Princess Cruises Royal Princess
7-Day Inside Passage (with Glacier Bay National Park)
May 14-23, 2026
A group of us had been talking about going on an Alaskan cruise for years and decided it was time to book our adventure. Robert and I had sailed with Princess once before and liked how they brought local entertainment on board. They are also one of the few cruise lines allowed to sail through Glacier Bay National Park and that was a must do for everyone in our group.
Highlight of this Cruise
The otters swimming and floating in Glacier Bay were the cutest. This park was truly beautiful with its amazing glaciers. Park rangers came on board the ship and we were able to listen to their commentary on the TV in our cabin. Cruising through Glacier Bay National Park was such a wonderful experience.
Food
Our group picked traditional dining at the same time every night so we could eat together. This was in the Symphony main dining room. It was nice having the same waiters every evening and getting to know them. The service was excellent and they even remembered what each of us preferred to drink. I loved that there were specials each night in addition to the regular menu items. Some of the specials we ordered were Beef Wellington and Baked Alaska.
When most were heading to the buffet on embarkation day we hung out at the International Cafe. This cafe is open 24 hours a day and the perfect place to get espresso, sandwiches, and dessert. The egg salad croissant and beef pie were delicious.
Our plus package included 2 casual dining options so we had the New Yorker & Margherita pizza at Alfedo’s Pizzeria and sushi at Ocean Terrace Seafood for lunch on 2 of our sea days. Ocean Terrace had a fixed menu for lunch. Both meals were delicious.
Bars
Our favorite bars on board were Crooners on deck 7 and Good Spirits at Sea on deck 5. Drinks at both bars were delicious and these were great places to hang out with friends. Good Spirits at Sea had a great view of the entertainment and activities going on in the Piazza. Crooners was a bit quieter with piano playing sometimes.
Entertainment
The Princess Theater hosted shows as well as other entertainment. We saw Hypnotist Brenda Kay on our first evening. It was wild watching people get hypnotized. We also attended Sweet Soul Music. I loved the songs they picked to sing and the dancers made it fun. My favorite was the Culinary Demonstration followed by a Galley tour. It was a treat to see where the food was prepared.
Activities
There was a naturalist onboard to provide knowledge about the region and spotting wildlife. He was available several times during the cruise to meet guests and answer questions in addition to his information sessions. A long list of animals we might spot was with the naturalist for most sessions.
I love playing trivia even though I never win. It’s just fun learning new interesting facts. Princess hosted different trivias at Princess Live. We attended several and I actually won a water bottle for the 60th Anniversary Princess Trivia. I loved watching Love Boat growing up so I read a book about Princess Cruise lines history a few months ago. I actually remembered enough to get most of the questions correct.
Cabin
We started with a balcony cabin but I kept eyeing the suite beside us. I wound up making the call to our Princess travel agent to inquire about the price difference. The Alaska itinerary was probably a once in a lifetime destination so we splurged for the suite and it was amazing. This particular suite was in the very front of the ship so there was a window in the bedroom for us to see where we were going. I spent a lot of time looking out that window hoping to spot wildlife. Watching the whale swimming in Skagway as we entered the port was fascinating. Our cabin number was B102 and with it came welcome canapes and access to a lounge. The lounge for suite guests had happy hour every day. There was food available throughout most of the day. One night they had a party with live music that I really enjoyed.
Ports of Call
The ports in Alaska were great. It was difficult to decide on excursions as there was so much to explore.
Juneau was our first port of call and drinking a Duck Fart shot at the Red Dog Saloon was a must. I was worried about having enough time before our excursion due to the long line waiting to get in when we arrived. To the right was a walk up bar for those who just wanted to experience the shot so that made my day. The bartender was fun and we enjoyed our drinks. We then moved on to our excursion to Mendenhall Glacier. If you love waterfalls, hiking, and glacier viewing this one is a must in Juneau.
Skagway started with an excursion on the White Pass Scenic Railway. This 2 hour train ride took us through mountains, glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles and historic sites. After the train ride we made our way to the Red Onion Saloon for food and to try the Reindeer Fart shot. It made it my mission to try all the fart shot drinks. Once we returned to the ship I discovered the Alaskan Bear Fart Shot at one of the bars so of course I had to try it. I’ve liked them all.
Ketchikan was spent exploring the town as we didn’t have an excursion. First stop was the Ketchikan fire department to get a t-shirt out of the vending machine. The proceeds support the local fire department and there is a museum to explore. The rest of our time in port was spent exploring Creek Street and shopping.
Summary
Before we booked this Alaska Itinerary we thought this was a once in a lifetime trip but there is no doubt in my mind that we will be back one day. We had such an amazing time and really enjoyed the area.
