Third Time is the Charm: An Alaskan Cruise

As a travel advisor, I’m still warming up to the idea of ocean cruises. This Alaskan cruise was my third and my favorite so far. Alaskan cruises have surged in popularity recently, with a record 1.6 million cruise passengers visiting Juneau in 2023, up 44% from 2022. I felt that personal experience was essential to help my clients book Alaskan cruises—or at least, that’s what I told my husband! So, I took a last-minute leap and booked the Discovery Princess out of Seattle in August 2024. I invited my 19-year-old son to join me for a summer adventure before he headed back to college. There are definite pros and cons to cruising with a young adult, but more on that later!

Budget-Friendly Last-Minute Trip

Determined to be as budget conscious as possible, we didn’t need to buy any new clothes or gear since we live in the PNW. I’ll share packing tips another time. I chose an interior room for a lower price point. We did get the Princess Plus package, which covered our lattes and Wi-Fi—key to compatibility for a week. We ARE from the PNW, and the stereotypes are true! We didn’t book any specialty restaurants on board but did eat two meals in Alaska. I booked one excursion from the cruise line, picked a whale-watching tour from Viator, and decided to wing it at the last Alaskan port. We also didn’t make plans in Victoria, Canada, as the ship was arriving late in the evening for a short stop.

Life on the Discovery Princess

The Discovery Princess is one of the newer ships in the Princess fleet, carrying 3,660 passengers. At times, it felt like a huge crush of people. Mealtimes could be quite crowded, and dinner reservations were necessary. One evening, I couldn’t find an available reservation on the app and had to call Guest Services to get a seating. We didn’t prioritize eating in any of the ship’s specialty restaurants as we ate off the ship a few times. Princess Cruises offers main dining rooms and buffet dining included in the price. There are also a few other included restaurants, such as the pizzeria, Salty Dog for hamburgers and hot dogs, and International Café with several yummy grab-and-go items (plus my morning latte!). Then there are à la carte casual restaurants (sushi, Irish pub, Italian) in addition to the two fine dining options. No reason to go hungry! I found the three tiers of dining a bit complicated, especially with the varied times of operation. I appreciated the wide variety of vegetarian dishes offered and loved the various soups in the main dining rooms. We also took the opportunity to try some new things. I wasn’t shy about ordering two appetizers if I found both intriguing. My son discovered that escargot is pretty good!

Traveling with my teen son was practically a version of solo traveling! Plenty of time to myself, yet I also had a dining companion and excursion partner. I quickly determined that letting go of expectations would help us both enjoy ourselves more. How many of you moms of young adults can relate? I roamed the ship and took in opportunities that I often skip when traveling as a group or couple. The Champagne Toast, High Tea, and the tour of the kitchens were things I enjoyed.  I love talking to new friends while most of my family just accepts it.  I felt free to do all the things that I wanted to do!

My teen read, went to the gym, and did what he wanted during the sea days. He appreciated the slow time before heading back to school, while it also eased him back into waiting in line for food.  We ate dinner together and he usually found me for lunch. I discovered the drinking songs he knows when we enjoyed the Rambling Rovers at O’Malley’s Pub. He also became a roaming photographer on the ship as older couples flagged him down to take personal pictures.   I discovered that he was taking a lot of photos for strangers when I wasn’t around.   Several passengers on elevators recognized him and thanked him again.    He does make me proud by being kind to strangers.  We made some wonderful memories together, and I am so glad we had the time.

Spa Enclave: A Worthwhile Splurge

Despite the budget, I purchased a one-week pass to the Spa Enclave and went every day. The pass was available to purchase on the first day of the cruise for $199.  A therapy pool, three dry saunas, sensory showers and heated stone beds were a fantastic way to end a day or start my morning. It was open from 7 am to 11 pm.  I went each day and twice on sea days!  As someone who deals with chronic pain, spa time really made a difference and was about the same cost as one massage on board.   It really was a investment in my health, right?  Traveling can be hard on the body and it is good to find balance.   

Scenic Sea Days and Glacier Bay

Time at sea always seemed to be filled with sights. We departed on a warm, sunny Seattle afternoon. The weather varied from sunny to very gray and cloudy. The rain was mostly a drizzle. Whatever the weather, there is so much scenery as we cruised. And one is always looking for a whale! My favorite place was the Wake View Bar area to enjoy the fresh air and look over the water without plexiglass in my way. In the covered area, one could snuggle up with a blanket and a book. I could climb the stairs to Deck 17 and 18 to get more unobstructed views or walk laps around the ship for exercise after unlimited desserts!

Our morning in Glacier Bay was a highlight! Not all cruise lines have access to Glacier Bay, so it’s important to determine if that is important to you. Our day was filled with sunshine and blue skies. Whales spouted off in the distance. Otters were playing in the water. I ADORE otters. Some spotted a bear on shore. The scenery was majestic, yet also serene. I was glad to have binoculars and my larger camera with a zoom lens. I could focus my camera (especially on otters) faster than binoculars. The Park Rangers aboard provided facts and commentary. Glacier Bay is home to 1,045 glaciers, and seven are tidewater glaciers. They provide both beauty and purpose as many species depend on them as part of the ecosystem. Johns Hopkins Glacier is the only advancing glacier at this time. The ship did a full 360-degree turn so everyone could appreciate the sights. As we sailed out of the bay, the cruise director remarked the day was one of his top three days in Glacier Bay of all time. Pure magic.

Friendly Faces and New Friends

One aspect of cruising that I really appreciate is how friendly people are on the ship. Even large circles of friends wrapped me into their group when I was by myself. We often shared tables in the buffet area with other couples. Many were on their first cruise. I think spouses can be tired of talking to one another and enjoy a different conversation. A new friend took my picture at the Champagne Toast, while another gave me advice on where to retire! I met many groups of big families traveling together. I love it when they had silly t-shirts signifying their connection. Groups were playing card games, sharing stories, planning their next adventure. There was lots of laughter and smiles. What a wonderful way to make memories.

Our favorite memories of the trip were the Alaskan excursions. I’ll outline those in another post this week, along with my thoughts about what I would have done differently so you can choose what may work for you.

One thing I know, I’m not done discovering Alaska yet. Who wants to go with me next?