Princess Cruises has lifted the curtain on its most far-reaching plans for Alaska yet, shaping a season that blends glacier days with meaningful time ashore. With nearly six decades of local know-how, the line is steering more ships, more routes, and more lodge stays toward travellers who want a complete Alaska story, not just a snapshot.
Eight Princess ships will be dedicated to Alaska across the season, giving extraordinary choice on dates, routes, and ship styles. The lineup brings together Star Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Discovery Princess, Emerald Princess, Island Princess, Royal Princess, and Ruby Princess, a spread that lets you match the vibe you prefer with the itinerary that fits your calendar. More hulls on hand also means more departures overall, which reduces the scramble for ideal weeks in peak months.
Glacier days are the moments guests talk about years later, and Princess stacks the deck with four marquee options. You can gaze across Glacier Bay National Park, sail beside Hubbard Glacier, thread through College Fjord, or trace Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, each with a different combination of ice, wildlife, and geology. The program includes 85 calls to Glacier Bay alone, which is a strong indicator of how much time the line devotes to the state’s most protected waters.
Departures touch five convenient homeports so you can choose what works best for your flights and pre- or post-cruise plans. Options include Seattle, Vancouver (B.C.), Anchorage (Whittier), San Francisco, and Los Angeles, each unlocking a slightly different version of the route map. This variety makes it easier to align school holidays, annual leave, and bucket-list ports without compromising the flow of your trip.
A familiar name returns with cutting-edge design. Star Princess comes back for her second year, bringing Sphere Class features to the Inside Passage and giving the fleet a modern flagship that still feels warmly Princess at heart. Weekly departures from Seattle anchor the schedule so you can plan around a consistent rhythm.
Sphere Class ships introduce spacious venues and thoughtful sightlines that feel purpose-built for Alaska. Think panoramic lounges for glacier viewing, flexible dining rooms that adapt to your evening, and open decks that invite you to linger with binoculars in hand. The idea is simple, build a ship that frames the scenery, then let Alaska do the rest.
Every Sunday, Star Princess sets off on a 7-day Inside Passage loop from Seattle, a handy choice if you want straightforward air connections and a set day of the week to work from. Sister ship Royal Princess runs 7-day roundtrips on Saturdays that include Glacier Bay National Park, creating back-to-back weekend options that simplify planning for families and friend groups.
Star Princess is not the only headline. The broader fleet keeps the schedule rich with 6- to 10-day variations out of Vancouver, plus a pair of 16-day Inside Passage journeys from Los Angeles on Emerald Princess. That balance between a modern flagship and tried-and-true sisters means you can choose by ship personality, length, and glacier mix, rather than settling for whatever happens to be left.
Princess maintains two signature approaches to Alaska, each with distinct strengths. One crosses the Gulf of Alaska between Vancouver and Whittier, the other loops the Inside Passage from a coastal city. Both emphasise time with ice and wildlife, just in different ways.
The classic Voyage of the Glaciers runs 7 days between Vancouver (B.C.) and Anchorage (Whittier), pairing scenic coastal sailing with two separate glacier-viewing days. Ships such as Coral Princess, Island Princess, Crown Princess, and Discovery Princess cover these runs, which can be combined into a 14-day Grand Adventure roundtrip from Vancouver for travellers who want the full arc. Northbound cruises feature More Ashore late nights in Juneau, a perk that adds time for whale-watching or a scenic floatplane trip without rushing back to the pier.
If you prefer to start and finish in the same place, Inside Passage loops spread across Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver (B.C.), and Los Angeles. From San Francisco, Ruby Princess sails a 10-day route with Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, while Vancouver features a mix of 6-, 7-, 8-, and 9-day itineraries on Coral Princess, Crown Princess, and Discovery Princess. Los Angeles travellers can choose two 16-day roundtrips with Glacier Bay National Park, a longer immersion that folds in multiple sea days.
Longer voyages and late stays add breathing room where it counts. The late evening in Juneau on northbound cross-Gulf sailings lets you combine a glacier adventure with dinner ashore, and the 14-day Grand Adventure effectively stitches two week-long cruises together so you see more fjords and towns in one go. These design choices make the difference between a quick taste of Alaska and a complete plate.
The sea tells one part of Alaska’s story, the interior finishes it. Princess pairs sailings with a deep bench of land options that include rail journeys and nights in wilderness lodges near national parks, so you can meet Alaska’s mountains and rivers up close.
Princess’ Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service moves you from ship to Denali area on the same day, which cuts out backtracking and hotel limbo. You step off the vessel and settle into the rhythm of the interior quickly, leaving more time for wildlife safaris, hikes, and river floats. It is a logistics upgrade that travellers feel in their energy levels, not just on paper.
Two exclusive Denali-area bases anchor the experience, the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge just one mile from the park entrance, and the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge positioned for mountain views. Add sister properties near Kenai Fjords and Wrangell-St. Elias, and you have a network that brings you close to four national parks on a single itinerary. Evenings often unfold around fire pits and picture windows, which is when moody Alaskan light does its best work.
For travellers who want to go all in, the escorted 17-night Denali Cruisetour includes two nights at each of the five Princess lodges. That cadence builds a fuller sense of place, from the glacial coastlines of Glacier Bay to the braided rivers of the interior. It is also an excellent format for multi-generational groups, since the pace gives everyone space to pick the activities that suit them without splitting the party for days on end.
Great itineraries are even better with a sharp deal. Princess’ launch offers provide real levers for value, especially if you book early or travel with family.
Book by mid-August 2025 to unlock an Early Booking Bonus that includes a FREE room upgrade, a $99 reduced deposit (approx. A$144), and Captain’s Circle savings if you are a returning guest. Locking your dates early usually means the best choice of staterooms for glacier viewing, from forward-facing options to popular midship balconies that temper motion.
The headline promotion offers up to 40% off on select sailings and 3rd and 4th guests sail free on qualifying dates, which is a strong fit for families, cousins’ trips, and friend groups. Layer that with a loyalty perk of up to $200 instant savings per stateroom (approx. A$290) for Captain’s Circle members, and the numbers can add up quickly. If you are planning for school holidays, those early holds help keep adjoining cabins and optimal bed layouts together.
Alaska rewards a balcony you can actually use, which is why Princess highlights that all balcony staterooms offer non-obstructed views. For photographers and wildlife spotters, a balcony becomes an all-day blind where you can linger without losing your vantage. If you are sensitive to movement, midship on a lower deck is a steady choice, while forward balconies often feel like private viewing platforms on glacier days.
Before you make dates concrete, it helps to map priorities, for example Glacier Bay access, a late night in Juneau, or time on the train to Denali. A quick scan of ships and routes will show how these pieces fit together week by week. Once you see the pattern, shortlisting is straightforward.
To compare routes, durations, and ship features in one place, open our Cruise Finder and filter for Inside Passage loops or cross-Gulf runs. You can then pivot to cruisetours that include Denali, Kenai Fjords, or Wrangell-St. Elias, and save your favourites to share with the family chat.
Princess has shaped a season that leans into what makes Alaska special, generous glacier time, flexible homeports, and land programmes that carry you into the mountains. Whether you choose a week on the Inside Passage, a cross-Gulf voyage with two glacier days, or a cruisetour that strings together five lodges, the result is the same, a trip that brings you closer to the ice, the wildlife, and the communities that define the Great Land.
If you would like tailored advice on dates, ships, and cabins, contact our team to plan your Alaska journey.