Expansion underway at Princess' Two Denali area Wilderness Lodges
SANTA CLARITA, CA (December 10, 2003) - Construction is now well under way at Princess' two Denali National Park area wilderness lodges - Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and Mt. McKinley Wilderness Lodge - as they prepare for next visitor season with $26 million in enhancements. When summer comes, the two lodges will increase capacity for visitors to Denali, satisfying the growing demand for the interior's top attraction, as well as offer guests more public spaces in which to enjoy the wilderness atmosphere. This expansion will offer guests greater opportunity to enjoy Princess' popular multiple-night rail tours, spending more time in the land of "The Great One," Mt. McKinley - North America's tallest peak.
"This Denali lodge project is an example of Princess' ongoing commitment to invest in the Alaska experience for our guests," said Dean Brown, Princess' executive vice president of customer service and sales and CEO/chairman of Princess Tours. "We are investing significant resources into these properties to further our goal of offering our guests the best possible experience during their visit to this stunning area."
Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge
Guests at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, located near the park entrance, will welcome the property's new 16,000-square-foot built main lodge building and its "great room." Similar to other Princess wilderness lodges, the new main lodge structure will give guests a true wilderness feel, mirroring the size and grandeur of the nearby park, featuring vaulted ceilings with exposed timbers and 30-foot-high glass windows framing a view of Mt. Healy. This new lobby area will offer significant open space with intimate seating areas that double the seating capacity of current main lodge area. A majestic double-sided stone fireplace towers two stories, while local art, such as a Mt. McKinley art mural behind front desk and wildlife sculptures, decorate the lobby. A new deli and espresso bar known as the "River Run" will serve up coffee, ice cream and specially baked pastries.
In addition, the lodge "campus" will be transformed with the addition of walking paths and more than 500 trees and 50 large flower boxes to add to the relaxing feel. Shoppers will love the addition of five new shops to create a Main Street walking village, brimming with unique Alaskan crafts.
The lodge expansion will also add 80 new guest rooms and additional seating in the lodge's premier fine dining venue -- Summit Restaurant. Set on a bluff overlooking the Nenana River this restaurant serves Princess' Signature Alaskan Cuisine in the Denali area's finest establishment.
The State of Alaska recently completed an extensive overhaul of the main road through the Denali corridor adding a network of new walking trails accessible right from the lodge. Guests can wander the Nenana Gorge and visit nearby shops.
McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge
At Princess' other prime Denali area property, the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, the expansion will allow more guests to enjoy the lodge's spectacular views of the mountain and will also offer a new dining option. The project will add new guest rooms giving more guests the opportunity to experience the stunning views of Mt. McKinley.
In addition, the lodge will feature a new dining option - Expedition Pizza. This additional mealtime choice will feature a casual atmosphere with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating offering stunning views of Mt. McKinley. Expedition Pizza sits adjacent to the Great Room, and affords the same spectacular viewing angles for sighting Mt. McKinley.
Both properties are featured as part of Princess Tours rail packages that combine the award winning Princess Rail service with its custom-built, Denali area, wilderness lodges.
To learn more about visiting Alaska with Princess, log on to the line's comprehensive resource, Destination Alaska, at: www.princess.com/destination/alaska/.
Princess Tours offers a wide variety of rail tours as part of its extensive Alaska vacation programs. Princess Cruises popular cruisetour program combines seven day gulf of Alaska cruises with land tours featuring Denali National Park. Not only will Princess offer the widest selection of land tours to Mt. McKinley next year, but it is the only company that offers Alaska's two most popular attractions - Denali National Park and Glacier Bay - on every cruisetour. Gulf of Alaska cruises and cruisetours for 2004 are now available for reservations, with special early-booking fares beginning at $799 for a seven-day voyage, and $1,499 for cruisetours.
One of the best-known names in North American cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company. Part of Carnival Corporation (NYSE: CCL), its current fleet of 11 ships sail on approximately 150 different itineraries around the globe, calling at more than 260 ports on all seven continents. By 2006 a further four ships will be introduced. Additional information is available through a professional travel agent or by visiting the company's website at www.princess.com.
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For further information contact:
Julie Benson, jbenson@princesscruises.com, 661-753-1530
Tori Benson, APR, tbenson@princesscruises.com, 661-753-1540
An electronic copy of this release, and access to Princess' on-line newsroom containing past news releases, background information and photography, is available at www.princess.com/news.
Princess Alaska Lodges are owned and operated by Princess Cruises. Princess Cruises is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, Windstar Cruises and The Yachts of Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest, and a commitment to quality and value, our member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. Together we offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.
