Who Princess is for
Princess occupies the middle of the market and occupies it deliberately. The ships are large enough for a real theater, several restaurants and a proper spa, and small enough to dock somewhere the six-thousand-berth vessels cannot reach. The style is traditional without being stiff.
Alaska is where the line is genuinely distinctive. Princess runs the biggest Alaska program afloat and owns the wilderness lodges and rail cars that go with it, so a cruisetour that continues inland to Denali is one booking rather than three.
What to know before you book
For Alaska, look at the cruisetour. The land portion is where the wildlife is, and Princess’s version of it is the most established. If Alaska is a once-in-a-lifetime trip, the seven-night sailing on its own is half the country.
Glacier viewing is not identical between itineraries. Glacier Bay requires a national park permit and not every sailing has one. Check which glacier your itinerary actually enters.
Mid-size is the point. If you want a water park and a go-kart track this is the wrong line; if you want a balcony, a good dining room and a quiet sea day, it is very much the right one.