cruisequeen4ever

I absolutely love Skagway and so I’m disappointed for those who won’t get to experience it, but I am so excited for that news! I’ve been wanting to go to ISP for years because it’s a place I haven’t been but mostly because of the zip line!

I like the Medallion system. Yes, we have had issues with it, but the concept is awesome, and someday, it should (It better!!) work smoothly!

I didn’t realize the Voyager is run by the Captain Cook and am quite surprised it is given that the Captain Cook is the nicest hotel here, and the Voyager does show as a 1 star. They’re right across the street from each other. I can’t believe Princess (and probably other cruise lines) would put their pax there. To me, quarantine hotels should be on par with the quality of the cruise line, and this place is not a match with Princess! I truly hope those quarantined in Anchorage (and all other port cities) will respect the lives of fellow travelers and locals by staying in isolation as mandated until they’re cleared!

That would definitely complicate matters for someone doing a B2B from Whittier. Would the second leg be refunded then? Thank you for going the extra mile to get the most current info!

I feel so bad for all of you affected by this! Copper River was a cool place to visit, but I can see how that would be the first to temporarily cut, since it’s the least frequented. I hope you all can find good replacements. Alaska will still be a wonderful experience!

You will be picked up from the Egan Center, then. The earlier you get there, the earlier bus you’ll be on. It’s a beautiful drive. Sit on the right side for the coastal view. Check-in in Whittier doesn’t start until the train arrives about 12:05 PM, so you will either arrive right around then or later. The bus drops you off directly in front of the terminal. If you don’t depart til after lunch, I recommend grabbing a Tia’s Reindeer dog from her stand on 4th Ave; there are other stands, but hers are the best. They’re delicious and a unique Alaskan experience. Have fun! I never tire of the AK cruises; they’re so beautiful!

The train cars are fully enclosed but apparently were quite air conditioned, based on what the op said. I believe you can still buy cough meds onboard, but you must ask for them, so they can track who is sick and test them. I have used the new cough pills, and they’re so much easier to take than the liquid and do work. 👍

Personally, I highly prefer Princess’s food to Royal’s. As for daily activities, they’re very similar, except Royal Caribbean has way more attractions like the water slides etc. Royal’s crowd skews younger. If you would like a reprieve from a ton of kids onboard, Princess will deliver.

I’m glad you had fun! We were in Whittier that day and got to see your ship. 😀 Pre-Covid, the buffet options at dinner were stupendous, so you were certainly not off in wishing for better variety. I hope they bring back the full buffet spread like before. Even though the majority eat in the MDR, those of us who do prefer the buffet should have an equal opportunity to have great variety. Hopefully Princess can get more reps onboard to check in train pax because checking in land tour pax on the train is a fantastic benefit! They were right that there’s a lack of cell reception in multiple parts of the Anchorage to Whittier segment. So many places in AK are short staffed this season, just like everywhere else. 😏

Volcanos do erupt here, but they’re usually very far away. We did get ash one time from one, but it’s rare. Sometimes they affect flights because of the ash in the air.

It was fun reading a multi-pax account and heartwarming to see Karen, a wonderful cruise staffer we remember from many years ago, back onboard!

Boarding begins when the train arrives at about 12:05. The checkin peeps don’t even get there until about 11:45. The buses start arriving then, too. I’d say there shouldn’t be any difference between departing from the airport of Egan Center, and in your situation, I’d highly recommend the airport due to your free shuttle. The only caveat is that you need to be prepared to get to the airport probably by 9:00 in the morning because you will be first come first serve in line with all the people who flew early in the morning. There is a Starbucks right there, so you can at least get breakfast while you wait. I’d guess the first bus will leave around 10:15 or 10:30.

Egan Center (unless it’s not available on a particular day)

While wearing a mask is not fun at all, I have to admit that cruises unfortunately have increased our case count here. My guess is that this may be driven by Canada, since the roundtrip Seattle cruises visit the same ports, and masks aren’t required on them. It is highly unlikely to be coming from our state government, since they were happy to get rid of mask mandates. Hopefully the current surge will end soon! Anchorage hotels do sell out in the summer, so if cruise lines don’t have blocks of rooms on hand for quarantines, I don’t know what they’d do.

The beginning of September is a mixed bag. It could be warm, or it could be stormy; nights are for sure colder. The weather really starts to change mid-September.

As some one else noted, a key takeaway from this thread is the distinct lack of consistency among Princess ships and their treatment of pax with Covid. Some quarantined in Vancouver, some bused to Seattle, and some taken back to Anchorage. It doesn’t make one feel very confident. So long into cruising during the pandemic, every cruise line should have a precise plan for handling Covid pax, with documents ready to issue to pax to explain the process and all crew trained. As protocols change, they should simply be updating the documents and ensuring consistency among the ships.

Shorts are fine; I found myself most comfortable in dresses, though.

I’ve cruised Alaska in May, June, and July and you never know what you’re gonna get. I’ve swam in 80 degree heat in Juneau a few times, been in a windy/rainy storm in Skagway, been freezing in winter clothes in a torrential downpour in Ketchikan one time and then the next time there, worn flip flops and capris and got a tan, and then everything inbetween. Plan on it being somewhere between 50-70, primarily 55-65, bring all kinds of layers, and have a blast!

If it’s your first time there, I recommend doing Ephesus. It’s so fascinating.

I think it’s a fantastic idea of Princess’s to transport Covid pax securely across the border back to the US. That would actually make me feel better about doing an Alaska cruise this season. It’s just safer to be in your own country while very sick, with access to your own medical care.

I too am curious as to whether Princess put you and your wife on a coach to Seattle to at least get you out of Canada to quarantine. I hope you both test negative prior to boarding a plane home in order to protect others and wish you safe travels home.

Ok, that’s messed up! I don’t understand why they’d make pax happy giving a replacement port at least and then yank it. I’m sorry; I hope you still have a quality cruise!

You narrowed it down to 3 great itineraries! Yes, the Enchanted is going to be beautifully new and offer the most food options. The Emerald and Caribbean possess that classic ship feel, though, so if you like that, you’ll appreciate it. If you’re all about the beaches or reaching islands that are tougher to reach because they’re further away, you’ll want either the Circle Caribbean or Southern Caribbean. If the Panama Canal is on your bucket list, that would draw you in. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, though. Have fun!

What a beautiful sight; thank you for sharing!

Because every time we step onboard, it feels like coming home. ❤️ We love the classic ship feel, the excellent crew, the delicious food, and the activities onboard.