Anyone out there taken a HAL cruisetour in Alaska?

[saturngazer]

I am taking HAL's cruisetour 5 this summer in Alaska. My main question is about the tipping for the driver and/or guide? Any ideas? How have you handled it? How do the "included meals" work -- do you get coupons for the meals or do you all eat together?

Any information will be gratefully accepted.

[agabbymama]

Once you receive your documents, the recommended tip is in your paperwork. I want to say it was like $4 or 4.50 pp per day for the Tour Director and $2 or 2.50 for the driver. At the end of the tour as everyone got off the bus, we just had the bills folded and handed them to them and thanked them for a wonderful tour. We changed drivers midtrip, so had to tip the one as we left the bus in Dawson City (she announced she would not be our driver on into Alaska), as well as the one when we ended in Anchorage. There were no tickets that I can recall for the included meals, but there may have been vouchers (again in your documents). We didn't have many meals included. I think there was 3, at Minto you got off the bus lined up and walked through the buffet line. Lunch on the Yukon was served at your seat. Lunch at the Gold Dredge was in a large chow hall (like the miners) and you went in as a group. Afterwards, I wished we had chosen the meal option. At the time I thought $300 was too much and we could eat cheaper, but it didn't turn out that way. Most of the breakfasts were around the $15-20 mark. Dinners around $28-30. The best meals we had were on the train to/from Denali. Absolutely best prime rib I've ever had for $28.

[saturngazer]

Agabbymama, your info is very helpful. I have opted for the meal plan, but it does not cover all meals. Fortunately, my travel agent highly recommended that option, because meals are very expensive in Alaska. Thanks for the tip on the prime rib. I'll keep that in mind.

I am SO looking forward to this trip. I love Alaska and haven't done much in the interior, especially coming in from the Yukon. I've been to Anchorage, Denali and Fairbanks before, but that was 10 years ago. I'm planning to stay in Anchorage an additional 4 days at the end. Want to do Kenai and Kodiak Island, if I can.