That surprises me a little because I’ve been on 15 Princess cruises (2005-2022) and they’ve usually had hundreds of under 18’s. Often as many or 700-800. The “kids onboard” issue has historically has been the subject of much drama on the Cruise Critic forums on both the Princess and Celebrity boards: various posters vigorously expressing their consternation over the number (and behavior) of all the kids. That being said, schools are back in session in September so the peak number of kids would be July/August.
Edited: I just realized you said “younger folks” not youngsters. So I think I misunderstood you but I’m leaving up my general comment that Princess attracts plenty of families and kids.
Search Youtube for Best Alaska Cruise Ships 2023. A clip showed up on my feed today about the ships and itineraries. It goes through the bars and restaurants, some features of the ships like pools and slides, and the size.
Some do sail out of Vancouver for which you’d need a passport and usually the airfare is a lot more than into Seattle.
A while ago (I mean 15 years ago) we went on a Celebrity cruise to Alaska out of Seattle. If I had no time constraints I would have gone out of Vancouver but we had a wedding in WA state to attend so it fit. At the time my D was 14 and they had a nice youth program where she met and hung out with several kids her age (she was an only child and this was one of her favorite trips we took). They wandered all over the ship in a little pack, lightly supervised by an activities “counselor,” and she enjoyed it. I felt that Celebrity was a good value for the money, with very good food considering the mass feeding and watering aspect. We liked the low-key bourgeois crowd. We decided to do concierge class and we had a balcony, which in Alaska is very important and worth the money. We saw whales, seals, dolphins from our stateroom and passed some stunning coastal scenery. It’s the only cruise I’ve taken but I have no complaints and would recommend Celebrity in a heartbeat. The service was very good, the ship was immaculate, and the staff took pride in what they did at every level.
One thing we realized is that the ports of call (Sitka, Juneau, Ketchikan etc.) all have very active volunteer local historical societies that will give you a tour of the town and plenty of info without a need to sign up for expensive and rigid tours. The towns are all quite small and easily walkable on your own.
Has nothing to do with kids being in school. In May you will miss wildlife.
“The best time to visit Alaska is between mid-June and mid-September. The warmer weather and long days make this a particularly pleasant time of year, with temperatures in the cool-but-comfortable range of 60 to 67°F.
Alaska’s wildlife, including bears, sea otters, seals and whales, is visible throughout this period, with June and July the best months for sightings.
The weather in Alaska changes very quickly at any time of year. However, many excursions stop operating in early September, in anticipation of the winter weather. The winter months are best avoided, unless you’re looking for winter sports or to see the northern lights in extreme conditions.”
Hopefully all of you know that the Alaska State Ferries out of Bellingham, WA have accommodation and food on board. A ranger joins the boat to talk about the wildlife and scenery. It has been years since I last did this, but it is possible to take the ferry, get off at each port and spend a day or three before joining another ferry. In another part of my life, I spent summers in Juneau. The town is plenty historic and interesting, as are all the towns in SE Alaska, but with a car there are gorgeous places to hike and explore. Having been in Juneau as well as other spots when cruise ships arrive, it very much changes the nature of the town to have the tourist throngs present.
Hey, I kept it upscale by mentioning beds rather than the solarium or deck in a sleeping bag, which was my MO back in the day. But agreed, those looking for luxury might be less than satisfied.
We took 12 family members on an Alaska cruise about 5 yrs ago. I wanted to take celebrity (aqua class) but due to the dates they traveled and work schedules of several family members, who didnt want to mess up 2 work weeks , we took a Sunday to Sunday cruise (IIRC) on Princess. Booked early so was able to get a few perks (specialty dining room one night, free bottle of wine and a few other things, maybe also discounts, I can’t recall. It was during our anniversary, which was mentioned during booking, and we got more free wine ( ) and a door decorated upon our arrival. Princess was fine. All had a good time.
) and a door decorated upon our arrival. Princess was fine. All had a good time.