Princess Cruises Deploying Seven Ships as Alaska Season Kicks Off
New cruise itineraries, land-side cultural events, and onboard experiences will frame Princess Cruises’ 2025 Alaska season, which kicks off in just two weeks.
Beginning in May, the cruise line will have a big presence of seven ships sailing in the destination, which has grown in popularity since the end of the pandemic era.
Along with sea voyages from five homeports, Princess Cruises also tempts guests with stays at five wilderness lodges, all part of the line’s cruise-tour program.
The ships, Grand Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Discovery Princess, and Royal Princess offer guests departures from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Anchorage (Whittier). All told, the line will offer 150-plus departures through the season.
Its North to Alaska cultural experiences bring the Alaskan spirit to life, with onboard and on-shore activities tied to the destination’s history and traditions. The experiences include educational events, entertainment, and local cuisine.
“Our 2025 season is packed with incredible offerings to ensure they leave having had amazing experiences, big adventures and lasting memories to cherish forever,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Princess Cruises.
“This summer, as we start into our 56th season, we’re continuing to operate to the highly desired national parks of Alaska through our long-standing partnerships. From Glacier Bay to the Kenai Fjords, Denali and beyond, we give our guests the experiences they want when visiting Alaska,” added Antorcha.
Let’s start with some new itineraries, both focused on glaciers and smaller ports of call. Grand Princess’s 17-night “Ultimate Alaska” voyage, sailing on May 6, 2025 roundtrip from Seattle, calls at familiar destinations such as Juneau and Ketchikan, but also visits Haines, Wrangell, and Seward.
Glaciers are a big part of this itinerary, which offers scenic cruising at Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay.
Ruby Princess will operate the new “Ultimate Alaska Solstice” cruise, a 22-day sailing roundtrip from San Francisco.
Departing on June 6, 2025, it coincides with the Summer Solstice and features calls at 11 ports, including Ketchikan, Haines, Sitka, and Valdez, among others.
Guests will see four glaciers — Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, Hubbard Glacier, College Fjord, and Glacier Bay National Park.
Some voyages will feature special guests. Discovery Princess, for instance, will operate the “Jeff Corwin’s Nature & Adventure Voyage,” a 7-day roundtrip voyage from Seattle.
Departing on August 17, 2025, the cruise will welcome wildlife biologist and Princess Nature & Adventure Ambassador Jeff Corwin, who will lead excursions in each port, and offer onboard talks and presentations.
Princess Cruises has expanded its cruise-tour program, too, offering 9- to 15-day itineraries that combine the 7-day “Voyage of the Glaciers” cruise with stays at the line’s lodges.
Guests travel by rail between the ship and the lodges, and itineraries offer choices of visits to up to five national parks.
Local Food, Culture Featured Onboard and Onshore
New for the 2025 season, the ships will host a pop-up experience each night, called Northern Lights Lounge. Designed to be reminiscent of an Alaskan pub, it features live music by a folk singer, and guests can try out local beers and other goodies.
Fresh Alaskan foods also will be a big part of the cruise experience on Princess Cruises’ ships. Guests can look forward to locally caught salmon, halibut, crab, and rockfish at the ships’ main dining rooms, specialty restaurants and World Fresh Marketplace buffets.
Guests who book a “Cook My Catch” fishing excursion can dine on their own fresh-caught fish in the specialty restaurant The Catch by Rudi, overseen by Rudi Sodamin, the cruise line’s master chef and head of culinary arts.
Onboard the ships, guests can enjoy stargazing activities, when deck lights are dimmed and cruisers can participate in a guided presentation about the night sky.
Read Also: Are Extras Really Necessary on Alaska-Bound Princess Cruises?
For adventurers, the Princess ships offer an interactive trivia game called The Great Big Adventure – Alaska Edition. In each game, nine guests compete to “navigate the rugged Alaska wilderness” as they search for food, shelter, and water.
Princess Cruises Deploying Seven Ships as Alaska Season Kicks Off