Not what was expected. Very unfriendly staff. Outdated vessel. Very small. Not well kept. Food was worse than hospital food. Balcony very dirty. Not a lot of activities on-board for 4 day duration. Age group 50-85. Disembarkment process very early. Shops with expensive prices. Atrium is a small hole in the vessel. Elevators are old and dirty. Not sailing again with a Princess. The staff seem to agree that Royal Princess have higher standards in food, cleanliness and ship entertainment. The cocktails were very overpriced. Coffee tasted like water, looked muddy. Tea was better option. Same breakfast menu every single day. Buffet posts and glass were extremely dirty. Staff around ship couldn’t answer badic questions, but gave honest responses, “sorry, I can’t answer that, maybe someone else knows”!!! I would spend a few hundred more and get a better experience with an alternate cruiseline. Many seniors with books in hand and ready for relaxation. Read Less

This cruise came about when my wife and I wanted a quick getaway. We were were on the Ruby last year in Alaska and were looking to take it's repositioning trip south but the Coral itinerary (stopping once in Astoria) was better so that was that. The ship does have a few odd perks. Buffet is forward instead of aft, restaurants are also forward. International cafe is open to the casino, a definite negative. Almost everything else, however, is a strong positive. Ship was in good condition, most of the crew was great and entertainment was wonderful. We spent a lot of time listening to music in the Wheelhouse bar, mostly the jazz band but had plenty of dance music options. Princess stage entertainment was great. Bayou steakhouse was a strong negative. First, who decided that a cajun steakhouse was a good idea? The venue had no idea what it wanted to be. Second, service was poor with an invisible head waiter and inattentive waiter. Finally, my NY strip was tough beyond belief. I have never sent any dish back in my life until I tried to eat the steak. It was properly cooked medium rare but still not worth eating. My wife's filet was not properly cooked but the waiter never stuck around long enough for us to report the problem. Service took forever and I was charged for a bottle of wine I never ordered (ultimately resolved with 3 trips to the service desk.) This was one negative in an overall very positive experience. Main dining room was good (waits for mytime dining a bit long) and all other venues we tried were great. Read Less

This re-positioning cruise was awesome. The 4 day itinerary was the perfect way to revitalize your spirit and mind. The Coral is a smaller ship but has all the amenities of say the Regal. It is new enough that the carpet still has spring to it and the rooms are clean and rust free. The food was excellent. The main dining rooms were large with a lot of ramps for passengers that need assistance. The buffet had many delicious dishes to choose from. The deserts were outstanding and the fruit was sweet and fresh. The cruise staff was outstanding. The passenger games were funny and the staff kept the party going. The art staff was awesome. They gave different lectures on various artists that were interesting and informative. Their knowledge of the artists and their work was impressive. The auctions were fun and the pieces being sold were a outstanding value. This is a trip I would do again. Read Less

We chose this cruise very last minute as our land trip to Napa fell through. The price for the cruise was a deal we could not pass up so we left for Vancouver. Upon entering the cruise port Princess was there and graciously welcomed me back. It had been a while not choosing Princess. We were so glad we are back!!! The entire experience exceeded our expectations mainly due to the outstanding service we received in all venues. The Crooners Bar with Allan and Pankey was incredible. So fun and energetic. I miss them so much! Robert our room steward and Dani our traditional dining server. All are just awesome. The food was excellent. We ate in the traditional dining room each evening and for breakfast. We also love the pizza. Just like we remembered-so awesome. Exceeded expectations. Enjoy if you go on the Coral Princess and say hello to Allan and Pankey from T and T! Read Less

My husband and I needed a worry-free escape from stressful jobs, one that, once we left the house, was completely taken care of. On this 4 night cruise from Vancouver to Los Angeles, we were able to afford a Club Class Mini Suite with Princess transfers at the Vancouver Airport and an overnight at the Four Seasons Hotel. The transfers and hotel stay were well worth the price for us. As soon as we left Customs, a Princess Rep whisked us to a cab and handed a voucher to the driver. At the lovely Four Seasons we were upgraded to a magnificent one bedroom suite with a breathtaking city view. Our luggage was picked up from our suite at 8am the next morning and we didn't have to think about it again until it was safely delivered to our cabin in the very early afternoon. As others have mentioned, embarkation in Vancouver was a mess. There were 3 ships in Port disembarking when we arrived at about 9:45am, and we were herded here, there, and everywhere while the port employees tried to figure out what to do with us and where we were supposed to go. Once we cleared Customs and Princess had more control over the situation, things were much more organized. We were safely on board and in our cabin before 11:30am. Our cabin was very clean, spacious, and in good order. The tub/shower combination in the bathroom was worth the price of the suite. Our cabin steward Jeffrey was perfect in every way and greatly enhanced our experience. Our luggage was delivered very promptly. We couldn't have been happier with Club Class Dining. The separate area of the Bordeaux Dining Room was very peaceful and the service most attentive. The food was good and the extra dish often noteworthy. We never had to wait for a table, and our beverages of choice were instantly at hand. My husband enjoyed the variety of the buffet, but the quality of the food and lack of substantial vegetarian items made it a no go for me. We had Room Service a couple of times. The menu was small as were the portions, but the service was very friendly and you could order as much of any item as you wanted. I had pizza from the Lido Deck on the last day and wondered why I had waited so long. It was really good. The Coral Princess is very clean and well maintained. The crew is pleasant and seemed to work well together as a team. We enjoyed the less frantic atmosphere of a smaller ship, and found plenty of areas to enjoy the solitude of the sea away from others. I thoroughly enjoyed the Thermal Suite in the Lotus Spa. The heated beds were so relaxing, and I'm glad I invested in a pass. It was well worth it to me. It was too cold for us to brave Movies Under the Stars, but the movies also played on the televisions in our cabin and in the Princess Theater. We indulged in Premiere Coffee Cards and are glad we did. Although there could be long lines at the International Cafe, especially in the mornings, my husband greatly enjoyed the specialty frozen beverages available. I enjoyed an after dinner latte in Club Class more than once, along with an occasional Mocktail. Disembarkation in San Pedro was a breeze. We enjoyed a final Club Class breakfast with the same attentive service we had received during the rest of the cruise. We were not rushed or hurried in any way. After a leisurely meal we made our way to the quiet Platinum Lounge until our group was called. Once off the ship, our luggage was easily located and a Lyft quickly obtained for our short trip home. We thoroughly enjoyed our time aboard the lovely Coral Princess and hope to be cruising again before too long. Read Less

I chose this cruise because I needed a small break. It was perfect to leave from my home port. The stop in Astoria was uneventful. I would have liked to stop in Seattle or San Francisco, anywhere but Astoria. The people at my dining table were wonderful. we ranged in age from 48 - 82 and had a great camaraderie. The games were hilarious at times. The staff were awesome. They upgraded me to a balcony which I loved. I sat out there in the mornings with my tea and just listened to the sound of the waves and was at peace. I was able to see some whales blow but not emerge or breach. Dani, Christopher, and Carlos took great care of me in the dining room. The food was bland. I heard this complaint from several guests onboard. I don't know if they don't season the food because they think most of the guests are elderly and cannot tolerate it. The worst food on the ship was a veggie burger up on 14. It was soggy and fell apart and tasted terrible. I found the heat inside the ship to be way too high. Read Less

My second cruise on the Coral, this time in a balcony A610. A great location with covered balcony allowing us to step out even in the rain and not get our feet wet! This cabin was on the port side, a fantastic location to view the glaciers. Embankment was smooth and efficient. Sailaway was under sunny skies for a 7 day Alaska cruise-last of the season. We had the beverage package, gratuity and OBC as perks for this sailing. Very convenient for all drinks including specialty coffees and bottled water. Was very wet and stormy in Juneau, Skagway was phenomenal as was Glacier Bay. We were unable to dock in Ketchikan which was very disappointing. Activities on board were great but many overlapping so had to choose. Could have had more variety in entertainment comedian twice ventriloquist twice and on show was the Piano bar Don Juan show. Great show. Read Less

We picked this cruise to see Alaska, especially the inside passage and Ketchikan. Although scheduled, the cruise skipped both. That was extremely disappointing. Princess did nothing to make up for it. The staff were excellent, friendly and efficient, especially in the bars and restaurants. The food varied from good to poor, but there was a lot of it. The drink “packages” were overpriced, I don’t recommend them. The room service menu was surprisingly limited. The Coral Princess ship was nice. We had taken this cruise before on other ships, and the ports and shore excursions were excellent, but on this cruise we took no excursions primarily because of the bad weather. Embarkation was easy and quick, but disembarkation was a nightmare. Customs was easy, baggage collection was easy, but the line to get a taxi took two and a half hours! Standing in the cold with 2,000 of my best friends for that length of time was miserable. Overall, of ~20 cruises I’ve taken, this was the poorest. Good luck. Read Less

I have to say straight away that the natural beauty of Alaska is GREAT, and reading the following review should not deter anyone from going to see such a wonderful place. Looking over the side of the ship to see Pacific White-Sided dolphins and Orca whales playing in the ship's wake is a real thrill. The train ride in Skagway is Great - The Glaciers are AWESOME. So for the Natural Beauty part - Alaska REALLY ticks all the boxes. We did tour Denali park an Anchorage on our own - had a great time. On morning of Sept 11 we dropped off the car at the airport, took a taxi to Alaska RR station and got the train ride to Whittier. It was a really neat to see whales, seals and eagles along the way as the train travels along the waterfront. And we weren't even on the ship yet! Cool! Now for the Princess part...did we come back "new"?... not really. More like "disappointed". We had paid extra for the full "suite" experience because we were looking forward to the nice amenities Princess would provide to us - wowzer we were surprised... The main problem wasn't that the balcony decking in suite C703 was broken with sharp holes - ask me how easy it is to get bloody feet if you're not wearing shoes. The balcony roof leaked in the rain and dribbled water down the sliding glass door into the room. The shower didn't work (trudge up 3 flights to the spa to get a shower), the hair dryer wasn't working, there were other people's clothes left in the drawers (the room was cleaned that well prior to our arrival) and the bed was worn out years ago. The main problem was that after we talked to the room steward & the front desk on the ship...and then calling the front desk and even trying to call the Princess main landline from Skagway: Absolutely nothing got fixed. OH - the front desk told us they'd have maintenance crew up there right away. They were pleasant enough. And we did see maintenance crews working on everyone else's bathroom. Apparently they didn't like us though since our room never got serviced. We tried asking several times....nothing. The only contact I've had with Princess since then was I got in touch with their "Customer Relations" department - and they say it'll be at least 10 WEEKS before anyone at Princess will get in touch with us. That's how much Princess cares really cares about their customers. They need to do better. Just keep that in mind if you book Princess... I would highly highly recommend you get a newer or more recently refurbished ship. The size and design of Coral is OK, but boy - at least for C703 - that lady needs to go in for some TLC. Read Less

I wanted to get my National Parks Passport stamped at Denali NP and Glacier Bay NP. This land/cruise tour offered those opportunities. We were escorted from the time our plane landed in Fairbanks until we arrived at Vancouver Airport a week later. All excursions were extremely well organized and presented. We loved everything we experienced on shore. Aboard the ship, we found it difficult to get around the first few days. We seemed to spend a lot of time trying to figure out where we were and where we needed to be, so we spent most of our time in our cabin watching the tv. We attended something in the Princess Theater because we thought it would help us understand how to get the most out of what was offered. It was all bout jewelry and shopping. I wish they would consider an orientation seminar to familiarize novice cruisers with the ship and how to maximize the cruising experience. Don't assume everyone has prior cruise experience(s). Prior to our cruise, I had always heard how wonderful the dining experiences were. We thought the food was ok, but certainly not great. There were many food offerings from cuisines that we just weren't familiar with, so when those options were passed over, we weren't left with much. Buffet food was usually lukewarm and one evening, my dinner was lukewarm. It was just a small negative blip on our vacation, not important enough to ruin it. We didn't take advantage of any activities. Again, it took a while to figure it all out, and when we finally did, the things we were interested in happened when we were off the ship or at dinner. After dinner activities were passed by because we were too tired from our busy day to stay up and participate. For us, the cruise experience was ok, but the land experiences were incredibly awesome!! No regrets at all! Read Less

We were excited to travel with a group of friends on our first Alakan cruise. The check in was awesome. On the night of our 2nd day my husband became ill....bronchitis like symptoms. The next morning he and I went to breakfast....many people were displaying signs of illness. My husband then went back to bed where he spent the next 2 days. The following day 3 more in our group were ill....same symptoms. These things should have happened that would have prevented a rapid spread of this flu... The buffet should NOT have been self serve. Masks given to anybody coughing! The fees to see a Dr. are high....and quarantine with very poor room service is prohibitive of people wanting medical attention. The food was cold, and overcooked at our evening dining sitting on 2 occasions. The entertainment was repetitive 3 shows were almost the same by the same comedians. The night before we disembarked ....my husband in quarantine got a call at 10:30 PM....saying he would have to be off the ship by 7 am the next morning after being cleared to do so.Why a call so late to a sick person asking him to leave so early the next morning? This is careless. He contacted the medical center and was cleared. Thankful we could join our friends to leave the sick ship. We have decided Ocean cruising is not for us. This trip of a lifetime very disappointing. Read Less

I just really have always wanted to take an Alaskan cruise. The Coral Princess in September was a wonderful experience. The crowds were smaller and the weather was just about perfect. There was not a mosquito to be found. The shore excursions were first rate. The stops in Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway offered a variety of experiences. There was plenty of time for shopping and exploring even with taking shore excursions. The Glacier cruising was awe inspiring. Cruising in September means that you get to see even more glaciers because there are some areas that are closed to cruise ships until September As always on a Princess cruise the food was delicious. The Entertainment was professional class. The Crew is always friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.Even the transfer from Anchorage to Whittier was first rate with a bus driver/tour guide who was great telling us about life in Alaska and pointing out interesting things along the way.. We even were able to take a shore excursion in Vancouver after we disembarked and before we had to fly out. Not only did it give us a great overview of Vancouver, it also lessened our time sitting in the airport. Our balcony stateroom offered stunning views. The ship is a slightly smaller ship and that made getting around very easy. Everything went smoothly from embarking to disembarking. Princess knows how to do things right. Read Less

To saii with friends to a remote and réputés destination. Cruise was perfect and excusions were Nice, instructive, Skagway and mainly Ketchican have too much boutiques and jewel stores that kind of diminish the natural beauty of the surroundings. Ship is not the youngest of the fleet and decoration is a little kitsch but clean, with good service every where on the ship. Food is good in buffets, uneven at Anytime Dinner. Naturalist and yes the captain are good communicators. Land portions was fine but food offer is ordinary, too salty, too rich, too abundant calories wise. The offer of senior portions, and "Healthy" food would better the offer. All motor coach or railway transportation are well organized...Princess is a leader in this aspect. A forgotten jacket at Fairbanks Princess Hotel was brought at the airport before departure flight...personal and quality of service of great quality. To be noted the quality of naturalist Rachel Cartwright as a speaker, writer and animator. Read Less

The ship itself and the staff were great. Accomodation was good. Entertainment other than the 2 shows was very poor. The game shows and karaoke and especially the ventriloquist were infantile. The stops at Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan were just opportunities for the cruise line to sell souvenirs from their own stores. Some of the tours were very good. We felt pressured into buying continuously on the ship. Expensive souvenirs, art and photos. Food was very good. Formal evening again just an opportunity to sell photos. The cruise of the glacier bays was stunning. Made up for a lot of the other stuff. We also felt we were in a retirement home. So many people who couldn’t move themselves. Breakfast was good and choices were fine. A lot of fried salty food but there were alternatives if that’s not for you. Embarkation was terrible. No fault of the ship. The US customs were very slow and didn’t care at all and the process took 2 hours Read Less

Excellent cruise. Staff were professional and the ship was spotless. Food was excellent. Scenery was wonderful. Highly recommend taking the the tour of the ship. The cost is $120 but is worth every cent. You will see all the behind the scenes of the ship and as a surprise you receive photos of the tour, a Princess bath robe and cooking apron, a picture frame and a personalized note pad. One of my favourite experiences on board.I did not purchase any of the beverage packages and was never lacking for anything to drink. There is included orange juice for breakfast and coffee, tea and water. Other drinks such as sodas would have to be purchased. The entertainment was very good with a mix of comedy, singing and chorus shows. Very happy with the overall cruise The only thing I would add is that we took the Denali rail Land tour afterwards and this was not good value for money spent. The train speed was very slow (approx 25 mp) making it a very long trip. The Princess Denali Lodge was dirty with very limited time to enjoy the park and the Princess Staff aggressively pushed the Wilderness Wildlife Tour upgrade on the train which turned out to be a major disappointment. Avoid that tour at all costs. Read Less

I read the reviews and thought it was best cruise for our first cruise together. This cruise exceeded our expectations, ALASKA IS BEAUTIFUL!, we will definitely be back but will do it in reverse order, land first, water second. From embarkation to disembarkation, the staff of Princess Cruise was on point. Our steward Inri, always had a smile and made our stay much more pleasant. They had really good and diverse entertainment, Symphonie was exceptional. The food at the Horizon was outstanding and well prepared and we loved that we could get a slice of pizza, burger etc., on the deck. The anytime dining was the way to go, we weren’t tied to a specific time, it allowed us to explore enjoy more of our time on the ship. The only negative was the internet package, it was not consistent and only one device at a time could use it, it should’ve been accessible to both of us, we each had only one device. Read Less

My husband and I did the Alaskan cruise followed by a land tour with stays at the Princess Denali Lodge and Fairbanks Lodge. We wanted to see the glaciers, but also see the northern lights and visit the arctic circle. We had hoped to learn more about the Alaskan people and those that “live off the grid” as well as learn more about Alaska’s history. Our suite was beautiful and spacious and was best part of the cruise. The enrichment presentations were basic and repetitive. The talks were about mammals and sea life. Unfortunately, the lectures never focused on Alaska’s history, Aurora Borealis, or the glaciers and how global warming is causing most of the glaciers to recede. It was not until there was a surprise Northern Lights show during the early am hours through the College Fjord glaciers, that the Princess Cruise videographer spoke for a few minutes before a mammal talk, that there will be a dvd for sale with the nights light show along with pre-recorded Aurora Borealis events. We missed the Northern Lights that night as we were asleep. The Deadliest Catch excursion was great and I was pleasantly surprised. The Best of Juneau excursion was long and it was surprisingly warm. The glacier was sadly disappearing. The Yukon tour which included an extension bridge was also very long in duration. Again very warm which, of course, had nothing to do with Princess Cruises, but global warming. I forgot to add that the glacier viewing from the cruise ship was beautiful, but not as dramatic as one would think by viewing brochures. The Marjorie glacier I gather was grand at one time, but now it was just stagnant. I understand that it is one of the glaciers that is not receding. The College Fjord was far more spectacular with larger pieces of icebergs floating along side the ship. The land tour was very good. Weather remained quite warm, but overcast in the evening which prevented the Aurora Borealis from being viewed fully. We were only able to see a portion of Denali, but quite impressive. The highlight was the plane ride from Fairbanks into the Arctic Circle. Learned a lot about “living off the grid” and sustainable living in Alaska. I would of loved to have learned about the lifestyle of First Nation, Alaskans, and Indian tribes on the cruise before the land tour. Lastly, there are many fires that are still occurring in Alaska, so smoke may be present. In fact, we could smell the smoke in the plane on our flight to the Arctic Circle. We also could see the Rampart fire from the plane. Read Less

Alaska is our "happy place" and we see something new every time and we love to go up there. Departing out of Vancouver is easy and we maximize our time in the Inside Passage (as opposed to departing from Seattle where we spend 36 hours in open water before getting to the calmer, inside passage views.) We take the train from downtown Seattle and enjoy the views of the Sound as we head north. We take this same train when we arrive in Vancouver. We experienced a long wait in Vancouver going through US immigration but after that our Platinum status got us on board quickly. The room was ready and the steward very helpful. We've been to the ports of call many times so we have favorite shops all along the way. This time we only did whale watching out of Juneau but we understand the Ketchican trip saw bubble-net-feeding. We also like the White Pass Railroad in Skagway and the bear expedition out of Haynes. We're "anytime" diners (far, far, easier than having a set dining time and the same faces at every meal), and we met lots of interesting people not to mention a lot of Aussies and first-time cruisers. Foodservice seemed to be an ongoing issue. It took two hours or more to get in and fed on several occasions. The food was as expected--good but a bit too "fancy" for our palates. The wait staff was usually quite friendly and helpful, but not always. When one diner complained her steak was too tough, the waiter pulled out a 6" switchblade and gave it to her. She didn't complain after that. Princess has lower priority with the Inside Passage ports so they always doc well away from town but don't always provide shuttles from the boat to town. Holland America parks right downtown in most ports. Our cabin was nice with a great view and two flat-screen TVs but no curtain or another divider between the sections which would have been essential if we had brought along another passenger. We were disappointed in the entertainment--only one full-ensemble show (which was great) and the comic wanted us old people dead. We got in his way. Read Less

Alaska was a bucket list destination for us, not just a cruise but also a land tour. Princess Cruises offers cruisetours incorporating a cruise with a land tour. We selected the Connoisseur Tour as it included most meals on the tour as well as the services of a tour director. The additional cost above their unescorted tour is approx $900.00 per person. The cruise part of out trip was very good, no problems and delivered what we expected. Rooms on the ship were a bit dated and could do with a refurbishment but the ship amenities and facilities were certainly up to scratch. we sailed Club Class and had no waiting times in the dining room or any specialty restaurants. Ports of call were all interesting, the towns quirky, Glacier Bay and College Fjord were spectacular. The land portion of the tour however didn't live up to expectations. First the tour director. Our director did not deliver any real value or insight during our tour. Her input included handing out check in information envelopes at each lodge and making dinner reservations at the lodge restaurant on the first night at 2 of the 3 lodges. All of this could have been easily managed direct by the lodge check in staff on our arrival. Apart from the 2 dinner reservations and a couple of pre-arranged tour group meals (not arranged by our director anyway), we were left to arrange our own meals direct with the eateries at each lodge which often meant putting our name on a list and waiting up to 1 hour for a table to become available. On one very cool night we were even placed at an outdoor table for dinner - not acceptable. Given that we had paid to be on a Connoisseur tour, we expected better service than that. We should have had pre-tour bookings for all meals rather than have to take our chances with all the other travellers at the lodge. Princess really need to review their staff numbers and facilities to make sure they can actually cater for the very high number of guests that they happily pile into their lodges. Regarding the lodges, they are all owned by Princess and staffed with seasonal workers from across the globe, some who do not have a very good grasp of the English language. In general, the service received at the lodges was below expectations. The cleanliness of the rooms left a bit to be desired - we even found hair and eyelashes on the pillows in one of our rooms - suggests the bedding was not changed! They are also located in relatively remote areas away from other shops/restaurants etc so there is no real alternative but to eat, drink and spend all your money at their lodges. My advice is to NOT take a Connoisseur tour but rather one of their unescorted tours which includes basically the same itinerary and you're not locked in to 3 course dinners each night (after waiting for a table) - buy and pay only for what you want. You'd save money. The tour direct too is not worth the additional cost, doesn't deliver any value or enhance your experience. Another word of advice, don't take the last cruisetour of the season. Pricess started closing down services in the Fairbanks lodge while we were still there for a couple of days post-tour. It was like we were the last house guests and were in their way of closing down for winter. In summary, cruise great, land tour average to below expectations. Maybe if you want to do a land tour of Alaska, do your homework of local tour operators that run land tours and book with one of them. Read Less

Heard the Princess cruises to Alaska were the best. So we divided to see if it was true. The cruise was everything we expected and more. The highlight of our trip was seeing the glaciers. Everyone on the ship was pleasant and helpful. Our cabin was large and we had lots of room. The embarkation was very easy and painless. When we got on the ship we could immediately go to our cabin. The buffet was ready when we boarded and was plentiful and good. The excursions were good. We went on several and were pleased with the transportation and the content of the excursions. Good choices for the excursions. The food on the ship was outstanding and a good variety. The waiters and staff was always very attentive and the service was very good. The spa was nice and the massage I received was wonderful. Overall the cruise more than met our expectations and we are glad we chose Princess. We would go again. Read Less

We chose Coral princess to take us around Alaska's inner passage because friends recommended it. It is a smaller ship which I think is perfect for Alaska. Our service was good. The way the food is now a days, I make sure we go to a specialty restaurant for really good food. The coupon book you receive first day has a BOGO deal that will save you $25, but must be booked that day. Be sure to book Sabatinis at least twice and right away! We could only get in once because I waited.We purchased a Balcony dinner served in our room for $100 for the two of us. It was fantastic and I highly recommend it. It includes a cocktail, apps,bread,champagne,flower arrangement, photo,white glove service, choice of filet and/or lobster, fab salad, crabcake encroute and 2 desserts! Best steak and lobster I ever had! I am not one for shows, so I didn't attend any. Hub went twice to hear soprano.We watched movies in room. We had a balcony which was a splurge. If your don't get one ,there are plenty of places to see 360 degrees on top deck. Read Less

This was our first cruise and it was a little disappointing. My expectations were sorely not met. The embarkation was very confusing. We were not given any direction upon boarding and were handed papers without any explanation. When we asked what we were given the crew stared at us like we were crazy. We had to find our cabin on our own as the crew just pointed to the elevator and said "go up to 8". Our cabin was not turned from the previous guest. The room had hair that wasn't ours everywhere and dirt on the ground. Our steward tried their best but I don't think they understood what we were trying to convey. We were pleasantly surprised by the size. Overall the food wasn't what we were expecting. We were expecting interesting food that we couldn't get anywhere else. It was mediocre at best. There was a good selection of vegetarian options. The pizzeria was probably the best. It was also difficult to get drink orders outside of sitting at the bar. The International Cafe was the most consistently good service and food. The public spaces were nice and the themes were interesting. The entertainment was not what we were expecting. We were expecting multiple different types of entertainment but there wasn't any. There was one theater show and 2 comics the whole 7 days. Most of the activities were during the day while in port, and in the evening it was just sales pitches or musicians performing in the bars. A lot of the interesting things overlapped and you had to choose what was more important, movie under the stars or the comedian or eating dinner, you couldn't do it all. Lastly the crew... some that were nice and greeted us every time we walked by but there a lot of rude interactions. Multiple times the front desk where the interaction was aggressive and rude. I called to ask if the coupon book was delivered to our room and the crew member repeatedly told me the book was "redeemed "and that I "needed to look better". When I walked down there the extremely rude staff told me again that the book was redeemed and then proceeded to call and yell at our steward. The front desk forced our steward off his break and come talk to us which cause our interaction with him strained and uncomfortable the rest of the trip. The worst was the Medical staff. They made my mother feel as though she was being punished for being sick due to the food and would not explain anything. The only saving grace of this cruise was the fabulous weather and scenery. Read Less

Our travel agent recommended Princess and we chose it because the travel dates worked the best for our schedules. This was our first cruise. We took a train from Denali to Whittier where we boarded the ship. The train ride was long but comfortable and scenic. Embarkation went smoothly. The muster drill was delayed so we had to eat a hurried supper at the buffet. The ship seemed old and outdated. Several times we smelled a sewage type smell. The pizza was good but the other dining venues were underwhelming. We ate in the dining room once for breakfast. It took 45 minutes to get our food and it was cold. The butter wouldn’t even melt on the toast. Most of the food on the menu was the same food offered at the buffet. We ate at the Bayou Steakhouse and the steak was tough. The food at the buffet was just ok. Nothing was hot, just lukewarm. There was not a lot of variety in food options. Our cabin size was adequate but the furnishings were outdated and worn. The bathroom was small and there seemed to be a leak behind the toilet. There was a magician/comic who was pretty good. There was another comedian that was not very good. We played several of the trivia games and they were fun. The White Pass Railroad in Skagway and 5 glacier seaplane tour in Juneau were our favorite excursions. We did not enjoy Ketchikan that much and our bear watching excursion was the most expensive one we did but was also the least enjoyable and biggest waste of money. Disembarkation was smooth. Read Less

Went with another couple for four nights land on our own and seven nights cruise. The mini-cabin stateroom was great. Nice layout, clean, and very comfortable. Most of the staff was friendly. The dining room food was good. The buffet food was okay. We had an amazing experience cruising past a huge pod of orcas that lots of people missed if they didn't have an exterior view while dining. There was a low-key announcement about this that my husband thought should have been much more enthusiastic. We skipped a lot of the usual activities and just enjoyed the beautiful scenery from our balcony. The Northern Lights made an appearance, but again the ship wasn't very good about communicating where to see them on the ship. The mid Lido deck was lit up like daylight so that wasn't going to work. Some of the excursion descriptions were misleading and overpriced, such as the Animal Planet Bear Country and Wildlife Expedition (save yourself $ and take the Rainforest Sanctuary Walk) and Backcountry Zodiac Expedition (mostly a boat ride, very little backcountry on land). Whale watching in Juneau and Skagway Rail trips were much better. We did much better excursions on our own in Fairbanks (Aurora Pointe Activity Center for Northern Lights $32) and Denali (Fly Denali glacier landing plane ride $550 and Denali National Park non-narrated shuttle to Eielson Visitor Center $43). The train rides to Denali and the ship were very enjoyable. The looong disembarkation taxi line in Vancouver was a bummer. Still, I think a cruise is the best way to see the glaciers in Alaska and I'm glad I did this trip before all the ice melted away. Read Less

First time doing Princess Cruises, have done Norwegian, Celebrity, as well as many Carnival cruises. Cruise ship is designed well, easy to access everything. Balcony view was good, room design works well with lots of closet space. Bathroom shower could be a little larger (couldn't fit well). Room Stewart was A#1, welcoming very helpful. Food was great, good selections updated daily. Portions were fine. Service was #1. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Would have given 5 Stars if not for Land Tour promotional pkg. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Seems some Princess Cruises promotions include "Cruisetour Cash" to be spent on the Land portion of your cruise EXCEPT they book you into a hotel that does not accept it. !!!!! What's with that???? We were the only couple in our group that had "Cruisetour Cash". We were the only couple that was booked into Bear Lodge. Bear Lodge DOES NOT accept "Cruisetour Cash". Bear Lodge is NOT a Princess Hotel. Seems everyone else was booked into a Princess hotel that would have accepted the cash. Even the two Tour Bus drivers thought it was odd driving only one couple to a separate hotel. Did Princess do this Intentionally???? I think YES !!!! Odd as we booked 8 months in advance and were told there was no room left at the Princess Hotel.? Read Less