cruiser_BC

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the reply. We have decided to do the glacier bay as recommended.

At the moment, we found MS Westerdam(D7L) and Island Princess(CAZ/CA3 tour) with a day in Denali. Princess has 2 days in fairbanks but Holland America will have a day in Anchorage(or 2 days if we decide to get there early).

Ports are about the same, but I would like your opinion on the MS Westerdam itinerary as follows:

Day Date Itinerary

THU 28JUN18 Transfer Anc Airport/Hotel 1

THU 28JUN18 Hotel Captain Cook 1D 1

FRI 29JUN18 Transfer Hotel/Rail Depot 1

FRI 29JUN18 Mckinley Explorer: Anchorage/Talkeetna ------9:15am - 12:15pm

FRI 29JUN18 Mckinley Explorer: Talkeetna/Denali -------------- 12:35pm - 4:40pm

FRI 29JUN18 Transfer Rail Depot/Hotel 1

FRI 29JUN18 Grande Denali Lodge 1D 1

SAT 30JUN18 Denali Morning At Leisure 1

SAT 30JUN18 Denali/Fairbanks Coach 1------------------------- 2:30pm - 6:00pm

SAT 30JUN18 Westmark Fairbanks Hotel 1D 1

SUN 01JUL18 Transfer Hotel/Fai Airport 1

SUN 01JUL18 Air: Fairbanks/Anchorage 1

SUN 01JUL18 Anchorage/Seward Coach 1

SUN 01JUL18 Sail from Seward (Anchorage), Alaska, US 8:00pm

MON 02JUL18 Sea Day

TUE 03JUL18 Glacier Bay 2,3 8:30am 6:30pm

WED 04JUL18 Haines, Alaska, US 6:30am 9:00pm

THU 05JUL18 Juneau, Alaska, US 8:00am 6:00pm

FRI 06JUL18 Ketchikan, Alaska, US 11:00am 7:00pm

SAT 07JUL18 Scenic Cruising The Inside Passage 2

SUN 08JUL18 Debark Ship Vancouver, B.C., CA

Thank you!

Thanks for the info @LeeW and @JF.

@LeeW - It looks like we only have a partial day in denali now. Arriving at 5 PM and leaving around 2:30 pm next day to Fairbanks. Do we need 2 days to see everything in Denali?

Thanks so much @Gran7577 Enjoy your trip :):):):)

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

We've done the Princess itinerary on the Island's sister ship, the Coral Princess, twice and did a Panama Canal transit on the Island Princess 9 years ago. We loved both ships but since then the Island has been reconfigured to include more cabins at the price of reducing public spaces. We haven't been on it since then but many seasoned Princess cruisers have not approved of the redesign. That could be a reason for the mixed reviews.

 

If this is your first Alaska cruise do not miss Glacier Bay. I also loved the northbound cruise because the scenery is stupendous from the first morning you wake up and just gets better and better as you head north. Plus Vancouver is an awesome city - you should spend at least one or two extra days there before the cruise. That said, we are doing a Seattle round trip on Princess this summer because we are taking the entire family (6 adults and a toddler) and the flight arrangements were easier. I did insist that it include Glacier Bay and we are spending a day before an after the cruise in Seattle.

 

Princess has a wonderful Alaska program, second to none. Check out https://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/onboard-experience/ and be sure to click on "Meet Real Alaskans." There will also be a full time naturalist on board plus National Park Service Rangers during Glacier Bay day. If your time and budget allow I would also recommend a cruise tour to Denali at the end of the cruise. You will see lots more of that beautiful state than you do on the cruise only.

Thank you so much again for the info. I live in Vancouver area actually :) But we are very new to cruising.

Hi everyone,

First time cruiser here and planning our first anniversary trip. I liked the itinerary for Island princess to alaska & possibly do the CA-3 tour as well. But after reading reviews and such we are thinking to pass on this ship.

We were to go with Celebrity Solstice - but it goes to Tracey arm Fjord & inside passage from Seattle (RT). But Island Princess goes to Glaciar Bay & College Fjord which is great.

Can anyone tell me how are the dining and entertainment options in Island Princess? DH is a foodie so I want to make this first cruise experience the best for us.

We have the C-502 Balcony cabin on the Caribe deck on hold, anyone has feedback on this cabin?

Thank you!

How long do you have in Vancouver Port? There is a 711 store (1099 Pender st) or a shoppers drugmart just opposite to it and it is about 8 mins walk from the cruise terminal.

I live in BC that's how i know :)

Anyone know about island princess?

There is a huge difference between these cruises. Princess sails from Vancouver and goes on the inside of Vancouver Island - very scenic and calm seas. Celebrity goes from Seattle and goes on the outside of Vancouver Island. You are out of sight of land and subject to wave action as there's nothing but sea between you and Japan. Princess goes to Glacier Bay and College Fjord - It's a one way northbound so you end up in Anchorage with the opportunity to rent a car and see something of the rest of Alaska for a few days. Celebrity is round trip Seattle. Princess goes to Glacier Bay, a highlight of Alaska for most people, Celebrity goes to Tracy Arm, where you usually don't get to see a glacier unless you take an expensive excursion in a small boat. Princess has an Alaska themed program, with talks by dog mushers, puppies on the ship, talks by Natives, Alaska music, a naturalist, and Alaska trivia, Alaska cook out on the pool deck, etc.

Hi there. Thank you for your response. We did see the difference between their itineraries. But our confusion is mostly about the ships.

From what I see island princess has mixed reviews and that's why we want to know from past cruisers here.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,

Apologize if this has been asked before. We are planning to go to Alaska this summer for our 1st anniversary and we both are in our 20's.

We have been trying to decide between 2 sailings.

Celebrity Solstice - Aqua Class:

Seattle, Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, Cruising Alaska's Inside Passage, Victoria, Seattle

Island Princess - Balcony:

Vancouver, Icy Strait, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, College Fjord, Whittier

I heard Celebrity is very good and it has a lot to do onboard the ships. But we don't find much info on Island Princess amenities etc.

Pricing difference between 2 sailings is almost $1400 but we want to have a great experience as a first time cruiser. Which ship will you recommend in terms of Dining, entertainment etc?

Thank you!