Princess or Holland??? Looking for Advice

[ACoupleAtSea]

My wife and I are in the very beginning stages of planning our 10 year anniversary alaskan cruise.  We have been to Alaska once aboard the Star Princess and cruised the inside passage (Glacier Bay) roundtrip from Seattle.  We are looking at the Pacific Princess in 2020 which is a one way cruise and it stops in College Fjord and Hubbard Glacier.  I recently found that Holland America has a pretty good roundtrip out of Vancouver which stops at both Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm.  Thoughts??? Comments??  Likes or Dislikes about each line or Itinerary?

Thanks

[mskaufman]

We have been on both HAL and Princess (although only HAL in AK). DW prefers Princess.  Additionally, since you have been to Glacier Bay, Hubbard would be different.  Also, when we went to Tracy Arm we hardly got in.  It was pretty much only to drop off folks who had the optional excursion.  Having been on the R/T Vancouver (similar to the R/T Seattle itinerary). I would probably opt for the one way itinerary.

[ACoupleAtSea]

Thank you for the Info.  We are leaning heavily in that direction. 

[CruiserBruce]

And we prefer HAL over Princess, and have sailed both. So  it is only personal preference.

[OCruisers]

While we prefer Princess, either for Alaska would all right.  

[Italy52]

Like other posters, we have made many trips to Alaska and have enjoyed every one of them.  We have also done the routes that you have mentioned in your post above.  For us, it was Star Princess northbound and Vancouver-Vancouver on HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam.  I am attaching a copy of my trip report with pictures so you can see some of the sights that we enjoyed as well as comments that I have shared.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2531052

 

Ports and times are very important to us.  We pick and choose our itinerary based on what WE want to see. 

Edited December 10, 2018 by Italy52

[TonyB17]

Age can also be a factor.  While I enjoyed our cruise to Alaska on Holland, we were also some of the youngest people on board.  (I was in my late 40's at the time.)  I think Princess skews a little younger?  But I could be wrong.  I often am.

[Heidi13]

Have completed 2 full seasons, as a Navigator, in Alaska on 7-day R/T from Vancouver and subsequently many B2B N'bd + S'bd trips as a passenger. All these were with Princess. While I haven't cruised with HAL, with my knowledge of the cruise industry, I am aware that Princess & HAL are considered the Alaska experts.For age demographic, I suggest Princess will be slightly younger, with more kids.

 

For departure port, I always prefer Vancouver for a number of reasons - it is over 100 miles closer, so less time getting to Alaska, it uses the Inside Passage through BC, rather than the open ocean and no stop is required in Victoria, so more time is available in Alaska.

 

For R/T v's 1-way, if only going for a week, my preference is always a 1-way voyage. The 7-day R/T's generally stay within SE Alaska, as they do not have the ability to reach Prince William Sound. The 1-way trips (N'bd or S'bd) visit Prince William Sound and have additional opportunities to add cruise tours to Denali/Kenai pre or post cruise. You can also take the 26 glacier tour around Prince William Sound.

 

HAL does have an interesting R/T cruise from Seattle, which I believe is 14 days and visits many of the smaller Alaska ports. Otherwise, my preference is a 14 day R/T from Vancouver on Princess. You miss the pre/post land excursion, but can take the Glacier cruise in Prince William Sound when in Whittier. 

[ACoupleAtSea]

I have read and heard that the inside passage from Vancouver is much more scenic than the inside passage from Seattle. 

[mskaufman]

6 hours ago, ACoupleAtSea said:

I have read and heard that the inside passage from Vancouver is much more scenic than the inside passage from Seattle. 

For much of the trip you can see land so it is more scenic.  Otherwise you are out in the Pacific.  Also, note that some of the interesting parts are passed in the dark.

[Heidi13]

11 hours ago, ACoupleAtSea said:

I have read and heard that the inside passage from Vancouver is much more scenic than the inside passage from Seattle. 

Correct, as Seattle based ships head out Juan de Fuca and then up the West Coast of Vancouver Island in the Pacific Ocean. Vancouver ships use the Inside Passage to the East of Vancouver Island. Unfortunately most Vancouver ships then use Hecate Strait rather than the remaining Inside Passage.

 

N'bd much of the Canadian Inside Passage is at night, but S'bd you see the entire transit in daylight.

[Coral]

On 12/10/2018 at 5:00 PM, Heidi13 said:

Have completed 2 full seasons, as a Navigator, in Alaska on 7-day R/T from Vancouver and subsequently many B2B N'bd + S'bd trips as a passenger.

What is a "Navigator" - or more specifically - what did you do for Princess?

[Heidi13]

14 hours ago, Coral said:

What is a "Navigator" - or more specifically - what did you do for Princess?

Navigator is the Bridge Officers responsible for safely navigating the ship, so we see the entire coast while at work.

[Coral]

6 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Navigator is the Bridge Officers responsible for safely navigating the ship, so we see the entire coast while at work.

Thanks Heidi! I have seen several of your posts and wondered. What an amazing job!

[kennicott]

On ‎12‎/‎11‎/‎2018 at 9:01 AM, Heidi13 said:

Correct, as Seattle based ships head out Juan de Fuca and then up the West Coast of Vancouver Island in the Pacific Ocean. Vancouver ships use the Inside Passage to the East of Vancouver Island. Unfortunately most Vancouver ships then use Hecate Strait rather than the remaining Inside Passage.

 

N'bd much of the Canadian Inside Passage is at night, but S'bd you see the entire transit in daylight.

 

That is interesting. I was curious about how the lines handled Hecate Strait. To your knowledge does any of them continue on, in the inside passage instead of running up the strait?

 

Another question I had, was how much does darkness effect cruising and sightseeing  in the inside passage(s)?  Since I spend most of my summers in the Wrangell Mountains, at 61 degrees north, on June 22 one can see quite well at midnight, with a cloudless sky that is. You pretty much answered that, I guess it is a lot darker in Southeast than up here. I looked up official night, twilight, etc for down there on June 22nd.

 

For Vancouver they have: 16.15 hours of daylight, 2.05 hours of nautical twilight, 01.27 hours of civil twilight, 4.13 hours of astronomical twilight and zero hours of night  

 

For Juneau they have:  18.16 hours of daylight, 3.06 hours of nautical twilight, 2.37 hours of civil twilight, zero hours of astronomical twilight and zero hours of night.

 

When I was a kid, from Cordova, during the summers we would ride Alaska Steamship to Seattle in order to visit relatives. Alaska Steam used the inside passages all the way south of Cape Spencer or so my Mom used to say. But I don't recall any detail as on our last trip south, before the airlines took over, I was only nine years old. Five years later Alaska Steam quit the passenger business. Much to the chagrin of those in Alaska who depended upon summer visitor activity.   

[Budget Queen]

I have sailed-  both lines- IN  Alaska, numerous times and clearly both do a great job.     With the  HAL  round trip Vancouver,  some itineraries,  with Tracy Arm-   will require you to purchase an add on tour  to enter.   The key will be the 1/2 hour "port time"   and -  "service call"   notation in the itinerary.  

 

I'm a firm advocate -  with a one way,  to add as many additional days as possible  for mainland touring.   Take advantage of being there.   

 

I suggest,  looking at ports,  what activities are your priority  before you get into a ship choice.   

[Heidi13]

18 hours ago, kennicott said:

 

That is interesting. I was curious about how the lines handled Hecate Strait. To your knowledge does any of them continue on, in the inside passage instead of running up the strait?

 

Another question I had, was how much does darkness effect cruising and sightseeing  in the inside passage(s)?  Since I spend most of my summers in the Wrangell Mountains, at 61 degrees north, on June 22 one can see quite well at midnight, with a cloudless sky that is. You pretty much answered that, I guess it is a lot darker in Southeast than up here. I looked up official night, twilight, etc for down there on June 22nd.

 

For Vancouver they have: 16.15 hours of daylight, 2.05 hours of nautical twilight, 01.27 hours of civil twilight, 4.13 hours of astronomical twilight and zero hours of night  

 

For Juneau they have:  18.16 hours of daylight, 3.06 hours of nautical twilight, 2.37 hours of civil twilight, zero hours of astronomical twilight and zero hours of night.

 

When I was a kid, from Cordova, during the summers we would ride Alaska Steamship to Seattle in order to visit relatives. Alaska Steam used the inside passages all the way south of Cape Spencer or so my Mom used to say. But I don't recall any detail as on our last trip south, before the airlines took over, I was only nine years old. Five years later Alaska Steam quit the passenger business. Much to the chagrin of those in Alaska who depended upon summer visitor activity.   

Affirmative, most of the Vancouver based ships depart the Inside Passage at Pine Island, heading up Hecate Strait to Dixon Entrance. This is most unfortunate, as the Bella Bella, Boat Bluff and Grenville Channel passages are spectacular. Hecate Strait is just like being deep sea.

 

Viking Ocean will have a ship in Alaska for 2019 and they indicate they will be using the entire Inside Passage. They are the only cruise line I know that use Grenville Channel, however both BC Ferries & Alaska State Ferries still use the Inside Passage. Some of the other smaller premium/luxury ships may also use the Inside Passage, but being retired I no longer work those waters.

 

Sunset is about 21:30, with twilight until 22:00 to 23:00. When N'bd out of Vancouver you sometimes get to Seymour Narrows in Twilight. All depends on the tide, as the cruise ships only transit within 1 hour of slack water. Johnstone Strait transit is during hours of darkness, with morning twilight starting about Alert Bay. 

 

I believe Alaska State ferries still operate the service down to Bellingham and BC Ferries in the summer have a Port Hardy to Prince Rupert service that alternates N'bd & S'bd, with the entire transit in daylight. Worked these waters both on cruise ships and ferries and the scenery is spectacular, many great memories.