Worldtraveler 4727

Day #2 Fairbanks June 20, 2018

The weather was beautiful. Sunny and very warm.

This morning we arrived at the Copper Dining Room upstairs at the hotel and were met by our tour guide: Michael Moore. He is a delightful Irishman with a gift of gab, and as you will find out in this report, was without a doubt THE best tour guide we could have ever asked for. Michael has done this for 10 years, and he anticipated our every need well before we even knew we needed something. Simply outstanding.

We had a breakfast buffet and met the other 24 people who would be in our particular group. (Interestingly, there was one other tour exactly like ours running simultaneously--same number of people doing the same things--lead by Michael's wife Liz. According to them, an unusual situation. Each group has its own coach bus etc, but we did wind up staying in the same lodges etc. Both groups were great, and it was apparent the other group thought the world of Liz too.)

After breakfast and our self-introductions, we were asked to meet the bus downstairs at the entrance to take us to the Dredge 8 Gold Mining Camp. We had a delightful young bus driver named Faith, and she gave us the bus safety information by singing an original song and playing her ukulele. She was an absolute delight the entire day. I can't say enough about the adorable young people who take these seasonal jobs in Alaska. They are cheerful, kind, helpful and lots of fun. And this was truly a constant: everyone we met along the way were exceptionally pleasant and smiling.

As we traveled along, Michael provided great information about Fairbanks and how it was founded.

Once we got to Dredge 8, we were met by George. He is a full time social studies teacher during the school year and works at Dredge 8 in the summer. I'm sure he is a great teacher as he was very engaging and was able to tell the stories of mining in the area and truly make it come alive. He has written several books on mining, and his latest was available in the gift shop. We boarded a little steam engine which took us to the mine. Before we got off we were given a demonstration on how to pan our "poke" for gold flecks. As we disembarked from the train, Faith and several other young people were handing out the cloth bags (pokes) of dirt and gold. I teasingly told Faith that since it was my birthday that day to please hand me one that had a big nugget in it. LOL We took our pokes to panning area and began the process of trying to use the water and the pan and a certain motion with the pan and water to separate the gravel and dirt and leave the gold flecks--which are heavier than the gravel and sand--on the bottom of the pan. It's harder than it looks, I can tell you that. Cute little Faith came by to see what kind of nugget I got in my poke and helped me and DH sift down to the few flecks we did get. From there you put your tiny flecks into a container much like an old 35mm film canister and take it into the store to be weighed. Together DH and I panned $33 in gold. At this point Dredge 8 would like to see you something to put all that gold into. Many of the ladies were buying charms, earrings and necklaces to put their gold in. We just brought ours home. There really wasn't enough to do anything with. I'm sure it's one of those souvenirs that I'll find years later and wonder again what to do with it.

We walked around the complex of gifts shops, enjoyed a complimentary cup of coffee and several of their cookies--chocolate chip, oatmeal or snickerdoodle.

A little about us--DH and I have traveled quite extensive throughout the US and Europe, but only began cruising about 7 years ago. Since then we have taken several cruises with Princess and with Regent cruise lines. I am a highly organized trip planner who mostly plans private excursions in small groups.

My intention with the review is to pay back CC members whose reviews and comments have been invaluable to planning our trips. One in particular from caribill on this site is a few years old, but much of that info is still current. I hope to bring everyone up to date a bit and will happily answer any questions I can.

We are mostly DIY-ers. However, this tour came recommended to us by friends, and in reading about it, we were sold. We chose the longest (most expensive as well) land and sea tour Princess offered. We chose Princess because we wanted to experience their lodges and because Princess has been doing this in Alaska for a long time. This was a 15 day trip: 8 days on land and 7 days at sea.

Day #1: Fairbanks June 19, 2018

We used Princess EZ Air (and carefully watched the flights DAILY as they changed times over the course of several months, and that had to be taken care of with calls to Princess and Delta.) We arrived at the Fairbanks airport and were met by Princess reps. This was one of the unanswered questions I still had not been able to find an answer for before we left. Out tour package clearly stated and in capital letters TRANSPORT to hotel from airport. Yet our invoice from our TA indicated a charge for transfers. Two calls to Princess by her and one by me resulted in being told there were no transfers included. Then why does the itinerary clearly state this? No answer for that one. I had the TA remove the charges. Plan A was we'd be met by Princess reps and be taken by coach to the hotel. Plan B was that the Fairbanks hotel has a shuttle (as noted on their website) Plan C was to simply take a taxi the 1.5 miles to the hotel. Plan A worked out. The reps gave us a packet with everything we needed to know for that night and the next day. We were already checked into the hotel. Room keys were in the packet. Info in the packet further explained we would be meeting the next morning for breakfast and that we had this first evening free to wander the property on the Chena River. We had a comfortable room facing the river, and since it was June 19, there was nearly constant daylight. The drapes in the room do the best they can to keep out the light, but there is still an element of light always in the room. Couple that with jet lag and excitement for the trip, and it was near impossible to sleep.

We found that on the Connoisseur Tour we were allotted the premium rooms with the best views. A nice perk.

Unfortunately, this question is nearly impossible to answer.

We just returned on July 4. We had great weather all week (June 27 - July 4). Daytime temps in the 60's. Coldest days were glacier viewing days. But DH wore shorts in Ketchikan.

You are going to hear from people on here that Alaskan weather in particular can change fast--hence layers.

I, personally, would not pack a down jacket though.

Before we went on our Alaskan cruise (June 27 - July 4, 2018) I asked this same question on CC. The Coral was offering an unlimited package in three tiers, and those tiers were poorly described. Which one to buy? The thread on CC failed to give any helpful info. (It turned into a conversation of "elites should get this unlimited package for free" etc). We decided to shoot for the middle and bought the $79 package as all I wanted to do was email and text. The first day out of Whittier as we cruised south, it was great. Put your phone on airplane mode, and the ship's internet takes over. It was really nice to not have to do as we had always done: turn on the ship's internet, download emails and texts, turn internet off, compose responses, turn internet back on, quickly send, turn internet off again, watch your minutes. HOWEVER, as soon as we got near Glacier Bay, there was no reception whatsoever. Princess was obviously anticipating this as there was a notice in the Patter that this would happen and there would be no refunds. Traveling south to Vancouver for the remaining 5 days, the ship's internet was spotty at best. What worked about as well was taking the phone out of airplane mode and picking up my AT&T provider on my phone. (AT&T has a big presence in Alaska). Of course, AT&T worked well in all ports.

So--bottom line: It was a waste of money for us those 7 days cruising the coast of Alaska. I would not buy it for another Alaskan cruise again, but it remains to be seen if these packages are worth the money on other itineraries. Certainly, if you have consistent satellite connection, it is wonderful. No turning the internet on and off. But the three different "levels" need be be better defined as well. As people try these various levels, I guess we will slowly get our answer.

Some may not know this, but you can order Eggs Benedict and James Beard French Toast(love this stuff) anytime for breakfast, even the first morning. In fact if it is a normal breakfast item, you can order it even if not on menu. I have done so many times. One big hint for you Eggs Benedict lovers out there. They pre-make them and put them under the heat lamp. So you will get them sometimes cold or just room temperature and sauce will look a little "old". I have learned to order Eggs Benedict with no sauce on the eggs and with a large side bowl of Hollendaise sauce. This way they have to make your poached eggs to order and you get them hotter and also have plenty of Hollandaise sauce to use!

 

Pooh

Pooh, can you tell me if these items are available to be brought to ALL cabins--or only suites? TIA!

Since this thread has TOTALLY gone off the rails, and no one has been able to give a definative answer regarding the OP’s original question, I (the OP) respectfully ask that a new thread be started. I have ZERO interest in receiving updates on this ongoing debate on what Princess may or may not give or grant to Platinum or Elites on various ships on various future sailings regarding internet plans!

Wonderful! Following

But did the Coral offer the unlimited plans? That's what we're trying to figure out here.

Thank you, suekel.

Who out there has USED one of the NEW UNLIMITED plans?

I think we are all most interested in what the middle and lowest plans will support.

And I read it must be the middle level for email. Hence, I’m looking for someone who has experienced the new options.

I've not had the greatest luck with calling Princess regarding things like this. They tend to be honest and say they don't know (especially since this is new and limited to only a couple ships), or they give their "best guess."

I'd rather hear from someone who has been on one of the ships and has used the middle and bottom options.

We are sailing on the Coral (Alaska) very soon, and these are the Internet package(s) that are available. I have tried to find the answer in other threads, but I can't seem to find one that has any information from anyone who has taken part in this new system of Internet (vs paying for minutes in packages) and what the actual difference(s) might be among the three. (All three options seem to be unlimited minutes? Correct?)

Has anyone sailed the Coral (or another Princess ship) with these new options?

To be specific, about all I would be interested in would be email and reading USA Today. Which option would be best? Would the "Social" package be enough?

Any clarifications would be appreciated. TIA

Internet Access - Purchase Pre-Cruise And Save!

PrincessCONNECT — Premium Package

From e-mail to streaming, enjoy truly premium, unlimited access!

Original price: $139.99 USD

All Internet usage subject to Princess Cruises' standard policies, which may limit browsing of sites due to network security and bandwidth usage. Applications that use high bandwidth may be blocked and offerings subject to change.

PrincessCONNECT — Surf Package

Surf your favorite sites from e-mail, news, sports and more.*

Original price: $99.99 USD

*May not allow for audio/video calling and streaming.

PrincessCONNECT — Social Package

Unlimited access to the most popular social websites and applications.*

Original price: $69.99 USD

*May not allow for audio/video calling and streaming.

Princess Cruises Opens Denali Treehouse for Mountain Views and Activities

January 15, 2018

(1:20 p.m. EST) -- As part of its offerings for travelers on pre- and post-cruise stays near Alaska's Denali National Park, Princess Cruises has opened a treehouse at its Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge.

The treehouse, built last year on Animal Planet TV show "Treehouse Masters," is the first of its kind in Alaska, showcasing the longtime partnership between Princess and Discovery Communications.

The treehouse will provide phenomenal views of nearby Mount McKinley, as well as 500 square feet of activity space for visitors. One of the highest land-based north-facing viewing areas, the structure is powered by solar panels and reachable via a short trail loop.

Treehouse events for 2018 include:

Tales From the Sourdough Expedition: For a fee, visitors can join this 45-minute event, held five days a week. They will meet author, world record holder and amputee mountain climber Todd Huston, who will entertain them with tales of the first trek to the top of Mt. McKinley as they hike the short trail to the treehouse. The "adventure" will culminate with hot chocolate and donuts at the treehouse.

Sappy Hour: Designed with foodies in mind, this daily extra-fee event offers birch syrup tastings and a selection of other locally produced tree-derived products. While they sample the goods, travelers can also learn about how syrup is made.

Trivia at the Treehouse: Free for anyone staying at the lodge, daily Alaska-themed trivia will be hosted by the lodge's resident naturalist.

It is important because not all of the ships dock "in the center of town". One dock is about 1 mile away, which is walkable for many, but requires a shuttle for those less able. Some ships (but usually not Princess) don't dock and have to tender. Knowing where you dock in Juneau DOES matter. Why be snarky about it?

Thank you, Sherryf. That's exactly why I was asking. I needed to know how close we might be to the Juneau car rental.

(And thank you for saying what I had immediately thought as well!)

The Coral docks at the Franklin Street dock. It's "B" on this map https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=DqpiEgDz&id=3F7A14AA63246F8EFF5B45C1B5432AFF467F9810&thid=OIP.DqpiEgDzP-QQ-BoVvflLrwHaE-&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pacificcatalyst.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2014%2f10%2fMap-of-Juneau.jpg&exph=1935&expw=2880&q=berths+map+in+juneau&simid=608038951968047959&selectedIndex=2&qpvt=berths+map+in+juneau&ajaxhist=0

Thank you! I appreciate your help.

In Juneau, does Princess usually/always dock at a certain dock (A, B, C, D, or E?) or is there one dock in particular the Coral uses?

I know there is a website that lists all ships in ports on certain days. Is there one that lists where the ships will dock?

TIA!

Contacted Chilkoot Charters re: our reservation in June, and they got back to me within minutes.

Their response: Trains are scheduled to resume normal operation on this Friday, June 1.

Thanks for the viable options above. :)

Worldtraveler 4727,

 

Which voyage are you speaking about, or which ports of call are the one's missing tours? I'd be happy to look into this further for you and respond back.

Mr. O’Keefe,

How very kind of you to offer to look into this for me!

We purchased the Iberian Castles & Bermudian Squares cruise on March 26, and excursions had opened up on March 5, but there were none available for the final two ports of Horta, Azores and St. George, Bermuda.

My husband and I are interested in Island Landscapes (Horta) on September 10 and Quintessential Bermuda & Hamilton (Bermuda) on September 15.

These are both mainly bus tours since I am having hip replacement surgery 7 weeks prior to sailing.

We would be most grateful if you took a moment out of your busy day to take a look at these for us.

Please let me know if you need any more information from me.

Much obliged, Mr. O’Keefe.

Thank you, everyone. I will get on the phone today.

At 5 months from sailing, there are 2 ports that have no excursions available, despite one having two time slots, both apparently filled. What is the advice from fellow Regent travelers on this, please? I have been checking back regularly, and nothing changes. Also, no waitlist is showing up either. :confused:

Thanks, Paul. We probably don't have much to worry about. :)

Hmmmm....our second flight is less than 1.5 hours, so not a huge deal....does the airline ever offer a compensation of any sort if originally booked in first class and that's not available on the new flight?

moki'smommy: Thanks. I'm feeling better.

riffatsea: Thanks. I was assuming Delta would handle the situation. I simply didn't know what the Princess agent meant when he said it was EZ Air's problem if we missed the tight connection. I didn't think I'd have to be in MN contacting Princess.....Hope not anyway.