Copper River Princess Won't Open This Summer

The Copper River Princess Is Painted "Kennicott Red." It Will Not Be Opening This Summer. (Photo, Princess)

Princess Cruises Announces That It Won't Be Sending Ships To Alaska. It's Closing Five Lodges All Over The State

On Wednesday, April 15th, Holland America-Princess announced that no cruise ships will be crossing the Gulf of Alaska this summer. The company's "wilderness lodges" throughout the state will be shuttered, due to the coronavirus epidemic. One of those lodges is in Copper Center.

In 2002, the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, at Mile 1 of the Brenwick-Craig Road, opened its doors. The Copper River Princess is a summer-only facility that mainly caters to cruise travelers on land tours. It has two restaurants, and also ties into a number of local Copper River businesses, offering excursions including salmon fishing, watercolor classes, dog sled demonstrations and trips to Kennicott.
The Copper River Princess is one of five major Princess lodges around the state. In addition to the Copper River Princess, the company owns the Kenai Princess Lodge in Cooper Landing, the Denali Princess Lodge (along with multiple adjacent buildings) at Denali Park's Nenana Canyon complex, the Fairbanks Princess Lodge, and the Mt. McKinley Princess, north of Trapper Creek.