We did our land tour FIRST and then trained from Denali to Whittier for the inside passage cruise. I recommend doing it this way; after the land tour we needed some time to relax, and the first couple days at sea provided that. As to the Star Princess, the dining room service was very good, but the menu uninspiring. I would have expected more seafood offerings, this being Alaska. We have cruised Carnival and Royal Carribean -- both were better, dining-wise. Cabins were larger and more comfortable as well on the other ships. All our excursions were fabulous. I also give Princess high marks for keeping us on our itinerary, providing prompt transportation to hotels and the ship.
I scold them for the constant selling of extras. My mail box was filled with junk mail every day. Their sink or swim drill at the beginning of the drill was dragged out a lot longer than it needed to be. Carnival has this down perfect. I see others posting criticism of ship's staff, but I found everyone to be very attentive. As with other cruise lines, they charge a ridiculous sum for Internet (WiFi). This, in a day and age, when even the cheapest hotel offers WiFi free. Finally, Vancouver is an interesting, albeit congested city. But their airport is a veritable zoo. I'll be looking to avoid their airport if we return to Alaska in the future.
The cabin was fine, and the balcony is really a must for a scenic cruise like this. The cabin itself was smaller than those we had on Carnival and Royal Carribean.