Alaskan Hair consults? Tooth whitening? Art auctions? What the heck?

[Liz Masterson]

So I'm taking my first cruise ever this summer... I've been poking around and found some old Patters... what the heck? I was hoping for naturalist presentations and other activities drawing on topics relevant to the history and culture and nature of Alaska. Instead I'm seeing a lot of really odd stuff. Also I'm not much into gambling and have hear that the odds are especially tipped to the boat... even more than they usually are to the house!

 

Am I going to find some things to do at sea? I am planning on packing some reading.

 

Thoughts?

 

Are there crafts? Are they related to the area we are cruising? (Alaska)

 

 

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[Kartgv]

All the hype about hair, spa treatments, tooth whitening, art auctions, bingo, even acupuncture, is pretty much common to all mainstream cruise lines, regardless of where they're sailing. Feel free to ignore them and go about doing your own thing and enjoying the passing scenery if you're not in port. Princess is, however pretty good about having very informative naturalists onboard who will often offer lectures and broadcast commentary when traveling through more interesting areas. In some parts of the world they will also bring local cultural performers onboard for an evening or afternoon show, but not sure if that's the case in Alaska.

[kathyt939]

We found plenty to do on ship. They did have lectures about Alaska. They have sled puppies on some ships one day. We watched movies and played trivia. We read, spent time watching the goings on in the Piazza. Night shows. We don't gamble so no casino. Read the patters every evening for the next day and you should find something.

 

 

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[fishywood]

On any cruise most anywhere in the world, ads for spa services and art auctions (as well as the onboard boutiques and "port shopping guides") will dominate the Princess Patter because they represent pure profit for the ship--the cruiseline get a straight cut of revenue from the operator with virtually no expenses involved. Just a fact of life when cruising in the 21st century.

 

I don't know how old the Patters you have found are but Princess has been adding more local color the last couple years thanks to their current alliance with Discovery Networks. You may want to look directly for the listed events that have the Discovery logo next to them.

 

In Alaska there will likely be more activities on the Voyage of the Glaciers cruises than the round-trip Inside Passage as there are more opportunities for local guides to hop from ship to ship. One of the best activities that should be on all Alaska cruises is interacting with the sled dog puppies brought on by one of the Iditarod racers.

[casofilia]

Princess is, however pretty good about having very informative naturalists onboard who will often offer lectures and broadcast commentary when traveling through more interesting areas. In some parts of the world they will also bring local cultural performers onboard for an evening or afternoon show, but not sure if that's the case in Alaska.

 

We did Alaska-Vancouver a few years ago now and were very pleased with the presentations. From what I have read they are even better now. Enjoy.

[easyboy]

In our Alaska cruise, there were naturalists onboard who gave commentaries and lectures on area being visited. There were also events and activities that the staff lined up that made our time enjoyable.

 

 

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[Thrak]

We are never bored when onboard and we don't use the casino or do any of the spa/tooth whitening/salon stuff. We just ignore those. Beware of Port talks that aren't about the port. Some are informative and interesting. Some are just shopping junk and (to our mind) a waste of time. We got sucked into one of those once - on our first cruise - and learned our lesson. If you are aware of those types of "lectures" they should be easy to spot and thus easy to avoid.

 

Enjoy your cruise. We have only cruised Alaska twice so far - once with a land tour included - but will likely sail there again sometime in the future. (We're actually leaving in a couple of weeks for a 2 month land trip to Canada and Alaska. :))

[Ellipooh]

Oh boy, I hope we get puppies on our 2018 voyage on the Grand. I would love that.

[Coral]

http://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/onboard-experience/

 

Honestly - I am not aware of any other line that offers as much enrichment programs as Princess does (except for small boutique lines).

[Liz Masterson]

Thanks everyone! Feeling better! Visiting puppies can be dangerous though. You have to be careful. I did that in November and came home with one!

[DreamflightPat]

http://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/onboard-experience/

 

Honestly - I am not aware of any other line that offers as much enrichment programs as Princess does (except for small boutique lines).

Cunard have excellent enrichment programmes.

[DreamflightPat]

http://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/onboard-experience/

 

Honestly - I am not aware of any other line that offers as much enrichment programs as Princess does (except for small boutique lines).

 

Cunard have excellent enrichment programmes.

[Coral]

Cunard have excellent enrichment programmes.

 

In Alaska?

 

I meant to say in Alaska. I know other lines (higher lines) do a better job in other itineraries.

[Coral]

Thanks everyone! Feeling better! Visiting puppies can be dangerous though. You have to be careful. I did that in November and came home with one!

 

Consider yourself lucky. You could have brought home 3!

[Tatka]

I personally glad all those services exist. It means that somebody is subsidizing my trip. :)

 

However Princess, HAL and Celebrity usually have very informative lecturers and they are free.

[lolane1]

Personally, I would bring along some reading. Do you have a kindle or other device? Another thing I do is start reading months in advance to put me in the frame of mind of the place I am visiting. Nothing like a bit of history to help make the voyage come alive and enhance your visit.

I did a quick search and the following were well rated. But there is plenty more to choose from depending on your focus.

 

Alaska by James Mitchener

Alaska by Shelly Gill

The Alaska Cruise Handbook, A mile by mile guide

[LoriPhil]

We bought the Alaska Cruise Handbook for our first cruise in 2007 and have brought it with us every trip since then. Hopefully the newest version includes the big map, which is annotated by information in the book - very well done!

[Liz Masterson]

consider yourself lucky. You could have brought home 3!

i know it!

[akeasley]

If it hasn't been mentioned before, you may want to check out the presentation by Libby Riddles if she visits your ship. Libby was the first female to win the Iditarod race and her presentation was excellent. :)

[Coral]

If it hasn't been mentioned before, you may want to check out the presentation by Libby Riddles if she visits your ship. Libby was the first female to win the Iditarod race and her presentation was excellent. :)

 

I agree. And it is appropriate for all age groups also. I have seen it several times and still enjoy it.

[capriccio]

In some parts of the world they will also bring local cultural performers onboard for an evening or afternoon show, but not sure if that's the case in Alaska.

 

Don't miss Steve Hites, a musician and story teller, if he comes on your ship in Skagway. http://www.princess.com/learn/cruise-destinations/alaska-cruises/onboard-experience/

[capriccio]

In our Alaska cruise, there were naturalists onboard who gave commentaries and lectures on area being visited. There were also events and activities that the staff lined up that made our time enjoyable.

 

 

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And on our two Alaska cruises they were known to make unscheduled wildlife announcements from the bridge.

[Colo Cruiser]

99% of that junk listed in the Patter I would never know about unless someone points it out.

I filter it right out.

[joeyancho]

All that stuff is a big-money soak. Avoid any port talk that involves shopping. The enrichment lectures are great but the others not so much.

[Mermaid-ooxx]

Great info... thanks for the book titles!!