Alaska Inside Passage

Home for 7 nights. Star Princess — 3,660 passengers, 15 decks of dining, bars, pools, and entertainment.

MAIN DINING — INCLUDED
— Aurora Dining Room (Deck 6) · Formal sit-down dinner · Vegetarian menu available · Reserve time slot in app · Formal nights: Aug 24 and Aug 28 · Ask sommelier for wine pairing
— Celestial Dining Room (Deck 7) · Same menu as Aurora · Alternative if Aurora is full
— Americana Diner (Deck 9) · Classic diner, open late · Good breakfast backup
— The Eatery (Deck 9) · Casual buffet · Vegetarian friendly · Quick meals between activities

CASUAL DINING — PRINCESS PLUS CREDIT (4 meals, Shiv & Megha only)
— Alfredo's Pizzeria (Deck 9) · Best pizza on the ship · Thin-crust Neapolitan · Vegetarian: margherita, four cheese, roasted vegetable · Book early — fills up fast · Drink: Aperol Spritz
— O'Malley's Irish Pub (Deck 7) · Pub food, lively atmosphere · Vivaan: fish and chips · Drink: Guinness on draft

CASUAL FOOD — ALWAYS FREE
— Lido Grill (Deck 17) · Buffet all day · Good for quick port mornings
— Lido Tacos (Deck 17) · Lunch, vegetarian bean and cheese option
— Lido Greens (Deck 17) · Salad bar · Best vegetarian option on pool deck
— Lido Slice (Deck 17) · Pizza, always open · Vivaan's late night go-to
— Promenade Grill (Deck 9) · Burgers and grilled food
— Promenade Slice (Deck 9) · Second pizza location

ICE CREAM — FREE
— Coffee and Cones (Deck 17) · Soft serve + coffee · Go early morning
— Promenade Ice Cream (Deck 9) · Second location, open longer hours

COFFEE — INCLUDED WITH PRINCESS PLUS
— International Cafe (Deck 9) · Open 24 hours · Best coffee on the ship · Make this your morning ritual · Drink: flat white or cortado
— Coffee Currents (Deck 7) · Near The Piazza · Good mid-afternoon stop
— Fitness Bar (Deck 18) · Smoothies post-workout

BARS — PRINCESS PLUS COVERS UP TO $15
— Lido Bar (Deck 17) · Poolside · Most social bar · Drink: frozen piña colada
— Cascade Bar (Deck 17) · Quieter alternative to Lido Bar
— Sea View Bar (Deck 17) · Outdoor, ocean views
— Mix Cocktail Bar (Deck 17) · Craft cocktails · Ask for their Alaska voyage special
— Star Bar (Deck 18) · Upper deck, panoramic views · Less crowded · Drink: whisky sour at sunset
— Promenade Bar (Deck 9) · Central bar, good for people watching
— Wheelhouse Bar (Deck 7) · Best ambience on ship · Live music evenings · Drink: dark and stormy
— Bellini's Cocktail Bar (Deck 7) · Italian themed · Drink: Bellini (prosecco + peach) — order the namesake
— Princess Live Bar (Deck 7) · Good before shows
— Crooners (Deck 8) · Piano bar · Best late night spot · Drink: martini — they take them seriously · Go after 10pm
— Good Spirits at Sea (Deck 7) · Cocktail making class · ~$30-40/person · Book ahead · Fun sea day activity
— O'Malley's Bar (Deck 7) · Irish pub · Guinness on draft · Sports on TV

DECK 19 · Jogging track — best views on the ship, run early morning · Sky Deck Sports Club — basketball, pickleball for Vivaan and the other family's kid

DECK 18 · The Dome — panoramic glass dome, best seat for scenic cruising and Endicott Arm at 5am, claim a spot early · Movie Under the Stars — outdoor screen, blankets provided, check Patter for schedule · Fitness Studio — go early on sea days · Sanctuary Club — adults-only, padded loungers, ~$20-30/half day, worth it on at-sea days

DECK 17 · Main pool — go early morning or during port days when the ship is quiet · All casual food and poolside bars

DECK 16 · Sea View Terrace — hidden gem, quieter than Lido, good for reading and watching the coastline · Laundromat — bring quarters

DECK 9 · International Cafe open 24hrs — make it your morning base · Alfredo's and all Promenade dining

DECK 8 · Princess Arena — main theatre, book seats in app for popular shows · Spellbound — escape room, book ahead, great for both families · Crooners — best late night bar · Wake View Terrace — aft deck, ship's wake views, stunning for sunsets looking back at where you've been, underused by most passengers

DECK 7 · The Piazza — always something happening, live music, afternoon tea · Wheelhouse Bar best for evenings · Neon Grove Tweens Club — drop Vivaan here, staff supervised, he'll make friends, use the time for yourselves

DECK 6 · Your stateroom 6237 · Aurora Dining Room · Lotus Spa — book treatments online before boarding, cheaper than onboard

TIPS
— Check the Patter daily — delivered to stateroom each evening for next day schedule
— Book Alfredo's and O'Malley's early in the voyage
— Port days = quiet ship. Best time for pool, spa, top decks
— OceanNow: order food and drinks anywhere on the ship via app, included with Princess Plus
— Neon Grove for Vivaan — use it, he will love it

Full day at sea sailing north through the Inside Passage along the British Columbia coast. 👔 Formal Night #1 — cocktail attire or better for dinner.

Good day to explore the ship, use one of your 4 casual dining credits, or book specialty dining for later in the voyage. Two birthday celebrations booked for Vivaan and Shiv — check with Guest Services about arrangements.

Princess Plus includes: cocktails & wine up to $15, MedallionNet Wi-Fi (1 device each), 4 casual dining meals, OceanNow delivery, and crew gratuities pre-paid.

Arrive 6:00 AM · Depart 3:00 PM — 9 hours ashore. Salmon Capital of the World.

PLAN
— 6:15 AM · Jellyfish Donut Shop — first stop off the ship while it's fresh
— 7:00 AM · Creek Street — historic boardwalk on stilts over Ketchikan Creek, former Gold Rush red-light district. Colorful wooden buildings, salmon visible in the creek (August is peak coho run). Dolly's House Museum (~$5)
— 7:45 AM · Ketchikan Creek salmon viewing — stand on the bridge and watch coho salmon fight upstream. Free, 5 minutes, genuinely impressive
— 8:15 AM · Taxi to Totem Bight State Historical Park (~$15 each way, 10 min). Reconstructed Tlingit clan house + 14 totem poles in a forest setting. Free entry, about 1 hour
— 9:45 AM · Back downtown
— 10:30 AM · Rainbird Trail — middle entry on Nordling Road. ~2 miles round trip, 1.5 hrs. Old-growth Sitka spruce, mossy temperate rainforest
— 12:30 PM · Lunch ashore
— 2:00 PM · Back to ship

FOOD & COFFEE
— Jellyfish Donut Shop — local favourite, get there early before they sell out
— Jeremiah's Coffee — best local coffee, good for a morning stop
— Annabelle's Famous Keg & Chowder House — waterfront, open early, good chowder (ask for vegetarian options). Vivaan: try the salmon chowder
— Hungry Bear Deli — casual sandwiches, good for a quick lunch
— Look for unique small eateries on Creek Street — ask locals what opened recently
— Sweet Mermaids — ice cream. Ask specifically for fireweed ice cream — uniquely Alaskan, floral and light. Not always available, worth asking

SUNRISE & PHOTOS
— Arrive at 6am just after sunrise. Creek Street at first light before tourist crowds is beautiful — golden light on coloured buildings over the water. Go straight there off the ship

BUDGET
— Jellyfish Donuts: ~$20
— Dolly's House Museum: ~$15
— Taxi to/from Totem Bight: ~$30
— Rainbird Trail: Free
— Total: ~$65

Scenic cruising 5:00 AM – 9:00 AM. Set a 4 AM alarm — this is one of the most dramatic moments of the trip.

The ship enters the fjord at 5 AM. Towering granite walls rise thousands of feet on both sides, with waterfalls cascading down. Dawes Glacier at the head of the arm calves icebergs directly into the water. Get to an upper open deck well before 5 AM to claim a spot.

Dress in full layers — gloves, warm hat, fleece under your rain jacket. It will be cold even in August.

Arrive 12:30 PM · Depart 9:15 PM — nearly 9 hours ashore. Alaska's capital, only accessible by air or sea.

PLAN
— 12:30 PM · Dock
— 12:45 PM · Waterfront walk — totem poles, humpback whale statue (free, 30 min)
— 1:30 PM · Taxi to Mendenhall Glacier (~20 min, ~$25 each way)
— 2:00 PM · Visitor Center — orientation film, telescopes pointed at glacier face
— 2:30 PM · Nugget Falls Trail — 1.3 miles one way, flat and paved, easy for Vivaan. Waterfall view + glacier across the lake
— 5:00 PM · Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure — upside-down trees, rainforest canopy walk, on the way back (~$30/adult, ~$20 child)
— 6:30 PM · Back downtown
— 7:00 PM · Dinner ashore
— 8:45 PM · Back on ship

FOOD & COFFEE
— Heritage Coffee — best local coffee in Juneau, multiple locations downtown
— Silverbow Bagels — beloved local institution, great for lunch. Good vegetarian options
— Sandpiper Cafe — good brunch spot if arriving earlier than planned
— Zerelda's Bistro — vegetarian-friendly dinner, small and cozy downtown spot
— Coppa — Italian, good for evening meal, vegetarian pasta options. Vivaan: good seafood pasta
— Look for crepes — search Yelp closer to trip for any crepe spots that have opened. Juneau is most likely of all ports to have one
— Sweet Tooth Cafe — ice cream. Ask for fireweed ice cream — made from the pink wildflower that blooms across Alaska in August. Floral, lightly sweet, uniquely Alaskan. Get it if they have it

SUNSET & PHOTOS
— August sunset in Juneau is around 9pm — you're there until 9:15pm. If the sky is clear, stay at the waterfront or Nugget Falls as long as possible. Late golden hour light on the glacier across Mendenhall Lake is exceptional
— The waterfront humpback whale statue at dusk makes a good photo with the harbour behind it

BUDGET
— Mendenhall entry: $10 (2 adults, Vivaan free under 15)
— Taxi to/from Mendenhall: ~$50
— Glacier Gardens: ~$80
— Total: ~$140

NOTES
— Mount Roberts Tramway is closed
— Drone flying not permitted at Mendenhall (Tongass National Forest)
— Confirm dock location closer to trip — most ships use Franklin Dock, walkable to downtown

Arrive 6:00 AM · Depart 5:00 PM — 11 hours ashore. Longest port day of the trip.

PLAN
— 6:00 AM · Dock. Breakfast on the ship — quiet, no crowds
— 8:30 AM · Pick up bikes at Sockeye Cycle (main rental operator downtown, e-bikes available)
— 9:00 AM · Ride Dyea Road along the Skagway River — flat to gentle grade, mountains on both sides. Ride as far as feels good (Dyea is 9 miles out) then turn back. Both families, both kids
— 12:30 PM · Return bikes
— 1:00 PM · Back on ship. Enjoy quiet decks and pool

FOOD & COFFEE
— Glacial Smoothies & Espresso — coffee stop before the bike ride, good smoothies for the kids
— Poppies Café — best breakfast in Skagway if you want something ashore instead of the ship
— Skagway Brewing Company — good casual lunch, vegetarian options. Vivaan: try the reindeer sausage if curious — a genuine Alaska experience
— Skagway Sweet Tooth Shoppe — ice cream and fudge. Ask for fireweed ice cream — uniquely Alaskan wildflower flavour, get it if they have it

SUNRISE & PHOTOS
— Arrive at 6am — be on the ship's deck as you sail into Skagway. The town sits at the end of a narrow fjord with mountains thousands of feet high on both sides. Sunrise light hitting the peaks while the ship glides in is one of the best photo moments of the whole trip. Set an alarm

BUDGET
— Bike rental (Sockeye Cycle): ~$35–50/person, e-bikes slightly more
— Breakfast on ship: included
— Total for both families: ~$200

Full day at sea cruising back south. 👔 Formal Night #2.

Last full day on the ship — good time for the Lotus Spa (Deck 6, same deck as your stateroom), a specialty dinner at Crown Grill or Sabatini's using your $50 onboard credit (non-refundable, must be spent before Aug 30), or a quiet afternoon on deck watching for wildlife on the return passage.

Onboard credits: $25 each for Shiv and Megha. Use for specialty dining, spa, or shore excursions booked onboard. Does not roll over.

Arrive 7:00 PM · Depart 11:59 PM — evening only. Passport required. Victoria is stunning at night.

PLAN
— 7:15 PM · Dock, walk to Inner Harbour (10–15 min walk)
— 7:30 PM · Inner Harbour — Parliament Buildings lit with 3,000+ bulbs, street performers, horse-drawn carriages, the grand Empress Hotel
— 8:15 PM · Watch sunset from the harbour walkway facing west — August sunset ~8:30pm with the Parliament Buildings behind you. Best photo of Victoria
— 8:30 PM · Fisherman's Wharf — 15 min walk from Inner Harbour. Colourful floating homes, food shacks, harbour seals that hang around the docks. Vivaan will love the seals
— 9:15 PM · Dinner ashore
— 11:00 PM · Back to ship

FOOD & COFFEE
— Nourish Kitchen & Cafe — excellent vegetarian restaurant, farm-to-table. Book a reservation before the trip. Best vegetarian meal of the whole cruise
— The Tapa Bar — tapas, vegetarian friendly, lively evening atmosphere, good for sharing plates
— Pagliacci's — casual Italian, good for families, no reservation needed
— Fisherman's Wharf food shacks — fish and chips, clam chowder. Vivaan: try the fresh Dungeness crab or fish and chips right on the floating dock
— Cold Comfort Creamery — best ice cream in Victoria, Inner Harbour area. Look for any local BC flavours — lavender, salal berry
— Murchie's Tea & Coffee — iconic Victoria institution since 1894, good for a quick coffee on the walk

SUNSET & PHOTOS
— Sunset from the Inner Harbour at ~8:30pm with the Parliament Buildings lit behind you is the signature Victoria shot. Position yourself on the harbour walkway facing west, Parliament at your back
— The Empress Hotel at night is beautifully lit — worth a photo and a quick walk through the lobby

NOTES
— Victoria is in Canada — USD accepted widely but have a small amount of CAD handy
— Skip the $15 ship shuttle, take Uber (~$10 CAD) directly to Inner Harbour
— Butchart Gardens skipped — non-refundable tickets + evening timing not ideal. Plan a dedicated Clipper day trip from Seattle instead

Arrive 7:00 AM at Smith Cove. End of voyage.

No ship transfer booked — arrange Uber/Lyft from the terminal in advance. If flying home, book no earlier than 11:30 AM departure to allow time for disembarkation, luggage, and getting to Sea-Tac.