Why would (or wouldn't) you choose Princess for Alaska?

[bundtkate]

Hey, all! I am currently looking to book Alaska for next year and am (perhaps predictably) finding myself torn between HAL and Princess. I don't know either line well and feel like most "professional" reviews do a relatively poor job of differentiating, largely concluding that you can't go wrong either way. I'm sure that's true, but it's not helping my decision paralysis so I thought I'd pop here and ask the folks who choose Princess regularly.

For some context, my husband and I are in our mid-late 30s and normally RCI and MSC cruisers with a strong preference for the newer ships. We appreciate a modern look, lots of variety in activities, and plenty of spots to hang out with a drink and/or a snack, but we won't miss water slides or Broadway shows. On an Oasis class ship, you'll normally find us in Central Park with a cocktail or in Playmakers with a hotdog catching a hockey game. I know that Princess is more traditional looking, but I've heard it caters a bit more to families than HAL and thus might be a bit closer to the RCI/MSC experience we're used to and enjoy. That said, we chose to look at HAL and Princess because of their reputation for doing Alaska well which is more important to us than the ship.

We prefer a more casual cruise in general, but enjoy dressing up for formal night in the MDR. Food is important to us, though I don't think we're that picky. I've only been on one cruise (NCL Joy this past December) where I genuinely hated the MDR food. Still, decent included food is important to us as we prefer to spend our money on excursions and activities in port and rarely pony up for specialty dining. We also tend to grab a drink package because it allows us to try new wines and cocktails without breaking the bank. We're beer folk on land so we appreciate knowledgeable bartenders and servers that can suggest the right wine since we have no idea what we're doing. We also love a wine tasting and have attended one on near every cruise we've taken.

Finally, we value high quality ship-sponsored excursions. I know they can be pricier, but we've had some pretty bum luck even with reputable third-party tours and I've reached a point where I'm just done chancing it. We've reached a point in life where we have the means to pay for convenience and predictability and it provides enough peace of mind on vacation to be worth it.

So, what do y'all think Princess cruisers? Does Princess sound like a good fit for us? Better than HAL? What keeps you coming back to Princess? Anything pushing you away? If I can answer more questions to help, too, don't hesitate to ask. And if any of y'all are ever considering RCI or MSC, I'll be happy to return the favor with thoughts of my own.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Princess has a 50+ year history in Alaska. They are the "measuring stick" that most cruise lines are compared to. Our first Alaska sailing was with Celebrity, with 2 more since on Princess. I will always be booking Princess for future Alaska sailings.

[cruisequeen4ever]

Princess would be a better fit than HAL. Both lines excel at Alaska, but Princess caters to a younger clientele than HAL and has more modern ships. Food is good on both lines. If you opt for a cruisetour, 100% go Princess as they’re the only line that owns their own lodges. The cruise experience extends to the lodges, offering a better experience than the lodges used by other lines. 
 

Happy planning!

[Poulsbo Cruisers]

We are platinum with Princess and are looking to do Alaska in 2025. We are also weighing our options as to Princess or HAL. Both lines have been doing Alaska longer than others so we are not concerned with which one has more experience. They are both very experienced in Alaska. Even though we are loyal to Princess we are leaning towards HAL. The reason for us comes down to ship size and cabin size. HAL ships are 1000 passengers smaller and their standard veranda cabins are larger. With Princess you must go with a deluxe balcony, on those ships that offer them, if you want a small sofa to sit on. And the newer Princess ships have very small standard balconies. HAL can’t seem to get rid of the moniker that the ships are for old people. I believe you will find that both lines have similar demographics. Of course now that I’m 70+ maybe I don’t notice the old people. 😂😂

[Lady Arwen]

Both HAL Eurodam  and Nieuw Amsterdam are very nice ships.  We’ve found the food on HAL to be slightly elevated compared to Princess and HAL service is second to none.  Alaska tends to draw lots of families, so the age of passengers will be about the same on both.  All HAL ships have a sofa in every cabin category and bathtubs in every category above interior.

Food is comparable, but Princess does have the International Cafe.

 

Where HAL excels the most is viewing areas both indoors and out.  The Crows Nest is a very large indoor area at the front of the ship with lots of seating and spectacular views with floor to ceiling windows on three sides.  Princess does not have anything to compare.

 

You can’t go wrong with either one, but my choice would be HAL.  Whichever one you choose you will have an amazing time!

Edited April 29, 2023 by Lady Arwen

[bundtkate]

8 minutes ago, Poulsbo Cruisers said:

The reason for us comes down to ship size and cabin size. HAL ships are 1000 passengers smaller and their standard veranda cabins are larger. With Princess you must go with a deluxe balcony, on those ships that offer them, if you want a small sofa to sit on. And the newer Princess ships have very small standard balconies.

Funny enough, I am giving the accommodations edge to Princess. I've always found the couch a bit of a waste so I wouldn't miss it and at least on Discovery Princess there are some extra deep standard balconies on deck 9 aft that look amazing. On the other hand? Shower curtains. Decisions are hard!

[bundtkate]

13 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

Whichever one you choose you will have an amazing time!

Of this I have no doubt. Being paralyzed by indecision because you have two wonderful options is probably among the better problems to have, right? 🤣

[Sunwanabe]

We did Alaska last July on Princess Discovery, new ship.

We loved the cruise and itinerary. 

Lots of places inside ship to chill and enjoy the varied drinks. Great specialty restaurants and we ate mostly in the MDR for dinner. It was a very relaxing cruise which we enjoyed. Haven't done HAL yet. We are doing a return trip this summer to Alaska on Princess but different ship and itinerary.

[Coral]

Princess and HAL in Alaska are run by the same group and share a lot of the same resources. I would choose an itinerary with Glacier Bay. Make sure you budget fully for excursions. They are expensive in Alaska.

[SargassoPirate]

How about this?  Take one cruise line north to Anchorage.  Disembark, rent a car, and see a little of the real Alaska. Then take the other line southbound.

 

 

[PescadoAmarillo]

I’ve would only cruise Princess or HAL in Alaska and only those itineraries that include Glacier Bay. Saying that, we did an HAL cruise in Alaska B2B with two Princess cruises with virtually the same itinerary in all three cruises. While I loved the HAL cruise, their destination lectures on board were  given by the cruise director, and they paled in comparison to Princess, where the destination expert had actually lived in Alaska half his life and written books about it. 

[Ken the cruiser]

We have cruised to Alaska with Celebrity, HAL and Disney, and have booked an Alaska B3B cruise on the Sapphire Princess in the spring of 2024, which includes the 14-day Voyage of the Glaciers! Definitely check out that itinerary if you have 14 days to spare.

 

Next, if your budget allows, definitely look into booking an aft-facing cabin. This way you’ll be able to see the wonderful scenery and awesome wildlife on both sides of the ship as well as out the aft.

 

As far as picking between HAL and Princess, we would definitely lean towards Princess. HAL is just too “relaxing” for us, as we like to laugh and have a professional naturalist tell us all about what’s going on in Alaska. You won’t experience much of either on HAL. But if you like hanging out in bars and listening to music as you suggested above, HAL does have their Music Walk.  😂

Edited April 30, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[donswife]

I have cruised Alaska on NCL, HAL, and Princess.  I liked going to Sitka (HAL) but Princess had the best and most extensive Alaska specific programs and food. I second the aft facing balcony recommendation.

[Coral]

52 minutes ago, donswife said:

I have cruised Alaska on NCL, HAL, and Princess.  I liked going to Sitka (HAL) but Princess had the best and most extensive Alaska specific programs and food. I second the aft facing balcony recommendation.

My Alaska cruise this summer with Princess is going to Sitka 🙂 

[mevs904]

We have taken a Princess Alaska cruise, but have never sailed with HAL.  As others have said, the presentations by naturalists that Princess provides are excellent.  Those presentations were one of the highlights of our cruise.  We also agree that an itinerary including Glacier Bay is a must.  In the next few years we would like to take or family (son, DIL, 2 grandsons) on an Alaska cruise.  We will definitely choose Princess, but it will be important for us to sail on the older ships that have a full promenade deck.  For us this is a must in Alaska.  We were fortunate to have sailed on the Coral in Alaska and despite the fact that we had a balcony cabin we consistently frequented and loved the many observation areas on that ship.  Sadly, the Coral  has been moved to another area.

[Traveler1977]

We faced the same dilemma for our upcoming cruise In Alaska. We are experienced cruisers, but we wanted this cruise to be something special. It will be our first time in Alaska and our first time on Princess. It’s a cruisetour and as others have pointed out Princess owns their own lodges. That was one of the deciding factors for us choosing Princess.  

[CruizinSusan70]

You mentioned that you like to sail on the newer ships of RCI and MSC.  You should definitely choose Princess since the the largest ship in the entire HAL fleet is 99.5 K tons. 

 

The Grand Class of Princess has 7 ships, four of which cruise Alaska.  Grand, 2008 107 K tons, Sapphire, 2004 115 K tons, Crown, 2006 113 K tons, Ruby, 2008 113 K tons.

 

The Royal Class of Princess has 6 ships, three of which cruise Alaska.  Royal, 2013 141 K tons,  Majestic, 2017 143 K tons,  Discovery, 2022 141 K tons.

 

All 7 Princess ships that sail to Alaska are larger than anything HAL has and the 3 in the Royal Class are all 10 years or younger.  We will be doing Alaska for the first time in a month on the Majestic for 14 days.

 

[Lady Arwen]

5 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

You mentioned that you like to sail on the newer ships of RCI and MSC.  You should definitely choose Princess since the the largest ship in the entire HAL fleet is 99.5 K tons. 

 

The Grand Class of Princess has 7 ships, four of which cruise Alaska.  Grand, 2008 107 K tons, Sapphire, 2004 115 K tons, Crown, 2006 113 K tons, Ruby, 2008 113 K tons.

 

The Royal Class of Princess has 6 ships, three of which cruise Alaska.  Royal, 2013 141 K tons,  Majestic, 2017 143 K tons,  Discovery, 2022 141 K tons.

 

All 7 Princess ships that sail to Alaska are larger than anything HAL has and the 3 in the Royal Class are all 10 years or younger.  We will be doing Alaska for the first time in a month on the Majestic for 14 days.

 

The weight of the ship is really not important, it’s the number of passengers onboard.  The large HAL ships carry approximately 2600  pax and Majestic Princess approximately 4200 pax.  In 2024 to Alaska Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam   carry 2100 pax and Zandaam and Noordam carry 1400 pax.  That’s a very big difference when you’re offloading people for excursions.  Most cruisers will tell you that smaller ships are more desirable than the big ones, especially in Alaska.

Edited April 30, 2023 by Lady Arwen

[Roberto256]

This is full of annoying pop-up ads, but maybe still worth clicking:

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2144

[CruizinSusan70]

5 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

The weight of the ship is really not important, it’s the number of passengers onboard.  The large HAL ships carry approximately 2600  pax and Majestic Princess approximately 4200 pax.  In 2024 to Alaska Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam   carry 2100 pax and Zandaam and Noordam carry 1400 pax.  That’s a very big difference when you’re offloading people for excursions.  Most cruisers will tell you that smaller ships are more desirable than the big ones, especially in Alaska.

The OP likes to cruise on the newer ships from both RCI and NCL.  If you're used to sailing on ships that are 150-230 K tons, it's a major difference to cruise on a ship that is 99.5 or smaller, which is the entire HAL fleet.  People are off loaded for excursions no matter where the ship sails.   And with the length of time in port being extended while cruising in Alaska it's OK that there are more passengers disembarking.  When you're in port for up to 14 hours, not everyone is going to be rushing off at 700 am.

 

Maybe yourself and others like the smaller ships.  There are numerous threads that contain posts about people hating the Royal Class, so it's obvious that they will never set foot on a Sphere Class ship.  Yet there are others that enjoy the amenities that the newer ships offer.  We did 14 on the Discovery last year and loved it.  Have future 14 day bookings on the Majestic and the Enchanted.  When we're on the Majestic in a few weeks, we'll be booking B2B's for fall 2024 and winter 2025 on the Sun.  I will infer that we won't see you onboard.

 

Please don't use the phrase that "Most cruisers will tell you that smaller ships are more desirable than the big ones."  That may be true for you, but the last time I cruised on a ship that was under 100 K tons was 12 years ago, and I've cruised over 30 times since then.  Some people like vanilla while others like chocolate.  That's why the newer larger ships are enjoyed by some while the older vessels are loved by others. 

 

Going back to 2009, when the Oasis OTS debuted there have been 45 ships built by the mainstream lines that are 130 K tons or larger.  Mainstream new builds under that number total 4.  The Celebrity Equinox at 122 K and three ships from HAL.  If most cruisers desirability was with smaller ships, then why such a disparity with the size of new builds over the past 14 years?

[neverbeenhere]

We have cruised every major line to Alaska, even the dreaded NCL and Carnival. All were fine, but glacier bay is the best as are sailings from Vancouver. 

[CruizinSusan70]

8 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

We have cruised every major line to Alaska, even the dreaded NCL and Carnival. All were fine, but glacier bay is the best as are sailings from Vancouver. 

Looking forward to seeing Glacier Bay northbound and southbound on our 14 days on the majestic in a month.

And there is nothing dreaded about the Prima Class on NCL as well as the Excel Class on Carnival.  Obviously you have not sailed on the Prima, Mardi Gras or Celebration.

[Lady Arwen]

40 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

The OP likes to cruise on the newer ships from both RCI and NCL.  If you're used to sailing on ships that are 150-230 K tons, it's a major difference to cruise on a ship that is 99.5 or smaller, which is the entire HAL fleet.  People are off loaded for excursions no matter where the ship sails.   And with the length of time in port being extended while cruising in Alaska it's OK that there are more passengers disembarking.  When you're in port for up to 14 hours, not everyone is going to be rushing off at 700 am.

 

Maybe yourself and others like the smaller ships.  There are numerous threads that contain posts about people hating the Royal Class, so it's obvious that they will never set foot on a Sphere Class ship.  Yet there are others that enjoy the amenities that the newer ships offer.  We did 14 on the Discovery last year and loved it.  Have future 14 day bookings on the Majestic and the Enchanted.  When we're on the Majestic in a few weeks, we'll be booking B2B's for fall 2024 and winter 2025 on the Sun.  I will infer that we won't see you onboard.

 

Please don't use the phrase that "Most cruisers will tell you that smaller ships are more desirable than the big ones."  That may be true for you, but the last time I cruised on a ship that was under 100 K tons was 12 years ago, and I've cruised over 30 times since then.  Some people like vanilla while others like chocolate.  That's why the newer larger ships are enjoyed by some while the older vessels are loved by others. 

 

Going back to 2009, when the Oasis OTS debuted there have been 45 ships built by the mainstream lines that are 130 K tons or larger.  Mainstream new builds under that number total 4.  The Celebrity Equinox at 122 K and three ships from HAL.  If most cruisers desirability was with smaller ships, then why such a disparity with the size of new builds over the past 14 years?

To each their own.  I prefer a ship to be a ship not an amusement park with 5000 people onboard.  I guess that’s why the luxury cruiselines are all very small ships.  You are correct, the trend is bigger and bigger, however, many of us are not in the slightest bit interested in the Behemoths of the Seas.  I wish you fair winds and following seas on whichever ships you sail.

[bundtkate]

1 hour ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

The OP likes to cruise on the newer ships from both RCI and NCL.  If you're used to sailing on ships that are 150-230 K tons, it's a major difference to cruise on a ship that is 99.5 or smaller, which is the entire HAL fleet.

This is definitely true, but it's not so much to do with size for us. We like Oasis class because of Central Park. We like Meraviglia and Seaside/Seaside EVO class ships because they have a stunning modern decor that makes even a budget cruise look like luxury. We liked the NCL Joy (Breakaway + class) for the waterfront which was amazing for our canal crossing. If these things were on smaller ships, I'd reckon we'd have been equally happy. That said, I know smaller ships tend to come with fewer food options, not as many activities, and a generally more sedate environment which we definitely may not like, but so far nothing I've seen points to a dealbreaker. It would be nice if there was one, though. Would certainly make the decision easier! 🙈

[Poulsbo Cruisers]

13 hours ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

All 7 Princess ships that sail to Alaska are larger than anything HAL has

 

This probably isn’t a negative for many people