Star Princess Starts Seattle Alaska Season: What’s New on the Sphere Class Ship and Which 2026 Sailings Still Have Space

What happened

Princess Cruises' Star Princess — the line's second Sphere Class ship — is now sailing Alaska from Seattle. The 177,800-ton vessel tied up at Pier 91 on May 3–4, 2026, opening her inaugural Inside Passage season after an Alaska-themed drone show over the Seattle skyline on May 1. If you have been waiting for star princess seattle alaska debut 2026 sailings to show up in search tools, this is the week that homeport finally matches the marketing.

Princess schedules 20 weekly roundtrip voyages from Pier 91 through September 13, 2026, calling Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Sitka with glacier viewing at Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, per the line's press release. Captain Gennaro Arma and Princess president Gus Antorcha took part in the traditional plaque exchange with the Port of Seattle — the same welcome ritual you see when a new flagship chooses a gateway city for the long summer run.

What's new on Star Princess

Sphere Class is Princess's answer to travelers who want the newest hardware without giving up the line's Alaska pedigree. Star Princess carries about 4,300 guests and pairs the signature Sphere venue with refreshed dining and bar spaces, elevated entertainment, and cabin categories aimed at families and couples who book balcony weeks early.

On these Seattle loops you get the same marquee Inside Passage stops Princess has refined for decades, now on a ship built for cold-weather routing and long scenic days. Royal Princess continues weekly seven-night sailings from the same pier, so your real decision is often Star versus Royal — new Sphere amenities versus a familiar Royal-class layout you may have sailed before.

Princess is also running its biggest Alaska deployment ever in 2026: eight ships, roughly 180 departures, and 19 destinations, with North to Alaska programming (local storytellers, seafood menus, ranger commentary in Glacier Bay on applicable sailings) across the fleet.

What this means for travelers

Seattle versus Vancouver is still the first fork. Seattle roundtrips keep you on U.S. soil for embarkation — handy for West Coast flyers and anyone who wants to add a pre-cruise night near Pike Place without a passport for boarding. Vancouver sailings can offer different glacier and port mixes; if you are comparing only Princess, weigh whether Pier 91 convenience beats a Vancouver itinerary's port list for your must-see stops.

Who should lean toward Star Princess: first-time Alaska cruisers who want the newest Princess ship in the region; families eyeing the Sphere and expanded dining; repeat guests who have already sailed Royal Princess from Seattle and want a fresh layout. Who might stay on Royal Princess or another line: travelers who prioritize the lowest fare over newest venues — warehouse scans show multiple Seattle Alaska options under Princess's lead-in on summer weeks, and a quick spot-check on princess.com is still the right move for Star Princess inside and balcony categories before you commit.

Practical checklist before deposit:

• Confirm glacier day (Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier versus Tracy Arm wording on third-party sites) on your exact sailing.
• Match itinerary length — Princess is selling seven-night weekly loops; CruiseHive's first departure left May 3 and returned May 10.
• Compare Royal Princess sailings from the same pier if balconies are tight on Star Princess weeks.
• For a different mega-ship contrast (Caribbean hardware versus Alaska Sphere), see our Icon of the Seas family guide — useful if you are splitting summer between regions.

Which Alaska sailings to compare first

Start with May through August Seattle departures on Star Princess, then pull the same month on Royal Princess if pricing diverges. Our live search shows 124 Alaska itineraries from Seattle (`repositioning: false`) with warehouse lead-ins from about $680 per person on seven-night sailings — not necessarily Star Princess, but proof that Seattle inventory is deep this summer.

Filter by ship name once you are on the sailing page so you are booking Star Princess, not assuming every Pier 91 departure is the new ship.

What to do next

If Seattle Alaska is on your 2026 list, compare Star Princess cabin categories against Royal Princess on the same weekend, then lock glacier-day and port-order details from the line's itinerary PDF before final payment. We will keep watching Princess summer availability as weekly departures move through peak July and August.

When you are ready to shop, browse Alaska sailings from Seattle and narrow by dates and cabin type — we are happy to help you line up the Sphere Class week that fits your gateway and budget.