A Princess Alaska cruise is the default choice for good reason. Princess has sailed Alaska since 1969, it’s sending a record eight ships in 2027, it makes 85 scheduled calls at Glacier Bay National Park, and it owns five wilderness lodges for cruisetours, two of them near Denali. It’s a mainstream line with traditional cruise style, big modern ships and an Alaska program built over decades. If Glacier Bay and a smooth cruise-plus-land trip matter most to you, it’s hard to beat.
This page is for first-time Alaska cruisers deciding whether Princess is the right line, and which Princess ship and itinerary to pick. The caveat that matters: Princess is a big-ship, mass-market experience, busy in port and full of families in July. If you want intimacy or luxury, look elsewhere. Last updated October 30, 2026. Every price, fee and schedule below is dated, and the sources are listed at the end.
If you’re still comparing every line, our ranking of the best cruise line for Alaska puts Princess alongside the others. This page goes deep on Princess alone: ships, routes, Glacier Bay, the lodges, cabins, costs, and the honest pros and cons.
Princess Alaska Cruise at a Glance
| Question | Answer (2027 season) |
|---|---|
| How long in Alaska? | Since 1969, by the line’s own account |
| Ships | Eight: Star, Coral, Crown, Discovery, Emerald, Island, Royal and Ruby Princess |
| Departures | 187 departures on 17 itineraries |
| Homeports | Seattle, Vancouver, Anchorage (Whittier), San Francisco and Los Angeles |
| Glacier Bay | 85 scheduled calls; Princess holds one of the park’s cruise concessions |
| Other glaciers | Hubbard Glacier, College Fjord, and Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier |
| Land tours | 28 cruisetour itineraries and five company-owned lodges |
| Gratuities (2026) | $18 per person per day in standard staterooms |
| Best for | First-timers, Glacier Bay seekers, cruisetour travelers, multigenerational groups |
| Less suited to | Travelers wanting small ships, luxury or a party atmosphere |
Why Princess Is the Big Name in Alaska
Princess’s Alaska story goes back to 1969, and in its 2027 announcement the line calls itself “#1 in Alaska,” saying more guests choose Princess there than any other cruise line and that it takes more guests to Glacier Bay than any other line. It also bills itself as a 21-time winner of Travel Weekly’s “Best Cruise Line in Alaska” award. Those are the line’s own claims, but the scale behind them is real and easy to check.
For 2027 Princess is deploying eight ships to Alaska, its largest Alaska program ever, with 187 departures on 17 itineraries from five homeports. It schedules 85 calls at Glacier Bay National Park, where the National Park Service limits cruise traffic to concession holders and to no more than two ships a day. On land, it runs 28 cruisetour itineraries and five company-owned lodges, including two in the Denali area. Few lines, if any, combine that much sea and land capacity in Alaska.
What that scale buys you is choice. Princess sails from more homeports than any rival, offers round trips and one-ways, runs everything from a 6-day cruise to 16-day voyages from Los Angeles, and can build a single package that takes you from Vancouver to Glacier Bay, then by glass-domed train to Denali, without you ever booking a transfer. What it costs you is intimacy: these are large ships, and in a busy port you’ll share the sidewalks with thousands of other passengers.
Princess in Alaska: a short timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1969 | Princess begins sailing Alaska, by the line’s own account |
| 1987 | Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge opens, about a mile from the national park entrance |
| 1990 | Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge opens in Cooper Landing |
| 1993 | Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge opens on the Chena River |
| 1997 | Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge opens in Denali State Park |
| 2002 | Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge opens beside Wrangell-St. Elias |
| 2019 | The Park Service’s 10-year Glacier Bay cruise concession contracts, including Princess’s, take effect on October 1 |
| 2026 | Star Princess, the first Sphere Class ship in Alaska, sails its first Alaska season |
| 2027 | A record eight ships and 85 Glacier Bay calls |
That land-and-sea history is why Princess feels different from lines that simply sail to Alaska for the summer. It has built hotels, rail service and ground operations around its ships, and it has been doing so for decades.
What’s new for Princess in 2027
- A record fleet: eight ships, 187 departures and 17 itineraries, the line’s largest Alaska season.
- Star Princess’s second season, with weekly Sunday round trips from Seattle.
- More Glacier Bay: 85 scheduled calls, at a time when Cunard, another concession holder, has left Alaska.
- California options: a 10-day Ruby Princess itinerary from San Francisco and two 16-day Emerald Princess round trips from Los Angeles.
- Longer cruises: 9- and 10-day Inside Passage sailings on Crown, Discovery, Royal and Star Princess.
- Better Denali access: the Park Service expects full bus service on the Denali Park Road to resume in 2027, which benefits every Princess cruisetour.
Princess’s 2027 Alaska Ships
Princess’s eight 2027 Alaska ships fall into four families, and the differences matter more than the brochure suggests.
| Ship | Class | Where it sails in 2027 | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Princess | Sphere Class, the newest | Weekly 7-day round trips from Seattle every Sunday | The first Sphere Class ship in Alaska, in its second Alaska season |
| Royal Princess | Royal Class | 7-day Seattle round trips with Glacier Bay | Balcony-heavy big ship |
| Discovery Princess | Royal Class | Seattle and Vancouver round trips; some Voyage of the Glaciers one-ways | The newest Royal Class ship |
| Coral Princess | Coral Class | Voyage of the Glaciers one-ways; Vancouver round trips | Smaller ship, well suited to one-way Gulf cruises |
| Island Princess | Coral Class | Voyage of the Glaciers one-ways | Coral’s sister, with the same scale |
| Crown Princess | Grand Class | Voyage of the Glaciers; Vancouver round trips; 9- and 10-day sailings | Older, well-liked mid-size design |
| Emerald Princess | Grand Class | 7-day Vancouver round trips; two 16-day round trips from Los Angeles | Glacier Bay or Endicott Arm, depending on the sailing |
| Ruby Princess | Grand Class | 10-day Inside Passage from San Francisco | The California option, with Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier |
Star Princess: the new flagship for Alaska
Star Princess is Princess’s next-generation Sphere Class ship and, in the line’s words, the first of its kind to sail in Alaska. 2027 is its second Alaska season, with weekly seven-day Inside Passage round trips from Seattle every Sunday. It’s the ship to choose if you want the newest venues and cabins. Note that an older, smaller ship carried the same name until the 2020s, so don’t confuse reviews of the old Star Princess with the new one.
Royal Class: Royal and Discovery Princess
The Royal Class ships are big, modern and built around balconies, which is a real advantage in Alaska, where the scenery passes your cabin all day. Royal Princess sails seven-day Seattle round trips with Glacier Bay, and Discovery Princess, the newest of the class, splits its time between round trips and one-way Voyage of the Glaciers cruises.
Coral Class: Coral and Island Princess
These are the smallest ships in Princess’s Alaska fleet, and many repeat cruisers like them for exactly that reason: fewer people, shorter walks and a more traditional feel. They’re the backbone of the one-way Voyage of the Glaciers route between Vancouver and Whittier, the itinerary that pairs most naturally with a Denali cruisetour.
Grand Class: Crown, Emerald and Ruby Princess
The three Grand Class sisters are the mid-size workhorses, older than the Royal and Sphere ships but well kept and popular with families and repeat guests. In 2027 they cover Vancouver round trips, one-way Glacier voyages, longer 9- and 10-day sailings, and the California departures: Ruby Princess from San Francisco and Emerald Princess from Los Angeles.
Princess Alaska Itineraries for 2027
Princess offers the widest spread of Alaska itineraries of any line. They fall into five groups:
| Itinerary type | Ships (2027) | Glacier viewing | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7-day Inside Passage round trip from Seattle | Star, Royal and Discovery Princess | Glacier Bay or Endicott Arm, depending on the sailing | Travelers who can reach Seattle easily; U.S. citizens without passports |
| Inside Passage round trips from Vancouver (6 to 9 days) | Emerald, Coral, Crown and Discovery Princess | Emerald: Glacier Bay or Endicott Arm. Others: Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier | Flexible lengths; no Victoria stop |
| 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers, one way between Vancouver and Anchorage (Whittier) | Coral, Island, Crown and Discovery Princess | Two glacier days, including Glacier Bay, plus College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier depending on direction | Cruisetour travelers; anyone wanting the most glaciers in a week |
| 9- and 10-day Inside Passage sailings | Crown, Discovery, Royal and Star Princess | Varies by sailing | More ports without a two-week commitment |
| California departures | Ruby Princess from San Francisco (10 days); Emerald Princess from Los Angeles (two 16-day round trips) | Ruby: Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier. Emerald: Glacier Bay | West Coast travelers who’d rather not fly |
Voyage of the Glaciers: the classic Princess route
If there’s one Princess itinerary to know, it’s the seven-day “Voyage of the Glaciers” between Vancouver and Anchorage, which docks at Whittier. It includes two glacier-viewing days, one of them in Glacier Bay National Park, and every northbound sailing gets a late-night stay in Juneau, which means time for an evening tour or dinner ashore. A northbound and a southbound sailing can be combined into a 14-day “Grand Adventure” round trip from Vancouver. And it’s the cruise at the heart of Princess’s cruisetours: the Denali Explorer, Denali Escorted and Denali Essentials packages are all built around it.
A Voyage of the Glaciers week, day by day
Here’s how a typical northbound Voyage of the Glaciers week unfolds. Port order and times vary by sailing, so treat this as a pattern rather than a promise, and check your own itinerary:
| Day | Where | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vancouver | Afternoon departure under the Lions Gate Bridge |
| 2 | Inside Passage | Scenic cruising between forested islands; the naturalist’s first talks |
| 3 | Ketchikan | Totems, Creek Street, Misty Fjords flights |
| 4 | Juneau | A long day with a late-night departure: whales, Mendenhall Glacier and dinner ashore |
| 5 | Skagway | The White Pass railroad and the gold-rush town |
| 6 | Glacier Bay National Park | A full day of scenic cruising with Park Service rangers aboard |
| 7 | College Fjord | A second glacier day in Prince William Sound |
| 8 | Whittier | Disembarkation, then Anchorage, the airport or a cruisetour by rail |
Southbound sailings run the other way and swap College Fjord for Hubbard Glacier on some Princess and sister-line itineraries, so read the glacier days for your direction carefully. Our guide to northbound and southbound cruises explains the trade-offs.
Seattle round trips
Seattle round trips are the easiest Princess Alaska cruises to reach for most Americans. Across its Seattle sailings, Princess lists Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Victoria and Wrangell as ports, with Glacier Bay or Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier for the glacier day, and it notes that port order and content vary by sailing date. Because the ships are foreign-flagged, every Seattle round trip includes a Canadian stop, usually Victoria. For U.S. citizens, the closed-loop rule means a birth certificate and government photo ID are accepted instead of a passport.
Which Princess glacier will you get?
Princess offers four glacier-viewing areas in Alaska: Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, College Fjord, and Endicott Arm with Dawes Glacier. Glacier Bay appears on Royal Princess’s Seattle round trips, some Emerald Princess sailings from Vancouver, the Voyage of the Glaciers and the Los Angeles voyages. Many Vancouver and California sailings use Endicott Arm instead. Read the itinerary for your exact date; “Inside Passage” alone doesn’t tell you which glacier you’ll see.
Glacier Bay With Princess
Glacier Bay is the single biggest reason to choose Princess. The park allows no more than two cruise ships a day and admits only concession holders; its list names Princess, Holland America, Norwegian, Seabourn, Cunard and Viking. With Cunard out of Alaska in 2027 and Princess scheduling 85 calls, Princess is one of the two easiest ways into the park, alongside its sister line Holland America. Our page on which cruise lines go to Glacier Bay lists every option.
A Glacier Bay day is a full day of scenic cruising. National Park Service rangers join the ship to narrate, and for 2026 Princess added “The Glacier Experience,” with ranger commentary from the bridge and on deck, VIP viewing areas and ranger information desks. Children can join the Glacier Bay Junior Rangers program. Ships don’t dock in the park; they cruise up the bay to the tidewater glaciers at its head and hold position while the ice calves.
Verdict: if Glacier Bay is high on your list, filter Princess itineraries by it. The Voyage of the Glaciers and Royal Princess’s Seattle round trips are the most reliable ways to get it.
How Princess runs a scenic cruising day
Glacier days are where a big ship’s size becomes an advantage. There are acres of open deck, and on Princess the forward decks and upper promenades fill early with passengers in hats and gloves. Rangers or the ship’s naturalist narrate over the public address system, and the 2026 “Apres Sea” lounge concept added warm drinks with big views for anyone who’d rather watch from inside. Princess’s big outdoor screen, used for its Movies Under the Stars, gives the pool deck a second life on cool evenings, and the stargazing and campfire-movie nights from the North to Alaska program suit late summer, when the nights finally get dark.
Three habits make these days better: get on deck for the approach rather than the arrival, stay out through the ship’s slow turn at the glacier face, and bring binoculars for seals on the ice and mountain goats on the cliffs.
North to Alaska: What Princess Adds Onboard
Princess’s “North to Alaska” program is its answer to the question of how to make a big ship feel like Alaska. It brings local experts, stories, food and activities on board, and it’s one of the things that sets Princess apart from lines that sail the same routes. In a March 2026 release, the line described these experiences:
- Welcome to Alaska: an early-voyage session where the cruise director introduces the naturalist and enrichment presenters who’ll narrate the scenery.
- Guest presenters: in 2026 they included Tlingit tribe member Rachel Moreno, Alaska Native educator Patricia Adkisson, author Nick Jans, northern lights photographer Daryl Pederson, Iditarod champion Ryan Redington, who brought “Puppies in the Piazza,” and captains and crew from “Deadliest Catch.” Presenters vary by sailing.
- Alaskan seafood: featured dishes in the specialty restaurants, including Wild King Salmon and Alaskan Jumbo Lump Crab at Crown Grill and Halibut alla Mediterranea at Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria.
- Evening events: Campfire Movies Under the Stars, Stargazing Nights, a “Candlelight Concert Series: Fire and Ice” with Alaska singer-songwriters, and an “Apres Sea” lounge experience with warm drinks and big views.
- Just for fun: a Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, Officers vs Guests Alaska challenges, Glacier Bay Junior Rangers and Gold Rush Adventures for kids.
Expect a similar lineup in 2027, with names and details changing from sailing to sailing. Verdict: North to Alaska won’t replace time ashore, but it turns sea days and scenic cruising into something more than a view. The naturalist talks before port days are worth planning around.
Princess Wilderness Lodges and Cruisetours
Princess’s land program is where it pulls furthest ahead. It owns five lodges in Alaska and sells 28 cruisetour itineraries for 2027, pairing cruises with land tours to Denali, Kenai Fjords and Wrangell-St. Elias national parks. Every cruisetour includes at least three nights on land, and travel between the ship and the interior runs on Princess’s own Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service in glass-domed railcars. The line says luggage is moved between locations for you during the land portion, which is one of the great comforts of a cruisetour.
| Lodge | Rooms | Opened | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge | 656 | 1987 | About a mile from the Denali National Park entrance |
| Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge | 460 | 1997 | Inside Denali State Park beside the Chulitna River, about 41 miles from the peak and roughly two hours south of the national park entrance |
| Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge | 326 | 1993 | On the Chena River in Fairbanks; open year-round |
| Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge | 86 | 1990 | Cooper Landing, about two hours south of Anchorage |
| Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge | 85 | 2002 | Bordering Wrangell-St. Elias National Park |
Which cruisetour?
Princess’s featured Denali packages are all built around the seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise:
- Denali Explorer (10 to 15 nights): the flexible, self-guided option.
- Denali Escorted (12 to 17 nights): with a tour director throughout, good for first-timers who don’t want to manage anything.
- Denali Essentials (10 to 12 nights): the shorter, core version.
The two Denali-area lodges serve different purposes. Denali Princess is close to the park entrance and its bus tours; Mt. McKinley Princess is farther south but has one of the best views of the mountain itself when it’s out. Many cruisetours use both. 2027 is also a good year to go: the National Park Service expects full bus service along the Denali Park Road, to Eielson Visitor Center, Wonder Lake and Kantishna, to resume for the season, after years of buses turning around short of the Pretty Rocks landslide. Our guide to the Princess Alaska cruisetour compares the packages in detail.
What a cruisetour looks like in practice
Every package is different, but a typical northbound Denali cruisetour follows the same arc. You sail the seven-night Voyage of the Glaciers to Whittier, step off the ship and onto Princess’s glass-domed train, and ride north through the Susitna Valley to one of the Denali-area lodges. Two or three nights around Denali usually include a bus tour into the national park, and many packages add a night at Mt. McKinley Princess for its mountain view or continue to Fairbanks before flying home. Southbound packages run the same way in reverse, starting with the land portion.
A few practical points: land nights mean packing for two climates, since the interior can be warmer and drier by day and much colder in the early morning; the train days are long but scenic; and because the lodges are large, dining can feel busy at peak times. Book early if you want a particular lodge or a specific date, because land capacity is more limited than ship capacity.
Dining on a Princess Alaska Cruise
Princess’s main dining rooms and buffet are included in the fare, and on Alaska sailings the menus lean into local seafood. The specialty restaurants cost extra and carry the 20% service charge on top, but they’re where Princess put its featured Alaskan dishes for 2026: Wild King Salmon and Alaskan Jumbo Lump Crab at Crown Grill, and Halibut alla Mediterranea at Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria.
A few tips for eating well on an Alaska itinerary:
- Book a specialty dinner for a scenic evening, such as the night of your Glacier Bay day or a long Inside Passage sailing, when the view from a window table is part of the meal.
- Eat ashore at least once. Fresh halibut and salmon in Juneau, Ketchikan or Skagway is part of the trip, and a late night in Juneau makes a relaxed dinner easy.
- Use the buffet on glacier days. You won’t want to be stuck in a long dinner seating while the ship is at the ice, so eat flexibly and stay on deck.
MedallionClass and Wi-Fi
Every Princess ship in Alaska runs Princess’s MedallionClass system, built around a small wearable disc called the OceanMedallion. It works as your cabin key and your onboard charge card, speeds up boarding, lets you order food and drinks to wherever you’re sitting, and helps families find each other on a big ship. For most people it quietly removes friction; you’ll soon stop noticing it.
Internet is much better than Alaska’s reputation suggests. Carnival Corporation brands, including Princess, reportedly completed fleet-wide Starlink installations by around 2024, and Princess says it sells a prioritized-bandwidth tier, MedallionNet Max, within its Princess Plus and Princess Premier bundles. Coverage can still drop in steep fjords, and a glacier day is the worst time to rely on it. Keep your phone in airplane mode at sea, too, or it may connect to the ship’s expensive maritime cellular network.
Cabins: What to Book on a Princess Alaska Cruise
In Alaska, your cabin is also a viewing platform, so it’s worth thinking about beyond price. Princess lists these typical sizes:
| Cabin type | Typical size | Alaska verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Interior | About 136 to 162 sq ft, depending on the ship | Fine if you’ll live on deck; no view on scenic days |
| Oceanview | About 145 to 212 sq ft | Daylight and a window, but no fresh air |
| Balcony (Royal Class) | About 214 to 222 sq ft including the balcony | The sweet spot for Alaska: private views of fjords and glaciers |
| Deluxe Balcony, obstructed (Royal Class) | About 233 sq ft including a 41 sq ft balcony | Read the obstruction notes before booking |
| Mini-Suite (Royal Class) | About 323 sq ft including a 41 sq ft balcony | More room and a sofa; good for families |
A few Princess-specific tips:
- A balcony pays off most on Glacier Bay and Voyage of the Glaciers sailings, where you’ll have hours of scenery. On a Seattle round trip with an open-ocean sea day, the value is smaller.
- Don’t worry too much about the side of the ship. In Glacier Bay and at the other glaciers, ships turn so both sides get the view, and the public decks are open to everyone.
- Families of four should look at Mini-Suites or connecting cabins rather than squeezing into an interior cabin for a week.
- On the older Grand and Coral Class ships, cabin layouts differ from the Royal Class figures above; check the ship’s deck plan.
Princess Alaska Cruise Prices, Fees and Deals
Princess doesn’t publish simple fare tables, and prices move with demand, so the only reliable price is the one for your date and cabin. As a benchmark, Travel Alaska, the state’s official tourism site, says a seven-night Alaska cruise averages $500 to $5,000 per person, depending on the line and the stateroom, and Princess’s mainstream fares sit across most of that range. May and September sailings usually cost the least.
Budget for the extras on top of the fare:
| Extra | Princess, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Crew Appreciation (gratuities) | $18 per person per day in standard staterooms; $19 for Mini-Suites, Cabanas and Reserve Collection; $20 for suites |
| Service charge on extras | 20% on beverages, specialty dining and other extras |
| Taxes, fees and port charges | Added to the fare; they include Alaska’s $34.50 state passenger tax |
| Bundles | Princess Plus and Princess Premier fold drinks, Wi-Fi and other extras into a daily price |
On deals, Princess is one of the most promotion-heavy lines. On September 24, 2026, its Alaska page was promoting “Free 3rd and 4th Guests” and last-minute offers, and search listings in late September 2026 showed up to 40% savings, up to $300 in instant savings and $99 deposits on select Alaska voyages. Early bookers for 2027 who booked by August 18, 2025 got complimentary room upgrades and reduced $99 deposits. Princess also advertises a “Better than Best Price Guarantee,” which gives 120% of the price difference as onboard credit if you find a better fare before final payment; check that it covers your sailing.
Verdict: don’t book Princess at the first price you see. Watch for its frequent promotions, compare a bundle against the extras you’d actually buy, and use the price guarantee before final payment.
Are Princess Plus and Premier worth it in Alaska?
Princess’s bundles combine drinks, Wi-Fi and other extras into a daily price, and whether they pay off depends entirely on how you’d spend without them. Check the current inclusions and price when you book, then do the math on your own habits:
- Count the gratuities first. At the 2026 standard rate, Crew Appreciation for a seven-night cruise comes to $126 per person ($18 times seven). If a bundle covers it, that’s real value you’d pay anyway.
- Be honest about drinks. A bundle only wins if you’d have spent a similar amount on cocktails, wine, specialty coffee and soft drinks. Alaska’s cool, busy port days tend to mean fewer poolside drinks than a Caribbean cruise.
- Value the Wi-Fi realistically. With Starlink, internet at sea is usable, but you’ll be ashore or on deck much of the time.
- Remember the whole cabin rule. Drinks packages on most lines must be bought for every adult in the cabin, which changes the math for a couple where only one person drinks.
Verdict: bundles suit couples who drink daily and want to stay connected; light drinkers usually do better paying as they go.
Boarding Day: Seattle, Vancouver and Whittier With Princess
Seattle: Princess sails from the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91, according to 2026 port guides. Parking there started at $27 a day in 2026, including fees, taxes and a shuttle to the ship. Link light rail runs from the airport to downtown in about 40 minutes, from where it’s a short taxi ride to the pier. On the way home, Port Valet offers free luggage transfer from the ship to participating airlines for same-day flights.
Vancouver: Princess ships use Canada Place downtown. Alaska-bound ships there have used U.S. pre-inspection for more than 30 years, which handles U.S. admissibility before you sail. Everyone needs a passport or other accepted document, and anyone flying home from Canada needs a passport book.
Whittier (for Anchorage): Princess markets its Gulf of Alaska port as “Anchorage (Whittier).” Ships dock at Whittier, about 60 miles from Anchorage and its airport, and the only road in runs through a single-lane tunnel that opens toward Whittier on the half hour and toward Anchorage on the hour in summer. Princess’s transfers and trains work around the schedule for you, and the Alaska Railroad’s Grandview Cruise Train runs as a charter in step with ship arrivals.
Alaska Ports on a Princess Cruise
Princess visits all the classic Southeast Alaska ports, plus a few smaller ones. A quick guide to what matters in each:
- Juneau: the capital and the busiest port, with Mendenhall Glacier, whale watching and flightseeing. Northbound Voyage of the Glaciers sailings stay late, which is a genuine advantage.
- Skagway: the gold-rush town and the White Pass railroad; Princess sells wheelchair-accessible versions of the train excursion.
- Ketchikan: totem poles, Creek Street and Misty Fjords, the wettest of the major ports, so pack rain gear.
- Wrangell: a small, quiet town on some Seattle sailings, and the gateway to the Anan bear observatory in July and August.
- Victoria: the required Canadian stop on Seattle round trips, often in the evening; in summer 2026, Butchart Gardens closed at 5 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- Glacier Bay, College Fjord, Hubbard Glacier and Endicott Arm: the scenic cruising days that define each itinerary.
Princess Alaska Shore Excursions
Princess sells a long list of shore excursions in every Alaska port, and booking through the line has one clear advantage: cruise lines generally hold the ship if one of their own tours runs late. For long or weather-dependent trips, that’s worth paying for. For short trips close to the dock, booking directly with the operator is usually cheaper. Some 2026 direct prices for comparison:
- White Pass Summit Excursion, Skagway: $155 per adult booked with the railway. Holland America and Princess both sell wheelchair-accessible White Pass tours.
- Mendenhall Glacier shuttle, Juneau: about $79 to $114 round trip in 2026 guides.
- Helicopter glacier walk, Juneau: Temsco’s was $409.
- Misty Fjords floatplane, Ketchikan: Taquan Air’s started at $329 booked online.
A Princess-specific tip: on a cruisetour, check which Denali tours are included in your package and which you’ll book yourself, and plan them alongside your port excursions. And on northbound Voyage of the Glaciers sailings, the late night in Juneau gives you time for an evening whale-watching trip or dinner ashore that other ships can’t fit.
Princess With Kids, Seniors and Limited Mobility
Families: Princess says its Camp Discovery youth centers are split into The Treehouse, for ages 3 to 7, and The Lodge, for ages 8 to 12. Children must be at least 3 and toilet trained to join on their own, and children from 6 months to 2 years can use the centers with a parent during family play times. In Alaska, the Glacier Bay Junior Rangers program and Gold Rush Adventures add a local flavor, and the line’s frequent “free 3rd and 4th guests” offers make it one of the better values for families sharing a cabin.
Seniors: Princess is a natural fit for older travelers: traditional cruise style, plenty of enrichment, Glacier Bay rangers narrating from the ship, and cruisetours with luggage handling and set itineraries. Princess’s cruisetour FAQ notes that all its Alaska destinations run on Alaska time, an hour behind Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria, which catches people out on the first port day.
Limited mobility: Princess’s own guidance warns that guests with limited mobility may not be able to go ashore when they want, or at all, in some ports because of steep gangways, tendering, weather, tides, sea conditions or shore facilities. Most major Alaska ports have docks rather than tenders, but tides can make gangways steep. Ask about accessible cabins and shore options when you book.
The Best Time for a Princess Alaska Cruise
Princess’s Alaska season runs roughly from May through September, with the shoulder months cheapest and July and August busiest. How the months compare in Juneau, the port on almost every Princess itinerary (NOAA 1991-2020 normals):
| Month | Juneau average high / low | Rain | Princess notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| May | 57.6°F / 40.3°F | 3.51 in | Lower fares, snow on the peaks, fewer families |
| June | 62.4°F / 46.8°F | 3.82 in | Longest days: Juneau gets 18 hours 17 minutes of daylight on June 21, 2027 |
| July | 64.0°F / 50.1°F | 5.14 in | The warmest and busiest month, with school-vacation crowds |
| August | 62.9°F / 49.1°F | 6.41 in | Salmon runs and bears; wetter |
| September | 56.1°F / 44.1°F | 9.15 in | The wettest month, with thin crowds and end-of-season deals |
If you’re pairing the cruise with Denali, June through August gives the best odds of mild weather inland, and 2027’s expected return of full bus service on the park road makes any summer month a strong choice for a cruisetour.
How to Read a Princess Alaska Itinerary
Princess’s itinerary names can hide the details that matter most. Before you book, check five things on the day-by-day plan:
- The glacier day. Does it say Glacier Bay National Park, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord? “Inside Passage” alone doesn’t tell you.
- The direction. On one-way cruises, northbound and southbound sailings can visit different glaciers, and only northbound Voyage of the Glaciers sailings get the late night in Juneau.
- The port hours. A late departure from Juneau or a long day in Skagway changes what you can do ashore; a short evening call at Victoria limits it.
- The homeport paperwork. Seattle round trips are closed-loop cruises; Vancouver and one-way sailings need passports.
- The ship. Once the route is right, choose between the newest ships and the smaller, older ones based on what you value on board.
Couples and Solo Travelers
Couples tend to get the most from a Princess balcony cabin on a Glacier Bay itinerary or a Voyage of the Glaciers cruise, where hours of scenery pass the window. Specialty dinners, the enrichment program and a cruisetour with a night at Mt. McKinley Princess for the mountain view make a strong anniversary or retirement trip.
Solo travelers should expect to pay a single supplement, since cruise fares assume two people per cabin, and watch for promotions that reduce it on shoulder-season sailings. Princess’s size works in a solo traveler’s favor in one way: there’s always a talk, a class or a group excursion to join, and the North to Alaska sessions are an easy way to meet other passengers.
Pros and Cons of a Princess Alaska Cruise
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Glacier Bay on many itineraries, with 85 calls scheduled in 2027 | Big ships mean crowded ports on busy days |
| The widest choice of homeports, lengths and itineraries | Many Vancouver and California sailings use Endicott Arm rather than Glacier Bay |
| Company-owned lodges and smooth cruisetours with glass-domed rail | Cruisetours are expensive, and the lodges are large |
| North to Alaska programming with local experts and food | Extras add up: 20% service charge and $18 daily gratuities |
| Frequent promotions and a price guarantee | The best fares often come with conditions; read them |
| Balcony-heavy newer ships | Older Grand and Coral Class ships feel dated to some |
Princess vs Other Lines in Alaska
Princess’s closest rival is its sister line. A Holland America Alaska cruise shares Glacier Bay access, Park Service rangers and a traditional style, on smaller ships with a slightly older crowd, and our Princess vs Holland America Alaska comparison weighs the two directly. A Norwegian Alaska cruise from Seattle offers freestyle dining and three weekend departures; a Royal Caribbean Alaska cruise suits active families who want big-ship attractions but no Glacier Bay; and a Celebrity Alaska cruise brings a more modern, adult style, again without Glacier Bay. A Carnival Alaska cruise is usually the budget option, and a Disney Alaska cruise is the premium choice for families with young children. At the top end, a Viking Alaska cruise is adults-only and destination-focused, and fans of the Cunard Alaska cruise will need another line in 2027.
| Line | Glacier Bay in 2027? | Owns Alaska lodges? | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Princess | Yes, 85 calls | Yes, five | Traditional, mainstream, big ships |
| Holland America | Yes | Yes, including Holland America Denali Lodge | Traditional, mid-size ships |
| Norwegian | Some sailings | No | Casual, flexible |
| Royal Caribbean | No 2027 sailing names it | No | Active, big-ship attractions |
| Celebrity | No | No | Modern premium |
| Carnival | No | No | Fun, budget-friendly |
For a head-to-head of the two big-ship rivals, see Royal Caribbean vs Norwegian Alaska; for individual ships, our guide to the best cruise ship for Alaska ranks them; and for every vessel sailing next year, see Alaska cruise ships 2027.
Who Should Book a Princess Alaska Cruise?
- First-time Alaska cruisers who want the classic trip with Glacier Bay and no surprises.
- Cruisetour travelers who want Denali without organizing hotels, trains and transfers.
- Multigenerational groups, thanks to the range of cabins, the kids’ clubs and the enrichment program.
- West Coast travelers who’d rather sail from San Francisco or Los Angeles than fly.
- Deal hunters willing to watch Princess’s frequent promotions.
Look elsewhere if you want a small ship, a luxury experience, a party vibe or a quiet port day; for those, consider expedition lines, Viking or the more youthful big-ship lines. To see how Princess stacks up against every line sailing north, go back to our Alaska cruise line rankings.
Tips and Tricks for a Princess Alaska Cruise
- Pick the itinerary before the ship. Glacier Bay, a late night in Juneau and the one-way Gulf route matter more than which ship you’re on.
- Book Voyage of the Glaciers northbound if you want the Juneau late night; go southbound if you want to end on the Inside Passage ports.
- Attend the Welcome to Alaska session. Meeting the naturalist early pays off all week.
- Be on deck for Glacier Bay early. The ranger commentary starts as you enter the park, well before the glaciers.
- Price a bundle honestly. Princess Plus or Premier is only a deal if you’d have bought the drinks and Wi-Fi anyway.
- Reset your watch. Alaska is an hour behind Seattle and Vancouver; all-aboard times are in ship’s time, so check the daily program.
- Book popular excursions early, especially flightseeing and whale watching in Juneau.
- On a cruisetour, pack for both. Denali can be colder and drier than the coast, and you’ll want layers for early-morning bus tours.
Is a Princess Alaska Cruise Worth It?
For most first-time Alaska cruisers, yes. You’re paying mainstream prices for a line that has had decades to refine its Alaska product: frequent Glacier Bay access, naturalists and rangers narrating the scenery, a choice of five homeports, and a land program nobody else matches. The ships are comfortable rather than cutting-edge, apart from the new Star Princess, and the North to Alaska program gives sea days real Alaska content.
The value weakens in three cases. If you’ll never use the land program, a cheaper mainstream line may give you the same ports for less. If you want an intimate, expedition-style trip, a big ship will frustrate you in busy ports. And if you book at the first price you see and add every extra, the 20% service charge and daily gratuities can make the week much more expensive than the headline fare. Verdict: book Princess for Glacier Bay and a smooth cruisetour, choose the itinerary before the ship, and shop the promotions.
What to Pack for a Princess Alaska Cruise
- Layers: a base layer, a fleece and a waterproof, hooded shell cover almost every Alaska day.
- Warm extras for glacier days: hat, gloves and a scarf, even in July, because the air off the ice is cold.
- Binoculars: one pair per person if you can, for whales, seals, bears and goats.
- Waterproof walking shoes for wet docks, rainforest trails and the gravel paths around Denali.
- One or two dressier outfits for the ship’s dress-up evenings, which are optional but popular.
- Documents: a passport for Vancouver and one-way sailings, or a birth certificate and photo ID for a Seattle round trip, carried in your hand luggage.
- For cruisetours: a day pack for the train and bus days, and a warmer layer for early-morning tours in the interior.
Common Princess Alaska Mistakes
- Assuming every Princess cruise includes Glacier Bay. Many Vancouver and California sailings use Endicott Arm instead.
- Booking a cruisetour late. Lodge nights near Denali are limited and sell before the ship does.
- Flying out of Anchorage too early after a Whittier arrival. The tunnel and the 60-mile transfer take time; afternoon flights are safer.
- Forgetting the time change. Alaska runs an hour behind Seattle and Vancouver.
- Buying a bundle you won’t use. Do the math on drinks and Wi-Fi first.
- Treating Victoria as a full day. Many calls are evening stops; plan a walk and dinner, not a big tour.
- Skipping the naturalist talks. They make the scenery and the ports far more interesting.
Princess Alaska Cruise FAQ
How many ships does Princess have in Alaska in 2027?
Eight: Star, Coral, Crown, Discovery, Emerald, Island, Royal and Ruby Princess, which Princess calls its largest Alaska deployment ever. Together they offer 187 departures on 17 itineraries from Seattle, Vancouver, Anchorage (Whittier), San Francisco and Los Angeles, with 85 calls scheduled at Glacier Bay National Park.
Do Princess Alaska cruises go to Glacier Bay?
Many do. Princess holds one of Glacier Bay’s cruise concessions and scheduled 85 calls for 2027, including on the Voyage of the Glaciers, Royal Princess’s Seattle round trips, some Emerald Princess sailings from Vancouver and the Los Angeles voyages. Other Princess sailings use Endicott Arm, Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord instead.
What is the Princess Voyage of the Glaciers?
It’s Princess’s seven-day one-way cruise between Vancouver and Anchorage, docking at Whittier, with two glacier-viewing days including Glacier Bay. Northbound sailings stay late in Juneau. It’s the cruise at the center of Princess’s Denali cruisetours, and two sailings can be combined into a 14-day round trip.
What is a Princess Alaska cruisetour?
A cruise combined with at least three nights on land, using Princess’s glass-domed Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service and its own lodges near Denali, in Fairbanks, on the Kenai Peninsula and near Wrangell-St. Elias. Princess sells 28 cruisetour itineraries for 2027, including the Denali Explorer, Escorted and Essentials packages.
How much are Princess gratuities in Alaska?
In 2026 Princess charged $18 per person per day in standard staterooms, $19 in Mini-Suites, Cabanas and Reserve Collection, and $20 in suites, plus a 20% service charge on beverages, specialty dining and other extras. Bundles such as Princess Plus fold some of these costs into a daily price.
Which Princess ship is best for Alaska?
For the newest ship, Star Princess from Seattle. For Glacier Bay from Seattle, Royal Princess. For a one-way cruise and cruisetour, the smaller Coral and Island Princess are well suited to the Voyage of the Glaciers. The itinerary usually matters more than the ship, so choose the route first.
Is Princess good for an Alaska cruise with kids?
Yes. Camp Discovery has separate spaces for ages 3 to 7 and 8 to 12, Glacier Bay Junior Rangers and Gold Rush Adventures add Alaska-themed fun, and Princess frequently offers free or reduced third and fourth guests. The ships are large and busy, so families wanting a character-led experience may prefer Disney.
Do I need a passport for a Princess Alaska cruise?
On a Seattle round trip, U.S. citizens can use a birth certificate and government photo ID instead, because it’s a closed-loop cruise. Vancouver round trips and one-way Voyage of the Glaciers cruises aren’t closed-loop, and anyone flying home from Canada needs a passport book. A passport is the simplest choice for any sailing.
Related Alaska Cruise Guides
Sources and How We Checked
We checked the prices, rules, schedules and ship deployments in this guide against the sources below on September 26, 2026, and we log each one in our research database with the date it was checked. Cruise lines change ships, fares and fees every season, so confirm anything that affects your booking with the line or the agency concerned. Alaska Cruise Guide (AlaskaCruise.org) is an independent publication. It is not affiliated with any cruise line, port, tour operator or tourism office, and no one paid to be included.
- Alaska Department of Commerce: Alaska head tax
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game: Anan Wildlife Observatory
- Alaska DOT&PF: Whittier tunnel
- Alaska Railroad: Alaska Railroad
- cruisebooking.com: typical fares
- cruisecritic.com: Wi-Fi / Starlink
- deeparrival.com: Seattle cruise terminals
- deeparrival.com: Cunard
- grandsailor.com: Mendenhall Glacier
- Holland America Line: Holland America cruisetours
- Holland America Line: Alaska cruise season
- Holland America Line: Wi-Fi / Starlink
- Holland America Line: Holland America Line
- National Park Service: Denali Park Road
- National Park Service: Glacier Bay cruise permits
- National Park Service: Glacier Bay access, Glacier Bay cruise permits
- National Park Service: Glacier Bay cruise visit
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information: Juneau weather
- Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruise Line
- Port of Seattle: Seattle SEA airport
- Port of Seattle: Seattle Pier 91
- PR Newswire (line press release): Royal Caribbean
- Princess Cruises: Princess Cruises
- Princess Cruises: Princess cruisetours
- Princess Cruises: Princess Cruises
- Princess Cruises: tenders and mobility
- Princess Cruises: Princess cruisetours, time zones
- Princess Cruises: gratuities – Princess
- Princess Cruises: Princess lodges
- Princess Cruises: Princess Cruises, Alaska 2027 outlook, Anchorage gateway
- Princess Cruises: North to Alaska
- Princess Cruises: price-drop policies
- Princess Cruises: Kids clubs
- Princess Cruises: Princess staterooms
- Princess Cruises: Princess staterooms
- taquanair.com: Taquan Air
- Temsco Helicopters: Temsco Helicopters
- The Butchart Gardens: Butchart Gardens
- thepointsguy.com: drink packages
- Travel Alaska (State of Alaska): typical fares
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: US preclearance Vancouver
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: passport rules
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Juneau daylight
- White Pass & Yukon Route: White Pass & Yukon Route
Photo Credits
- Ruby Princess in Juneau: photo by Z thomas, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)
- Discovery Princess docked in Juneau: photo by Matthew Groh, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Island Princess in Skagway: photo by Diego Delso, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Glacier view from Coral Princess: photo by Ben & Gab, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
- Passengers at the bow in Glacier Bay: photo by National Park Service, Alaska Region, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
- Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge: photo by David Brossard, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
- Denali from the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge: photo by Nic McPhee from Morris, MN, USA, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
- Floatplane and Princess ship, Juneau: photo by Ulises Icardi, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)