Alaska - Golden Princess or NCL Jewel

[toyotaford]

A group of friends has decided to cruise to Alaska this summer. We have narrowed it down to either Princess or NCL and could use some help.

 

Itinieraries are very close. Princess does Tracy Arm and NCL does Sawyer Glacier. The only major difference I see is in Victoria. Princess is there from 7 PM until midnight and NCL is there from 2:30 PM - 9:30 PM

 

Prices are very close

Inside - NCL $8 cheaper

Ocean View - NCL $349 cheaper

Balcony - Princess $351 cheaper

We will be booking pretty evenly between OV and Balcony

 

Deposit on NCL is $250 per cabin and Princess is $1280 but final payments are only 2 days apart.

 

The Golden Princess was built in 1993 and NCL Jewel in 2005. I traveled on the Jewel in May and it was a beautiful ship but when I went to Princess website to look at deck plans I had to choose before or after May 2013 so I assume it is going to be refurbed right before we would be going.

 

There is no roll call for the Princess cruise and the NCL roll call only has two members.

 

My husband and I have 20+ cruises under our belts and love the suite life on NCL but have traveled Princess twice and had great times. We will be staying in a standard balcony room on this trip regardless of line.

 

Most of our group will be first time cruisers and I want them to have a great experience.

 

Posting this on both forums.

 

Advice, please!!!!!!

[RickEk]

A group of friends has decided to cruise to Alaska this summer. We have narrowed it down to either Princess or NCL and could use some help.

 

Itinieraries are very close. Princess does Tracy Arm and NCL does Sawyer Glacier. The only major difference I see is in Victoria. Princess is there from 7 PM until midnight and NCL is there from 2:30 PM - 9:30 PM

 

Prices are very close

Inside - NCL $8 cheaper

Ocean View - NCL $349 cheaper

Balcony - Princess $351 cheaper

We will be booking pretty evenly between OV and Balcony

 

Deposit on NCL is $250 per cabin and Princess is $1280 but final payments are only 2 days apart.

 

The Golden Princess was built in 1993 and NCL Jewel in 2005. I traveled on the Jewel in May and it was a beautiful ship but when I went to Princess website to look at deck plans I had to choose before or after May 2013 so I assume it is going to be refurbed right before we would be going.

 

There is no roll call for the Princess cruise and the NCL roll call only has two members.

 

My husband and I have 20+ cruises under our belts and love the suite life on NCL but have traveled Princess twice and had great times. We will be staying in a standard balcony room on this trip regardless of line.

 

Most of our group will be first time cruisers and I want them to have a great experience.

 

Posting this on both forums.

 

Advice, please!!!!!!

 

We sailed on the Golden Princess last summer from Seattle on the same itinerary. FYI.... she was actually built in 2001. She was in fine shape last summer. We had a great cruise! The difference in the deck plans is due to the re-categorization of the cabins. Nothing is being done to her physically. We traveled with a couple of newbies to Princess and they both said that they had a great time.

[caribill]

Neither.

 

I would take the Star (also round trip Seattle) which goes to Glacier Bay National Park.

[Pam in CA]

I would ask my TA what discounts they offer for both cruises. I don't know about NCL but you can save 10-20% by booking a Princess cruise with a high-volume Princess booking agency over what you'd pay by booking directly with the cruiseline.

[lamchops]

I've been on the Golden Princess as well as her sister Grand. I've been on the NCL Pearl which is the sister to the Jewel as well as the Star.

 

My favorite is the Pearl which happens to go to Glacier Bay out of Seattle and Glacier Bay is an Alaskian cruise highlite.

 

I like NCL because:

prefer freestyle dining

friendlier staff

onboard amenities

better entertainment

better "free" coffee

 

I like Princess because:

Movie under the stars

larger cabin layout

best shipboard pizzas

[toyotaford]

Neither.

 

I would take the Star (also round trip Seattle) which goes to Glacier Bay National Park.

The dates for the Star do not work for us. I have been to Glacier Bay National Park and it was amazing. This will be our 7th cruise to Alaska but no one else in the group has been.

[sherryf]

Itinieraries are very close. Princess does Tracy Arm and NCL does Sawyer Glacier.

 

These are the same. Sawyer Glacier is IN Tracy Arm.

 

My preference is for Princess, as you can tell from my sig... :D

[toyotaford]

Thanks for all the input. We decided on Princess based solely on the great airfare promotion they are having right now. All the other factors were so close it was hard to make a decision based on anything else. A little curious about what Victoria will be like at night. I have only been there in the mornings and afternoons. Anyone visited there on a 7:30 to midnight stop?

[caribill]

Thanks for all the input. We decided on Princess based solely on the great airfare promotion they are having right now.

 

The Princess marketing people will be happy to know that the airfare promotion works!

 

Have a great cruise.