Need advice for Seward to Anchorage

[jollyvagabond]

We are sailding the Veendam from Vancouver to Seward, then traveling to Anchorage for a two night stay before flying home. I have been reading the boards and have gotten a lot of my questions asked before I even had to make a post. The more I read, the more I can hardly wait for July 17th to come!! I'm finding it very beneficial to do a lot of investigating in planning for this trip. We are traveling with another couple and pretty much have all the side tours planned except for the time we depart the ship in Seward. Any comments re: doing the Real Alaska Tour by Ididaride sled dog tours? We understand we could do this tour then take the train to Anchorage. We figure we should take in the sights arround Seward since we are there. We checked with Hertz about a car rental from Seward and keeping it for 2 nights. Kind of $$$ compared to the lower 48's rates. If we don't rent from Seward, we then have to figure out how to get to the hotel and get around Anchorage for one day. Do we rent a car, take taxi, walk? Our travel agent made reservations at the Fairfield Inn on A Street. I think I need a "Personal Alaska trip planner" HELP!!----Cheryl

[MandyGirl]

Definitely check out the Alaska boards here on CruiseCritic - full of terrific information and BudgetQueen is extremely helpful!:)

[dakrewser]

Rent the car (you can pick it up on the pier) and drive to Anchorage. We did, and learned there's a reason that that road is called the most beautiful highway in the world. WE averaged about 5 mph - 'cause we kept stopping for another oh-my-gosh view...


See our notes and pictures here (http://vquill.com/gallery/Diary.html#July 6).

[MUKTUKMARY]

Hi Cheryl-

I live in Anchorage. If it were me, I would rent a car. Parking is not a problem and Anchorage is very spread out. The Fairfield Inn is in a newly developed area of what is called Midtown. There are several restaurants close by but no shopping at all. I would estimate that hotel to be about 3-4 miles from downtown. Once you are downtown you can walk all over for shopping, Saturday Market, art galleries, incredible restaurants, museums. There is a public bus system that you could use to get around if you wish. Also downtown there are sightseeing trolleys that I believe are $12/pp for an hour. You will love wondering 4th, 5th, and 6th street. Our flowers are unsurpassed----huge and so brightly colored---due to long days of sunlight with cooler temperatures than the lower 48. You can write to me if you need to know any specifics at rvm201@aol.com.

You will love Alaska and it's people!

Mary

[Budget Queen]

I too would highly recommend you rent a car- anyway- RESERVE on NOW. The cancel if your plans change, the price only goes up. I highly recommend you consider the TOP attraction in Seward- a Kenai Fjords boat tour of at least 6 hours. Varied and close up viewing of wildlife and close up extended glacier viewing. NOTHING compared to your cruise ship. I would do one overnight in Seward and the other in Anchorage with a before noon departure from Seward. Seavey's sled dogs are very well run and well worth the tour if of interest. Also make a stop at Exit Glacier along the way. Request visitor guides. www.anchorage.net www. sewardak.org if at all possible extend your time. 2 days is just not enough. :)

[FlorenceItaly]

boat trip in Seward....I think it was the HIGHLIGHT of the cruise, booking this post cruise...loved my whole Alaska cruise, but Kenai Fjords is SUPERB. You will not be disappointed.

Marie

[lipoppop]

In Seward at the airport you can get a heliocoptor flight to a local glacier and then dog sled on the glacier. Pricy but beats having the children fight over the inheritance. The boat ride that the previous people recommended was also great. If you can get a couple of extra days fly from Anchorage to the Katmai peninsula and watch the bears fish for salmon.

[tkwbear]

I usually make this trip in the opposite direction. In order to keep the price down, I rent a car with unlimited mileage then before heading to Seward switch to a one way rental for the shortest time period possible (I drive to Denali with the unlimited mileage car).

Seward is great for a day or two - Kenai Fjords, Exit Glacier and lunch or dinner at Ray's are MUSTS. You can also take the train one way, but I like to drive to stop and get great photos.

If you have a company affiliation or AAA, that will usually bring down the price of the one-way rental, but if you compare it to the bus for a couple, it won't look so bad. Forget about coupons though, they just laugh at them in Alaska.