Princess Expands North to Alaska for 2026 Sailings

Princess Cruises is widening the onboard side of its Alaska product for 2026, adding four new North to Alaska experiences across every Princess ship sailing the region this season while pairing the programming with destination-driven entertainment, enrichment and specialty dining.

The cruise line announced the additions in a March 19 update, positioning the expanded program around what it describes as its largest Alaska season yet: eight ships, 180 departures and visits to 19 destinations. The ships slated to carry the new programming are Star Princess, Coral Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Grand Princess, Emerald Princess, Discovery Princess and Island Princess.

What Princess is adding in Alaska

The new signature experiences are:

• The Glacier Experience: A Signature Princess Day
• Welcome to Alaska
• Après Sea
• Candlelight Concert Series: Fire & Ice

Together, they extend Princess’ North to Alaska platform beyond shore excursions and scenic cruising into more structured shipboard moments: glacier-viewing activations, destination orientation, post-adventure social time and Alaska-themed live music.

Princess first introduced North to Alaska in 2015. The program is built around local personalities, culture, food, educational events and destination-themed entertainment, with the goal of connecting guests to Alaska’s heritage, scenery and natural environment both onboard and ashore.

John-Paul Lamb, Princess Cruises’ vice president of entertainment, said the program is meant to bring guests closer to Alaska’s spirit, culture and natural beauty through local experts, Native storytellers, entertainment and scenic glacier viewing.

A broader onboard layer for the 2026 Alaska season

The move matters because Alaska is one of the most itinerary-led cruise regions in the market. Glacier calls, port days and land-and-sea cruisetours already do much of the storytelling. Princess is using North to Alaska to make the ship itself carry more of that destination identity.

That is especially important in 2026 because Princess is scaling the region with eight ships and 180 departures. With that many sailings, consistent programming can help guests feel they are on an Alaska cruise from the moment they board, not only during a port call or scenic cruising day.

Princess says the new experiences will be available on all eight Princess ships sailing Alaska in 2026. Some individual elements remain tied to the itinerary or sailing conditions. For example, Park Ranger commentary and specific Glacier Bay activations are tied to select Glacier Bay sailings, and stargazing is offered on select vessels when skies are dark.

The Glacier Experience becomes a signature day

The Glacier Experience: A Signature Princess Day is the clearest example of Princess turning a scenic-cruising highlight into a more complete onboard event.

According to Princess Cruises, the experience includes close-up glacier views, expert narration and Park Ranger commentary from the bridge and on deck on select Glacier Bay sailings. Guests can also access VIP viewing areas, visit Ranger information desks, attend presentations in the Princess Theater or Princess Arena, take part in Junior and Teen Ranger programs, and warm up on open decks with hot chocolate and consommé stations.

Princess lists several Glacier Bay North to Alaska activations under the new experience:

• What to Expect: Ice & Awe
• Park Voices: Glacier Bay, featuring Ranger and partner presentations onboard
• Live Glacier Commentary, with real-time narration during scenic viewing
• The Icefront Opens, offering access to bowfront viewing areas for glacier perspectives

For guests, the benefit is practical as well as atmospheric. Glacier days can be crowded around railings and observation areas, especially when weather and visibility are favorable. Programming that combines narration, Ranger access, presentations and designated viewing opportunities gives passengers more ways to understand what they are seeing and more structured options for how to experience it.

It also reinforces a key Alaska cruising distinction: the ship is not only transportation between ports. On glacier-viewing days, the ship becomes the platform for the destination itself.

Welcome to Alaska sets up the voyage

The second new experience, Welcome to Alaska, is designed as a voyage orientation. Princess describes it as a once-per-voyage presentation hosted by the Cruise Director, with guests able to meet a Naturalist and enrichment presenters while learning about the North to Alaska program.

For first-time Alaska cruisers, that type of session can help sort a dense lineup of programming. Alaska sailings can include scenic cruising, port calls, wildlife-focused talks, local speakers, family activities, specialty dining and shore time. A single overview early in the voyage gives guests a better chance to choose what matters most to them.

It also gives Princess a natural entry point for the broader North to Alaska calendar. Rather than asking guests to discover programming piecemeal, the line is packaging the destination story up front and connecting the Cruise Director, Naturalist and enrichment team in one setting.

Après Sea brings a post-adventure mood onboard

Après Sea is framed as an elevated post-adventure experience. After a day exploring, guests are invited to unwind in an après-ski-inspired lounge setting with warm drinks and panoramic views.

The experience is especially notable on Star Princess, where Princess says Après Sea will be hosted in The Dome. The venue is located at the top of the ship and offers broad views of the surrounding landscape.

Star Princess is an important part of the 2026 Alaska story for Princess. The ship launched in October 2025 and is part of the eight-ship Alaska lineup for 2026. Placing Après Sea in The Dome gives the newest ship a highly visible venue-specific version of the program, while still keeping the concept part of the wider fleet rollout.

For guests, the idea is simple: Alaska port days and excursion days can be active, weather-shifting and early-start experiences. Après Sea gives Princess a defined onboard transition from shore activity into evening social time, with the destination still in view.

Candlelight Concert Series adds Fire & Ice

Princess is also extending its Candlelight Concert Series with an Alaska-focused version called Fire & Ice.

The experience adds Alaska singer-songwriters to an intimate performance setting with live music, glowing candles and a theme tied to The Great Land. Princess says Fire & Ice will be offered only twice per voyage.

That limited frequency is worth noting for passengers planning onboard time. Guests who want the music component of North to Alaska will likely need to watch the daily schedule rather than assume the concert is available every night.

The concept also broadens the entertainment range. Instead of relying only on lectures, presentations or scenic narration to interpret Alaska, Princess is using live music to create a softer evening expression of the destination.

Alaska seafood moves deeper into specialty dining

Food is another major part of the 2026 expansion. Princess is adding Alaska-focused à la carte offerings at specialty restaurants onboard, featuring wild-caught Alaskan seafood.

At Crown Grill, the new featured items include Wild King Salmon, Alaskan Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, and Jumbo Lump Crab paired with Butter-Broiled Lobster Tail. At Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria, Princess is adding Halibut alla Mediterranea, described by the line as a dish pairing halibut with Mediterranean accents.

Princess says the dishes were curated by its culinary team in collaboration with regional suppliers. The line is positioning the additions as a culinary journey that parallels the sailing route, bringing flavors from Alaska waters into the dining room.

For guests, the specialty dining update is one of the more tangible changes. Entertainment and enrichment can shape the cruise, but food is where many passengers measure the destination day by day. Alaska seafood items in Crown Grill and Sabatini’s give the onboard product a direct link to the region, especially for travelers who may not choose a seafood-heavy shore excursion or port meal.

Returning favorites keep the program familiar

Princess is not replacing the existing North to Alaska slate. The 2026 additions sit alongside returning programming that has become part of the line’s Alaska identity.

Among the returning experiences listed by Princess is the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, which is represented onboard through select axe-throwing recruits, trivia and a presentation on Timbersports and the port of Ketchikan.

Puppies in the Piazza also returns on all ships visiting Skagway. The enrichment program introduces guests to the history, story and culture of Alaskan Huskies and features Iditarod Champion Ryan Redington along with puppies that are sled dogs in training.

On select sailings, Deadliest Catch presentations bring captains and crew members from the television show onboard to share stories about work in the Bering Sea as crab fishermen.

Those recurring features matter because they give the program a recognizable core. Guests who have sailed Princess in Alaska before may see familiar touchpoints, while first-time passengers get a mix of proven programming and new signature moments.

Speakers, culture and night-sky programming

The North to Alaska speaker lineup continues to emphasize local and regional perspectives. Princess lists a curated speaker series focused on history and cultural practices shared by Native Alaskans, along with other Alaska voices.

Speakers named by the line include Rachel Moreno, a member of the Tlingit tribe and great-granddaughter of a chief; Patricia Adkisson, born and raised in Juneau and of Tlingit and Alutiiq heritage; Nick Jans, an Alaska author; and Daryl Pederson, an Anchorage-based photographer known for northern lights imagery.

The returning slate also includes Campfire Movies Under the Stars, where families can watch family classics and Alaska-themed movies outdoors with blankets and popcorn against the Alaska backdrop.

Stargazing Nights are offered on select vessels when skies are dark. Guests are led to a designated open-deck area, deck lights are dimmed and an Activity Staff member guides a presentation on prominent constellations visible in the night sky.

Those experiences show how Princess is using time of day as part of the program design. Glacier viewing and Ranger commentary anchor daylight scenic cruising. Campfire movies, stargazing and candlelight concerts extend the destination mood into evening.

Family and youth programming stays central

Families are also a clear focus of the 2026 North to Alaska lineup.

Princess lists Glacier Bay Junior Rangers among its youth and teen activities. The program invites young cruisers to complete activity books, attend special presentations and earn a badge and certificate in partnership with the National Park Service.

Other youth and family activities include Gold Rush Adventures, inspired by the Klondike Gold Rush, and Great Alaskan Expedition, a three-hour team-based experience for youth and teens centered on land, sea and air.

The line is also bringing back The Great Big Adventure — Alaska Edition, which challenges nine survivalists to navigate the rugged Alaskan wilderness in pursuit of food, shelter and water.

Another returning guest favorite, Officers vs Guests: Alaska Edition, pits ship officers against guests in Alaska-themed challenges. Princess lists activities including Tongass Bullseye, Tumbling Timbers or Tundra Tower, Kodiak Catch, Lumberjack Tug of War, Sailor Knot Tying Games and Fly Like an Eagle.

For multigenerational groups, these programs are more than filler. Alaska cruises often attract families traveling with grandparents, parents and children, and onboard activities give each age group ways to engage with the destination outside long excursion days.

The fleet context: eight ships, 19 destinations

Princess says its 2026 Alaska season includes eight ships, 180 departures and 19 destinations. The fleet list spans Star Princess, Coral Princess, Royal Princess, Ruby Princess, Grand Princess, Emerald Princess, Discovery Princess and Island Princess.

That scale gives Princess several levers. The line can offer different ship choices and itinerary styles while maintaining a common North to Alaska framework. It can also use ship-specific venues, such as The Dome on Star Princess, to give certain experiences a different physical setting without making the core program exclusive to one vessel.

The company also points to five departure ports, weekend departures from Seattle, flexible itinerary choices for 2026 and 2027, and transfers as part of the broader Alaska offer.

For the trade, the onboard expansion gives travel advisors more detail to sell beyond port lists and glacier names. Instead of describing Alaska only by destinations, advisors can point to specific onboard touchpoints: Ranger-led Glacier Bay programming, local speakers, youth Ranger activities, Alaska seafood in specialty venues, and limited-run concerts.

What guests should watch next

The key next step for booked guests is the daily schedule for their specific voyage. Princess has said the four new signature experiences will be featured across the eight-ship Alaska fleet, but the timing and availability of individual elements can depend on the itinerary.

Glacier Bay programming is tied to select Glacier Bay sailings. Fire & Ice is offered only twice per voyage. Stargazing is offered on select vessels when skies are dark. Deadliest Catch presentations are also listed for select sailings.

That means guests who care about a specific activity should review the onboard schedule early, especially for limited-frequency events. Families may also want to track Junior Ranger and youth activities, while specialty dining guests should look for the Alaska seafood items at Crown Grill and Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria.

Princess’ 2026 North to Alaska expansion is ultimately a shipboard product story as much as a destination story. The line is using entertainment, dining, education, family programming and scenic viewing to make Alaska feel present across the voyage, not only at the gangway.

Additional details are available in the official Princess Cruises North to Alaska announcement.