Princess Cruises has announced it will deploy seven ships, nearly half of its fleet, to Alaska in summer 2024, when it will mark its 55th year sailing the Last Frontier state. Bookings for cruises and cruisetours have opened, with 14 unique itineraries visiting 17 Alaskan destinations.
Four Embarkations Ports
Princess Cruises will offer 158 departures during its just-revealed 2024 summer season in Alaska, allowing cruisers to embark at Anchorage (Whittier), Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, or San Francisco. The 2024 season includes 86 visits to Glacier Bay National Park, giving Princess the distinction of bringing more guests to the iconic park than any other line.
Scenic cruising in Glacier Bay will be featured on most Voyage of the Glaciers itineraries between Anchorage and Vancouver, and on many Inside Passage cruises sailing roundtrip from Seattle, San Francisco and Vancouver.
Five glacier viewing experiences will be offered on the seven ships deployed to Alaskan waters. The last time Princess devoted that many ships to the destination was in 2019, when it celebrated its 50th anniversary sailing to the Great Land.
Princess Cruises President John Padgett said, ”As the leading cruise line in Alaska, we deliver unforgettable vacations and we’re also the most recommended line by travel advisors to their trusted clients. We’re celebrating our 55th anniversary in 2024 cruising to this must-see destination, so whether it’s your first or fifth time visiting Alaska, we are ready to help guests make inspiring memories to last a lifetime.”
Ship Deployments Set
Three ships will operate 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruises, including the 142,229 gross ton, 3,560-guest Royal Princess; the 115,875 gross ton, 2,670-guest Sapphire Princess, and the 107,517 gross ton, 2,600-guest Grand Princess.
The itinerary, between Anchorage and Vancouver, features two glacier-viewings on each cruise, and northbound cruises include a late-night stay in Juneau, Alaska’s capital.
Seven-day Inside Passage voyages will operate roundtrip from Seattle aboard the line’s newest ship, the 145,000 gross ton, 3,660-guest Discovery Princess, and the 143,700 gross ton, 3,560-guest Majestic Princess. These cruises also feature a late stay in Juneau.
From San Francisco, Princess will offer 11-day Inside Passage cruises aboard the 113,561 gross ton, 3,080-guest Crown Princess, while the 113,561 gross ton, 3,080-guest Ruby Princess operates 7-day Inside Passage voyages from Vancouver.
Cruisetours Up To 10 Nights
Cruisers who wish to extend a Voyage of the Glaciers cruise with land-based experiences can choose from a variety of cruisetours from 3 to 10 nights, with accommodations at one of the line’s five Princess Wilderness Lodges.
Every cruisetour includes a visit to Glacier Bay National Park and Denali National Park, and some feature the line’s Direct to Wilderness rail trip from Whittier to the Denali region. The line’s 17-night Ultimate Princess Connoisseur cruisetour allows guests to stay two nights at each of the lodges. These include:
- Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, an 85-room lodge bordering the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve.
- Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, the first of the Princess Alaska lodges, and located in Denali with 656 rooms.
- Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge, a 326-room lodge on the Chena River.
- Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge, located on the banks of the Ken River in Cooper Landing and offering 86 rooms.
- Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, a 460-room lodge on 146 acres inside Denali State Park.
Enrichment Onboard And Ashore
The line’s North to Alaska enrichment programs onboard Princess voyages and during shore excursions will feature a combination of local experts, culture and seafood. Princess will again offer its Wild for Alaska Seafood program.
Introduced in the summer of 2022, several featured locally-sourced dishes bring the tastes of Alaska into the ships’ main dining rooms each night and support Alaskan economies and culture. Cruisers can choose from among 30 Alaska seafood specialties such as salmon, cod, halibut, Dungeness crab, and razor clams.
Read Also: How Much Does an Alaskan Cruise Cost? – What to Budget
Cruise guests will be able to interact with sled dog pups during the Puppies in the Piazza activity offered during the Skagway port call, while excursions will feature flightseeing and landing on top of glaciers, helicopter tours, dog-sledding, whale-watching, and wildlife and brown bear searches.
Fishing excursions will feature the line’s Cook My Catch experience, whereby fish caught by guests can be prepared onboard their ship or at their lodge.
Cruisetour guests staying at the Mt. Mckinley lodge can explore its Exclusive Treehouse accommodation, featured on the TV series “Treehouse Masters.” For youngsters, the line will operate its onboard Junior Ranger Program.
