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View Full Version : Alaska/Yukon cruisetour questions


Nanner
March 25th, 2005, 05:14 AM
We are booked on Cruisetour 3 in May, and I called HAL yesterday with some questions that the woman on the other end was less than helpful answering. Since we booked the tour online, I can't ask a TA to try to find the answers for me. I am hoping someone with past experience might help here.

The description of the stop in Skagway (where we disembark) reads "meet your Tour Director and relive the gold rush on a 2-hour tour. The rest of the day is for enjoying"...now doesn't that sound like there is a tour INCLUDED? Yet there are several tour options listed as Skagway excursions for us. Color me confused, and the woman at HAL was no help clarifying. She was downright rude.

The site states we arrive in Denali at noon on day 10 from Fairbanks. I wondered how long the McKinley Explorer trip is from Fairbanks. That day we are supposed to take the Tundra Wilderness Tour, which I gather is 6-8 hours, yet there are a lot of options listed for that day, beginning shortly after noon. Can anyone speak from experience as to what that day's schedule is likely to be? It almost seems that you can opt out of the Tundra Wilderness Tour and replace it with a myriad of other (at your added expense) activities? Again I am confused, and that woman on the phone was acting like I must be very slow because I was asking for some clarification.

One last piece of info from those who have done an Alaska cruisetour...How much luggage are we likely to be permitted for the land portion? I am considering purchasing more large luggage if we get two pieces per person, since the end of May is likely to require bulkier items than the summer months.

Thanks yet again for the help, fellow CCers!

Budget Queen
March 25th, 2005, 08:27 AM
The 2 hour included tour will most likely be an overview of Skagway. If it were any more, it would be stated. You may even be taken to the Park Service Visitor center- which I have seen groups there??? I would look over a shore excursion list and if there is something else of interest, I would book it.

The train leaves Fairbanks at 8am for the 4 hour ride to Denali Park. It is 8 hours Denali Park to Anchorage. The Tundra Wilderness tour is scheduled for the next day for some visitors. Your schedule just happens to be the day you arrive and an evening tour. There will be morning tours scheduled the next day- as general information. So the extra tours would be available to you the next day. Flightseeing is my top pick. :)