2008 Princess Intinerary

[theresef]

Just got the Itinerary (sans The TP) and was looking at the Sun Princess 10 day - with the Icy Strat Point Port. I have sailed Princess before (CP West Carr in 2005) and we very much enjoyed the cruise.

 

Was wondering for thoughts on the smaller ship and this particular itin as well as thoughts on 10days versus 7 days.

 

Never have done Alsaka and we are gonna do a 3 generational family thing in May of 08. My other options would be perhaps a back to back(vancouver etc) or awaiting the HAL sailings.

 

Oh and I would have searched but it keeps returning database erros - please help:)

 

SUN - Okay ship?

This itinerary? Is it good/bad/meh?

17-May-08 Sat S811 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Victoria, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Tracy Arm, SAN FRANCISCO

 

10 days? SHould we do back to backs?(7 dayers)

 

Parents like going out of San Fran - but I can work that one:)

 

THanks

Therese

 

Below I have pasted the Schedule I was emailed..

 

 

 

GOLDEN PRINCESS

 

2008 ALASKA

 

DATE DAY VOY DAYS DESTINATION PORTS OF CALL (Ports of Embarkation and Disembarkation in CAPITAL LETTERS)

 

10-May-08 Sat 5821 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

17-May-08 Sat 5822 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

24-May-08 Sat 5823 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

31-May-08 Sat 5824 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

7-Jun-08 Sat 5825 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

14-Jun-08 Sat 5826 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

21-Jun-08 Sat 5827 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

28-Jun-08 Sat 5828 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

5-Jul-08 Sat 5829 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

12-Jul-08 Sat 5830 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

19-Jul-08 Sat 5831 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

26-Jul-08 Sat 5832 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

2-Aug-08 Sat 5833 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

9-Aug-08 Sat 5834 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

16-Aug-08 Sat 5835 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

23-Aug-08 Sat 5836 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

30-Aug-08 Sat 5837 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

6-Sep-08 Sat 5838 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

13-Sep-08 Sat 5839 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

20-Sep-08 Sat 5840 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Ketchikan, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

 

 

STAR PRINCESS

 

2008 ALASKA

 

DATE DAY VOY DAYS DESTINATION PORTS OF CALL (Ports of Embarkation and Disembarkation in CAPITAL LETTERS)

 

4-May-08 Sun 9811 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

11-May-08 Sun 9812 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

18-May-08 Sun 9813 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

25-May-08 Sun 9814 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

1-Jun-08 Sun 9815 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

8-Jun-08 Sun 9816 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

15-Jun-08 Sun 9817 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

22-Jun-08 Sun 9818 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

29-Jun-08 Sun 9819 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

6-Jul-08 Sun 9820 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

13-Jul-08 Sun 9821 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

20-Jul-08 Sun 9822 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

27-Jul-08 Sun 9823 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

3-Aug-08 Sun 9824 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

10-Aug-08 Sun 9825 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

17-Aug-08 Sun 9826 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

24-Aug-08 Sun 9827 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

31-Aug-08 Sun 9828 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

7-Sep-08 Sun 9829 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

14-Sep-08 Sun 9830 7 Alaska Inside Passage-Seattle SEATTLE, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway, Victoria, SEATTLE

 

 

 

SUN PRINCESS

 

2008 ALASKA

 

DATE DAY VOY DAYS DESTINATION PORTS OF CALL (Ports of Embarkation and Disembarkation in CAPITAL LETTERS)

 

7-May-08 Wed S810 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

 

17-May-08 Sat S811 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Victoria, Ketchikan, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Tracy Arm, SAN FRANCISCO

 

27-May-08 Tues S812 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

 

6-Jun-08 Fri S813 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Victoria, Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Tracy Arm, SAN FRANCISCO

 

16-Jun-08 Mon S814 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

 

26-Jun-08 Thurs S815 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Haines, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

 

6-Jul-08 Sun S816 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

 

16-Jul-08 Wed S817 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

 

26-Jul-08 Sat S818 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Victoria, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, SAN FRANCISCO

 

5-Aug-08 Tues S819 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

 

15-Aug-08 Fri S820 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Victoria, Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Tracy Arm, SAN FRANCISCO

 

25-Aug-08 Mon S821 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

 

4-Sep-08 Thurs S822 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Haines, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

 

14-Sep-08 Sun S823 10 Alaska Inside Passage-SFO SAN FRANCISCO, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Victoria, SAN FRANCISCO

[Druke I]

I for one think the Sun Princess is superior to the larger Grand class vessels.

 

I am also very partial to the San Francisco sailings - means no flights for us.

 

Sailing under the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge is always a thrill.

[Mrs007]

Only thing I notice is that none of those sailings have a glacier viewing. I suggest you wait until May 15 when Princess announces its 14 day Alaska cruise on the Tahitian Princess - roundtrip from Vancouver, or check out Holland America 7 days so that you at least get 1 glacier day. If you've never been to Alaska, you really should take a cruise that includes either Hubbard Glacier or Glacier Bay.

[theresef]

Good point re the glaciers! Silly me, I assumed there was a glacier stop in the intineraries that wasn't spelled out. Totally agree that I would like to have this - especially since this will be a "omce in a lifetime" for several members.

 

Will await the HAL and TP sailings and see if there are better itinieraries.

Thanks!

Therese

[sppunk]

Princess has already announced it's 7-day glacier trips. Coral/Island and two Grand class (Diamond/Sapphire I believe) are doing one-ways (Vancouver to Whitier) that visit College Fjords and Glacier Bay.

 

We'll be taking one of those (most likely southbound) - hopefully on the Coral or Island unless price is quite a bit cheaper on the Grand ships. It'll be an outside room without balcony for us this time though, but so long we are on the correct side of the ship we'll be OK with that.

[Phamer55]

I would pick SF and the Sun because 10 days is always better than 7! Flights might be cheaper too if you can fly in on Southwest or Jet Blue. The glacier viewing would not be deal breaker to me - you can view glaciers on shore excursions. We took a river float trip up close to Mendenhall (sp?) glacier in Juneau, and took a helicopter trip in Skagway and landed on a glacier. Those were much more fun than the day we spent on the ship viewing the glaciers in Glacier Bay (you don't get as closer to the glaciers as you would like because of the size of the ship).

[woodmill100]

Oooh no, so disappointed. I had hoped Princess would once again do SF roundtrip taking in Glacier Bay :(

[dchip]

I just Googled Tracy Arm and there are plenty of glaciers there. The Stewart Glacier in fact. It might not be Glacier Bay but you do see glaciers and the round trip out of SF is one of my favorites. We are going as a family of five and it is really nice not to have to deal with airfare!!

 

Cheers, Denise

[spongerob]

Tracy Arm is interesting, but nowhere near as impressive as Glacier Bay.

 

We did a similar 10-day itinerary last fall aboard Regal Princess. We thought it was a great cruise. The nice thing is that you begin and end your cruise with sea days, which will at least give you some sense that you've had a vacation. The 7-day cruises, plus air travel, don't really give you much time to relax.

 

Of course, no one here can decide for you, at best you're getting our personal opinions about the different itineraries. You'll have to look at the costs of the various options to see what fits you best.

[theresef]

I called Princess and while they would not give me any real info. They did say ALL of the 2008 itinieraries include Glacier Bay. They then referred me to their press announcement which stated the same thing. So maybe the R/T from SF will include Glacier Bay. In which case - I am most tempted by this trip. Just have to wait another week or so to see....

 

Theerse

[Mrs007]

As far as flights being cheaper, I've heard there is a shuttle between Seattle and Vancouver for passengers sailing out of Vancouver but wanting to get a domestic (not international to Vancouver) ticket that is cheaper. Just another option to check out if you decide you want to do the 14 day Tahitian out of Vancouver.

 

Linda

[theresef]

Linda - Thanks for that info. I actually do remember that as a friend of mine did that 2 years ago. Another option:) It appears I will have to wait to see the "real" itineraries beofre booking.

 

Although a TA I have used in the past gave me her "idea" of the TP price for a balconyand I had to pick myslf upoff the floor:)

 

Therese

[woodmill100]

I called Princess and while they would not give me any real info. They did say ALL of the 2008 itinieraries include Glacier Bay. They then referred me to their press announcement which stated the same thing. So maybe the R/T from SF will include Glacier Bay. In which case - I am most tempted by this trip. Just have to wait another week or so to see....

 

Theerse

 

 

Thanks for that information. Possibly good news. Will wait until next week for the release.

[Charliesmom]

We love the Sun. However, if you are traveling with kids, be aware of the fact that the swimming pools are all outside and it can be cold in Alaska (it can also be hot).

 

Roberta

[Coral]

I called Princess and while they would not give me any real info. They did say ALL of the 2008 itinieraries include Glacier Bay.

Theerse

 

All one ways (Voyage of the Glaciers) include Glacier Bay.

 

The RT out of Seattle will not and sailings from SFO probably do not (at least most will not) include GB. In the past, one or two sailings did include it.

[margord]

Anyone know what the itinerary is suppose to be on the TP?

[Coral]

Anyone know what the itinerary is suppose to be on the TP?

 

From Princess PR:

 

Alaska Connoisseur Voyages

 

Princess will offer a new Connoisseur itinerary aboard the intimate 670-passenger Tahitian Princess. This 14-day voyage includes new port calls at Kodiak, Seward, and Valdez in addition to visits to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka and Victoria, B.C., with daylight cruising of Glacier Bay. Tahitian Princess will sail on eight voyages departing on Thursdays from Vancouver. With eight ports of call and a full day of cruising Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, this itinerary is perfect for the traveler who wants the most Alaskan cruise available.

[margord]

From Princess PR:

 

Alaska Connoisseur Voyages

 

Princess will offer a new Connoisseur itinerary aboard the intimate 670-passenger Tahitian Princess. This 14-day voyage includes new port calls at Kodiak, Seward, and Valdez in addition to visits to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka and Victoria, B.C., with daylight cruising of Glacier Bay. Tahitian Princess will sail on eight voyages departing on Thursdays from Vancouver. With eight ports of call and a full day of cruising Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, this itinerary is perfect for the traveler who wants the most Alaskan cruise available.

 

Thank you so much. It really sounds interesting and I just can't wait for Princess to post their 2008 itineraries.

[KMOM]

I would pick SF and the Sun because 10 days is always better than 7! Flights might be cheaper too if you can fly in on Southwest or Jet Blue. The glacier viewing would not be deal breaker to me - you can view glaciers on shore excursions. We took a river float trip up close to Mendenhall (sp?) glacier in Juneau, and took a helicopter trip in Skagway and landed on a glacier. Those were much more fun than the day we spent on the ship viewing the glaciers in Glacier Bay (you don't get as closer to the glaciers as you would like because of the size of the ship).

 

Please give me details on your helicopter trip in Skagway. Did you book it on your own?

[Desert Cruizers]

We sailed the Sun Princess April 2006 for a 17 Day Panama out of Ft Lauderdale to Seattle, and despite her 10 years she is a beautiful ship. Her downside, standard Rooms Outside with Balcony = 179 sq feet. That makes for a very small bedroom. Recommend Twin Beds, Queen will not allow you space to get by bed & wall for 2 people.

[rickdeni]

The Sun has small standard rooms but the mini-suites are the size of suites on other ships.