I wish they’d limit the size of ship and number of passengers for Alaska. This little towns weren’t built for huge crowds and the crowds take away from the Alaska experience
Tourist places have to deal with the POOPCARE Index factor. Prevalence Of Other People Crowding Around Ruining Everything th-cam.com/video/D8w6QVruxek/w-d-xo.html
yeah with four new huge ships now I think the ports need to cut back a bit and maybe remove some of the smaller ships at least. But the ports want that tourist dollar
@@Donsfamilyvacations The businesses that have absolutely nothing to do with the town want those dollars. Fake jewelry stores, low end tours. The real residents of the towns would love smaller numbers coming in.
Hi, we are a family of seven from Alaska and we have been watching your videos since about the beginning of the year. We have never been on a cruise, but largely due to your videos, we will be on our first cruise from Vancouver to Seward in May on the Celebrity Millennium (the same time you will be on the Royal Princess). My wife is in the aviation industry and we have a small peony farm in Fairbanks. We wanted to take time to visit other parts of Alaska and it seemed that cruising is the easiest and least expensive way to go. We are excited. Thanks for all the tips and cruising advice. I wish we could go on the AK cruise with you next summer, but due to our work schedule and the work on the farm, we have very small windows of time we can travel in the summer. In fact, we barely could make this cruise work with our schedule. If you ever visit Fairbanks, look us up and visit our farm. Again, a big THANK YOU to you. Who knows, we might bump into each other in ports.
My family has been watching your videos in preparation for our May 25 Alaskan cruise. So excited to learn you will be on our ship. Can't wait to see your footage! Happy sailing.
Thanks for the alert. Our group of 4 will be on board the Royal on a 7-night southbound (one-leg) cruise from Whittier on 18-25 May. We'll be disembarking in Vancouver as you board. Wish us luck!
Ten years ago I did Alaska on the Pacific Princess, their small ship. We were able to go into smaller ports, places like Kodiak. I've been back more times in the Grand Class ships but not to those more exotic small ports. I did a transatlantic on the Regal, and I liked the feeling of a large ship out there on the ocean. I'm not going to do Alaska on the Royal Class ships if I can avoid it. One issue is that tendering is necessary much of the time, and I do not like to tender.
You would think that the south east Alaska pilots Association would have thought of this a little bit before three weeks before the cruise ship is scheduled to be there.
I'm a little concerned about the sentiment 'Well, we've never had problems before, so we should be fine ignoring your advice based on scientific computer models.' I'm suspect of any statement starting with the words "We feel...." It's nice to be informed, so thanks for the update Don.
I'd be equally concerned with getting that ship under the Lionsgate bridge . There's a reason the other 3 ships of this size are sailing out of Seattle. The ship's clearance on the bridge is 200 feet and the Royal is 217 feet high . Perhaps something has been done to accommodate a ship of this size in Vancouver harbour but I would say zero room for error
@@Donsfamilyvacations If I understand ship terms correctly the Royal is 217 feet high with a draft of 28 feet . Should leave 11 feet . I bet it's going to be really close .
May 18th is when Royal does its first Southbound journey from Whittier to Vancouver. I wanted to pick that cruise initially... but I also wanted to end up in Anchorage during the weekend before Memorial Day (typical American and our limited vacation days), so I ended up choosing the Northbound Golden Princess instead. Now I'm kinda glad it worked out that way... I really wanted to be on the Royal, just not on a "hey we think we are gonna make it" sailing
Don's Family Vacations ya were on the opposite end of the group cruise going south we get on when you get off .... dependant on what you find this year we may book a different ship - what other ship that does Alaska is a good one ( princess ) wanted to do the group cruise but wanted to do Denali then get on a boat ... maybe next time though cuz we for sure want to try a group cruise !
No matter what method of propulsion you use to drive a ship, if you push the stern one way, the bow goes the other. That's how you change direction. [Thrusters are a different matter and I understand that the Royal Princess has those on the stern to compensate for not having azipods.] The problem I think that the Royal Princess will face is the reduced speed it is required to go. Rudders loose efficiency at reduced prop speeds because the flow of water over them is less. To compensate, the ship may increase RPM. That would normally increase speed. But the drag of the rudders may counter-balance that. Time and experience will tell whether the ship can safely navigate in that channel.
@@Donsfamilyvacations As you said, Princess has an excellent safety record. I don't think they will risk the ship and their reputation if they didn't feel the ship can safely navigate that passage.
Good afternoon Don hope you are well, the cruise seems like it would be awesome unfortunately we are not able to go with you so please share as much as possible keep up the good work.
It was suggested by SEAPA to have tugs stationed there to assist, but it seems because of the expense of the tugs, the cruise line balked at the price of the service. Let's hope pennypinching doesn't incur another Viking Sky mishap!
My wife and I took our Alaska cruise on Island Princess and mostly had a wonderful time. We found some of the staff rude and unhelpful, so never took Princess again. Alaska itself was amazing.
That’s funny - you were on board Royal Princess same time we were on board Bliss. I saw Royal Princess in nearly every port we stopped, and you were going into Glacier Bay as we were leaving!
I did my bucket list cruise, but my sister loved it SO much that she wants to cruise again. If you are still doing group tours in a few years (when we have saved enough money for another cruise) we would love to join you.😁
Wow. Seeing several comment that they will be on the Royal Princess May 25 out of Vancouver. This will be my first cruise. Looking forward to a fun time.
The Royal Princess, along with all other PCL ships have bow and stern thrusters which help move/steer the ship without the need for tugs, as in the old days. Hopefully, that will be enough to get the ship out of any situations that may arise.
Ok. We'll be on the Royal Princess from 5/11/19 - 5/18/19 to Alaska. Crossing fingers all will be alright. But yes, I have been on a Princess ship before in Alaska where they skipped Tracy Arm Fjord due to visibility and went somewhere else. So I can see that safety is a priority.
Another very informative video, thank you for always keeping us in the know when it comes to cruising. We are in Australia and would love to do an Alaska cruise an ROYALCARIBBEAN one day, we wouldn’t go anywhere without your advice.
awwwww thank you Paula. I'm planning a cruise in Australia after my Japan cruise and really hope to meet some people I've chatted with from that area . Might spend a week just traveling around before the cruise :)
Hey Don, always a pleasure to watch your videos. Do you have any updates from the latest cruises on Royal Princess to Alaska? How did your concerns pan put?
Just got off the Royal Princess from Whittier to Vancouver. Had no problems. The train in Skagway lost its brakes, and it took four hours to get back. That was a bummer.
Dumping that many people onto those small ports is nuts. I’m going just ahead of you-May 9 on Celebrity,. I’m glad I booked early, thanks to all your talks on Alaska I couldn’t wait.
You shall see soon enough! I know that if it's a big ship, I wonder how pleasant it would be for the clientele since so many ships already go there. Time will tell since it's such a fragile region! Thanks for all your info Don! Also, thanks for inspiring me to start my own Cruise and Travel You Tube channel but it's in FRENCH! Since there wasn't anything out there in french, I decided to do my own, and I love cruising so much too! The irony is that we are both from Ottawa! Thanks and hope to see many more videos of your's in the following years!
Yes were were coming into Jueno and the pilot changed lanes at it swiped a rock, put a 300 foot gash on the ship, cruise over and we left the ship! Its can be googled on the internet, occured in the 90's it was our first cruise and couldnt get the wife on another until like 5-years ago. We are prepairing for a world cruise in about a year.@@deendrew36
I remember that a while back though right 2000's or earlier. i saw it on the news. I trust the captains with Princess the harbor pilots on the other hand need to be away of the ships sizes now for sure
Yes the pilot is gone and that was our first trip! That night was the first evening that I was staying in the cabin based on my job and starting the next day was going to do things with my wife. I am suprised 10 years later she did go on another cruise with me.@@Donsfamilyvacations
I’ve cruised thru Alaska 6 times starting in 1990 on the old Caribbean Princess & then 1998 also Caribbean (and also Grand, Golden & Dawn - and one on the NCL Pearl & once on HAL Westerdam)! I’ve also been on the Royal Princess twice (in the Caribbean) & yes, she is a tall ship, but extremely maneuverable even in high winds - had more problems on the Westerdam in Alaska - couldn’t go to Sitka because of high winds & rough seas! I think the SEAPA wants Princess to pay for the special tugs that’s they believe are needed for the Royal to go through the inside passage- and Princess has done a lot to help Alaska become a prime tourist destination over the past 75 years! I don’t consider the Royal to be a mega ship - with 3600 passengers (compared to almost 6000 on the Bliss) & the Caribbean Princess & Grand/Golden both have the rear propellers (not the azipods propulsion system) & they’ve been cruising in Alaska for years! I can tell you that even in a smaller ship, when it’s windy in the inside passage - you feel it, although I’ve never felt unsafe. The trip on the Westerdam was a rocking & rolling cruise!
Hi Don, I am doing a Connaisseur Land/cruise , sailing on the Royal from Whittier on July 27 th...I see that you have just taken a cruise on this ship....please post some videos of your experience..This will be my first cruise ever...I have no idea what to expect...if I love cruising,I will definitely contact you next time I want to sail...your videos are so helpful and down to earth!
their concerned to won;t be able to adjust in time with heavy winds even with side thrusters. I know the area though and the wind is not normally an issue at all at it flows with the ship not against the sides
I will also be on the May 25th Cruise as part of a princess cruisetour. I’m glade we’re not the first but it’s still a tad unsettling. As an interesting side note, it looks like there will be a lot more weight on the starboard side with all the empty cabins on the port side🤪. It’ll be interesting to see if it fills up more in the next month.
Personally I don’t think the Royal Princess is going to have an issue. She isn’t that much bigger than existing Princess ships. My worry would the larger RCL ships in the narrow passages . The wind in the Tongas usually blows thru the pass. Otherwise the airport would have issues
Katie Whalen we sailed to Alaska on the Star Princess last May and had no issues. Loved it. We were the biggest ship in port but still had no problems.
well I wouldn't say that. . no one has tried the ship in the area yet. If they see it's an issue you can quickly expect them to change the ports of call for the ship size. However if something happen people will bring up the warning and Princess will have a hard time defending it.
Hey Don.....book the Norwegian Epic out of Barcelona October 2021 and we'll see you there....or Carnival out of Galveston Sept 2020 or the Bliss out of Seattle Sept 2019...you have 3 chances to meet us!!!!!! wont you feel lucky?lol
We sailed on the Royal in August 2019 to Alaska (Vancouver to Whittier) Had no problem. The royal is not that much bigger than the Grand and Golden Princesses. This is unnecessary scare tactic. It seems to me that the Royal was just as maneuverable as an Azipod equipped ship (Allure and Harmony of the Seas)that I have been on. We were able to get in and out of College Fiord and Glacier National Park and the ship turned 180degrees in its own length to reverse course. Its rear thrusters do the same job as the Aziods. Everyone needs to relax.
I cruised with Royal Caribbean’s Radicence of the Seas in 2016. Had no problems Had a week at sea and a week on land. So enjoyed the entire trip. I say go for it. It was one of the most inspiring and enjoyable trips I have taken. You know, it is Alaska after all and it is one of the last frontiers.
Thank you for so informative video . I wish I knew so much about cruise ships to talk about it in my videos but I don’t 😂Did you work in cruise industry ?
Sounds like the kind of thing that probably won't happen ... until certain weird conditions come together to make it happen. Titanic: "We've never had problems with ice." Schettino: I goa near the coast alla tima, no problemo." Lousitania: "U-boats? Never had a problem with U-boats."
Are you having a lung operation later this year? I know your doctors are watching a tiny spot on your lung. I hope you don’t have to go through another surgery, but I thought I heard you say you have one coming up later this year.
Did he say anthio pods? It is azi-pods as in azimuthing pod thrusters. Propellers that can spin horizontally 360 degrees to change the direction of thrust. LoL
But why didn't they build the ship with azipods to begin with? The ship was built in 2011 - We were on ships in 2004 that had azipods. That's the real question (and no, I don't actually expect an answer :) )
Honestly, I didn't even know they used that old systems any more especially in the new mega ships. I have to say, that is really, really dumb. Bad job Princess, I don't get it at all.
@@Donsfamilyvacations Azipods have to be the most impressive innovation technology the cruise ship design ever. I do have a slight concern over them as somewhat of a worrier. The Azipods coupled with the computers running everything worries be just a bit. The Azipods turn 360 degrees, and if some computer went haywire or worse was hacked in some way if the ship were going full speed and the computer turned the ship hard, hard that could cause the ship to capsize at full speed. That would most likely cause all loss of life. That is just the worry paranoid guy in me, sorry.
until they invented the pods.....every ship of every size used this type of standard propulsion.....ever hear of this being an issue, ever? the maneuvering pods are used primarily for docking without having to use tug boats
Going on The Grand out of SF in August so I am glad I am going on an experienced itinerary...but I d believe the mega ships should be excluded in pristine Alaska.
Just got home from the Royal princess and I was really disappointed in the food on the ship. I'm not hard to please but most of everything was prepared poorly
BS; 1. the Royal is no bigger than several of the large Celebrity ships we have seen all over Alaska, 2. The Azi Pods used by other cruise lines are both problematic and draw more water than the Royal Princess, with increased grounding issues 3. Wind in Alaska is no worse in Alaska than in Curacao & other islands in the Caribbean where it complicates docking, so Alaska is not unique, 4. I don't think Princess will risk a $400 million ship, 5 Tony Draper, Royal Princess Captain (for 6 years) is one of the most experienced Captains in any bodies fleet........
I wish they’d limit the size of ship and number of passengers for Alaska. This little towns weren’t built for huge crowds and the crowds take away from the Alaska experience
Yes
I agree.
Tourist places have to deal with the POOPCARE Index factor.
Prevalence
Of
Other
People
Crowding
Around
Ruining
Everything
th-cam.com/video/D8w6QVruxek/w-d-xo.html
yeah with four new huge ships now I think the ports need to cut back a bit and maybe remove some of the smaller ships at least. But the ports want that tourist dollar
@@Donsfamilyvacations The businesses that have absolutely nothing to do with the town want those dollars. Fake jewelry stores, low end tours. The real residents of the towns would love smaller numbers coming in.
I’m so glad I cruised to Alaska in 1998, before the giant ships and major crowds! I’d go back again in a heartbeat, though!
me too have not been in 5 years since I got sick but so looking forward to going back next month
Hi, we are a family of seven from Alaska and we have been watching your videos since about the beginning of the year. We have never been on a cruise, but largely due to your videos, we will be on our first cruise from Vancouver to Seward in May on the Celebrity Millennium (the same time you will be on the Royal Princess). My wife is in the aviation industry and we have a small peony farm in Fairbanks. We wanted to take time to visit other parts of Alaska and it seemed that cruising is the easiest and least expensive way to go. We are excited. Thanks for all the tips and cruising advice. I wish we could go on the AK cruise with you next summer, but due to our work schedule and the work on the farm, we have very small windows of time we can travel in the summer. In fact, we barely could make this cruise work with our schedule. If you ever visit Fairbanks, look us up and visit our farm. Again, a big THANK YOU to you. Who knows, we might bump into each other in ports.
My family has been watching your videos in preparation for our May 25 Alaskan cruise. So excited to learn you will be on our ship. Can't wait to see your footage! Happy sailing.
I hope you say Hi :)
@@Donsfamilyvacations Definitely!
We were in the Mediterranean on the Royal and loved it! We went through the fjords to Kotor in Montenegro. No winds there though in May.
yeah the winds in this area are pretty low as well I agree great ship and crew
Thank you for letting me know. I had no idea. Sounds quite dangerous in a place like Alaska.
the good thing is it's sort of blocked by mountains at the pass so the wind is not normally any problem unless there's a storm
it's not "dangerous"
Thanks for the alert. Our group of 4 will be on board the Royal on a 7-night southbound (one-leg) cruise from Whittier on 18-25 May. We'll be disembarking in Vancouver as you board. Wish us luck!
Ten years ago I did Alaska on the Pacific Princess, their small ship. We were able to go into smaller ports, places like Kodiak. I've been back more times in the Grand Class ships but not to those more exotic small ports. I did a transatlantic on the Regal, and I liked the feeling of a large ship out there on the ocean. I'm not going to do Alaska on the Royal Class ships if I can avoid it. One issue is that tendering is necessary much of the time, and I do not like to tender.
the Pacific Princess is a bucket list ship for me to do a world cruise on or at least a section of it
You would think that the south east Alaska pilots Association would have thought of this a little bit before three weeks before the cruise ship is scheduled to be there.
It is just a watch out. They never said don;t go. just be aware in this area.
I'm a little concerned about the sentiment 'Well, we've never had problems before, so we should be fine ignoring your advice based on scientific computer models.' I'm suspect of any statement starting with the words "We feel...." It's nice to be informed, so thanks for the update Don.
yeah I feel the same way.
We're heading to Alaska on the Royal Princess on July 6th. Hopefully the weather will be stable at that time!
I would not worry too much about it. I'll be there before you so I'll let you know :)
@@Donsfamilyvacations Thanks Don, I appreciate that.
Thanks Don for all you do
thank you for watching It means a lot :)
I'd be equally concerned with getting that ship under the Lionsgate bridge . There's a reason the other 3 ships of this size are sailing out of Seattle. The ship's clearance on the bridge is 200 feet and the Royal is 217 feet high . Perhaps something has been done to accommodate a ship of this size in Vancouver harbour but I would say zero room for error
I'll be there on her 2nd voyage.so I'll see just how close this is :)
@@Donsfamilyvacations If I understand ship terms correctly the Royal is 217 feet high with a draft of 28 feet . Should leave 11 feet . I bet it's going to be really close .
just go at low tide.....when i was in the navy, large ships leaving Norfolk had to depart at high tide...no big deal
May 18th is when Royal does its first Southbound journey from Whittier to Vancouver. I wanted to pick that cruise initially... but I also wanted to end up in Anchorage during the weekend before Memorial Day (typical American and our limited vacation days), so I ended up choosing the Northbound Golden Princess instead.
Now I'm kinda glad it worked out that way... I really wanted to be on the Royal, just not on a "hey we think we are gonna make it" sailing
heh heh I think the ship will do just fine. at least I hope so since I'll be on her :)
GREAT info Don !!!!! Thanks for explaining ! I’m booked on royal so I will have to consider this
I'm books soon as well :)
Don's Family Vacations ya were on the opposite end of the group cruise going south we get on when you get off .... dependant on what you find this year we may book a different ship - what other ship that does Alaska is a good one ( princess ) wanted to do the group cruise but wanted to do Denali then get on a boat ... maybe next time though cuz we for sure want to try a group cruise !
Great video Don, I am going to Sail on the Royal Princess in August cruising Southbound.
Thanks Don for the information.
thank you glad you liked it
No matter what method of propulsion you use to drive a ship, if you push the stern one way, the bow goes the other. That's how you change direction. [Thrusters are a different matter and I understand that the Royal Princess has those on the stern to compensate for not having azipods.] The problem I think that the Royal Princess will face is the reduced speed it is required to go. Rudders loose efficiency at reduced prop speeds because the flow of water over them is less. To compensate, the ship may increase RPM. That would normally increase speed. But the drag of the rudders may counter-balance that. Time and experience will tell whether the ship can safely navigate in that channel.
yes the concern is the thrusters might not be strong enough in higher winds with such a narrow area.
@@Donsfamilyvacations As you said, Princess has an excellent safety record. I don't think they will risk the ship and their reputation if they didn't feel the ship can safely navigate that passage.
Good afternoon Don hope you are well, the cruise seems like it would be awesome unfortunately we are not able to go with you so please share as much as possible keep up the good work.
High John, thank you. Maybe you can join us on another cruise. I hope to do at least one a year in new locations and ships each time :)
Very interesting video, particularly about the engines. Thanks, Don!
thank you glad you liked it
Thanks for the Information as always. Great job!!
thank you so much Richard :)
It was suggested by SEAPA to have tugs stationed there to assist, but it seems because of the expense of the tugs, the cruise line balked at the price of the service. Let's hope pennypinching doesn't incur another Viking Sky mishap!
well if I was going to have a ship accident I'll take that area. it's very close to shore not that I hope anything close to that ever happens.
My wife and I took our Alaska cruise on Island Princess and mostly had a wonderful time. We found some of the staff rude and unhelpful, so never took Princess again. Alaska itself was amazing.
you might want to try Regal, Royal, Caribbean, Majestic. they get the highest severs reviews from Guests :)
That’s funny - you were on board Royal Princess same time we were on board Bliss. I saw Royal Princess in nearly every port we stopped, and you were going into Glacier Bay as we were leaving!
I did my bucket list cruise, but my sister loved it SO much that she wants to cruise again. If you are still doing group tours in a few years (when we have saved enough money for another cruise) we would love to join you.😁
I'll be doing at least one a year :)
Wow. Seeing several comment that they will be on the Royal Princess May 25 out of Vancouver. This will be my first cruise. Looking forward to a fun time.
We are on the first trip on May 11th on the Royal Princess. Not worried
I wouldn't be I'm on the second :)
Thank you Don. Informative and helpful!
Hi Lou thank you so much :)
The Royal Princess, along with all other PCL ships have bow and stern thrusters which help move/steer the ship without the need for tugs, as in the old days. Hopefully, that will be enough to get the ship out of any situations that may arise.
Ok. We'll be on the Royal Princess from 5/11/19 - 5/18/19 to Alaska. Crossing fingers all will be alright. But yes, I have been on a Princess ship before in Alaska where they skipped Tracy Arm Fjord due to visibility and went somewhere else. So I can see that safety is a priority.
Another very informative video, thank you for always keeping us in the know when it comes to cruising.
We are in Australia and would love to do an Alaska cruise an ROYALCARIBBEAN one day, we wouldn’t go anywhere without your advice.
awwwww thank you Paula. I'm planning a cruise in Australia after my Japan cruise and really hope to meet some people I've chatted with from that area . Might spend a week just traveling around before the cruise :)
Hey Don, always a pleasure to watch your videos. Do you have any updates from the latest cruises on Royal Princess to Alaska? How did your concerns pan put?
Just got off the Royal Princess from Whittier to Vancouver. Had no problems. The train in Skagway lost its brakes, and it took four hours to get back. That was a bummer.
Thanks again Don great 👍🏻 vlogs looking forward to your next Cruise 🚢
Hi Ann thanks so much
Thanks, Don, Informative, as always,
thank you very much glad you liked it
Dumping that many people onto those small ports is nuts. I’m going just ahead of you-May 9 on Celebrity,. I’m glad I booked early, thanks to all your talks on Alaska I couldn’t wait.
Alaska is still great. I go for the views more than the ports :)
Skip the towns. A brief stroll through is all that’s needed.
so its "nuts" but you're going anyway??? hmmm!
I am on the north bound cruise leaving Vancouver May 25. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out.
I'm on that sailing as well hope you say high :)
@@Donsfamilyvacations Another reason to be excited about this cruise! Been watching you for a while now and I must meet you and get a pic.
you'll be fine
You shall see soon enough! I know that if it's a big ship, I wonder how pleasant it would be for the clientele since so many ships already go there. Time will tell since it's such a fragile region! Thanks for all your info Don! Also, thanks for inspiring me to start my own Cruise and Travel You Tube channel but it's in FRENCH! Since there wasn't anything out there in french, I decided to do my own, and I love cruising so much too! The irony is that we are both from Ottawa! Thanks and hope to see many more videos of your's in the following years!
I will be on the west coast cruise they have prior to that week you are talking about.
Nice, you'll love the ship
Thank you Don
Hi Sharon hope your week is going well :)
@@Donsfamilyvacations working on it. Your videos are the highlight of my day.
Good luck big guy, take video at this location for us! (Our Star Princess did hit the rocks their and it was not as large as the Royal).
richard c it did?! Yikes! What happened? Did it damage the ship?
Yes were were coming into Jueno and the pilot changed lanes at it swiped a rock, put a 300 foot gash on the ship, cruise over and we left the ship! Its can be googled on the internet, occured in the 90's it was our first cruise and couldnt get the wife on another until like 5-years ago. We are prepairing for a world cruise in about a year.@@deendrew36
richard c wow, that’s nuts! Glad you were ok. A world cruise sounds like a dream!
I remember that a while back though right 2000's or earlier. i saw it on the news. I trust the captains with Princess the harbor pilots on the other hand need to be away of the ships sizes now for sure
Yes the pilot is gone and that was our first trip! That night was the first evening that I was staying in the cabin based on my job and starting the next day was going to do things with my wife. I am suprised 10 years later she did go on another cruise with me.@@Donsfamilyvacations
I’ve cruised thru Alaska 6 times starting in 1990 on the old Caribbean Princess & then 1998 also Caribbean (and also Grand, Golden & Dawn - and one on the NCL Pearl & once on HAL Westerdam)! I’ve also been on the Royal Princess twice (in the Caribbean) & yes, she is a tall ship, but extremely maneuverable even in high winds - had more problems on the Westerdam in Alaska - couldn’t go to Sitka because of high winds & rough seas! I think the SEAPA wants Princess to pay for the special tugs that’s they believe are needed for the Royal to go through the inside passage- and Princess has done a lot to help Alaska become a prime tourist destination over the past 75 years! I don’t consider the Royal to be a mega ship - with 3600 passengers (compared to almost 6000 on the Bliss) & the Caribbean Princess & Grand/Golden both have the rear propellers (not the azipods propulsion system) & they’ve been cruising in Alaska for years!
I can tell you that even in a smaller ship, when it’s windy in the inside passage - you feel it, although I’ve never felt unsafe. The trip on the Westerdam was a rocking & rolling cruise!
I agree about the passengers the Royal can hold 4500 but they only book 3600 so it never feels crowded.
Hi Don,
I am doing a Connaisseur Land/cruise , sailing on the Royal from Whittier on July 27 th...I see that you have just taken a cruise on this ship....please post some videos of your experience..This will be my first cruise ever...I have no idea what to expect...if I love cruising,I will definitely contact you next time I want to sail...your videos are so helpful and down to earth!
The only issue with your theory is those ships with fixed shaft/props have stern thrusters so they don't need the Azipods.
their concerned to won;t be able to adjust in time with heavy winds even with side thrusters. I know the area though and the wind is not normally an issue at all at it flows with the ship not against the sides
I will also be on the May 25th Cruise as part of a princess cruisetour. I’m glade we’re not the first but it’s still a tad unsettling. As an interesting side note, it looks like there will be a lot more weight on the starboard side with all the empty cabins on the port side🤪. It’ll be interesting to see if it fills up more in the next month.
Personally I don’t think the Royal Princess is going to have an issue. She isn’t that much bigger than existing Princess ships. My worry would the larger RCL ships in the narrow passages . The wind in the Tongas usually blows thru the pass. Otherwise the airport would have issues
exactly its a wind tunnel effect going the with the ship not against the sides.
Kamloops Cruise . the Regal and Royal are 142,000 tons, quite a bit bigger than their other 112,000-113,000 tons. But they will be fine.
Don, I'm going to be on the Royal with you then. See you on board. I'll keep an eye out for you :)
Is the Star Princess ok going to Alaska?Mom is going at the end of May.
Katie Whalen we sailed to Alaska on the Star Princess last May and had no issues. Loved it. We were the biggest ship in port but still had no problems.
you will have no issues on the Star at all :)
So basically, after all the ships go through, then she can try it. That would suck if she got stuck and kept all the other ships from passing through.
@Paula Johnson now that's a worse case scenario lol
Can you imagine the lawsuits from all those other ships passengers and the other cruise lines ouch but I think she'll be fine
Love your videos 😎
Princess is like we appreciate the warning but we just gonna send it we need the money
well I wouldn't say that. . no one has tried the ship in the area yet. If they see it's an issue you can quickly expect them to change the ports of call for the ship size. However if something happen people will bring up the warning and Princess will have a hard time defending it.
before the new maneuvering pods...all ships were configured with standard props....so......whats the issue?
I love your videos! I will also be on this sailing. I hope to run into you!
I think we are there with you, beginning with inland cruise and boarding May 31st. Geez! What else can happen after rescheduling from 2020!😂😢
Hey Don.....book the Norwegian Epic out of Barcelona October 2021 and we'll see you there....or Carnival out of Galveston Sept 2020 or the Bliss out of Seattle Sept 2019...you have 3 chances to meet us!!!!!! wont you feel lucky?lol
We sailed on the Royal in August 2019 to Alaska (Vancouver to Whittier) Had no problem. The royal is not that much bigger than the Grand and Golden Princesses. This is unnecessary scare tactic. It seems to me that the Royal was just as maneuverable as an Azipod equipped ship (Allure and Harmony of the Seas)that I have been on. We were able to get in and out of College Fiord and Glacier National Park and the ship turned 180degrees in its own length to reverse course. Its rear thrusters do the same job as the Aziods. Everyone needs to relax.
I cruised with Royal Caribbean’s Radicence of the Seas in 2016. Had no problems Had a week at sea and a week on land. So enjoyed the entire trip. I say go for it. It was one of the most inspiring and enjoyable trips I have taken. You know, it is Alaska after all and it is one of the last frontiers.
yup and I'll keep going as long as I can still travel :)
I wish they would control how many ships are in port in one day....Took away from the experience....will NEVER go back on a cruise to Alaska...
well I'm back next month have not been since I got sick so I'll find out.
so basically never go to a tourist town anywhere?
Good to know. We are going to Alaska in 2021 with Princess and we will avoid this ship.
I would not count it out just yet. let's see how she performs when they actually sail there.
PALEEZE
I'm on the Royal May 11. Well, we'll see how this goes.
Mike Zankl Best of luck.
If mine gets canceled I'll know why :)
We are on the May 11 departure as well.
We came into Ketchikan with no issues today on the Royal. Perfect weather, however
Thank you for so informative video . I wish I knew so much about cruise ships to talk about it in my videos but I don’t 😂Did you work in cruise industry ?
Did you do a follow up video on how the ship did?
Sounds like the kind of thing that probably won't happen ... until certain weird conditions come together to make it happen. Titanic: "We've never had problems with ice." Schettino: I goa near the coast alla tima, no problemo." Lousitania: "U-boats? Never had a problem with U-boats."
yup who thought the luxury cruise Viking Sky would lose all engine power because of an oil sensor
"Don looks so thin to me." - My son. You're welcome. ;)
Yay now to convince myself lol
Were there any issues with Royal Princess in 2019 in Alaska?
Yikes!🙀I’ll be there at the same time on the Coral Princess.
you may have to rescue us lol
Don's Family Vacations 👍🏼
Are you having a lung operation later this year? I know your doctors are watching a tiny spot on your lung. I hope you don’t have to go through another surgery, but I thought I heard you say you have one coming up later this year.
yes we're waiting for it to grow as it's too small to get at right now. I'll know more in June but I trust my doctors :)
I’m glad you have wonderful doctors. I hope you don’t mind if I hold you in my prayers.
Best wishes to you, Don. I see why you have such a loyal following :)
Did the ship make it through the passage
Did he say anthio pods?
It is azi-pods as in azimuthing pod thrusters. Propellers that can spin horizontally 360 degrees to change the direction of thrust.
LoL
macuss87 thanks for that, but no need to laugh at him. He is a travel agent, not a ship’s mechanic.
I just checked and yes for some reason I did say Antheio pods no idea why lol
Don's Family Vacations because you’re human and sometimes mess up words. 🤷🏼♀️
picky picky
Why can't Princess upgrade? That's just silly not to keep up.
They have 2 new designs being built now. they can't change the current layout as the cost would almost be the same as building a new ship.
But why didn't they build the ship with azipods to begin with? The ship was built in 2011 - We were on ships in 2004 that had azipods. That's the real question (and no, I don't actually expect an answer :) )
Honestly, I didn't even know they used that old systems any more especially in the new mega ships. I have to say, that is really, really dumb. Bad job Princess, I don't get it at all.
good news is the new design ships will have the new system.. most lines don't change until they design a new class
@@Donsfamilyvacations Azipods have to be the most impressive innovation technology the cruise ship design ever.
I do have a slight concern over them as somewhat of a worrier. The Azipods coupled with the computers running everything worries be just a bit. The Azipods turn 360 degrees, and if some computer went haywire or worse was hacked in some way if the ship were going full speed and the computer turned the ship hard, hard that could cause the ship to capsize at full speed. That would most likely cause all loss of life. That is just the worry paranoid guy in me, sorry.
until they invented the pods.....every ship of every size used this type of standard propulsion.....ever hear of this being an issue, ever? the maneuvering pods are used primarily for docking without having to use tug boats
I am going on the Royal on the 18th of May. I hope none of your warnings happen. This is my first cruise. Now I'm concerned !!
everything will be fine....dont worry, be happy
Sound is a little off this video
thanks for the heads up.
Going on The Grand out of SF in August so I am glad I am going on an experienced itinerary...but I d believe the mega ships should be excluded in pristine Alaska.
No matter what propulsion system these massive ships using against the wind they are all sails, so all four are in the same boat....
Variable pitch screws can turn a ship on a dime, and stop a ship quickly. I don't think there will be an issue.
I don;t think so either
I saw this last week and tried to find a way to send it to you, but alas, I couldn't find a twitter or FB for you :(
Don, this is a huge problem for Princess especially if it hits ground.
Just got home from the Royal princess and I was really disappointed in the food on the ship. I'm not hard to please but most of everything was prepared poorly
It's abit late for them to have some concerns about that certain ship
17 days until I sail away on NCL Joy. If I see any officers, I'll mention to steer clear of Royal Princess.
lol or send help
@@Donsfamilyvacations Evidently this isn't the same area where Star Princess hit a rock back in June 1995?
BS; 1. the Royal is no bigger than several of the large Celebrity ships we have seen all over Alaska, 2. The Azi Pods used by other cruise lines are both problematic and draw more water than the Royal Princess, with increased grounding issues 3. Wind in Alaska is no worse in Alaska than in Curacao & other islands in the Caribbean where it complicates docking, so Alaska is not unique, 4. I don't think Princess will risk a $400 million ship, 5 Tony Draper, Royal Princess Captain (for 6 years) is one of the most experienced Captains in any bodies fleet........
here comes our tourists.
Well, there’s a first time for everything let’s hope this isn’t it!
agreed I've never been on a ship that had an accident and I don;t want this to be my first lol
And another RCL megaship is having AZIPOD problems.
no problems reported...no ship wrecks...no running aground anywhere...in fact, the only reports ive seen is a ship hitting the dock with azipod issues
Tug boats
Please change the intro bro🤙🏽