Crown Princess (July 14-25) Cruise Report ---LONG

[Italy52]

Crown Princess (July 14-25, 2023) Cruise Report

 

Sorry for the delay in posting this report, we have been a little busy sorting through our 4,000 photos and gathering our thoughts about this cruise.  I will warn you ahead of time that this narrative in some places is a little long.  So, if you just want to look at pictures, you can skip the narrative part and come back later when the pictures are up.

 

A little introduction:  My husband  (77) and I (72) met while we were both working for the same engineering firm.  His job kept him busy with various projects in Alaska while I was working in the Lower 48.  During a social event for a friend, our paths crossed, we began dating, he invited me to Alaska for my birthday, I saw the aurora while there and I immediately fell in love with all its beauty and charm.  Fast forward to August 2023, we will have completed our 36^th trip to Alaska.  Some folks love Hawaii, some love Mexico, and some love the Caribbean.  For us, Alaska will always be our “happy place.” 

 

July 13, 2023 (Sacramento-Seattle-Vancouver):  We had a 6 AM flight out of Sacramento so we got to the airport around 3:45 AM.  Sacramento Airport is undergoing some construction/traffic rerouting and parking issues, so we left the hotel in plenty of time for our mandatory international check in at the ticket counter and then processing through security.  Ticketing was a breeze, tram to security was a breeze, security screening not so much.  Here is where I want to give you all a “heads up” when it comes to keeping a close eye on your bags while going through security.  I have always been a cautious person when going through security and good thing too because on this day, I had to advise a passenger ahead of me that he was taking off with my purse and backpack.  Poor man, he looked a little frazzled to begin with.  He was trying to help get his whole party through the security process and was picking up their bags left and right.  Somehow, in the process, he grabbed my purse and backpack.  He seemed a little embarrassed when I called out to him; he put the items back on the conveyor belt and I was able to retrieve them very quickly.  Seeing a stranger sling your purse over his shoulder and grab your backpack was rather terrifying, I am just glad that I was able to stop him in time. 

 

After our security scare, we made our way over to our departure gate – the next stop, Seattle, WA.  After a 4-hour layover in Seattle, we were eager to get back on the plane and finalize our journey into Vancouver.  Unfortunately, the powers to be said “not just yet, your flight is going to be delayed about an hour.”  With luck now on our side, we were able to board after the short delay.  Passengers were strolling down the aisles and flinging bags everywhere so we could get going.  I guess in all the excitement a passenger forgot to read the memo stating that “thou shalt not hit a person in the head with your bag as you walk down the aisle.”  Ouch, that smarted.  One lady did ask if I was OK; I thanked her for her concern.  The airplane doors were closed, and the captain explained that the flight would be a brief one and we would be off in a few moments.   I leaned back in my seat and tried to grab a few winks, but the excitement was too much for me. Even after all our numerous trips to Alaska, I still get excited like I am going for the first time.  Just before we landed in Vancouver, the captain advised us that there were air traffic control problems with too many planes trying to take off and land so we would be subject to a slight delay.  Although it was only about 30 minutes before we got to our gate, it seemed like ages. 

Edited August 8, 2023 by Italy52

[Italy52]

Vancouver International Airport:  One of the things I love about Vancouver International Airport is its organization.  Once you step off the plane there is lots of signage and people to direct you through processing and get you on your way.  Baggage claim is fast and there are free luggage carts available for your use.  Once you claim your luggage, you will be directed to exiting and transportation options.  Since we would be staying at the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel, we opted to take a cab to our destination.  The cost of the cab from the airport was a fixed fee based on our zone ($38 CAN plus tip).  You can find the zone fares listed on the Vancouver Airport website.

Marriott Pinnacle Hotel:  Hotels in Vancouver, depending on their location, can be quite costly.  Fortunately, we were able to draw upon our Marriott points for our free stay.  We like the Marriott because it is within walking distance to a lot of places.  The rooms are nice, and the staff is friendly.  After checking in, we headed over to Fatburger located in the  Waterfront food court across from Canada Place and got a hamburger, fries, and Coke for each of us.  Cost was $35.40 CAN.  The food was good and so was the service.  After we ate, I was on a mission to find some hairspray and Honey Nut Cherrios for my breakfast cereal while on board the Crown Princess.  With the help of some nice Canadian Cruise Critic friends, I found a Rexall Drugstore that had what I needed. 

 

 

[Italy52]

July 14, 2023, Embarkation Day:  We woke up very early, excited as always.  We quickly got ready, ate our breakfast, and took a walk down to Canada Place. It was a beautiful day, and we couldn’t wait to board the Crown.  Before we made our way back to the hotel to gather our belongings, we noticed a Princess representative holding a sign and talking to people about luggage drop off.  The conversation sounded interesting, so we made our way over to him.  During the conversation we were told that there was a new procedure that day and we would be dropping off our luggage topside instead of below Canada Place.  We were to take our luggage, get in a line, hand our luggage over to an inside porter and then proceed to queue through the various processing lines.  Wow, something new, but very exciting because we did not have to lug luggage all over the place.  Around 9:30 AM, we checked out of our hotel with luggage in tow and walked over to Canada Place.

After dropping off the luggage we were directed to security, immigration and then to a large holding area where we sat, and sat, and sat.  We were told that Royal Caribbean cruisers were being processed for boarding before us.  There were also passengers from other vessels that somehow got mixed with some of the Princess passengers  --- the whole embarkation process was a mess.  Lots of confusion and not much patience being displayed by passengers.  After a long wait, we were finally told to rise, and we would be directed to another location.  As we made our way to the new location, the Suite, Elite, and Platinum members were directed to our special lounge while the other passengers gathered in a more public location.  The whole processing time took about 2 hours.   

[Italy52]

On board the Crown Princess:  After our long embarkation process, it was nice to finally board the ship.  Because the Crown does not have a designated pizza restaurant like some of the other ships, we were not able to have our traditional pizza embarkation lunch like we usually do.  So, we made our way up to the World Fresh Marketplace to satisfy our hunger.  After sanitizing our hands, we grabbed a plate and proceeded to gingerly make our way through the rather small buffet area --- can you tell I am not a fan of this venue?  After a few go-arounds and looking at all the options, I found something small to eat.  Since we were some of the first passengers to board, there were plenty of tables near the window to sit and enjoy our lunch.  Waiters were very attentive and there were PLENTY of personnel stopping by our table to ask us if we would like to purchase a drink package or would like to come to a wine tasting event that would be coming up.  We politely declined and decided it was time to check in at our muster station and then find a place to sit and view our safety video since our cabins were not readily available. 

[Italy52]

Balcony Room:  We have sailed in a mini-suite, balcony and inside cabin when cruising through Alaska.  For us, the only “must” is a cabin, on a ship, to Alaska.  Cabin choice is a personal preference in our opinion.  We have never not been able to enjoy our cruise just because we could not have a particular cabin.  

For this cruise, I was able to re-fare our original booking during one of the Princess promotional sales.  The sale allowed me to upgrade our inside cabin to a balcony and add the Princess Plus package for a few hundred dollars more than my original booking fare.   We just couldn’t pass up a deal like that, so we went for it.

Our cabin and balcony were nicely laid out and the furniture was in good shape.  Plenty of storage space throughout the cabin.  The shower head in the cabin is a fixed one and can cause problems for me since I am short.  So, at booking, I had my travel agent request a hand-held shower head be installed in our bathroom.  On embarkation day, our room steward had already taken care of the swap out of shower heads.   Although the bed was nice, by the end of the 11-day cruise it was beginning to sag.  We managed to cope; however, I have read other reviews where some cruisers were not happy with their bed. 

 

[Italy52]

Power sources were limited so if you tried to plug in more than one item at a time, you were out of luck.  Even though  we had camera batteries, phones, and hair styling items to plug in, we were able to work around the issue without bringing any special adapters. 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 8, 2023 by Italy52

[Italy52]

Also, for those that may be curious about the hair dryer, I have included a picture for you. 

 

Our cabin steward was extremely attentive, friendly, and always asked if we needed anything. He was wonderful.I will say one thing:  we have NEVER had a bad cabin steward on any of our Princess cruises.

 

 

[Italy52]

Weather:  Weather in Alaska can change at a moment’s notice, and we are aware of that.  For fun, I checked the weather for all of our ports before we left home, and the results were rain in all ports.  HOWEVER, we only had a few rainy incidents, nothing earth-shattering and very manageable.

Itinerary:  We chose our cruise based on its great itinerary:  Vancouver, Cruising, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, Juneau, Icy Strait, Cruising, Ketchikan, Cruising, Victoria, Vancouver.  Long port times with just the right mix of sea days. 

[Italy52]

Sitka:  We knew that there was going to be a total of 4 ships in port, so we decided to take a ship tour rather than fight the crowds in town.  We had plenty of onboard credit, so we used some for the “Birds, Bears & Barnacles” tour – price was $109.95 each (less 10% Elite status discount).  The tour bus picked us up right at the pier thereby alleviating us having to take a bus into town to get on a tour.  The tour description was:  “Witness Alaska's remarkable animal kingdom with a half-day excursion that guarantees bald eagles at the Alaska Raptor Center, brown bears at the Fortress of the Bear Sanctuary and a menagerie of sea creatures at the Sitka Sound Science Center.”  Sounded fun so we went for it.  First up was the Sitka Sound Science Center.  The building is small and there are a handful of sea creatures that you can touch much like you would find in a local aquarium.  Our next stop was the Alaska Raptor Center which is a rehabilitation center for injured raptors.  We watched a presentation about the work at the facility and got to see a raptor up close.  After that, we were free to roam around the grounds and see various other raptors who were there.   Our final stop on the tour was the Fortress of the Bear Sanctuary.  The Fortress of the Bear is a non-profit bear refuge and education center.  Unfortunately, our stop was on the brief side due to lots of tourist buses coming to the facility.  We were a little “bummed” as this is one of our favorite places to watch the bears. Even though our stops were rather short at the rehabilitation centers we were happy that we had the opportunity to visit and donate to help support these institutions.  For us, we could have passed on the Sitka Sound Science Center portion of the tour.  However, we did see little kids enjoying being able to touch the marine life so that might be something for one to consider when looking at this tour. 

 

[Italy52]

Here are some of my favorite bear shots.

 

[Italy52]

Hubbard Glacier:  We have visited Hubbard Glacier many times and always enjoyed our visits.  A few years back, Allen Marine began offering cruise lines an excursion that would allow their passengers to board an Allen Marine vessel for the purpose of getting a closer look at the glacier.  Princess lists the excursion as “Hubbard Glacier & Wilderness Exploration.”  We did this excursion last year and it was amazing, so we decided to repeat the experience again.  The cost of the tour was $299.95 each (less 10% Elite status discount).  Due to the amount of ice in the water, the Crown was not able to get as close to Hubbard as the Allen Marine vessel.  Our anxious tour group waited for the call to disembark the ship and load ourselves onto the Allen Marine vessel.  Our Allen Marine captain gingerly maneuvered around the bergs in the water and made his way to the face of Hubbard.  Upon arrival, Hubbard immediately began to greet us with thunder and calving.  Hearing the roar of the thunder, the cracking of the glacier and the movement of the waves is truly memorable.   This excursion is one of our “must do” whenever possible.  We have already rebooked this excursion for two 2024 cruises. 

 

 

[Italy52]

A few more Hubbard images.

[Coral]

Enjoying the review!

[High C's]

3 hours ago, Italy52 said:

Hubbard Glacier:  We have visited Hubbard Glacier many times and always enjoyed our visits.  A few years back, Allen Marine began offering cruise lines an excursion that would allow their passengers to board an Allen Marine vessel for the purpose of getting a closer look at the glacier.  Princess lists the excursion as “Hubbard Glacier & Wilderness Exploration.”  We did this excursion last year and it was amazing, so we decided to repeat the experience again.  The cost of the tour was $299.95 each (less 10% Elite status discount).  

 

 

We are on the same itinerary starting Aug 25.  This tour at the Hubbard Glacier is not offered.  Is it something you can book on board the ship?  It sounds fabulous!

Thanks for doing this review!!! 🙂

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by High C's

[Italy52]

1 hour ago, High C's said:

We are on the same itinerary starting Aug 25.  This tour at the Hubbard Glacier is not offered.  Is it something you can book on board the ship?  It sounds fabulous!

Thanks for doing this review!!! 🙂

 

Thank you for your comment, I appreciate it.  The Hubbard excursion is a popular one and has limited capacity.  If it is not listed at this time perhaps there is no availability. Or, there could be a problem with the vendor.  What you might want to do is visit the Shore Excursion desk as soon as you board the ship and inquire about availability as they might have a cancellation for some reason.  Or, maybe you could call Shore Excursions at Princess and see if they have a waiting list that you could get on.  Good luck to you.

[Coral]

9 hours ago, High C's said:

We are on the same itinerary starting Aug 25.  This tour at the Hubbard Glacier is not offered.  Is it something you can book on board the ship?  It sounds fabulous!

Thanks for doing this review!!! 🙂

 

It was not offered on my May 12th cruise either. It was too early in the season that they hadn't started offering it yet.

[Italy52]

@High C's, Coral's post gave me a thought --- when is the exact date of your Hubbard visit?  Another reason that the excursion is not showing could be due to the fact that it is too late in the season to offer it. 

[High C's]

25 minutes ago, Italy52 said:

@High C's, Coral's post gave me a thought --- when is the exact date of your Hubbard visit?  Another reason that the excursion is not showing could be due to the fact that it is too late in the season to offer it. 

August 30th. Yes that’s likely the reason :(

[Italy52]

Skagway:  We were very fortunate that we were able to dock near town and did not have to tender.  We decided to take another ship tour “Gold Fever Experience:  Gold Panning & Alaska Sled.”  The cost of the tour was $89.95 per person  (Less 10% Elite status discount).  After disembarking the ship, we walked a short distance down the dock until we found a gentleman in costume holding a sign with our excursion number on it.  Our guide's name was “Slim Pickens” and he handed out wrist bands to all who were on his tour.   We then boarded a bus and made our way out to the dredging facility.  Slim was funny and provided lots of data about the town and the gold rush era.  We also spent time listening to the experiences of a long-time musher, got to see the sled team in action and hold some of the puppies.  Our final stop was gold panning.  We were all given instructions on how to pan for gold, supplied with a pan with dirt and rocks so we could try our hand at searching for gold, and then a small container so we could capture our gold flakes and take it to the assay office to determine the net worth of our find --- ours came to $23.60.  Before leaving the tour, we were able to wander through the small gift shop and bought a couple of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.  Restroom facilities were also available on the grounds.  We really enjoyed this tour and felt that it offered a great value for what we experienced.

 

[Italy52]

Juneau:  We love Juneau as it gives us an opportunity to go whale watching with one of our favorite vendors, Jayleen’s Alaska.  We have been going with Jayleen for many years and have always had a wonderful time.  The weather was a little on the wet side but by the time we arrived at the boat, the weather had cleared, and we had a fantastic time.  We saw rainbows, eagles, multiple whales, Orca, and bubble feeding --- it was truly a perfect day.  On the way back to the ship the weather rolled back in, so we decided to have lunch and call it a day. The pictures posted in this report are just a small sample of the multiple sightings that we saw --- it was really hard to choose which ones to post.

 

[Italy52]

[Italy52]

This picture shows why we prefer a smaller boat experience like Jayleen's Alaska.  There are only 6 passengers on our boat leaving us plenty of room to move around --- not so much on this boat.  I wish I could have gotten a better picture of the Orcas but all I could do was capture their fin.

 

 

[Paula_MacFan]

Amazing pictures and wonderful review!  Thank you very much and I've enjoyed reading it 🙂  I especially welcomed your Hubbard Glacier excursion review and pictures as we have that booked for 2024. 

[Italy52]

1 hour ago, Paula_MacFan said:

Amazing pictures and wonderful review!  Thank you very much and I've enjoyed reading it 🙂  I especially welcomed your Hubbard Glacier excursion review and pictures as we have that booked for 2024. 

Thank you for your comments, I appreciate it.  We consider ourselves very luck with our last two Hubbard excursion viewings.  We have a May and August reservation for 2024 and hope that we are just as lucky as we have been these last two times.  We know there are no guarantees, but we are willing to take a chance.  Hope your excursion is a memorable one.

[Italy52]

Icy Strait:  Another one of our favorite ports.  We love every aspect of this small and peaceful place that is non-commercial and has lots of character.   For our port stop, we chose whale watching with Glacier Wind Charters which is owned by Shawn and Teresa McConnell.  Glacier Wind is a well run and respected whale watching company.  We have gone on numerous trips with them and always enjoyed our experiences.  For our tour, we went with Captain Shawn and his son, Captain Casey.  There were 6 passengers total giving us plenty of room to move about the vessel.  There was a little fog in the area but that didn’t stop us from seeing numerous whales.  In fact, there was something kind of magical about looking around and seeing the whales emerge from the fog and hearing their breathing close by.  The was also one whale breach but it was a delayed view by the time we all saw it.  Seeing Shawn and Teresa again was nice and meeting their son, Casey was a pleasure. 

 

Here are a few whale pictures.  Also take note of the whale watching boat in one of the pictures.  Again, another reason we choose a small passenger boat; less crowding and more freedom to move about the boat.