Which ship for Alaska?

[zackarykeef]

Hello!

 

We are seasoned cruisers but have never been on Princess. I have sailed to Alaska before, but my husband has not. I have a cruise to use on Princess, so as we are completely new to the brand, I am wondering what ships people would recommend for Alaska. Our options include Majestic, Crown, Sapphire, or Grand. We tend to like bigger/newer ships (mostly NCL or MSC Yacht Club), but are definitely open to a smaller ship since this one is for the destination. I sailed the NCL Pearl to Alaska prior, and I loved the top deck observation lounge to soak in the views, so a ship with something similar would be nice! Would likely be in a balcony or mini-suite. Any ship recs are appreciated! Thank you in advance!

 

Happy cruising 😎

 

Zack

[Coral]

4 hours ago, zackarykeef said:

Hello!

 

We are seasoned cruisers but have never been on Princess. I have sailed to Alaska before, but my husband has not. I have a cruise to use on Princess, so as we are completely new to the brand, I am wondering what ships people would recommend for Alaska. Our options include Majestic, Crown, Sapphire, or Grand. We tend to like bigger/newer ships (mostly NCL or MSC Yacht Club), but are definitely open to a smaller ship since this one is for the destination. I sailed the NCL Pearl to Alaska prior, and I loved the top deck observation lounge to soak in the views, so a ship with something similar would be nice! Would likely be in a balcony or mini-suite. Any ship recs are appreciated! Thank you in advance!

 

Happy cruising 😎

 

Zack

What year?

[Essiesmom]

Crown, Sapphire or Grand, because they have the wrap around promenade deck.  And one that sails from Vancouver, so you get the true inside passage.  Those from Seattle have to sail west of Vancouver Island.  EM

[JimmyVWine]

Sapphire.  It will sail the true Inside Passage (which is a deal breaker); it has the best Promenade of all of the ships mentioned.  It has Balcony cabins with large, comfortable balconies.  It has fewer passengers than any of the other ships mentioned, and that makes a difference when the crowd descending from the gangway can overwhelm a small town.  It is not the newest or shiniest Princess ship, but it is still a wonderful ship that has most of the features of the more modern ships. (Vines, Crooners, Alfredo's, International Cafe, Sabatini's.)  And it has the Explorer's Lounge which I find to be a much nicer venue than "Princess Live!" on the newer ships.  The only thing that Sapphire does not have is a Crown Grill steakhouse, which may not be a loss at the moment.  It does have a Specialty Dining "Steakhouse" called "Sterling Steakhouse", but that is really just a cordoned off area on the buffet area and lacks the same special atmosphere of Crown Grill.  But all things considered, I think that Sapphire is the absolute best Princess ship for Alaska.  Not just among the ones you are choosing from, but among every ship in the entire fleet.   

Edited March 30, 2023 by JimmyVWine

[FrankieJayIII]

Ruby out of SF

[sirclean]

NOT the Majestic!  The Royal Class ships have no real place to view the outside that is not obstructed by colored glass.  I was on Discover in November and specifically looked for a place to see the glaciers.  There is only a small section on the stern of the ship that is open to view.  One is a smoking section over looking the infinity pool and the other is that same infinity pool area (which has a bar).  Otherwise, nothing!  Deck 7 has a 'walking area' but the view is blocked by lifeboats and it is not wide enough for 2 people side by side.  It is not like the other ships mentioned with a wide enough deck to have lounger chairs. 

 

Otherwise, the ships you mentioned would be fine.  My personal favorite was The Star, but she is gone now. When we sailed on the Star in Glacier Bay we would often see The Grand either in the park or we were passing each other as we went to the ports. 

 

I hope that this helps!  (NOT the Majestic!!)

[sirclean]

For Glacier Bay, you really want to see the glaciers.  IF you have a balcony cabin on the Port SIde, great!  IF you are on the Starboard side OR an inside Cabin part of the time you will want to be outside on deck.

 

Look at  the ship diagram for The Grand.  Look on Deck 14 at the front.  There is a walk area at the front of the ship on top of the bridge. This gives the best view of the glaciers! 

https://www.princess.com/deckPlans.do?shipCode=AP

 

(It looks like the Crown and Grand are of a similar class, unless I misread something, they hold the same number of passengers)

https://www.princess.com/deckPlans.do?shipCode=KP

 

Deck 14 is also  available on the Sapphire:

https://www.princess.com/deckPlans.do?shipCode=SA

 

So any of these will be fine, and meet your needs! 

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

6 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Sapphire.  It will sail the true Inside Passage (which is a deal breaker); it has the best Promenade of all of the ships mentioned.  It has Balcony cabins with large, comfortable balconies.  It has fewer passengers than any of the other ships mentioned, and that makes a difference when the crowd descending from the gangway can overwhelm a small town.  It is not the newest or shiniest Princess ship, but it is still a wonderful ship that has most of the features of the more modern ships. (Vines, Crooners, Alfredo's, International Cafe, Sabatini's.)  And it has the Explorer's Lounge which I find to be a much nicer venue than "Princess Live!" on the newer ships.  The only thing that Sapphire does not have is a Crown Grill steakhouse, which may not be a loss at the moment.  It does have a Specialty Dining "Steakhouse" called "Sterling Steakhouse", but that is really just a cordoned off area on the buffet area and lacks the same special atmosphere of Crown Grill.  But all things considered, I think that Sapphire is the absolute best Princess ship for Alaska.  Not just among the ones you are choosing from, but among every ship in the entire fleet.   

Well said!! We are booked on the Sapphire on an Alaska B3B in April/May 2024 in a fully covered aft-facing cabin, which I believe are not even offered on the Royal class ships. For us that is the cabin location we strive to book when cruising to a location like Alaska where there will be awesome scenery and wildlife sightings seen from both sides of the ship as well as from the aft, to include leaving a port. One other nice thing about being in a fully covered aft-facing cabin is the wind protection they offer on a chilly day, especially when the ship is moving. 😃

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[tjcletzgo]

6 hours ago, JimmyVWine said:

Sapphire.  It will sail the true Inside Passage (which is a deal breaker); it has the best Promenade of all of the ships mentioned.  It has Balcony cabins with large, comfortable balconies.  It has fewer passengers than any of the other ships mentioned, and that makes a difference when the crowd descending from the gangway can overwhelm a small town.  It is not the newest or shiniest Princess ship, but it is still a wonderful ship that has most of the features of the more modern ships. (Vines, Crooners, Alfredo's, International Cafe, Sabatini's.)  And it has the Explorer's Lounge which I find to be a much nicer venue than "Princess Live!" on the newer ships.  The only thing that Sapphire does not have is a Crown Grill steakhouse, which may not be a loss at the moment.  It does have a Specialty Dining "Steakhouse" called "Sterling Steakhouse", but that is really just a cordoned off area on the buffet area and lacks the same special atmosphere of Crown Grill.  But all things considered, I think that Sapphire is the absolute best Princess ship for Alaska.  Not just among the ones you are choosing from, but among every ship in the entire fleet.   

We’re booked on the 9/14/24 cruise and are so excited! The Inside Passage is a big draw for this cruise🐳🛳️

[Senga]

We sailed the Grand Princess last May and loved it.  The only disappointment was the buffet which is much smaller than that on the Regal Princess.  However, the food in the main dining room was AWESOME so no need to eat at the buffet.

[donaldsc]

7 hours ago, FrankieJayIII said:

Ruby out of SF

 

Opinions vary but I totally disagree.  The OP asked about seeing AK and specifgcally said that this one was for the destination.  The destination is AK and not the coast of California.  The OP could take the time wasted cruising from SF to Vancouver where most good AK cruises start and then add a few more days and have some land time in AK.  Also recommend a 1 way AK cruise as opposed to a NS 2 way cruise.

 

DON

[jeromep]

@zackarykeef Lots of different opinions here, many negative to the Royal class ships that sail Alaska.  I suppose the question is, are you headed to Alaska for the port experiences, or are you headed to Alaska to vacation on a ship?  Maybe a little bit of both?

 

I noticed that you mentioned MSC Yacht Club and wanting to sail on larger, newer ships.  So let's start with the larger and newer.  None of the older Grand class ships are spring chickens, and none of them are large by the current standards of ships being put to sea in the last 5 to 10 years.  The youngest of the Grands is the Ruby and she went to sea in 2008.  Princess maintains their vessels, regardless of age, to a very high standard, so, even if the ship is older the ship you sail on should be in excellent condition.  But the older a ship gets the harder it is to keep all the little spots of surface rust at bay, and not every surface or wall on board is going to be totally perfect.  It's been said that all ships start to decay the day they hit the water, especially salt water, and cruise ships are equally subject to that adage.  The Ruby is a beautiful ship, but not large like you are experiencing with the newer ships at MSC or NCL.  If you are looking for a larger ship experience, you'll need to seek out Royal class ships.  Discovery is the newest and last of the Royals, and because of their size there are some modifications to the course they use to traverse up to Alaska, but I don't consider that a deal killer in terms of their utility as Alaska cruising vessels.

 

If I recall correctly, MSC Yacht Club is the "ship in a ship" concept.  Also, if memory serves, Yacht Club includes butler service, and Princess does not offer butlers at any service level.  Princess really doesn't have anything equivalent.  If you are looking for built in perks and benefits, the only way to get that is to book a full suite.  Then you get a whole bunch of extra perks, like MDR room service, priority tender embarkation, Reserve Dining (formerly Club Class), and a bunch more stuff.  I'm going to give you a link to read as you will get more out of what Princess provides than me trying to write it all down for you.

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/ships/staterooms/suites/

 

and

 

https://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/ships/PrincessSuite_eFlyer.pdf

 

Suite passengers have access to the Concierge Lounge, a separate lounge in the hotel area of the ship, but that is only on Royal class ships, the Grand class ships have no such facility.  You'll find snacks and food all day, along with self service beverages of all types, and a concierge that is dedicated to booking specialty dining, shore excursions, and other on board services.  It is a nice touch.

 

17 hours ago, zackarykeef said:

Crown, Sapphire, or Grand

Just so you have a proper perspective here, these are all Grand class ships.  The Majestic is a Royal class ship, and the only Royal class ship to have an indoor pool, a plus for Alaska.  The Sapphire and Grand both have an indoor pool.

 

Crown and Sapphire both have Skywalkers, which is the observation deck/night club.  That is probably your best nearly 360 viewing platform.  It sits up at the aft of the stack, so views aren't entirely 360, but it is a great viewing platform.  I've spent a number of sea days up at Skywalkers just watching things go by or observing activity in the shipping lanes.  The Grand used to have its own version of Skywalkers, it was like a shopping cart handle on the back of the ship.  It was a structural issue so back in 2011 during a dry dock they lopped it off and gave the Grand probably 20 more years of life in the fleet.  It's sisters, Golden, Star and Caribbean all also have the shopping cart handle Skywalkers, which did give you a full 360 view.  Golden and Star are now in the service of P&O Australia and the Caribbean remains with Princess.

 

Buffets on the Grand class ships are comparatively small and might feel cramped compared to Princess' newer Royal class ships.  The buffets are much larger and roomer on ships like the Majestic and there is quite a bit more room to get around.

 

I hope some of this helps.

[sirclean]

"Lots of different opinions here, many negative to the Royal class ships that sail Alaska.  I suppose the question is, are you headed to Alaska for the port experiences, or are you headed to Alaska to vacation on a ship?"

 

That is the BIG question!  Do you want to be inside the ship,  or have outside, unobstructed views?

If you want a bigger, newer, great SHIP experience, then the Royal Class is superior to the Grand Class ships.  They are NICE ships! 

However, your view in Glacier Bay will be, for the great majority of the ship, through colored glass. 

For me, Glacier Bay IS the reason I take this itinerary, and I dont want anything changing my view. 

 

Remember, (in case you didnt know), that while IN Glacier Bay National Park, as part of the deal, there are no shipboard services.  You can eat, but there will be no shows, no shops, no casino, or (if I recall) bars open.  The day is devoted to the National Park and the exhibits brought aboard by the National Park Rangers.

 

[Essiesmom]

To illustrate the best viewing areas on the Grand class, this is Caribbean Princess transiting the Panama Canal this past Monday.  You can see the viewing area above the bridge, and the dark line around the bow is the upper portion of the Promenade, wraparound.  Covered, as there may be moisture in Alaska…. EM

[Coral]

The reason I asked for the year - this year the Crown has some great itineraries (10 and 11 night RT Vancouver). 

 

If they are doing the same route - I completely agree about Sapphire. I would rank them:

1. Sapphire

2. Grand

3. Crown

4. Majestic

 

The Sapphire has a covered pool, wide promenade deck and 500 less passengers than Crown. The Grand has a covered pool, promenade deck and 500 less passengers than Crown. While you may not use the pool area - it is a nice place to go when the weather isn't great. It seems to ease crowding compared to ships with out a covered pool and 500 more passengers.

 

The Majestic would be my last choice as it doesn't do inside passage.

[tjcletzgo]

All I know is that the Sapphire ticks off all my expectations and I can’t WAIT to take this cruise🛳️🛳️🛳️

[Ken the cruiser]

6 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Well said!! We are booked on the Sapphire on an Alaska B3B in April/May 2024 in a fully covered aft-facing cabin, which I believe are not even offered on the Royal class ships. For us that is the cabin location we strive to book when cruising to a location like Alaska where there will be awesome scenery and wildlife sightings seen from both sides of the ship as well as from the aft, to include leaving a port. One other nice thing about being in a fully covered aft-facing cabin is the wind protection they offer on a chilly day, especially when the ship is moving. 😃

Oops! I just realized we’ll be on the Grand in an aft-facing cabin with a fully covered balcony on our Alaska “Voyage of the Glaciers” B3B. We’ll be on the Sapphire in a similar cabin on an Antarctica B2B cruise in Jan/Feb 2024. I tell ya, it’s tough getting old! 😂

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Papa Yoda]

Triple ditto:  Sapphire - get an aft covered balcony and you have it all, especially an aft suite.  If you get a suite you also get Thermal Suite included, this ship has one of the best TS of all Grand class ships (the Grand has no Thermal Suite).  The Sapphire also has a wide promenade deck.

 

 

[leck57]

3 hours ago, sirclean said:

 

However, your view in Glacier Bay will be, for the great majority of the ship, through colored glass. 

For me, Glacier Bay IS the reason I take this itinerary, and I dont want anything changing my view. 

 

 

 

That is absolute rubbish. I did Alaska on Royal Princess and I had no issues seeing everything from many different venues. I don't know what glass obstructed you, assuming you are able to stand. I've been on Majestic as well and the enclosed pool area would also be great for Alaska.

The Sapphire would be a great option as well.

[SuzieQ521]

1 hour ago, leck57 said:

 

That is absolute rubbish. I did Alaska on Royal Princess and I had no issues seeing everything from many different venues. I don't know what glass obstructed you, assuming you are able to stand. I've been on Majestic as well and the enclosed pool area would also be great for Alaska.

The Sapphire would be a great option as well.

 

thank you for this! We are sailing the Royal in May and I was getting nervous regarding everyone's comments!

 

What were the best viewing spots for Glacier Bay? It looks like our balcony room (E411) is starboard side. 😞

 

Thanks!

[Coral]

14 hours ago, sirclean said:

 

 

(It looks like the Crown and Grand are of a similar class, unless I misread something, they hold the same number of passengers)

https://www.princess.com/deckPlans.do?shipCode=KP

 

 

 

The Crown holds approximately 500 more passengers (one more deck). The Grand has a covered pool.

[JimmyVWine]

6 hours ago, SuzieQ521 said:

What were the best viewing spots for Glacier Bay? It looks like our balcony room (E411) is starboard side. 😞

 

Thanks!

My first choice would be one of the port side “patio” deck areas on the Promenade. There is one outside of Crooners mid-ship and one outside of the Vista Lounge, aft. But the latter might be a smoking area, not positive. 

[Pluto_fan]

12 hours ago, Papa Yoda said:

Triple ditto:  Sapphire - get an aft covered balcony and you have it all, especially an aft suite.  If you get a suite you also get Thermal Suite included, this ship has one of the best TS of all Grand class ships (the Grand has no Thermal Suite).  The Sapphire also has a wide promenade deck.

 

 

So excited to have booked the Sapphire for our Alaskan adventure!

 

Can you tell me what the Sapphire's Thermal Suite includes?  No aft suite for us, but I'm considering booking the week-long Thermal Suite pass if it's a nice facility.  Thanks.

[sirclean]

"That is absolute rubbish. I did Alaska on Royal Princess and I had no issues seeing everything from many different venues. I don't know what glass obstructed you, assuming you are able to stand. I've been on Majestic as well and the enclosed pool area would also be great for Alaska. "

 

The point is Who ants to see glaciers THROUGH TINTED GLASS?  That was the obstruction!   Not that there was no view, but that the view was spoiled by looking at it thorough Green or Blue Tinted Glass!

IS the Glacier Blue or Is the GLASS you are looking through making it look like It  is Blue? 

 

THAT was the point! 

Perhaps a better term would be Obscured, not obstructed.  You might as well watch them on TV if your view is going to be changed looking through green or blue glass! 

 

Get on the Sapphire or Grand and be able to see them With Your Own Eyes, without anything changing the splendor you paid handsomely to see!  

[hapster85]

We tried to have our 3rd Alaskan cruise on the Sapphire. In 2020. In the fall of 2019, Princess moved us to the Royal. Then came covid, so no cruise. Tried again in 2022 on the Sapphire. I tested positive for covid on day 6 of our land tour. So once again, the cruise didn't happen. I'm not normally superstitious, but when it came time to rebook our cruise for 2023, I couldn't bring myself to book Sapphire again. But we are looking forward to being on board the Grand in June. Fingers crossed this time it actually happens. 🤞😁😂