11-day Alaska from SF on Star Princess

[pjo]

I have read all the previous posts, but I never saw what I was looking for addressed. Here is my question: On this cruise out of SF can you actually lay by the pool and relax and get some sun. Or are we talking about cool/cold weather and pool time is just wishful thinking. I am used to taking Caribbean/Mexico cruises and enjoying the tropical weather. I particularly enjoy sea days just relaxing by the pool. Is this possible on this cruise at least for a few days? Or should I just look for a different itinerary.

 

Paul

[trbarton]

I have read all the previous posts, but I never saw what I was looking for addressed. Here is my question: On this cruise out of SF can you actually lay by the pool and relax and get some sun. Or are we talking about cool/cold weather and pool time is just wishful thinking. I am used to taking Caribbean/Mexico cruises and enjoying the tropical weather. I particularly enjoy sea days just relaxing by the pool. Is this possible on this cruise at least for a few days? Or should I just look for a different itinerary.

 

Paul

 

Paul:

 

From my experience an Alaska Cruise is not one to lay and relax by the pool as it can be cool weather. The views that you will have in Alaska will make up for any lack of any days by the pool. I'm not saying that their won't be any sun just don't plan on real warm days especially in May.

 

Tom:)

[24639]

I have read all the previous posts, but I never saw what I was looking for addressed. Here is my question: On this cruise out of SF can you actually lay by the pool and relax and get some sun. Or are we talking about cool/cold weather and pool time is just wishful thinking. I am used to taking Caribbean/Mexico cruises and enjoying the tropical weather. I particularly enjoy sea days just relaxing by the pool. Is this possible on this cruise at least for a few days? Or should I just look for a different itinerary.

 

Paul

 

This is not a lay by the pool, soaking up the sun kinda cruise. If you hang out in the conservatory pool you will be warm enough because it is enclosed, but if you lay by the outdoor pools you better bundle up. YMMV, but this is from my personal experience doing the same itinerary more than once and in different months.

[Kamloops50]

I have read all the previous posts, but I never saw what I was looking for addressed. Here is my question: On this cruise out of SF can you actually lay by the pool and relax and get some sun. Or are we talking about cool/cold weather and pool time is just wishful thinking. I am used to taking Caribbean/Mexico cruises and enjoying the tropical weather. I particularly enjoy sea days just relaxing by the pool. Is this possible on this cruise at least for a few days? Or should I just look for a different itinerary.

 

Paul

 

Pool and sun time is wishful thinking .

[SKAGGS1234]

When would be the best month or time to take this cruise, weather wise?

[Kamloops50]

When would be the best month or time to take this cruise, weather wise?

 

Mid June to Mid August.

[morriscats]

We did the 10 day in Sept on Grand and it was perfect. The one before ours had rough seas and we were prepared for it but smooth sailing and sunshine the whole trip. I wish Grand was staying - fell in love with the window suite.

[pusywillow]

I'll be on this cruise in June. I'm flying out from the East Coast to see my niece get her PhD from Stanford so we decided why not combine it with a cruise beforehand.

[infrontofthetaj]

ANYONE KNOW IF S.F. NEW CRUISE TERMINAL, PIER 17 I THINK, IS UP AND RUNNING?

IT IS IN DEVELOPMENT USED IN AMERICA,S CUP ACTIVITIES....

infrontofthetaj

[donaldsc]

I do not personally see the point of sea days from San Francisco to the real starting point of your cruise. I would rather spend my time in Alaska. However, there are folks who like sea days.

 

DON

[bdjam]

Just a few comments:

I've done the 10 day itinerary from SF a number of times (and the itinerary varies, so be sure to review them - the last one I did had Haines and Sitka instead of Skagway and Juneau and Glacier Bay instead of Tracy Arm). The northern sailing can be very rough, but I've only had one sailing that was bad. And I've had worse rides during storms between Alaskan ports.

Regarding sailing 11 days at slower speeds vs. 10 days in order to save fuel. While a slower speed would save fuel, wouldn't the bottom line cost be offset by the extra day?

Princess doesn't dedicate it's older ship to the itinerary that are about to be sold off. Sky Princess did the route for many years before they got rid of the ship. Sun, Sea and Dawn Princess all did the route and are still sailing for Princess as is Grand Princess which did it last year. Pacific Princess 2 was assigned the itinerary one year and she's still sailing. I think it's more of a matter of passenger interest vs. capacity that is a factor of which ship sails the itinerary.

The seven day sailings from Seattle - and the sailings from Vancouver for that matter - all have the same passport requirements.

The new pier in San Francisco is Pier 27 and reportedly won't be ready for cruise ship passengers until later in 2014.

[nukester]

we did it 2 yrs ago and it was super.. love being on the sea and there is lots to do....enjoy you go around once

[nukester]

hiw are the mini suites on princess. have only had balcnies....is it worth it

[trbarton]

ANYONE KNOW IF S.F. NEW CRUISE TERMINAL, PIER 17 I THINK, IS UP AND RUNNING?

IT IS IN DEVELOPMENT USED IN AMERICA,S CUP ACTIVITIES....

infrontofthetaj

 

The new cruise terminal is not in operation and is being remodeled from the American Cup Races to be used as a new cruise terminal. It's due to be ready next year, 2014. The port schedule for 2014 shows:

 

James R. Herman Cruise Terminal Project at Pier 27

 

Phase 2 Construction, November 2013 - Spring 2014

 

Cruise Terminal Operational, Fall 2014

 

Tom:)

[Nancyquilts]

hiw are the mini suites on princess. have only had balcnies....is it worth it

The mini-suite has a sofa as well as a comfortable chair. The balconies have one comfortable chair and the desk chair (which isn't). If they had the old comfortable balcony furniture I'd go back to Caribe deck - they had 4 chairs and a table there, and we'd bring one chair into the cabin so we'd each have a place to sit.

You also have a bathtub and two television sets.:eek:

[elliair]

We plan to cruise out of San Francisco to Alaska in July or August. We went last year but out of Seattle on Carnival. We just got back from a 15 day to Hawaii on the Grand Princess, so we plan to stay with Princess. We parked our car at the Best Western El Rancho in Millbrae for free. Of course we spent the previous night there. We were shuttled to SF airport then caught a Super Shuttle to the ship. It was all very easy. I think we paid $63 for 2 round trip. We were picked up at Pier 35 after debarkation by Super Shuttle and back to the airport where the hotel shuttle picked us up and took us to our car. We were on the road by 10:30 going home.

[Hazelnut1106]

When would be the best month or time to take this cruise, weather wise?

 

We have cruised twice to Alaska. First time was RT Vancouver in early July and the second time was RT Seattle in mid-August. Both cruises were cool with little to no sun. Leaving out of San Francisco in early May this time and will certainly pack warm layers! Just my experience ... Had a friend who once told me that on his Alaskan cruise they had warm weather with broken air conditioning on the ship so he wasn't too happy with the warmer weather!

[pjo]

Pool and sun time is wishful thinking .

I appreciate all the honest responses. The answers I got are exactly what I expected. Thank you. I need to find the ship heading south from SF and not north.

 

Paul

[Cruise Raider]

Not that one can predict sea conditions, but I'm unsurprised to see the comment of it being rough for the first two days or so. Very much out there in the open Pacific.

 

My experience on the 9-day from NY was similar. Open Atlantic on the way to Bermuda, with it calming down in the more sheltered Caribbean (relatively...I know it can get nasty there, too)

 

 

We sail this itinerary often, if not all the way up to Alaska, then up to Vancouver. Only one time in almost a dozen cruises out of SF, was it not rocking and rolling the whole way up to Canada. Going north in the Pacific, especially when leaving SF north, it is particularly rough. There is a story about how this area of waters got its name 'the potato patch'. Something about a barge loaded with potatoes after leaving the bay area -- and when it hit this patch of water, there were potatoes bobbing all over the place along the coast.

 

PS -- yes, previous cruises we've been on out of SF have been filled with northern Californians -- I always run into somebody I know from the land on these cruises.

[clamcamp]

Just booked the May 23rd sailing. I am very excited yet all these comments about rough seas has me very concerned. Being from Florida all my previous cruises have been in the Caribbean and seas are usually not too bad. Also, I have never sailed on a Princess cruise but heard that it was great in Alaska. I was looking for a ship that was NOT a "party" ship but at the same time was not completely dead. Do you think I made the right choice? :confused:

[pris993]

We did a 10 day out of San Francisco a few years back in early September. September is the nicest time of the year in northern california. We did not have any signficant sea action going, only coming back after we left Alaska, there was a storm heading north, we had to go thru going south, not really that bad, we were on a small ship the Pacific Princess about 50,000 tons.. We had 2 days of high seas.

 

I am a native San Franciscian, so do believe San Fancisco is wonder city to visit and leave from on a cruise. Vancouver is also a great city and we loved Victoria, would vote for more time in Victoria than less.

 

Did a Transpacific cruise from Hawaii to Vancouver in the spring as well ... did not see much sea action on that trip either.

 

So who knows how rough it will be.

 

Hope you have a great trip.

[Kamloops50]

Is this a new itinerary for 2014, or has it been done before?

 

If it was done before on a different ship, I'd be interested in opinions from anyone who has sailed it. Failing that, I'm interested to know if anyone is taking it or thinking about it.

 

I'm just wondering if the extra time is worth it, since it's pretty much a few extra sea days. I know that's probably a matter of opinion, but I'm interested to hear them. The alternative for us would be a couple of extra days in Vancouver or Seattle following a 7-day.

 

They increased to 11 days from 10 days. They changed the Grand with the Star.

 

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Forums mobile app

[!David!]

Tom,

Did you book the 5/23/14 cruise? If so join us on the roll call.

 

Sally

 

Hi Sally. How many cruises do you have booked.???

[sfo2008]

We took the 10-day from San Francisco a few years ago on Sea Princess. We actually drove from LA and spent a day in SF before the cruise. It was a great cruise (a bit rough the first day or so)... much better than the 7-day that we took last year from Seattle (not to say that wasn't fun either... we just love the extra time at sea).

 

Apparently the only change between the 10-day and 11-day is an extra day at sea... we're looking into doing it again next year!

 

 

Ditto we did at a 10 day on the Sea Princess in 2012 and had a blast. My sense is they get to go a bit slower and save on fuel and/or give a bit more time in Victoria or some such.