Discovery Princess Cruise Ship Assessment

Like many dads, mine is a person of few phrases over textual content; he’s well-known in my household for responding to virtually something with a single thumbs-up emoji. However once I texted him final March asking if he needed to go on an Alaska cruise, my cellphone instantly lit up with an enthusiastic “Hell yeah.”

9 weeks later, we discovered ourselves in a helicopter hovering over the Port of Skagway, the large, 145,000-ton Discovery Princess cruise ship we had simply disembarked shrinking within the distance. Skagway is the northernmost ice-free port in North America, and its surrounding mountains had been principally inexperienced in June, with modest caps of snow — however our surroundings was about to drastically change in a matter of minutes. 

On our ultimate flip, pine forests gave method to an virtually blinding blanket of white. We had been touchdown on a glacier, the place a distant camp with a couple of hundred huskies and a hearty crew of mushers had been ready to take us on a sled trip. As we made our means from the improvised helipad in knee-deep snow, the canine barked and howled to greet us.

Associated: All 16 Princess Cruises Ships, From Latest to Oldest

5 summers in the past, my dad and I began an annual journey custom. We stay in seashore cities on reverse coasts, and we are inclined to go for the kinds of experiences neither of us will get at house. This was our second journey to Alaska, however our first cruise collectively. Watching my dad pump his fist in pleasure because the canine took off and our sled glided swiftly over the ice, it clicked: this is why cruises are so widespread for multi-generational journey. 

We had been 4 days into our seven-day Inside Passage crusing from Seattle, and whereas I had been most wanting ahead to our excursions, our house base aboard the Discovery Princess, paired with on-shore thrills, created the proper stability. Off the ship, we had been testing ourselves and making an attempt new issues. On the ship, there have been acquainted comforts for each of us. To wind down after ziplining via treetops in Juneau, my New York-Italian dad may park himself at Crooners (or, as he known as it, “The Frank Sinatra Bar”), a Rat Pack-inspired spot with traditional drinks and a pianist cranking out oldies. I may begin my day with a pilates class and a cappuccino earlier than heading into Ketchikan for an off-road UTV safari (at house, I’m keen on Uber).

Discovery Princess took its maiden voyage in 2022 and holds as much as 3,660 passengers in its 1,830 staterooms. It has children’ golf equipment spanning toddlers to teenagers; a spa, health club, on line casino, and a number of bars and lounges for adults; and loads of areas all ages can take pleasure in, together with informal eating places, a stay theater, 4 swimming pools, an outside film deck, and a miniature golf course.

The expansive ship’s MedallionClass expertise permits journey buddies to trace one another through wearable tech — a characteristic that turns out to be useful once you, ahem, don’t at all times get a really detailed textual content again.

Right here’s what it was prefer to expertise Discovery Princess on a seven-day Alaska Inside Passage crusing and why it makes for a perfect father-daughter journey.

The Staterooms 

Of the 1,830 staterooms on board, 42 are suites, and two are Sky Suites, the top-tier providing. Every Sky Suite sleeps as much as 5 friends and contains two bogs related by a lounge, 4 TVs, and the biggest personal balconies of any Princess ship. The Sky Suite balconies are the very best seats in the home for “film underneath the celebs” nights, whereas everybody else watches from the pool deck. We stayed in a balcony stateroom, which got here with two beds, a desk, patio furnishings, and a closet. The impartial, sand-colored room design with water-blue accents labored as effectively for coastal Alaska as it could for a cruise to sunny Mexico. At about 222 sq. ft, it felt like shut quarters, and though we made it work, I might advocate a set or two balcony staterooms for a household journey for those who can swing it. There are 100 connecting staterooms and 40 accessible staterooms on board. 

Bars and Eating places

Our Princess Premiere bundle ($90 per individual per day) included limitless top-shelf cocktails and specialty eating, and in seven nights, we by no means ran out of restaurant or bar choices, although we rapidly discovered our go-to bar (Crooners) and revisited typically. Discovery Princess is one in all solely two Princess ships that options “360: An Extraordinary Expertise,” our favourite dinner of the journey. It is an immersive meal that could possibly be kitschy however is as a substitute fairly spectacular, taking a small group of friends across the Mediterranean in seven programs via meals, drink, storytelling, particular results, and impeccable service. The $149 cowl cost is value it; we sipped ElixSea wine, aged beneath the Mediterranean Sea. 

Discovery Princess additionally affords the particular Caymus Winemaker Dinner, a five-course meal paired with wines from California’s Caymus Vineyards, chosen by proprietor and winemaker Chuck Wagner. Of the specialty eating places in our bundle, modern steakhouse Crown Grill and contemporary seafood restaurant The Catch by Rudi stood out. There may be additionally Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, Gigi’s Pizzeria, two conventional cruise eating rooms, and Worldwide Cafe, a 24-hour espresso store and bakery that was buzzing with patrons brilliant and early each morning.

Apart from Crooner’s, bars included Bellini’s, the place you’ll be able to mingle with a glass of Champagne overlooking the happenings within the ship’s Piazza (most frequently used as a dance ground); Good Spirits at Sea, the place cocktail followers will discover the ship’s most educated mixologists; and O’Malley’s Irish Pub, with traditional libations and stay performances. 

The place Discovery Princess Sails

In 2025-2026, Discovery Princess will as soon as once more sail a number of routes via Alaska (we began and resulted in Seattle and stopped in Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Victoria, Canada, plus a scenic sail via Glacier Bay Nationwide Park). It would additionally sail to Mexico (Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta); from Vancouver to Los Angeles with stops in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and San Diego; from Honolulu, Hawaii to Vancouver; and from Seattle to Singapore.

Shore Excursions

For individuals who take pleasure in out of doors journey, shore excursions are, for sure, the spotlight of any cruise to Alaska. Princess’s tour choices had been plentiful and versatile — after deciding we’d spent sufficient time on the water, I used to be capable of alternate a whale-watching day journey for a UTV off-roading expertise, and I additionally added a White Go Railroad journey to our day in Skagway on the final minute, a stay Gold Rush historical past lesson that took us over the Canadian border and had us recognizing black bears. Nonetheless, it’s finest to e-book early to ensure you don’t miss out by yourself must-do actions. The aforementioned helicopter to a glacier for dogsledding was the very best cruise tour I’ve skilled, although watching my dad fly via his first zipline was an in depth second. On a fast stopover in Victoria, we tasted craft beer at a neighborhood brewery, and we additionally had the prospect to style contemporary native crab on land at Tracy’s King Crab Shack in Juneau and George Inlet Lodge in Ketchikan. 

Facilities and Leisure 

Princess Theater is the place the ship’s splashiest productions happen, however for extra low-key leisure, you’ll discover comedy reveals, interactive recreation reveals, and dance lessons. We stayed away from the Las Vegas-style on line casino, although it was very fashionable. I most loved stumbling upon stay musical acts, from jazz musicians to piano-playing crooners to folks bands, at lounges throughout the ship. 

As for facilities, Discovery Princess has 4 swimming pools (Alaskan climate didn’t tempt me in, even in summer season, although the youngsters on board weren’t deterred), 10 sizzling tubs, a really small miniature golf course, and a monitor. The health club and spa choices really feel luxurious — health lessons included Pure Barre and Membership Pilates, amongst different recognizable names — and the full-service Lotus Spa features a salon and the Enclave, a serene hydrotherapy house.

These touring with out children will need to learn about The Sanctuary, an adults-only retreat on the highest deck with lounge chairs, spa meals, steward service, and open-air therapeutic massage choices. My dad and I sat for hours underneath blankets right here, watching Glacier Bay Nationwide Park move by and recognizing endangered humpback whales. (Reservations are required.)

Household-friendly Choices

A colleague on the ship together with her teenage daughter had loads of time to learn and calm down due to The Seashore Home, a hangout for 13-to17-year-olds, the place her lovable daughter had a blast and made extra buddies than any of us adults. There’s additionally a forest-themed play house for 3-to-7-year-olds (assume: pajama film nights and humanities and crafts) and a membership for 8-to-12-year-olds with science packages and sports-themed competitions. Throughout a day at sea via Glacier Nationwide Park, each children and adults liked studying about their pure environment when park rangers got here on board.

Accessibility

Discovery Princess has 40 accessible staterooms. An on-line information maps out the accessible public restrooms, routes, elevators, and facilities on its 19 decks.