I had been advised to cruise with Princess because they "did" Alaska the best. I must say I agree. This was our first Cruise with Princess and we were favorably impressed. We found it to be less of a party atmosphere than other cruises we have been on.

We stayed in a balcony room on the Lido deck port side. The room was very clean and nicely appointed, not really different from other balcony rooms we have stayed in. We certainly used our balcony quite a bit to watch the scenery and wildlife. The balcony was covered, which is nice when it rained. The only drawback was we did hear people walking on the deck above the balcony occasionally, however, it was nice to be so close the the pool and eating areas on the Lido deck. It didn't matter much which side of the ship your balcony room was on, as the ship turns around in the fjords and ports so that you eventually end up seeing what was on the other side. Our cabin steward was excellent, very friendly and pleasant.

We thought the food was slightly better on this cruise than others we have been on. We were so busy we usually ate at the Horizon court buffet, poolside grill or pizza spot. We chose anytime dining but only visited one of the regular dining rooms (Pacific Moon) one night. We especially enjoyed all the fresh seafood they served. Several afternoons, there were special buffets in mid-afternoon set up by the pools. The service of the food staff was excellent. Be advised that antibacterial lotion is offered at the entrance of all dining rooms and buffets, manned by waitstaff, who make sure everyone uses it before entering. Hand sanitation is a real priority, and they remind you often. Read more