Princess Cruises Alaska Review: What I Loved About the Cruise and Ship (2023)

FAQs

Princess Cruises Alaska Review: What I Loved About the Cruise and Ship? ›

Northbound Alaska cruises sail up the coastline through the Inside Passage and along Hubbard Glacier, so your best view of Alaska's scenic landmasses are likely on the starboard side of the ship. Southbound Alaska cruises are the opposite.

Northbound Alaska cruises sail up the coastline through the Inside Passage and along Hubbard Glacier, so your best view of Alaska's scenic landmasses are likely on the starboard side of the ship. Southbound Alaska cruises are the opposite.

Princess Cruise Lines passengers tend to fall between the ages of 35 to 65 and sometimes older. Princess passengers have usually sailed multiple times, so it has a more elegant and upscale feeling to the ship, which is reflected in a more adult-oriented atmosphere.

One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises first set sail in 1965 with a single ship cruising to Mexico. Today, the line has grown to become the third largest cruise line in the world, renowned for innovative ships, an array of onboard options, and an environment of exceptional customer service.

One of the key reasons to cruise Alaska versus taking a land tour is to visit destinations along the Inside Passage that you cannot reach by road. Plus, many of the state's famous glaciers are best viewed from the sea.

Having a balcony cabin allows you to take in the passing mountains, glaciers, picturesque towns, wildlife, and so much more right from the comfort of your room. A balcony also makes for the ultimate space to get those once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities.

“If ever there was a cruise itinerary built for a balcony, it's an Alaskan cruise. The landscapes are incredible and there's a high probability you'll see whales. We recommend you find a room with a balcony and avoid the inside staterooms.

Princess Cruises, considered by many to be one of the best cruise lines for seniors, offers many options: Various departure cities (including Florida for any local retirees), one-way or round-trip cruises, and Cruisetours that include extended land excursions.

If you are a U.S. Citizen and your Alaska cruise begins and ends in the same US port (Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles) you are not currently required to travel with a passport to Alaska. All cruise lines and WMPH Vacations highly recommend you carry a valid passport. U.S.

The 143,700-ton, 3,660-passenger Discovery Princess, marks her inaugural season as the youngest ship in Alaska departing from Seattle on the popular seven-day Inside Passage itinerary, alongside Crown Princess.

Is Princess Cruises a luxury cruise line? ›

With innovative technology, upscale interiors and friendly service with smiles for days, you can explore the world in the lap of luxury. Princess Cruises crew take pride in creating your dream holiday. Each and every one of their vessels are custom-built to navigate the waters of the around the world destinations.

Princess Cruise Line

Smart casual options include casual dresses and skirts, or pants and a nice top. Nice jeans (clean and not torn) are permitted in Princess' main dining room and specialty restaurants on smart casual evenings.

Princess Cruise Line has formal and smart-casual nights. The dress code for formal nights on a Princess Cruise is tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits for men and evening gowns, cocktail dresses or elegant pantsuits for women.

Traditionally, July and August have been considered the best time to cruise to Alaska, as these months offer warm sun, long days, and abundant wildlife.

Alaska Cruises Can Be Bumpy in the Gulf of Alaska

Rough Waters: The majority of sailing on an Alaska cruise is done in the protected waters of the Inside Passage, but ships sailing to Seward, Whittier or Anchorage must cross the Gulf of Alaska, which is much rougher.

Weather typically ranges from the 30s to a high of around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. May itineraries invite guests to pack sweaters and jackets for easy layering.

During dinner in the ship's main restaurant, cruisers will dress according to Celebrity Cruises' dress code. Women can wear a smart dress, skirt, pants, or jeans with a casual top, and men can dress in pants or jeans with a short-sleeve sport shirt.

Midship staterooms on the lowest passenger deck are the most excellent spot to be on a cruise ship in this instance because you don't feel the vessel sway as much. The front and back of the ship are a no-no.

A typical Alaska Cruise can cost between $600 and $5,000 per person, depending on the length of your cruise, the type of cruise you choose, and your room choice. We recommend budgeting an additional $1,000 to $1,500 per person for shore excursions to get the most out of your Alaskan cruise.

Larger than our Standard Balcony staterooms, Premium Deluxe Balcony cabins provide approximately 233 square feet of comfort, and an approximately 41 square foot balcony and includes all the same features of the Balcony stateroom, plus an additional sofa bed for lounging or sleeping a third passenger.

How many days is best for an Alaskan cruise? ›

Five days is a nice length of time to spend in Alaska, also called The Last Frontier – it's enough to see some of the top cities and attractions in Southcentral and Interior Alaska. Spending 5 days in Alaska is also a perfect add-on to your Alaska cruise.

You want to be as close to the pivot point as possible to feel the least movement. Avoid cabins near the front (bow) or back (stern) and on decks higher than the middle deck of the ship. So, on a ship with fourteen passenger decks, your best options are below deck seven.

Princess Cruises is an American cruise line owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. The company is incorporated in Bermuda and its headquarters are in Santa Clarita, California. As of 2021, it is the second largest cruise line by net revenue.

The average cruise passenger is 47 years old. Caribbean cruises carry the youngest passengers with an average age of 43 years old. The oldest passengers can be found on world cruise ships, with an average age of 62 years old. 50% of cruise passengers are from North America.

Most cruise lines are requiring that passengers receive their final COVID-19 vaccination at least 14 days prior to cruise departure and require pre-travel COVID-19 testing.

Cruises of 15 nights or less:

Although vaccines are not required, we encourage all guests 5 years of age and older to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, when eligible, and carry proof of vaccination.

The cost of the laundry detergent was $1.50. So the total cost to do one load of laundry on a Princess cruise ship is $7.50. The iron is free. This is how much is cost me on the Diamond Princess in March 2023!

Number of Formal Nights: Four- to six-night cruises have one formal evening; seven- to 13-night cruises have two; 14- to 20-night cruises have three; 21- to 28-night cruises have four; cruises of 29 nights or more have a minimum of five.

What is the newest Princess cruise ship for Alaska? ›

In 2022, Discovery Princess,SM the newest ship sailing in Alaska, joins sister ship Majestic Princess® in sailing to the Great Land. Discovery PrincessSM debuts out of Seattle on our popular 7-day Inside Passage itinerary, along with Emerald Princess.

The spacious 240 to 298-square-foot Premium Balcony stateroom is appointed with the same amenities as our Balcony stateroom but also features a large balcony of 54 to 109 square feet. Select Premium Balcony staterooms have a rear-facing balcony from which to enjoy dramatic wake views.

In fact, US News ranked it the No. 4 cruise line in America in terms of value for the money you pay. And, while Carnival cruise lines are fun for families, Princess cruise ships are best for adult travellers, especially on longer-haul trips to more exotic destinations.

Princess' Grand class is the line's largest ship class with nine vessels, divided among the main Grand classification and three subclasses, with slightly evolved designs (and some with an extra deck).

Hookah and Water Hookah Pipes, candles and incense, strike-anywhere matches, clothing irons, heating pads, hot plates, kettles, coffee makers, toasters and other electronic cooking appliances. Alcohol in violation of the company alcohol policy. All illegal drugs, including medications without proper prescriptions.

Generally, it's best not to go barefoot outside your cabin unless you're on the lido deck. There are too many floor hazards that you can avoid by just wearing sandals or flip-flops. The public restrooms are no different.

At night for dinner guests can go for casual or smart casual clothes at most of the restaurants. Although for specialty restaurants in cruise ships a formal dress code is suggested. The cruise line does not have any kind of formal nights but 'Norwegian's night out' can be considered as the formal night.

Formal dinner nights call for cocktail dresses or gowns for women and tuxedos or suits for men. The number of formal evenings will depend on the length of your cruise. To help determine what to pack for dinner wear, visit our FAQ packing page. All Princess cruises come equipped with 24-hour medical service.

Ask for Bathrobes

Everyone sailing onboard a Princess cruise ship can ask for a bathrobe in their stateroom. Once you've boarded your ship and met your stateroom attendant, ask politely to have a bathrobe delivered.

Not permitted in the dining room during the Cruise Casual dinner for ladies and gentlemen: shorts, gym shorts, basketball shorts, beach flip-flops, bathing suit attire, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men and baseball hats. Cruise Elegant Dining Dress Code: Gentlemen - dress trousers, dress shirts.

Which side of the ship should you be on for an Alaskan cruise? ›

Northbound Alaska cruises sail up the coastline through the Inside Passage and along Hubbard Glacier, so your best view of Alaska's scenic landmasses are likely on the starboard side of the ship. Southbound Alaska cruises are the opposite.

This makes April through September the best time to cruise to Alaska to see the northern lights, especially near the autumnal and vernal equinoxes, when activity peaks. Now that you know when and where to go to see the northern lights, you can start preparing to enjoy the incredible experience.

Cruise lines operating in Alaska, such as Holland America, Princess Cruises and UnCruise Adventures, have northern lights sign-up sheets so you don't have to stay up all night, every night, hoping to see the phenomenon.

On an Alaska cruise, a balcony cabin provides your own private viewing space to take in spectacular scenery, glaciers, wildlife, and more. While this category of staterooms comes with a higher price tag, the benefits offered on an Alaska cruise will make a huge difference and is well worth the investment.

Alaskan cruises stop in ports like Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. Since these are U.S. ports, your cell phone will work just as it would anywhere else in the United States — and have the same charges for data, texts, and calls. Where you might run into an issue is with coverage.

But be forewarned: that water will not be heated. I've found that kids don't seem to mind the chilly water quite as much as us grown-ups. They will stay in even when their lips are turning blue! Just keep swimming back to planDisney if you have other questions about Alaska or Disney cruising.

Alaska is a cruise destination with a limited season. Cruise ships arrive in Southeast Alaska in spring, stay the summer and linger only into the early fall. The 49th state's snowy, cold and dark winters are not conducive to cruising.

Do you need a passport to go on a cruise to Alaska? Even though Alaska is part of the United States, most cruise itineraries will require you to travel with a U.S. passport. If you're on a cruise to Alaska that begins or ends in Canada, you are required to carry a passport book or passport card.

There's no difference in northbound and southbound itineraries. The stops along the way are the same no matter which you choose, so it's really about personal preference, and which lines up best with your travel plans.

The truth, though, is this: There's no “better” side of the ship. It doesn't matter where you're going, or what river you're sailing on, or even what ship you're sailing aboard. Both sides of the ship are created equal.

Is it better to be on a higher deck on Alaska cruise? ›

The higher the deck, the better and, often, more panoramic the view. Cabins on top decks aren't always the best on the ship, but many suites and specialty cabin categories are typically located on upper decks.

The forward is subject to the most movement out of anywhere on a ship. And the higher the deck, the more pronounced that rolling and swaying motion tends to feel. Movement at the aft is a bit less drastic than the forward, but still isn't the most stable place for those who are prone to seasickness.

If you are cruising north, it's best to select a starboard (or right side) stateroom since the land is on that side. When sailing south from Alaska to Vancouver or Seattle, choose a port (left side) stateroom. Of course, this only counts for staterooms with windows or balconies.

You want to be as close to the pivot point as possible to feel the least movement. Avoid cabins near the front (bow) or back (stern) and on decks higher than the middle deck of the ship. So, on a ship with fourteen passenger decks, your best options are below deck seven.

The lower and more central you are in a ship, the less roll and sway you will feel. Even if you choose a balcony room, choose a low level and a room closest to the ship's centre. The higher decks and cabins at the front (forward) or back (aft) of the ship will rock and roll the most.

Generally, mid-ship is most favorable on lower decks, especially if you are prone to motion sickness. There is more noticeable movement in the more forward areas of the vessel, or on higher decks.

This gives an expected payout of 99.5% if proper strategy is used over the long term. On ships you will often find “6/5” machines, meaning they offer a 94.9% payback if you play long enough with perfect strategy.

To reduce motion sickness, choose a stateroom in the middle of the ship on a lower deck. You will feel any sway of the ship less in this section. Although it may seem counterintuitive, if you're worried about seasickness on a cruise, book a stateroom with a window or a veranda.

Midship cabins

These are the cabins that you should seek if you're particularly prone to seasickness. The big allure of a midship cabin is its stability. You won't feel the rocking of the sea in a midship cabin nearly as much as you will in a cabin toward the front or back of a vessel.

Cruise prices do not get cheaper closer to the sailing date in all cases. Cruise prices are usually the cheapest furthest from the sailing date when first launched or 60-90 days before the cruise sets sail. The prices of some cruises will decrease last minute but this doesn't always happen.

Can you sleep on the balcony of a cruise ship? ›

There are no rules that say that passengers on cruise ships can't sleep on their balconies. That said, cruise lines do generally advise against it. Despite this many people enjoy sleeping on their balconies and you won't have any problem doing so if you want to.