“Look, instantly overhead! A bald eagle!”
After I heard the thrill from the row behind me, I gazed up by the glass dome ceiling of the practice automotive and watched the majestic chicken race above us as we chugged by Alaska’s rugged inside.
I used to be on a Princess cruisetour, a two-in-one trip that enables seamless land and sea exploration of the forty ninth state through the cruise line’s personal trains, motorcoaches and lodges. These precruise or postcruise land excursions present direct entry to Denali Nationwide Park and even enterprise as far north as Fairbanks, with minimal planning required on the a part of company.
To maximise my time within the largest state within the U.S., reserving a cruisetour was a no brainer since Princess took care of all of the logistics, eradicating the effort of researching lodging, transportation and excursions, to not point out smaller particulars like bag transfers and eating.
Here is what my 11-day Princess cruisetour was like and why I might suggest it to anybody who desires to expertise all that Alaska has to supply within the simplest way attainable.
A seamless 2-in-1 journey
With greater than 55 years of expertise working in Alaska, Princess makes it straightforward to mix its six- to eight-night cruises with land-based excursions lasting wherever from three to 10 days. So whether or not you are brief on trip days or have limitless time, there is a cruisetour to suit your schedule.
I booked one of many shorter choices, which began in Anchorage and included three days at Princess’ lodges close to Denali Nationwide Park and adjoining Denali State Park earlier than I boarded the two,680-passenger Princess ship Sapphire Princess in Whittier for a seven-night Inside Passage cruise south to Vancouver, British Columbia.
Different individuals I met alongside the way in which had flown into Fairbanks and spent two nights at every of the lodges within the Denali space and Princess lodges elsewhere within the state earlier than they boarded the identical cruise as me. You possibly can even begin in Vancouver and finish your journey with the land portion.
For extra on deciding which Princess cruisetour is best for you, learn TPG’s guide to all the line’s options.
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A stress-free option to discover Alaska’s rugged inside
Irrespective of which cruisetour you guide, Princess handles your lodging, transfers and different logistics itself.
This implies I didn’t even have to attend in any traces at resort check-in. As quickly as I arrived at Anchorage’s historic Resort Captain Prepare dinner, a member of the Princess workers handed me my room key and baggage tags and walked me by the itinerary for the primary full day of the journey. The plan included a motorcoach journey north to Denali State Park, with a cease within the quirky one-road city of Talkeetna for lunch earlier than persevering with to Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, one of many 5 Princess-owned lodges within the state.
Associated: 3 ways Princess Cruises stands out in Alaska
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A classic airplane at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
When rain canceled a extra formidable hike in Denali State Park that afternoon, Princess routinely rebooked me on a guided nature stroll alongside close by Byers Lake. As we walked between the misty shore and the sting of the pine- and alder-filled forest, two informative and pleasant guides from Alaska Nature Guides taught us about edible crops and berries just like the tiny lowbush cranberry, even providing us snacks alongside the way in which. Once we witnessed a salmon leap out of the water, the guides took the time to clarify that after touring 1000’s of miles from the open ocean, many Pacific salmon lay their eggs right here earlier than dying, after which the cycle begins over again.
After a protracted day within the nice outdoor, I unwound at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge’s heat and convivial restaurant, the place I dined on Alaska specialties like contemporary halibut paired with cocktails made with regionally distilled vodka. Whereas I usually like researching native eating scenes in large cities, it was good to not spend time determining the place to eat on this distant location. And regardless that I used to be touring solo, I ended up chatting with the pleasant server and even a few of my fellow diners at a close-by desk concerning the day’s hikes and what we have been excited to expertise in a while within the journey.
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A visitor room at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
Since Princess staff deal with baggage transfers between every vacation spot, I boarded the bus to Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, simply outdoors of Denali Nationwide Park, the subsequent morning unencumbered. Shortly after arriving, a tour information picked us up instantly from the foyer and whisked us off for a bus tour of the park, the place we noticed snow-covered mountains, explored the 100-year-old Savage Cabin the place park rangers have sought shelter throughout winter storms for many years, and noticed moose within the distance. Whereas we did not get out and hike in the course of the bus tour, and principally noticed the park by the home windows, the tour information saved us entertained with anecdotes, each humorous and awe-inspiring, about her years of working within the park.
Within the evenings at each lodges, I slept soundly in cozy rooms, which have been each just lately renovated and provisioned with retro-style Pendleton wool blankets and high-end Beekman 1802 toiletries. The mattresses held me like a heat hug after lengthy days of exploring, and the rooms had a lot of nice particulars, like heated toilet flooring to keep at bay the chilly Alaska air outdoors.
Learn extra: Alaska’s Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge: The must-stay option on an Alaska cruisetour
From land to sea alongside Alaska’s ‘metal ribbon’
Although I rode north to Denali through motorcoach, simply after daybreak on the ultimate day of the land tour, I boarded a glass-domed practice automotive owned and operated by Princess (with engines rented from the Alaska Railroad) for the voyage to the Whittier cruise port.
Over the subsequent eight hours, whereas we rode Alaska Railroad’s iconic “metal ribbon” south, our information Pete entertained us with tales, jokes and historic context because the surroundings transitioned from boreal forest and snowcapped peaks to coastal fjords and primordial glaciers.
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Contained in the Princess dome automotive trains on the Alaska Railroad. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
When it got here time to eat, the eating automotive served hearty fare like bacon-topped cinnamon rolls and reindeer sausage breakfast burritos within the morning, then native salmon BLTs within the afternoon, including to the sense of place because the state whizzed by outdoors.
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Eating automotive on the Princess practice. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
Lengthy earlier than we reached the port, Princess staff got here by the practice automobiles to confirm passports and distribute the medallions that we might use to pay for facilities and providers on board the ship. This handy course of saved worthwhile time on the port and was considered one of my favourite particulars of all the land-to-sea expertise. Inside minutes of stepping off the practice in Whittier, I used to be by safety and on board the vessel, the place I discovered my baggage already ready for me in my cabin.
A soothing time at sea
Following three whirlwind days of climbing and exploring the Denali space by motorcoach and practice, I used to be prepared for the extra relaxed tempo of the seven-night cruise south alongside Alaska’s Inside Passage to Vancouver.
Scenic cruising days
The primary few days aboard have been sea days — of the extremely scenic form — as Sapphire Princess reduce its means by Prince William Sound and alongside the dramatic coast of Wrangell-St. Elias Nationwide Park, the place we spent a day watching chunks of blue ice calve from Hubbard Glacier.
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Nationwide park rangers on board Sapphire Princess in Glacier Bay Nationwide Park. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
In Glacier Bay Nationwide Park, park rangers boarded the ship to supply commentary on the practically two dozen glaciers we noticed all through the day. Stress-free on my personal balcony, I noticed sea otters, sea lions and even the uncommon whale spout (pack a pair of binoculars!).
Historic ports and adventurous excursions
Totally restored, I used to be able to hit the bottom operating and uncover a unique a part of Alaska throughout our three port calls in Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. With excursions booked instantly with Princess, all I needed to do was stroll off the ship and meet my native tour information ready at every dock.
My time in Skagway centered in town’s Klondike gold rush historical past through guided excursions on a renovated 1927 yellow bus by downtown and the narrow-gauge White Cross & Yukon Railroad inbuilt 1900 to take prospectors as much as the Yukon.
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Skagway, Alaska. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
In Juneau, the state’s capital, a helicopter took me and different intrepid passengers as much as Mendenhall Glacier for an exciting two-hour hike by the ice discipline, the place I realized correct crampon method and drank contemporary glacial water straight from the supply.
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Creek Avenue in Ketchikan. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
Ketchikan was the backdrop for a extra stress-free journey within the type of a 90-minute sea kayaking tour that circumvented an island that’s residence to not one however two bald eagle nests. Alongside the rocky coast, our guides identified a large purple starfish, and a curious Steller sea lion popped as much as say good day as we paddled alongside. Again on the town, the Nice Alaskan Lumberjack Present provided a light-hearted cultural expertise. Two groups of lumberjacks competed in occasions like pace climbing, log rolling and extra.
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Downtown Juneau. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
Even with a busy schedule full of excursions, I nonetheless had free time to cease for lunch and store in every port. On the Skagway Brewing Co., I loved regionally caught greenling battered with the brewery’s Spruce Tip Ale. At David’s Fish Camp in Juneau, I washed down an order of fish tacos with a rhubarb gin and tonic from Amalga Distillery simply up the block, which was nominated for a James Beard Award for Greatest Bar in 2025. I even popped into the outlets alongside Creek Avenue to pick some early Christmas presents for my household in Ketchikan.
Life on board
Again on board the ship, there have been dozens of locations to eat, drink and be entertained. A eating spotlight was the ship’s specialty Italian restaurant, Sabatini’s, the place I loved a five-course meal of salad, creamy burrata, al dente carbonara pasta, tender osso buco and a mouthwatering flourless almond torte.
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Alfredo’s Pizzeria on Sapphire Princess. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
Within the evenings, the onboard lounges hosted reside jazz or salsa bands or themed trivia occasions that examined passengers’ data on subjects like musicals, motion pictures and extra. The theater featured nightly reveals that ranged from Lionel Richie tributes to comedy juggling acts.
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Sundown from my balcony. LYNDSEY MATTHEWS/THE POINTS GUY
After extra adventurous days, I would bask in an ice cream sundae on the roof deck whereas watching motion pictures below the celebrities. For a comfortable evening in, I would take pleasure in a room-service cheeseburger on my balcony whereas watching an epic Alaska sundown gentle up the sky vivid pink.
Reserving and value
Princess Alaska cruisetours final 10 to 17 days and will be booked instantly on princess.com. In 2026, fares for 10-day cruisetours begin at $2,600 per individual, primarily based on double occupancy. Longer 17-day cruisetours begin at $8,126 per individual, primarily based on double occupancy.
Backside line
A cruise is an effective way to see Alaska. To get the total expertise of what the forty ninth state has to supply, although, I extremely suggest reserving a Princess cruisetour. The times I spent immersed in nature, climbing in Denali State Park and using the rails by the mountains of Denali Nationwide Park on the land tour, gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of Alaska’s pure wonders, and completely complemented the coastal adventures I had on board the ship later within the journey.
Usually, planning a two-in-one trip on land and sea can be loads to juggle. However when you’re additionally hoping to see as a lot of the biggest state as attainable in a single journey, a cruisetour can also be for you. At the same time as an skilled traveler, I used to be grateful that Princess dealt with the advanced logistics overlaying that a lot floor in order that I might deal with having fun with myself and reside within the second, worry-free.
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