First post here, first time cruiser

[PACD_JG]

I'm a noob, so please be patient.  After watching a bunch of youtube videos, I purchased a 7-day Princess cruise from Vancouver to Whittier for late June 2022 on the Sapphire.  Since there are 2 adults and 2 teenagers, I got a mini-suite on the Dolphin Deck, starboard side (I know about the balcony having no cover and that others can look down on us).  My question is this: is $8512 (includes 2 premier beverage packages, 2  premier coffee and soda packages, wi-fi for 4 devices, and crew incentive for all).  Plus a $615 cash card after I cruise.  I have no idea if this is a good deal or not.  I read prices are higher due to demand, but how much would something like this have cost in 2019?  Just having a little buyer's remorse.

[suekel]

Alaska is always more expensive.  I think with everything paid for, you did just fine on the price.  Little over $2000 a piece.  And I love the balconies on the Dolphin deck.  

[tanyaewa]

It’s a pretty decent price for 4 pax completely inclusive.  It’s an amazing cruise .  Premium destination, great dates, great accommodation, great perks.  actually it’s a great price for what you are getting.  You could pay less for sure if you gave up any one ( or more) of those things and skimped on dates, balcony room, perks.  But you could also pay way more 

[capriccio]

I too think you did well.  We did the 7 day Seattle round trip Alaska cruise in late June 2018.  The family had 3 Emerald deck mini-suites and the fare included the booze package but neither WiFi nor gratuities.  I checked the invoice for the mini-suite with two adults and one child.  The fares (including taxes and port fees) were $2,675 each for the adults and the child was $1,275 for a total of $6,625 for 3.  Extrapolating to 4 passengers it would have been $7,900 plus about $100 per person gratuities.  My husband and I get free WiFi and the other adults just checked email in port.

 

You didn't ask about the ship but I will volunteer that we have sailed the Sapphire twice:  a California Coastal cruise in 2012 and a Norwegian cruise in 2019.  We greatly enjoy it and it will be a perfect ship for an Alaskan cruise (as it was for a Norwegian one) because it has a covered swimming pool with lots of padded lounges on the level above the pool. It is a great place to relax and, if the weather is inclement, view the scenery.

 

Make sure you take advantage of all the free lectures by the on board naturalist and special presentations.  If Glacier Bay is on your itinerary you are in for a real treat.  Don't stay on your balcony - get out and move around, all the while listening to the narration by the National Park Service Officers.

 

Enjoy Alaska - we have done the Vancouver to Whittier cruise twice and the Seattle cruise once.

[LibertyBella]

I will say that sometimes a cruise vacation is about value, and sometimes it is getting exactly the itinerary, cabin or date that you really, really want. 

 

There were times in the far past (before online bookings) that I would call the cruise line and just say put me on the cheapest one week cruise available during this month....There were times when I waited three weeks before a sailing and got a great last minute fare (New York to Bahamas). 

 

But when it is a cruise I have to have, I sometimes book more than a year in advance, especially if the itinerary is more complex (Greece), and I do not skimp on the cost if it is a trip to a "dream" destination. I will be sailing the Regal Princess next summer in Europe in a mini-suite, and I wanted a certain deck which cost more than other decks.  Oh well.  

 

I am exactly the same way with hotels--sometimes it is a place just to sleep--other times it is a special resort hotel that I must stay in, no matter the cost.

 

I will say traveling with children adds a different dimension--you want to make sure you will have no worries or hiccups, so it is important to have all the details addressed as you have done.

 

Enjoy the wonderful adventure and terrific scenery--it will be an experience you and your family will never forget!  Splurge on the shore excursions as well--husband and I loved walking on the frozen  glaciers in our crampon boots. And isn't money supposed to help us create terrific life memories?

[cr8tiv1]

I just re-read your original post.  Here are some other thoughts.  

 

1.  I hope you were advised to do referrals for all new Princess passengers (too late now).

2.  Are all 4 of you in one cabin?

3.  Do you have a quad cabin (2 bunk beds that will pull down from the ceiling)?

4.  Is this a club class mini-suite?  Do not be fooled into believing that a mini-suite is a FULL suite.  Princess should really rename this category.  What you have is a balcony with a small sitting area and a bigger bathroom.

5.  Were you able to get a discount on the 3rd & 4th passengers?

 

6.  With all that said, enjoy your cruise.  Alaska is a beautiful cruise.  You will probably need to book Princess Transfers from Whittier back to Anchorage.  Dolphin is a nice deck.

 

7.  Are you planning on spending a few days in Vancouver?  When the pandemic is over, there is a wonderful group of people that offer free walking tours of this lovely city.  

 

 

[skynight]

11 hours ago, PACD_JG said:

I'm a noob, so please be patient.  After watching a bunch of youtube videos, I purchased a 7-day Princess cruise from Vancouver to Whittier for late June 2022 on the Sapphire.  Since there are 2 adults and 2 teenagers, I got a mini-suite on the Dolphin Deck, starboard side (I know about the balcony having no cover and that others can look down on us).  My question is this: is $8512 (includes 2 premier beverage packages, 2  premier coffee and soda packages, wi-fi for 4 devices, and crew incentive for all).  Plus a $615 cash card after I cruise.  I have no idea if this is a good deal or not.  I read prices are higher due to demand, but how much would something like this have cost in 2019?  Just having a little buyer's remorse.

2019 estimate. If you have a regular mini suite then the basic fare, including the cost of the plus package, would have been around $7,000/$7,500. If you have Club Class then the estimates are around 20% higher. Alaska fares are historically higher then Caribbean or Mexico fares. 

We have found that post pandemic fares are indeed higher. It is the new normal for now.

Plus fares include the daily gratuity (now called crew incentive) which is $15.50/pp/day. If you book the no frills fare this amount will be charged to your on board account each day. The wi-fi, 4 devices, probably averages around $5/pp/day. Net balance around $20. For adults, 2 alcoholic drinks, a few specialty coffee drinks, a soda or two per day and you more than break even. For teens it's a little harder to breakeven at $20. But, still believe the plus fare is the better option.

Alaska = tours in ports. You will also have tour expenses which can be high. Check out the tour options in the cruise personlizer.

If you own at least 100 shares of Carnival Corp. stock in any account then you can apply for the shareholder benefit on board credit (OBC). Look up Carnival Corp shareholder benefit on line.

If you are active or ex-military you can register for the Princess military benefit OBC. Look up Princess military benefit on line.  

[Blondilu]

Sounds about right to me.  I've been to Alaska a few times.  I've had an inside cabin once that I didn't pay for at all, sort of.  I got the cabin with a credit from a previous cruise and then only had to pay for gratuities.  The other times have been balcony cabins or mini-suites.  My memory is fuzzy on the cost, but it wasn't cheap though I do usually try and take advantage of sales and deals.

 

Even in normal times Alaska at peak seasons is higher than other places.  I don't think what you've paid is unreasonable.  Anyway, I have never thought of the cost so much as the value.  And only you can make it valuable regardless of the cost.  

[PACD_JG]

Thanks suekel and tanyaewa - good to know that I'm not overpaying.  capriccio - I believe Princess had 3 ships that did the same itinerary, but I did some research and it was pretty unanimous that Sapphire was the best choice.  And yes, going to Glacier Bay (internet said that was a priority, and I agreed).  libertybella - looked at prices for walking on Mendenhall, so decided to do Matanuska instead (I'll be staying in Palmer for 2 nights after arriving in Whittier).  For what it's worth, I've been to Anchorage several times and it's not a focus for me.  I'll come back to acknowledge the rest of the responses soon.  Thanks all.

[skynight]

You will enjoy the Sapphire. Love the Grand Class ship design. Great views from the promenade deck all the way at the bow. 

[PACD_JG]

cr8tiv1 - just looked up the referral program.  Unfortunately, did not take advantage of that.  I based my choice on princess from online research - came down to Holland or Princess, and I would be lying if I said The Love Boat didn't play a small part.  Yes, all 4 in one cabin.  It's a mini-suite category ME (no club class), so sleeper sofa and a queen.  Picked a room that was designated for 4 (D211).  Was told that sleeper sofa is actually a double, and that there is a pull-down too.  $2838 each for passengers 1 and 2,  $1418 each for passengers 3 and 4.  Only spending one night in Vancouver (found a nice rate for the Auberge across from the terminal).

[azbirdmom]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!  The prices seem in line with what I've seen post pandemic as others have said.  One thing that many of us do is continue to watch fares and if they drop, we call our TA to have them refare.  This can be done with most offers and there usually need to be cabins available in your fare class to proceed.  There are different scenarios you would need to consider too (such as if you booked with a non-refundable deposit or if you had great perks with the original offer that would be lost), but a good TA can advise you about the pluses and minuses of refaring before you make the decision to move forward.

[nini]

Also, know that you can periodically check the rates and possibly get the newer rate for less money. Of course, you will want to make sure that you will be receiving the same package benefits. If it is lower (in your same cabin category), then just call your TA and ask them to make it so.

[JF - retired RRT]

11 hours ago, skynight said:

 

If you own at least 100 shares of Carnival Corp. stock in any account then you can apply for the shareholder benefit on board credit (OBC). Look up Carnival Corp shareholder benefit on line.

If you are active or ex-military you can register for the Princess military benefit OBC. Look up Princess military benefit on line.  

@skynight gave you great information. Consider doing both...if you can afford 100 shares (it's around $33 right now and was as high as $60 pre-pandemic). The OBC is worth, if you continue to cruise with Princess. If you don't like Princess, sell it.

The military benefit gets the same amount of OBC as the stock. It's totally free, check it out.

The other thing to consider (while you're on the ship), if you love the experience and want to do it again...buy at least one (more is better) Future Cruise Deposit (FCD). $100 pp is your future deposit PLUS you will get additional OBC for that next cruise. Fully refundable if you change your mind about cruising. It's a great program.

 

[PACD_JG]

Thanks for the notes on the stock and the military benefit.  Do you know if we go directly through princess to get this credit or do we go through our travel agent?  Same question if the price drops?  The reason I asked - I called Princess about a question and the wait was less than 5 minutes.  My travel agent - over an hour!

[capriccio]

Processing the price drop goes through your TA. 

 

The stock credit instructions:  https://www.carnivalcorp.com/static-files/50351a91-4dc0-4f6b-bfec-684647e6129f

 

The military benefit form and instructions:  https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/faq_answer_legal/military-personnel-benefit.pdf

[Papa Yoda]

Adding on to the great info above: the stockholder credit is good on any Carnival Cruise Line, Princess, Holland, Cunard, Carnival, Seabourne, etc.

[mjmalino]

I didn't read all of the replies, so I apologize if this has been addressed. How old are your kids? I know that you mentioned teens, but what are there ages. Our first cruise was Alaska back in 2007, my kids were 8 and 9. We did a minisuite on the Coral. Starting with our next cruise we did 2 cabins, 1 balcony and 1 inside. At that point, technically, I was in the balcony with 1 kid and my husband in the inside with the other, both kids slept in the inside with my husband and myself in the balcony right across the hall. We also used a walkie talkie with a monitor function in the cabins at night and got extra keys for both cabins. Once our oldest turned 16 we were able to book the kids together in a cabin within close proximity to ours. By the way, we found that the price of the 2 cabins (balcony and inside) was almost identical to the minisuite for 4 people, and we had an extra bathroom (but no tub).

[SAKay]

Can you get  both the Military credit and the stock credit on one cruise?  Thanks ! 

[Av8tor]

9 minutes ago, SAKay said:

Can you get  both the Military credit and the stock credit on one cruise?  Thanks ! 

 

YES!

[skynight]

1 hour ago, SAKay said:

Can you get  both the Military credit and the stock credit on one cruise?  Thanks ! 

Correct answer.

Military benefit is available to qualified passengers up to two per booking.

Shareholder benefit is one per cabin.

https://www.princess.com/military_benefit_program/

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/static-files/50351a91-4dc0-4f6b-bfec-684647e6129f

 

[Treasure Hunter]

7 hours ago, mjmalino said:

I didn't read all of the replies, so I apologize if this has been addressed. How old are your kids? I know that you mentioned teens, but what are there ages. Our first cruise was Alaska back in 2007, my kids were 8 and 9. We did a minisuite on the Coral. Starting with our next cruise we did 2 cabins, 1 balcony and 1 inside. At that point, technically, I was in the balcony with 1 kid and my husband in the inside with the other, both kids slept in the inside with my husband and myself in the balcony right across the hall. We also used a walkie talkie with a monitor function in the cabins at night and got extra keys for both cabins. Once our oldest turned 16 we were able to book the kids together in a cabin within close proximity to ours. By the way, we found that the price of the 2 cabins (balcony and inside) was almost identical to the minisuite for 4 people, and we had an extra bathroom (but no tub).

This is much better plan than being in one cabin with one bathroom. My kids and grandkids do the balcony plus inside all the time. The prices especially for Alaska will be abnormally high for at least two years do to pent up demand. Princess does the best job on Alaska of any cruiseline. It is an amazing cruise. Yes to being up on deck in Glacier Bay. If you can swing it, the helicopter to the glacier for dog sledding is the most amazing excursion ever. If you take the train to the Yukon ( Scagway?) sit on the left side ( best scenery going up) . The train turns coming back but by then everyone is asleep.

[pris993]

It has been years since I did a 7 day cruise, so no way to compare off top of my head.  But thought I might give everyone a different perspective.  Cruise fares are actually cheaper today by comparison to many years ago.  In l989, we did our first Mediterranean cruise out of Venice to London - 12 days, 2 adults, we were booked in a "limited view" cabin, paid $7500 for the 2 of us, not including air,  any on board expenses.  Limited view was on the boat deck which meant we had a view between two life boats.   Today we could most likely get a mini suite for that price.  Happy cruising!!   

[KeepCalmBearOn]

On 6/1/2021 at 4:54 PM, PACD_JG said:

Just having a little buyer's remorse.

 

Don't.

 

The trip is amazing and worth every penny. You can't look back.

[PACD_JG]

So I want to spread my parents' ashes during this cruise, so I reached out to Princess, who emailed me this statement: "

• We are able to spread ashes on every cruise we offer.  However, ashes may not be spread in Alaskan waters.  There are ample opportunities to spread them in international waters during Alaska cruises but guests should be aware that this must take place outside Alaskan waters.

I thought international waters was 200 miles from shore, and I don't think that happens Vancouver-Whittier.  Does anybody know where these "ample opportunities" are?