momK

phabric, did you ever get this resolved? I am having the same trouble: just reserved and successfully paid for specialty restaurant, then tried minutes later to buy Medallion Net with same CC--unsuccessful.

Many thanks!

Do the suites still have DVD players and DVD rentals?

Thank you for thinking of us--the future-cruisers-to-Hawaii. Enjoy!

Thanks for all the helpful info.

We have cruised multiple times to Alaska and the Caribbean, but never to Hawaii. What can I expect for sea action in January--rough?

DuchessRN, I think JF means there are no pictures for L312.

We will be on the Ruby 12/7-27, California coast and Mexican Riviera. We currently have a Lido deck balcony cabin. What kind of wind do you experience on those balconies? I know the protected deck is just down the hall and out the door, but I enjoy spending time on my own private balcony.

Are starboard cabins even- or odd-numbered?

We will be on the Ruby btb 12/7-27. I am having a hard time wrapping my head around differentiating port/starboard/even-numbered/odd-numbered cabins. Which cabins are most effected by the Promenade smoking area? 

We plan to take the 14-day Alaska trip next summer on the Maasdam. We have been to Alaska many times. We are Elite with Princess, but their itineraries are not as good as those of HAL. They also do not have love seats/couches except in mini-suites and suites, and they have removed the extra chair in all categories below those two. 

I am looking at a large, sideways inside in the midsection on deck 4, and also the aft-facing OVs on deck 6. Other than pricing, are there any reasons that those with more experience would choose one over the other?

Thanks!

We were in L726 recently (5/22--6/5) RT Alaska and loved it. Here is a link to my post about our experience:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2669218-island-cruise-to-alaska-522-65/?tab=comments#comment-57633426

We just returned from a fantastic cruise to Alaska aboard the Island Princess. Although a bit tentative of all the nay-sayer comments on the aft refitting, we found it to be wonderful.

Here are a few things I learned:

1. L726 is a great suite! I would book it again. Despite many comments of vibration, we felt/heard nothing unusual (other than the night I forgot to push all the hangers in the closet to one side and completely latch the bathroom door. LOL) The layout is much better than the usual suites, as the room isn't broken up by the bathroom/inner closet configuration of the older suites. The room was bright and inviting. There is a partial wall between the the bedroom and the sitting area, with a full-length curtain to allow full separation. 

2. The balcony is partially covered (about 3-4'). If/when it rains, you'll get wet. The furniture is teak. I pulled the two chairs and 2 loungers against the sliding doors and I could use them without getting wet during gentle rains; if the wind is blowing, not so much. 😉 We woke to clear skies the first morning and wet cushions.???? We found out that on dry days, the Sanctuary (right above)"floor" is washed and excess water pushed onto the balconies below on Lido. This is how we learned to keep the furniture close to the sliding doors with the cushions up at night! Even if the cushions get wet, they dry pretty quickly. I loved lounging out with a book and a blanket! (I much prefer the cooler temps of Alaska to the heat of the Caribbean.)

3. The frig was not working when we embarked and was really warm inside; the cabinet was even warmer! The air circulation was really bad, so we kept the cabinet door blocked open with a chair the entire cruise. Problem solved!!! Within hours, the inside of the frig was nice and cold and stayed that way; in fact, one Perrier bottle broke from ice formation! Though it might not match the decor, the usefulness of the frig would be better with an open cabinet. Our steward said that the two previous cruisers had complained that the frig was warm; I think inadequate air circulation was the problem.

4. There is no DVD player in the room, but the steward can get one if requested, and it can stay in the room for your entire cruise.

5. While there is no little sink at the bar, I much prefer the two sinks in the bathroom: one with the toilet, one with the shower. The shower seems larger than other suites. The tub is not a jacuzzi, but those are just down the hall. The door that separates the two bathroom areas is a real solid door, not the wooden slatted one I have had in other suites.

6. The entire crew we met--from room steward to waiters to security at embark/return--areas was top-notch. They were each helpful, cheerful, and fun. The dining staff in Sabatini's for breakfast was the same that worked the Bayou for dinner. They were especially great. 

7. Club Class dining was also great. We only found it crowded one night, but we ate later than our usual 5:30; still, there was always room and the our waiters were delightful. Other than two nights, we had a table for 2 by the window, which made for great scenery while eating.

8. Aft balcony cabins are wonderful for Alaska! While any balcony is great, I found that things passed too quickly from the side, especially if the naturalist brought our attention to critters. Being aft, we were prepared to look, and COULD look for a long time. The scenery is gorgeous! We had sunny days northbound, cloudy/rainy southbound. Even on the cloudy/rainy days, it was dry for much of the time we were off the ship. I grew up in Alaska, so you expect clouds and rain as the norm, and celebrate when the sun comes out!

This is Margerie Glacier 5/27.

This is Grand Pacific Glacier, just to the right of Margerie, 5/27.

9. Speaking of critters: we saw as many from the ship as we did on excursions--you just have to be patient. We have been on several AK cruises, and this was our first to see a pod of orcas! We saw orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, harbor seals, sea otters, Minke whales, and Dall's porpoises. We saw more on our northbound trip, but only saw critters from the ship the last day--of course, they were there, we just didn't see them. 

Sorry this is long, but hopefully it will help others who are wondering about Alaska on the Island! 🙂

So sorry about your luggage! And so sorry that your journey ends tomorrow. 😞

Thanks so much for your wonderful travelog! It has given us such great insight and even more excitement for our coming cruise to Alaska on the Island Princess. Your info has answered so many of the "I wish I had thought to ask about that!" questions. It looks like our weather should be pretty good----of course, that can always change in a heartbeat.

How has Club Class dining been for you on this trip?

Thanks so much for all the beautiful pictures (especially from the aft!!) and the great descriptions. We will be boarding for the same 2-week itinerary the day you (sadly, I'm sure) disembark. We will be in L726 and are excited to start our 6th Alaskan cruise. 🙂

Another great place to check is on the "Scuba and Snorkeling" forum. I have gotten lots of great ideas and advice for snorkeling and diving.

I've been on the Golden and liked it. I will be on the Island for BTB Alaska. I haven't been on it or the Coral, so can't compare the before/after structure changes of the Island.

Something you may want to consider is the itinerary difference between Island and Golden. Island sails Wednesday to Wednesday, with visits to ports on  FSS on northbound and SSM southbound. Golden sails Saturday to Saturday and visits ports MTW northbound and TWTH southbound. Also, Island visits Icy Strait Point on NB rather than Ketchikan. We specifically chose Island so we could go to Icy Strait Point; we love it there, as it is less tourist-y and more like Alaska really is. In addition, we wanted to attend church on Sunday and will be able to do so in port.

We don't really have a favorite ship (we've been Caribbean, Crown, Diamond, Emerald, Grand, and Ruby) and have been content with each of the 14 Princess cruises we have taken. It is hard for us to disappointed, as we are pretty easy to please---we're on a cruise!!!

11 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Take advantage of the native cultural performances and and history that is available.  My only visit there was on the Amsterdam a couple of years ago.  My initial thought was--I won't bother going ashore.--but, I did.  And I am glad I did.  My shore excursion was informative and pleasant, the citizens very welcoming, and while Mother Nature chose to provide much rain after the tour when I was wondering around on my own, it was a great day even if I returned to my stateroom drenched to the skin. 

Thanks, rkacruiser. We were there on Celebrity a few years ago and fell in love. I grew up in Alaska, and Icy Strait Point/Hoonah is the real Alaska. I much prefer the smaller ports to the Big Three (Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan). We already have a whale watch scheduled and are trying to do the self-guide ATV excursion that we did last time---it was great!

We will be on the Island May/June for a BTB Alaska cruise. We've never been on the Coral or Island, so we can't compare the before/after aspects. (This will be our 15th Princess cruise. We have been on the Caribbean, Crown, Diamond, Emerald, Grand, and Ruby.) We chose it because it goes to Icy Strait Point, and is the only Princess ship to do so. We don't use the casino, don't go to the shows, don't drink, etc. (Yes, we still have fun. 🙂) We spend a lot of time just enjoying the scenery and being together. We're a glass half-full couple, and have discovered that you find what you are looking for; we look for being content and take things as they come.

I am aware that cabins open up after final payment, as some travelers decide to drop that particular cruise. 

If a better cabin opens up after final payment in the same category I have, can I change cabins and keep my perks, or would it be considered a completely new booking with perks being those of the current deal-of-that-day?

13 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

726 would be my choice. It was our fav. The views are incredible!

It looks as if there is one lounger, one table, and two chairs; is that correct?

We snagged L726 for both NB and SB (roundtrip). 🙂

Colo Cruiser, L726 is the one we are looking at. 😀

Ferd Berfle, your pictures are great. They are the only ones I have seen that show the real size of the "roof" of the balconies! Thank you.

Has anyone stayed in the aft suites (Lido and Aloha decks) during an Alaskan cruise? I know the aft views are wonderful; what I am curious about are the balconies. Since there tends to be liquid sunshine along the way, are the balconies covered enough to enjoy them during the rain?