Why Alaska floats my boat: A first-timer's experience aboard the Discovery Princess
Cruise buffs know — it's peak sailing season in Alaska. Summer means prime weather across The Last Frontier, and that translates to top cruise demand through August. The season can stretch into early October, though, and those last few weeks — much to last-minute planners' delight — can offer special savings.
When I took my first Alaska cruise last year aboard the Discovery Princess — a 7-night September sailing roundtrip from Seattle — I wasn't alone: a record-breaking 1.7 million people took an Alaska cruise in 2023, shattering the 2019 (pre-Covid) record of 1.3 million. That demand spilled into this year, and quickly: Princess Cruises saw more Alaska cruise bookings in January than ever before. And with overall cruise capacity up a smidge in 2024, another record-setting season is looking likely.
The Discovery Princess was the perfect vessel for us, a husband-wife couple who'd heard about the wonders of Alaska cruising for years, and who were finally ready to experience it for ourselves. This is one of the newest ships on Alaskan waters, launched in spring of 2022 as the fifth and final liner in Princess Cruise's Royal-class fleet. And it offers a wide breadth of unique options that got us thinking as soon as we disembarked — we will definitely want to do this again.
Here are five of our favorite experiences from our Alaska cruise aboard the Discovery Princess:
The Crew
Some of the most impactful moments during our cruise involved the Discovery crew. Many of these folks commit to living on board for up to nine months — a professional endeavor for them that, at the same time, makes them the ultimate link to the passengers' onboard experience. Their willingness to get to know us well meant that, within the first couple of days of our trip, they knew when we liked to get up, where we liked to eat and what we liked to do. They were always at the ready to share tips on ship venues to explore, excursions to seriously consider and menu items we did not want to miss.
Personalization at its best, buoyed by veritable friendships that stayed strong during our entire cruise. And for some of the guests who are avid cruisers, like the couple we met who was on their third back-to-back Alaska cruise during our own one-week sail, these types of relationships elevate the onboard experience all the more.
Among our own favorite connections was getting to meet Captain Tony Ruggero, who spends six months on the Discovery Princess at a time, including trips down the California coast, the Mexican Riviera and Hawaii, as well. He's partial to the months he spends sailing Alaska, though, because "it has something for everyone, all ages and every activity level," he told me. And he concurs with my own admiration of his onboard team: "The crew’s friendliness and service is an experience in itself!"
When we met Captain Tony on the bridge, for a behind-the-scenes peek at the command center, we also had the pleasure of meeting his wife, Renee. Interestingly, she lives on board for each six-month stint, too. And following her on Instagram (@cruisetravelmama) ever since we disembarked has given us ongoing insider insight into how the ship operates and its many marvelous ports of call.
The Eating
The most welcome surprise for this pair of first-time Discovery Princess cruisers was, hands down, the food. The teams of chefs and F&B pros are a talented, international mix. And while the standard, all-day options were consistently fresh and varied — we were big fans of the super seafood at the Ocean Terrace Sushi Bar — the specialty dining experiences were always innovative and spectacular.
We loved "360: An Extraordinary Experience" for the gourmet and multi-sensory night it delivered. Complete with an affable master of ceremonies and hosted inside a secret space, the multi-course culinary "tour" of the Mediterranean was phenomenal. Each course was specially presented — everyone’s dish was delivered in synchronized fashion — and expertly paired with a special wine. A wrap-around screen swept us, with each course, to the Amalfi Coast, Barcelona, Provence and beyond. The accompanying music was rousing, and the occasional infusion of aromatic scents elevated our dining to a level we'd not experienced before. It was a culinary extravaganza not to be missed.
Another standout was "Chef's Table Lumiere," which set the stage early on, with a guided tour across the impressive Discovery Princess kitchen led by the ship's executive chef. The wow factor followed us to the table which, with the press of a button and a fair share of flair, was enshrouded by a curtain of light, creating a soft curtain of privacy — and plenty of wow factor. The chef's presentation and description of each course, again, took our eating to a special level.
The prime proteins and the service at the Crown Grill were phenomenal; the authentic Italian fare at Sabatini's was memorable; and the super private Caymus wine dinner introduced us to a slew of boutique labels.
A couple of quick tips around securing a specialty dining experience: book early, pre-cruise if possible, since demand is high and seating is limited; keep a backup venue or experience handy; and be aware of the business-casual dress code that most niche dinners require. And bring your appetite!
The Views
One of my most memorable moments aboard the Discovery Princess was on the day passengers were encouraged to be up early, and to get up on the top deck. On this fifth morning of our cruise, we glided down Endicott Arm, a 30-mile fjord inside the Tongass National Forest with glass-like waters and pristine landscapes. Dawes Glacier sits at the south head of this narrow fjord and is the site of regular calving — ice chunks of varying sizes, from a few inches to several stories wide, breaking off and serenely gliding past visiting vessels.
Fact is, it's the visuals that you hear the most about from people who've sailed Alaska before — how gorgeous and magnificent they are. And they're not exaggerating. These few hours down Endicott Arm were among countless moments during our week-long cruise marked by remarkable, memorable vistas, often enhanced by wildlife. Pulling in and out of ports of call like Ketchikan, Skagway and Juneau, and our one full day at sea on the way back to Seattle, always offered sweeping views. It was all a reminder of what a natural wonder Alaska is, and the opportunity to get up close personal with the state's environmental wonders is both moving and inspiring.
The Excursions
Princess has been taking cruises across Alaska for more than 55 years, and that longevity translates to dependability when it comes to excursions. There are dozens and dozens of options to choose from, and at each port of call, and we found them all to be expertly scheduled and led. The toughest part was selecting the few we'd get to do.
One of our favorite afternoons on land took us to the rainforests of Ketchikan: gorgeous terrain and the exhilaration of zooming across the canopy on zip lines. It was a great way to connect with other people and with a beautiful slice of Alaska's natural world.
Captain Tony has his own shortlist of his passengers' top-line activities: "Guests enjoy ... whale watching, the White Pass Rail in Skagway and the Mount Roberts Tramway in Juneau." And although his own ability to head ashore is limited, "my family has been on a number of tours, and they prefer the adventure excursions, such as zip lining, kayaking, rock climbing and hiking."
The best tip around booking excursions is timing: demand is high for big-ticket experiences like mushing with huskies or trekking across glaciers, so book these early, well before your cruise. Also, take time to research all your options; wildlife adventures aside, there are tons of options that revolve around a slew of personal interests, like food and culture.
And stick to booking with Princess directly; it's the best way to guarantee returning to the ship on time, before it sets sail again.
The Onboard Fun
Despite a fantastic roster of on-land options, I'm not going to lie — the to-do list onboard was tough to resist. And that speaks to the attention placed on the quality and quantity of experiences aboard the Discovery Princess. The 19-deck vessel has a passenger capacity of about 3600, but the ability to tap activities that cater to your individual likes creates plenty of moments that feel intimate and personal.
Captain Tony touts the ship's "high-quality entertainment, such as the production shows," and we concur. My wife and I like audience-participation activities, and we were pumped to join in on karaoke competitions and trivia matches, and to take top prize in our cruise's version of The Newlywed Game. We got a kick out of the themed nights, which got us dressing up each evening and posing for a slew of professional shots throughout the ship; it was like reliving prom night, over and over again.
We loved the morning yoga classes, the 100-minute spa treatment at the luxe Lotus Spa, the special wine tasting event led by the ship's food-and-beverage team, and the surprise onboard visit by puppies-in-training for the annual Iditarod.
Don't forget to manage your time, though, and build in plenty of down time, too. Just know that a slew of activities that fit the bill for you awaits.