# First Trip tp Alaska



## falmouth3 (Jul 12, 2015)

Alaska is the only state I haven't visited.  I think next year is the year!  Suggestions on tours, cruises, tips are requested.

I know I want to take a cruise as part of the trip.  I get seasick easily so I probably need a bigger vessel.

We prefer to avoid crowds (not sure if this is an issue) and we aren't tied to a school schedule.

Thanks,
Sue


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## LisaH (Jul 12, 2015)

falmouth3 said:


> Alaska is the only state I haven't visited.  I think next year is the year!  Suggestions on tours, cruises, tips are requested.
> 
> I know I want to take a cruise as part of the trip.  I get seasick easily so I probably need a bigger vessel.
> 
> ...



Well you need to hurry if you are going to take a cruise. They all ends in Sep. The good thing is there should be a lot of last minute deals. 
For itinerary, try to find one that goes to both Tracey Arm and Glacier Bay. Then you need to decide wether you like one way or round trip. One way has advantage of adding more days to visit Alaska on land. Denali National Park is a very popular destination. We only did round trip due to time constraints. Next time we will do one way.


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## LisaH (Jul 12, 2015)

Went in 2011. At the time only Pricess and Holland America went to both Tracey Arm and Galcier Bay for the one way cruise. They are both fine but both left out of Vancouver instead of Seattle. Tugger KathyQ is a travel agent for cruise. You can contact her for more info.


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## presley (Jul 12, 2015)

If you are interested in a mix of land and sea, Princess Cruises offers some. They have their own hotels in a few places in Alaska.

I took a closed loop from Seattle on Disney a few years ago. It didn't go to Glacier bay, but I saw fantastic glaciers in Tracy Arm. It is a very beautiful place to cruise. 

The typical cruise ports can be very touristy and the port adventures can be really good or just an overpriced tourist trap. You'll want to research all of those before booking anything. M & M tours has same port tours as the cruise ships at much lower prices.

We would like our next visit to be somewhat stationary in Anchorage. We are thinking staying at Hilton Homewood suites and taking tours/day trips from there. If we do that, we may end up doing an overnight at Denali, but that is so far off, things can change drastically before we get to go.


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## tschwa2 (Jul 12, 2015)

My first trip was in late May about 15 years ago.  It was a solo trip.  I did not take a cruise.  One day it was rain/ice mix and quite cold.  The other days were sunny and beautiful low 60's for highs.  No crowds whatsoever.  You might want to combine a cruise with non cruise and expect the cruise part on a large boat to include crowds.


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## GetawaysRus (Jul 12, 2015)

We're recently back from Alaska.  (I had been promising my wife for years that I'd take her to Alaska.)  It was a 3 week trip.  If a longer trip such as this interests you, here's how we did it.

Week 1: timeshare exchange to Eagle Crest (near Bend, Oregon)
week 2: fly to Vancouver, BC and get on a northbound 7 day Alaska cruise
week 3: cruise company drops us off (by bus) at Anchorage Airport.  Rent a car.  Head north to Denali first.  Then back to our base in Anchorage.  Then south to Seward.  Then back to Anchorage to return rental car and fly home.

We of course had the option of a land extension after the cruise, but we prefer to be on our own with a rental car because we think it gives us more flexibility.


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## WinniWoman (Jul 12, 2015)

Years ago we went there through this company. Eco-tourism. We had a great time. Small group and we did go out on a yacht for a day trip into the Gulf of Alaska (Kenai Fjords) in Seward to view wildlife, whales and glaciers.

http://www.alaskawildland.com/


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## PStreet1 (Jul 12, 2015)

We got back from a cruise/tour last Monday.  The cruise left from Vancouver and ended at Seward, and then the land part began.

If I were doing it again, I would definitely rent a car:  it would be more convenient and a great deal less expensive (the price difference between just the cruise and the cruise with 3 day/4 night land tour was over $1000 per person).  The highways are just like highways in the lower 48; traffic, even over the 4th of July holiday, wasn't a problem; and I would have enjoyed the flexibility of being able to choose hotels for myself.

Once you reach Denali, the private tour buses (school bus type) are tan.  The park service tour busses (school bus type) are green.  There is only one road into the area where you'll be seeing the animals (and you can't drive it in a car).  All the buses, park and private, travel exactly the same road.  The park buses stop every time someone sees an animal and wait for pictures to be taken--just like the private tour buses do.  THERE IS ZERO DIFFERENCE IN THE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE.  However, the prices are noticeably different.  Whichever you do, be certain to take a box lunch because you'll be in the bus 5 to 8 hours; you can buy them at the visitor center.

Green Shuttle      mile 53            mile 66        mile 85         mile 92
                         6  hours            8 hours       11 hours       13 hours
                         $27.50              $35.00        $48.25           $52.50

Tan Buses          mile 17         mile 30        mile 53             mile 92
                        5 hours          6 hours        7 hours            12 hours
                        $70.75           $101.75       $120.75           $165.00

For both tan and green buses, you have to add $10.00 for adult entrance fee

Whichever bus you choose, you need the mile 66 or mile 53 tour if you want to see animals.  Everyone we spoke to who did the 5 and 6 hour tours reported zero animal sightings; you just need to get farther from the visitor center.

The park also offers free buses and free tours to see the kennels where they raise and train the huskies used in dog sleds by the rangers during the winter   (10am, 2pm, 4pm).  

If you plan to be in the park more than one day, the park green buses have very inexpensive multiple day bus passes ($70.00 for multiple trips to mile 66--you can also get off, wander a bit, and hail down the next green bus going your way.)

There's a free shuttle from the parking lot to the visitor center.

If you want a pre-arranged tour, the type we took, I think all the cruise companies offer them now; certainly Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity do.  I can't imagine that Norweigan would miss that opportunity.  For us, the cruise company included the 5 hour historical tour in the price we initially paid; we were allowed to upgrade to the 7 hour tour for $60.00 each.  The hotels we stayed in were definitely among the most luxurious in the area, but that also limited our food choices:  eat at the hotel or take a bus to another spot.


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## Conan (Jul 12, 2015)

I second the recommendation that you take a cruise that includes Glacier Bay. It's a US national park, and only certain cruise lines have the necessary permit.

If your cruise starts or ends in Seward, allow an extra day there for the day cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. We stayed the night at Holiday Inn Seward and used Major Marine for the boat tour.

For the land portion, the easiest way to cover ground is by train. We flew into Fairbanks (not a very appealing city), and took the train from there to the Denali Park gate. After three nights in Denali, we re-boarded the train for the trip to Anchorage (which is worth the visit), and after staying there took a further train to Seward.

As to how to see Denali, you'll need to choose between the reasonably priced hotels near the gate, or a very expensive place 90+ miles inside the park like Denali Backcountry Lodge.

Our cruise ended in Vancouver, which gave us a chance to stay via RCI exchange at Vacation Internationale at the Rosedale on Robson.


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## BocaBoy (Jul 13, 2015)

We have done Alaska four or five times.  The biggest priority is to make sure your cruise visits Glacier Bay.  If it is a sunny day, it is  one of the most beautiful places on earth.  if it is cloudy, it is still very pretty.  Second, you should go on either Holland America or Princess.  I strongly prefer Holland America but either would be wonderful.  If you want a land tour to go with the cruise, these two lines are the leaders there too.


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## Lou (Jul 13, 2015)

We did an Alaska trip several years ago, and my husband still says....best trip ever.  We used Princess and did combination land and cruise.  We did the land first and cruise last.  It was great.  The Princess lodges are very nice.  There are several choices ...we started in Fairbanks, then Denali, and last McKinley.  After the land portion we took the train to Whittier and boarded the cruise ship for 7 days ending in Vancouver. It was really a memorable trip


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## GetawaysRus (Jul 13, 2015)

You're getting good advice.  I'll add a few things from our experience.

1. about Denali - my wife and I took the park bus as far as Eielson visitor center.  It's a long ride in (about 3.5 - 4 hours) and then back out along the same road, and that was plenty far enough for us.  The scenery in Denali is similar for the entire ride (and we were less impressed with the scenery compared to other national parks we have visited).  How much you enjoy the bus ride will be luck of the draw.  Sometimes people report seeing lots of animals, other times few.  Also, some of the park bus drivers are more talkative, and give you a nice narration, while others are quieter.  And whether you see the mountain is also luck of the draw.  We were lucky, and had beautiful clear weather to see Mt. McKinley.  You can buy your ticket in advance on the Denali National Park website.

2. About Seward - we also stayed at the Holiday Inn Express (used our hotel points account).  If you want to use points, reserve early.  This is a very nice property, with a beautiful view over the marina.  Ask for a room on the bay side to get the view.  Bring an eye mask for sleep.  Most of the places we stayed in Alaska had excellent blackout curtains, but that's not so for some of the rooms at the Holiday Inn.  There's still lots of daylight in the evenings, and this can make it harder for some to sleep.  Also, very nice breakfast buffet.

3. Tips for a wildlife cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park - there's Major Marine (mentioned above) and Kenai Fjords Tours.  This is a nice excursion, and we enjoyed it.  I read a tip somewhere on the web that if you get on the email list for Kenai Fjords Tours, they will send you a special 50% off email offer shortly after Thanksgiving (on Black Monday?).  So I did reserve with them in advance and then waited.  And the magic 50% offer did arrive, so I canceled my original reservation (which had a small AAA discount) and switched to the 50% off ride.  The 50% offer also included dinner on Fox Island.   If you read things on TripAdvisor, the comments about the dinner are mixed, but we thought it was pretty good and quite a good value overall with that 50% off.  No guarantees that they will do it again this year, however.

4. Everyone likes Glacier National Park.  Our cruise also included College Fjord.  I thought that College Fjord was even more spectacular than Glacier National Park.  Also know that in Glacier Park, if you cruise early in the season, the ship won't get too close to one of the glaciers because they are protecting the young seal pups.  I think it was the Johns Hopkins Glacier that we couldn't get close to, but it wasn't really a big issue because there are other areas to see there.


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## BocaBoy (Jul 13, 2015)

GetawaysRus said:


> Everyone likes Glacier National Park.  Our cruise also included College Fjord.  I thought that College Fjord was even more spectacular than Glacier National Park.


Interesting observation.  Did you have a sunny day in Glacier Bay?  If you did, I can't imagine anyone thinking College Fjord was more spectacular, but of course that is just my opinion and tastes of course differ.  I agree that College Fjord is very nice.


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## falmouth3 (Jul 13, 2015)

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions.  They've been very helpful.  

I just received an email today from Holland America with discounts for this fall, but because of medical reasons, *this* fall just doesn't work.  The prices posted to/from Vancouver:
7 Day Glacier Bay Southbound $499 - 1599 + $186 fees.

7 Day Glacier Bay Northbound $599 - $2999 + $229 fees.

7 Day Round trip Seattle: $699 - 2499 + $249 fees.

There are some other dates available for varying rates.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 13, 2015)

I realize I'm late to this discussion; just found it this evening.  I will start with my personal bias . . . I have been to Alaska 8 times since 2006 and have enjoyed my time there winter, summer and fall.  I have also never taken an Alaskan cruise.

If cruising is your style and preference, I get it and would suggest that you do a one-way that ends in Whittier or Seward. (The cruise literature may say Anchorage, but you will be far from Anchorage and will require ground transportation to get there.)

After your cruise, plan for at least a week to do your own ground tour . . . DO NOT BUY THE CRUISE LINE PACKAGE!  You can do more for way less money by renting a car in Anchorage and venturing out to see what is of interest to you, including tours.

Regarding Denali NP, whoever referred to the "green bus" as the NPS tour is wrong.  The green bus is not a tour, and is intentionally marketed as NOT a tour.  It is a means of transportation inside the park . . . it is the shuttle bus.  Yes, it will stop along the road for wildlife sightings and photos and yes, most drivers will give some amount of narration, but a tour it is not.

That said, it is by far, the best way to experience Denali NP.  You will see more (go further inside the park) and have your own timetable to do so.  The actual tan bus tours are not very good; expensive and if the mountain isn't "out" is more often than not, shortened at the Toklat Visitor Center.  If the mountain is out, it will go a few more miles to the lookout point, and then turn around.

Yes the Eielson Visitor Center is the best "short" route to take and yet it can be a long day, especially with impatient and cranky kids (and spouses).   My advice to any visitor, especially first timers, is to plan for two full days in the park.  At least one on the shuttle and the other to see and experience the activities around the entrance areas including the visitor center and the kennels.  When buying your shuttle ticket, I encourage folks to buy the ticket all the way to Wonder Lake however.  If the mountain isn't out, you can stop at Eielson and head back whenever you decide you've seen enough.

It's a funny thing, the shuttle bus experience . . . I have been to Denali NP on four different trips.  The shortest was our first, when we did the shuttle the first day and the tour in a brown bus the second.  Since that time, we've done three days and four days on the shuttle.  In the fall of 2011, I was there alone (without DH) and I took the shuttle on the last day of their season and then drove the road during the "Denali Road Lottery Weekend" for five trips over three days.

If you are interested in wildlife viewing and photography, there is nothing better in Alaska for the opportunities at an inexpensive price, as the Denali shuttle bus system.

As for other things to see and do . . . the Kenai Fjords tour out of Seward that goes outside of the bay (so minimum of 6 hour tour) is well worth it.

If you want to fish, you will need to figure out what you want to catch which will be very dependent on when you're there and where you plan on going to fish.

RVing Alaska is very easy to do, and there are good companies in Anchorage; Fairbanks, not so much.  There's a lot of flexibility afforded those willing to explore and be adventurous with an RV.  If you are interested, here is the blog of our 2010 Alaskan RV Adventure. 

We did a similar trip in 2014 but substituted a three day/two night fishing trip out of Valdez with friends instead of heading south to Soldotna and the Silver Creek Lodge for bear viewing.  We are already planning for next year's RV trip . . . will also probably include Valdez because we have made a great connection there and enjoy our friends' hospitality on their boat.

I'm more than happy to answer any questions that you may have.  I pride myself in my Alaska vacation knowledge and have made a lot of good friends there . . . people who can help me help you, if I don't have the answer or a connection.

Best wishes in your planning . . . that is probably 30% of the fun of such a trip.


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## timesharejunkie4 (Jul 13, 2015)

We went to Alaska 2 years ago and it was wonderful. We did 7 days on land followed by a Celebrity cruise from Seward to Vancouver. We planned our land tour on our own then booked thru an Alaskan Travel agency. We chose DIY because we didn't want to travel with large numbers. Organized tours, especially ship's tours spend too much time allowing for shopping for my taste.
Our land travel schedule was one night Anchorage, 2 nights Denali, one night Anchorage by rental car. We then went to Seward for 2 nights by train.
Our stops/tours included the Musk Ox Farm, the fun and informative Jeff King's Homestead Husky tour, the 13 hour Denali Backcountry Adventure where we saw lots of wildlife - bear, dall sheep, wolves, fox, moose, caribou and ptarmigan, a flightseeing tour with glacier landing with K2 Aviation out of Talkeetna, the Alaska SeaLife Center, and Major Marine's 7 1/2 Kenai Fjord Cruise seeing whales, eagles, bear, sheep, otters, and orca.
While cruising, we booked all of our tours on our own except for one, the Taku Lodge Feast & 5-Glacier Seaplane Discovery from Juneau. Again we booked the tours on our own so we could be on smaller groups. Our other tours were a Yukon bus & rail tour with Chilkoot Charters from Skagway, whale watching with Glacier Winds in Icy Strait (whales, orca, bear, eagles), and the Misty Fjords & Glaciers Flightseeing Tours with Island Wings and the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour with the most exciting eagle viewing,, both from Ketchikan. We then spent one night in Vancouver before heading home. Celebrity goes to Hubbard Glacier which we enjoyed but having not been to the glaciers the other lines visit, I can't make a comparison.
If I were to do it again I wouldn't change a thing!


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 13, 2015)

A couple of other last minute thoughts . . .

Shoulder season for cruising will get you great deals, but often you will find things not open.  Denali's shuttle system is one example, so be sure you know what is possible if that is something you are planning to do.

The upside is if you do the fall shoulder season (September) there is a chance you may see the aurora borealis/northern lights.  That is always a crap shoot however, due to the solar activity plus the need for clear, dark night skies.  There is ZERO chance of seeing the aurora between about April 15th and August 15th.


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## Egret1986 (Jul 14, 2015)

*How much could a couple expect to spend doing a trip like you've described?*



timesharejunkie4 said:


> We went to Alaska 2 years ago and it was wonderful. We did 7 days on land followed by a Celebrity cruise from Seward to Vancouver. We planned our land tour on our own then booked thru an Alaskan Travel agency. We chose DIY because we didn't want to travel with large numbers. Organized tours, especially ship's tours spend too much time allowing for shopping for my taste.
> Our land travel schedule was one night Anchorage, 2 nights Denali, one night Anchorage by rental car. We then went to Seward for 2 nights by train.
> Our stops/tours included the Musk Ox Farm, the fun and informative Jeff King's Homestead Husky tour, the 13 hour Denali Backcountry Adventure where we saw lots of wildlife - bear, dall sheep, wolves, fox, moose, caribou and ptarmigan, a flightseeing tour with glacier landing with K2 Aviation out of Talkeetna, the Alaska SeaLife Center, and Major Marine's 7 1/2 Kenai Fjord Cruise seeing whales, eagles, bear, sheep, otters, and orca.
> While cruising, we booked all of our tours on our own except for one, the Taku Lodge Feast & 5-Glacier Seaplane Discovery from Juneau. Again we booked the tours on our own so we could be on smaller groups. Our other tours were a Yukon bus & rail tour with Chilkoot Charters from Skagway, whale watching with Glacier Winds in Icy Strait (whales, orca, bear, eagles), and the Misty Fjords & Glaciers Flightseeing Tours with Island Wings and the Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour with the most exciting eagle viewing,, both from Ketchikan. We then spent one night in Vancouver before heading home. Celebrity goes to Hubbard Glacier which we enjoyed but having not been to the glaciers the other lines visit, I can't make a comparison.
> If I were to do it again I wouldn't change a thing!



It definitely sounds like an awesome experience.


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## LisaH (Jul 14, 2015)

Thanks for the great tips! We have yet to visit Denali. Plan on taking one week self-organized land tours and one week cruise in the next couple of years. One question: how do you go from Whittier or Seward to Anchorage?



Timeshare Von said:


> If cruising is your style and preference, I get it and would suggest that you do a one-way that ends in Whittier or Seward. (The cruise literature may say Anchorage, but you will be far from Anchorage and will require ground transportation to get there.)
> 
> After your cruise, plan for at least a week to do your own ground tour . . . DO NOT BUY THE CRUISE LINE PACKAGE!  You can do more for way less money by renting a car in Anchorage and venturing out to see what is of interest to you, including tours...


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## PStreet1 (Jul 14, 2015)

You can rent a car and pay for a return in a different spot.  Check the railroad as a possibility for part of your trip also.


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## WinniWoman (Jul 14, 2015)

LisaH said:


> Thanks for the great tips! We have yet to visit Denali. Plan on taking one week self-organized land tours and one week cruise in the next couple of years. One question: how do you go from Whittier or Seward to Anchorage?



There is the Alaska Highway and you can drive from Seward to Anchorage. Be prepared for very long drives. Everything takes a very long time to get to- especially Denali. Alaska is true wilderness with limited roads and highways- and that's an understatement!


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## Conan (Jul 14, 2015)

If you are willing to splurge, do consider staying at Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna, as far into the Park as you can get, about two miles past Wonder Lake. 
http://www.alaskadenalitravel.com/d...els/denali-backcountry-lodge/about-the-lodge/






Three nights room, full board and transportation for two will cost about $2,400, and gives you two days of guided hikes on the tundra, with beautiful scenery and a good chance to see the mountain.


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## uop1497 (Jul 14, 2015)

Thank you ALL for wonder tips. Alaska is one of the destination I would like to visit

1) If we have 4 -5 full days only to do the land trip with a renting car, can you suggest the itinerary to cover the best places must see in Alaska for people who have limited mobility.  I plan to fly into ANC airport

2) Will September/ Oct still a good month to visit Alaska .Can you explain more about the "green bus". Where to buy the ticket 

3) If we take a cruise, what route is best to choose

I have read Trip Advisor, but unable to come up with a good plan myself because the places Alaska seems spreading far away . Thank you


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## BocaBoy (Jul 14, 2015)

Timeshare Von said:


> I have also never taken an Alaskan cruise.
> 
> If cruising is your style and preference......After your cruise, plan for at least a week to do your own ground tour . . . DO NOT BUY THE CRUISE LINE PACKAGE!  You can do more for way less money by renting a car in Anchorage and venturing out to see what is of interest to you, including tours.



I have done Alaska cruises four or five times and I have used a cruise line (Holland America Line) land package as well.  I strongly disagree with your assessment, at least as it relates to the HAL packages.  They were wonderful, convenient and a good value for the money.  They also include a wonderful Denali train trip in special dedicated cruise line railroad cars.  A first class experience.

I am not sure how you can be so sure that you will see more on your own than with these land packages if you have never gone on one.  My experience was that we could have never seen as much on our own.


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## WinniWoman (Jul 14, 2015)

Conan said:


> If you are willing to splurge, do consider staying at Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna, as far into the Park as you can get, about two miles past Wonder Lake.
> http://www.alaskadenalitravel.com/d...els/denali-backcountry-lodge/about-the-lodge/
> 
> 
> ...



Stayed there as part of the itinerary when we went with Alaska Wildland Adventures. Awesome. And included our own personal chef for the group. On the way back to Anchorage fro Denali, our group road the Alaska Railroad.


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## Passepartout (Jul 14, 2015)

uop1497 said:


> Thank you ALL for wonder tips. Alaska is one of the destination I would like to visit
> 
> 1) If we have 4 -5 full days only to do the land trip with a renting car, can you suggest the itinerary to cover the best places must see in Alaska for people who have limited mobility.  I plan to fly into ANC airport
> 
> ...



1) Distances are so far, and conditions so rustic, that I wouldn't recommend this at all.

2) Winter starts early. Everything shuts down in September.

3) Only Holland America and Princess lines are licensed to enter Glacier Bay, and that's why you cruise to Alaska. H/A has inclusive train trips to the interior. They are not inexpensive, but might be the best choice for you.

Jim


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## PStreet1 (Jul 14, 2015)

We've done a cruise/tour, and I'd agree with Von that doing it yourself would be better.  It was convenient to have the cruiseline take care of all arrangements:  beautiful hotels, transportation from Seward to Denali, arranged tours on the tan buses already included (and the ability to upgrade to the longer tour on the tan buses), railroad ride back on new, cruise-line car with dinner service in the lower section of the car and full bar service the rest of the trip, transportation to the airport from the hotel included (taxi is only $12.00), and a guide who told us interesting things as we went.

However, looking at the price of the cruise alone vs. the price of the cruise and tour together from them, the difference was well over $1000 per person for the tour.  Over $2000 for a 3day/4night tour is a lot for what they actually provided:  transportation from Seward to Denali and back to Anchorage/4 nights hotel (one of which we didn't use because our flight out was at midnight) and we didn't get to the hotel until 10:00, so we left immediately for the airport--not their fault, but a fact, none the less/tan tour bus pre-arranged.  No meals were included for that price other than the snack pack on the tan bus.  Obviously, they charge for the hotels on a per person basis, rather than on a room basis.

We could very easily have made the drive ourselves from Seward--good highway, and not that much traffic.  A good Alaska guide book would have actually given us more than our guide did (I know because I had already read one), and we could have parked in the visitors parking lot at Dinali and taken the shuttle bus to the visitor center.  Once at Dinali visitor center, taking either a tan bus tour or doing the green buses is easy:  both make their pick-ups right in front of the visitor center.  Arranging hotels for ourselves would have been easy; all that is required is to book in advance--they all fill up over the summer, so you really do have to plan in advance.  Likewise, buying a ticket on the Alaska railroad is easy to do.  We could have had the same experience--or better--on our own.  We did the cruise/tour because the people we were with were afraid to drive and make reservations in advance.  In my opinion, anyone who has ever rented a car and driven in a  new area could manage this trip quite easily.

I agree with Passepartout that the fall isn't the best time to do it.  We've done it by taking the last cruise offered (on Holland America) in September, and we just got back from one (on Royal Caribbean) that left Vancouver on June 26.  Summer is better by a lot.

We've been in Glacier Bay (and weren't lucky enough to see glaciers calving, probably because it was September) and this time, we were at Hubbard Glacier, which was just as impressive as Glacier Bay (we were lucky enough to see calving this time, partially because it was mid-summer).  I thought we would be disappointed with Hubbard Glacier and grumbled that we weren't going to Glacier Bay, but we were not at all disappointed:  Hubbard is magnificent--and we were lucky with it.  It's the largest glacier in Alaska, and there is a huge area to look at and watch for falling ice.

Von:  I wish I'd known about your experience; I might have been able to convince the other couple to drive if I'd had first-hand knowledge from someone to show them.


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## WinniWoman (Jul 14, 2015)

BTW- we went the first week of August which was almost like Fall. Could get up to 80 during the day but drop to 20 at night.


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## GetawaysRus (Jul 14, 2015)

LisaH said:


> Thanks for the great tips! We have yet to visit Denali. Plan on taking one week self-organized land tours and one week cruise in the next couple of years. One question: how do you go from Whittier or Seward to Anchorage?



If you are combining an independent land tour + a cruise, IMHO the simplest way is just to let the cruise line transport you.

Our cruise ended in Whittier.  We bought a transfer from Princess to Anchorage airport.  Maybe I could have found something less costly on my own, but the cruise transfer made things easy.  And easy is worth a few bucks.

If the land tour is first, and if you are ending your land tour at Anchorage airport (probably easiest if you have a rental car to return), the cruise line will pick you up at the airport along with other arriving passengers and get you to the ship.  Maybe you could find an alternate on your own, but if the cruise line's price for a transfer is decent, they will make your transfer easy.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 14, 2015)

LisaH said:


> Thanks for the great tips! We have yet to visit Denali. Plan on taking one week self-organized land tours and one week cruise in the next couple of years. One question: how do you go from Whittier or Seward to Anchorage?



All of the cruise operators offer ground transportation.

Generally speaking, if your group is just two, that is the least expensive route.  If there are four or more, consider a car rental, keeping in mind you will get socked with one-way rental fees which in AK can be steep.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 14, 2015)

Conan said:


> If you are willing to splurge, do consider staying at Denali Backcountry Lodge in Kantishna, as far into the Park as you can get, about two miles past Wonder Lake.
> http://www.alaskadenalitravel.com/d...els/denali-backcountry-lodge/about-the-lodge/
> 
> 
> ...



If wildlife viewing is a priority, however, there aren't a lot of animals beyond Wonder Lake.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 14, 2015)

BocaBoy said:


> I have done Alaska cruises four or five times and I have used a cruise line (Holland America Line) land package as well.  I strongly disagree with your assessment, at least as it relates to the HAL packages.  They were wonderful, convenient and a good value for the money.  They also include a wonderful Denali train trip in special dedicated cruise line railroad cars.  A first class experience.
> 
> I am not sure how you can be so sure that you will see more on your own than with these land packages if you have never gone on one.  My experience was that we could have never seen as much on our own.



Easy . . . I have many friends who have also done Alaska many times . . . including cruises.  Without exception, they ALL advise against cruising for the reasons I've stated.  Some of them are even in the tourism industry up there.

Anyone interested in getting all perspectives, I encourage the Trip Advisor Alaska Forum.  The "DE's" (destination experts) are the best there and will help anyone trying to figure things out and within your general travel budget.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 14, 2015)

GetawaysRus said:


> If you are combining an independent land tour + a cruise, IMHO the simplest way is just to let the cruise line transport you.
> 
> Our cruise ended in Whittier.  We bought a transfer from Princess to Anchorage airport.  Maybe I could have found something less costly on my own, but the cruise transfer made things easy.  And easy is worth a few bucks.
> 
> If the land tour is first, and if you are ending your land tour at Anchorage airport (probably easiest if you have a rental car to return), the cruise line will pick you up at the airport along with other arriving passengers and get you to the ship.  Maybe you could find an alternate on your own, but if the cruise line's price for a transfer is decent, they will make your transfer easy.



Sure letting them "do it for you" is the easiest method of planning and getting around, but at what price? Not only the financial price but also the loss of the experience because you are being herded from place to place in a group, often with people you may have grown to not like so much.

From time to time, my Alaska adventures have been on organized tours that were largely filled with a cruise "land tour" group.  One comes to mine . . . the Mahay's jet boat tour out of Talkeetna.  Hubby and me . . . plus about 4 other "non cruise" couples.  The cruise people were rude, pushed in line to board, and in general were just obnoxious to be around.

Another experience was with the Kenai Fjords tour out of Seward.  We accidentally ended up on "port day" there.  Our tour was about 50/50 cruisers and you could tell who was who by the way the handled the boarding and seating process.  It just wasn't a lot of fun for most people.

Any more, Alaska or any other cruise port destination . . . I avoid the day(s) when the ships are in port.  Seen it in Hawaii and Mexico too.  I realize that I'm painting a broad and biased brush here, but really . . . Alaska is TOO BIG and VAST with a lot of open space.  Way too much to feel crowded and rushed.  If that is your style of travel and preference, I think the beauty of Alaska may be lost on you.


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## Egret1986 (Jul 14, 2015)

*Thank you for this "heads up".  It will be very helpful to me, I'm sure.*



Timeshare Von said:


> Easy . . . I have many friends who have also done Alaska many times . . . including cruises.  Without exception, they ALL advise against cruising for the reasons I've stated.  Some of them are even in the tourism industry up there.
> 
> Anyone interested in getting all perspectives, I encourage the Trip Advisor Alaska Forum.  The "DE's" (destination experts) are the best there and will help anyone trying to figure things out and within your general travel budget.



It's good to know that with the proper planning and research (which I enjoy), I can do this trip without cruising.  The thought of being on a large cruise ship has been the reason for putting this trip behind others.  I haven't cruised for 25+ years and just don't believe that being on a large ship, going into ports with the masses would be something that my husband and I would enjoy.  We like to strike out on our own and explore things off the beaten path.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 14, 2015)

The main reason to do a cruise in my opinion, is that to see the areas of Alaska only accessible by boat . . . the inside passage region.

That said, there are also DIY trips that you can plan utilizing the marine highway and the AK ferry system.  You can make some of your boat time over night to minimize the inconvenience of missing opportunities during normal business hours.

The good news is from June until the end of July, you'll have relatively 24/7 daylight so you can see see a lot when on the ferry at night (or early in the morning).

I have already sketched out our Inside Passage vacation for a future summer . . . probably 2018 since we're doing another 2 weeks by RV next summer.   Just to give folks an idea of what is possible utilizing the ferry for a 14-17 day trip, catching all of the typical tourist highlights:

Starting in Juneau, ferry to Gustavus.  Overnight two nights.  Do the Glacier Bay NP tour.

Gustavus to Juneau and on to Skagway.  Overnight two nights.  Take the Yukon Train Tour and do the Bennett, BC train + lunch.

Skagway to Juneau; overnight for two nights.  Whale tour.

Juneau to Petersburg; overnight one night.

Petersburg to Wrangell; overnight three nights at the Anan Bear Observatory.

Wrangell to Ketchikan; overnight three or four nights.  Go fishing at least once, maybe twice.

Fly home out of Ketchikan with our fish!

The ferry part of this trip would cost us $604 for two people . . . plus whatever tours, etc. we do.

I realize, this is a bit inefficient travel itinerary because a couple of ports are only accessible from Juneau.  Also, it would require buying all of our own food.  The way the ferry system works and how the schedule plays out, we would not need to do a cabin.

As compared with a cruise featuring all of the key ports we want to see, that will leave us a lot of money for hotels, food and tours/activities.

Admittedly, not the way many wish to travel . . . I have two sisters who love doing the cruise thing. One did a repositioning (deeply discounted) trip and enjoyed the cruise, but felt the Alaska adventure side of the vacation was disappointing.  My other sister and her hubby are doing a 7 day R/T cruise out of Vancouver next month.  Unfortunately, for the money they're paying, they aren't getting to see much of Alaska or the ports that most wish to visit.  Too much time is lost because of the round-trip aspect.  One way, is clearly the way to go if you are going to do a cruise.

This is probably way more info that many/most here are interested in. But I did want to share more detail of what is possible, even self-planning a cruise-type itinerary, if you are willing to work out the logistics and reservations yourself.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 14, 2015)

mpumilia said:


> BTW- we went the first week of August which was almost like Fall. Could get up to 80 during the day but drop to 20 at night.



It's been known to snow in Denali NP in July!  You can never really predict the weather there, year to year.  That's part of the fun of it all.

Also regarding the weather, understand it often rains (sometimes lightly - sometimes torrential downpours).  Often you cannot plan your outdoor activities around or to avoid it.

Savvy Alaska tourists (and all locals) will tell you to go about your business and plan for rain.  Umbrellas are generally frowned upon; have a good rain jacket or if doing a lot outdoors, rainsuit.


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## WinniWoman (Jul 15, 2015)

Egret1986 said:


> It's good to know that with the proper planning and research (which I enjoy), I can do this trip without cruising.  The thought of being on a large cruise ship has been the reason for putting this trip behind others.  I haven't cruised for 25+ years and just don't believe that being on a large ship, going into ports with the masses would be something that my husband and I would enjoy.  We like to strike out on our own and explore things off the beaten path.



That's how we felt. Didn't want to cruise which is why we did the "safari" with Alaska Wildland Adventures- small, intimate group. They handled everything- our luggage, traveled on a small bus, stayed in lodges and B & B's. Went hiking (Chugach National Forest); rafting (Kenai). They took care of the cooking in Denali and most of the other meals. Also traveled on the Alaska Railroad and had dinner on the train.And as I mentioned- the yacht out of Seward  - to see the whales and glaciers and so on. It is hard to get around Alaska- it is vast- so it helped with having guides. Was awesome. And yes- definitely need to bring rain gear. And- yes- it stays light all day. Need to draw the shades to sleep! I always remember the kids in Anchorage outside our hotel window playing basketball in the streets at midnight!


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## Egret1986 (Jul 15, 2015)

*This does sound more like what we would be looking for.*



mpumilia said:


> That's how we felt. Didn't want to cruise which is why we did the "safari" with Alaska Wildland Adventures- small, intimate group. They handled everything- our luggage, traveled on a small bus, stayed in lodges and B & B's. Went hiking (Chugach National Forest); rafting (Kenai). They took care of the cooking in Denali and most of the other meals. Also traveled on the Alaska Railroad and had dinner on the train.And as I mentioned- the yacht out of Seward  - to see the whales and glaciers and so on. It is hard to get around Alaska- it is vast- so it helped with having guides. Was awesome. And yes- definitely need to bring rain gear. And- yes- it stays light all day. Need to draw the shades to sleep! I always remember the kids in Anchorage outside our hotel window playing basketball in the streets at midnight!



And hadn't really considered all the other options besides cruising.  Thank you for the name of the Tour Group that you used.  We like small groups, and know that we're not ready to strike out completely on our own.  We know we would want to make the most of our time there.  Sometimes, we've been known to "spin around in circles" when visiting new places, no matter how much planning and research I do pre-trip.  

I know I've seen other threads before on TUG about Alaska, but this one was perfect timing for me.  Now, I've got a real interest in going there.  We just got back last month from our first trip to Hawaii.  We saw much of what we wanted to see and do while visiting two Islands on our 15-day trip.  My husband has wanted to go to Alaska for some time.  I don't know if it's doable for 2016 yet, but definitely by 2017.  It's never too early to start planning.


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## Egret1986 (Jul 16, 2015)

*Again, thank you for the heads-up on the TripAdvisor Alaska Forum*



Timeshare Von said:


> Easy . . . I have many friends who have also done Alaska many times . . . including cruises.  Without exception, they ALL advise against cruising for the reasons I've stated.  Some of them are even in the tourism industry up there.
> 
> Anyone interested in getting all perspectives, I encourage the Trip Advisor Alaska Forum.  The "DE's" (destination experts) are the best there and will help anyone trying to figure things out and within your general travel budget.



I may have eventually stumbled upon it. 

I was thinking about an escorted tour once I read some of the posts on this thread.  But after reading a little bit on TripAdvisor, and your personal encouragement of doing it on one's own, I'm pretty stoked to head in that direction now.  Plus, looking at the costs of the escorted tours for what I would want to see and do, it actually would be cost prohibitive for us.

I'm the adventurer and my husband tends to be cautious.  I've found on the last few trips we've taken that he does have increasing anxiety in unfamiliar places.  Even the RVing sounds like something to consider.  Boy, wait until I tell him what's cooking in my brain.   Alaska is a trip that he has wanted to do for many years, and he trusts my research and planning. 

When I was planning our first trip to Hawaii, everyone was recommending the Hawaii Revealed Books and Apps.  We got the apps for both islands that we visited and they really were helpful in researching things and making decisions about what we wanted to see and do.   Do you have any favorite guides or tour books that you found particularly helpful that you can recommend?

I also plan to read your blog.  I'm getting excited!


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## WinniWoman (Jul 16, 2015)

Egret1986 said:


> And hadn't really considered all the other options besides cruising.  Thank you for the name of the Tour Group that you used.  We like small groups, and know that we're not ready to strike out completely on our own.  We know we would want to make the most of our time there.  Sometimes, we've been known to "spin around in circles" when visiting new places, no matter how much planning and research I do pre-trip.
> 
> I know I've seen other threads before on TUG about Alaska, but this one was perfect timing for me.  Now, I've got a real interest in going there.  We just got back last month from our first trip to Hawaii.  We saw much of what we wanted to see and do while visiting two Islands on our 15-day trip.  My husband has wanted to go to Alaska for some time.  I don't know if it's doable for 2016 yet, but definitely by 2017.  It's never too early to start planning.



Again- just keep in mind when in Alaska you will not be able to move around to see "everything" like you can in Hawaii. (Been to Hawaii twice - once for almost a month- so I know the difference). Everything is really far away and it is more primitive/wilderness once you get outside of a town.

That said, it is certainly doable. Depending on how long you are there, just know you will never be able to see everything in a week or two or three or four....The escorted land tour we went on was expensive (and we took our then 9 year old with us) for sure. But we at least got a sampling of key areas and were able to have experiences like rafting, for ex. without a hassle of navigating it all ourselves. We had limited time to take a vacation (10 days) due to work so it was a great option for us. I saved up for a few years for to go on that trip.

The RVing thing sounds like a good option if you don't mind driving one and towing a car, which I would think you would need to do to get around once you park the RV- depends how you want to do the trip. Hey- that's the fun of planning! You will find a good option for you and your husband!

A book I would recommend is Discovery (Channel) Insight Alakska. I use the Insight books for all my adventures.

Whatever you choose to do, you will love Alaska!


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 16, 2015)

I agree about the differences between Hawaii and Alaska.  Thanks to timeshare ownership, I've been able to do both many times . . . more than what we could otherwise afford w/o timesharing!

I have privately offered one TUGGER a set of travel journals I've written on many of my Alaska vacations.  They were originally published on IgoUgo.com, but that travel site was terminated by Travelocity in November 2013.  I have them saved and combined at PDF documents with photos.

I'd be happy to email them to anyone interested in Alaska.  Just send me a PM with your email address and I'll forward them on to you.

All of this Alaska chat has me realizing I still have some work to do, writing my travel journal (or blog) about last summer's trip to Alaska . . . especially since we did several new, first time experiences including Wrangell/St Elias National Park, McCarthy and the old historic Kennicott Mine plus a 3 day/2 night fishing adventure out of Valdez.  It was another "RV Adventure" of about 2 weeks that also included 5 nights in Denali NP.  I can never get too much of that place!


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 16, 2015)

*Link to Photos on Facebook*

For anyone interested in seeing photos from last summer's RV adventure, I have a public photo album on Facebook.  Check it out here!

Here's something to whet your appetite for more:





In Denali NP from right along side the green shuttle bus.  This bear was beyond the Eielson Visitor Center, which is why so many people say you need to go further than Toklat Visitor Center if you are interested in seeing bears!

Also in that album are a series of photos taken of a bear hunting in a herd of caribou.  My DH was the spotter that saw that drama unfolding and got the driver to stop so we could watch.  It was VERY FAR AWAY, but I was able to get a few photos that showed what was playing out on the tundra.





Historic Kennicott Mine in Wrangell/St Elias National Park





Ugly fish taste yummy too!  We caught them and then had a fish fry for supper that night on the boat.


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## Egret1986 (Jul 16, 2015)

*I'll check out the book.  Of course, I'm going in all directions at the moment!*



mpumilia said:


> Again- just keep in mind when in Alaska you will not be able to move around to see "everything" like you can in Hawaii. (Been to Htwice - once for almost a month- so I know the difference). Everything is really far away and it is more primitive/wilderness once you get outside of a town.
> 
> That said, it is certainly doable. Depending on how long you are there, just know you will never be able to see everything in a week or two or three or four....The escorted land tour we went on was expensive (and we took our then 9 year old with us) for sure. But we at least got a sampling of key areas and were able to have experiences like rafting, for ex. without a hassle of navigating it all ourselves. We had limited time to take a vacation (10 days) due to work so it was a great option for us. I saved up for a few years for to go on that trip.
> 
> ...



Unfortunately, we can only get away from our jobs for a couple of weeks at a time, so I know it will be necessary to pick and choose what's most important.  

We both love the National Parks, especially the ones that we have visited in the Western states....the wide open spaces, the wildlife, the adventures.  Those have absolutely been our best vacations and fondest memories.

I'm fast approaching my 60's, and while active and healthy; I want to get out there and do this fantastic trip while we can actively participate in all the things that we like to do. 

Hawaii was one of our "big" trips and that was this year.  We're not supposed to do another "big" trip for at least three more years. 

As they say, "if there's a will, there's a way."  I think that's my OCD for travel talking.  I can't quiet it.  I know I'm in good company here on TUG.


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## Egret1986 (Jul 16, 2015)

*This would be the first trip that won't involve timeshares in any way in 30+ years.*



Timeshare Von said:


> I agree about the differences between Hawaii and Alaska.  Thanks to timeshare ownership, I've been able to do both many times . . . more than what we could otherwise afford w/o timesharing!
> 
> I have privately offered one TUGGER a set of travel journals I've written on many of my Alaska vacations.  They were originally published on IgoUgo.com, but that travel site was terminated by Travelocity in November 2013.  I have them saved and combined at PDF documents with photos.
> 
> ...



That, alone, will be a whole new experience in travel. 

We really shouldn't even consider this trip before 2017.  The way time flies that will be here before we know it.  Before we left Hawaii, the plan was to be "chill" and do cheap vacations next year to a couple of our nearby timeshares.  Who started this thread and got me off track??????   Boy, it didn't take much and didn't take long.  

That's really the plan that we should stick to so that we can save and plan for this "big one".  

I am going to PM you my email address for those precious travel journals of yours.  I'm sure that will only encourage my raging travel bug.


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## Timeshare Von (Jul 16, 2015)

Egret1986 said:


> That, alone, will be a whole new experience in travel.
> 
> We really shouldn't even consider this trip before 2017.  The way time flies that will be here before we know it.  Before we left Hawaii, the plan was to be "chill" and do cheap vacations next year to a couple of our nearby timeshares.  Who started this thread and got me off track??????   Boy, it didn't take much and didn't take long.
> 
> ...



You say that (about not involving timeshare) . . . the last couple of trips we've done was made possible through timeshare ownership.  I've shared this story before  . . .

From my winter trips to Alaska, I learned that Alaskans love to vacation in Hawaii in the winter . . . I know go figure!  Well in 2008 I decided to advertise on Craig's list to try to find a B&B owner or someone with a cabin, willing to barter with me . . . a week in their accommodations for a week on Waikiki at my timeshare.

I had started to do some negotiations with one guy who had a fishing cabin down on the Kenai Peninsula, and another lady who had an "in-laws' suite" up around Fairbanks.  Then I heard from a lady who lived in Fairbanks. She starts out her message to me "Well I don't have a cabin or B&B but I have a 2006 31' Winnebago that I'd be willing to swap with you for a condo in Hawaii."

That summer, we began the process to plan for 2010.  That was our first RV Alaskan Adventure (the one the blog was written about).  We ended up doing two weeks in their RV for two back-to-back weeks at our Lifetime in Hawaii timeshare (2010-wk1 and 2011-wk2).  It went so well and everyone felt they had such a great deal, we did it again last summer (2014) again for 2 weeks . . . and we're planning again for 2016!

So if it hadn't have been for timeshare ownership, those trips wouldn't have been made affordable enough to do once . . . much less coming up on three times!

Here we are last summer at the main (road accessible) entrance to Wrangell-St Elias National Park along side "the beast" . . . the 31" Winnebago that is our home away from home when vacationing in Alaska.


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