definite that Royal Princess wouldn’t go through the inside passage based on size?

 

We were leaning towards t Royal Princess  since we’ve never been on that class but if sapphire may result in a more scenic route we would go with that ship.  
 

Is there a way to tell if sapphire definitely would / does take this inside passage route and that Royal Princess definitely doesn’t and wouldn’t based on size?  Even if Royal Princess definitely doesn’t and sapphire may take that route, we’d likely give it a chance and go with sapphire if the possibility it may take this more scenic route.

 

Would the inside passage route not be stated as part of an itinerary so we could plan accordingly for a sailing that both takes this route and goes to glacier bay?

 

Thanks so much.

 

[karatemom2]

The Inside Passage is a long route that runs from Washington all the way up to Alaska, so almost all AK cruises will cover parts of that route. That is why virtually every AK cruise advertises as an Inside Passage cruise. The portion of the Inside Passage being referenced here relating to the Vancouver to Anchorage itinerary is the portion between Vancouver and Alaska. Ships doing a true Inside Passage route on this itinerary will stay within the Hecate Strait traveling between the coast of BC and the islands off the coast. It is exceptionally scenic and teaming with wildlife. But many ships now, particularly the newer larger ships, bypass this by going outside of the islands into the open Pacific and rejoin the Inside Passage in Alaskan waters. The only way to know for sure is to ask the cruise line and look at the actual map of their cruise path. And to answer a couple of your questions, the photo of the glaciers above has nothing to do with the Inside Passage discussion. And the Royal Princess definitely does not go the inside route out of Vancouver - it is too large. It always goes outside on the open Pacific route. Sapphire Princess is a smaller ship and could travel the inside route, but you would need to confirm if that is the way it will go with Princess as just because a ship is able to take that route doesn’t mean they always do. It should not necessarily be a deal breaker in your choice of ships or itineraries but if you can find a ship that sticks to that Inside Passage route all the way up from Vancouver, that would be the most scenic option. It is just something you can factor into your final decision that might give an edge to a ship that sticks to the inside travel. 

 

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by karatemom2

[Cruise Raider]

12 hours ago, cusematt4 said:

Thanks for all of the info and advice so far.

 

Is there any reason to start there vs starting from Alaska?  Or would going from Alaska one way to Vancouver or Seattle be the same thing? 

 

Also, is there any reason to start/end in Vancouver vs Seattle, or is it the one way that matters most and allows ut to see the most?

 

I'm looking at a number of Princess cruises - in particulr, Royal or Sapphire that leave from Anchorage and end in Seattle.  We could also start from Seattle and end in Anchorage if there's any advantage to that.  Our thinking was to start from Anchorage and do a pre-cruise tour with Princess and then after 3-5 days do the cruise from Anchorage to Seattle.

 

This cruise itinerary would never be allowed as it is in violation of the PVSA.  You could do a one way from Vancouver to Anchorage or the other direction but just not Anchorage to Seattle or vice versa.  
Cruise ships that start and end in two different US ports must always stop in a distant foreign port.  For roundtrip sailing, often referred to as a closed loop cruise, a cruise can visit any foreign port (doesn’t have to be distant) according to US law.  
That’s why the one way cruises to Alaska always start or end in Vancouver instead of Seattle.
 

[cusematt4]

Thanks for all of the information so far.  Is there any reason why anyone may prefer Alaska to Vancouver instead of Vancouver to Alaska?

 

We were originally leaning to start in Alaska with a pre-cruise land tour, but the one-way sailings from Vancouver and ending in Alaska seem substantially cheaper.  Is there any reason the Alaska to Vancouver sailings are more expensive?  They pretty much have the same itinerary.

[SCX22]

Below a trip report from this year.  It's a northbound cruise with post cruise tour.  It's comprehensive about the experience and worth a browse.

 

 

[Gardyloo]

One question I'd have (in two parts) is (a) where are you coming from, and (b) would/will you have some time in Vancouver before or after the cruise?

 

If you're coming from the eastern time zone (or central) then one consideration is that a very long day's travel to Alaska, combined with a 4-hour time change and pretty much 24-hour daylight (not "midnight sun," but definitely midnight twilight or daylight) AND launching into active sightseeing - up early, down late - can be very tiring and make for a suboptimal experience.  

 

If you wouldn't be able to make time available before a northbound cruise from Vancouver, at least the 3-hour time difference could be overcome during the first couple of days on the ship - no port calls until Ketchikan, usually on the second morning, so you could relax and get your clocks adjusted on the boat.  

 

Then if you're planning some land-based touring upon arriving in Southcentral Alaska, your internal clocks will be all adjusted and you can leap into action.  Yes, the trip home will be tiring, but you'll have tailwinds during the flights (it's always quicker west-to-east than vice versa) and you can readjust once you're home.  

 

Now if you DO have extra days available at both ends, then it probably matters less, but if it's your first time to Vancouver I'd REALLY recommend taking a couple of days to enjoy that beautiful city and its region.  Just for kicks, google some of these activities, which are below the radar for many visitors.

 

- Lynn Canyon suspension bridge instead of Capilano

- Steveston fishing port 

- Vancouver Punjabi market

- Richmond Night Market

- Bard on the Beach Shakespeare festival

... and many others.  

[Worldtraveler 4727]

We decided to do the land tour AND cruise. I wrote a blog about it when we returned. It is a day-by-day report, so you can get an idea of what the Connoisseur Land & Sea package is all about. We definitely thought the price was worth it!

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2560841-trip-review-connoisseur-land-amp-sea-rb8-june-19-july-4-2018/

[Worldtraveler 4727]

"Also, does anyone have advice on how to go about picking the best pre/post cruise tour to see Alaska (train/lodge/Anchorage/Danali combo)?"

 

P.S. Interior Alaska is VERY DIFFERENT from the coast and the ports you cruise. Both have their advantages, but the interior has the wilderness, the gorgeous lodges, and the animals! A must, in MHO, if you are going all the way to Alaska. 

We made a conscious decision to do the land portion first. The cruise portion is more laid back. We wanted the beginning-of-the-trip energy for the land portion. That meant we went from north to south for the cruise, ending in Vancouver, meaning a shorter flight home when we were finished with our vacation and more tired. 

Note: if you choose a route from north to south, be sure to get a cabin on the port side of the ship so you will see more land as you cruise.