Help comparing HAL and Princess

[creel5857]

We are planning a land tour/cruise to Alaska next summer and narrowing down options. We have been on Princess land/rail/cruise tour 7 years back but contemplating HAL trip this and need help from anyone who can give me details regarding the following. I have asked a few questions on Alaska board but still need some clarification from anyone who has traveled recently:

 

1. Any differences in style, service and conveniences between Princess and HAL lodging in Fairbanks, Denali and Anchorage

 

2. Any differences in the style, service and conveniences of the rail cars between these 2 cruise lines from Fairbanks to Denali to Anchorage to cruise port

 

Thanks ahead for anything you can share as I am trying to help a group of travelers narrow down a trip

[dakrewser]

We are planning a land tour/cruise to Alaska next summer and narrowing down options. We have been on Princess land/rail/cruise tour 7 years back but contemplating HAL trip this and need help from anyone who can give me details regarding the following. I have asked a few questions on Alaska board but still need some clarification from anyone who has traveled recently:

 

1. Any differences in style, service and conveniences between Princess and HAL lodging in Fairbanks, Denali and Anchorage

 

2. Any differences in the style, service and conveniences of the rail cars between these 2 cruise lines from Fairbanks to Denali to Anchorage to cruise port

 

Thanks ahead for anything you can share as I am trying to help a group of travelers narrow down a trip

 

Essentially on difference as they each use the others facilities seemingly at random.

[Susie51]

Enjoy your cruise. After your cruise let us know how the two cruise lines compare to each other including pros and cons for each experience. Thank you

[avian777]

There are many differing opinions & preconceptions about Princess and HAL but IMHO only one significant factual difference between them - only HAL has a Roman Catholic priest (who celebrates daily Mass) on board every one of its cruises. So if spiritual renewal is an important component of your vacation experience, HAL is the hands-down choice. Whichever you choose, I hope you enjoy the cruise!

[Tarpeian Rock]

We are planning a land tour/cruise to Alaska next summer and narrowing down options. We have been on Princess land/rail/cruise tour 7 years back but contemplating HAL trip this and need help from anyone who can give me details regarding the following. I have asked a few questions on Alaska board but still need some clarification from anyone who has traveled recently:

 

1. Any differences in style, service and conveniences between Princess and HAL lodging in Fairbanks, Denali and Anchorage

 

2. Any differences in the style, service and conveniences of the rail cars between these 2 cruise lines from Fairbanks to Denali to Anchorage to cruise port

 

Thanks ahead for anything you can share as I am trying to help a group of travelers narrow down a trip

 

 

 

We just returned from a lengthy land-sea escorted Princess Alaska tour beginning in Fairbanks. Would do it again in a heartbeat. The Princess cars and Holland cars were all attached in the same train, so I'm guessing no difference there. Our concierge escort told us that only Princess has its own lodges, and that Holland makes arrangements with 3rd-party hotels; this surprised me and I have no independent verification of that. All I can say is that we were delighted with our experience, the 4 Princess lodges were wonderful. We were also glad that we did the extended land portion first, can't imagine doing the land portion after a week on the ship. Good luck!

[frankc98376]

HAL and Princess have been "Spun off" from Carnival into their own company under the HAL banner.

 

Plans are in place to build a new HQ for both in Seattle near the current HAL HQ. My guess is that they will continue to get more alike in the future. I wouldn't be surprised to one day see Princess ships get a blue hull or HAL ships go white. Blue hull is of course my preference :)

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

In Alaska both do a good job ...

[sammiedawg]

Princess has improved so much over the years but we firmly believe their Alaska program is stellar. We've sailed to Alaska with them multiple times, just once with HAL. We've recommended Princess Alaska to many.

Princess knocks it out of the park with their Alaska expert program including Libby Riddles in Juneau, Steve Hite in Skagway and new programs out of ketchikan. The new Ketchikan program alternates between on board Alaska lumberjacks and Deadliest catch crew members. In May we had a lumberjack on board, he did a show and shared info on his life in Alaska. They had other cultural events this past May but we did not attend.

Princess uses their on board naturalists more, more commentary from the bridge and more lectures.

The Princess lodge, cruise tour progrsm Is more comprehensive, more lodges in wilderness locations, the best ones are Kenai and Copper River, off the beaten path. HAL does not do those locations as far as I know.

Our one Zaandam cruise in Alaska was nice but the naturalist had limited visibility and I do not remember any speakers other than the Glacier bay Rangers.

Both lines have lots of Glacier bay permits.

[xlxo]

In my limited experiences....

• I like HAL for the photo packages.... I go poor with Princess
  
• My HAL ships had CRT screens. Princess had LCD screens in the cabin
  
• I think I like the Princess menu more.
  

I choose HAL for the photo savings.

[Stokeset]

There are many differing opinions & preconceptions about Princess and HAL but IMHO only one significant factual difference between them - only HAL has a Roman Catholic priest (who celebrates daily Mass) on board every one of its cruises. So if spiritual renewal is an important component of your vacation experience, HAL is the hands-down choice. Whichever you choose, I hope you enjoy the cruise!

 

Not to beleaguer this topic yet again, BUT, another "factual" difference that may be of significance: HAL allows smoking on balconies, Princess does not. That being said, we were in a similar quandary when we booked our HAL land/sea trip for September this year. Having done Princess and knowing what a great experience it was, we ended up choosing HAL this time because for the time of year we needed, HAL had the 3 days in Denali we wanted, Princess did not.

 

OP, I will be willing to post the comparison/differences we experience upon our return, if you are interested and can wait that long. We leave 9/2, return 9/13. (I AM looking forward to finding out if the mattresses on HAL are more comfortable than those of Princess.)

Liz

[creel5857]

thanks for responses and any more appreciated!!

[sppunk]

We just returned from a lengthy land-sea escorted Princess Alaska tour beginning in Fairbanks. Would do it again in a heartbeat. The Princess cars and Holland cars were all attached in the same train, so I'm guessing no difference there. Our concierge escort told us that only Princess has its own lodges, and that Holland makes arrangements with 3rd-party hotels; this surprised me and I have no independent verification of that. All I can say is that we were delighted with our experience, the 4 Princess lodges were wonderful. We were also glad that we did the extended land portion first, can't imagine doing the land portion after a week on the ship. Good luck!

 

Your escort was a little disingenuous. Westmark is a whole subsidiary of Holland America and all the properties HAL uses (I am pretty sure all) are Westmark-controlled. So they are third-party hotels but that third-party is owned outright by HAL. :)

 

To the same notion Princess is owned by HAL essentially (semantics can be argued but Princess was swept under the HAL group and lost their independent Alaska coaches).