Grand PRINCESS Alaska 2019

Jeanette · October 12, 2018

Any tips? This will be our 1st time!

Jan115 · October 13, 2018

Hi Jeanette - I love the Grand Princess. We sailed her twice - our very first cruise in 2002 to the Caribbean, and again 10 years later to Alaska. Anything particular you want to know about? If you like whale watching, Princess had one of the best we’ve ever done - a nature hike/whale watch photo safari. We did a short hike to Mendenhall Glacier followed by the best whale watch on a small boat with about 10 people.

Tips for Alaska: Don’t forget binoculars. Dress in layers and bring rain gear, as the weather is very unpredictable. Bring gloves/hat/scarf for glacier viewing. Be outside on the upper decks in Glacier Bay (if it’s on your itinerary) for the best views.

Have a great cruise!

Jeanette · October 14, 2018

Thank you for your response! One of our biggest questions is should we buy excursions from Princess, Costco, or from someone else? We got a balcony on Dolphin.

On 10/12/2018 at 6:19 PM, Jan115 said:

Hi Jeanette - I love the Grand Princess. We sailed her twice - our very first cruise in 2002 to the Caribbean, and again 10 years later to Alaska. Anything particular you want to know about? If you like whale watching, Princess had one of the best we’ve ever done - a nature hike/whale watch photo safari. We did a short hike to Mendenhall Glacier followed by the best whale watch on a small boat with about 10 people.

Tips for Alaska: Don’t forget binoculars. Dress in layers and bring rain gear, as the weather is very unpredictable. Bring gloves/hat/scarf for glacier viewing. Be outside on the upper decks in Glacier Bay (if it’s on your itinerary) for the best views.

Have a great cruise!

Shari2 · October 14, 2018

Hi Jeanette! Welcome to CruiseCrazies! Congratulations on your coming cruise. I haven't been to Alaska yet. Hubby always tells me it's cold enough here in Minnesota...and enough snow and ice. LOL I have heard people say the weather is wonderful some times in the summer, and Alaska is beautiful!

Jan has some great tips for you. Hope you have a wonderful cruise, and you should on Princess. Hope you come back and let us know how you liked it.

Jan115 · October 15, 2018

Jeanette, if you have a balcony on Dolphin Deck, then you must be in a minisuite, am I right? You probably know that the balconies on Dolphin are fully open to the elements and have no covering. Just wanted to point that out so you’ll be prepared in case your agent didn’t tell you. Some people don’t care, but others like that cover or partial cover in case it rains.

Excursions will depend on what you want to do. I have used some great local tour and flightseeing companies, so if you’re interested, message me and I’ll share them. I tend to go with local providers who can provide a small group tour rather than big bus tours. I did love the whale watch/nature hike through Princess, though, as the guides were great, and it was a small group, which is unusual for a cruise ship tour.

Jeanette · October 16, 2018

Jan115, you are so helpful! Yes, we do have a balcony on dolphin. Bummer about not being covered; we did not know that. I would love to have info regarding excursions. Not sure how to private message you. Do you know if we are able to bring our wine? Do you have any advice for parking car in SF? Thank you!

Jan115 · October 16, 2018

Here is the official parking info at the cruise port: https://sfport.com/cruise-parking

You can reserve a spot ahead of time. We didn’t park, as we walked to the ship from our hotel.

Dolphin deck is all uncovered minis. Can you switch to one on Emerald deck? Those are toward the back and they are covered.

Yes, each guest is allowed to bring one bottle of wine or champagne. There is a $15 corkage fee if you bring it to the dining room. If you drink it in the cabin, there is no charge.

To message me, click the mail icon in the top right corner of the screen, or feel free to email me: jan.neves@7seajourneys.com