Princess Cruises to Offer Special Northern Lights Programming on 2024 Alaska Cruises

Princess Cruises shared details about special programming it will offer for its 2024 Alaska season, the 55th anniversary year the line has cruised to the Last Frontier. This year’s theme is ‘North to Alaska with Princess’ where it will feature an immersive ‘Voyage to the Stars’ experience allowing the chance for all guests to see the Northern Lights on their Alaska cruise. 

In Voyage to the Stars, Princess guests will step inside a planetarium in their ship’s Princess Theater for a front-row seat to a special "Northern Lights" presentation. This event will showcase the beauty and wonder of this phenomenon featuring live imagery. 

"Each season in Alaska we strive to deliver enriching experiences for our guests to feel immersed in the beauty and local culture of this spectacular destination," said Terry Thornton, chief commercial officer of Princess Cruises. "After receiving our highest guest satisfaction ranking ever last season, we knew we wanted to design elevated programming to further connect our guests to all of the wonders of the 49th state for our 55th anniversary season."

The 2024 Alaska season for Princess will include a total of 158 departures on 14 itineraries with 17 destinations and five glacier viewing experiences. Cruises will be offered on 7 ships - Majestic Princess, Discovery Princess, Ruby Princess, Sapphire Princess, Crown Princess, Royal Princess, and Grand Princess. 

The 55th anniversary season will include 91 visits to Glacier Bay National Park, taking more guests through this experience than any other cruise line. This includes the special ‘Voyage of the Glaciers’ itineraries between Anchorage and Vancouver, and Inside Passage voyages that sail roundtrip from Seattle, San Francisco, and Vancouver. 

Read Related: Princess Cruises Announces 2024 Alaska Season 

The North to Alaska by Princess program has been designed by regional experts to showcase local storytellers, cultural experiences, and the flavors of Alaska. Following is a look at what is new in 2024 for North to Alaska by Princess:

• Cook My Catch at The Catch by Rudi - Guests on Majestic Princess and Discovery Princess can opt for special Princess shore excursions where they fish and catch their own seafood, and then enjoy it that evening at the specialty seafood restaurant, The Catch by Rudi. 
• Crabshack - The four-course fan-favorite meal returns. Crabshack features a range of seafood favorites, including popcorn shrimp, clam chowder, and even an Alaska-inspired steamer pot full of crab legs, shrimp, clams, and mussels. Guests will find this pop-up dining event in the World Fresh Marketplace on all ships sailing in Alaska this season. 
• Salmon Cooking Demonstration -  Guests can enjoy a new salmon cooking demonstration on the last sea day of the cruise. Expert chefs will showcase the art of preparing and cooking salmon. 
• Pendleton: A Partnership Highlighting American Craftsmanship - For the 55th anniversary of sailing to Alaska, Princess has partnered with Pendleton, the iconic lifestyle brand that has been based in the Pacific Northwest for over 100 years. Popular Pendleton blankets, flannels, coats, graphic tees, and more will be available for purchase onboard and at the Princess Wilderness Lodges. Specially designed for Princess, Pendleton will sell a commemorative limited edition "Alaska, The Great Land" blanket. 
• Shore Excursions - Princess has added 13 new shore excursions to its already abundant lineup. In Juneau, guests can opt for two new tours - Juneau Highlights: Glacier Gardens & Whale Park or Treadwell: Living History Walk of Alaska's Lost Mine. During Ketchikan port visits, new excursions include a Crab Feast at George Inlet Lodge or Exclusive Flightseeing and a Taste of Alaska. In Skagway, guests can opt for a new White Pass Steam Train tour to Bennett Lake. For visits to Haines, Princess will offer three special excursions - Port Chilkoot Distillery Tour & Tastings, the Stories of Haines E-Bike Tour, and the Stories of Haines E-Moped Tour. In Sitka, guests can opt for new tours including a Metal Torching Alaska Art Class, Advanced Mountain Bike Adventure, Guide's Choice Hike, Marine Expedition & Wildlife Quest, or the WaveRunner Island Exploration. 

Princess will also offer many new experiences for the North to Alaska programming on land at the Princess Wilderness Lodges. These include: 

Alaska Adventure Quest: Geocaching Expedition - Guests will use their cellphones as GPS devices or grab a map from the front desk at the lodge to follow clues and coordinates to find hidden caches strategically placed throughout the lodge properties. The new Geocaching Expedition program will be held at each of the five Princess Wilderness Lodges. 

Special Food and Beverage Programs - Leveraging local ingredients, guests can embark on a taste journey throughout the rugged wilderness of Alaska with signature-crafted cocktails, mocktails, and appetizers. At the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge and Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, Princess chefs will use natural resources to create seasonal menus made with on-property ingredients in drinks and dishes. At the Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge, a special tea experience will serve Alaska-sourced tea. Guests at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge can immerse themselves in the art of mixology with special cocktail-making classes.  At the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, guests can enjoy cooking demonstrations led by an expert chef crafting dishes inspired by the flavors of the region.

Naturalists Lead Outdoors Programs - Naturalist programs at the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge, Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, and Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge will immerse guests in the wilderness of Alaska with a unique and educational experience focused on the region's rich natural environment. 

Denali Education Center Presentations at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge - Guest can discover the wonders of Denali National Park as the Denali Education Center presents sessions on the region's natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage. Expert educators and naturalists will share their knowledge and passion for the ecosystem that surrounds the lodge. 

New Cruise Itineraries and Cruisestours for 2024

New for 2024 from Princess are seven-day Inside Passage itineraries (many including Glacier Bay National Park) round-trip from Vancouver on Ruby Princess. The cruises deliver four ports, including Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, with visits to Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier.

The line will also offer a total of 20 amazing cruisetours (cruise + land tour) that combine the Princess cruise experience with land-based visits to Denali National Park, Kenai Peninsula, Copper River, Fairbanks, and Anchorage, and all from the comfort of the exclusive Princess lodges. Celebrating the 55th anniversary, two new cruisetours will debut in 2024 - National Parks Tour (a 15-night adventure to five of Alaska's parks) and the Katmai National Park Tour (a nine-day cruisetour where guests have the chance to embark on an intimate bear-watching experience at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park).

Explore All 2024 Alaska Cruises from Princess