Coral Princess NB June 9 Review

[Springchicken]

I submitted the following under Member Reviews, but thought I would also post it here for future Alaska cruisers, whether Princess or other cruise line.

 

Vancouver: We arrived the night before our cruise and got a last-minute “deal” through Priceline for a 4-star hotel, Marriott Pinnacle Downtown, for $125. I reserved a room 10 months in advance at the YWCA Hotel and kept bidding, finally 2 days before we left I nabbed a deal. The “Y” has a 24-hour cancellation policy with no prepayment. Marriott location was very good, taxi fare to Canada Place was about $5 plus tip, and we could walk to Gastown and around Downtown. We took the “Hop On Hop Off” Trolley which is $35 for a 2-day ticket. Was a good way to get to Granville Island and Stanley Park. The weather was cool and sometimes misty.

Embarkation: Since we only had Sunday a.m. to take the trolley, we didn’t arrive at Canada Place until about 2:00 p.m. No lines, no waiting, and our luggage was delivered to our stateroom quickly. It was misty for Sail Away so nothing special was planned. Different from the Caribbean cruises we’ve taken.

Stateroom: We like the Caribe balcony because of it’s size. Part is covered and part uncovered, which is not a big deal to us (let ‘em look!) Tip: have your TA or call Princess before you cruise to request an egg crate mattress topper and down pillows. Oh so comfy! I took a 4-cup electric coffeepot (get one with auto shutoff) and we have coffee every a.m. (which I sometimes took to the Horizon Court) and hot chocolate with marshmallows while cruising. I don’t care for the syrup coffee and like the real deal. The stateroom is well laid out, and there are 2 sturdy hooks on the bathroom door to hang organizer bags. I couldn’t find an adult shoe bag and ended up with a kid’s one from the dollar store, but it fit perfectly on the towel rack. Kept everything in view. Our steward was Marlon “Brando” Castro and he was very good. Our safe battery signaled “low” when we arrived and someone was there within 5 minutes to replace it. Everything worked, everything was neat and clean. Take additional electrical plug-in’s. I took an extension cord that worked fine rather than a power strip. (electronic’s junkie!) We also brought wine aboard in plain sight. Remember your binoculars!!! We had a small magnetic marker board that was so handy in leaving notes as to where we were and a place for others to communicate with us.

Dining: We had Anytime Dining that was okay for the most part. On the first night we waited a lonnnng time for the entrée, but there were 10 of us at a table. Seems like we chose to dine other nights when everyone else was hungry, but we just waited at the bar lounge with friends and enjoyed a martini or two. They give you a blinking pager, but keep checking with the maitre ‘d for progress. I found that good humor and pleasant attitude helped, as he recognized us after the first night and always tried to seat us quickly. You can call in the morning for reservations, but we never did and either sat with friends who’d made reservations or wherever a space was available. Dined one night with 2 ladies and then found out they were in the stateroom next to ours! Food was good, not spectacular but good. I ordered 1 desert and 1 ice cream every night (or more). If you see an entrée that you like but not the “sides,” they can substitute if it’s on the menu for the evening. One night we wanted steamed asparagus and they brought a plate of it. Or fettuccine alfredo as a side dish. Just ask. The pizza was good. Afternoon tea was fun with a string quartet.

Entertainment: Went to the singing and dancing show in the Universal Lounge one night and it was their usual fare. We didn’t go to anything else as it seemed like we dined late. The martini mixer on the first night was fun (in the Atrium). The Casino slots were not friendly to me until the end. I played the 2-cent machine and got over $200. Cashed out and said “thank you very much.” They have poker tournaments and $3 blackjack tables.

Ship Layout: We never seemed crowded. Some nights it was almost deserted. Look for the color of the border on your hallway carpet so you can tell which way to turn when you get off the elevator or stairs. If the weather is nasty, walk to the front of the ship and then take the elevator to Deck 14 at the Horizon Court. The Caribe also has a place at the front where you can go through a door marked “Caribe Deck 10” and then a brass plaque by the handle stating to be used for emergency use. Go through it and then through a wood door and you’ll find yourself out on a deck for perfect viewing of wildlife and glaciers on either side of the ship. Verrry cold and windy so be prepared or you’ll be walking back to your cabin for earmuffs and gloves. Hardly anyone goes there and it’s a great place to take photos. There is a self-laundry with irons on a couple of the decks – I know there is one on Caribe. Not all elevators go to the same floors. The central elevator is different from the ones on each end. You can enjoy a gorgeous view from Crooners Bar, and there is a Cigar Lounge for smokers.

Ports of Call: We didn’t plan excursions through Princess and booked an independent tour in Skagway through Chilkoot Charters.

Ketchikan: Lucky us….sunny warm day. We walked to Creek Street and looked at the shops. If you need to get to the internet, you can access 15 min. free at the public library located in the Museum beside the entry to Creek Street. Sign up early for a time slot. Take the tramway for $2 to the Cape Fox Lodge (on Creek Street). There are a few totems outside the lodge and you can get a wonderful view of the port. The fish and chips on the dock at the Alaskan Surf are some of the best I’ve ever had.

Juneau: Many ships in port and hordes of people! It was misty in the morning when we took the Mt. Roberts Tramway, but still got a good view at the top. Many of the trails were closed, however. We ate halibut fish and chips at the Red Dog Saloon – very tasty. The place really gets crowded. There are tour groups along the docks so we decided later to take one to Mendenhall Glacier. For $37 each you can take a van tour with M & M Tours that lasts about 2 ½ - 3 hours. We were the only ones on the 3:30 p.m. tour, and our driver John had lived there all his life and spent as much or little time at the included sites. It was such a nice time, so relaxed. He even turned back down the highway so I could get a photo of an eagle. A nice budget tour and no planning needed. Just wait and see what the weather is like.

Skagway: The Coral was the only ship in port so it wasn’t crowded. We walked to the pickup point at the end of the dock (Coral provides a free shuttle as well) and met the Chilkoot Charter small tour bus. Everyone in our Cruise Critic Roll Call that signed up for this tour got on the same bus so we had a rowdy time and a fun driver, Sunday. Because we’d all read the posts on this forum, we all boarded the train car (which is one for Chilkoot Tour only) on the left side and no one was on the right side! What a funny sight! I spent most of my time on the platform videoing the trip (and it was chilly). We went on to the Yukon (Carcross) by bus and had lunch and saw the musher dogs and puppies. Stopped at Emerald Lake for photos, or any place else that we had time to view. I can’t say enough good things about this trip and would encourage you to contact them.

Whittier: We pre-arranged transportation to the Anchorage Airport to pick up rental cars through Alaskan Transportation. Good rate and we stopped at the Alaska Wildlife Conservatory on the way. I reserved a Pontiac Grand Prix through Alamo for 7 days for $373 last September. Sure glad I did. Prices are much higher if you wait. Do it as early as possible.

Seward: Stayed at a B & B that we reserved through Alaska Point of View. Nice clean place and reasonable (Linda Lou’s B & B). I believe they may have a website now. We drove to Exit Glacier and hiked the trail to take photos. Many places to eat in Seward so just pick one. We ate at Marina’s and it was okay. I think the one downtown is recommended but we ate at the one on the dock. You can stop by the Chamber of Commerce for information and the ladies are very helpful. The next afternoon we took the Kenai Fjords Tour at 3 p.m. Luck was on our side as there were hardly any waves and it was sunny. No whitecaps! They stopped to pick up a salmon dinner on the way and it was delicious! The boat was a 2-story catamaran but I think there were only about 40-50 people on it. Never too crowded to get those once-in-a-lifetime photo shots. The Captain narrated throughout and the crew was knowledgeable as well. We stayed on the bottom deck and I think it’s easier to get photos from there as we could walk all the way around the ship from back to front. We used our 2/1 coupon in the Alaska Toursaver Book, which I brought home with many unused coupons. That morning we took a drive out on Nash Road that ends at the prison and saw a black bear beside the road eating plants. Great photos!!! Also heard there was a moose and baby at the post office but didn’t get around to going there to get a photo.

Denali: Drove from Seward to the McKinley Princess Lodge (another 2/1 coupon) and then had dinner in Talkeetna later at Mountain High Pizza Pie…great food. The McKinley Princess is remote, but the view of Mount McKinley is spectacular. Didn’t get to see the mountain until the next afternoon, but we stayed up and had pub dinner and drinks on the deck and took sunset pictures. Wow! The next a.m. we also got pictures at breakfast, but a cloud was settling over the peak. Wish we had gotten up about an hour early. The lodge is not auto friendly…very little parking close to your room. It’s a beautiful place and very rustic. They have 4 computers to check e-mail. Lots of Princess tour busses coming and going. The next day we took the Denali National Park “school bus” tour to the Eielsen Center (66 miles). Our driver was Dale Ebben and his passion is the Park. He’s a computer nerd by winter and lives and works at Denali in the summer. He narrated along the way to the Center and then we had a more laid back trip back. Stopped on the way back to watch a grizzly mama and 2 cubs come down the mountain. He made several stops whenever he saw wildlife and shut off the bus engine so we could just watch. For the money, this is a great tour. If you plan to get a Senior Pass, do it before you reserve the tour. The $10 fee is for a 7-day pass and you can’t convert it or get a refund. They also have a longer tour but this one suited our needs. There’s a Denali South Lookout Point along Park Road Highway at about mile 137 (est.).

Anchorage: We left the Lodge and went to Talkeetna for a Mt. McKinley Summit Tour through Talkeetna Aero. I made the mistake of taking my “earplanes” out of my purse, and when they saw that they wouldn’t let me fly. The plane goes 21,000 feet and is not pressurized. I BEGGED but they wouldn’t let me go. This was a 2/1 coupon and they refunded my half. We ate in Talkeetna at Wildflower Café…excellent! From there we took a side road at Wasilla to Hatcher Pass and the Independence Mine State Park. Beautiful scenery. Then on to Anchorage and the G Street B & B. It’s an older house but the owners are very nice and the breakfast was so good. Great location near downtown. We ate dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse – excellent food! You will have to wait almost 45 minutes to be seated. This was the Mayor’s Midnight Solstice Run weekend and that may have made it more crowded. Next day was Saturday and we went to the Market on 3rd street. Good place for souvenirs, especially a quality ulu. We ate a late lunch near Tudor Street at the Sea Galley for our last “halibut” fish and chips fix. Drove to Chugach Park for a super view of Anchorage before we left for the airport and a 7-hour ride home plus 3-hour time change.

This was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend putting in the time to plan the trip yourself. This forum has been invaluable for help and I so appreciate everyone who takes time to share their knowledge. Our Roll Call had about 50 members at our Meet and Greet, and Princess provided a place and dry snacks for us. We have a web site that might be helpful to some of you for future plans at http://alaskacruiser.home.sprynet.com. You can contact me through the e-mail link.

[robinsegg]

Carol was the glue that held our CC Roll Call together, and it was just great to meet, greet and spend time with some of the gang during our trip.

[Springchicken]

Carol was the glue that held our CC Roll Call together, and it was just great to meet, greet and spend time with some of the gang during our trip.

 

Robin, that's sweet of you and nice to hear, but there has to be something or someone to "glue!" Everyone got involved and it made it so much fun. All of you out there "lurking" on your Roll Calls.....get involved! You don't know what you're missing!!

[kelleya]

Carol - Excellent review!!

 

The Sea Galley in Anchorage owned by a friend of Steve's! The large peppermill in the corner (not sure if you noticed it) was built by the guy's brother-in-law who is a friend of Steve's as well. We ate there on Monday afternoon before starting our journey to Denali.

 

I agree with Robin - Carol is one sticky gal! ha-ha!!! only kidding!

 

Glad you had such a great land trip after our cruise!

[Springchicken]

Thanks Kelley. Actually we ate at the Peppermill and they didn't have fish & chips on the menu, so our waitress said she could get it from the other kitchen and we shared one order....huge! They were having Anchorage tryout's for America's Next Top Model there that evening and some of the "potentials" were there signing up for the contest.