Have you ever wanted to see the massive glaciers and the snowcapped peaks of Alaska? Then look no further. We took the best Alaska cruise on Princess Cruise Line. Detailed below is all you need to know to prepare for your Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruise Line including all the great excursions to take over this 7-day journey.
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Planning an Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruise Line
Why is the Best Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruise Line?
Now to be fair, I don’t have avid cruise experience. The Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruise Line was only my second cruise to date. My husband on the other hand is an avid cruiser. He used to go almost every year with his family including his grandmother who was a travel agent. She had been on so many cruises that she reached some of the highest status levels for each cruise line. That gives you an idea of how many cruises she has taken. #Goals am I right?
Even with my limited experience, I could tell right away that there was a significant difference between the two cruises I have taken. Not just because the locations were different, but mainly between the two different cruise lines. I honestly loved both my cruises so much. Neither one is better than the other, I just think that they both offer different things. So, knowing what those things are may help in deciding which cruise is right for you.
We went on our Alaska cruise as a married couple. We had no kids at the time. Overall, the Princess Cruise Line has a much more mature vibe. Were there kids on the cruise? Absolutely. Was there plenty for them to do? Absolutely. Was the focus on kids first? This is where I would have to say, no. It felt more geared towards adults and couples. It had a more relaxed feeling and slower pace.
With that in mind, the reason why I think the best Alaska cruise is on Princess Cruise Line is because it didn’t take away from the location. Alaska is a STUNNING, splendid, and majestic place! By being on Princess Cruise Line, we were able to let Alaska be the star of the show. The boat, onboard activities, and overall relaxed slower pace took the backseat to allow us to enjoy Alaska and the beautiful surroundings as our main focus.
How to Book an Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruise Line
Typically, I book through the cruise line itself. Now while it might not be the least expensive option, it does have its perks. By doing so, you over time earn a higher membership status which opens up more opportunities for rewards and perks for future cruises. You are more likely to have better customer service outcomes with assistance through Princess Cruise Line since you aren't limited by the rules, regulations, and capabilities of a third party company.
Princess Cruise Line COUPON
If this is your first-time booking or sailing on a cruise on Princess Cruise Line, they have a Refer-a-Friend program. I can help you earn $25 of onboard credit. Just subscribe to my email list, then e-mail me with your first name, last name, and e-mail address and let me know you want me to refer you. I’ll add your information to their website PRIOR to your booking. For all the rules, regulations, and detailed information, visit their website for the program here.
How to Choose Shore Excursions
If you go onto the Princess Cruise Line website, you will see literally over 50 excursion listings not just for all the port destinations combined, but for EACH individual port destination. All that to say that you have plenty to choose from. The next question becomes, do you choose a shore excursion with Princess Cruise Line? Or do you go with an outside agency? Or do you just make your own plans? Now you can do whatever your heart desires, but I’m assuming you're still reading this super long post, because you want my input and recommendations, so here are my two cents.
Stick with Princess Cruise Line shore excursions. If you are going with another cruise line, just book your shore excursions with and through that specific cruise line. Here are some of the reasons why I say that.
Firstly, they are already set up for this type of excursion. They already have buses or shuttles ready and waiting at the dock to take you to the location of the excursion. Secondly, if you are using their shore excursion and the bus or shuttle breaks down or there is a delay for any reason, the cruise line is in direct contact to know that. If there is a delay, then the cruise is likely not going to leave when there are 20 or more passengers not yet at the dock. Thirdly, the types of tours as well as the prices for the tours or activities are comparable to non-cruise line companies. In fact, some shore excursions through the cruise line are often exclusive, so if you traveled to that location other than by cruise, it’s an experience you may not be able to get.
Now, if you are making your own way to an excursion, then be sure to be prepared for any delays and give yourself enough time to be back for boarding. The cruise line may not wait for one or a few people late to board, so don’t find yourself stranded at one of the ports. Be sure to book through a reputable company. You don’t want to get to Alaska and then be left hanging when no one comes through for the excursion you booked. If you aren’t using Princess Cruise Line to book your shore excursion, then be sure to check out the excursions available through Get Your Guide.
Before Boarding an Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruise Line
Will I Get Seasick on an Alaska Cruise?
I would say this is a loaded question, because as a pharmacist my answer is usually “every person will react differently.” Here are some things to keep in mind to be better prepared for what is to come.
What water are you cruising on?
For an Alaska cruise, you are cruising out on the Pacific Ocean which generally has choppier waters. I definitely felt the sway during this cruise which made me slightly nauseous and a little dizzy. While during our Royal Caribbean cruise to Mexico, when we were cruising out on the Atlantic Ocean headed to Mexico, and the waters were smoother, I didn’t feel any symptoms at all.
What type of room are you in?
If the sway of the boat starts to get to you and you start to get seasick then the best thing to do is look out over the horizon. If you are in an interior room, that can be a little difficult because you don’t have a point of reference. In that case, head outside for some fresh air and a horizon view to steady you. If you have a room with a view whether that be a porthole or an ocean view, that can help as well. If you know that you are already prone to seasickness, you can try to book a room on one of the lower floors towards the inside of the ship. There is typically less rocking motion from the core of the ship.
Are you predisposed to motion sickness?
Being predisposed to motion sickness, means do you already get motion sick for other things like driving in a car or riding on theme park rides like roller coasters or water flumes. If so, then chances are no matter which ocean you are on or which room you book, you may experience some motion sickness.
Practicing at Muster
What to do for Motion Sickness
There are a few non-medication options to alleviate motion sickness. Besides getting a visual of the horizon and getting fresh air, you can also remember to stay hydrated by taking small sips of water. Keep away from large meals, fatty meals, spicy meals, and alcohol. Don’t have any empty stomach either, just try to keep meals smaller and lighter to avoid any further stomach upset. You can also walk around and keep your mind busy with the many forms of entertainment on the ship. If none of those work, then other therapies such as the motion sickness patches, acupressure bands, or taking OTC (over the counter) medications may be necessary.
What is the Weather like for an Alaska Cruise?
Now when most people think about weather for an Alaska cruise, typically the thought is “cold.” That is definitely not the case! I mentioned this in my Alaska vacation post too. The 2 times I traveled to Alaska was during the summer months and while you do have to pack for the cold, you 100% need to pack for the heat too. These are photos from the same day. You can see in one I’m wearing a tank top and sweating in it and the other I’m in a few layers with a sweater on top. The SAME day!
With many of these excursions you are going to be going up to higher elevations which can get progressively colder, or you will be close to icebergs in icy waters, or you will be on a land excursion in the summer sun and heat. The best advice I can give is LAYER, LAYER, and LAYER! You can read my packing list post for the exact list I use to make sure you don’t miss anything. SUBSCRIBE at the end of this post for a printable copy to be e-mailed to you. You can also check out my travel accessories post to see what I have to have with me when my kids are in tow.
How to Pack for an Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruise Line?
I love packing for a cruise! Do you want to know why? You can pack as much as you want! Unlike the airlines that limit the amount of luggage, luggage size, and luggage weight, cruises allow you to just do what you want. Now, I say that because I live in Florida. And here we essentially have 5 different ports in the state to drive to, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, or Miami. Now if you are flying to a port, then unfortunately you still have to follow the airline luggage guidelines. You also want to keep in mind the size of your room when packing since all that luggage stays with you. For our Alaska cruise, we flew into Seattle (since we were here to visit friends who live in Tacoma), so we did have to manage our packing expectations.
Most importantly, pack snacks!! Unlike airlines, you can bring your own food onboard. If you live near a port, then be sure to pack all your favorites. If you are flying to your port, then either see if there is time or leave time to go to the local grocery store to pick up some goodies before embarkation. If you don’t have time to do this, then you can also pack food from the cruise ship. In that case, don’t forget to pack empty sandwich bags, snack bags, or even plastic food containers, specifically for this reason. Many of these excursions say, “lunch provided” or “snacks provided,” but rarely is it allergy friendly. Depending on how rural your excursion is there may not be a place or ability to stop off and grab something, so being prepared in this way is a must!
Alaska Cruise Destinations...
Seattle, Washington
For Princess Cruise Line, there are 4 different ports in which you can come onboard for an Alaska cruise. Our cruise departed from Seattle, Washington since we were in Tacoma, Washington at the time. If you add on some extra days before and/or after your cruise, then there are a bunch of fun things to do in Tacoma, Washington including a visit to the beautiful Point Defiance Park. As well as Seattle itself which also has so many iconic sights, and fun things to do. Blog post on that coming soon. In the meantime, here are some great excursion ideas for Seattle.
Juneau Tours: Princess Cruise Shore Excursions: Day 1
As I mentioned previously, there are tons of shore excursion options through Princess Cruise Line. They range anywhere in price from $45 to over $1,000 per person. They are adapted for all different kinds of fitness or activity levels (easy to strenuous) and can accommodate all different sorts of groups from individual or solo activities, as well as those for families, small groups, or large groups. Basically, there is something for everyone.
We are not much for relaxing on our trips and want to do and see as much as possible with the time we have. Our trip to Alaska was no different, since we packed in as much as we could in the allotted time off the cruise ship. In fact, we were able to do 3 different Juneau tours all in one day.
Glacier Gardens – Juneau, Alaska
On the first stop of our Juneau shore excursions, we headed out on a bus for a visit to Glacier Gardens. As it’s a 15-minute drive to our destination, we learned about some of the history of Juneau along the way. Once we arrived, we got to see the beautifully manicured botanical gardens. After that we hopped on board another shuttle that took us up and up through the rainforest to a beautiful lookout at the top of a 580-foot elevation. It was an almost panoramic lookout over all of Juneau. During the shuttle ride back down, we learned all about the life cycle of the rainforest of Alaska. It was so interesting. And absolutely so many beautiful picture spots.
Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center
After Glacier Gardens, we hopped back on the bus to see our very first glacier of the trip, Mendenhall Glacier. There are beautiful walks and trails all around this area that take you out from the parking area all the way out to Mendenhall Lake. Once there you can see the beautiful waterfall just to the side of the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier. Plenty of opportunities to take pictures and even get a little wet. Before you leave, be sure to head inside of the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center to learn all about Mendenhall Glacier as well as the animals that call this area home.
Salmon Hatchery
After Mendenhall Glacier, we headed back on the bus for our last stop of the day which was the salmon hatchery. Here we learned all about the different types of salmon, their life cycle, as well as the work that is done at the hatchery. There is a touch tank for kids, an aquarium, and plenty of educational opportunities throughout the facility.
If none of these tours float your boat (pun intended), then check out these other amazing experiences for your time in Juneau.
Skagway Excursions: Princess Cruise Shore Excursions: Day 2
By far, my favorite shore excursion we did was the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad. If you have been on my blog website for more than a second, you will realize there is a recurring theme of train travel and all things trains. I have blog posts about our themed Georgia train ride, the Polar Express train ride, the Alaska Railroad, as well as my train ride down the east coast of Australia. Needless to say, we (or really, I) love trains (it’s hereditary, I got it from my mama). If you like trains too, then this Skagway train does not disappoint.
White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad: The Skagway Train
Literally just steps away from the ship, the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad is ready and waiting to take you on an almost 3-hour ride up into the mountains. Along the way you will see majestic views and learn interesting history, all while climbing up so high to an almost 3,000 feet elevation and riding so far that you even cross the border into Canada along the way. Don’t worry though you don’t disembark. On this train ride, we were transported back in time to the days of the gold rush and seeing just how much engineering and dangerous work it took to make the railroad we are riding on over 120 years later.
Skagway Tour
Designed to look like it did at the peak of Gold Rush, don’t forget a city tour of the historic Skagway. If you want to learn more about life in Skagway in the 1800’s, then you can’t miss the Skagway Street Car tour. Here are other amazing excursions to experience during your time in Skagway.
Alaska Glacier: Tracy Arm Fjord
How to Prepare for Alaska Glacier Day?
Scope out the best place to be for the view you want ahead of time.
Charge all your batteries the night before.
Be on the deck at the front, side, or top of the ship early!
Here is the low down, you only have one chance at this for pictures and videos. The boat will come into the fjord usually directly facing the glacier, then it will stop at a decent distance away. From there, the cruise ship will basically just make a half circle in place very slowly. I mean the fact that a ship that big can do that to me is a feat in and of itself. Once it makes the circle, and is now facing out, the ship will start to leave the area. Now, this isn’t a fast spin. The spin is very slow and does take some time but knowing where you want to be and need to be to get the view you want is important.
Once the cruise ship starts heading into the fjord, the decks started to get very crowded like Christmas at Disney crowded, which is why being at your scoped out spot early is a must. Be sure to have handles, straps, or bands on your photography and videography equipment to make sure nothing goes overboard when you are crowded at the railing.
As for the glacier view, it’s incredible! These Alaska glaciers are a shade of blue that no picture could do justice. The sheer thickness of the ice and massive size of these ice formations will take your breath away.
Ketchikan Alaska Excursions: Princess Cruise Line Day 4
Alaska Totem Pole
Ketchikan, Alaska is this little town known for its timber back in the early 1900’s. You can see this timber influence with all the totem poles scattered throughout the town. There are several different types of tours that will tell you all about these different totem poles and their significance to Alaskan history. You can also choose to walk around on your own to see them.
Creek Street
Don’t leave Ketchikan, Alaska without a walk down Creek Street. While I don’t recommend a tour detailing the past of this stilted walkway of shops (given its history as a red-light district) which is not very family friendly. It is a feat of ingenuity to be built on top of the creek and has stayed standing for many years. Now a walk down Creek Street means shopping for souvenirs. Check out these other fun Ketchikan Alaska excursions.
Victoria Tourist Attractions: Princess Cruise Line Day 5
As a kid, I did NO international travel, so my only “international” experience was going to Walt Disney World’s Epcot. I’m definitely still a Disney adult today and you can read all about my Disney insider tips and tricks on the blog (like Fort Wilderness and Olivia’s Cafe) or on my IG page. So, when walking around Epcot’s world showcase, the most beautiful location to me was Canada. You walk through a lovely garden which takes you to the attraction which is a panoramic movie featuring all of Canada’s iconic and beautiful territories. On a sign in the garden, it says that it was designed to replicate Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada. You can imagine that when I saw Victoria, Canada as a stop on our Alaska cruise itinerary, I was elated that I would finally be visiting Butchart Gardens in real life.
Butchart Gardens at Night
Typically, Princess Cruise Line arrives in Victoria at night. From there since we are crossing the border from the United States into Canada, everyone from the cruise has to go through customs. It can be a long process, but as this is a popular port, they were very organized. After that, we hopped on a bus that took us up to Butchart Gardens.
Found the Chronicles of Narnia Lamp Post
Butchart Gardens did not disappoint. It was incredibly beautiful and there was so much to see. With 55 acres, there are numerous different gardens to explore like the Mediterranean Garden, Italian Garden, Japanese Garden, and Rose Garden. You can even explore the Sunken Garden which is where this place started from over 100 years ago. And as dusk turns to night, the gardens and paths are elegantly illuminated.
Downton Victoria
While we didn’t have time to get a tour of downtown Victoria, we were able to drive past the stunning city on our drive back to Princess Cruise Line from Butchart Gardens. If you don’t go to Butchart Gardens, then touring downtown Victoria would be one of the Victoria tourist attractions to visit next.
Onboard the Best Alaska Cruise on Princess Cruise Line
You may be asking yourself if it’s a 7-day cruise why did the excursions end on Princess Cruise Line Day 5. Well, the rest of the days of the Alaska cruise are spent cruising at sea. Now this is when you get to enjoy all the onboard activities that they offer. Below you can see how much there is going on at literally any and all times of the day. You can also see that there really is something for everyone to do here. My favorites are always the onboard entertainment. But whatever floats your boat (pun intended), it is available here to enjoy. While no spa to me will compare to my favorite La Bella Spa, the onboard spa allows for some major relaxation and unwinding. Especially once you see the endless horizon and beautiful seas as part of the ambiance and décor.
How to Eat Gluten Free and Dairy Free on Princess Cruise Line
But let’s face it, no matter how many onboard activities there are, the most common and fan favorite activity of cruising will always be the eating! Now, my Montreal post has some great information about traveling with food sensitivities. But since obviously cruise travel is a little different, we’ll be addressing those specific nuances here.
There’s a couple of different things to keep in mind at the beginning of the cruise.
Firstly, if you don’t know much about cruise travel, you’ll be interested to know that the workers of these cruise ships can come from all over the world. This means that even though you may be traveling from an English-speaking country to another English-speaking country, you could be talking to someone whose native language is not English while on the cruise ship. This is important because you must be able to clearly articulate your allergy information to someone who must be able to understand it. I always recommend either downloading these cards or having a language app downloaded for offline use on your phone. I say offline, because Wi-Fi at sea is not free. Remember that little rhyme.
Secondly, the nice thing about cruising is that it focuses on community. You are often assigned either a time or a table or both for usually just dinner. By doing this, you not only get to know your fellow cruisers, but you also get to know your wait staff. The nice thing about this is that they get to know you too. So, once you do explain your allergy, they often will be prepared for it before you even arrive. There were many nights where I had my special gluten free bread waiting for me at the table.
Thirdly, while dinner is usually a set time (if you want it to be), breakfast and lunch are not. You can go to the main dining room or head to any of the different cafes or head to the buffet. Buffets and allergies are not usually friends. But similar to Disney, find a chef, and they can guide you through the buffet. They can let you know what you can and cannot have and also let you know what they can make special for you. The buffet lines can get busy, so make sure you leave enough time for a chef to come out, explain everything, and then make something special if you need or want it. Just don’t be afraid to ask.
Lastly, think about the destinations you will be visiting. What are the native foods to the area? How would they prepare those? What can you look for that will work with your food allergies or sensitivities? In this case, as I mentioned in my Alaska vacation post, be prepared to eat Alaska salmon! It’s the best! I also love using the Find Me Gluten Free app too. You can look up restaurants ahead of time at your ports and destinations to find places that fit your dietary needs.
If you made it to the end of this post, you have my thanks. If there is anything I missed, or anything else you want to know, write it below in the comments. That way I can make sure that this post stays up to date and offers you the most benefit on your future travels.
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