Best ship for alaska

[Utah17]

What is everyone's opinion on the best ship for alaska?

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Forums mobile app

[BJS]

What is everyone's opinion on the best ship for alaska?

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Forums mobile app

Any Princess ship would be our first choice. Choose the itinerary, price and then the ship's features

[Astro Flyer]

As said, any Princess ship will provide the same great Alaskan cruise experience.

 

If things such as itinerary, dates & pricing were the same, my first choice would be the Coral. Unlike the Island (both began identical), the Coral still has the great viewing decks aft and forward.

[easyboy]

Any Princess ship would be our first choice. Choose the itinerary, price and then the ship's features

 

 

 

I agree with stated priorities to consider.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[pascalburns]

i would go with the Coral Princess.

[Coral]

I would also say Coral Princess.

[cbelc]

I went on the Radiance. It was OK. I think next time I’ll go on a HAL ship that goes to Glacier Bay. Hubbard Glacier was tiny and quick.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[satxdiver]

The Coral and Island are no longer twins after they butchered the Island. If you want the smaller ship experience go with the Coral if at all possible. Princess and HAL have permission to go into Glacier Bay NP since they were there first and obtained one of the very limited permits. RCCL does not have a permit so be careful as to which ship you are booking if you want to go into Glacier Bay. I highly recommend Glacier Bay over Tracy Arm.

[cbelc]

Also, when you disembark in Seward, you have to find your way to Anchorage go go home. I liked Seward, but it made for a long way home.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Coral]

Also, when you disembark in Seward, you have to find your way to Anchorage go go home. I liked Seward, but it made for a long way home.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Princess embarks/disembarks in Whittier on their one way cruises now.

[Coral]

I went on the Radiance. It was OK. I think next time I’ll go on a HAL ship that goes to Glacier Bay. Hubbard Glacier was tiny and quick.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Many of Princess's one way cruises go to Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier on the same itinerary.

 

I wasn't impressed with RCCL in Alaska either.

 

Technically - Hubbard Glacier is not tiny -it is actually pretty large. It is larger than the glaciers at Glacier Bay (though there are multiple glaciers there). It is possible that you were quite the distance from Hubbard glacier which would make it look small. On my cruise with RCCL, we were 9 miles away and it did look small.

[paul929207]

Coral Princess is my favorite.

 

I believe that RCI has no permits for Glacier Bay. I think kit is due to discharging waste material in the bay.

[Coral]

delete

[cr8tiv1]

It amazes me that this subject comes up so often with the same answer each time. You would think that Princess reads and listens to their passengers: Coral is the best ship in the fleet for Alaska and the Panama Canal.

 

How about building 5 more Coral Class ships?!

[NSWP]

For us it is Coral, done Alaska on her and also on Island, I did not like what they did to Island, extra cabins, loss of aft promenade deck and aft open decks plus loss of public areas like Universe lounge inside.:evilsmile:

[donaldsc]

What is everyone's opinion on the best ship for alaska?

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Forums mobile app

 

I would say the Alaskan Dream.

 

DON

[lois1112]

i would go with the Coral Princess.

 

I have been to Alaska on both the Coral and the Star, preferred the Coral

 

I would do what one poster said, find an itinerary that you want (I suggest including glacier bay) and then pick a ship

[jean s]

We have cruised on a number of ships and without a doubt Coral is our favorite.

[toescat]

The best way I can answer this is any ship that has sea days. I was on the Grand last May for a 10 day RT cruise from San Francisco to Alaska and it was perfect. By having seas day before and after the ports make it feel like a relaxing cruise rather than a floating hotel. One of my co-workers went on the Ruby in July from Seattle and hated the cruise because it was nothing more than a floating resort. This ship was nice but it did not have an indoor pool which meant her kids were very upset (7 and 5) as it was too cold to swim. This was her first cruise ever and she and her husband stated they would never cruise again. SAD. I always pick a cruise that has two full days and sea before the first port and at least 1 full day at sea before returning home.

[jagoffee]

I understand the desire to avoid the Island Princess, thus the suggestion of the Coral.

 

Wouldn’t the Golden Princess also be a good option? Less passengers than some of the other Princess choices, but more than the Coral.

 

I am not the OP, but I am also trying to decide which ship for the one way Southern direction. We will be a three generation group of 6 with a 13 year old grandson and 11 year old granddaughter.

 

Thank you.

[donaldsc]

What is everyone's opinion on the best ship for alaska?

 

Sent from my SM-G955U using Forums mobile app

 

I do not understand why what I think is the best ship for AK should have any effect on the best choice for the OP. Everyone has different selection parameters. In my case, ship size (minimum is best) and port flexibility (maximum is best) would be the deciding factor on an AK cruise. I don't care about ship amenities, entertainment, specialty restaurants, etc on most of my cruises but especially in AK, I regard the ship as a way of getting to the amazing places on land. It is basically a big bus.

 

My best AK cruise was on the Alaskan Dream which holds 50 passengers and has absolutely no amenities besides food and the ability to get into any port and the flexibility to alter the itinerary if there is something interesting out there. My second best AK cruises were on Alaska Marine Highway ferries since they get into many ports the the big ships do not touch and the people who go on them are really cool.

 

Does this mean that my choices would be best for the OP - definitely not. Would the OP probably like my best choices - definitely not. Does this mean that I personally think that the reasons that people pick specific ships to travel to AK on are really silly - definitely yes but the reasons they pick them are important to them. Does this mean that we should have an election to decide which ship the OP should cruise on - definitely no.

 

Sorry for the rant but I think that we all have to agree that none of us can really answer any "best of" question unless we know the person asking the question.

 

DON

[XBGuy]

The best way I can answer this is any ship that has sea days. I was on the Grand last May for a 10 day RT cruise from San Francisco to Alaska and it was perfect. By having seas day before and after the ports make it feel like a relaxing cruise rather than a floating hotel. One of my co-workers went on the Ruby in July from Seattle and hated the cruise because it was nothing more than a floating resort. This ship was nice but it did not have an indoor pool which meant her kids were very upset (7 and 5) as it was too cold to swim. This was her first cruise ever and she and her husband stated they would never cruise again. SAD. I always pick a cruise that has two full days and sea before the first port and at least 1 full day at sea before returning home.

 

Hey, Brentwood, are you aware that Princess is offering 12-day R/Ts to Alaska out of Los Angeles? Two more sea days than the San Francisco R/T. The first sailing is in April and, then, there are two in September. I think they have four scheduled for 2019

 

:D

[huskerdan25]

We've done Alaska on the Coral and the Sapphire and both were outstanding experiences though the Coral is smaller (one of our favorites). To us, more important is the itinerary and it has to include Glacier Bay, period. We've done both Northbound and Southbound and I think we enjoyed the Southbound just a little better because the focus was on the glaciers at the beginning of the cruise.

 

I think no matter what Princess ship you choose, you will have a cruise of a lifetime! Can't wait to go back for the 3rd time!

[huskerdan25]

I do not understand why what I think is the best ship for AK should have any effect on the best choice for the OP. Everyone has different selection parameters. In my case, ship size (minimum is best) and port flexibility (maximum is best) would be the deciding factor on an AK cruise. I don't care about ship amenities, entertainment, specialty restaurants, etc on most of my cruises but especially in AK, I regard the ship as a way of getting to the amazing places on land. It is basically a big bus.

 

My best AK cruise was on the Alaskan Dream which holds 50 passengers and has absolutely no amenities besides food and the ability to get into any port and the flexibility to alter the itinerary if there is something interesting out there. My second best AK cruises were on Alaska Marine Highway ferries since they get into many ports the the big ships do not touch and the people who go on them are really cool.

 

Does this mean that my choices would be best for the OP - definitely not. Would the OP probably like my best choices - definitely not. Does this mean that I personally think that the reasons that people pick specific ships to travel to AK on are really silly - definitely yes but the reasons they pick them are important to them. Does this mean that we should have an election to decide which ship the OP should cruise on - definitely no.

 

Sorry for the rant but I think that we all have to agree that none of us can really answer any "best of" question unless we know the person asking the question.

 

DON

 

Definitely a rant :)

 

The OP wanted opinions and we gave them. No harm in that and maybe one opinion matches with what the OP finds closely matches what they are looking for.

 

I don't think you can go wrong on any Princess ship doing Alaska. Princess does a great job in Alaska.

[Coral]

Definitely a rant :)

 

The OP wanted opinions and we gave them. No harm in that and maybe one opinion matches with what the OP finds closely matches what they are looking for.

 

I don't think you can go wrong on any Princess ship doing Alaska. Princess does a great job in Alaska.

 

I have no doubt Alaska Dream is a superior experience.

 

I recommended the Coral Princess because the OP was on the Princess board and I assumed they wanted a Princess ship.

 

There are several small ships that cruise Alaska that provide an amazing experience that is better than main stream cruise lines. If the person is interested in those, there are several on the Alaskan board that can provide first hand knowledge.