Alaska with teens - 7/2019 NCL Jewel or Royal Princess?

[Paleochick]

I've cruised before when my kids were little, but it has been a while, and I've never done an Alaska cruise.  I've got an amazing spreadsheet covered with all sorts of options.  I'm here to ask for some advice. Sometimes the spreadsheet makes things even more confusing.

 

My kids will be 11 and 15. 

 

I'm looking at the Norwegian Jewel and the Royal Princess.  Both have great itineraries (Glacier Bay, ...).  Both aren't super small, so I know they will keep my kids entertained when on board.

 

I'd like to book 2 cabins for the space - plus it seems to be more cost-effective than a suite ($$$, less privacy) we can all share.  I'm thinking about 2 connecting balcony cabins or a balcony and an interior cabin across the hall.

 

My questions:

I know we will be docked and exploring Alaska a lot, but when on board, I know my kids will want to stay somewhat busy.  Which ship would you recommend?

What are your thoughts about booking 2 cabins?  We had our small kids with us in the cabins when they were younger.  What has worked for you?

I've only cruised on Royal Caribbean and Carnival.  Do you prefer Norwegian or Princess?

I'm thinking about adding a cruise tour.  Do you recommend booking this kind of thing separately for flexibility or do you book with the cruiseline?

I've always had the cruiseline book the airfare.  Thoughts?

Any additional thoughts?  I'd appreciate the guidance.

 

Thank you.

[LuckyStar]

We were on the NCL Sun to Alaska in July 2013.  It was our son's first cruise.  He was 12.  He had a blast.  There was never a shortage of activities.  He spent a lot of time in kids clubs and went on excursions with us.  No problems at all with being bored. Not sure if that is indicative of Norwegian or the ship. 

[thegoaliegirl]

I have only cruised with Princess but have been very happy with them. Throwing my 2 cents in. On the Royal Princess there are quite a few of connecting balconies. Just an FYI, when booking, you will need to put one adult in each room and a kid in each room, but then you can sleep in whatever room you want. 

 

My vote is for a DIY land tour, especially if you are thinking of adding Denali. The travel time is very long and you end up with very little time there. I'm going back in 2019 and opting to do 5 days on the Kenai Peninsula. My kids are younger but we are going on the Royal Princess. It has less outdoor areas and does not have a covered pool but it fit for our schedule and we liked the itinerary.