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Alaska Cruise: Princess vs Holland America?

TravelTime

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I would like to take an Alaska cruise in 2024. I am planning it now because I already have a bunch of things planned for next year. Also, the best cabins get booked within a few days of release date so I feel like I should book something when the booking period opens for 2024.

I want to go to Glacier Bay and there are only a few cruise lines that go. I have finalized it between Princess and Holland America. I am leaning toward Princess because it seems they have a better kids program and they have the direct to Denali option from the port, which can save time. However I am still undecided. I have a few questions for anyone who has taken an Alaska cruise on Princess or Holland America. Even if you did not do an Alaska cruise, some of my questions would apply to the cruise lines in general.

I am wondering about the features that would differentiate the two cruise lines - Princess and Holland America - from each other?

- What is the average size and quality of cabins like? We are debating between 2 connecting cabins vs a suite. If the price ends up being similar, I would probably choose a suite due to the extra benefits that come with that category.
- How is the food? Is it just average or above average?
- How are the ships and ant special features on the ships?
- What is the style, quality and window size in the cabins?
- What is the average range of clientele? Does it skew old?
- Are there many families with kids on board? My Kids would be 12 and 8 in 2024.
- What are the land tours like in the Denali area? (Not asking about the shore excursions as they are probably all alike)
- What is the hotel like that the cruise line uses for Denali area?
- Does Princess’s Direct to Denali program save time or have other benefits? Would this be something that would make you lean toward Princess?
- What is the entertainment like?
- What did you like most about the cruise brand you went on?
- How do these cruise lines compare to Royal Caribbean (RCI)? (I worked for Royal Caribbean in the late 90s so I am familiar with the quality of RCI)
- Anything unique about each brand?
 

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I'm not a huge cruise person but I did this HA cruise to Glacier Bay. I found the ship to be tired and needing of upgrading. I had done two previous cruises on Princess and just enjoyed their ships and the experience a lot more. The food on HA was "OK". The one thing that I loved is we were on some sort of premium deck and we got use of something called the "Neptune Club" which was for those of us to use on that deck. The club was a wonderful lounge. There were always snacks and drinks in there. You could hang out in there , play games, etc. A really nice perk. I'm guessing this is what you are referring to when you have a suite, as we had a suite.

I know some people love Alaskan cruises but I really didn't. Part of it is because it was foggy and damp. We had a cabin w/a balcony and more often than not we were looking into grey fog and couldn't see anything. It felt disorienting. The weather and climate just bummed me out and I found the experience to be kind of depressing. Maybe we just had a bad week of weather?
 

pedro47

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To the OP, please submit your questions and concern to the Cruise Critics website. It is free to join.
All of your questions & concerns will be answered by cursing experts either on The Princess or The Holland America board. IMHO
 

zentraveler

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To the OP, please submit your questions and concern to the Cruise Critics website. It is free to join.
All of your questions & concerns will be answered by cursing experts either on The Princess or The Holland America board. IMHO
I completely agree with @pedro47. Cruise Critic is the TUG of cruise lines with a similar level of scope, generosity and knowledge. They have been invaluable for all the cruises we have taken.
 

Tkhalaska

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To the OP, please submit your questions and concern to the Cruise Critics website. It is free to join.
All of your questions & concerns will be answered by cursing experts either on The Princess or The Holland America board. IMHO
I too agree with @pedro47 in regard to utilizing the Cruise Critic website, although I would not like my questions answered by a cursing expert LOL.
 

DaveNV

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Agree with the above, but here's my two cents:

We did a HAL cruise from Vancouver up the Inside Passage to Glacier Bay in 2017 aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam. We chose that particular ship and cruise because of the itinerary - better inport hours, and more time spent in Glacier Bay. Compare the ships and times for the best experience. The ship was in fine shape, and felt very new and clean. Our balcony stateroom wasn't huge, (e.g. it wasn't a suite), but it was spacious enough and quite comfortable for the two of us. Food was interesting and tasty. We splurged one night and did a fancy dinner in one of the upscale restaurants, and it was quite enjoyable. It's true that the passengers on HAL tend to be more adults, with fewer kids. If your focus is for the kids, and they need to be kept entertained, then perhaps Princess would be a better choice. Cruise Critic will have the answers you seek. That's a great site.

We enjoyed the entire cruise for what it was - and wasn't. It was very scenic, showing Alaska for everything it can be - historic and rugged, with glorious weather and expansive scenery, punctuated with foggy periods and even some steady rain. If you want guaranteed sunshine, don't go to Alaska. Their Summer season is very short, and if you miss the perfect weather days by even a few, it can be unpredictable and very, very wet. We went the last week of August, and weather was mostly good, but was just starting to change toward Fall season. As the saying goes, there was "a change in the air." :D

In Skagway we took the White Pass Railroad tour to the top of the Pass (in the private, restored train car - only a handful of people, food and beverages provided, and a private tour guide. Outstanding tour!) Glacier Bay was amazing, and we stood out at the front of the ship and watched the glaciers calving for the better part of a day, as the ship went back and forth in front of the glacier. Lots of time spent in the Bay. It was all very nice. We'd go again, if there were other ports to visit. The towns are small enough that once you've seen them, you're kind of done.

Dave
 

TravelTime

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I'm not a huge cruise person but I did this HA cruise to Glacier Bay. I found the ship to be tired and needing of upgrading. I had done two previous cruises on Princess and just enjoyed their ships and the experience a lot more. The food on HA was "OK". The one thing that I loved is we were on some sort of premium deck and we got use of something called the "Neptune Club" which was for those of us to use on that deck. The club was a wonderful lounge. There were always snacks and drinks in there. You could hang out in there , play games, etc. A really nice perk. I'm guessing this is what you are referring to when you have a suite, as we had a suite.

I know some people love Alaskan cruises but I really didn't. Part of it is because it was foggy and damp. We had a cabin w/a balcony and more often than not we were looking into grey fog and couldn't see anything. It felt disorienting. The weather and climate just bummed me out and I found the experience to be kind of depressing. Maybe we just had a bad week of weather?

Thank you for your input. I am leaning toward Princess right now. What month did you go to Alaska? I need to check out the weather to pick the best month.
 

TravelTime

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Agree with the above, but here's my two cents:

We did a HAL cruise from Vancouver up the Inside Passage to Glacier Bay in 2017 aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam. We chose that particular ship and cruise because of the itinerary - better inport hours, and more time spent in Glacier Bay. Compare the ships and times for the best experience. The ship was in fine shape, and felt very new and clean. Our balcony stateroom wasn't huge, (e.g. it wasn't a suite), but it was spacious enough and quite comfortable for the two of us. Food was interesting and tasty. We splurged one night and did a fancy dinner in one of the upscale restaurants, and it was quite enjoyable. It's true that the passengers on HAL tend to be more adults, with fewer kids. If your focus is for the kids, and they need to be kept entertained, then perhaps Princess would be a better choice. Cruise Critic will have the answers you seek. That's a great site.

We enjoyed the entire cruise for what it was - and wasn't. It was very scenic, showing Alaska for everything it can be - historic and rugged, with glorious weather and expansive scenery, punctuated with foggy periods and even some steady rain. If you want guaranteed sunshine, don't go to Alaska. Their Summer season is very short, and if you miss the perfect weather days by even a few, it can be unpredictable and very, very wet. We went the last week of August, and weather was mostly good, but was just starting to change toward Fall season. As the saying goes, there was "a change in the air." :D

In Skagway we took the White Pass Railroad tour to the top of the Pass (in the private, restored train car - only a handful of people, food and beverages provided, and a private tour guide. Outstanding tour!) Glacier Bay was amazing, and we stood out at the front of the ship and watched the glaciers calving for the better part of a day, as the ship went back and forth in front of the glacier. Lots of time spent in the Bay. It was all very nice. We'd go again, if there were other ports to visit. The towns are small enough that once you've seen them, you're kind of done.

Dave

Great, thanks for your input. Both companies seem great and it can be hard to figure out the differences.
 

pedro47

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Please choice a cruise line that can sail into the inside Passage to Glacier Bay.
 
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DaveNV

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Great, thanks for your input. Both companies seem great and it can be hard to figure out the differences.

We did an overnight repositioning cruise on another HAL ship a few years prior to our Alaska trip. We had a suite, as @Cornell mentioned, and had access to the Neptune Club. It was only a few doors down from our room, on the same deck. It was quite pleasant, and a great perk on that deck. Not a reason to book that particular cruise or room type, but we did enjoy using it. I don't know if Princess has a similar thing, but it'd be nice to have.

Dave
 

TheHolleys87

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Our Alaskan cruise was on a small ship, the Admiralty Dream, which was able to get into areas where the large ships couldn’t go. We’re spoiled now and wouldn’t be able to take a large ship cruise because we’d always be saying “Remember when we…?”
 

Passepartout

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Our Alaskan cruise was on a small ship, the Admiralty Dream, which was able to get into areas where the large ships couldn’t go. We’re spoiled now and wouldn’t be able to take a large ship cruise because we’d always be saying “Remember when we…?”
There is much to like about small ship cruising- especially due to the relatively small populations of the towns visited on Alaska cruises. Often 3 or 4 3,000 passenger ships descend on a town with 10,000 population. It can't help but skew the economics of the place. Alaska towns, during the May-to-September cruise season have much in common with the cruise lines' private islands on the Bahamas. Think 'theme park' with totems, float planes and rain.

A small ship arriving with 150-300 passengers has a much smaller- though not zero effect on these small towns. For those wanting a REAL Alaska experience, book deck space on the Alaska Marine Highway ferries and pitch a tent on the deck with the backpackers. Route Guide - Alaska Marine Highway System

Jim
 
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jackio

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We will be going on our first cruise ever in May - a land/cruise Alaskan vacation on Princess. I won't be able to compare with HA, or any other cruise line, but I'll be able to provide some information when we return.
 

marmite

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Ditto the sentiments on joining Cruise Critic. I have sailed Princess & HAL. HAL definitely skews older, but I end up choosing it again and again because of the itineraries fitting what I needed to do and when. Although HAL is (or was) known for it's excellent food, I usually book the specialty restaurants for an upgraded experience. I wouldn't suggest doing this with kids because of the time involved (even my teen doesn't want to spend that much time at dinner and would prefer the buffet).

For these two lines I would also say the ship condition is more important than the cruise line itself as they are both in the same category. Much like a timeshare that hasn't had a recent refresh, if things are old and tired you will not love your stateroom.

When kids are out of school, there will be enough going on in the kids club. For Alaska cruises I have gone twice, once HAL and once Disney. Obviously a very different experience for the kids.
 

artringwald

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We took a Princess Alaska cruise in 2010 (with the land package), and liked it so much we're doing it again in early June (without the land package). We haven't tried Holland, but we do like Princess over NCL and Viking ocean cruises.
- The food is good, and with a larger ship, 2500-3500, you have more food options. Princess has long hours for the pizza and burger stands, and plenty of variety at the buffets. Children 12 and 8 probably would get bored in the sit down dining rooms.
- Princess doesn't have many features that you wouldn't find on any ships that size.
- I don't think you'd want to get anything lower than a mini-suite that will have a sofa/hid-a-bed. All mini-suites include a balcony.
- All the Princess cruises we've been on are tilted toward seniors. There's always some kids, but not many. Of course, most our cruises have been during the school year.
- At any stop land or sea, Princess has a good variety of excursions, including Denali.
- In 2010 the Princess resort in Denali was looking rather run down and in need of repair. I hope they've remodeled since then.
- Signing up for the land tour with the cruise takes the hassle out of traveling. They make sure all your luggage gets to the next stop, and herd you on to the next train, bus, or plane. It's a good reason why seniors like cruising.
- Cruise lines vary between the target clients. Some are just big party boats, some focus on entertainment, some are vary casual and some formal. We like Princess because it's a good balance of all the others. There are night clubs and formal nights, but you don't have to participate.
- There's good entertainment at the pool and lounges during the days you're at sea, but when we were in port we were usually wiped out by the excursions. Our favorite evening activity was sitting by the pool with the blankets and pillows they provide and watching a movie on their giant screen.

If you like to look at pictures, here's some from our trip.
 

TravelTime

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We took a Princess Alaska cruise in 2010 (with the land package), and liked it so much we're doing it again in early June (without the land package). We haven't tried Holland, but we do like Princess over NCL and Viking ocean cruises.
- The food is good, and with a larger ship, 2500-3500, you have more food options. Princess has long hours for the pizza and burger stands, and plenty of variety at the buffets. Children 12 and 8 probably would get bored in the sit down dining rooms.
- Princess doesn't have many features that you wouldn't find on any ships that size.
- I don't think you'd want to get anything lower than a mini-suite that will have a sofa/hid-a-bed. All mini-suites include a balcony.
- All the Princess cruises we've been on are tilted toward seniors. There's always some kids, but not many. Of course, most our cruises have been during the school year.
- At any stop land or sea, Princess has a good variety of excursions, including Denali.
- In 2010 the Princess resort in Denali was looking rather run down and in need of repair. I hope they've remodeled since then.
- Signing up for the land tour with the cruise takes the hassle out of traveling. They make sure all your luggage gets to the next stop, and herd you on to the next train, bus, or plane. It's a good reason why seniors like cruising.
- Cruise lines vary between the target clients. Some are just big party boats, some focus on entertainment, some are vary casual and some formal. We like Princess because it's a good balance of all the others. There are night clubs and formal nights, but you don't have to participate.
- There's good entertainment at the pool and lounges during the days you're at sea, but when we were in port we were usually wiped out by the excursions. Our favorite evening activity was sitting by the pool with the blankets and pillows they provide and watching a movie on their giant screen.

If you like to look at pictures, here's some from our trip.

This is great information. I was thinking of 2 connecting balcony staterooms. That is more square footage than a mini suite. Do you know if connecting cabins have a connected balcony? That would make the balcony pretty large and more enjoyable and safer with the kids. I would not want the kids going on their balcony without parental supervision.
 

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There is much to like about small ship cruising- especially due to the relatively small populations of the towns visited on Alaska cruises. Often 3 or 4 3,000 passenger ships descend on a town with 10,000 population. It can't help but skew the economics of the place. Alaska towns, during the May-to-September cruise season have much in common with the cruise lines' private islands on the Bahamas. Think 'theme park' with totems, float planes and rain.

A small ship arriving with 150-300 passengers has a much smaller- though not zero effect on these small towns. For those wanting a REAL Alaska experience, book deck space on the Alaska Marine Highway ferries and pitch a tent on the deck with the backpackers. Route Guide - Alaska Marine Highway System

Jim

My dad used to take this ferry when heading to Alaska on research trips-he was in wilderness management. He once saw a woman get on top of the sunroof while still in port, take off all her clothes, and dance, singing “Hello Dolly”. I still remember when he showed us the slides of that event :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

artringwald

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This is great information. I was thinking of 2 connecting balcony staterooms. That is more square footage than a mini suite. Do you know if connecting cabins have a connected balcony? That would make the balcony pretty large and more enjoyable and safer with the kids. I would not want the kids going on their balcony without parental supervision.
I think all of the balconies are partitioned and not connected. You could splurge on an owner's suite. That's what we're doing for our next cruise since we're celebrating our 50th anniversary (2 years late due to Covid). Someone took a video of the exact cabin we booked on the Ruby Princess.

 

dioxide45

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This is great information. I was thinking of 2 connecting balcony staterooms. That is more square footage than a mini suite. Do you know if connecting cabins have a connected balcony? That would make the balcony pretty large and more enjoyable and safer with the kids. I would not want the kids going on their balcony without parental supervision.
On some ships, the partitions between balconies swing open. This is to allow for easier cleaning by staff when they have to do things like pressure washing. You might want to search some Facebook Groups for each of the ships and ask there. Cruise Critic is also good, but their forum user interface is atrocious and they have lost a lot of the critical mass to Facebook groups. To actually have the partition opened, you would need to let your cabin steward know once you get on the ship.
 

pedro47

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On some ships, the partitions between balconies swing open. This is to allow for easier cleaning by staff when they have to do things like pressure washing. You might want to search some Facebook Groups for each of the ships and ask there. Cruise Critic is also good, but their forum user interface is atrocious and they have lost a lot of the critical mass to Facebook groups. To actually have the partition opened, you would need to let your cabin steward know once you get on the ship.
Are you speaking of connecting cabins? They are nice if you are sailing with special family members or close friends and you want to be next door to them.

You can open the balcony doors to make one big balcony.

To the OP, please check each cruise lines deck plans for connecting cabins.

Suggestion only I would select Princess Cruise Lines because they can sail into the Inside Passage Glacier Bay.

Plus, their restaurants will try to serve local food from the area and their theater shows are very good.
 
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dioxide45

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Are you speaking of connecting cabins? They are nice if you sailing with special family members or close friends and you want to be near them.
You can open the balcony door to make one big balcony.

To the OP, please check each cruise lines deck plans for connecting cabins.
Even in non connecting cabins, the partitions between balconies will swing open.
 

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Cruise Critic can help, but if you do your research and choice Princess, their Cruise Vacation Planners can answer some more specific questions. They're not pushy and most are friendly. If you talk to one you like, get their extension so you can talk to them every time you call. Another bonus of booking with Princess is their EZair. Up to 45 days ahead, there's no charge for changing or canceling flights. I've often canceled and rebooked when the fares went down.
 

beejaybeeohio

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If you do your due diligence and know the cruise you wish to book and the cabins you want, Costco offers a shop card of varying amounts for booking with them. Although you can book on their website, I prefer to call. You will not be assigned a specific agent with Costco, but just about every one I've been connected to knows their stuff!
 

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I’ve never cruised on Princess, so I can’t compare the two. But we did do a cruise/tour to Alaska on Holland America and thoroughly enjoyed it. We’ve since done 2 more cruises with them and loved both. I think the food on Holland is very good, and we also enjoy their specialty restaurants. We usually book through our travel agent at AAA ( no charge) and they always give us some perks..usually a couple of nights dining in the speciality restaurants and a beverage card. So it you’re a AAA member it might be worth checking into! I’ve also heard that Costco is a good place to book an Alaska cruise.
 
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I’ve never cruised on Princess, so I can’t compare the two. But we did do a cruise/tour to Alaska on Holland America and thoroughly enjoyed it. We’ve since done 2 more cruises with them and loved both. I think the food on Holland is very good, and we also enjoy their specialty restaurants. We usually book through our travel agent at AAA ( no charge) and they always give us some perks..usually a couple of nights dining in the speciality restaurants and a beverage card. So it you’re a AAA member it might be worth checking into! I’ve also heard that Costco is a good place to book an Alaska cruise.

I did the Yukon/Denali cruise tour in 2018, 3 nights at sea, 7 land. We were pleasantly surprised by the accommodations, food, and service. We did a 5 night coastal the next year, and were planning to sail from Tokyo to Vancouver in 2020.

Princess seems to exceed in entertainment, and is certainly as worthy of a choice for Alaska. Watching videos to compare the two, I prefer HAL's pace.
 
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