Thanks for watching and subscribing! Be sure to leave a comment and let everyone know about your next trip to Alaska, I love answering your questions and hearing about your travels!
For our first Alaska cruise, we did the 14 day land and sea on the Coral Princess in Sept. 2010, for our 30th anniversary and the trip was amazing. The weather was beautiful, in the 70s and no rain the entire cruise. Since it was our anniversary, and a once in a lifetime trip (so we thought), we did splurge. We loved the Alaska cruise because it is more casual and laid back than cruising the Caribbean, Transpacific/Hawaiian or Mediterranean/Transatlantic, which we have been on before. For the land tour, we started at Fairbanks, staying in the lodge and going on the riverboat excursion. Then, we took the train to Denali , stayed in the lodge, went through Denali National park and went shopping in the town. The next day we took a motor coach to Mt. McKinley lodge, where we actually saw Mt. McKinley and took lots of pictures and video. Due to the low clouds, the mountain had only been visible 18 times during that season. In fact, on the way to the lodge, our bus driver pulled over and let everyone get off the bus to take pictures, which was great because the next morning when we got up and went to breakfast, before leaving on the train to Anchorage, Mt. McKinley was not visible. There is not much to do at Mt. McKinley lodge besides hiking, so we just did our laundry. Finally, we took a train to Anchorage (Whittier) to board the ship (we did south bound to Vancouver). Once on the ship we cruised first to Hubbard Glacier and then Glacier Bay, which was absolutely beautiful. We had a balcony cabin, which was great because we stayed out on the balcony viewing the glacier, seeing it calving and taking many amazing pictures and videos. More importantly, we did not have to fight the crowds for a viewing point and, if we were too cold, we just went in the room for a little while and still had the amazing view and could listen to the naturalist. Next, we went to Skagway and did the White Pass train and Yukon Suspension Bridge excursion; then to Juneau where we took a helicopter ride to Mendenhall Glacier, which was awesome and breathtaking, we walked on the glacier, saw the pools, rivers and crevasses and even drank the water. Finally, we went to Ketchikan, where we visited the Saxman Native Village, before ending the cruise and disembarking in Vancouver. Now, we are going on our second Alaska cruise, 15 years later, May 31, 2025, on the Royal Princess for seven days, round trip out of Seattle. We chose this cruise because Princess does it right and my sister is going with us for her first time to Alaska. So of course, she has to see Glacier Bay. We are doing the whale watching and salmon bake excursion in Juneau; the gold digging, sled dogs and White Pass train in Skagway and the lumberjack and crab feast in Ketchikan. With all the ports, especially Juneau, we will have time to explore the town and try some of the local food. We cannot wait. Then, my sister and I are doing a girls cruise to Alaska on Celebrity Edge Sept. 7, 2025, round trip from Seattle), where we will take a boat from the ship to see Dawes Glacier up close, which will be a totally different, amazing experience. Bottom line if you are going to splurge and do this trip of a lifetime, you need to do the land and sea, because you never know if you will return. Also, a little hint. Start with the land portion first because then you can just relax on the cruise. During the land portion, you will be packing a small suitcase and the rest of your bags will be taken to the ship. Therefore, you will live out of a suitcase for the duration of the land portion and have to haul the suitcase to each of the lodges. Once you embark on the ship, you unpack once and just relax and enjoy. More importantly, make sure you take your camera every where you go because you will never know when you see wildlife and you want to be ready to capture the moment.
We are sailing this August on Discovery Princess to Alaska round trip from Seattle with Glacier Bay. We have a forward facing suite with a window forward. You are correct. This is a wonderful way to sail to and see Alaska. We hope to do the White Pass Scenic Railway this time as we missed Skagway last year due to the rock slides at the port.
You are going to love that suite! We sailed in one in September 2021, so much room to spread out. We often had breakfast delivered so we could sit and watch out the front. I hope the railway works out, it wasn't back online after the Pandemic when we were there, the land border with Canada was still closed. Hopefully I''ll return this fall or next year! Thanks for watching.
Going to my first Alaska cruise on the Discovery Princess June 2025. I can’t wait. After seeing the Caribbean most of my cruising life, I’m ready for something fresh and new. I thinkI Alaska will fit that bill! 😊
It really is something completely different and fresh if you've been cruising the warmer zones. I did my first Alaska cruise in September 2021 more as a test for return to sailing but it quickly became one of my favorites! Enjoy Discovery Princess, she's a beautiful ship. Thanks for watching.
That 22 day cruise out of San Francisco with glacier bay and Endecott is a definite goal for me! I always wished there was a combined scenic cruising tours in Alaska that’s round trip. Been on 2 so far with a split between College Fjords and Glacier Bay. And going on a 3rd in August again to Glacier Bay on The Crown (you didn’t mention that ship I think).
The 22 Day really is something isn't it. Although, I do wonder if that might be too much of a good thing, the scenery is beautiful for sure, but not varied outside of the scenic cruising days. Thanks for watching and enjoy the Crown... she's a great ship!
The Cruise Tours are definitely the way to go if you have that time. I'd highly suggest working with a travel planner who has expertise with Princess, there are something like 70 variations of cruisetours you can do! Thanks for watching!
I've yet to sail on her, I've been trying to find a Grand Class ship to sail on in November that meets my schedule and cruising tastes, I'll have to see what she is doing!
7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1
You might want to mention WHERE the Princess fleet docks in each Alaskan port. We cruise Holland America, and almost always dock right in the central downtown. The others? Docked far away needing either a bus ride, or ship's tender. That loss of time, and convenience can absolutely ruin a trip given the relatively short time allotted onshore while in port.
I believe if this were a port guide video, I would for sure mention the typical locations that the ships dock, but for this where it's more of an overview of the itinerary and the locations can change from sailing to sailing, it's probably a bit too much information. I definitely include it in port guides like the recent one on Dominica. Thanks for watching!
It's going to depend a bit where you are but generally May and June are dry then it starts getting rainier in July and more so in August and September. Last time I was there was in September and it was quite wet in the south, but that kind of worked for me and wasn't an issue! Thanks for watching!
No, the Crown is doing a World Cruise starting in Auckland on May 31, 2025! She seems to be scheduled to be in Oceania before and after the World Cruise.
That's unfortunate and not a typical complaint but we all have our own standards. Do you have a preferred cruise line? What puts that cruise line over the top for you?
Thanks for watching and subscribing! Be sure to leave a comment and let everyone know about your next trip to Alaska, I love answering your questions and hearing about your travels!
We are joining the 17D trip on board the Royal Princess sometime this year.Can't wait to experience what Alaska has to show and offer.
For our first Alaska cruise, we did the 14 day land and sea on the Coral Princess in Sept. 2010, for our 30th anniversary and the trip was amazing. The weather was beautiful, in the 70s and no rain the entire cruise. Since it was our anniversary, and a once in a lifetime trip (so we thought), we did splurge. We loved the Alaska cruise because it is more casual and laid back than cruising the Caribbean, Transpacific/Hawaiian or Mediterranean/Transatlantic, which we have been on before.
For the land tour, we started at Fairbanks, staying in the lodge and going on the riverboat excursion. Then, we took the train to Denali , stayed in the lodge, went through Denali National park and went shopping in the town. The next day we took a motor coach to Mt. McKinley lodge, where we actually saw Mt. McKinley and took lots of pictures and video. Due to the low clouds, the mountain had only been visible 18 times during that season. In fact, on the way to the lodge, our bus driver pulled over and let everyone get off the bus to take pictures, which was great because the next morning when we got up and went to breakfast, before leaving on the train to Anchorage, Mt. McKinley was not visible. There is not much to do at Mt. McKinley lodge besides hiking, so we just did our laundry. Finally, we took a train to Anchorage (Whittier) to board the ship (we did south bound to Vancouver).
Once on the ship we cruised first to Hubbard Glacier and then Glacier Bay, which was absolutely beautiful. We had a balcony cabin, which was great because we stayed out on the balcony viewing the glacier, seeing it calving and taking many amazing pictures and videos. More importantly, we did not have to fight the crowds for a viewing point and, if we were too cold, we just went in the room for a little while and still had the amazing view and could listen to the naturalist. Next, we went to Skagway and did the White Pass train and Yukon Suspension Bridge excursion; then to Juneau where we took a helicopter ride to Mendenhall Glacier, which was awesome and breathtaking, we walked on the glacier, saw the pools, rivers and crevasses and even drank the water. Finally, we went to Ketchikan, where we visited the Saxman Native Village, before ending the cruise and disembarking in Vancouver.
Now, we are going on our second Alaska cruise, 15 years later, May 31, 2025, on the Royal Princess for seven days, round trip out of Seattle. We chose this cruise because Princess does it right and my sister is going with us for her first time to Alaska. So of course, she has to see Glacier Bay. We are doing the whale watching and salmon bake excursion in Juneau; the gold digging, sled dogs and White Pass train in Skagway and the lumberjack and crab feast in Ketchikan. With all the ports, especially Juneau, we will have time to explore the town and try some of the local food. We cannot wait.
Then, my sister and I are doing a girls cruise to Alaska on Celebrity Edge Sept. 7, 2025, round trip from Seattle), where we will take a boat from the ship to see Dawes Glacier up close, which will be a totally different, amazing experience.
Bottom line if you are going to splurge and do this trip of a lifetime, you need to do the land and sea, because you never know if you will return. Also, a little hint. Start with the land portion first because then you can just relax on the cruise. During the land portion, you will be packing a small suitcase and the rest of your bags will be taken to the ship. Therefore, you will live out of a suitcase for the duration of the land portion and have to haul the suitcase to each of the lodges. Once you embark on the ship, you unpack once and just relax and enjoy. More importantly, make sure you take your camera every where you go because you will never know when you see wildlife and you want to be ready to capture the moment.
Wow! Sounds like one heck of a trip and enjoy the cruises next year! Great reviews of the ports too. Thanks for watching.
We are sailing this August on Discovery Princess to Alaska round trip from Seattle with Glacier Bay. We have a forward facing suite with a window forward. You are correct. This is a wonderful way to sail to and see Alaska. We hope to do the White Pass Scenic Railway this time as we missed Skagway last year due to the rock slides at the port.
You are going to love that suite! We sailed in one in September 2021, so much room to spread out. We often had breakfast delivered so we could sit and watch out the front. I hope the railway works out, it wasn't back online after the Pandemic when we were there, the land border with Canada was still closed. Hopefully I''ll return this fall or next year! Thanks for watching.
Going to my first Alaska cruise on the Discovery Princess June 2025. I can’t wait. After seeing the Caribbean most of my cruising life, I’m ready for something fresh and new. I thinkI Alaska will fit that bill! 😊
It really is something completely different and fresh if you've been cruising the warmer zones. I did my first Alaska cruise in September 2021 more as a test for return to sailing but it quickly became one of my favorites! Enjoy Discovery Princess, she's a beautiful ship. Thanks for watching.
Going in August 2024, can’t wait!
Enjoy! Which ship are you visiting on?
@@TidalHorizons Discovery Princess out of Seattle
That 22 day cruise out of San Francisco with glacier bay and Endecott is a definite goal for me! I always wished there was a combined scenic cruising tours in Alaska that’s round trip. Been on 2 so far with a split between College Fjords and Glacier Bay. And going on a 3rd in August again to Glacier Bay on The Crown (you didn’t mention that ship I think).
The 22 Day really is something isn't it. Although, I do wonder if that might be too much of a good thing, the scenery is beautiful for sure, but not varied outside of the scenic cruising days. Thanks for watching and enjoy the Crown... she's a great ship!
Absolutely amazing video!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice video. Like to do land and sea with the train ride. Trying to figure out the best one to do with Princess. So much to learn.
The Cruise Tours are definitely the way to go if you have that time. I'd highly suggest working with a travel planner who has expertise with Princess, there are something like 70 variations of cruisetours you can do! Thanks for watching!
I Highly recommend a land/cruise that includes Denali. If you are going that far, get it ALL
Great video, please make a summary of Holland America Alaska cruises. Thank you
Thanks for the idea!
Booked on the Caribbean Princess for sept 2025.
I've yet to sail on her, I've been trying to find a Grand Class ship to sail on in November that meets my schedule and cruising tastes, I'll have to see what she is doing!
You might want to mention WHERE the Princess fleet docks in each Alaskan port. We cruise Holland America, and almost always dock right in the central downtown. The others? Docked far away needing either a bus ride, or ship's tender. That loss of time, and convenience can absolutely ruin a trip given the relatively short time allotted onshore while in port.
I believe if this were a port guide video, I would for sure mention the typical locations that the ships dock, but for this where it's more of an overview of the itinerary and the locations can change from sailing to sailing, it's probably a bit too much information. I definitely include it in port guides like the recent one on Dominica. Thanks for watching!
Looks lovely where can we go in whittier at 2am after we get off the cruise ship ?
Hopefully you mean 2pm! There are various shore excursion transfers that you can take if you aren't on a cruise tour. Whitter itself is pretty tiny!
Awesome video, thank you! What’s the driest month to visit?
It's going to depend a bit where you are but generally May and June are dry then it starts getting rainier in July and more so in August and September. Last time I was there was in September and it was quite wet in the south, but that kind of worked for me and wasn't an issue! Thanks for watching!
Is the crown princess going to alaska in 2025?
No, the Crown is doing a World Cruise starting in Auckland on May 31, 2025! She seems to be scheduled to be in Oceania before and after the World Cruise.
Princess was a tourist trap. The service was terrible. The food was just OK super crowded terrible cruise.
That's unfortunate and not a typical complaint but we all have our own standards. Do you have a preferred cruise line? What puts that cruise line over the top for you?