A family of 4 on a Princess Alaska cruise should budget $6,000–$14,000+ total, depending on cabin type and packages. The biggest hidden costs are gratuities ($18–$20/person/day), drink packages, and excursions — which can easily add $2,000–$4,000 on top of your fare.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Most first-time cruisers sticker-shock themselves on Alaska by booking the cabin fare and forgetting that the real bill is built in the extras. Here's everything your family of 4 needs to know before you click "book."
What a Princess Alaska Cruise Actually Costs for a Family of 4
Alaska sailings typically run 7 nights (round-trip Seattle or San Francisco) or 10–14 nights (Gulf of Alaska, one-way Whittier/Vancouver). The numbers below are based on a 7-night sailing with two adults and two kids, using 2025–2026 Princess pricing.
| Cost Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Splurge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin (7 nights, base fare) | $2,800 (Interior x2) | $4,200 (Balcony, 1 cabin family setup) | $7,000+ (Mini-Suite or 2 balconies) |
| Gratuities | $504 (4x $18/day x 7) | $504–$532 | $560 (suite rate) |
| Drink Package (2 adults) | $0 (pay-as-you-go) | ~$908 (Princess Plus, ~$64.99/day + 20% service charge x2 adults x 7 nights) | ~$1,190 (Princess Premier, ~$84.99/day + service) |
| WiFi | $0 (skip it) | Included in Plus/Premier | Included in Plus/Premier |
| Specialty Dining | $0 (MDR only) | $70–$160 (2 dinners, Crown Grill $39/cover) | $200+ |
| Shore Excursions | $400 (budget 1/port) | $1,200 (mix of ship + independent) | $2,500+ (flightseeing, whale watching, helicopter) |
| Onboard Spending (kids' activities, arcade, photos) | $100 | $300 | $600+ |
| TOTAL ESTIMATE | ~$3,800 | ~$7,200 | ~$12,000+ |
Important: Princess Plus and Princess Premier bundles include gratuities, WiFi, and the drink package in one bundled fare price. If your quoted fare already says "Plus" or "Premier," you can cross several of those line items off the list above.
Photo: MSC Cruises
Key Costs That Will Catch You Off Guard
Gratuities: Princess charges $18/person/day for standard cabins, $19/day for mini-suites and Cabana Reserve, and $20/day for Sanctuary Suites. For a family of 4 on a 7-night cruise, that's $504–$560 just in tips — before you've ordered a single drink.
Drink Packages — adults only, but read the fine print: Princess is one of the few lines that won't force a non-drinking adult in your cabin to buy a package. If one parent barely drinks, that saves you ~$600. The Plus Beverage Package runs $64.99/person/day before the 20% service charge (so $76.79/day all-in). Premier is $84.99/day before service ($101.99/day all-in). Check your Cruise Planner for your exact sailing — prices fluctuate and pre-cruise rates are typically lower than onboard rates.
Kids don't need drink packages (generally), but they will want specialty coffees, mocktails, and sodas. Buffet sodas are free; bar sodas are ~$3.50 + 20% service. Budget a small daily allowance per kid.
Shore excursions are Alaska's biggest wildcard: Juneau whale watching? $120–$180/person. Helicopter glacier walk? $400–$600/person. Dog sledding in Skagway? $200+/person. A family of 4 doing two "bucket list" excursions can easily drop $2,000–$3,000 in ports alone. Book independent operators (Viator, direct local operators) for 20–40% savings on many excursions — Alaska ports like Ketchikan and Skagway are easy to navigate independently.
Service charge increase: As of March 8, 2026, Princess raised its service surcharge to 20% (up from 18%) on bars, specialty dining, the Lotus Spa, and dining rooms. Every drink you buy à la carte now has a 20% add-on automatically. A $13.50 cocktail costs you $16.20.
Photo: MSC Cruises
Tips to Save Real Money on a Princess Alaska Family Cruise
1. Bundle with Princess Plus — it usually pencils out. If both adults drink even 3–4 alcoholic drinks per day plus specialty coffee and water, the Plus package pays for itself. Plus also includes MedallionNet WiFi (one device per person) and gratuities — three line items eliminated. Compare the Plus fare vs. standard fare + adding those items individually before you decide.
2. Book one cabin strategically. Families of 4 often book two interior cabins (cheapest) or one mini-suite (more comfortable, kids love the sofa bed). Mini-suites on Princess are generously sized — seriously consider it over two interiors if budget allows, since you pay gratuities at the slightly higher $19/day rate but save on the second cabin fare entirely.
3. Alaska sailings: balconies are worth it. Yes, I know balconies cost more. In Alaska, you will spend hours on that balcony watching glaciers calve and wildlife pass. This is the one itinerary where I'd argue a balcony upgrade is worth every dollar. Book early — Alaska balconies sell out fast.
4. Pre-book excursions independently. The ship's excursions are convenient but marked up. Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Victoria are all walkable or easily navigated on your own. Save the ship's excursion markup for tender ports or anything that requires a guaranteed return (rare in Alaska).
5. Avoid the arcade and photo packages. Princess photographers will take beautiful family glacier photos and charge you $30–$50 each. The photo packages ($200–$350) only make sense if you genuinely want 50+ photos. Set a firm limit with the kids on arcade spending — it adds up fast and the onboard Ocean Now app makes impulse charges dangerously easy via MedallionClass.
6. Book early for Alaska. Alaska is the most popular North American cruise destination and sailings fill up 12–18 months out. Early booking typically means better cabin selection and sometimes promotional Plus/Premier package pricing built into the fare.
Recommended Princess Alaska Ships and Itineraries for Families
Majestic Princess & Ruby Princess run popular 7-night Alaska round-trips from Seattle. Both are MedallionClass ships, meaning you get the app-based ordering, room delivery, and the MedallionNet WiFi ecosystem.
Crown Princess operates Gulf of Alaska one-way itineraries (Whittier to Vancouver or reverse) — this is the "bucket list" Alaska itinerary with Glacier Bay National Park. It requires flights to/from Anchorage, which adds cost, but seeing Glacier Bay is genuinely in a different league from inside passage-only sailings.
For a first Alaska cruise with kids, 7-night round-trip Seattle is the easiest and most affordable entry point. You avoid one-way airfare complexity and kids aged 3–17 have the Princess Youth & Teen programs available at sea.
Before you finalize any Alaska cruise budget, run your full family cost scenario through CruiseMutiny — it breaks down every line item (gratuities, packages, excursion budgets) so you know the real number before you book, not after you're onboard.