Best ship for Alaska???

[Italy52]

14 hours ago, PandaBear62 said:

Me too.....We're sailing June 8th and chose a ship based on when it worked in our schedule. We've never been to Alaska, so it should be interesting.

As soon as you get some free time on embarkation day make sure to check out the ship so you can see where the best viewing places are.  Alaska is beautiful and it's scenery is not to be missed. 

[scsagh]

On ‎3‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 7:43 PM, rkacruiser said:

Question has been asked on the Alaska Message Board.  The consensus there is Coral Princess.

 

Someone needs to ask Princess' management why Royal Princess is being re-positioned for an Alaskan itinerary that does not fit the ship nor the ports she will visit.  Ports that will become even more over-populated with tourists when she docks; exterior deck viewing areas for sightseeing that are not adequate for the number of guests who will want to be there (in my opinion, of course):  I enjoyed my Royal Princess cruise and she is a good warm weather cruise ship.  Alaska?  Looking forward to reading the experiences of those who have chosen to book this beautiful and comfortable ship. 

 

Has anyone sailed on the Golden Princess in Alaska? I wondered what the deck areas are like for viewing, as that is important to us. For the week our family can go, our choices on Princess are Golden northbound, or Royal southbound. Airfare works better for Golden, but we could make either one work. Unfortunately, the Coral that many recommended doesn't work for us with a mid-week departure.

 

Thanks for any input you can offer. This will be the first time to Alaska for all of us.

[scsagh]

Oops, accidently posted twice.

 

Edited March 25, 2019 by scsagh
Oops, accidently posted twice.

[Thrak]

5 hours ago, scsagh said:

our choices on Princess are Golden northbound, or Royal southbound.

 

Golden has a full Promenade for viewing whereas Royal doesn't. We have never yet sailed a Royal class ship but I would choose Golden for Alaska.

[KYBOB]

We sailed the Coral last year on a B2B our of Vancouver during the last of May and loved it! It was our second time on the Coral first time on a Panama Canal cruise. Each time we have been on the Coral have really loved the experience. For Alaska she is the best ship IMO because of the smaller number of passengers, better viewing areas and ease of getting off and on the ship (IE less people, smaller ship can get to and from the cabin easily) We have sailed both the Regal and Royal and for a caribbean cruise we loved the plaza area during the evenings, but for Alaska we spent more time on our room / balcony /out on deck looking at the all the scenery going by. Beautiful landscapes are constantly out the window. In the caribbean once you leave port that is pretty much it as to views, we do like looking 'out to sea' but only for so long. On our Alaska cruise we did not watch any TV or for that matter I think we may have gone to maybe 1 or 2 shows, just too much to see outside (it does not get dark until late). I took so many pictures and videos I am still editing them a year later.     

[Coral]

6 hours ago, scsagh said:

 

Has anyone sailed on the Golden Princess in Alaska? I wondered what the deck areas are like for viewing, as that is important to us. For the week our family can go, our choices on Princess are Golden northbound, or Royal southbound. Airfare works better for Golden, but we could make either one work. Unfortunately, the Coral that many recommended doesn't work for us with a mid-week departure.

 

Thanks for any input you can offer. This will be the first time to Alaska for all of us.

I did years ago and enjoyed it. Ship has great viewing areas.

[LessWorkMoreTravel]

OK, now I'm really worried.   We are booked on the Royal in July.  Never sailed with Princess or been to AK before.  I didn't even think to examine viewing areas when I booked.  We do have a balcony, should we just plan to spend our time there?  Any "secret" spots I should scout out on embarkation day?  Thanks.

[donaldsc]

Your question is not answerable but I will answer it anyway.  The best ship I have ever been on is AK is the Alaskan Dream - https://www.alaskandreamcruises.com/fleet/alaskan-dream.  She is owned by Alaskan Dream Cruises and the ship only holds 40 passengers so you get into lots of small towns that the oversized behemoth ships can't get into.   The captain also has the ability to modify the itinerary a bit when something unplanned and interesting occurs.  I have been forced to do AK on the oversized ships that all the cruise lines use in AK and you just can't beat the experience you will have in a small ship cruise in AK.

 

I will also add that doing AK on any of the Alaska Marine Highway ships will also give you a wonderful AK experience.

 

DON

Edited March 31, 2019 by donaldsc

[BarbinMich]

16 hours ago, LessWorkMoreTravel said:

OK, now I'm really worried.   We are booked on the Royal in July.  Never sailed with Princess or been to AK before.  I didn't even think to examine viewing areas when I booked.  We do have a balcony, should we just plan to spend our time there?  Any "secret" spots I should scout out on embarkation day?  Thanks.

It will be cool out on that balcony, at least when the ship is moving as when you're "at sea" in the Inside Passage between Ketchikan/Vancouver (or vice verse) and definitely in Glacier Bay (all that ice in the glaciers <g>) unless you're standing in the sun.  We've not done Alaska in July so it may be different from our experience in May when it was darned cold out on the promenade deck on the Star P a few years ago.  The ship slowly turns to give everyone a view and that, in itself, creates a bit of wind.  At least they were offering free hot beverages out there for those of us who didn't want to miss a thing!  Granted it was an overcast day, which didn't help.  We had a standard balcony on the Royal on a TA and don't think we ever went out there much (there's no top--at least on Deck 8 fwd), which is somewhat similar temp-wise to Alaska.

[Sailor Taylor]

How about Pacific? Anyone has experience or general opinions of Pacific in Alaska?  I am booked on her to Alaska next May. 

 

 

[Coral]

10 minutes ago, Sailor Taylor said:

How about Pacific? Anyone has experience or general opinions of Pacific in Alaska?  I am booked on her to Alaska next May. 

 

 

It will be a great ship!

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, LessWorkMoreTravel said:

OK, now I'm really worried.   We are booked on the Royal in July.  Never sailed with Princess or been to AK before.  I didn't even think to examine viewing areas when I booked.  We do have a balcony, should we just plan to spend our time there?  Any "secret" spots I should scout out on embarkation day?  Thanks.

 

It's probable that the Captain will spin the ship 360 degrees when you are in a particular scenic area.  So, remaining on your balcony will allow you to see the sights.  But, will the wildlife in the area cooperate with their appearance when you are able to view them?

 

Best scenic views on Royal Princess may be on the aft deck where the Horizon Court/Bistro is located.  There is some seating, shelter, and access to food and beverage.  

[Elequieu]

Booked on Pacific May 15, 2020.  Third cruise on her; hope to have more?

[Eaglecw]

6 hours ago, Sailor Taylor said:

How about Pacific? Anyone has experience or general opinions of Pacific in Alaska?  I am booked on her to Alaska next May. 

 

 

Back in 2009 we cruised the Pacific Princess out of Seattle to Alaska, 14 wonderful days. It was the best Alaska cruise we have ever taken. We want up as far as Kodiak. I wish they would do that cruise out of Seattle again, if they ever do we'll be on it.

[Sailor Taylor]

13 hours ago, Eaglecw said:

Back in 2009 we cruised the Pacific Princess out of Seattle to Alaska, 14 wonderful days. It was the best Alaska cruise we have ever taken. We want up as far as Kodiak. I wish they would do that cruise out of Seattle again, if they ever do we'll be on it.

 

Great to know!

 

PS, I believe Holland America has a 14 day Alaska sailing like that if you are open to try HAL.  

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, Eaglecw said:

Back in 2009 we cruised the Pacific Princess out of Seattle to Alaska, 14 wonderful days. It was the best Alaska cruise we have ever taken. We want up as far as Kodiak. I wish they would do that cruise out of Seattle again, if they ever do we'll be on it.

 

HAL's Amsterdam will again sail her 14 day itinerary out of Seattle in 2019.  I have sailed on this itinerary and it is a winner!

[kennicott]

I suggest the Coral. Did a partial transit on her and at the time I thought she would be excellent for Alaska. We have taken only one cruise up here, since we live here, and that was on the Seven Seas Mariner, a two weeker, an excellent cruise, which began in San Fran and ended in Vancouver. The Mariner is a little smaller than the Pacific Princess, which I would think would also be good in Alaska, matter of fact, over the last year we have been on the Pacific for three cruises, just shy of three months.

 

We have did the Baltic/TA on both the Royal and Regal. I didn't find the public space to be overcrowded on those voyages. Better yet, we did the Antarctic on the Star and it had all sorts of viewing areas. That was the last time we cruised without a balcony though.

 

Two bad that when they expanded the Coral's sister ship, the Island, they ruined a good vessel.

 

 

[BarbinMich]

On 3/31/2019 at 8:07 PM, rkacruiser said:

. . . Best scenic views on Royal Princess may be on the aft deck where the Horizon Court/Bistro is located.  There is some seating, shelter, and access to food and beverage.  

That's an excellent suggestion!  The only cruise I spent any time back there was on a Caribbean cruise, but it would be good for Alaska, too.  Can easily pop inside when you get too cold.