Jul 4-11, 2027 Star Princess Round trip from Seattle
One morning the ship sails up a narrow fjord to the face of a glacier. The rest of the week is totem poles in Ketchikan, a Gold Rush town in Skagway, and a capital city with no road in. Matt is on board the whole way.
Until departure
Cabins are held for the group, not sold online
Answer a few quick questions. Then Matt will call you for a short chat. He will go over the cabins, the ports and what to do on each day. You pay nothing, and nothing is held until you say so.
7-Day Inside Passage (Roundtrip Seattle)
You sail north from Seattle through the Inside Passage, Alaska's sheltered coastal route, then back down through Canada. Here are four of the best days.
Jul 6
Totem poles stand all over this old fishing town. Your ticket to the Lumberjack Show with the group is included. The ship is in from 6:30 in the morning until 3:00.
Jul 7
Early on day four the ship turns into a narrow fjord and sails up to the face of a glacier. Ice floats past your balcony. This runs 5:00 to 9:00 in the morning, so set an alarm.
Jul 7
No road reaches Alaska’s capital. You get there by boat or by plane. Whale boats and the Mendenhall Glacier both leave from here, and the ship stays until 9:00 at night.
Jul 8
A Gold Rush town at the top of the Inside Passage. Eleven hours in port, your longest stop of the week. The old railway over the pass leaves from the dock.
Princess Cruises on the Star Princess. Ports and times may change. Two of your 8 days are at sea.
Who books this trip
01
It sits near the top of almost every list, and it is closer than people think. This one starts in Seattle, so the flight to the ship is a domestic one.
02
A morning at a glacier, four port towns, and a lot of wild coast in between. You can add a whale boat in Juneau or the old railway in Skagway.
03
Matt pairs solo travelers with a cabin mate, so no one pays extra to room alone. Want a cabin to yourself? Matt can price that for you.
04
Matt is on board the whole time. There are planning calls before you go. You will know a few faces at dinner on the first night.
Most guests are 35 to 70, with about as many men as women.
Day 4, before breakfast
The ship leaves the open water and turns into Endicott Arm, a fjord so narrow the walls rise on both sides of you. At the end of it is Dawes Glacier, where the ice meets the sea. In July the sun is up by four in the morning, so you see all of it.
Ice floats past the ship on the way in. People stand at the rail in coats pulled over pajamas, and almost nobody talks. The ship is in the fjord from 5:00 to 9:00 in the morning, so set an alarm. It is back out and docked in Juneau by half past twelve.
This is on the ship's schedule, so there is nothing to book and nothing extra to pay. You only have to be awake for it.
What it costs, and what it covers
That is most of the gap between this price and the lower one you may see online. Before you compare, check what each price includes.
Your flights are not included, and that is on purpose. You can use your miles, fly from your home airport and pick your own seat. Matt can book them for you.
The lowest price
$2,699
per person, based on two sharing
A window, no balcony
$3,999
per person, based on two sharing
Your own balcony
$4,099
per person, based on two sharing
More room, same balcony
$4,399
per person, based on two sharing
The most room
$4,899
per person, based on two sharing
$500 per person holds a cabin. The rest is due March 22, 2027.
Traveling alone? Matt can pair you with a cabin mate, so you pay the shared price. Want the cabin to yourself? Matt can tell you what that costs.
Your host
Matt Dawson has planned bucket list trips for 6 years, and he will not sell a place he has not been to himself.
He is on board for all 7 nights, in a cabin down the hall from yours, so nobody is handing you to a rep at the port and disappearing.
Before you ask
No. Matt helps you choose before you go. The Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan is already included for the group. In the other ports you pick what you want. Not everyone wants the same day in Juneau.
Nobody can promise a whale. July is the busy season for them in these waters, and people do see them from the ship. If it matters to you, book a whale boat in Juneau, where the crews know where to look. Matt will tell you which trip to pick.
Princess shows a cruise-only sale price that changes week to week. This price includes things most people buy anyway. That means 15 drinks a day, Wi-Fi, crew tips, specialty coffee and casual meals. It also includes the Lumberjack Show, the group ride to the airport, and Matt on board. Ask Matt to show you both prices side by side. If booking direct is better for you, he will say so.
Day two and day six are at sea. The ship has its North to Alaska program on Alaska sailings, so local guides come on board to talk about the coast, the food and the wildlife. Those days are also when the group gets to know each other.
Just ask. These five types are held for the group. If another type is still open, Matt can usually get it. The price and the deposit will change with the cabin.
$500 per person holds your cabin. The rest is due by March 22, 2027. That is about three and a half months before you sail. It costs nothing to talk with Matt, and nothing is held until you say so.
Traveling alone? Matt can pair you with a cabin mate, so you pay the shared price. Want the cabin to yourself? Matt can tell you what that costs.
It is not required, but Matt strongly suggests it. He works with Faye to help you pick a plan. If you have to cancel, the Princess rules apply. They get stricter as the trip gets closer, which is why insurance matters here.
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), at both ends. Fly in at least a day early. The ship leaves at 3:00 PM and will not wait. Matt can help with a hotel for the night before. At the end of the trip, the group ride from the ship back to the airport is included.
Jul 4-11, 2027 From $2,699 per person
Send Matt your questions. He will tell you honestly if this trip is right for you. It costs nothing to talk.