Last minute change to Alaska cruise - which ship is best?

[Torfamm]

19 hours ago, puppymama1 said:

We are currently booked on a Viking river cruise for May, 2022, and with the latest developments we are thinking Europe may not be the best place to go in the near future... We are thinking of changing it to our Alaska cruise that was cancelled 3 times in 2020/2021.... But Coral Princess isn't sailing in Alaska this year.. our choices are Grand Princess, Royal Princess and Majestic Princess... which one would be the best?  My thought would be Grand since it's the smallest, but looking for other opinions since we have never sailed with Princess before... There are two mini suite cabins available on the 6/15 sailing.. D402 and D406...  Any opinions on those?  Thanks very much for any help!

You can see on the itinerary maps that Royal and Majestic cannot sail the Inside Passage. For me, that makes the smaller Grand the obvious choice

[suekel]

6 hours ago, MelissaJeanPalmSpringsCA said:

Hi Suekel…I’m a little bummed as starting to regret our choice to book for our third Alaska trip on the royal. 2 week in May. My husband and I REALLY love the wrap around promenade deck and enjoyed pulling the chair up to the railing to “take it all in” with a cover over our heads, etc. Literally almost no one around both trips…Ruby and Golden. I think we kinda pushed that disappointment down because the timing, price etc worked for us on the Royal. I’m wondering what your feedback is based on what I’ve shared regarding our feelings on outdoor space and if you think we can go with the flow with the small little deck footprints on the Royal Promenade deck. (Just thinking there’s probably no way to pull up a charge and sit close to the rail in those areas either). What else bothered you about the Royal other than the size? Thanks in advance for any feedback. 

I took it to the Caribbean so the lack of pools was a big issue for me.  Also, we had a mid ship mini suite and I found the balcony to be unbearably small.  Since it was the Caribbean, I didn't really pay attention to how much space there was for viewing so I'm not really any help there.  I took the Star the first time to Alaska and in August, I'm taking the Ruby. Many people love the Royal Class ships, I'm just not one of them yet.   I have one cruise booked on the Discovery and one on the Enchanted so maybe they'll change my mind.  Either way, it's Alaska and it's beautiful and you'll love it.  

[piper28]

Count me in the category of bigger is not better in Alaska.  Now, admittedly, I haven't sailed the Royal class ships, but just from looking at them I don't feel they have the viewing capabilities of the Grand (which I already feel is too big anyways 🙂 ).  If the Coral or Island was in Alaska, I'd say one of those, but the Grand is in my opinion the next best Princess ship.

 

Personally, even with as many Princess cruises as I have behind me (something I don't see as much of going forward), I decided on Oceania for Alaska this summer, on an R class ship.  I've done Alaska on an R ship with Princess before, and it was a tremendous experience.  (Ok, I know we don't get Glacier Bay with Oceania, but at least I've been there before, I am getting 3 stops I've never done before, which is unusual in Alaska.  I will say Glacier Bay on the R class was absolutely incredible, we got far closer than I've been on any other ship, even our naturalist was amazed).

[nini]

To the OP:

For Alaska, look at the itinerary and what YOU want to see. We are on the Grand in May and really like that class of ships.......... and we love the Regal too.

[puppymama1]

We just booked the Viking Alaska cruise... smaller ship which we liked a lot!