Out to Sea for July 27/19
(c) By Jim and Barb Fox
North to Alaska – go north, the rush is on.
The popularity of Alaska cruising is heating
up, far from the beach runs in the Caribbean.
A pioneer in the Great Land is Princess
Cruises marking its 50th year with seven ships, new entertainment, shore
excursions and culinary offerings to mark this significant milestone.
The first
cruise to Alaska departed on June 3,1969 on Princess Italia carrying 525 guests to this “breathtaking
bucket-list destination.”
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| Cool off in Glacier Bay, Alaska on the Crown Princess. |
“We’ve
spent half a century developing our legacy in Alaska and host more guests there
than any other cruise line – more than five million over the last 50 years,”
said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president.
To
celebrate the 50-year milestone, there are “new and authentic experiences,
combined with the awe-inspiring beauty” of sailing north.
In the
cruise season that continues through mid-September, Princess has deployed seven
ships, the largest ever, featuring the debut of Royal Princess.
The cruises
range from seven to 12 days and depart from Vancouver, Anchorage (Whittier),
Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Offered
are cruise and tour options highlighting the state’s must-see attractions,
including Glacier Bay and Denali national parks.
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| Alaska cruises offer visits to the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. |
Princess
also owns and operates five wilderness lodges nestled in scenic riverside
locations near national parks with some 20 cruisetour offerings.
These combine
a seven-day cruise with a multi-night land tour and exclusive wilderness rail
service.
Tour like a local
To
highlight this season, Princess
Cruises is connecting guests with local experts ashore with the launch of
Local Connections.
“With a total of 15 featured shore
excursions in four Alaska ports, Princess Cruises has partnered with well-known
chefs, artists, wildlife experts, seafaring captains and much more,”
said Bruce Krumrine, vice-president of shore excursions.
These include cooking in Alaska’s wildest kitchen
with chef Dodie Lunda in Icy Strait Point; a culinary demonstration in
Juneau with chef Lionel Uddipatakes; and a Ketchikan photo safari.
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| Princess Alaska adventures include salmon fishing by jet boat. |
There are also the “Ghosts and Goodtime
Girls Walking Tour in Skagway; whale watching and a glacier photo tour in Juneau;
and lumberjack show and axe throwing, the Bering Sea crab fishermen’s tour and
pub walk in Ketchikan.
Skagway has the White Pass Rail Bennett Lake
and Yukon adventure, cooking, glassblowing and a city tour with storyteller.
New at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge
is Fannie Q’s Saloon, named
after Alaskan pioneer Fannie Quigley, and there’s a treehouse experience at the
Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge.
New
onboard experiences include the Northern Lights Planetarium in the Princess
Theatre; local guest speakers; “Taste of Alaska” menu offerings in the main
dining rooms; Glacier Tea and beer tastings; and historical displays in the
Piazza.
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Jim and Barb Fox
can be reached at outtosea50@hotmail.com
Great post and thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures with us. To see and enjoy amazing adventures then plan your Northern Lights Adventure.
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