Considering 1st Princess Cruise

[avic77]

I am considering a Princess Cruise to Alaska for next April or May for our 20th wedding anniversary. Unfortunatly the resent reviews are looking a little sad. Was hoping to hear from the pros here on cruise critic.

We have only sailed once before (15th wedding anniversary on NCL to W.Caribbean). We enjoyed the cruise for the most part (the info-mercial sale type things were annoying like "come play bingo or the "free raffle" that wasnt actually free). We are a young 40 and 52 and are pretty active. Not much on drinking and we do not gamble. While i love to Dance my husband doesnt so much care for it but will dance some. We are not foodies but we want the food to be good.

 

I am also looking at NCL and Royal Caribbean cruises. I will not cruise Carnival.

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[donswife]

I am considering a Princess Cruise to Alaska for next April or May for our 20th wedding anniversary. Unfortunatly the resent reviews are looking a little sad. Was hoping to hear from the pros here on cruise critic.

We have only sailed once before (15th wedding anniversary on NCL to W.Caribbean). We enjoyed the cruise for the most part (the info-mercial sale type things were annoying like "come play bingo or the "free raffle" that wasnt actually free). We are a young 40 and 52 and are pretty active. Not much on drinking and we do not gamble. While i love to Dance my husband doesnt so much care for it but will dance some. We are not foodies but we want the food to be good.

 

I am also looking at NCL and Royal Caribbean cruises. I will not cruise Carnival.

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

We have done Alaska on NCL, HAL, and Princess. I wouldn't hesitate to go again with HAL or Princess, but I would give Princess the edge for more special Alaska themed presentations and entertainment. They brought a number of locals onboard, including Libby Riddles (Iditerod), a naturalist, a folklorist, and a lumberjack. We had good food on both and I must have my promenade deck, as I spend hours walking and looking for wildlife with my binoculars!

[Potstech]

Have sailed to Alaska twice pn Princess and would do it again tomorrow if the chance happened. As for recent reviews they are very subjective. If you look enough there are also very good reviews on Alaskan cruises also. Determine what and why you want to cruise to Alaska and pick what you consider the best line to give you the best experience there. Prinvess Alaska cruses are always highly rated. Enjoy.

[avic77]

In the cruise its self i like we would want good food, quiet room, and nice areas to sit and watch the world go by.

If there is a ton of infomercial sales pitching going on we will get annoyed pretty fast. NCL had a bit of this, is it common on cruises?

[ar1950]

In the cruise its self i like we would want good food, quiet room, and nice areas to sit and watch the world go by.

If there is a ton of infomercial sales pitching going on we will get annoyed pretty fast. NCL had a bit of this, is it common on cruises?

 

Very common on cruises. If you let it annoy you then it will be annoying. Just ignore it and enjoy yourself.

[capriccio]

Ten years ago my husband and I took our first Princess cruise (actually a cruisetour) - Vancouver to Whittier with a tour to Denali. We were stunned by the beauty of Alaska and greatly enjoyed the cruise (our only two other cruises had been a 5 day in the Med on a Greek line when we lived in Greece and a 3 day on Royal Caribbean 6 years earlier). In 2012 we convinced my sister, brother-in-law, two brothers and sister-in-laws to accompany us on the same cruise. Two couples also did the land tour to Denali. Some of them had cruised on Carnival and Royal Caribbean before but that cruise converted them to Princess We will be on our 19th cruise on Princess this fall; two couples will be on their 5th Princess cruises this fall; my brother that hasn't retired yet is 'stuck' on 2 :D but has made us promise we will all go on an Australia cruise when he retires in 2 years. In celebration of our 45th anniversary next summer we are taking our two children, their spouses and our granddaughter on an Alaska cruise sailing roundtrip out of Seattle. We can't wait!

 

The Alaska cruises are a wonderful introduction to Princess. We like the decor, service and food we've experienced on the ships, the naturalists on board each Alaska cruise, and, as other posters have mentioned, all the specialists brought on board in each port.

 

I have two recommendations for you whichever cruise line you take: make sure the itinerary includes Glacier Bay and, if the budget and time allows, take a cruise tour.

[Kamloops50]

I would also recommend Princess . May is the start of the Alaska cruise season. You'll have to decide whether you want to do 7 day RTN or 14 day RTN or 7 day with land tour. The three lines mentioned have all three options. If 7 day with land, start with the land then the cruise.

7 day RTN's are usually from Seattle except Holland which does a 7 from Vancouver Canada. Keep in mind that a passport is recommended for an Alaskan cruise even if round trip from Seattle.There are excursions in Skagway that require a passport .

 

Having said all that , it will depend a lot on your budget as to which cruise line and cruise you chose.

[2pbears]

I admit that we are Princess cheerleaders and seem to have found our comfort zone with Princess. That said, from an objective view point, of the three lines that you are considering (Princess, NCL and RCL) I would recommend Princess simply because they are the only one of the three that are permitted to sail in Glacier Bay and I consider Glacier Bay to be the highlight of an Alaskan cruise. Princess does Alaska very well. What ever line you choose I hope you enjoy your cruise. Alaska is amazing.

[Astro Flyer]

In the cruise its self i like we would want good food, quiet room, and nice areas to sit and watch the world go by.

If there is a ton of infomercial sales pitching going on we will get annoyed pretty fast. NCL had a bit of this, is it common on cruises?

Those are things that I desire & Princess always provides them. My experiences with passenger reviews are the ones who are most likely to post are those who are unhappy. I've done the same things on the same cruise that were negatively reviewed & had a great cruise. :D

 

One of the many things that I like about Princess is having very few infomercial announcements. Unfortunately they allow an occasional announcement promoting the art auctions. In cabin there are daily flyer promotions for all types of ways to spend money which immediately go into our trash can & hopefully are recycled. There will be a few tables set up to promote things such as the spa & drink packages. However I've never experienced any type of high pressure sale pitches & no thanks ends the conversation.

 

Our Alaskan cruises on Princess have all been great & here's a link to their Alaskan experience.

 

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

[XBGuy]

I am considering a Princess Cruise to Alaska for next April or May for our 20th wedding anniversary.

Congratulations.

 

Unfortunatly the resent reviews are looking a little sad.

????? Very surprising. I can't say that I read all reviews, but, generally, AK reviews are positive.

 

Was hoping to hear from the pros here on cruise critic.

 

We have only sailed once before (15th wedding anniversary on NCL to W.Caribbean). We enjoyed the cruise for the most part (the info-mercial sale type things were annoying like "come play bingo or the "free raffle" that wasnt actually free).

 

That is the nature of the cruise business. I've sailed with 5 or 6 different lines, and they are all, pretty much, the same. To a very large extent, you are their captives. They are selling to you 7X24. I find it avoidable, and it doesn't bother me. If it bothers you to the point that it affects your enjoyment, then maybe cruising is not for you.

 

We are a young 40 and 52 and are pretty active. Not much on drinking and we do not gamble. While i love to Dance my husband doesnt so much care for it but will dance some. We are not foodies but we want the food to be good.

 

We're not dancers. So, I can't comment on the Princess offerings, there. However, we are foodies. Princess will meet your expectations, there. For the most part, I would describe Princess offerings as "prettied up comfort food."

 

I am also looking at NCL and Royal Caribbean cruises. I will not cruise Carnival.

I have never sailed on Royal Caribbean, but from my reading here on Cruise Critic, that line seems to have more onboard venues the purpose of which is to entertain their passengers. They might have a slightly younger demographic than Princess, and that might appeal to you. Since you are planning your cruise before schools close for the summer, there should not be a lot of families traveling. Once the schools close for the summer, AK is pretty popular for families.

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

I've said this many times here on Cruise Critic: the mainstream cruise lines, like the ones you are considering, are more alike than different. If you can work around the issue that, yes, they are going to try to sell you 7/24, you will have a great time on any of them.

 

Lately, we have been cruising exclusively on Princess. The main reason is that we live in Southern California and can drive to the port in about 60 minutes. We don't have to get on an airplane to go on a cruise. We do not cruise to socialize with others. So, the demographic does not matter to us. While we wish the dining options were a little more adventurous, we find the food is quite good.

 

We are really excited to be able to cruise on the Emerald Princess to Alaska from Los Angeles next April. :D

[Coral]

Princess does a great job in Alaska! They do more enrichment programs compared to the rest of the main stream lines:

 

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

 

I would aim for end of May first of June. If you are doing Denali, aim for after June 1st. I love the one ways and would strongly recommend Glacier Bay to make sure you see a glacier.

[Thrak]

If possible sail Alaska on Coral Princess. Since you are looking at your first Princess cruise I suggest you don't sail on Island Princess as it isn't really representative of the Princess product. Our first cruise was on Princess and we haven't felt a need to switch to another line. We don't hear a lot of intrusive announcements or come-ons for services. Mostly we just find it to be relaxing onboard. I've been told there are a lot of announcements and such on other lines but we've never had a problem with them on Princess.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I think Princess would suit you well. We're right around the higher age you mentioned and feel very at home and comfortable.

 

One thing I love about Princess is the lack of announcements! There will be one by the captain usually around noon, one by the CD usually around 4pm and maybe one other during the day ("bingo anyone?") at the most IME. Our last RCI cruise had literally 60 minutes solid of announcements every day.

 

AK is such a beautiful place. If you get the chance, do the one-way sailings called the Voyage of the Glaciers. You get to see a lot more and get the full inside passage instead of just a little on the RT Seattle cruises.

[joeyancho]

In the cruise its self i like we would want good food, quiet room, and nice areas to sit and watch the world go by.

If there is a ton of infomercial sales pitching going on we will get annoyed pretty fast. NCL had a bit of this, is it common on cruises?

 

Yes, it a business. The announcements are not in the cabins.

[Colo Cruiser]

Coral Princess!

[jasbo49]

I am also looking at NCL and Royal Caribbean cruises. I will not cruise Carnival.

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

For me, NCL is the never-again cruise line. I'd cruise Carnival before I'd subject myself to NCL.

 

I think Princess is the clear winner in this crowd. A lot more enrichment activities and hardly any announcements, basically none in your cabin.

 

They'll still give you plenty of chances to hand over your money: casino, spa, etc.

 

As you've probably read, your cabin is usually ready the minute you step aboard on Princess. No wandering around with your carry-on, waiting for your room to be ready.

 

Jim

[avic77]

 

As you've probably read, your cabin is usually ready the minute you step aboard on Princess. No wandering around with your carry-on, waiting for your room to be ready.

 

Jim

Thats good to know!

I do love the idea of formal nights as we own formal wear (from the Mardi Gras region of the US ) But I also very much prefer to have romantic 2 person dinners since we will be on our anniversary cruise.

[emmaasher]

Thats good to know!

I do love the idea of formal nights as we own formal wear (from the Mardi Gras region of the US ) But I also very much prefer to have romantic 2 person dinners since we will be on our anniversary cruise.

 

If you are having a balcony cabin then consider doing the balcony dinner for two for about a hundred dollars extra. They will bring tablecloth cutlery three course dinner you can someewhat customise and a bottle of wine and flowers. It would be verry romantic.

[Astro Flyer]

Thats good to know!

I do love the idea of formal nights as we own formal wear (from the Mardi Gras region of the US ) But I also very much prefer to have romantic 2 person dinners since we will be on our anniversary cruise.

 

If you are having a balcony cabin then consider doing the balcony dinner for two for about a hundred dollars extra. They will bring tablecloth cutlery three course dinner you can someewhat customise and a bottle of wine and flowers. It would be verry romantic.

The Ultimate Balcony Dinner would be my first choice for a romantic anniversary cruise dinner! :D

 

It's well worth the $100 per couple fee & something we often do whenever we have a balcony cabin. It can now be pre-ordered & to select a date but the time (usually at about 6:00 or 8:00) is selected onboard.

 

http://www.princess.com/ships-and-experience/food-and-dining/specialty-restaurants/ultimatebalconydining.html

 

 

 

Ultimate Balcony Dining

 

Enjoy an intimate, romantic dining experience with breathtaking views and a special meal served by your own dedicated waitstaff on your stateroom balcony. Ultimate Balcony Dining features a hosted cocktail party, fresh flowers, champagne and a deluxe four-course meal featuring delicate sweet lobster tail or juicy steak among many available delicacies.

 

Available on all ships, the Ultimate Balcony Dinner is a unique Princess dining experience. This item may be ordered onboard by contacting room service or pre-purchased as a special service item (item #3011).

 

 

 

[Sea Hag]

We've done several Alaska cruises on Princess, and every last one of them was great. People mentioned the Coral, and that's certainly a great ship. We liked her a lot. Next up for us is the Ruby, Alaska round trip Seattle. It's our first time on the Ruby, but we've been on others of her class and really like them. The Ruby has that wonderful full promenade deck, where you go up some stairs at the front of the ship and go around and back down some stairs on the other side. That front-facing section of the promenade deck is my very favorite part of any ship.

[jb008]

Having recently sailed Celebrity Silhouette (X, W. Carib; trip report - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2464117) and Coral Princess (Alaska, trip report - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2508384) I would recommend both lines, they each do things a little differently but I think standards on both lines are such that you'd enjoy either one.

 

The tradeoff w/Alaska in particular is that P (and X) have positioned smaller ships for some of the key popular itineraries. In the scheme of it all, the pax lose some of the creature comforts on the bigger ships but now the ships can more easily get in closer to the main attractions (glaciers & ports). I'm sure the bigger vessels could navigate it, but there's a safety factor with Coral Princess and X Millennium compared to Regal/Royal Princess & Solstice class X ships. From my research it looks like P may do more Alaska themed programming and features local fare in the buffet and MDR, and at present P and HAL are the only ones that sail glacier bay.

 

Parents did a chartered NCL a few months ago, ship was only ~70% full, and they enjoyed the less crowded feel but they still thought their sailing on Summit (Jan '16) was a better cruise (food, entertainment, and service all favored X). They certainly had a great trip on NCL, but they described X as feeling more... "premium". DW and I rank X and Princess pretty similarly between the lines, and would definitely sail them over RCL (not that RCL was bad, but just not our style and not quite as luxurious imho).

[cherryharley]

If possible sail Alaska on Coral Princess. Since you are looking at your first Princess cruise I suggest you don't sail on Island Princess as it isn't really representative of the Princess product. Our first cruise was on Princess and we haven't felt a need to switch to another line. We don't hear a lot of intrusive announcements or come-ons for services. Mostly we just find it to be relaxing onboard. I've been told there are a lot of announcements and such on other lines but we've never had a problem with them on Princess.

 

We are booked Alaska NB May 23, 2018 on the Coral with a DIY land tour in Denali June 1-3. "We" are 72, 57, and 24 and after MUCH research felt this would be the best Alaska cruise for us. Glad to see others agree, and hope the OP will give Princess a try.