Alaska Cruise Help

[jtntx34]

We sailed the Magic and Wonder and both were really squeaky in aft. We started sailing forward to avoid the squeaky and vibrations. Forward is very bouncy though. We want to treat ourselves to a suite, which costs the same as a small room on Disney. We are afraid of aft rooms now. It’s weird that only those Princess aft rooms are open online. Maybe I need to call to make sure.

There are many Princess devotees who ONLY want those aft balcony rooms or suites. You can go over to that other cruising message board and ask specific questions about the ship/room location and get good feedback. Since Discovery is so new, you may have to ask about sister ship experiences as well. Good luck finding your perfect Alaska cruise. You will love it!

 

[Ronneeaght]

Oh my I want to do the bike down but DH thinks riding a bike in possible rain and cold is crazy. We ride on the weekends at home, but weather in the 60s is as cold as we can stand. It’s good to know the train was a great experience. That’s why we don’t want to skip Skagway.
The only suites available on the Princess Discovery are the far Aft rooms. On Disney cruises these are terrible rooms because the ship shakes and vibrates in aft. How do you think the very aft rooms will be on the Princess new ships?

I can't speak to the vibration on the new Princess ships. Maybe someone else here could?

I also don't like to bike in cold weather because I don't like gloves on while exercising. It was cold but not freezing. Looking at pictures, looks like I wore jeans over spandex bike shorts, a sweatshirt, and an ear band. My husband wore bike shorts, a windbreaker, and a gaiter. He definitely felt cold, but still loved the experience so not too cold. Since we were mostly coasting downhill it wasn't too uncomfortable to bike in jeans.

ETA: this was late August.

 

[princessmommyx3]

We had a ton of noise & vibration in our 10C aft rooms of deck 2 of the Magic, but only when pulling in/out of a port.

 

[ITGirl50]

I can't speak to the vibration on the new Princess ships. Maybe someone else here could?

I also don't like to bike in cold weather because I don't like gloves on while exercising. It was cold but not freezing. Looking at pictures, looks like I wore jeans over spandex bike shorts, a sweatshirt, and an ear band. My husband wore bike shorts, a windbreaker, and a gaiter. He definitely felt cold, but still loved the experience so not too cold. Since we were mostly coasting downhill it wasn't too uncomfortable to bike in jeans.

ETA: this was late August.

View attachment 552406

What an awesome experience! Sounds fun to me.

 

[ITGirl50]

We booked Princess Discovery suite. We only had to put down a $400 deposit and it’s fully refundable until the PIF date next year. Disney does not do refundable deposits on concierge suites and it’s a whopping 20% down. We are excited to try another cruise line.

 

[cedricandsophie]

I don’t know itineraries on all ships but if we did Alaska again I would definitely do one way from Seattle or Vancouver. You need to see Denali and kitmai island/national park. Along with glacier bay. Personally I would trade luxury for getting closer to the glaciers and animal life. There are small lines that are more like ferries with excursions that go ashore, hike etc.

 

[auntlynne]

We booked Princess Discovery suite. We only had to put down a $400 deposit and it’s fully refundable until the PIF date next year. Disney does not do refundable deposits on concierge suites and it’s a whopping 20% down. We are excited to try another cruise line.

Congratulations.

I’ve sailed Princess to Alaska 3 times after initialing sailing on DCL. While we love the beauty of Disney and evening shows, as others have said, the destination is the star. I feel the same way for a port-intensive cruise, such as the Mediterranean.

Princess brings on National Park naturalists to give talks while you are traveling to your ports.

I love the afternoon tea offered in the afternoon. We utilized the buffet for dinner, just to enjoy the peace of being out of the lunchroom noise of MDRs. I’ve yet to find cruise food to be great on any carrier.

As for the train, it doesn’t matter how good or bad it is, if it’s something you want to do. Afterwards, you can decide whether it was worth it. If you skip it, you may always wonder if you missed something spectacular.

After our first trip, my sister asked if we should sign up for the following year. I said, “Nobody needs to go (on a Disney cruise) to Alaska two years in a row.” The words in parenthesis are my memory - as she kids me about this quote when I turned around and sailed the next two years.

We booked Celebrity Eclipse on a great sale for May 2020; nearly half the price of Disney. Hoping to get back to AK again someday.

 

[oufpat]

We're another Disney Couple that booked Princees. We will be sailing on the Princess Emerald to Alaska at the end of May 2022. We sail out of Seattle, will see Glacier Bay and the $200 deposit is fully refundable. The price of a balcony room with the 5 "perks" being offered now, is still less than an ocean view on Disney!

 

[alieila]

We're another Disney Couple that booked Princees. We will be sailing on the Princess Emerald to Alaska at the end of May 2022. We sail out of Seattle, will see Glacier Bay and the $200 deposit is fully refundable. The price of a balcony room with the 5 "perks" being offered now, is still less than an ocean view on Disney!

We are sold on Carnival 10 night from San Francisco, June 2022, we were scheduled for Princess, but decided it wasn't to "Friendly" for our 9 year old and thought Carnival seems more "Kid Friendly" as well liked the idea of 10 nights! We ended up booking my mom in her "own room" (Inside room price with blocked view) and us a balcony room aft on same floor.

 

[ITGirl50]

Congratulations.

I’ve sailed Princess to Alaska 3 times after initialing sailing on DCL. While we love the beauty of Disney and evening shows, as others have said, the destination is the star. I feel the same way for a port-intensive cruise, such as the Mediterranean.

Princess brings on National Park naturalists to give talks while you are traveling to your ports.

I love the afternoon tea offered in the afternoon. We utilized the buffet for dinner, just to enjoy the peace of being out of the lunchroom noise of MDRs. I’ve yet to find cruise food to be great on any carrier.

As for the train, it doesn’t matter how good or bad it is, if it’s something you want to do. Afterwards, you can decide whether it was worth it. If you skip it, you may always wonder if you missed something spectacular.

After our first trip, my sister asked if we should sign up for the following year. I said, “Nobody needs to go (on a Disney cruise) to Alaska two years in a row.” The words in parenthesis are my memory - as she kids me about this quote when I turned around and sailed the next two years.

We booked Celebrity Eclipse on a great sale for May 2020; nearly half the price of Disney. Hoping to get back to AK again someday.

I get it! We said that about Hawaii when we visited Aulani the first time. We then went 3 times in 4 years.

Thank you for the information.

Do you know if Princess has an onboard booking discount for furture cruise?

 

[auntlynne]

I get it! We said that about Hawaii when we visited Aulani the first time. We then went 3 times in 4 years.

Thank you for the information.

Do you know if Princess has an onboard booking discount for furture cruise?

“With our Future Cruise Deposits program, you can receive up to $300 of onboard spending money for later use depending on the duration and stateroom you book for your next cruise. Visit the Future Cruise Office on your ship to make a fully refundable $100 deposit. Lock in the benefits now and choose your itinerary within two years. Redeem your onboard credit on your next cruise at the Lotus Spa®, specialty restaurants or on shore excursions. The choice is yours with Princess.”

- from the Princess website. After two years, they return a deposit not used (personal experience). So, no fare discount. But much lower fares than DCL.

 

[person]

I don’t know itineraries on all ships but if we did Alaska again I would definitely do one way from Seattle or Vancouver. You need to see Denali and kitmai island/national park. Along with glacier bay. Personally I would trade luxury for getting closer to the glaciers and animal life. There are small lines that are more like ferries with excursions that go ashore, hike etc.

Yes, Alaska is amazing. We did the Inside Passage. (Not sure I want to do it with the current virus climate, mind you...)

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

How was Princess? We are also looking at the new Discovery Princess. How is service and quality of the food? Here is its itinerary. View attachment 552290

I’m so glad you posted this! We have an end of August 2021 DCL Alaska booked, which won’t sail and actually even if it does we want to reschedule to 2022. We are waiting on Disney to release Alaska for next year although I think we will have stiff competition booking.(We are gold castaway). With Disney we are thinking May 2022 in a 7a, this is what we have now. We plan to cruise to Alaska with our older child who will be 13. He loves Disney but also loved royal Caribbean last year. As Disney’s summer 2022 itineraries have not been released we started to research some other lines and it’s now between Disney and Discovery Princess, same itinerary as you posted above. We can cruise end of June (more ideal with school) or early July in a mini-suite with the current perks Princess is offering for about $1000 usd less than our disney wonder sailing. My biggest worry is, are we missing out not cruising inside passage both ways and is cruising out of Vancouver superior to Seattle? Second: kids clubs. DS would be in the Edge on Disney (11-14) v Princess teen club which may or may not have young teens in it haha. On the other hand, Alaska is more about Alaska. What date did you book Princess? We are seriously considering the Discovery.

 

[auntlynne]

I’m so glad you posted this! We have an end of August 2021 DCL Alaska booked, which won’t sail and actually even if it does we want to reschedule to 2022. We are waiting on Disney to release Alaska for next year although I think we will have stiff competition booking.(We are gold castaway). With Disney we are thinking May 2022 in a 7a, this is what we have now. We plan to cruise to Alaska with our older child who will be 13. He loves Disney but also loved royal Caribbean last year. As Disney’s summer 2022 itineraries have not been released we started to research some other lines and it’s now between Disney and Discovery Princess, same itinerary as you posted above. We can cruise end of June (more ideal with school) or early July in a mini-suite with the current perks Princess is offering for about $1000 usd less than our disney wonder sailing. My biggest worry is, are we missing out not cruising inside passage both ways and is cruising out of Vancouver superior to Seattle? Second: kids clubs. DS would be in the Edge on Disney (11-14) v Princess teen club which may or may not have young teens in it haha. On the other hand, Alaska is more about Alaska. What date did you book Princess? We are seriously considering the Discovery.

If your son really wants the Teen Club experience, you will need Disney. Did he do any clubs on RCL or was it more the outdoor activities offered that made him enjoy it.

RCL and Princess are really another experience from DCL. And Alaska is so different than the Caribbean.

Vancouver is a great town to see before a cruise. The cruise terminal is fun to see from the outside. Very walkable city center. Advantage of Seattle is airfare is not international (for Americans). Seattle terminal is not central to anything. Requires a taxi if staying downtown or farther out.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

If your son really wants the Teen Club experience, you will need Disney. Did he do any clubs on RCL or was it more the outdoor activities offered that made him enjoy it.

RCL and Princess are really another experience from DCL. And Alaska is so different than the Caribbean.

Vancouver is a great town to see before a cruise. The cruise terminal is fun to see from the outside. Very walkable city center. Advantage of Seattle is airfare is not international (for Americans). Seattle terminal is not central to anything. Requires a taxi if staying downtown or farther out.

He did the kids club on Royal yes, we were on the new oasis which had redone their kids clubs, it was amazing and he actually preferred them to Disney’s - but now he’s excited he could go into Disney’s edge where as last time he was on Disney (at age 9 1/2) he found it the oceaners lab/club not as great as when he was younger. Mind you, he is on the younger side if you know what I mean, but he liked sporty competitive stuff available on Royal. We have only done Caribbean cruises so far though, never Alaska.
I think he’d be ok on Princess if he found a buddy... and so I thought if we sail when school is out at least on that line..... but I think we’d have to be prepared to entertain him ourselves on Princess.... haha.

 

[chamberlain]

This is very interesting to me as well. We had a Norwegian Fjords cruise booked on Princess for August 2021. Well that is now cancelled (no surprise) but I am now looking around to other options. We are also looking at Discovery Princess for August 2022 but want to see what Disney comes out with for itineraries. We have only sailed Disney but the Discovery does look nice.

 

[ITGirl50]

I’m so glad you posted this! We have an end of August 2021 DCL Alaska booked, which won’t sail and actually even if it does we want to reschedule to 2022. We are waiting on Disney to release Alaska for next year although I think we will have stiff competition booking.(We are gold castaway). With Disney we are thinking May 2022 in a 7a, this is what we have now. We plan to cruise to Alaska with our older child who will be 13. He loves Disney but also loved royal Caribbean last year. As Disney’s summer 2022 itineraries have not been released we started to research some other lines and it’s now between Disney and Discovery Princess, same itinerary as you posted above. We can cruise end of June (more ideal with school) or early July in a mini-suite with the current perks Princess is offering for about $1000 usd less than our disney wonder sailing. My biggest worry is, are we missing out not cruising inside passage both ways and is cruising out of Vancouver superior to Seattle? Second: kids clubs. DS would be in the Edge on Disney (11-14) v Princess teen club which may or may not have young teens in it haha. On the other hand, Alaska is more about Alaska. What date did you book Princess? We are seriously considering the Discovery.

If we had a child that enjoyed the Disney clubs, we would still be sailing with Disney. My daughter loved the clubs and it really made the cruises more fun for her. If he doesn’t care about the clubs and would be just as happy without them, then go with Princess.

I feel like Disney is a great experience and worth the extra cost for families with kids because they cater to kids. We have enjoyed several cruises as adults on Disney too, but to keep entertained we have to spend a lot of money on upscale dining, spa, and alcohol tastings. With that added expense and the additional cost of a Disney cruise to fund all the great kid experiences, it’s not worth it to us anymore. We will sail Disney again, but probably only on the short Bahama cruises to get to stop at Castaway Cay.

 

[person]

This is very interesting to me as well. We had a Norwegian Fjords cruise booked on Princess for August 2021. Well that is now cancelled (no surprise) but I am now looking around to other options. We are also looking at Discovery Princess for August 2022 but want to see what Disney comes out with for itineraries. We have only sailed Disney but the Discovery does look nice.

Hi; not surpised to learn of the cancellation, really...