Sunday, March 31, 2024

Best Alaska Cruises 2024-2025

princess alaska cruise excursions

The narrated tour begins when your vessel ventures out from Seward to Resurrection Bay. Then, you’ll head out to the open waters of the Gulf of Alaska around Cape Aialik to the face of a tidewater glacier. A great shore excursion option that didn't make Princess's list is the Eagle Preserve Scenic Float & Wildlife Cruise, which, like the Takshanuk Mountain 4x4 excursion, involves a catamaran trip to Haines. From there, you head by bus to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve (/parks/units/eagleprv.htm), then suit up in boots and a life vest for a gentle float by rubber raft down the Chilkat River. An expert guide both rows and provides commentary on the area's natural environment, steering the raft close to shore to spot animal tracks and keeping an eye out for moose, bears, eagles, and wolves. "It's always gratifying to receive so many positive comments about the experiences passengers have on their Alaska shore adventures," said Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours.

ZipRider Zipline Adventure

This national park is a dream destination for any serious Alaska traveler. With some of the most stunning wilderness in existence and famous wildlife, it’s part of the definitive experience of traveling to the Great Land’s wild interior. Sail 500 miles deeper into the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound on our top-rated Voyage of the Glaciers Alaska cruise vacation. Spend seven days traveling from Anchorage (Whittier) to Vancouver, B.C., stopping in historic port cities like Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. Along the way, enjoy two glacier-viewing experiences on every itinerary – including Glacier Bay National Park, and Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord. Sail 500 miles deeper into the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound on our top-rated Voyage of the Glaciers cruise.

Misty Fjords National Monument by seaplane

While you listen and cook, nibble on salmon and halibut dishes, as well as local veggies. At the end, you'll have newfound culinary knowledge to take home as a souvenir. Plus, it leaves plenty of time for further exploration in Icy Strait Point. Board a custom-built enclosed expedition boat for a 60- to 70-minute ride through fjords and rainforests with an abundance of wildlife and spectacular views. Upon your arrival at Glacier Point, a remote beach, you'll set out on a short drive and hike, before boarding a 31-foot-long canoe for a paddle up to the face of Davidson Glacier.

National Parks Cruisetour, Longer Adventures, New Itineraries Highlight Princess Cruises 2025 Alaska Season - PR Newswire

National Parks Cruisetour, Longer Adventures, New Itineraries Highlight Princess Cruises 2025 Alaska Season.

Posted: Mon, 31 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Skagway Excursions

In the morning, park rangers will board the cruise ship where they’ll spend the day providing insightful commentary and enriching your experience with their knowledge of the region’s ecology. As you cruise through the park, keep an eye out for marine wildlife, including humpback whales, seals, and sea lions. This is one of the most remote and the most beautiful parks in the national parks system. It can only be reached by plane or boat, so not many people have the opportunity to visit. The tour begins at the cruise ship port where you’ll board a bus and take a 25-minute narrated ride to Auke Bay. Being able to enjoy the Alaska landscape on a guided excursion is going to cost you.

Explore Denali National Park on an Alaska land and sea package

Speaking of scenic cruising, our sailing with Princess Cruises in Alaska was graced with beautiful weather and amazing glacier views. Our Alaskan cruise itinerary on Majestic Princess included Glacier Bay National Park along with port stops in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. When you sail with Princess, Alaska cruise food is more than a meal - it's a culinary experience that reawakens your taste buds and speaks to the unique flavor of the Great Land.

Read on for our favorite Alaska shore excursions at some of Alaska's most visited ports. Note that if you have a big enough group, it sometimes pays to arrange a private boat out of Juneau to take you to see humpback whales. Many lines offer a private boat charter for whale watching as a tour option, or you can arrange one through a local company. For those with a hefty bankroll, this might be the ultimate Alaska shore excursion. Combining helicopter flightseeing over the seemingly endless Juneau Icefield with a landing on a glacier for dog sledding, it hits two of Alaska's most iconic experiences.

Creek Street is best visited while on a historic walking tour where you’ll learn more about the area’s interesting and often seedy past. If you’re a fishing enthusiast, embark on a salmon fishing excursion and try your luck at catching the renowned Alaska salmon. The landscape is constantly changing due to climate change and other factors, so it truly is a remarkable experience to view the glaciers before they retreat even more.

Elevators have 36- to 42-inch doorways, and wheelchair seating is available in show lounges and other public spaces. Onboard, make reservations and requests using the MedallionClass app on your personal electronic device or interactive in-stateroom TV. The food on an Alaska cruise should be every bit as memorable as the excursions on shore. That's why Princess Cruises is always refreshing their menus to deliver the best sensory experience through the Great Land.

Full of greenery, pubs and Victorian architecture, it's difficult to believe that this was a tent city full of rough and tumble miners just 150 years ago. On a cruise to Alaska, explore the Butchart Gardens, tour the pub scene and taste some of the local brews or sail the bay for a whale-watching adventure. Sail 500 miles deeper into the Gulf of Alaska and Prince William Sound on our back-to-back Voyage of the Glaciers Alaska cruise. Spend 14 days roundtrip from Vancouver, B.C., stopping in historic port cities like Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway. Enjoy three glacier-viewing experiences on every itinerary — including Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord.

Or navigate its rugged terrain by way of flightseeing or dogsled with our Alaska shore excursions. Feel like a local with our unique land and shore excursions that give you a taste of true Alaska life. From the historical fortunes of the Klondike Gold Rush to the glacial treasures of the Inside Passage, get up close to the Great Land’s famous riches and best kept secrets. As you marvel at the serene surroundings, listen for the thunder of “calving”—a process by which glaciers shed giant blocks and slabs of ancient ice and send it crashing into the still waters of this protected bay. Watch for a variety of marine life such as humpback whales, orcas, seabirds, sea lions, and otters. A complimentary lunch is served as you keep track of your route on flat-screen monitors.

If you want to splurge on your vacation, you can also purchase a pass to Princess Cruises’ version of a thermal suite, the Enclave in the Lotus Spa. While the main dining rooms offer plenty of delicious and complimentary menu options, we suggest sampling some of the specialty dining during your sailing with Princess Cruises in Alaska. Of course, these massive ice forms are best viewed from the top decks of the ship.

For instance, we took a whale watching tour in Juneau that was coupled with a visit to the famous Mendenhall Glacier. In 1880, it was slow going for Joe Juneau and Richard Harris as they searched for gold with the help of Native guides. After climbing mountains, forging streams and facing countless difficulties, they found nuggets "as large as beans." From their discovery came three of the largest gold mines in the world. By the end of World War II, more than $150 million in gold had been mined.

princess alaska cruise excursions

Once the gateway to Alaska's Gold Rush, Skagway strikes a dramatic image nestled between the water's edge and mountains. Follow in the footsteps of miners with a ride on a scenic train along the famous White Pass route through coastal mountains. During your Alaska cruise, explore the Yukon's pristine wilderness, pan for gold with professionals or meet sled dog puppies in training. Travel the Inside Passage on 10 or 11-day Alaska cruises from San Francisco and allow the natural landscapes to inspire your day’s adventures.

These are 11 things travelers should know before embarking on a Princess cruisetour in Alaska. If you want to enjoy a little time outside on your Princess cruise in Alaska, you have plenty of options. We suggest grabbing a drink and a front row seat at either the Sea View Bar or the Wake View Bar on Majestic Princess. Majestic Princess also features the Chopsticks Noodle Bar and Burger & Lobster Grill on the pool deck that were open until 10 pm weather dependent.

Alaska Cruisetours Alaska Cruise & Land Tour

princess alaska cruise excursions

For those seeking a more active way to see the White Pass, we highly recommend you book the White Pass Train & Bike Tour. You take the train up the Pass and then get off at Fraser (which is in British Columbia, Canada -- so bring your passports) for an additional 15-minute van ride to the White Pass summit. You'll then bike 15 miles down the Klondike Highway on a guided summit-to-sea tour back to Skagway. Alaska’s glaciers have shaped the surrounding landscapes for millions of years.

The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler - The Points Guy

The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler.

Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise

After a tribal ceremonial greeting and short video program, you enter the Beaver Clan House for a song, dance and storytelling presentation. On this two-and-a-half-hour excursion, you'll walk through the small city of Sitka -- once known as the Paris of the Pacific -- with a guide, stopping at various art galleries and artisan ateliers along the way. Witness everything from wood-carving and ceramic work to jewelry-making and glass-blowing, before trying your hand at Venetian glass-blowing yourself. You'll also have free time at the end to browse a gallery and to shop for souvenirs.

Denali National Park

The waters are teeming with marine life, like king salmon, while the land is decorated by the colorful coats of Denali National Park’s “big five” – including grizzly bears, wolves, moose, Dall sheep and caribou. On an Alaska cruisetour, encounter wildlife in their natural habitats and experience their unique personalities for yourself. There’s a world of sights to be seen in the Great Land and our Alaska cruise excursions give you a front-row seat to it all. Bring history books to life when you tour Skagway, the former gateway to the gold rush, and visit Gold Dredge 8 in Fairbanks to learn even more about mining. Travel along the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway, or aboard a riverboat sternwheeler for sweeping views of Alaska’s greatest treasures. Icy Strait Point is home to the remote Tlingit village of Hoonah, home to fewer than 800 people and a deep Native history.

Whittier Glacier Cruise

Watch lumberjacks in action, learn from Glacier Bay National Park rangers and craft with a Native totem pole carver. Or listen to harrowing Tales from the Deadliest Catch fishermen and climbers who have summited Denali during your Alaska cruise. Explore five of Alaska’s National Parks with our National Park Cruisetour. Cruise Glacier Bay’s pristine waters, be awe-struck by Kenai Fjords icefields and feed your wanderlust by adventuring into Denali National Park.

How to book the best Alaska shore excursions

Princess Cruises offers many Alaska-themed activities as part of its award-winning “North to Alaska” programming. With enrichment opportunities on Alaskan culture, food, history, landscape, and wildlife, you must attend these North to Alaska presentations. With several ships sailing in the region year after year, we finally decided to hop onboard a Princess Cruises ship. We just returned from a cruise on Majestic Princess and want to share our picks for the Top Things to Do on Princess Cruises in Alaska. Princess ships offer accessible staterooms designed for wheelchair maneuverability and feature wider doorways than a standard stateroom in both the stateroom and the bathroom.

Salmon and Halibut Fishing: Catch and Ship

princess alaska cruise excursions

The park’s glaciers have been slowly retreating since the Little Ice Age, revealing landscapes shaped by ice for thousands of years. Our kids especially loved being able to participate in the Junior Ranger Program at Camp Discovery onboard the Alaskan cruise ship. You’ll spend the day marveling at the immense glaciers, towering snow-capped peaks, and the serene wilderness that surrounds you. There are over 1,000 glaciers at Glacier Bay and you’ll be awe-struck as you cruise up close to quite a few of them. I would highly recommend booking a balcony room and ordering room service breakfast so that you can enjoy a peaceful morning with the views all to yourselves. Over a century after the peak of the gold rush, the town still retains its charming 19th-century atmosphere.

Discover Alaska with Princess in 2024-2025

This includes passports and visas for any country they may visit during their trip. In some ports, the ship anchors offshore and guests transfer to shore by water shuttles. When a water shuttle is required, guests using mobility devices will not be transferred into or out of the water shuttle, if lifting in excess of the above limitation is required. Many water shuttle ports do not provide wheelchair access so even if the guest can board the water shuttle, they may not be able to disembark ashore. Again, the shore-side facilities, movement of the water shuttle, weather and tidal conditions can also preclude the use of the water shuttle. Spend a day cruising the unspoiled wonders of Kenai Fjords National Park.

Outdoor Adventures

I booked a 7-day Alaska cruise for $799 but actually spent $2800 with extras. Take a closer look at what made it so pricey. - Business Insider Africa

I booked a 7-day Alaska cruise for $799 but actually spent $2800 with extras. Take a closer look at what made it so pricey..

Posted: Sat, 20 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Find out what it takes to capture some of the best images the Great Land has to offer, from the very photographers who took them. Our North to Alaska program welcomes award-winning photographers Mark Kelly, Carl Johnson, Daryl Pederson and Kim Heacox on board to share their Alaska photography experiences. Learn tips and tricks on how you can take your own frameable Alaska snapshots.

Princess Cruises Guest Accessibility

Alaska is a place where you may want to budget almost as much per person for your shore excursions as you do for your cabin. There are some cruise destinations — Barcelona, for instance, or Venice — where you really don't need to sign up for shore excursions. You can just walk off the ship and head to the major attractions on your own.

The smaller bars and venues feature live musicians and fun, silly game shows while the main Vista area of the fifth floor holds concerts and dance parties. The ship even has a disco, a hopping casino with slots and table games, a very large fitness area on the 17th deck, poolside movies, a pickleball court, a Discovery Camp for kids, and more. The Royal Princess is a Princess MedallionClass™ ship with a capacity of 3,560 guests. The MedallionClass ships use touchless technologies in the form of a small, quarter-sized customizable Medallion and an app to enhance and personalize individual experiences and health protocols. On our Voyage of the Glaciers cruise, encounter unique ports of call that are rich in history, culture and natural beauty. After about an hour in the water, you'll head back to the dive shop, where a hot beverage caps a perfect day.

Consider this excursion if you'd like to see a glacier up close without spending the money on a helicopter tour. You'll begin this trip with a 35- to 40-minute bus ride to the remnants of the nearby ghost town of Dyea, which was Skagway's biggest competition during the gold rush days. It's now set within the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park as the site of a dog musher's camp. Once there, you'll board an all-terrain vehicle called a Unimog, which will take you up a rugged mountain road to where the mushers keep their dogs.

Take part in our unique treehouse activities — like Sappy Hour, Trivia in the Treehouse and Sourdough Expedition. Discover all the treehouse possibilities on a cruisetour to Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. As a part of North to Alaska, guests will be treated to an onboard demonstration that reveals the life and adventures of your host, an actual Alaskan lumberjack. For the listings below, I've used the tour names and pricing listed in the current tour sheets at Princess, which along with sister line Holland America, is the biggest cruise operator in Alaska. They groan, creak and shudder on their march to the sea, punctuated by the booms and crashes of "white thunder" — a sound that echoes across the water when ice calves into the ocean below. On an Alaska cruise, let us show you Glacier Bay National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier.

On my tour, I felt I got a better overview of Alaska and a better feel for its expansiveness during the land portion, which I appreciated seeing first. Then, when I got to the coastal towns on the cruise, I was able to appreciate them for their quaint charm. I also saw a lot more wildlife on the land portion, which meant any animals I saw during the cruise were just a bonus. Tours fill up fast in Alaska, and that’s especially true for some popular ones like helicopter excursions that land on a glacier.

Now, as much as these animals are prevalent in the area, sightings cannot be guaranteed. While certain times of year are better than others, it’s really the luck of the draw. Now, everything you need on your sailing with Princess Cruises in Alaska is at the touch of your finger tips. With Ocean Now, guests can order their favorite food and drinks to be delivered to them just about anywhere on the ship. Alfredo’s Pizzeria is a sit-down restaurant that is open well into the evening with delicious personal-sized pizzas on the menu.

On the Royal Princess, the more than a dozen dining choices come in many different flavors, ranging from high-end steakhouse to Italian cuisine to sushi. Like many cruise ships, the Royal Princess has a buffet that features Asian, Indian, American, and Latino cuisine, as well as breakfast items, fresh fruit, a pastry bar, and more. On the fifth floor in the central Vista, a small deli is open 24/7 for the late night/early morning crowd. You will also travel by rail in a private Princess Cruises scenic railroad car and by tour bus to the various locations. I had my Medallion customized with an astrological symbol and ordered the rubber wristband.

In Juneau, for instance, you can get an outdoor experience with a relatively inexpensive trip to the nearby Mendenhall Glacier. It's just 12 miles from the cruise ship docks and reachable by bus or taxi. The bus will set you back an astounding $45 per person, round-trip, which I find an intolerable gouge (but … it is what it is).

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