sherryf

Maybe they have improved the process since last year. We waited over an HOUR just for US Customs, plus all the time for every other step of boarding. I think it was about 1.5 hours total from when we arrived until we set foot on the ship. This was on HAL, but both ships in port were going through the same customs line, so it didn't really matter what cruise line we were on. People told us that they were working on improvements for the process in Vancouver, so it sounds like it is better this year.

I've seen some posts saying that this "might" happen, but this is the first one I've seen that says that it actually DID happen. Has anyone else experienced this? We have been planning to wait to buy Plus when we board, but we'd hate for it to be "sold out" when we get there.

The water on board is great! I never buy bottled water. We always bring reusable water bottles and just drink ship water.

I will second the recommendation for Chilkoot Charters. We have used them twice - once for the bus/train tour to Caribou Crossing and once for the Lake Bennet train/bus combo. They are excellent and cheaper than booking through the cruise ship. The best part is that they use much smaller buses so more personalized tours without the huge crowd.

I've seen several comments in various threads about the danger of them "selling out" before you board, but has anyone ever actually encountered this problem? Nowhere on the Princess site have I read anything to indicate that they limit the number of Plus packages. Why do people keep mentioning this issue if it doesn't actually exist? We plan to purchase Plus on board for some of the reasons you mention (mainly the cruise fare/insurance reasons) and our TA agreed that it was a good idea.

Princess and Holland America are similar in style and similar in price. They both have been doing Alaska for a long time and do it well... and they both go to Glacier Bay. If this is likely your only trip to Alaska, you don't want to miss Glacier Bay! I have cruised both Princess and HAL to Alaska and enjoyed them both very much, but I would give a slight edge to Princess. They have better naturalists, more enrichment lectures, and extras like husky puppies, Libby Riddles (first woman to win Iditarod), etc.

Mine shows up in the same area, but when I click on it, it says Crooners. Our cabin is mid ship, so I guess it's possible... or not. 🤷‍♀️

I usually want hat and gloves on glacier sailing days, but otherwise I don't need them. You definitely don't need a heavy winter coat. A light, waterproof rain jacket is a good idea since it can rain a lot.

We've sailed many times with no package, no drink package, no internet, etc. and it was fine. We drank plain coffee, carried wine on board, used our phones in ports (Alaska, so in our US plan), and were careful about how many drinks we bought. The first time we had a package was on HAL for my son's wedding cruise. We all had their "Have it all" package and it was so nice to try different drinks with my (adult) kids, to have internet so we could all communicate easily, etc. I think that trip spoiled me for doing it any other way. We will be getting Plus for our Alaska cruise this summer. I've done the math, and it adds up for me. I also found one of my folios from a cruise about 6 years ago, and just with drinks and gratuities, we spend nearly as much per person as buying Plus, especially if you allow a bit for inflation over the years. I'm not sure if I could ever justify Premier, but Plus makes sense for us.

True, but the OP might want to consider both shows and glaciers and find a happy medium. You can enjoy good shows on a cruise that goes to Glacier Bay.

But Royal Caribbean does not go to Glacier Bay. For me, glaciers are more important than shows. YMMV

I've seen this tour when we've driven into the Yukon. The bikes share the road with huge tour buses, tourists in rental cars, etc. I, personally, would never do it.

It depends on your teens and what they enjoy. We took my 3 kids to Alaska on Princess 3 times while they were teens/young adults, and we took one friend on 2 of those cruises. They all had a wonderful time! They would not have been interested in go carts or climbing walls. They did go to a few lectures. They met friends in the clubs, and hung out with each other also. They stayed up late and ate everything in sight. They enjoyed the pools and hot tubs. Honestly, the most important thing about an Alaskan cruise is Alaska! Don't choose your cruise based on what you think your kids will like on the ship. Choose based on best port times, glaciers, and enrichment/naturalists on board.

If the timing is right, it could work, and only costs $2 per person. (Though it may gone up in the past 5 years since we used it.) It was a very interesting experience!

You'll have to do the math and figure out what makes most sense. Add the cost of her gratuities, wifi package, non-alcohol drink package. Figure out what other perks she will use, such as the 2 casual dining meals. If the rest of you have the casual dining perk and want to go together, you would have to pay the cover charge for her. Would she use the exercise classes? It might be worth it to just add the Plus package for her if she will use a lot of the perks, even without the alcohol.

Well, they claim to have Alaskan seafood: https://www.princess.com/en-us/news/news-releases/2022/03/princess-cruises-goes-wild-for-alaska-seafood-with-new-menus-and-events-debuting-spring-2022

It's been 5 years since I've been on Princess in Alaska, but I remember there being quite a few Alaskan seafood dishes. I found some menus from last year posted online, and most nights there is at least one "Alaskan" dish listed, some nights have several. Whether that seafood is really sources in Alaska, I cannot say for sure, but there will definitely be a lot of Alaskan-style dishes.

The water on board is very good. Bring a reusable bottle and fill it from your tap!

Your choice of course, but you can see plenty of eagles without a tour. I love bald eagles and am always on the lookout for them, but I respect wildlife enough to refuse to support anyone who is feeding them.

I've sailed from Seattle many times, and there are ALWAYS 2 ships at Pier 91, one Princess and one HAL. We've never had trouble dropping off bags. I wonder if the port has changed that much since we last sailed from there. 🤔

Do you know how early you can board in Seattle these days? We haven't sailed on Princess from Seattle for 6-7 years now, but in the past they didn't even start boarding until after 11 am, and if you weren't in the priority boarding group, you were lucky to get on by noon.

You can see bald eagles everywhere! Personally, I will not take a tour that feeds wild eagles for the entertainment of tourists. I'm not even sure that's legal!

We have done that transfer and it is fine. I think the 5 hour estimate is generous to allow for traffic and delays, since actual drive time is more like 3 - 3.5 hours. You will have no problem catching a flight around 6 pm. As others have said, there is a stop at the border, and there are restrooms there, but in our experience doing transfers between Seattle and Vancouver (both ways) they usually also make a stop at a rest stop somewhere between the border and Seattle. The buses are comfortable, like a nice tour bus.

When I get back to my cabin after using the pool/hot tub, I always want a shower anyway, so I wear my bathing suit into the shower and rinse it out there, then hang it on the clothesline in the shower.

I don't remember any themed deck parties on any of my Princess cruises... but I have only cruised Princess to Alaska. They really don't have any deck parties in the evening in Alaska. 🤷‍♀️