Details of the tour part of a Princess Alaska cruisetour

[Worldtraveler 4727]

We did a connoisseur tour in 2015 and have another one booked for next May. In 2015 there was a transfer from the airport to the hotel. We didn't fly out right away afterward so declined that transfer at the time of final payment and the fee was refunded.

 

The connoisseur tour for next May clearly shows a transfer to the airport as the last entry on our booking confirmation:Transfer: Ship To Airport

 

The difference between our land tours and those who are saying there was no transfer may be that the ones we booked were both connoisseur cruise tours - which is what caribill was originally posting about.. Those cruse tours definitely do include transfers.

 

Ours was the 15 day Connoisseur Tour (the longest and most expensive) last June 2018. Transfer from ship to airport was NOT included, which is why we disembarked ourselves and took a taxi.

[Thrak]

Ours was the 15 day Connoisseur Tour (the longest and most expensive) last June 2018. Transfer from ship to airport was NOT included, which is why we disembarked ourselves and took a taxi.

 

Weird. We had transfers with the 13 day in 2015 and they are definitely included with our upcoming 15 day. We're doing the one that goes to Denali Lodge (I think they all do) as well as Copper River Lodge and Kenai Lodge. We wanted to hit those last two lodges as we've never stayed there. (Although we did visit Copper River Lodge for lunch and Irish Coffee on a rainy day last year during a 7 week camping trip.) It seems that, like most things with Princess, they are not consistent regarding the transfers.

[caribill]

Caribill I have another question....I looked through the post and don't believe I saw you mention this....did the tour also include transportation to the airport at the end of the cruise or did you have to purchase that transfer separate? I know when we have booked the princess hotel pre-cruise it comes with transfer from airport to princess hotel and then after cruise to the airport...

 

 

Transportation to the airport at the end of the cruise was not included but was available, as on all Princess cruises, as an option to purchase.

 

At the start of the cruisetour transportation to the hotel was not included also, but was available for an extra fee. However, as I think I mentioned, the lodge offered free transportation whether or not you had purchased this extra from Princess.

[cruzrbachoua]

Transportation to the airport at the end of the cruise was not included but was available, as on all Princess cruises, as an option to purchase.

 

At the start of the cruisetour transportation to the hotel was not included also, but was available for an extra fee. However, as I think I mentioned, the lodge offered free transportation whether or not you had purchased this extra from Princess.

 

Thanks...we will be starting our stay in Anchorage and then moving to 2 nights in the McKinley Lodge then 2 nights in the Denali lodge.

[Kellie in Texas]

Photos again ... this is an old thread but I see @caribill is still here answering questions -- thank you! -- so I have to ask about the photos not showing up. I know somebody asked about that 2-3 years ago (LOL) and the photos returned, but I'm not able to see them now.

 

Looking at Alaska in 2020.

[caribill]

Photos again ... this is an old thread but I see @caribill is still here answering questions -- thank you! -- so I have to ask about the photos not showing up. I know somebody asked about that 2-3 years ago (LOL) and the photos returned, but I'm not able to see them now.

 

Looking at Alaska in 2020.

 

When they first disappeared, it was because Photobucket wanted $$$ to allow them to be displayed. At that time the space for the photo showed, but with a panel that said not available.

 

When I looked yesterday the photos were there, but, after reading your post I find they are not showing up now, just a few blank lines where each photo should be. I suspect either a problem accessing Photobucket or another Photobucket attempt to get more $$$.

[leck57]

I have a couple of questions about an Alaskan tour (around July next year) and if people can help that would be great.

We are looking at a Princess Connoisseur Tour and our friends reckon it is better to do the land tour first. That aside, the tour will start in Fairbanks so I have to look at getting to the start point. From Oz we would generally fly to Vancouver, LA, or San Fran and change planes at one of those ports. Any ideas re the best way to get to Fairbanks from one of those. An option is go to Anchorage first as the tour doesn't seem to spend much time there but is there much to see in Anchorage or should we just go straight to Fairbanks. At the conclusion of the tour we intend to spend time in and around Vancouver for a few days, and for us it's easy to fly home from there.

My other question is the cabin location. I notice just about all of the balcony cabins on the port side for the south bound cruise are taken and I understand why. My question is if we have to book a cabin on the other side is that a deal breaker for people. There are plenty of cabins available on starboard. We are active and would go to the open deck areas if needed. Obviously there are solid reasons why people take the port cabins on the southbound cruise but would we be disappointed if we cannot get one?

Thanks in advance for your views.

[caribill]

 

When I looked yesterday the photos were there, but, after reading your post I find they are not showing up now, just a few blank lines where each photo should be. I suspect either a problem accessing Photobucket or another Photobucket attempt to get more $$$.

 

An Internet search showed that Photobucket had been down world-wide. But when I checked last night, it was back up and the photos in this thread were back.

[caribill]

Obviously there are solid reasons why people take the port cabins on the southbound cruise but would we be disappointed if we cannot get one?

Thanks in advance for your views.

 

On our cruise we had a starboard balcony cabin. We were certainly not disappointed.

[clementine01]

This was great!  It's 7 years later but much of the info is timeless (how long does it take to get from point "A" to point "B"?)

Wish there was more info like this available.

 

[MGnut]

Caribill, I had read this review several years ago, and it's a great review. We have signed on for the same 6-day connoisseur followed by a southbound cruise to Vancouver for September of this year (2020). The last time I checked - a couple of months ago - none of your pictures showed up other than as blurred copies. Today I checked again and all the great photos are back. I don't know what you did to get them back, but thanks.

 

Thanks again for the the wonderful review.

 

[caribill]

On 2/6/2020 at 6:38 PM, MGnut said:

Caribill, I had read this review several years ago, and it's a great review. We have signed on for the same 6-day connoisseur followed by a southbound cruise to Vancouver for September of this year (2020). The last time I checked - a couple of months ago - none of your pictures showed up other than as blurred copies. Today I checked again and all the great photos are back. I don't know what you did to get them back, but thanks.

 

Thanks again for the the wonderful review.

 

 

Every month on the last day I get a message from Photobucket saying the amount of allowed free access has been exceeded. That is when the blurring occurs. A few days later, the counter resets and the photos are sharp again.