Princess Alaska Cruises: Which Ship Suits Me Best?
Choosing the best Princess ship for an Alaska cruise can feel overwhelming. With multiple departure ports, ship classes, and itinerary options, it’s not always obvious which sailing offers the experience you want.
Princess Cruises has been sailing to Alaska since 1969. With more than 50 years experience, it’s one of the veteran cruise lines in the region. Today, its Alaska fleet ranges from modern mega-ships to smaller, more intimate vessels designed for scenic cruising and glacier viewing.
The right ship can dramatically shape your Alaska experience. Ship size affects crowd levels, onboard amenities, and viewing space. Departure ports determine your route, glacier access, and if a cruise tour is possible.
Understanding these differences helps you choose the sailing that best fits your travel style, budget, and priorities. This guide compares every Princess ship sailing to Alaska. We sailed on most of these vessels and share the pros and cons of each one.
Which Ship Suits Me Best
Selecting your Princess ship for Alaska depends on your top cruise priorities. With various ship classes, departure ports, and itinerary options, start by clarifying what matters most.
Consider what matters most to you:
- Onboard experience: Newer ships offer modern design, expanded dining, cutting-edge entertainment, and the latest technology.
- Crowd levels: Smaller ships provide a more relaxed, intimate atmosphere, especially on glacier-viewing days.
- Budget: Older vessels often deliver the best value, with lower fares and the same iconic Alaska scenery.
- Travel style: Larger ships typically offer more activities and entertainment for families, while couples may prefer quieter spaces, adult-only retreats, and covered pool areas.
- Comfort & scenery: Indoor viewing lounges, enclosed promenades, and covered pools can make a big difference in Alaska’s cool, changeable weather.
Itinerary planning is just as important as ship selection. Some sailings include Glacier Bay National Park, while others focus on different glacier regions.
One-way Gulf of Alaska routes allow travelers to add a land tour to Denali National Park. We like that Interior Alaska attracts fewer crowds and provides a richer, more immersive experience.
By balancing ship features, route choices, and personal preferences, you can quickly narrow down which Princess ship will deliver your ideal cruise.
Princess Cruises To Alaska From Vancouver
For 2026 and 2027, choose from five ships departing from and arriving in Vancouver. Some offer 7-night round-trip itineraries through the Inside Passage, while others cruise one-way through the Gulf of Alaska. Gulf of Alaska and Inside Passage routes offer different experiences.
Alaska cruises from Vancouver generally deliver smoother sailings through the Inside Passage. You’ll also get to Alaska faster because this port is closest.
Discovery Princess
Discovery Princess is one of the newest vessels and was purpose-built for Alaska. The ship carries 3,660 passengers and includes the signature Sky Suite accommodations with private balconies.
The ship offers Movies Under the Stars on the upper deck and a covered SeaWalk that goes beyond the ship’s edge. We liked the layout, expanded dining options, infinity Wake View pool, and smoothing colors of the staterooms.
Discovery Princess typically operates 7-night one-way itineraries to Whittier. Land tour options vary from 9 days to 17 days.
- Pros: Newer vessel, Glacier Bay access.
- Cons: No indoor pool.
Coral Princess
Coral Princess operates both round-trip and one-way Alaska itineraries from Vancouver throughout the cruise season. She visits Glacier Bay and College Fjord going north, and Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay heading south.
I’ve sailed on Coral Princess on a 14-day Alaska itinerary, and its smaller size made glacier days noticeably less crowded, a major advantage during peak season. While there were many days to view glaciers, the ports remained the same: Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway.
Built for the Panama Canal, the smaller size of Coral Princess is favored by many longtime cruisers and retirees.
- Pros: Smaller size provides more intimacy; 2 glacier-viewing days on a 7-day itinerary.
- Cons: Older vessel, refurbished in 2024.
Island Princess
Like Coral, the Island Princess features the Voyage of the Glaciers itinerary, sailing one-way from Vancouver to Whittier (Anchorage). This route covers 500 miles deeper into the Gulf of Alaska than round-trip options.
The ship cruises through Glacier Bay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the voyage is narrated by a park ranger. Island Princess has been retrofitted, adding more rooms and making public spaces more crowded.
- Pros: Smaller size provides more intimacy; 2 glacier-viewing days on a 7-day itinerary.
- Cons: Congested spaces from adding more cabins.
Grand Princess
Grand Princess is Princess Cruises’ older vessel in Alaska, built in 1998. With a capacity of 2600, she is larger than Island and Coral. Grand Princess offers Alaska itineraries in 2026, then repositions to Australia in 2027.
Guests can choose from 7-day one-way, 14-day round-trip, or cruise and land tours. The stops include the classic ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway.
- Pros: Affordable, longer cruise tour options.
- Cons: Older vessel.
Crown Princess
Crown Princess will operate one-way Gulf of Alaska routes in 2027. On April 27, 2027, she offers a 4-day Alaska cruise, ideal for new guests wanting to test the waters. In September 2027, she offers a 9-day itinerary with 5 ports, including a day at Victoria’s cruise port.
The ship accommodates 3,080 passengers and features an adults-only Sanctuary area, multiple pool zones, and specialty dining venues. I booked an aft balcony and was disappointed by the engine vibration. Avoid the aft if you’re sensitive to noise.
- Pros: More amenities, dining, and balcony rooms.
- Cons: Crowded, small buffet for capacity.
Choices From Seattle
Princess operates two ships from Seattle for Alaska cruises, both with similar passenger capacities. Both provide round-trip itineraries to classic Alaska ports.
Star Princess
Star Princess is one of Princess’s newer vessels, debuting in 2025. In 2026, it’s the first time a Sphere-class Princess ship travels to Alaska.
This ship accommodates about 3,660 passengers and features modern amenities, including multiple dining venues, entertainment options, and the signature Sky Suite accommodations.
The vessel does not visit Glacier Bay; instead, it visits Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier. Avoid itineraries in early May, as ice can prevent reaching the glacier.
- Pros: New vessel, varied dining options.
- Cons: Higher price, no Glacier Bay access.
Royal Princess
Royal Princess carries about 3,560 passengers and features the SeaWalk, a glass-bottomed walkway that extends over the ocean and delivers unique views of the water below.
This vessel operates similar 7-day round-trip routes from Seattle, calling at major Alaska ports. Royal Princess offers Princess’s exclusive programming and naturalist presentations about Alaska’s environment and wildlife.
- Pros: Glacier Bay access.
- Cons: a few hours in Victoria, BC, no indoor pool.
Alaska Cruises From California
Princess operates Alaska cruises from California ports, with departures from Los Angeles and San Francisco. These voyages offer longer itineraries that let you experience the entire West Coast journey, including Alaska’s highlights.
Bear in mind that the journey along the West Coast can have choppy seas. If you’re prone to seasickness, use a patch or embark from a port further north.
Ruby Princess
Ruby Princess offers 10-day round-trip Alaska cruises from San Francisco. These sailings do not stop along the West Coast but substitute Prince Rupert for Victoria, BC, as required by the Passenger Vessels Act.
Built in 2008 and refurbished in 2018, this 3,000-passenger vessel visits Endicott Arm for its glacier viewing day. Avoid early May and late September Inside Passage cruises. Ice and fog can cause itinerary changes that miss Dawes Glacier.
San Francisco departures eliminate the need for extra flights if you live on the West Coast. The journey north along the coastlines of California, Oregon, and Washington adds scenic value before you reach Alaska’s waters.
- Pros: Four ports, longer cruise.
- Cons: No Glacier Bay access and may experience choppy seas.
Emerald Princess
Emerald Princess operates extended Alaska cruises from Los Angeles at the start and end of the Alaska cruise season. These 16-day itineraries visit Glacier Bay National Park and have 6 port stops. The Victoria, BC stop is a full day instead of the mandatory 4-hour window.
The ship mirrors Ruby Princess in size and passenger capacity, offering the same core Princess experience.
Los Angeles departures provide convenient access for Southern California residents and those flying into LAX. The extended itineraries from this port allow for more exploration of Alaska’s coast.
- Pros: Six ports, Glacier Bay, full Victoria day.
- Cons: Possible rough seas.
Benefits Of A Princess Alaska Cruise
Princess Cruises has over 50 years of Alaska expertise, offering access to Glacier Bay National Park, prime downtown dock locations, and one of the most immersive onboard Alaska enrichment programs at sea.
Ships dock directly in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway, maximizing time ashore while eliminating tendering delays. Onboard, guests enjoy Alaska-themed programming, wildlife presentations, cultural narration, and popular events like Puppies in the Piazza.
Princess Cruisetours combines a 7-day glacier voyage with Denali National Park adventures, and exclusive wilderness lodges. The scenic rail journeys aboard glass-domed train cars add to the adventure.
Final Verdict: Which Princess Ship Is Best For Your Alaska Cruise?
The best Princess ship for your Alaska cruise depends on your travel priorities. For most travelers, Discovery Princess delivers the strongest overall experience.
Its up-to-date design, Glacier Bay access, and wide range of dining and entertainment options make it a leading choice. Even without an indoor pool.
Travelers seeking fewer crowds and a quieter onboard atmosphere appreciate the smaller size of Coral Princess and Island Princess. Both offer excellent glacier viewing and a more relaxed pace.
For those who prefer longer, more immersive journeys, Emerald Princess stands out with extended itineraries that allow greater exploration of Alaska’s coastline.
If value is your top priority, Grand Princess provides classic Alaska routes at more affordable fares. Families tend to prefer larger ships like Discovery Princess, Star Princess, and Royal Princess, thanks to their expanded entertainment, dining choices, and kid-friendly amenities.
Quick Picks By Travel Style
- Best Overall Alaska Experience: Discovery Princess.
Modern design, Glacier Bay access, strong entertainment, and immersive Alaska programming. - Best Small Ship Experience: Coral Princess.
Quieter atmosphere, fewer crowds, and excellent glacier viewing. - Best Glacier Bay + Fewer Crowds: Island Princess.
Outstanding scenic cruising with a more intimate onboard feel. - Best Budget Option: Grand Princess.
Lower fares, classic itineraries, and solid overall value. - Best for Families: Discovery Princess / Star Princess / Royal Princess.
Larger ships with more dining, entertainment, and youth programs. - Best Longer Alaska Cruise: Emerald Princess.
Extended itineraries with more port days and a relaxed pace. - Best for Cruise + Land Tour: Discovery Princess / Island Princess / Coral Princess.
Seamless connections to Denali National Park and Princess Wilderness Lodges.
