Just back from Alaska Southbound on the Coral....Questions?

[doublemm16]

We came home last night from the most amazing Alaska vacation. Five days on land followed by a southbound cruise on the Coral. The weather was spectacular....virtually no rain at all the entire trip! The ship was beautiful with one member of the crew being friendlier than the next.

 

We were in an aft mini suite on the port side and we had early traditional dining. On the land tour we were in Fairbanks and Denali. Any questions? Fire away!

 

Mindi:D

[d4nigirl]

How were the temperatures? We're going in August and are debating if we should bring a coat. We plan to have sweatshirts. We're both fairly close in the type of weather we're used to (since you're NJ and I'm NY/LI).

[mr green]

We came home last night from the most amazing Alaska vacation. Five days on land followed by a southbound cruise on the Coral. The weather was spectacular....virtually no rain at all the entire trip! The ship was beautiful with one member of the crew being friendlier than the next.

 

We were in an aft mini suite on the port side and we had early traditional dining. On the land tour we were in Fairbanks and Denali. Any questions? Fire away!

 

Mindi:D

 

What time did you leave Hubbard Glacier? We are on first seating so it has me wondering.

It sounds as if you had a great cruise.

 

Thanks, john

[doublemm16]

How were the temperatures? We're going in August and are debating if we should bring a coat. We plan to have sweatshirts. We're both fairly close in the type of weather we're used to (since you're NJ and I'm NY/LI).

 

The temperatures varied based on where we were. However, they were warmer than we thought. We brought 3 in 1 coats....totally unneccesary except for Glacier Bay. We both wore the fleece jacket part and that was more than sufficient. The weather hit 90 degrees in Fairbanks and in the 80s in Denali. In the cruise ports, it ranged from the 60s and 70s.

[doublemm16]

What time did you leave Hubbard Glacier? We are on first seating so it has me wondering.

It sounds as if you had a great cruise.

 

Thanks, john

 

I cannot remember exactly when we left Hubbard Glacier, but it was long before early seating. You basically sail up sit for a while, then the ship rotates, and then you leave. There was still a lot of ice in the water, so we were about 6 miles away from the face. It was still impressive!!! We were able to get closer to Marjarie Glacier in Glacier Bay.

[CruiserN1]

DH and I are on the Coral NB on July 1, can't wait! thanks in advance for taking the time to answer my questions. :D

 

Which nights were formal? Any idea if it's the same as NB?

 

Did Sabatini's have the new menu?

 

What did you think of the patisserie? I was disappointed to learn there was no International Cafe on the Coral, wasn't sure if the patisserie compared at all.

 

What was your favorite thing about the ship?

[GweninTX]

We are on the Coral August 20 Southbound and I have a question on dining and Hubbard glacier. We are 6:00 traditional seating and I noticed we do not depart till 8:00 pm. Should we do one of the alternate dining rooms or will we see most of it before our dinner ? We could always do Sabattinis that night or Sterling or Crown? We do not want to miss a minute of the scenery and hope to see the glaciers calving. Thanks!

[bandit and babycakes]

Thanks so much for letting us ask you questions.

We ( 6 ) are also on the August 20th sailing and are doing Fairbanks and Denali first. So here it goes. Did you go to the pipeline while in Fairbanks? What did you do with the extra time in Denali? Did you do the train to Whitter? If so how was that and was your luggage in your cabin when you got on the ship? We have Personal Choice dining and did you see people wearing jeans in the dining room? And one more in Skaway what did you do? We are there the longest and are not happy with any of the choices by the cruise line?

Many thanks

[jeblaw]

Thank you for posting. We leave in 9 days for the land part, then the cruise on the Coral begins on July 9. I can hardely sleep for the excitement of anticipation! :D

• What can you tell us about the train parts of the land tour...any helpful hints? I am kind of concerned about the seating on the trains if we are stuck sitting "backwards" as that is the only thing that causes me to get motion sick.
  
• On the ship, we are in C228..a port side minisuite. How was the "ride" in the aft/port mini?
  
• What was your favorite thing about your land tour and your cruise and...
  
• what was the least faviorite thing about each?
  

[doublemm16]

We are on the Coral August 20 Southbound and I have a question on dining and Hubbard glacier. We are 6:00 traditional seating and I noticed we do not depart till 8:00 pm. Should we do one of the alternate dining rooms or will we see most of it before our dinner ? We could always do Sabattinis that night or Sterling or Crown? We do not want to miss a minute of the scenery and hope to see the glaciers calving. Thanks!

 

Just be aware, early seating is at 5:30 pm, not 6:00pm. Late seating is at 7:45pm. You will not miss the glacier with early seating. The port time includes sailing up Yukatat Bay (where Hubbard Glacier resides). You do not sit in front of the glacier for hours. I am not sure how long were were there, but we definitely made it in time for dinner.

[doublemm16]

DH and I are on the Coral NB on July 1, can't wait! thanks in advance for taking the time to answer my questions. :D

 

Which nights were formal? Any idea if it's the same as NB?

 

Did Sabatini's have the new menu?

 

What did you think of the patisserie? I was disappointed to learn there was no International Cafe on the Coral, wasn't sure if the patisserie compared at all.

 

What was your favorite thing about the ship?

 

Formal nights were Hubbard Glacier and I believe Juneau. (First full night (the 12th), and I believe the 4th night (the 15th). Not sure if it is the same for NB.

 

Sabatini's did not have the new menu yet. However, some of the pasta and pizza's were different than the Ruby in 2010.

 

I did not visit the patisserie on this trip. My mom and her friend got coffee there, but it is definitely not like the International Cafe (as far as food goes). The coffee is good there.

 

My favorite thing about the ship is the intimate feel for a large ship. I have been on both this Caribbean and Ruby Princess, and the Coral has less passengers. It never feels crowded. Also, the staff was fabulous. You will have a great cruise director in Billy Hygate and his assistant Boogie.

[doublemm16]

Thanks so much for letting us ask you questions.

We ( 6 ) are also on the August 20th sailing and are doing Fairbanks and Denali first. So here it goes. Did you go to the pipeline while in Fairbanks? What did you do with the extra time in Denali? Did you do the train to Whitter? If so how was that and was your luggage in your cabin when you got on the ship? We have Personal Choice dining and did you see people wearing jeans in the dining room? And one more in Skaway what did you do? We are there the longest and are not happy with any of the choices by the cruise line?

Many thanks

 

We did visit the pipeline in Fairbanks. It was included as part of our Riverboat Discovery and El Dorado Goldmine tour.

 

We did the TWT tour in Denali...it was unbelievable! We had a beautiful clear day. We were able to see Mount McKinley.....yes, we were one of the lucky 30% that see this great Mountain. I was supposed to go white water rafting, but had to cancel. I had a terrible cold and it was pouring....but it looked like fun!

 

We took the train to Whittier. It is a 9 hour trip. There were 4 of us traveling together, so we were placed at the same table. My mom cannot ride backwards, so our friends let us sit in the forward facing bench. If you are a party of 2 and sharing a table with others, just see if they will let you ride facing forward. If not, they open the downstairs dining part in some cars as a lounge, and you can go and sit downstairs. You can walk around the train, and order drinks and food uppstairs or go down to the dining car for a meal. It is a long ride, but very comfortable and a lot of fun. We saw a wolf from the train. And yes, our luggage was waiting for us in our cabin when we arrived. All during your land tour you will be provided with luggage tags which will identify whether you want your bags to travel with you or go to the ship. It is very easy and efficient and your luggage meets you at every stop.

 

You can wear jeans to the dining room and no one will blink an eye. Just not on formal night. However, you do not need formal wear to go to dinner. Just a nice blouse and pants will suffice. Men should wear a button down shirt and pants....a tie if you like.

 

In Skagway, I booked an excursion with Chilkoot Charters. It was the White Pass Railroad (1.75 hour train trip) followed by a van ride into the Yukon. We went to Caribou Crossing where we took a ride on a dog cart, Emerald Lake, and several other scenic places. We saw a bear and a cub on the side of the road. It was a long and wonderful day with a terrific guide! I highly recommend them for tours.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

Mindi:D

[doublemm16]

Thank you for posting. We leave in 9 days for the land part, then the cruise on the Coral begins on July 9. I can hardely sleep for the excitement of anticipation! :D

• What can you tell us about the train parts of the land tour...any helpful hints? I am kind of concerned about the seating on the trains if we are stuck sitting "backwards" as that is the only thing that causes me to get motion sick.
  
• On the ship, we are in C228..a port side minisuite. How was the "ride" in the aft/port mini?
  
• What was your favorite thing about your land tour and your cruise and...
  
• what was the least faviorite thing about each?
  

 

We took the train to Whittier. It is a 9 hour trip. There were 4 of us traveling together, so we were placed at the same table. My mom cannot ride backwards, so our friends let us sit in the forward facing bench. If you are a party of 2 and sharing a table with others, just see if they will let you ride facing forward. If not, they open the downstairs dining part in some cars as a lounge, and you can go and sit downstairs. You can walk around the train, and order drinks and food uppstairs or go down to the dining car for a meal. It is a long ride, but very comfortable and a lot of fun.

 

The ride in the aft port mini was fine. We were in D716. It is very quiet in the back of the ship. It did vibrate a little because the trrusters were under our cabin, but it was not bad at all. There is some movement in the back of the ship, but it did not bother me. My mother wears a patch, and it did not bother her either.

 

Favorite thing about the land tour was getting to see all of the fabulous sites in Fairbanks and Denali. Least favorite thing....getting up at 5:00am.

 

Favorite part of the cruise....no favorite, loved it all!!! Least favorite part...leaving on the last day!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Mindi:D

[Jewel22]

We are taking the Coral southbound on July 23 after 4 days on land. I am wondering if the laundry rooms were open for the whole week. I am hoping to be able to wash some clothes that first sea day so that I can pack a little less. Thank you for your help.

 

Julie

[bandit and babycakes]

Thanks for answering my questions. You said you did see the pipeline on your Riverboat/Gold mine tour, was that a tour booked through Princess and part of the package? We have that tour but it didn't say anything about seeing the pipeline.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

I am doing the Coral Southbound this Saturday and what you have explained so far has helped.

 

As far as the muster drill- how does that work? The ship leaves late, we have Anytime Dining, what if we're in dinner???

 

Glad to know we don't have to bring formal attire. DH was concerned with bringing his suit rolled up (we are not paying for a 3rd bag on the place- sorry suit bag, not this trip).

 

As South Floridians we're concerned about temperature. How cold will it be?

 

Anything we must see on the ship?? We're new to Princess and very excited to experience a new line -although disappointed there is no Piazza.

[doublemm16]

We are taking the Coral southbound on July 23 after 4 days on land. I am wondering if the laundry rooms were open for the whole week. I am hoping to be able to wash some clothes that first sea day so that I can pack a little less. Thank you for your help.

 

Julie

 

Yes, the laundry rooms were open all week on the cruise. We also did laundry in Fairbanks and Denali....both lodges have laundry facilities.

[mr green]

I am doing the Coral Southbound this Saturday and what you have explained so far has helped.

 

Anything we must see on the ship?? We're new to Princess and very excited to experience a new line -although disappointed there is no Piazza.

 

A 'Must See' is a full musical review, if they have one, in the Universe Lounge.

You can get pizza on Lido Deck just behind Horizon Court.

 

john

[doublemm16]

Thanks for answering my questions. You said you did see the pipeline on your Riverboat/Gold mine tour, was that a tour booked through Princess and part of the package? We have that tour but it didn't say anything about seeing the pipeline.

 

Yes, these were tours that were part of a Princess package. Your driver will take you by the pipeline (see attached pictures).

 

 

[doublemm16]

I am doing the Coral Southbound this Saturday and what you have explained so far has helped.

 

As far as the muster drill- how does that work? The ship leaves late, we have Anytime Dining, what if we're in dinner???

 

Glad to know we don't have to bring formal attire. DH was concerned with bringing his suit rolled up (we are not paying for a 3rd bag on the place- sorry suit bag, not this trip).

 

As South Floridians we're concerned about temperature. How cold will it be?

 

Anything we must see on the ship?? We're new to Princess and very excited to experience a new line -although disappointed there is no Piazza.

 

The muster drill was at 7:00 pm. Embarkation Day has open seating for dinner. For that night only, late dinner was served at 8:00 pm to accomodate the drill. We took the train from Denali and did not arrive at the ship until around 6:00 pm. If you arrive earlier, you can go to buffet, etc. If not, they will have a later time for dinner.

 

The weather was fairly mild. It was in the 80s-90s in Fairbanks and Denali. 60s-70s everywhere else. I wore T-shirts and a zip up fleece jacket and was fine. The only exception was Glacier Bay for a short period of time. I needed another jacket on top. We had little to no rain in all of our ports (rained a little in Fairbanks and Skagway, but it was misty and passed over).

 

There are different musical acts in the promenade. A pianist, classical trio, etc. It is a nice place to sit and listen to music. There was a production show called "Dance" that was really good in the Princess Theater. That was the only production show we saw. We saw a comedian Noodles Levenstein...he was great! We caught part of the Adrien Zmed show in the Universe Lounge...in my opinion...horrible.

 

We hung out mostly in Crooners....the best servers....Cynthia and Rosemerie. They were so sweet and made a mean martini. There is a menu with over 53 kinds.

 

This was my third cruise on Princess and I have really come to love the line. I also enjoy Celebrity and I would not hesitate to sail either one.

 

Have a great cruise!!

Mindi:D

[jody]

We returned Wed from the Island Princess south bound. We had fantastic weather the entire time (drizzly in Ketchikan, but isn't it always?). My daughter wore shorts in Glacier Bay with a windbreaker and was fine. Other days, it was chilly on our balcony and I did wear my fleece/shell combo jacket on a few days out there and off the ship.

 

In Skagway, we rented a car and drove ourselves to Emerald Lake. We saw the White Pass Railway train arrive at the border and passed it as we headed northward. We saw a bear by the side of the road in British Columbia, before hitting the Yukon border. I know we missed a few of the 'train only views' but we saved a ton of money and were able to make tons of photos stops on our own. It was a good choice for us.

 

I saw very few people in jeans in the main dining room and we heard of a few people were turned away on formal night because they were not dressed properly (for various reasons). The laundry room on Caribe deck appeared open during the entire trip, although the vending machines (detergent) kept eating people's money, so bring your own soap to save some potential hassles.

 

Happy sailing everyone!

[remydiva]

I cannot remember exactly when we left Hubbard Glacier, but it was long before early seating. You basically sail up sit for a while, then the ship rotates, and then you leave. There was still a lot of ice in the water, so we were about 6 miles away from the face. It was still impressive!!! We were able to get closer to Marjarie Glacier in Glacier Bay.

 

We did the S/B cruise on the Island June 8-15 the week before you and only got within 8 miles of Hubbard so you got in 2 miles closer. When I did this cruise in Sept, 3 yrs ago, we got right up beside Hubbard...about as close as you can get up to Margarie Glacier.

 

You sure had warmer weather than we did...our high temps were 50F every day!

[jody]

Danielle (from NY),

I would suggest bringing a coat (a rain coat with a sweatshirt underneath if nothing else). I'm from Minnesota where it is really cold in the winter and I did use my winter jacket at times. A HUGE number of people were running around the ship and port in jackets that were obviously purchased onboard or in the shops in port. Luckily, the prices in port were pretty affordable. I'm pretty sure if you don't bring jackets, you'll end up buying one along the way and I can pretty much guarantee you'll see some rain sometime during your trip (soaking your sweatshirts). Look at photos people have posted of their trips and you'll see everyone in jackets (even us hardy midwest folks).

[TravlinMaChere]

We just returned from our Coral trip as well. Wonderful weather, but at many times, you will need layers and jacket, especially glacier days out on deck and days when you may have a colder excursion, like helicoptering to Mendenhall, which was FABULOUS! We had great food, great steward, great midship balcony room. We had 5:30 dining, and we had no trouble getting there on time. Never missed anything. One of our excursions made us late one night, so we did the other dining room that night. We loved the smaller music venues and even the classical Discovery Trio. Didn't see any of the big shows. We adored the naturalist Kathy Slamp. Her passionate, humorous, fast-paced, and informative talks about Alaska are not to be missed. So glad we did the land tour first, and ended with a sea day for relaxing. It was all just perfect. We were able to see The Mountain when we were at Mt. McKinley lodge. Yippee! Loved Fairbanks and Denali Lodges, too. Loved our whitewater raft trip on the Nenana. All lodges just wonderful. Next trip we will go to Kenai and Copper River. Just an unforgettable trip. :D

[GweninTX]

We are going on the Coral on August 20 - was wondering what classes were offered and if you attended any were the teachers good? I know they do pottery and I am not interested in that. Do they have photography? Also did they have the Pops Choir also/ Thanks in advance?