Is Princess For Us?

[Hammergirl]

Is Princess for us for an Alaskan cruise?

We are a couple in our late 40's and really struggling with which cruise line/ship is for us. We are active and like entertainment while onboard, but we are not partiers by any means. We like to sit on deck and our balcony and just watch the world go by, with snacks and a good drink.

We love the itinerary of Princess, but we are really struggling to figure out if we will fit in on those ships. We are not people who like to dress up. I do not want to have come back from an excursion and take a shower and get dressed up to eat. I know we can always eat at the buffet, but I am not really wanting to eat 3 meals a day in a buffet. 

We are jeans, sweatshirt and tennis shoes type people. Are we going feel out of place and be disappointed if we do Princess? If so, what other line or ship to do recommend? We prefer suites and or Haven/Retreat kind of rooms, if that helps.

[1025cruise]

Princess "suite" experience doesn't compare to Haven/Retreat.

 

I would say if you cruise Celebrity, your experience on Princess will be similar. But, with that being said, Alaska itineraries tend to be "different" in the crowd they attract.

[atobols]

We are in our mid-40s and usually cruise Princess.  It's the only major cruise line that ports in SF so that's what we normally cruise. 

 

We tried our first Celebrity cruise this winter.  We liked it but there were some things we missed from Princess.  We are not party people, the only way we stay up until 11 or 12 is if we're waiting on our kids to return from whatever they're off doing with their friends. 

 

Entertainment: I don't think Princess can compare to the large evening productions shows of Celebrity.  The guest headliners are about the same.  Princess is much better in the small venue evening entertainment.  I love knowing that there are two or three lounges that we can go to every evening and see different people.  We love going to a lounge, getting a glass of wine, and listening to someone sing and play the piano or their guitar. 

 

Food: If you love good food, Princess may be a disappointment.  They try but it's just not as good as Celebrity.  There are usually one or two stand-out dishes each night and the others are just OK.  My advice is "listen to your waiter."  They know which ones are good and they will recommend those dishes. 

 

We found the friendliness of the staff and quality of service to be much better on Princess.  I wouldn't worry about dressing up for anything on Princess.  A lot of people will say you're supposed to dress up but the majority of people don't actually do it. 

[Paula_MacFan]

You sound very similar to us in our cruising styles.  We rarely go to the MDR and prefer to eat at the buffet or specialty dining for the same reasons you mentioned.  We have little interest in dressing up on a cruise.  We cruise primarily for the ports and experiences, and don't plan our days around dining times.  We also love to sit on our balcony with snacks and drinks, especially at sail away.  I think you would like the Princess experience, especially in Alaska.  We loved our Alaska cruise and didn't feel that people dressed up that much  -- it was more about the beautiful scenery and experiences.  

 

You mentioned you like the suite experience, and on Princess you can have MDR meals delivered to your room as a suite perk.  We loved that for our last suite experience and it made dressing up even more of a moot point 🙂  

 

Good luck in your decision process!  You never know until you try it.  

[JimmyVWine]

If this Alaska cruise is a once in a lifetime experience (or at least something that you probably won’t do often), itinerary trumps EVERYTHING. Five years ago I might have said that your cruising style was not a perfect mesh with Princess. Doable, but not perfect. Now, I would say that you are a very good fit. Princess has become more casual since the restart. Jeans, sweatshirts and tennis shoes are more common now than in past years. With the demise of Traditional Dining and the decrease in shared tables, you don’t need to be concerned about being seated in the dining room with others wearing jackets and their finest Harry Winston jewelry. You be you. On the first formal night (which will be a Sea Day so no worries about showering after an excursion) you might want to level up from jeans and a sweatshirt. But no need for a jacket for a man or a dress/gown for a woman. Long sleeves for men and a pants outfit for women is pretty common now. 
 

As for entertainment, I always find that to be too specific to judge. One person’s hilarious comedian is another person’s “I walked out after 5 minutes”. So I can’t really weigh in on that. 

Edited February 19, 2023 by JimmyVWine

[memoak]

I usually wear jeans and short sleeve buttoned shirt for casual nights and slacks and long sleeve buttoned shirt for formals. You will not see as many tuxes as in the old days 

[jaycruising]

I find the dress on an Alaska itinerary is much more casual than in the Caribbean. I’m pretty sure we didn’t get shower and get changed except our day in Ketchikan, but we had gone carting and we were so dirty!

 

if the itinerary is what appeals to you then I say go for it, I am in my 40’s and loved my Princess Alaskan cruise, the day in Glacier Bay was one of my favourite days ever!

[JoRoy218]

Will start out by saying we’ve become happy Princess cruisers after sampling a few other lines. The clincher for us was our first Princess Alaska land and cruise tour. Your description sounds very much like our cruising “attitude.” We may dress up one night, but not formal. We do like to try all the eateries on board and not stick to just MDR or Buffet. As an example, on a recent Regal cruise, we visited MDR, buffet, Ocean Terrace (great sushi), International Cafe (light snacks, lunch), Alfredo’s pizza (yum), grill by pool. Since you mentioned suites, on Embarkation Day, you can eat in a Specialty restaurant (for suites only) and daily for bfast.

Of course order in room service and enjoy a meal on your balcony. We love to start the day like this! After dinner, we may enjoy a show in the Theater, or trying a bar area we haven’t visited and gravitate to where we enjoy the music most. There’s plenty to do in the evenings, ranging from production shows in theater, comedy, interactive events, lovely walks at night out on deck, drink in hand, romantic quiet time.  Go for it! 
Also, I heartily agree with JimmyVWine, itinerary trumps everything! It’s the main reason we stick with Princess. And 

I believe nobody does Alaska better than Princess! 

Edited February 19, 2023 by JoRoy218

[travelin.sisters]

this long but very thorough review might help you decide, I think a Princess Alaska cruise sounds like it would be good for you, but what do I know...he talks a lot about saving money on the cruise, but also reviews of the venues, ports, entertainment & comparison to other lines:

 

[deultgen]

4 hours ago, Hammergirl said:

Is Princess for us for an Alaskan cruise?

We are a couple in our late 40's and really struggling with which cruise line/ship is for us. We are active and like entertainment while onboard, but we are not partiers by any means. We like to sit on deck and our balcony and just watch the world go by, with snacks and a good drink.

We love the itinerary of Princess, but we are really struggling to figure out if we will fit in on those ships. We are not people who like to dress up. I do not want to have come back from an excursion and take a shower and get dressed up to eat. I know we can always eat at the buffet, but I am not really wanting to eat 3 meals a day in a buffet. 

We are jeans, sweatshirt and tennis shoes type people. Are we going feel out of place and be disappointed if we do Princess? If so, what other line or ship to do recommend? We prefer suites and or Haven/Retreat kind of rooms, if that helps.

 

First, thank you for asking a question like "Is Princess for me?" then telling us something about yourself and what you value when traveling.  It is amazing how many people ask questions without giving any information.

 

First, a bit about us.  We are in our mid 50's, enjoy good food and drinks.  We regularly sail both Celebrity and Princess.  When on Celebrity we have always sailed Aqua Class.  We are not the "formal" type but generally wear pants and a collard shirt to dinner.  

 

I think Princess and Celebrity are similar.  I think Princess does a good job at small venue entertainment and their enrichment programs especially on an Alaska cruise.  They also have better itineraries in Alaska.  Celebrity does a good job with food and large entertainment.

 

Remember an Alaskan cruise is different than your standard Caribbean or warm weather cruise.  While Alaska can have warm, sunny days many are cloudy, windy and cool/cold.  We find we spend more time on our balcony looking at scenery, wildlife, etc for 15 minutes then warming up in the room for a few minutes.  Same for other indoor spaces and the decks of the ship.

 

I think Alaskan cruises are less formal overall than warm weather cruises.  I think you will fit in fine.  

 

If you book a suite, I would consider the suite dining room for breakfast or a main dining room instead of the buffet.  They tend to be more casual in the morning.  Later if you are not in port or on an excursion, a lunch/snack from the International cafe on your balcony with a nice drink is a good option.  

 

Remember to bring good binoculars with you.  I think you will fit in fine.

 

 

 

 

[cr8tiv1]

@HammergirlYou will get more information if you let the other posters know which ship and/or departure port you are looking at.

 

Princess has been doing Alaska for many, many years.  They are the top itinerary for Alaska.  Will your trip include Glacier Bay?  Will you be doing a round trip out of Seattle (more sea days)?  Are you looking at a Royal Class ship or a Grand Class ship?  Is it a 5, 7, 10 or b2b cruise?

 

 

[roadster08]

We are going on our first Princess cruise  because we heard that Princess does a great job in Alaska (sailed several times with Celebrity previously to other places). Also, we added on a land tour because we heard from some Alaskans on a previous trip that it's a shame to visit without spending some time in the interior. 

 

They say that because many things to see and many excursions happen very early on Alaska cruises, lots of people go to bed earlier than usual. 

 

We're American, and will dress presentably for formal night but not like reliving prom, especially for an Alaskan cruise that requires  packing clothes for so many weather situations. Don't anticipate Alaskans will be offended that I left my tux at home.

 

We're planning on having a great time, going ziplining, dog sledding and some kayaking thing. You can hang out with us if you want.

[Hammergirl]

This has all been so helpful and I really appreciate everyone taking their time to explain why or why not they think it is for us. Now I have to really dig into the ships. It is helpful to read through everything here and see what some people consider as casual as some who answered what their casual is, is my dressed up. 😁 I know how much I am going to have to pack so adding even more clothes into the mix might not be fun. 

[cr8tiv1]

Now that you are going to work on itinerary, my vote goes for a smaller Grand Class ship like the Grand or Sapphire in/out of Vancouver.  Looks like Princess is not returning the Coral to the US...bummer.

[cruzin4us]

I don't dress to the 9's anymore.  My everyday attire is something like this:   black leggings or capris, tunic top and either tennis shoes or sandals.   I wear this almost every day without exception (of course, different tunics).   I don't party, I'm pretty low key, I sit on my balcony, I go to a show occasionally, but many times I don't.    I think Princess is a good fit based on what you're saying.

 

[donswife]

I have gone to Alaska on 3 different cruise lines, and definitely think Princess had the best Alaska specific programs and food, including some of the best crab legs I have ever eaten (that was in 2016 though). If I were planning a cruise to Alaska this year,  I would go on the Sapphire Princess. 

[mtnesterz]

1 hour ago, Hammergirl said:

It is helpful to read through everything here and see what some people consider as casual as some who answered what their casual is, is my dressed up.

As is often the case when we see this type of question, the answer is hidden in your phrasing. As I read your post, you say you don't like to dress up, but at odds with that, it's important to you is how you fit in; how you are perceived by what you wear. To some it truly doesn't matter, but to you it does and that is OK. If it will help you feel more in the spirit of things dressing up, then do that.

Also, you might rethink your routine. Returning from an excursion, showering and changing reframes your thinking, shifts gears if you prefer. It prepares you for the evening; a nice drink, a memorable dinner and a show. You're on vacation, don't rush things. Enjoy full measure.

Edited February 20, 2023 by mtnesterz

[deliver42]

You'll fit into Princess very nicely.

[nini]

I think you would be a good match for Princess; especially for Alaska since it tends to be a bit more casual and attracts all ages. 

I tend to disagree with others regarding Celebrity as our experience was different... A bit snooty, very mediocre food and service. The shows ALL had acrobatics swinging from above wrapped in fabric. We

As you can see, we have been on Princess for the majority of our cruises.

[ericosmith]

Glacier Bay, Glacier Bay, Glacier Bay.  Too me that trumps the choice of lines for Alaska.  That puts Princess as one of the few major lines to the top of the list.  If doing a cruise tour, I believe their land accommodations are superior to the others.

[JoRoy218]

7 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Now that you are going to work on itinerary, my vote goes for a smaller Grand Class ship like the Grand or Sapphire in/out of Vancouver.  Looks like Princess is not returning the Coral to the US...bummer.

So sad…our first two AK cruises were on the Coral. Absolutely loved that ship.  I don’t think any other ship has the beautiful Promenade deck Coral has. 😢

[JoRoy218]

8 hours ago, Hammergirl said:

This has all been so helpful and I really appreciate everyone taking their time to explain why or why not they think it is for us. Now I have to really dig into the ships. It is helpful to read through everything here and see what some people consider as casual as some who answered what their casual is, is my dressed up. 😁 I know how much I am going to have to pack so adding even more clothes into the mix might not be fun. 

I wouldn’t stress over the “formal” dress, the only time it comes into play is on formal night. There are many other choices besides the MDR. Don’t change your plan, sounds just fine!  As mentioned a few times above, the crowd on Alaskan cruises is definitely more relaxed and casual than other destinations.  Just go and enjoy! 

[JoRoy218]

9 hours ago, roadster08 said:

We are going on our first Princess cruise  because we heard that Princess does a great job in Alaska (sailed several times with Celebrity previously to other places). Also, we added on a land tour because we heard from some Alaskans on a previous trip that it's a shame to visit without spending some time in the interior. 

 

They say that because many things to see and many excursions happen very early on Alaska cruises, lots of people go to bed earlier than usual. 

 

We're American, and will dress presentably for formal night but not like reliving prom, especially for an Alaskan cruise that requires  packing clothes for so many weather situations. Don't anticipate Alaskans will be offended that I left my tux at home.

 

We're planning on having a great time, going ziplining, dog sledding and some kayaking thing. You can hang out with us if you want.

Yes yes yes on a land tour. Go see Denali, go canoeing and see outstanding scenery, eagles, moose, bear, get a good camera with a nice zoom lens, experience Alaska!  They also have small plane rides around Denali, unbelievable sights! 

[caribill]

12 hours ago, JoRoy218 said:

Since you mentioned suites, on Embarkation Day, you can eat in a Specialty restaurant (for suites only) and daily for bfast.

 

Note that this is for dinner, not lunch that day.

 

You do not have to be in a suite to eat there that evening, but full suite passengers get it for free the first evening while others pay.

 

As mentioned, full suite passengers can have breakfast in a specialty restaurant. It is not a specialty restaurant menu, but a special breakfast one for full suite passengers.

 

Full suite passengers (and some (not all) mini-suite passengers) can eat breakfast, lunch (when available) and dinner in a special section of a main dining room labeled as Club Class. It is anytime dining and you show up when you want to eat during open hours and you will be immediately almost all of the time. No reservation necessary.The menu is the same as in the rest of the dining room but there is usually one extra item only available to those eating in Club Class,

[mevs904]

10 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

Now that you are going to work on itinerary, my vote goes for a smaller Grand Class ship like the Grand or Sapphire in/out of Vancouver.  Looks like Princess is not returning the Coral to the US...bummer.

I completely agree with this!