Been on Carnival and Disney, Now Princess to Alaska?

[BTromboneFrack]

We are in our late 50's and we want to see Alaska on a cruise in 2018. My DW has MS, so our activity is a bit limited (cane, sometimes a wheelchair if we have a long way to go). We've done 12 cruises all on Carnival and Disney (when Disney was new and our kids were young). We've never had a bad cruise, so this isn't about leaving those lines. Its just that I've heard great things about Princess and Alaska.

 

I'l be reading as much as I can on Cruise Critic, but I'd love any advice that might be out there that we might miss, such as:

 

Do the one week round trip, or the one way trip and excursion week?

Best ships?

Any advice for mobility limited travelers?

Any advice about excursions?

What are the best balconies on the ships? (We LOVE balconies - like aft wraps).

How cold is it outside in the summer?

We're probably only going there once, so what are the must do's/must see's?

Any tips, thoughts, cool experiences you've had?

 

Thanks for your help from a new Princess cruiser - probably.

[Sea Hag]

If you really think this might be the only time you visit Alaska, why not consider a Princess cruisetour? It's the best of both worlds. You get a great cruise, Voyage of the Glaciers, and then you get any one of several different land tours. They take excellent care of you on the land tours, and I think mobility problems wouldn't be an issue.

 

That's my recommendation. Cruisetour, and you should choose one that gives you two nights at the Denali Princess Lodge so you'll have a full day in the park. We did the Off the Beaten Path trip a few years back, and it was wonderful. Two nights Copper River Princess Lodge, two nights Denali, one night Anchorage. Loved Copper River.

[tinybiny]

The weather can change dramatically day by day. You may have high 60s in the ports. Glacier cruising is very cold because you are surrounded by ice. I wear long johns under my clothes on glacier days and I keep moving around to stay warm.

 

There are a lot of itineraries to choose from. I'd look at choices for the ports and choose based on what you want to do. If you have the time and money, a cruise tour combined with a one way cruise is probably the nicest most comprehensive way to visit.

[Loonbeam]

I second the CruiseTour - land first (there are MANY threads on the topic both here and in the AK forum).

 

In my book, Princess is one of the best lines for AK because they have their own land operations and lodges and even leased train cars, plus the majority of their ships go into Glacier Bay when possible (limited access).

 

I also agree with 2 days in Denali so you can upgrade your included tour to the Tundra Wilderness Tour - again, many threads on the topic.

 

Note - to forestall the inevitable argument, it is entirely possible to DYI the land portion, and do it significantly cheaper. It depends on how much effort you want to put into it, you can do that or have Princess take care of things for you.

[skynight]

We are in our late 50's and we want to see Alaska on a cruise in 2018. My DW has MS, so our activity is a bit limited (cane, sometimes a wheelchair if we have a long way to go). We've done 12 cruises all on Carnival and Disney (when Disney was new and our kids were young). We've never had a bad cruise, so this isn't about leaving those lines. Its just that I've heard great things about Princess and Alaska.

 

I'l be reading as much as I can on Cruise Critic, but I'd love any advice that might be out there that we might miss, such as:

 

Do the one week round trip, or the one way trip and excursion week?

Best ships?

I would research the Princess Cruisetours and book the longest one you can afford and handle. Alaska is really interesting to visit, and you don't get the full experience just on the ship. Make certain you indicate you need a accessible room for your Alaska hotel stays. Also the land tours will require you to get on and off buses, trains, boats. We also prefer the tour first then the southbound cruise.

Ships: Recommend Star, Golden or Coral for a 7 day southbound. I personally would avoid the Island Princess since Princess added 200+ passengers and removed lots of public space and viewing areas.

 

Any advice for mobility limited travelers?

There are companies that deliver scooters to the ship. Look into that. Also, you might want to get a mini-suite. This is a larger cabin with a larger bathroom and a sitting area. This summer Princess is having it's Sip&Sail promo where you get the all inclusive drink package, and if you book a mini-suite or full suite by July 5th you also get a specialty dining meal.

 

Any advice about excursions?

Can't comment

 

What are the best balconies on the ships? (We LOVE balconies - like aft wraps).

You really have to search the Princess deck plans on the Princess web site. Note that you can see which cabins are connecting by checking off the box on the deck plans. Mini-suites on the Golden and Star are on deck 9 with 9'x6' balconies that are not covered. There are 12 mini suites on deck 8 aft that do have covered balconies. Mini suites on the Coral are on deck 9 but there are also minis on other decks. The Coral Princess is a different design than the Star & Golden. Regular balcony cabins have 9'x5' covered balconies. On the Golden and Star balcony cabins on deck 10 have 9'x9' balconies that are half covered.

 

How cold is it outside in the summer?

You will require a rain jacket and layered warm clothing including warm shoes and socks. It can be cold, warm or hot. Indoors you will need a sweater or sweatshirt.

 

We're probably only going there once, so what are the must do's/must see's?

Probably Glacier Bay

 

Any tips, thoughts, cool experiences you've had?

Lots of planning increases the odds of an enjoyable trip.

 

Thanks for your help from a new Princess cruiser - probably.

Some thoughts above

[Pierlesscruisers]

Any advice for mobility limited travelers?

 

Should you need or desire a wheelchair or other device for use on the ship, your best bet would be to contact Special Needs At Sea at their website ( http://www.specialneedsatsea.com/ ) or at 855-688-6858. They will be able to pre-deliver a chair or whatever you need to the ship or have it available at the pier for you to pick up yourself.

 

Tom