ClydeKilgore

On the Connoisseur tour, you will get vouchers for the meal, and a gratuity is included. Other meals you will want to tip as you wish.

Find a good TA and let them do the booking, and handle whatever mess come up.

You may want to look at the "roll call" section for this cruise. Several folks have commented about issues you mentioned. We are on the Grand for the June 24th sailing and are on our first Princess Cruise and First to Alaska. Hoping for at lot of scenery and a good time. Best Wishes.

This means you have the old Premier package. You get everything you were promised, you do not get the new special additions on the New Premier package. I had that and upgraded to the New package for $5 pp/pd.

This is my experience as well. Prior to payment in full, I could not book SD (without a CC charge), but after payment in full, I booked the two "free" SD dinners with no charge.

Thank you and others in this forum. I just purchased both book from a book re-seller and looked at both. Both will help me understand the upcoming Cruisetour.

I upgraded from Old Premier to New Premier. Seemed like a good deal. YMMV

Given your last statement, my response is moot. But, incase others are interested, a limiting factor is rental cars are especially expensive. The lowest I found was $140/day + extras. That will add up quickly. I chose a Princess Connoisseur Escorted tour. Which includes hotel, transportation, many meals, and a Guide. Doing a tour on your own is fine, but then you are in charge of getting hotel reservations, and driving the long distances between the various cities. Yes, you get to choose where you go, which is an advantage. For me, never having been in Alaska before, I wanted someone else in charge. I may make a different choice on my next trip. YMMV

Looks like we will be doing the opposite direction, but since it's 300 miles, I will just just endure it. Can't figure out how to do it any other way. Alaska is just too large.

Planning this trip for June 2023. I've been told by an Alaska resident that we will see more of Alaska than most of the residents of Alaska. Not looking for the bus trips, but willing to go through that to see all 5 lodges and environs.