Princess alaska connoisseur tours

Hi all we are doing an Alaska Denali Explorer tour next year. This will be our 5th Alaska tour, of course all Princess, but never have taken a Princess land tour as I have planned them my self.

We are already booked on the Diamond and Denali Explorer tour #JB5 and Diamond cabin E731.;) It is a splurge for our 25th anniversary and we are much to old to ever make a 50th anniversary so this is it. And thought it was time to let some one else do the work.

So now we are thinking about upgrading to the Connoisseur tour RB5 because we think we are worth it.:eek:

So if any of you have done one of these please let us know your opinion please we would be most grateful.:)

Thanks,

Jack and Nora and the lovely Gertz who will of course have to go to the country club.

Hi all we are doing an Alaska Denali Explorer tour next year. This will be our 5th Alaska tour, of course all Princess, but never have taken a Princess land tour as I have planned them my self.

 

We are already booked on the Diamond and Denali Explorer tour #JB5 and Diamond cabin E731.;) It is a splurge for our 25th anniversary and we are much to old to ever make a 50th anniversary so this is it. And thought it was time to let some one else do the work.

 

So now we are thinking about upgrading to the Connoisseur tour RB5 because we think we are worth it.:eek:

 

So if any of you have done one of these please let us know your opinion please we would be most grateful.:)

 

Thanks,

Jack and Nora and the lovely Gertz who will of course have to go to the country club.

We went on the Denali Explorer and were so pleased. Everything was handled so well. There are many dining choices in each location and the prices were not at all bad. The bus/train tours are all narrated regardless of which tour you take. I am not sure what advantage you would have on the Connoisseur tour that we did not have. You will love Alaska!

Thanks but was hoping for a few more responses.

We took the all inclusive from Fairbanks; ours was a bit longer - eight days. Loved every minute of it and especially loved ordering from the menu and not paying attention to prices. Like the fact that everything was taken care of and we had a tour guide with us all the way. Yes it's a bit more expensive, but it's also your special anniversary. Enjoy! :D

We just upgraded from LB6 (Denali) to TB8 (8 night Connoisseur) after spending a few months evaluating this tour. I personally felt this tour offered more, 4 Princess Lodges, the tour guide, and just the way it is presented. Other cruisers that have taken the Connoisseur tours are overly enthusiastic about the entire experience. So we took a chance, and we will be sailing on the Sapphire.

bumping this up for more responses. I am also looking at the Princess Connoisseur for Alaska. TB8 or UB8 for 2013. will keep checking this thread for more info.

We just upgraded from LB6 (Denali) to TB8 (8 night Connoisseur) after spending a few months evaluating this tour. I personally felt this tour offered more, 4 Princess Lodges, the tour guide, and just the way it is presented. Other cruisers that have taken the Connoisseur tours are overly enthusiastic about the entire experience. So we took a chance, and we will be sailing on the Sapphire.

please fill me in as I am looking at this same tour. did you book any excursions on your own? we are also looking at UB8, did you consider that?

please fill me in as I am looking at this same tour. did you book any excursions on your own? we are also looking at UB8, did you consider that?

When you book the connoisseur tours it's all included. There is nothing to book on your own.

When you book the connoisseur tours it's all included. There is nothing to book on your own.

I noticed on the TB8 connoisseur, tour, that the days at Kenai and Copper River, there was no activity listed-said "The day is free to do what you want. Explore America's largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias. Enjoy another night at the lodge" on the Copper River itinerary desc.

I wonder if you can go thru a private vendor, or if you have to go thru Princess, since you have a tour director?

murphy4,

Since we are on the Sapphire UB8 is not available. I think that tour is for sailings on Coral Princess.

TB8 has 4 included excursions, if you want to do more you can book your own. I think you can book through your tour guide (probably wrong maybe thinking of Royal concierge). We are taking a wait and see attitude at the Wilderness Lodges to see if we want any additional excursions.

Marcia and Jim

I noticed on the TB8 connoisseur, tour, that the days at Kenai and Copper River, there was no activity listed-said "The day is free to do what you want. Explore America's largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias. Enjoy another night at the lodge" on the Copper River itinerary desc.

I wonder if you can go thru a private vendor, or if you have to go thru Princess, since you have a tour director?

murphy4,

 

Since we are on the Sapphire UB8 is not available. I think that tour is for sailings on Coral Princess.

 

TB8 has 4 included excursions, if you want to do more you can book your own. I think you can book through your tour guide (probably wrong maybe thinking of Royal concierge). We are taking a wait and see attitude at the Wilderness Lodges to see if we want any additional excursions.

 

Marcia and Jim

We were on the Coral cruisetour and we were so tired by the time we reached Copper River we didn't want to do anything. We had very full days. I think I recall being offered something to do there, or you could have gone off on your own. No, you did not have to book with Princess. The hotel desk had suggestions if you wanted them. We need the cruise after our 8 day trek just to relax. Then again, our cruise portion was 25 days. :D

We did tour NB6 with the Island just recently. We loved the tour experience, except for a few things.

Our tour guide was a bit inept about letting people know about where to be and when and provided other misinformation. Not to worry - due to the reviews he got from us and others, he'll most likely not be back on the tour escort job next year.

The included Fairbanks tours were kinda fun with a LOT of shopping time built in, way too much for our taste. The dinner theater at Denali Princess Lodge was appallingly bad in our opinion. Food was bad, and entertainment worse!! The highlight of our evening was walking out of the "theater" and seeing the northern lights!!!! That was quite special.

The Wilderness tour is a long day in uncomfortable buses, but the only way to do it. We had a great guide, wonderful weather and great scenery and wildlife. It was a spectacularly uncomfortable day. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat as we saw Mt McKinley, grizzlies, moose, etc.

When we moved on to the Mt McKinley Lodge, we once again were fortunate enough to see the "Big One" for a brief period from the Lodge.

There are a few meals not included, maybe a lunch here, a breakfast there, but no big deal.

I would say that probably the biggest benefit from booking one of the connoisseur tours is that it seemed that other than at McKinley Lodge, we definitely had the best lodge accommodations. The view from our Denali Lodge was spectacular. Once we boarded the ship and talked with others who were on other unescorted tours were not nearly so fortunate, some actually were at other properties.

This is all very subjective and just our take, but if I was to do it again, (and that's a possibility) I'd do the connoisseur tour and try to get credit for the Dinner Theater in particular so we could do dinner on our own.........

My two cents worth. ;)

Denali dinner theater: corny, but fun. Food: regular picnic fare and really not bad at all. My opinion.

Thanks for the replies. Still looking for more responses. And now see another thread on this subject so---.

Guess my bottom line would be. Is the cost difference worth what you get considering, food, tour director, lodging (from reading tho don't think there is supposed to be a difference)?

Thanks

Thanks for the replies. Still looking for more responses. And now see another thread on this subject so---.

 

Guess my bottom line would be. Is the cost difference worth what you get considering, food, tour director, lodging (from reading tho don't think there is supposed to be a difference)?

 

Thanks

 

Would you be interested in reading the LIVE I did when we took this tour? You can search for it or I can search for it for you.

Would you be interested in reading the LIVE I did when we took this tour? You can search for it or I can search for it for you.

I would appreciate it. I tried puling up all threads started by you but for some reason it kept pulling up all posts by you. With all you have it would take me forever to find it. Thanks.

Probably my ignorance still on the CC system. I apparently still do not use it enough.:rolleyes:

I would appreciate it. I tried puling up all threads started by you but for some reason it kept pulling up all posts by you. With all you have it would take me forever to find it. Thanks.

 

Probably my ignorance still on the CC system. I apparently still do not use it enough.:rolleyes:

Here you go. Very easy to find when you know how. For future reference, when you want to locate a thread started by someone specific, do an advanced search with that person's name and choose "threads started by".

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1054906