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Yes, as I mentioned the dining issue is the main reason we didn’t enjoy the ship (loved the cruise though!). Our journey was part of the 2023 world cruise. Hubby and I were intrigued and were thinking about the possibility of going on it next year. At the end of two weeks, we’ve eliminated that possibility on Princess since next year’s world cruise is also on the Island! The food in the MDR was good—breakfast, lunch and dinner—we never had poor service or food. It’s not always convenient to eat in the MDR. The pool side grill was just okay, didn’t try the pizza joint but hubby said it was okay, nothing special. We really missed not having the IC for a quick bite or light lunch/breakfast. We only eat two meals a day while on board and missed being able to just pick something up. The covered pool was great but since there were only two pools, it did get crowded. And it got crowded early! People were saving lounges at 7 am in the morning—putting towels, books etc on them. We walked through that area a few times in the afternoon on sea days and it was packed! (As was all the public areas…) The bed in our cabin was very comfortable—both hubby and I slept well the entire cruise. The sofa in our mini suite was ‘well used’ and sagged a bit. Not very comfy! There were spots of rust and wear on our balcony but didn’t notice any in the public areas. Our bathroom was clean but the fixtures were dated. Mini suite had two tvs—they were interactive. Able to order room service, check our account, watch movies etc. Cabin only had one remote though. Oh, and the room didn’t have a curtain to separate the bed from the couch area. We missed that on this ship. Hubby will sometimes stay up late and watch tv. I showed hubby my first post. His response was that he would sail on the Island again if it was the only option on a desired itinerary!

Yay! A trip to Alaska! The Koningsdam is a great ship! We’re on the same itinerary in August. Enjoy!

I spent 14 days on the Island this past January (FLL to LA) and I will try never to sail her again! The staff and service was phenomenal though! Absolutely great staff! What I really didn’t like was the dining options. The food in the MDR was great (as was the service)—I don’t think we ever had a bad meal during our two weeks on board. But other than the MDR, we didn’t enjoy the food or options. Not having an IC or Alfredo’s forced us to go up to the buffet for breakfast and lunch. One had to get in line at the grill at 11 am to avoid lines/delay. And the buffet was very limited ( especially for me since I can’t have gluten) and poor quality. We ate at the Bayou Cafe one night — steak was good but the sides were terrible. Our waiter tried to steer us away from our choices (Are you sure to want to order that? Or maybe I just bring you some mashed potatoes?) and I wished I had listened to him! The food was so bad we canceled our other specialty dining reservations. MDR was much better! We missed not having an aft pool area and the fitness room was terrible. Too many people trying to use the equipment in too small of a space! Zumba and dance classes were held in the Wheelhouse Bar daily. The ship doesn’t seem to have a lot of public spaces to be able to just have a drink and read a book. We were in a mini suite(fortunately) so ended up spending a lot of time in our cabin. We did enjoy the covered pool but the chair hogs were out in force early in the morning! I saw a number of people who had crew remove belongs because they were there for hours! The ship didn’t seem crowded except on the promenade in the morning at 9 am! The ship seemed to be in pretty good shape—nothing stood out. I absolutely hated the shower/tub combo. That damn shower curtain! We like our cruises on the Ruby, Grand and Sapphire and the Island’s interior was about the same. I got off the cruise in LA and then two days later went on a cruise on the Discovery! Quite the contrast! But, it was a great cruise overall because of the people we met and the staff! Just our personal preference to pick another ship.

We love staying on Deck 11 on the Koningsdam. In addition to being close to the Crows Nest, you are really close to outdoor viewing areas. Last summer in Alaska, we alternated between balcony and outdoor during glacier viewing days. It was literally just steps from our cabin to 360 degree views! We could spend time outdoors and then go back in to warm up. It was also very nice to pop up to Crows Nest to get hot drinks! Our favorite rooms on the Koningsdam are the front facing ocean view cabins! Very spacious and close to the Lido/Crows Nest. But on an Alaskan cruise, we prefer the deck 11 verandas.

Did you read my response? Don’t think I advocated for Disney Cruise Line (which, by the way, has nothing to do with my name on CC). We’re platinum on NCL, 3 star on HAL and elite on Princess with only three cruises on Disney. Have been on six NCL cruises to Alaska (including the Jewel and Pearl) and, in my experience (which was a cruise just last summer on the Jewel), there was not a lot of Alaskan enrichment programs/activities compared to other lines. Having an Alaskan focus during a cruise to Alaska increases my enjoyment of the cruise. YMMV. Happy cruising.

So this only works if you sail Seabourne? It leaves out of Juneau. The Celebrity cruise leaves out of Seward and is only docked in Juneau from 9 to 9. (And maybe I'm missing something, but the tour you linked shows a day tour leaving from Bartlett's Cove. How are you getting there? Or is it a private tour?)

It would help if you provided your itinerary so we can make specific recommendations. A cruise to Alaska is generally about the ports, not so much the ship life. The scenery is spectacular from the ship, even more so when you’re out exploring Alaska! And, you don’t need to book an excursion. Very easy to DIY at some ports. If you do take the tram in Juneau, there’s a spot on top for some food and drinks. We’ve just had drinks so can’t comment on the food. Some places we’ve enjoyed: The Rookery, Twisted Fish, The Hangar. Even though it’s pretty touristy, the Red Dog Saloon is fun to get a Duck Fart. At Ketchikan, we like to go to the Asylum Bar for drinks and burgers. Cape Fox Lodge is a nice place for lunch and drinks. Skagway has the Skagway Brewery (basic pub food), Skagway Spirits (no food but great mixed drinks) and Bombay Cafe for some tasty Indian food. Unusual shops? I always look for local artists at the ports (stores will have made in Alaska stickers/signs). I always buy soap at the Glacier Soap Company (glacier silt in it). We tend to walk in ports or rent cars (Skagway, Juneau)so can’t comment on the availability of Uber/Lyft. In Juneau, if renting, be sure that you’re renting from the cruise dock area and not the airport. If you want to rent a car, I would book now. There is limited availability at these ports. In Juneau, a day rental costs us about $125.

If you’re in the Haven than that addresses a number of things we don’t like about NCL—poor MDR food, crowded pools/hot tubs, unruly/drunk guests. Of course, on an Alaska cruise, there will be a lot more kids in the Haven which may or may not be a problem. After our last two non-Haven cruises on NCL, we swore we would only cruise in the Haven! We also didn’t like the lack of Alaskan programming on board. No enrichment lectures on wildlife and indigenous people. No Alaskan specialty food or drink—salmon, crab, craft beers, spirits. No Libby Riddles, no sled dog puppies brought on board, etc. We love to cruise in Alaska (5 cruises booked this summer). In addition to visiting the ports and doing land tours, we enjoy the onboard experience that tells us we’re in Alaska.

Forgot to mention another reason we won’t be cruising NCL in Alaska again. Their ships dock at their facility in Ward Cove in Ketchikan. It’s about 7 miles north of town. NCL provides a shuttle but it’s such a pain! One can’t walk to town nor is there a good pedestrian-friendly bus stop close by. Some private tour vendors will pick up there but not always. By comparison, other lines dock right in town. Easy to get on and off and you’re not wasting time taking a shuttle into/from town.

I have 20 Alaska cruises on Disney, NCL, Princess and HAL as well as numerous land vacations in Alaska. Haven’t been on Seabourne or Celebrity so my comments are based on the lines I’m familiar with. Just a couple of comments. Activities/enrichment programs are pretty good on Princess. There will be special food, drinks, music, lectures, etc focused on Alaska. NCL does not—we could have been in the Caribbean on our cruise on the Jewel last year. HAL also does a nice job with Alaska enrichment. It sounds like you would enjoy cruising in the Haven on NCL. Just a nice, elevated cruising experience on NCL. Otherwise, NCL would be my last choice. If you do pick NCL, then be sure to eat at the specialty restaurants—the MDR has terrible food! Sailing in the suites on the other lines will give you access to some finer dining options and priority seating. We like to add Club Orange to our cruises on HAL. The voyage is more scenic and calmer through the Inside Passage. Larger cruise ships have to go west of Vancouver Island which is less scenic and rougher. You say that you’re doing a day trip to Glacier Bay from Anchorage?? That’s a long trek! I’d suggest you still go to GB on the cruise. It’s an amazing visit that would compliment your later visit. I would recommend that you look into a Matanuska glacier trek while in Anchorage. Or spend some time in Seward. The nine hour Kenai Fjord cruise is fantastic for wildlife viewing. Last summer we saw three different whale species, Orcas, Seals, otters, sea lions, puffins and lots of birds!

There tends to be a lot of multi-generational groups on Alaskan cruises including HAL. Based on my experience, there will be a number of kids on your cruise (along with those white haired crabby folks 🙄). You’ll find a lot of onboard activities for your kids—trivia, pickle ball, ping pong, basketball, hot tubs, covered pool, games etc. The Crows Nest is also a great place to hang out with your family—lots of board games and puzzles. The US Rangers will set up a station during your Glacier Bay visit there (maps, animal bones, furs, etc). HAL also serves split pea soup on the decks during glacier viewing days. Cruises to Alaska are all about the ports and not so much about the ship—that’s why so many posters are concerned about your port times. Longer port times are always better but if this cruise is the one that fits the budget/time constraints then this is it. It will still be a fantastic and memorable cruise with your family! I highly recommend whale watching in Icy Strait Point with Glacier Winds. I’ve been on a kayak/glacier trek to Mendenhall (with Above and Beyond Alaska) and enjoyed it. Kayaking in Ketchikan is also fun (I used Southeast Kayaking) but you might also want to consider doing something different since you’re kayaking in Juneau. Bear with me—go to the Lumberjack Show (cheesy but my kids loved it!). You can sign up for axe throwing afterwards. It was a hit with the teens and young adults in our family cruise last summer. You can then visit the science center, totem museum in town, Creek Street and the salmon hatchery by walking around town. The seas can get a little choppy cruising out of Seattle on the first and last sea days so do check on moving your cabins. We don’t mind it but others do. Have a great cruise! Our kids still talk about how much they enjoyed our Alaskan cruises! (I have girls and the highlight for them was interacting with puppies on a sled dogging excursion)

I was on the Discovery January 21th cruise—-yes, definitely the menus have changed. You could still request and get the fettuccine Alfredo though. I asked for it one night with grilled chicken even though it wasn’t on the menu.

My advice: Book ahead if at all possible and use local vendors. Prices are about the same but on some tours, huge differences in the quality and #of people on tour. Coral mentioned the whale watching tours—in addition to more time on the water, there’s sometimes fewer people on the boat! For example, I just booked a marine wildlife tour in Sitka. Price through HAL was $160 pp, I’m paying $175 pp for a tour that has only 6 people on the boat and a hour longer on the water. The only tour I would hold off on is any that include the Goldbelt Tram in Juneau. It’s best to wait and buy tickets the day of depending on weather conditions.

I wouldn’t worry too much about missing your cruise. You get off the 26-glacier next door to where you board HAL. Just a quick trip across the parking lot! Only will have to wait if you try to board at the same time as the train passengers! Gets a little backed up! If Phillips says they do it all the time, I would trust them and go in the tour. They will make every effort to get you back on time! (Full disclosure—I took the 26-glacier cruise prior to a Princess cruise not HAL.)

Here’s a link to a volcano tour led by two geologists: https://hawaiigeotours.com/. We’re booked with them later this year on our visit. Even though my undergraduate degree is in geology (I’m a chemist, hubby a retired engineer), we wanted to visit the area with experts.

We were on the Koningsdam last summer in Alaska and have her booked again this August. We really like this ship—we love the Crows Nest for glacier viewing! Haven’t been on the Sapphire but have been on both the Grand and Ruby to Alaska. Both have pretty good outdoor viewing for glaciers since it sounds like no balconies/verandas available? I do think that Princess has an edge with their onboard Alaska enrichment programs. Both will have US Park Rangers on board during Glacier Bay but Princess does more activities (art, food, music, culture) than HAL. If one can get reasonably priced flights home from Anchorage, I would book the Sapphire just because you get more glacier viewing with a visit to College Fjord in addition to GB. You can also take a 26-Glacier cruise out of Whittier before heading home! Or spend time in Seward, Denali, etc. Lots of things to do once you get off the ship. Princess has a nice train transfer from the dock—very scenic. One comment—the interior rooms on the Koningsdam were the smallest we’ve ever been in! Tiny, tiny but pretty good bathroom (no shower curtain!). We were on the Sun Deck so was able to just pop up to the Crows Nest or out on deck when things felt cramped. Our first and only interior cabin on that ship—never again. Hubby is 6’4” and felt claustrophobic. This summer we’re in a veranda. On ships similar to the Sapphire, we’ve enjoyed the obstructed view cabins on the Emerald deck. Some are not obstructed! Check cruisedeck.com to see the view. But, as noted above, both itineraries look pretty good. We’re doing both this summer—B2B Northbound/Southbound on the Majestic in June, and then the Vancouver RT on the Koningsdam in August.

And, the last time I was on Kauai, I had a white pineapple.

I am also holding off on booking online. Some of my offers include the Princess Plus package as well as a lot more free play. Don’t see that reflected when I try to do a mock booking.

Once you purchase the 4 device package, anyone can access the plan from any where on the ship. They just need the cabin number and name who is paying for it. (We shared our package with our daughter who was in a cabin three decks above us this summer. Never had an issue.)

Not bugs but bees! During the experience, images are projected on the tables. That part of the experience involved lavender and honey in making the dish.

Yes, you can order alternative milk for the specialty coffee and teas. I only ordered lattes and cappuccinos with almond milk. Once you select an item, you have the ability to customize milk (low fat, nonfat, soy, almond, coconut) as well as different sweeteners and drink temperatures. I don’t drink tea but hubby ordered hot tea through the medallion and received honey with it.

We enjoyed our meal at Sabatini’s on the Ruby last year and plan on eating there again in May. Second the recommendation to only eat there if you’re okay with ocean movement! The restaurant is located on Deck 16 aft. Over half the tables were empty when we ate there. Wait staff told us that people had canceled due to the rough seas. It was entertaining to see people delivering drinks and food with all of the rocking and rolling!

We were not in a full suite. Stayed in a deluxe balcony. We were invited while onboard , talked to other nonsuite guests who had received a phone call prior to sailing. In our group, there was a mixture of suite, non suite, Casino vip and a retired Princess officer. Also a mix of first time cruisers, platinum and elites.

We like keeping track of our spending on board. We play in the casino, buy drinks, eat at specialty dining, etc. It helps us with budgeting for onboard spending on a cruise. We pay for as much as possible before the cruise--crew tipping, dinners, etc. We travel a lot on a number of different cruise lines (currently have 9 more cruises this year and 10 for next year) so it helps us. We've also traveled with minors--it was nice to purchase a nonalcoholic beverage card for them and hold them accountable for their spending. And, yes, we check out daily spending on the TV/Navigator as well. As stated earlier, everyone is different. This works for us.

Was also on this cruise and will be back on April 1. We loved the ship! Had just been on the Enchanted in October 2022 so was familiar with the lay out. Missed not having a Vines but still was able to get great service and drinks at Crooners and the Crown Grille Bar. We were in D221, a deluxe balcony with a pretty large balcony. At least, we were able to have four chairs and a table on the balcony! Room was beautiful, bathroom small with the dreaded shower curtain. The sofa bed was surprisingly comfortable (I slept on it for seven nights)! It was great! The dining rooms did have the new menus though you could ask for fettucine and usually get it. The first night is always a mess--so many people lined up to get into the MDR. We were in Skagway with an initial reservation of 6:30 p.m. I spoke to the front staff and reserved a set table for 4 at 5:20 p.m. Was able to walk in every night and go directly to our table. Bistro Sur La Mer was one of the best specialty dining meals I've ever had on a Princess ship! Just be sure to ask for a table with a view and away from the Piazza. Seems that some people were seated in the aisleway of the ship. Not sure I would like that... Was invited to the 360 Experience. If you ever get the chance, go! It was spectacular! Went to a few of the shows and activities---subjective opinion but I did not like Rock Opera (and I'm a Broadway musical nut!). Loud, screeching music (sometimes sung not in key) with poor dancing. Enjoyed the marriage game, yes/no, trivia, zumba, dance classes--lots of entertainment and very good cruise staff! Did not use the Sanctuary but used the Retreat Pool and the chairs outside of the Sanctuary on a number of days. We had food and drink delivered via the Medallion. Embarkation was easy--had to pick up our Medallions though. We got dropped off around 11 a.m. and were on board at Crooners by 11:30 a.m. Disembarkation was also pretty easy. We were walk-offs and left the ship before 8 a.m. This port (due to the closed loop cruise) used the face recognition for customs. Just smiled, said good morning and was out the door for our shuttle pick up! I do have to say that the service we received was phenomenal! I've always have good service on a Princess ship but this staff and crew were great! Cheerful, energetic, and upbeat crew just adds to one's cruise!