Princess Alaska Expert Cruisers

[Msail]

Let me approach things differently here. In looking at the ship amenities on your last five cruises (Oasis and Freedom) I think you could be bored silly on the Coral and the Island. Of the three options you gave, the Star would be my recommendation simply because it has more public areas for you to enjoy. Yes, the scenery is the main attraction in Alaska, but I am thinking about what sorts of activities you are accustomed to onboard. Having been on those two ships for your last five RCL cruises, tell us what you like about the atmosphere onboard those two ships and why you have returned to them multiple times. It could make a huge difference in meeting your expectations.

 

Is there a reason you really want the Princess cruisetour? Royal offers very similar cruisetours, and given your affinity for Royal you could either book their cruisetour or a DIY land tour before/after a cruise on the Radiance OTS.

 

Yes, Princess is the big player in that market, but your line of preference is in the game. Why are you not considering them? The answer could be very helpful in making recommendations for you. :)

For Alaska Princess and Holland America are the only two choices and are the only two that can Cruise to Glacier National Park when it comes to Alaska no one else compares.

 

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[Skai]

Alaska Princess and Holland America are the only two that can Cruise to Glacier National Park.

 

(For the sake of accurate information being provided on this site)

 

The above statement is incorrect.

 

In addition to Princess and Holland America possessing concession authorization contracts through the 2019 sailing season -- Carnival(Legend&Miracle), NCL(Sun&Pearl), Crystal(Symphony&Serenity) also offer itineraries that include Glacier Bay.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Let me approach things differently here. In looking at the ship amenities on your last five cruises (Oasis and Freedom) I think you could be bored silly on the Coral and the Island. Of the three options you gave, the Star would be my recommendation simply because it has more public areas for you to enjoy. Yes, the scenery is the main attraction in Alaska, but I am thinking about what sorts of activities you are accustomed to onboard. Having been on those two ships for your last five RCL cruises, tell us what you like about the atmosphere onboard those two ships and why you have returned to them multiple times. It could make a huge difference in meeting your expectations.

 

Is there a reason you really want the Princess cruisetour? Royal offers very similar cruisetours, and given your affinity for Royal you could either book their cruisetour or a DIY land tour before/after a cruise on the Radiance OTS.

 

Yes, Princess is the big player in that market, but your line of preference is in the game. Why are you not considering them? The answer could be very helpful in making recommendations for you. :)

We are also RCI cruisers primarily, but are looking into Princess for 2018 primarily for Glacier Bay. I am going to be comparing Princess and NCL for prices and port times wen itineraries are released.

 

On RCI our favorite ships for port intensive itineraries are the Radiance Class. We like the Oasis Class when the ship is the primary destination. The new Harmony was perfect for a Transatlantic cruise with 10 out of 13 days at sea. But, for Alaska I think I will look primarily at the Coral on Princess. From what I am reading that looks to be the perfect one for us. Thank you all for the input.:)

[AtlFolks]

Another question Alaska experts.

 

The TWT is an 8 hour bus ride - is that all day on the bus or with many stops along the way?

 

The NHT is 6 hours - same thing?

 

Princess has a lot of other tours and activities available - any recommendations?

 

We will be at the Denali Lodge a day and a half and maybe the Talkeetna Lodge another day.

 

Thanks CC pals!

 

 

 

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[thinfool]

Another question Alaska experts.

 

The TWT is an 8 hour bus ride - is that all day on the bus or with many stops along the way?

There are frequent stops for photography and rest rooms. The drivers also narrate the trip with facts and anecdotes that keep things interesting.

The NHT is 6 hours - same thing?

IMO, the NHT is the biggest travesty that Princess sells its customers. You ride a little, walk a lot, listen to ranger lectures and likely see little to no wildlife. No bears, moose, caribou, wolves, etc. that are far more likely to be seen on the TWT. Again, IMO, 6 hours for the NHT is a stretch.

Umm...wait...you would see wildlife...stuffed examples are on display in the Wilderness Access Center.

 

Princess has a lot of other tours and activities available - any recommendations?

 

We will be at the Denali Lodge a day and a half and maybe the Talkeetna Lodge another day.

 

Thanks CC pals!

 

 

 

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Edited November 30, 2016 by thinfool

[AtlFolks]

The TWT slot we were assigned is 2pm. All of the morning slots were taken. Since nighttime in Alaska is really daytime, does tour time really matter? I'm thinking we will have time in the AM to explore the general area around the lodge and have a relaxing breakfast?

 

 

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[ggprincess2004]

Absolutely wonderful info and recommendations! Based on all of your comments we have selected the 11-day Cruisetour, with two days in Denali.

 

Any must-do on board experiences, or Alaska tours you've loved?

 

Also, best to fly in to Vancouver, or fly to Seattle and drive?

 

This is getting exciting!

 

 

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There are a number of Alaska tours we have loved, absolutely loved. First rule, get out of town. We loved the flight seeing and salmon grill at the Taku glacier done out of Juneau. It was amazing, flying over the huge Mendenhall Icefield, and landing and taking off by the Taku glacier, not to mention the wonderful meal we enjoyed, and the bears that showed up on que. We also recommend the flightseeing and dungerness crab feast at George Inlet out of Ketchikan. The Dungeness crab is a must, no matter how you wind up eating it, there are several tour options that take you there. From Skagway, there are a number of options - some of the wilderness tours that start out of Haines we very much loved, we haven't the Whitepass railway, but have done excursions into the Yukon that were a lot of fun with great scenery. I am only mentioning our highlights out of the numerous experiences we have been blessed to enjoy. There are plenty of other delightful options.

 

As far as getting to Vancouver, time after time, we have flown into SeaTac the day/evening before, and used the Princess transfer to get to the pier in Vancouver. It departs from the baggage claim area at SeaTac, and using the complimentary hotel shuttles to get there in the morning is easy. Check in there by about 8ish. Why? Well, I price the flights, the hotels.....etc., for both SeaTac and Vancouver and SeaTac has always been the more economical option. When we go, just the two of us, it doesn't make that much difference, but when we are footing the bill for 8 people it really adds up. You can add the pre-cruise transfer from SeaTac to Vancouver easily to your reservation.

 

On board, well we love the Liar's Club game that is played once on a cruise.

 

I have to add that we are Coral Princess fans. Avoid the Island at all costs due to the additional cabins and loss of public spaces.

 

Enjoy your cruise. :D

[jagsfan]

I agree that Princess and HAL offer the best Alaska cruises. We alternate between Princess and RCI, so no bias against them.

I also agree two nights in Denali. You'll be glad.

The float plane to Taku Lodge and the grilled salmon is marvelous...only time in my life I had seconds on salmon.

I've done the White Pass Railroad in Skagway twice and would do it again. The whole Gold Rush history is fascinating

I hope you're doing a balcony. A drink before dinner, coffee in the morning, perfect place to be, even if you're wrapped up.

You'll want to be up on deck a lot of the time, but we found ourselves getting dressed while staring out the expanse of glass you get with a balcony. You don't want to miss anything on an Alaska cruise. Memories for a lifetime!

 

 

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[msbhaven1974]

Hi - we are on the Coral Princess to Alaska at the end of May and taking the Connisseur cruisetour to Denali - we are starting first with the cruise in Vancouver and then when we arrive in Whittier we have 5 days on land - so here are my questions -

 

1. We are confused on the luggage restrictions for the land portion - am I correct that we can have a small duffel bag (the Meet Me There luggage) that goes separately to the lodge and we can keep a backpack with us on the train from Whittier to Denali and meet up with the duffel bag?

 

2. On the Tundra Wilderness tour I understand that a school bus is used - is this a real school bus or is it a school bus type of vehicle with more comfortable seats. And do we ever get off this bus besides our bathroom breaks - it sounds like the tour is 7-8 hrs and that is a long time to just be sitting.

 

Thanks for your help

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree, the Taku Lodge float plane in Juneau was the best. :)

[caribill]

Hi - we are on the Coral Princess to Alaska at the end of May and taking the Connisseur cruisetour to Denali - we are starting first with the cruise in Vancouver and then when we arrive in Whittier we have 5 days on land - so here are my questions -

 

1. We are confused on the luggage restrictions for the land portion - am I correct that we can have a small duffel bag (the Meet Me There luggage) that goes separately to the lodge and we can keep a backpack with us on the train from Whittier to Denali and meet up with the duffel bag?

 

2. On the Tundra Wilderness tour I understand that a school bus is used - is this a real school bus or is it a school bus type of vehicle with more comfortable seats. And do we ever get off this bus besides our bathroom breaks - it sounds like the tour is 7-8 hrs and that is a long time to just be sitting.

 

Thanks for your help

My report on the Connoisseur tour we had should answer your questions.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1727858

[TW6cruiser]

TO MSBHAVEN:

 

Yes the TWT is on a big school bus. That is what the park service uses, you don't have a choice. It is not the most comfortable but you are in the park to see the nature and the animals. It was cold and rainy but we still had a fantastic day. We saw a ton of animals from the bus and the bus stopped frequently for animal sightings and for breaks also.

 

luggage: you can have more than a duffle as your "meet me tonight" luggage. You can have a regular size suitcase that goes with you from lodge to lodge. It is only recommended you take a small bag actually as a carry on while on the buses and trains. We went two years ago so I don't know what changed but we ended up finding a cruise tour guide on the princess site and it had all the detail.

 

At the Kenai Lodge we did an optional river float that was wonderful. On our extra 1/2 day at Denali we took a shuttle from the lodge to the park and saw the visitor center and walked on a few trails (which we liked as on the day of the TWT you don't have time to hike in the park). In Ketchikan we took a sea plane to Neets Bay and saw black bears. In Juneau, many do whale watching which we did and enjoyed.

[caribill]

TO MSBHAVEN:

 

Yes the TWT is on a big school bus. That is what the park service uses, you don't have a choice. It is not the most comfortable...

 

The bus we had was quite comfortable. I have never seen the inside of a school bus that looked like this

 

[Aus Traveller]

The bus we had was quite comfortable. I have never seen the inside of a school bus that looked like this

 

Wow! That looks great. We had a school bus, but it was a few years ago. The bus was not at all comfortable, but we still had a great day.

[fishfire]

The Coral is my favorite ship. I love the library and the game room. I've done 3 inland passage cruise tours and one round trip from Seattle. My favorite excursion of all my trips was when I stayed at The Kenai Lodge. It was out of Soldoltna. I took a floatplane to a lake and then fished for Salmon, while watching the bears fish where the creek enter the lake. On the flight back they flew low over glaciers. A number of groups do this tour and the bass boats take turns being closest to shore.

 

I agree with everyone who says 2 nights in Denali. The Natural History Tour will only show the wildlife you can see at your local city park (birds and rabbits). In my experience time moves differently in Alaska. Because of the constant daylight and the wonderful scenery the long tour doesn't feel as long. I hate being on busses, but I could have stayed on twice as long. My favorite Princess Lodge is the one outside of Talkeetna. The state park ranger will lead free nature walks. I also did a horseback riding excursion there. My favorite activity though was going into Talkeetna and hanging out with the locals. Such friendly people who love sharing with Tourists.

 

 

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[AtlFolks]

Okay guys - now the best part, excursions!

 

What was your favorite excursion in: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Princess Wilderness, and Mt. McKinley. Anything to avoid?

 

Thanks, and as always, happy cruising!

 

 

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[AF-1]

Altfolks,, if you jump over to the Alaska board; there are a bunch of people chatting about excursions and which ones they recommend

[Pierlesscruisers]

Greetings -

 

We are planning our first Alaska cruise for Aug 2017. We are loyal Royals, but selecting Princess to give us the Alaska experience.

 

Is there any real difference in the ship we select for the cruise portion (Coral, Island, or Star)?

 

Should we stay two nights at the Denali Lodge or will one suffice for the experience?

 

Any other tips are welcome.

 

Thank You!

 

I have nothing bad to say about any of the ships but would recommend the Coral to you for one very specific reason-the present Captain of that ship! Captain Tuvo is the most personable captain I've ever come across in my experience which is, admittedly, very limited when compared to many cruisers on this website. But I would go on any cruise that he is on. To see a number of other comments on that gentleman, check out this thread on cruisecritic:

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2472900

 

But, regardless of which ship you go on, I think you'll find your Alaska experience on Princess to be a highly enjoyable one.

 

Tom

[Lucky TGO]

Okay guys - now the best part, excursions!

 

What was your favorite excursion in: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Princess Wilderness, and Mt. McKinley. Anything to avoid?

 

Thanks, and as always, happy cruising

 

Wow!! My wife and the kids loved going to the Last Chance Gold Mine and panning for gold. We still have the gold. We found in a little bottle. Maybe worth about $3.00 now ha-ha. Good Luck have a great time and I hope you strike it rich. :D :D.

Tony

[AtlFolks]

Hey - Tony! If we strike it rich, I'll think of you! :)

 

 

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[NavyVeteran]

Okay guys - now the best part, excursions!

 

What was your favorite excursion in: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Princess Wilderness, and Mt. McKinley. Anything to avoid?

 

Thanks, and as always, happy cruising!

 

 

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Ketchikan: You don't need to take an excursion here if you don't want to. You can walk from the ship to Creek Street and spend time walking around there (if you don't have mobility problems). Alternatively, depending on how much time you have in port, take an excursion and then walk up to Creek Street.

 

Juneau: Unlike Ketchikan and Skagway, you won't be able to see much walking from the ship. If you want to see Mendenhall Glacier, you don't need to take a bus excursion. If you have two people, it would be less expensive and you would have more freedom to set your own schedule if you took a taxi from the ship to the glacier and back - it's not a long taxi ride. There is a visitor center there with information about the glacier, and you can walk around if you want.

 

Skagway: I would definitely recommend one of the excursions taking the White Pass & Yukon Route railway. You can either take a round trip on the train or you can take a combined train and bus trip that goes further into the Yukon. You can either take a Princess excursion or book your own train tickets; however, train tickets may not be easy to book directly depending on how many ships are in port, since the ships book most of the seats. After your excursion, you can walk around Skagway if you have time before you sail - everything in town is close to the ship.

[easyboy]

Okay guys - now the best part, excursions!

What was your favorite excursion in: Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Princess Wilderness, and Mt. McKinley. Anything to avoid?

Thanks, and as always, happy cruisin

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Did Princess excursion on Juneau. Except for information highlights of places while on drive by, there was nothing exciting.

[kaytamar]

Following this thread. Thanks!

 

 

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[caribill]

Juneau - whale watching with Harv and Marv. Reserve on the Internet in advance. With only six people on each boat, they easily sell out. They also bring you to the glacier on the way back.

[capriccio]

Another vote for Harv and Marv whale watching in Juneau. In Skagway, the White Pass railway excursion that includes Emerald Lake with Chilkoot (reserve online). From the McKinley Lodge we took one of our best excursions ever - we flew over the summit of Denali on a clear day in a small plane complete with oxygen masks. That excursion was through Princess with K2.