smrtypnts

Fun web site to visit! I was looking at the boats entering Glacier Bay and clicked on the Wilderness Adventure. What photo pops up when you click the icon?

http://photos.marinetraffic.com/ais/showphoto.aspx?photoid=460054

Damn--and I think I have that excursion booked! :o:eek::'):')

Very rarely do postcards make it to their destination in a timely manner. Often I beat them home. Not sure why this happens, but more often than not.

I agree with you, but mailed April 3rd and today is May 11! That's a bit much!:o:confused::eek::(

Every bit of this was great information for me so thank you to all of you. I do have one question--Do they add tip and tax to the quoted price? And if so how much is each?

Wow, this is a large question. Search Princess cruisetours. If only going one time, I would select the tour with the most complete and longest land portion you can afford coupled with sites you wish to see. Any ship is good, but personally I would not book the Island Princess. The Island had a major renovation which removed large public areas and replaced them with cabins for around 200 extra passengers. The Island also does not have an International Cafe.

We have never sailed Princess and we will be soon enough. What is the International Cafe? What does it offer, etc.?

If you are referring to the AIBP at a cost of $57.45/day, that package includes all drinks that cost $10.00 or less and specialty coffee and/or "better coffee" and bottled water is included. If you are talking about the Unlimited Soda & More Package at a cost of $8.05/day, that package includes unlimited fountain soda drinks, non alcoholic "mocktails", juices throughout the day, and hot chocolate but not specialty coffee, "better coffee", or bottled water.

 

 

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The all inclusive beverage package includes ANY drink $10 and under, water/coffee/alcohol etc etc.

 

Keyword ANY.......

Thank you both of you--we do have the All Inclusive Beverage Package, (I just checked our reservations) so my husband will be very happy and you saved me money because I was ready to buy the coffee card on ebay for hubbypnts.;p

I have another question--if you buy the unlimited beverage package that includes cocktails, does it include the specialty coffee and/or the "better coffee"?

You may order as much regular brewed coffee as you like per day with a coffee card that was purchased during that cruise (ship name and date is usually entered on the back of the card). Unused punches may be used on following cruises, but regular coffee will cost you a punch on the "old" card.

Thank you very much!

True, it shouldn't be too difficult. Unfortunately, Princess IT will be running it...

:'):'):')

I did read this whole thread, but I want to make sure I completely understand. I understand about having 15 punches for specialty coffees. My question is really related to coffee that is better than the dining rooms. Is it my understanding that I can get unlimited regular coffee with this card? In other words, I can get 2 regular cups of coffee per day PLUS up to 15 punches of specialty coffees? Thank you. This is our first time sailing princess and while I don't drink coffee at all, my husband drinks tons of it. and he likes the specialty ones too. :halo:

It was cloudy with rain showers when we went, and it was still spectacular!

 

 

 

 

Our pilot said that when it is sunny and warm, you tend to get more turbulence and people get sick. :eek:

Who did you use for your tour?

My reply to you on TripAdvisor-

 

 

it's called "Misty", for a reason. :) I just flew [- again- June 1, dark skies, overcast etc. It was one of the most spectacular viewing trips I have ever had ( at least 20 trips). Deep colors, fading mist in and out of the fiords, dramatic viewing. Same thing with my Tracy Arm tour- overcast with deep colors of the glaciers and fjords.

 

 

 

Frankly- I do NOT want clear sunny days. It's a common thinking of people who haven't been there and unrealistic since weather is so unpredictable. If it is a priority for you, then sure you can get walk up Misty flights- with getting off your ship, right when it clears and right to the vendors to see who still has space. Alternative would be to have a phone list prior and start calling, when you get phone service. Space is usually available. I am very picky about my pilots, you can't be with walk up booking.

Who did you use and was it a float plane or what?

I took an inside passage cruise on NCL. It stopped at Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Victoria and we also spent a day cruising through Glacier Bay National Park. You can definitely take an inside passage cruise that cruises through Glacier Bay, you just have to search the right cruise lines. There are a few threads that thoroughly specify which lines cruise Glacier Bay.

 

I found that I saw much more land than the other cruises I have been on (Caribbean, Mediterranean, Pacific Coast), but probably not enough for someone who is afraid of cruising and not seeing land. Especially at nighttime.[/quo

 

Thanks I haven't come across any itineraries that include both I will keep on the hunt for that.

We are hopeful she will be fine once she is onboard she hasnt actually tried it.

I'm doing both. My cruise actually simply says sea day on the day when we do the inside passage. Just as an FYI--we are going on Island Princess in Sept. I think Princess and Holland could be your better bet.

You can fnd itinerary info on the Princess site. Sign in, then go to My Account, then Upcoming Cruises, then Cruise Personalizer, then Calendar and Planning, next page will be Itinerary. Go to McKinley lodge and hit + and will open up that section to show you arrival time at Lodge. Hope that helps.

Perfect directions thank you so much!

Got it thanks. We will non-pool Alaska:eek: as the state is in our bucket list. Iceland to Ireland is inexpensive out of JKF so we can stop in Iceland and stay to see the Northern lights when we think of going back to visit family in Ireland.

 

We will cuise, i don't see us doing much treking ashore in Alaska.

 

Alaska and Hawa'i are the bucket list.

 

Too much time at sea getting to and back from to Hawai'i so we will fly to the Big Island, see Pearl Harbor and take short flights to the other islands. I am not a fan of flying vs cruising but that us the way our bucket list has to go.:D

 

Thanks for your outline!

We did Hawaii a few years ago. A) The Big Island is not the same Island as Pearl Harbor. We did a cruise and it was hands down the best way to go. NCL does a cruise around the islands. You fly into Ohau, pick up the cruise there and then spend 2 days in Maui, 2 days on the Big Island and 2 days in Kauai. We went in 3 days early and stayed 2 days afterwards so we got to see everything in Oahu as well (including but not limited to Pearl Harbor) It was great! I highly recommend it especially if you think you'll only go once. I too am from the NYC area.

As for Alaska--we opted for a one-way cruise with added land nights through Princess. We fly into Seattle spend a day and then fly up to Fairbanks where we begin our vacation. We pick up the cruise 3 days later in Whittier, spend 7 days...ending in Vancouver and then fly back to Seattle and spend a few more nights. (the Seattle part I wouldn't do except that my son moved there this past summer, so it's a chance for us to visit. Plus, we've already visited Seattle summer 2015 for a week.)

We have never sailed Princess. Lately we've mostly sailed NCL. NCL doesn't even have formal nights anymore, so it's been a while. We are sailing Alaska in Sept. My daughter is getting married June 30. I bought a sequined gown for her wedding and I plan to wear it on one of the formal nights (maybe even both). Anyway...."back in the day" men could rent a tux on board the ship. Is this possible on Princess? If I'm going to be all decked out my husband is not going to "just wear" a suit.

Will be on my ship on 12/11. I wish now that I had booked a suite. Most of my other cruises were in suites and loved it and thought I would try something new...:(

 

Love following along with you, will have to show this to my husband who will be on his first cruise in about 2 weeks. Finally talked him into it.

 

Thanks for your photos and vids and all you are doing.

I called earlier this week and at that time they had suites without a balcony for $200 per person upgrade fee (from a balcony cabin) could be more from an inside.

 

The following photos aren't great but to get better from way back in the theater I would have had to use the huge zoom lens and would have (a) looked like an idiot and (b) distracted others. There's a lot of glare from the lights on anything white but they may give you the flavor. There's a 7 piece band and a whole posse of singers and dancers- I counted 24 performers on stage during some songs!

 

It was a show featuring songs before the Beatles arrived to change pop music and I knew all of them-Catch a Falling Star and Put it in Your Pocket (which is impossible) will give you the gist. So basically songs from the 1950s but sung well.

 

 

 

As always the sound is loud and clear as Princess has invested in state of the art ship systems.The 7 piece band, with brass, are flawless.

 

 

 

Great sound, lighting and talented giving it their all performers. A fast paced show with costume changes. It only lasts 35 to 40 minutes and then we are leaving. Interesting for me to note is the number of people who couldn't get seats and were standing at both sides and rear-easily 100 people. The room seats 700. We wait until the crowd has passed before getting up.

 

 

Also interesting- the bar waiters who wander the aisles before the show and their lack of hustle and no doubt profitable receipts. They are the eye-contact avoiders and are skilled at looking right at you but apparently not seeing your waving arms.

 

"look-over here! I'm dying of thirst. Yes I have money and wish to buy a drink!"

 

He turns and walks away wondering why no one is buying tonight.

Do you know if they have this show on Island Princess? My mother would love this show, I think. Also, was this show and formal night both on night 1?

I can too- the most memorable meals-over many years;

 

Les Celebrites, Essex Hotel NY (French chef Alain Ducasse)

Fleur de Lys, San Francisco (French Chef Hubert Keller)

11 Madison NY Swiss Chef

Hyatt Cologne Germany Swiss Chef

Hotel Schweizerhof, Lucerne, Swiss Chef

 

The 5 most outstanding meals that I remember. 5 star or Michelin Star dining but I still get excited over the Pub Lunch.

 

Norris

I wish I had known this a week ago. While I did start reading this thread after you had disembarked and before last week, I hadn't gotten to this particular post. Last weekend we did the Essex Steam train and probably could have eaten there while we were in Essex. That's ok--it's only 1.5 hours from my house, so it may have to be a road trip.

Pat, are you asking me?

 

If so- because I am addicted to aft suites it would be the Star as the Coral doesn't have any.

 

However-the Coral is a beauty indeed and has 1,000 less passengers and big wide promenade decks that would reduce a man like me to tears. It also has a great smoking lounge with a view-again that's a plus for me, probably not you.

 

Both are Princess ships which mean they are great to sail on in terms of food and service and entertainment. Coral sailed on Wednesdays this year so that was not good for us. I would happily sail on her again.

 

Princess is long established in Alaska and know what they are doing.

 

 

Norris

I know you mentioned at the front end of your report you did not choose Island Princess because of the ugly makeover. But like you, I like an aft cabin. And this ship gave me that opportunity without the price of a suite. While I'd love a suite, it's not in the budget for our Sept. 2017 Alaska cruise.

On another note, this is my first Princess cruise and my first reading of one of your trip reports! You do an amazing job and I am savoring every post. Thank you for taking the time. BTW--Your pictures are just the best!!!

following as I'd love any info people may share.

I have no information but would love to know if anyone answers you.

We have been to both. While I like them both, I prefer Mr Sancho's. It has more to do and I prefer their food and drinks.(the shrimp cocktail and ceviche is to die for). The beach is wider at Mr Sancho's and if you want a massage, ask for Dulce. She has magic hands!!!

Do you remember how much Dulce charges?

Yeah I have one that insists on having something to do other than just a beach. Nachi would be out for us. Although I'm not sure they will even do the water toys more than a few minutes, if the water is rough, I've heard they are really hard to get up on in rougher water and they aren't strong swimmers.

The water is usually not rough, life jackets are available, and if an old guy like me can get up your kids should be able to do the same. ;)

Not only is the water generally calm, but they also have trampolines in the water that kids (and adults) love to go on!

Sorry - Nachi is exclusively All-Inclusive for about $55 each, and is limited to 100 guests per day. http://www.cozumelnachicocom.com/

 

PB is exclusively pay-as-you-go, while Mr. S offers an AI side and a PAYG side - your choice.

I had gone to the Nachi site you shared before I asked the question, and did not see an option for pay as you go, that's why I asked. I totally appreciate your willingness to come back and give me all the answers to each of the places! Thank you so much!:)

I can't answer your question as I've only been to Paradise and it was in 2005. It was worth the money, I remember that! But the food could have changed drastically since then so I wouldn't want to tell you it's great or anything.

I would like to know since JohninDC brought it up--do you know if there's a fee at Nachi if you do not do the all inclusive? Like maybe I just want to sit on the beach with a lounge chair and an umbrella and possibly eat and/or drink something.

Which ship are you on? I understand that the entertainment can only be booked on line on the larger ships, e.g, Getaway, Breakaway, Epic etc.

Then that would make sense because we're on Dawn; an older, smaller ship.

In My NCL,

Explore Activities & Excursions Available for Booking Today:

under Entertainment

Thank you--it has a zero in that location right now and is grayed out.:rolleyes: