Alaska editor Ryan P. Smith and his sister Katie Smith spent a week
cruising Alaska aboard Princess' newest ship, Ocean Princess.
Smith's review follows:
VANCOUVER -- Princess Cruises' newest ship, Ocean Princess, is
spending its first summer tracing Alaska's Inside Passage, a
labyrinthine collection of thousands of islands, on a seven-day
itinerary between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska.
Northbound passengers spend their first day sailing from
Vancouver to Ketchikan, Alaska. Docking in Ketchikan for a
half-day, the ship then moves on to Juneau.
Arriving early in the morning, passengers have a full day to
spend in Juneau, then sail onward to Skagway.
Although including another early morning arrival, Skagway offers
a wide range of activities that will fill up the day.
The itinerary closes with two days at sea and a third day
disembarking in Seward.
Sea days feature visits to Glacier Bay
National Park and College Fjord for wildlife and glacier
viewing.
The final day is spent on a motorcoach to Anchorage, where
passengers either embark on their return flights home or join a
land-tour extension. Southbound itineraries are available in
reverse.
Stretching 800 feet deep and 14 decks high, the 1,950-passenger
Ocean Princess' accommodations include 410 staterooms with private
balconies.
Of these, six are grand suites, 32 are minisuites and 372 are
standard balcony staterooms. In addition, the vessel offers 500
standard staterooms with either an ocean view or no view at
all.
As one might assume, cruisers will spend much of the time on an
Alaska voyage looking outside the ship. Alaska's rising monoliths
of glacier-scraped granite, swimming sea otters and breaching
whales (not to mention the calving glaciers) demand a watchful eye
and create an "I might miss-something" tension for passengers.
Our voyage encountered sharp winds that made the summer feel a
bit chilly. Because of that, we found private balconies important
for a couple of reasons. They are recessed into the boat,
protecting passengers from the strong winds. The balconies are also
private. With 24-hour room service bringing coffee or lunch
whenever requested, we found no good reason to leave the stateroom
on these chilly sea days.
The new ship features some amenities that nearly match the
mountain views.
Take the library, for instance, where lush leather reading
chairs with built-in CD players and wide footrests are lined up
next to a row of large windows.
The four-story-tall Atrium has a winding staircase lined with a
brass railing as glass-enclosed elevators shoot up and down.
It all seems a bit out of place for a ship floating through the
Inside Passage. It's a perfect scene for wearing a tuxedo, watching
champagne pour over a stack of glasses and listening to the strains
of a string quartet.
Other shipboard perks include the Ocean Spa, which offers
massage, shiatsu and aroma therapies; a beauty parlor for facials,
hairstyling, manicures and pedicures; two exercise rooms with
fitness equipment, including eight treadmills that look out toward
the ocean through floor-to-ceiling windows; two theatres; a disco,
and a video arcade.
Two theaters, the Princess Theatre and the Atrium Lounge,
feature Broadway-style shows throughout the week. Movies are also
shown in the Princess Theatre.
These events are only after-thoughts, though, as it seems
everyone's evening highlight is food. Princess has both early and
late dinner seatings at two formal dining rooms, and more casual
dining at a pizzeria and a 24-hour restaurant.
The formal dining rooms were elegant and spacious, and the
waiting staff was very personable. Most are from Italy, and their
accents add spice to the entrees. Their efficiency was also
second-to-none with the head waiter and an assistant hawkishly
monitoring every glass of water.
At breakfast and lunch, the dining rooms are open as is the
seating, offering an excellent chance to survey the clientele.
Surprisingly, there were many more young people than I expected,
mostly families consisting of parents with teenage to early-20s
children, plus a large contingent of newlyweds ranging from the
late twenties to late forties.
The reason for this burgeoning youth market is twofold. One
reason is that Alaska presents an opportunity for safe, yet
adventurous travel. In ports like Juneau and Skagway, glaciers rest
in primal form only a few miles out of town.
Opportunities to board a helicopter and fly off to a
dog-sledding camp or glacier hike exist in Alaska, with each of
those programs costing more than $300.
There are many other activities for the fainthearted or those
without financial means. These give passengers a chance to touch
the beautiful land that has consumed their attention throughout the
trip.
Another reason Princess Cruises continues to draw a young
passenger population is the range of activities on board.
After dinner most nights during the voyage, the older crowd
could be found huddling around tables in a lounge as a pianist
plays the polished, white baby-grand piano at the front of the
room.
The younger kids, however, dashed to the top deck to play
all-night basketball as their parents screamed, "Be home before I
am, or else."
But the parents are headed to any number of activities planned
for them, such as the three-variety shows in the Princess Theatre.
They were bound to forget about their kids as the Princess Dancers
sing and dance musical numbers from West Side Story and other
favorites.
The 20-somethings head for the all-night disco that will not
close unless fewer than 10 people are present after 2 a.m.,
according to a bartender.
Newlyweds found ways to keep busy, and everyone else looks for
calmer settings such as watching a movie or sitting in a quiet
lounge.
When the sun returns, the night's fun weighs on you, but the
many options beg for a renewed energy. One afternoon, the
basketball court was aflutter as two teenagers took on a couple of
men in their mid-20s.
The 20-somethings won, but met their match in their next
opponents, two middle-aged (and overweight) men. As the match
began, one of the older participants came charging down the
lane.
The 20-year-old launched to block his shot, but the massive one
caught him in mid-air, sending him flying into a protective netting
surrounding the court.
This type of street basketball -- in the middle of Alaska's
Inside Passage -- is indicative of the activities that keep the
crowds young and Princess' cruise style strong.