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First time cruiser, Alaska inside passage


rustinsmommy
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We are booked for a 7 day cruise on the emerald princess in August. We leave from Seattle and stop at Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria BC.

Having never cruised before I have a few questions.

1. How much is included the initial booking price. Room service, meals, drinks etc.

2. Do you have to dress formal for dinner every night? How formal is formal?

3 Are you allowed to bring in your own wine,soda and water bottles?

4. Do you need to book the excursions ahead of time or can you do that when you get into port?

Thanks for any advice or input:)

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The best place for specific answers about Princess Cruise Line would be here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=197

You will find this on the main Cruise Critic page under Cruise Lines P-Z

 

Excursions are cheaper if you book them on your own and not through the ship. Having said that, if you feel 'safer' booking through Shorex its probably better to book early in case it is a popular excursion and might sell out.

Please check out the ALASKA boards on PORTS OF CALL board here: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55 for ideas on what to see and tour operator recommendations.

 

I can't comment on how formal formal is as I have never cruised Princess.

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As mentioned I would post your cruise line specific questions on the cruise line board.

 

For Alaska I would ask on the Alaska ports of call board.

 

Alaska though is different then the Caribbean. In most ports there will not be any vendor offering excursions. It is advisable to book them in advance either with the tour operator or with the cruise line. The key is to do the research and the Alaska Ports of Call Board is full of information.

 

Keith

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My other observation, having sailed an Alaska cruise after a few years of Caribbean cruises, is that Alaska excursions are more expensive than Caribbean excursions. Partly due to the nature of the excursions (e.g., sea plane ride to a remote river for bear viewing) but also due to suppliers being American companies in a high cost area. So even a bus ride to a nature reserve for wildlife viewing will be over $100.

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We are booked for a 7 day cruise on the emerald princess in August. We leave from Seattle and stop at Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria BC.

Having never cruised before I have a few questions.

1. How much is included the initial booking price. Room service, meals, drinks etc.

2. Do you have to dress formal for dinner every night? How formal is formal?

3 Are you allowed to bring in your own wine,soda and water bottles?

4. Do you need to book the excursions ahead of time or can you do that when you get into port?

Thanks for any advice or input:)

 

You are going to have a wonderful time! My first cruise was on Princess to Alaska so my answers could be dated as it was 2002, but here you go:

Meals are included. Drinks are not. I don't remember room service.

No you don't have to dress formal every night. On one formal night I wore a black velvet top and black velvet pants and heels and was perfectly fine.

Not sure on Princess about the current drink policies. should be able to find it on their web site

Book ahead!! The whole reason we went was for the train ride for my hubby and the whale watching for me. Both were phenomenal. Had they been sold out we'd been heartbroken!

 

Enjoy!!!

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Thanks for the tips and advice. I ended up finding some of the answers on the princess website. I didn't realize there was a whole section telling what is offered and what you can do.

It's a little overwhelming looking at the excursion choices though.How does one decide which one to choose?:o

Also we are traveling with another couple and have mini-suite rooms next to each other. Are the balconies arranged in a way we can sit out with each other and go between the balconies? We're from the pacific northwest already so sitting out in the rain doesn't bother us too much.

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1. room service is included. There is a charge for pizza delivery. There is a charge for specially dining, all other restaurants are included. Alcohol is not included. Nor soft drinks. coffee, tea, water (not bottled), juice at breakfast, milk are all included.

2. Some will dress formal for the 2 formal nights. More common for men would be a jacket. Some will forgo the jacket.

3. You can bring on one bottle of wine per adult. No limit on soda or water.

4.You can book excursions in advance or wait until you are on board. No Princess tours can even be booked when you leave the ship at a port. Note some will sell out.

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I have not cruised on your cruise line, but wanted to say-Alaska is not cheap-if you decide to spend your time doing an excursion, and your friends don't-don't do nothing, you will regret it later. We traveled with our best friend, who is much more active than we are, so we did not do the same excursions, except for one day-which we felt we should do a day together. But when he was zip lining in Ketchikan, we were eating crab. When he was hiking on a glacier, we were exploring the Yukon.

 

Alaska was the most beautiful and wonderful cruise my DH and I have done-He fell and fractured his skull this past summer, and now has some memory loss, until you get him talking about Alaska. Enjoy your cruise.

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I am no expert but have been to AK twice on Princess. Ketchikan is a fun shopping town. Walk past the big shiny diamond sellers by the pier to Creek Street and shop at stores owned by the locals. Tongass Trading company is fun to look around. You should get a coupon book in your cabin and you can get free blanket with purchase etc. You can also take the bus or a taxi up to the totem pole park (cannot recall the name).

 

In Juneau we did the zipline tour (ship Shorex). I have done that one two times. Really fun. Train ride in Skagway once and lake kayak the second trip. I would go ahead and book. You can always cancel.

 

Regarding balconies I think there is a door between that can be opened. (Only had balcony one time so not really sure on that). Have a great trip.

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research the cabins before you book Balcony is well worth the cost....make sure it is one without an obstructed view and one with a roof Also research excursions we are going back ...cruise tour ....we went in 2006 and preparation made it a wonderful trip can rent a car in Skagway and drive to Emerald Lake.....Murray's Guide to the South Klondike Highway (Yukon and even further North is $5.00 and so much info !! Mile marker by mile marker guide best trip ever...even better than Hawaii !!

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research the cabins before you book Balcony is well worth the cost....make sure it is one without an obstructed view and one with a roof Also research excursions we are going back ...cruise tour ....we went in 2006 and preparation made it a wonderful trip can rent a car in Skagway and drive to Emerald Lake.....Murray's Guide to the South Klondike Highway (Yukon and even further North is $5.00 and so much info !! Mile marker by mile marker guide best trip ever...even better than Hawaii !!

 

 

Thanks, We are still thinking on what we want to do on excursions. We still have until August to figure it out.

We already had our room booked before I did any research. I know, I know. ;) We have room D120 on the emerald with our friends in the room right next door in room D118.

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