Narrowed it down to two...

[YYC009]

Hello.

 

I am looking to go on my very first cruise. I am a single 30 year old male and I will be traveling with my 65 year old mother. We travel the world together often and like seeing and doing as much as possible (so our vacations always end with "we need a vacation after our vacation"). We have always said we would do an Alaska cruise one day and years later, here we are. We will go for a balcony room. The cold doesn't scare us. We are not concerned about drinking alcoholic drinks... we are not big drinkers and can go without them to save money for the shore excursions/etc..

 

Due to my vacation time at work, I have narrowed down my choices to two (I work in the travel industry and have checked out a few industry rates that I am eligible for too):

-Norwegian Sun departing Seward on June 12.

-Island Princess departing Whittier on June 14. Approximately $250 more per person

 

I am curious to pros/cons of each.

 

From my reading, including on these blogs:

 

Norwegian Sun:

Pro's

-Anytime dining

-Cheaper rate

-Recently refurbished for the better?

-Less formal dining

 

Con's

-Pepsi products

-Shorter port times

-Charge for room delivery

-Can't bring outside drink products onboard/too expensive drink packages

 

Island Princess:

Pro's

-Longer port times

-Coca-Cola products

-Free room delivery (I like the idea of breakfast in the cabin?)

-More to do onboard

 

Con's

-More expensive

-Seems from previous reviews dining is crowded

-Recent refurbishment added more rooms with less public spaces

-Too formal?

 

I am curious if people would help compare the two and let me know their thoughts.

 

Many thanks!

 

YYC009

Edited May 19, 2017 by YYC009

[Essiesmom]

No contest, Island Princess visits Glacier Bay, NCL Sun does not. Hubbard Glacier is occasionally missed due to fog. Happened to us. Sawyer Glacier (Icy Strait Point) is often missed due to ice. But I have never heard of Glacier Bay being missed. EM

[John Bull]

I know the cruise lines but not those two specific ships. And I've never cruised Alaska.

But just a few general thoughts...............

 

Very very broadly, NCL is more lively and likely to appeal to someone of your age, Princess more sedate and more likely to appeal to someone of mother's age.

Mother may have a younger outlook than her age or you an older outlook than your age, but that appeal affects the passenger mix.

But, to repeat, that's only a very very broad comparison.

 

In the same vein, NCL promotes its lack of formality whereas Princess is more "refined" and has formal evenings. But you can by-pass any formal events, so treat them as options on Princess. .

 

Any lower cruise fare on NCL is likely to be swallowed-up by the on-board costs. Sadly, NCL have a reputation for nickel-and-diming - a reputation which IMHO is well-deserved. You've already noted that NCL charge for room service and that you can't take aboard even your own sodas or water.

 

NCL major on premium-pay restaurants - they offer a very wide selection. I don't know whether the quality in the "free" restaurants has consequently dropped.

Princess ships also have premium-pay dining options but a much smaller selection.

 

"Crowded dining" on Princess probably refers to the buffet rather than main dining rooms.

Buffets do get crowded on most ships if you go at popular times. In any bunch of reviews for most ships you're likely to find one or two with this complaint - consider the issue more carefully if it figures in a high proportion of reviews.

(With any reviews, be they for a ship or a hotel or some household appliance, I ignore the top & bottom ten per-cent and the one-off comments, and I look for general themes in the middle 80 per-cent)

 

Some choose a particular cruise more for the on-board experience. But I cruise for the destinations rather than the ships, so I treat the number and length of days time in port as paramount. However I'll concede that Alaska, like the Norwegian or New Zealand fjords, is probably as much for the views from on-board as it is for the ports.

 

All just MHO as always

 

JB :).

[denatravels]

I did coral princess last summer to Alaska. I wore a cotton long black skirt on "formal" nights and was fine. It's really not that formal, and dining in MDR was not an issue in terms of overcrowding.

I do agree with the other poster about glacier bay, but also I believe the sun has some. I thought the one way was great and added 9 days in Alaska afterwards with globus.

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

First choice is the Island. Never have done NCL but here they try to nickel & dime you to death, Princess is in ports later the NCL.

When we have been in Skagway , NCL seemed to leave around 6PM . Princess would leave about 3 hours later.

[YYC009]

@Essiesmom / @denatravels:

 

I had a friend point out the same thing with Glacier Bay. He couldn't believe there were Alaska Cruises that don't stop there and insisted that I should take the one that does.

 

@John Bull:

 

Wow, that was very thorough, thank you. I think I fit in with having the older outlook in life. I also hate being nicked and dimed. Rather just pay a higher price for better value.

 

@Kamloops50:

 

Yeah, it is only when I had the two itineraries side by side did I notice that NCL visits were much shorter. I never would have thought much about it until I noted that Princess stops were much longer.

[OCruisers]

Princess has been doing cruises to Alaska for a VERY long time and has great reputation of providing excellent cruises there. :D

[LHT28]

I found Princess also nickel & dimes you plus the constant push to buy drinks etc was annoying

But as stated above Princess & HAL do Alaska well

[denatravels]

I found Princess also nickel & dimes you plus the constant push to buy drinks etc was annoying

 

 

I didn't find that at all! I had the nonalcoholic drink package and I didn't buy (or was pushed) for a single drink the entire week beyond that.

I brought my free bottle of wine and was happy.

 

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[easyboy]

We did Alaska on Princess and we enjoyed it.

Dining is crowded in the MDR, as in any ship, during peak hours at anytime dining. But there is less at Traditional dining, or between 7:30-8pm at Anytime dining.

While some still wear formal attire during formal nights, casual wear is fine and not turned away at the dining room.

 

 

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[4774Papa]

Our NCL Sun cruise did visit Glacier Bay and it was wonderful. The Sun is a great ship, best food ever on NCL.

[navybankerteacher]

NCL ships always seem crowded - and plagued with extra charges everywhere. The included food and service on Princess is likely to be significantly better- of course, NCL has many alternative dining options -- at extra cost.

 

For the same total cost, o believe Princess is your best bet,

[AF-1]

Here is my opinion hope this helps. I was on NCL Jade. I loved the non formal cruising. No dress up; and anytime dining. Since it will be just the two of you there won't be any problem getting seated in dining room. I never thought they tried to nickel and dime me or try to sell me booze everywhere. My wife only drinks Coke; so we brought a twelve pack with us. Not a problem bringing it onboard. The staff was excellent; food was great; and captain went out of his way to make it a wonderful vacation. I am taking my first Princess Cruise to Alaska in July. Why did I choose Princess over NCL? When I booked it Princess was cheaper. I also went with the many positive reviews for Princess. Hope this helps

[denatravels]

Here is my opinion hope this helps. I was on NCL Jade. I loved the non formal cruising. No dress up; and anytime dining. Since it will be just the two of you there won't be any problem getting seated in dining room. I never thought they tried to nickel and dime me or try to sell me booze everywhere. My wife only drinks Coke; so we brought a twelve pack with us. Not a problem bringing it onboard. The staff was excellent; food was great; and captain went out of his way to make it a wonderful vacation. I am taking my first Princess Cruise to Alaska in July. Why did I choose Princess over NCL? When I booked it Princess was cheaper. I also went with the many positive reviews for Princess. Hope this helps

 

 

You can no longer bring ANY water or soda onto an NCL ship (even a half finished bottle of water after an excursion)

 

 

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[DaKa2002]

Personally, we'd pick Princess! They have been in Alaska a long time and know the routine!

 

(I will note that we have cruised Princess among the 7 lines but not yet on NCL.)

[AF-1]

You can no longer bring ANY water or soda onto an NCL ship (even a half finished bottle of water after an excursion)

 

 

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I have to disagree. I was on Jade in Venice, Italy and it was no problem

Edited May 20, 2017 by AF-1

[denatravels]

I have to disagree. I was on Jade in Venice, Italy and it was no problem

 

 

And that was when???

 

 

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[YYC009]

Wow, thank you for all the feedback everyone. Much to review.

[AF-1]

And that was when???

 

 

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May 2016

[navybankerteacher]

May 2016

 

That was a year ago. NCL's rules have changed: passengers are not permitted to bring ANY drinks on board. Sure, NCL has some environment-friendly rationalization, but it is simply extreme nickel-diming.

[denatravels]

May 2016

 

 

That was an eternity as far as NCL policies go. No water or soda is allowed on embarkation or when you return from port stops. You may disagree but this is the way it is.

 

 

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