Coral Princess Cruises: Alaskan Glaciers
- Laura
- Nov 11, 2025
- 7 min read
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Year after year, travel experts vote Princess Cruises a top rated Alaskan cruise line. We recently enjoyed one of the fleet’s Coral Princess cruises, the 7 Day Voyage of the Glaciers. The itinerary included gold rush towns, national parks, wildlife viewing, and glaciers(!).
In between scenic cruising and excursions to Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan; Randy and I enjoyed our downtime on the Coral Princess. Amenities onboard include theaters, bars, pools, sports decks, a wrap-around promenade, spa, casino, and more. With so many public spaces, the mid-sized ship never felt crowded.
This Coral Princess cruise ship review includes a look at essential cruise planning areas such as the itinerary, staterooms, dining, shore excursions, and entertainment. We hope you find it helpful in deciding if an Inside Passage cruise, and Princess Alaska Cruises, are right for you.
PRINCESS ALASKA CRUISES EXCURSIONS
CORAL PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP OVERVIEW
Here are a few facts about the Coral Princess cruise ship:
Operated by: Princess Cruises
Passengers: 1,970
Crew: 900
Physical Structure: 16 Decks
Launch & Updates: Launched in 2003. Refurbished in 2019. Refresh in 2024.
Cabins: 1,000 Guest Cabins including 700 Balcony Staterooms
CORAL PRINCESS CRUISES – ALASKA ITINERARY
Princess Cruises offers the Voyage of the Glaciers 7 night itinerary in both a northbound and southbound direction. This is our June 2025 itinerary:
Day 1: Embarkation Whitter, AK (an hour south of Anchorage)
Day 2: Hubbard Glacier Scenic Cruising
Day 3: Glacier Bay National Park Scenic Cruising
Day 4: Skagway (in port 7am to 8:30pm)
Day 5: Juneau (in port 6:30am to 4pm)
Day 6: Ketchikan (in port 10am to 6pm)
Day 7: At Sea
Day 8: Disembark Vancouver, Canada
PRE & POST CRUISE HOTELS
PRINCESS ALASKA CRUISES HIGHLIGHTS
One important advantage to booking Princess Alaska cruises are the fleet's lengthy port times. In practical terms, the longer a ship remains in port, the greater the opportunity for in-depth shore exploration. Many other cruise lines offer shorter times in Alaskan ports making it harder to travel to wilderness areas away from town.
Another plus that comes from choosing a Princess cruise to Alaska is where the ship docks. Princess has been sailing to Alaska for a long time, and always seems to secure the best berthing spots. This generally means less time spent on buses in transit, and more time spent in port.
Princess Cruises offer “cruisetours” that pair an Inside Passage Alaska cruise with a land tour. These tours allow guests to visit interior Alaska along with the coastal ports. We combined our Voyage of the Glaciers 7 day itinerary with a 7 day land tour of Denali and Kenai National Parks.
CRUISE TRAVEL RESOURCES
INSIDE PASSAGE ALASKA CRUISE ITINERARY
Whittier, AK
Whittier, Alaska is a tiny port town about 65 miles south of Anchorage. The town originated as a World War II cargo port. Today, it is a fishing and cruise port with about 300 residents. The town is accessed via a 2.5 mile tunnel. There is not a lot to do in town. Pre- and post-cruise excursions focus on the surrounding countryside or Anchorage.
Hubbard Glacier Scenic Cruising, AK
The first full day of cruising was spent viewing the spectacular Hubbard Glacier. The ice mass towers 40 stories high. It descends into the sea to a depth of 1,200 feet. At 76 miles long, it is the largest tidewater glacier in North America. The Hubbard Glacier holds the distinction of being one of the few remaining advancing glaciers in the world.
Cruisers can observe the calving glacier from the ship, or hop aboard a smaller boat for an up close look at the glacier’s intense blue hues. Randy and I booked the excursion. We boarded the smaller boat directly from the ship while at sea. In route to the glacier, we saw whales, seals, and otters in the bay.
Glacier Bay National Park Scenic Cruising, AK
This day of scenic cruising was a highlight of our trip. Princess Cruises is one of the few companies with a permit to cruise the unspoiled seas of Glacier Bay.
At this US National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, we cruised past many towering ice masses. The largest, Margerie Glacier, is known for its “white thunder” (large chunks of ice that crash into the water).
A park ranger boarded the ship in the morning and narrated our trip through the wilderness area on the PA system. We saw whales spouting and spectacular scenery pass from the ship’s airy upper decks. Under warm blankets, we snacked as the glaciers glided by.
Skagway, AK
The gold rush town of Skagway was born when thousands of prospectors flocked to the area in the late 1800s. Miners used the town’s White Pass Railroad to travel to the Yukon in hopes of striking it rich. Today, many Skagway excursions include traversing the famous White Pass by rail or by road.
The town was once home to 20,000, but now has less than 1,000 residents. Full of hotels, saloons, small museums, and shops celebrating the gold rush, it’s fun to explore. The Coral Princess docked within walking distance of town.
Try this tour: Skagway City Tour & White Pass Summit
Juneau, AK
Juneau is another town founded with the discovery of gold. It was once home to the three of the largest gold mines in the world. Now, Juneau is Alaska’s capital and a major business center. The town of 30,000 is surrounded by breathtaking mountains, glaciers, and the sea.
In Juneau, there are several vibrant Native American heritage sites to discover as well as exceptional whale watching opportunities. Visitors also enjoy flightseeing, hikes, and boat trips to explore the nearby Tracy Arm fjord and Mendenhall Glacier.
Try this tour: Juneau Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier
Ketchikan, AK
The island town of Ketchikan was established as a fishing and timber town in the 1800s. Alaska’s fourth largest town is accessible only by sea or plane. The first major community on the southeastern Alaskan coast, Ketchikan is known as the state’s “First City.”
The Coral Princess pulled right next to Ketchikan’s historic downtown. It was a short walk from the pier to Creek Street, the Salmon Walk, and the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. Shore excursions to the Totem Heritage Center and Misty Fjords were popular at this port.
Try this activity: The Famous Lumberjack Show
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Rimmed by the mountains and the sea, Vancouver is an active, modern city with lots to do. If you are able to indulge in a pre- or post-cruise stay in Vancouver – do it!
We loved biking around beautiful Stanley Park, exploring Gastown, and shopping at the Granville Island Public Market.
Try this Tour: Vancouver Scenic Seaplane Tour
CORAL PRINCESS SHORE EXCURSIONS
On Coral Princess cruises to Alaska, shore excursions are a major draw. There were typically around ten or more excursions a day offered by Princess Cruises on our itinerary. Passengers were also free to book shore excursions independently.
A wide range of activities were available. A sampling includes trips to sled dog demonstrations, flightseeing, hiking, kayaking, scenic rail roads, whale watching, wildlife viewing, glacier touring, fishing, e-biking, and tours to historical and heritage sites.
Here are a few well-reviewed shore excursions along Alaska’s Inside Passage:
CORAL PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP STATEROOMS
Staterooms on the Coral Princess range from mini-suites to interior staterooms. Of it’s 1000 cabins, 700 are balcony staterooms. We found our balcony stateroom to be close quarters (approx. 222 sq. feet), but comfortable. Some areas in the cabin (balcony and bathroom) were worn, but everything was in good working order (and housekeeping was exceptional).
CORAL PRINCESS RESTAURANTS
The Coral Princess has two major dining rooms (Bordeaux and Provence) included in the basic cruise rate, as is the Horizon’s Court Buffet, the International Café, and several casual eateries. There is an upcharge for dining at Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria and the Crown Grill.
The food was reliably good. With the touchless medallion tag system, food and drinks can be ordered and delivered to any location on the ship throughout the day. Charges may apply depending on your cruise package.
VANCOUVER, BC DAY TRIPS
CORAL PRINCESS ENTERTAINMENT
The Coral Princess cruise ship is packed with things to do. Most of the public spaces, activities and entertainment are clustered around Decks 6, 7, 14, 15, and 16. The ship offers live music and dancing at many venues.
There is a casino, full service spa, Movies-Under-the-Stars, two pools, 5 hot tubs, sports deck, children’s club, and theaters offering original productions. We really appreciated the quality of the entertainment on this ship.
All of the acts – musicians, comics, magicians, theater productions – were well done. The entertainment staff made games and themed activities fun. The ship’s public spaces felt both luxurious and comfortable, and best of all, never crowded. And, we loved the covered, but open-air promenade deck for quiet time away from it all.
CORAL PRINCESS DRESS CODE
On a ten day Princess cruise there are usually two formal nights (gowns/tuxes). Other nights are “smart casual” (cocktail dresses/casual dinner jackets). Day wear is weekend casual.
Note: Alaska cruises are known to be more casual in dress than some other locales, and this was true on our cruise. Some folks dressed to the "nines" on formal nights, others were much more casual.
WHY CRUISE TO ALASKA ON THE CORAL PRINCESS
The Coral Princess is a well-maintained mid-sized cruise ship packed with bars, theaters, and dining opportunities. Entertainment on the ship is top-notch; staff is friendly and attentive. Its spacious upper decks make it a great choice for cruises with scenic glacier viewing. Coral Princess cruises with Alaskan itineraries offer long days in port. This gives passengers more time for interior Alaska excursions and port town exploration.
Happy sailing, Laura and Randy
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