Star Princess to Alaska Report

[Sue_n_Allan]

Perhaps this has been covered. If so, I apologize but it’s worthwhile knowing the situation isn’t changed. Of course, our opinions are singular, other travelers may have had different experiences.

 

We recently cruised to Alaska on the Star Princess. Our cruising and port visits went well and we are entirely pleased with the Star. We had a well appointed full suite, and were cared for quite well. The food and restaurants were good, some meals were exemplary. Wines can be upgraded but there are choices at good value. This large ship with over 2,000 passenger didn’t feel that full, and we were happy with the cruise from Vancouver to Whittier/Anchorage.

 

Then we joined the land portion. It was a disaster. We do not recommend the land extension.

 

There are two long and one short bus rides. The first is from Whittier port to the McKinley Princess Lodge. It takes at least three hours. Once at McKinley, there is little to do. There dining facilities of various costs which are acceptable. There is nothing to see on this bus trip.

 

Our second day started with a one hour bus ride from the Lodge to Talkeetna where we boarded the Alaska Railroad for a four hour trip to Denali. The cars are adequate but not very comfortable. The food is decidedly substandard and somewhat pricy. Unfortunately we were trapped on a car with some India subcontinent foreigners. I have nothing basically against their culture but this group was very loud and obnoxious, inconsiderate of all the other passengers, and they made our trip discouragingly unpleasant. I suppose if we had another travel option this might not have been quite so bad but we were trapped and dissatisfied. The point here is that Princess did not have alternatives, and we ended up unhappy. Now I should admit that a different group of considerate travelers might have made this trip bearable and pleasing but our travel was disrupted and unacceptable.

 

(It should also be noted that we are veterans of long bus tours in Egypt and Germany/Austria. A Viking tour, after serious European floods, forced us into busses, and we understood and accepted that situation. Princess Alaskan buses are uncomfortable and unaccommodating.)

 

Denali National Park is a worthwhile visit but we did not have enough time inside the Park. We took a short hike the next morning. Another couple said their five hour Nature Tour was on the equivalent of a school bus, and they saw nothing. Our exposure to Park wildlife was a one minute siting of a moose cow and her calf grazing along the road. We might as well have been in any other city or state park in America.

 

The last bus was a four hour trip from Denali to Fairbanks. The driver was chatty to the point of tedium. If someone disagreed with his politics or positions, there was no escape or way to ignore him. I wanted to read but this was impossible. The trip itself was boring and tiring. Smoke from forest fires made our views unpleasant. There was a bathroom stop at a rundown tourist facility to accommodate five busses. The Bear Lodge in Fairbanks was comfortable and pleasant but by then we were unfit for discussion and had lost our patience.

 

You might want to take this Princess land extension if you like undeveloped wilderness, evergreen trees, poorly built shacks, broken cars on cinderblocks, miles of double lane highways and mountains in the distance. We found it all uncomfortable, cramped and disheartening after a lovely Princess cruise on calm seas with excellent food and accommodations.

[caribill]

Sorry you had such a poor land experience.

 

Our experience was the exact opposite (see our report at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1727858 ) including lots of wildlife in Denali National Park. As the report pictures show, the bus may look like a school bus on the outside, but it is definitely not one on the inside.

 

I do not know the details of your tour, but ours had two nights each at Fairbanks, Denali, and near Talkeetna. Having that amount of time at each lodge made all the difference in having the time and options for great sightseeing.

[DentoAlaska]

Sorry for your bad experience.

 

I read multiple reviews (so many I have lost track) and have never read such negative comments as yours.

 

I can only hope that our land tour in 11 days is an experience that has been reported in other reviews. ;)

[Potstech]

Sounds like you are upset over things Princess had no control over. From fires to the nationality of your fellow passengers. The shortness of each stop was a decision you made when you decided to take this trip. A little research of the land portion would have given you all the information on the bus ride, the price of food and what you could or could not do during your short stay at each lodge. Sorry but the fault lies mostly with you.

[srpilo]

Sounds like you are upset over things Princess had no control over. From fires to the nationality of your fellow passengers. The shortness of each stop was a decision you made when you decided to take this trip. A little research of the land portion would have given you all the information on the bus ride, the price of food and what you could or could not do during your short stay at each lodge. Sorry but the fault lies mostly with you.

 

+1

 

Srpilo

[msmoger]

Sounds like you are upset over things Princess had no control over. From fires to the nationality of your fellow passengers. The shortness of each stop was a decision you made when you decided to take this trip. A little research of the land portion would have given you all the information on the bus ride, the price of food and what you could or could not do during your short stay at each lodge. Sorry but the fault lies mostly with you.

 

+2 :rolleyes:

[reedprincess]

sounds like you are upset over things princess had no control over. From fires to the nationality of your fellow passengers. The shortness of each stop was a decision you made when you decided to take this trip. A little research of the land portion would have given you all the information on the bus ride, the price of food and what you could or could not do during your short stay at each lodge. Sorry but the fault lies mostly with you.

 

+3 :)

[Sue_n_Allan]

I ordinarily do not reply to disparagement. However, Potstech overlooks several points; that cursory reading makes us appear cavalier and supercilious.

 

We are not professional travelers. However, six completed cruises helps us discern competence and value. We believe CC’s Forum should provide negative and positive reviews, allowing readers to make decisions by seeing both sides. It is likely our very comfortable cruise in a Star Princess full suite did not exactly prepare us for compromised circumstances. However, objectively reported conditions allow any reader to judge their acceptability.

 

I spent time reviewing cruise company-specific reports, and we carefully read all Princess’ promotional material. We took our cruise with a complete background. We were fully aware of our hotel and dining opportunities, and we do not fault Princess. They were comfortable and hospitable. Potstech’s assumption that we did not anticipate our land extension is incorrect and misleading.

 

Princess did not offer other post-cruise itineraries. Virtually every supplemental, extra post-cruise extra event and booked early and full, which was actually a good thing for us, considering our restricted available time.

 

I think it unlikely Potstech or any guest would find being trapped on an uncomfortable railroad car beside eight drunk, loud partygoers a pleasant experience. This is regardless of nationality or ethnicity. Perhaps we should have complained to the scarcely available attendants if we could have found them, but chose not to be inhospitable Americans. We ignored them. My point is, Alaska Railroad agents failed to control these obnoxious, rowdy people. Princess, the tour sponsor, seller and profit maker, bears some responsibility for offering substandard transportation, however slight. Future potential customers have a right to know these situations exist. Yes, it was unanticipated; no, it was not responsible management and customer care.

 

We envy other travelers who saw Alaskan wildlife. That experience did not happen on our post-cruise experience for various reasons. My point is, this kind of lost opportunity can and will occur.

 

Although Potstech may believe otherwise, we did not post to vilify Princess Cruise Line. Except for our post-cruise excusrion, our experience was generally grand. We kept my post brief to document our disappointments. It appears Caribill and DentoAlaska enjoyed their post-excursion tours, and we are glad to know other tourists had good times.

 

This is our last comment on this issue.

[Working 2 Cruise]

First of all, your post can and will be construed as a racist rant... Had you just said you had some drunken people in your car, you might have gotten a modicum of sympathy... Alas, you took the low road on more than one issue, I.e., the tour guide...

 

Second, an Alaska land tour isn't about luxury. It's about Alaska. Could the busses be more comfortable? Maybe. I haven't heard anyone complain about them before. It seems that you did fail to do research, asking questions here, etc.

 

Third, in the overall scheme of things, six cruises isn't much at all, nor does sailing in a suite lends you any kind of status here ... no one cares about anyone sailing in an inside or a cabin.

 

Your post really came very close to offensive and that's why you're getting the responses you're getting.

[shredie]

Using the word "foreigners" didn't help, no. But why are you back here nearly three months later after this thread was long forgotten? You had a bad time. We're sorry. Let's get on with life.