Final itinerary review

Thanks in no small part to the knowledgeable people on this board, DH and I are ready to leave on our first cruise on the Veendam this weekend. Here's our schdule with a few more questions.

Fly DC to Vancouver

Night at Vancouver Hyatt ($92 on priceline)

Sail away!

Ketchikan -- Misty Fjords floatplane with Alaska seaplane at 8:15

Pennok Paddle 11:30 (Orca was full) Toursaver coupon from book purchased on E-bay.

Skagway -- Two options. Have reserved a car with Avis (with discount # from this board) for an all day Emerald Lake drive or take the White Pass rail trip and book a Glacier Point Wilderness Safari on shipboard if we can.

Juneau -- Two hour glacier hike with Northstar Trekking at 10:00. Independent visit to Salmon hatchery.

Glacier Bay and College Fjords -- two sea days.

Disembark Seward. Bus to Anchorage. Flight to Fairbanks.

Fairbanks -- Sternwheeler(?) river trip and #8 gold dredging. Train to Denali next AM

Denali -- afternoon Tundra tour. Next day 8:15 am McKinley summit flight with Talkneet aero. (Toursaver coupon.) Train to Anchorage.

Anchorage -- overnight. 4:00 next afternoon I'll be dragged, kicking and screaming onto the plane for the flight home.

That was so much fun to write out! This is our first cruise ever. We like outdoors and scenery. Would have traded Fairbanks for an extra day in Denali if we could have. Less fond of shopping. Usually travel independently and are moderately adventurous.

A few questions:

I really want to be on the water close to the glaciers like the description of the Glacier point wilderness safari. Will other parts of the trip be enough or should we try to book the glacier trip through the ship? We really like the idea of the drive since it would be the only time we'd really be on our own. Not to mention that it would cost hundreds of dollars more for two train tickets and two glacier point trips compared to car rental and gas.

After we disembark in Seward I think we'll have two additional options for transfer to Anchorage: taking the train instead of the bus (sorry, I mean "motor coach":)) or going to Portage glacier with the hour boat trip on the way to Anchorage. The latter sounds like a tiring day: disembark, bus to glacier, boat trip, bus to Anchorage, flight to Fairbanks. But (as you can probably tell!) I don't want to miss anything. If we don't to do the Portage glacier, would you advise the train over the bus from Seward to Anchorage?

We'll have dinner on our own two nights in Fairbanks. I've read about a well known salmon bake there; is it pretty much a tourist trap or a neat experience? Any inexpensive, casual eateries near the HAL Fairmont(?) hotel?

We'll have a half day in Anchorage at the end. any suggestions for a farewell tour?

I can't believe how prepared I am and how much I've learned from this and other cruise critic forums (like how to rent a tux, when to show up at embarkation, what to pack, what to wear for formal nights, when to be on deck looking for whales, to buy (which we did) a second pair of binoculars and extra camera memory, etc., etc.) Thank so much!

taking the train instead of the bus, I mean motorcoach (I should know better because I used to drive one) - YES

After a day in Glacier Bay Portage is a yawn.

I've read about a well known salmon bake there; is it pretty much a tourist trap or a neat experience? - The salmon bake is a wonderful experience with good food, salmon, halibut, prime rib. Enjoy the show at the Palace Saloon. Nice way to spend the evening.

Half-day Anchorage - if it's a Saturday or Sunday head downtown to Saturday Market. (yeah they even refer to Sunday as Saturday market) Live music, local vendors selling arts, crafts, t-shirts etc at prices better than those in the stores. Pick up a jar of fireweed honey - YUM!

If it's not Sat. or Sun. then take the time to go to the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Very interesting displays, presentations and entertainment offered by the 5 native clans of the north. Another option is the Alaska Zoo which is small by lower 48 standards but offers displays featuring Ahpun, a polar bear that was orphaned at a very early age. She was raised in the Alaska Zoo with Oreo, an orphaned brown bear that was found very near the same time. They have now been seperated because as Oreo aged she became too agressive. You'll also see Maggie the elephant who has recently been in the national spotlight as animal rights groups think she should be around her own kind and not alone in a zoo. Problem is, Maggie has been here for so long others don't believe she would ever adapt to a different environment.

If you have a rental car you could drive out to Flat Top Mountain for an amazing vista of Turnagain Arm, Cook Inlet, Anchorage, and on a clear day Mt. McKinley, not to mention Mt. Spur and Mt. Redoubt and Mt. Illiamna, all from one spot. Anyone can give you directions, as a matter of fact the zoo is on the way.

Or take the opportunity to visit the Ulu Factory, the Anchorage Museum (excellent), have a nice lunch at the Snow Goose on the rooftop overlooking Cook Inlet and Mt. Susitna (the Sleeping Lady).

Take a trolley tour of Anchorage and learn about the earthquake of 64 and even visit Earthquake Park with a great view of Anchorage nestled beneath the Chugach Mountains.

As you can tell there is a great variety of things to see and do in Anchorage so don't waste any time.

You're gonna LOVE IT!

Thanks in no small part to the knowledgeable people on this board, DH and I are ready to leave on our first cruise on the Veendam this weekend. Here's our schdule with a few more questions.

 

Fly DC to Vancouver

 

Night at Vancouver Hyatt ($92 on priceline)

 

Sail away!

 

Ketchikan -- Misty Fjords floatplane with Alaska seaplane at 8:15

Pennok Paddle 11:30 (Orca was full) Toursaver coupon from book purchased on E-bay.

 

Skagway -- Two options. Have reserved a car with Avis (with discount # from this board) for an all day Emerald Lake drive or take the White Pass rail trip and book a Glacier Point Wilderness Safari on shipboard if we can.

 

Juneau -- Two hour glacier hike with Northstar Trekking at 10:00. Independent visit to Salmon hatchery.

 

Glacier Bay and College Fjords -- two sea days.

 

Disembark Seward. Bus to Anchorage. Flight to Fairbanks.

 

Fairbanks -- Sternwheeler(?) river trip and #8 gold dredging. Train to Denali next AM

 

Denali -- afternoon Tundra tour. Next day 8:15 am McKinley summit flight with Talkneet aero. (Toursaver coupon.) Train to Anchorage.

 

Anchorage -- overnight. 4:00 next afternoon I'll be dragged, kicking and screaming onto the plane for the flight home.

 

That was so much fun to write out! This is our first cruise ever. We like outdoors and scenery. Would have traded Fairbanks for an extra day in Denali if we could have. Less fond of shopping. Usually travel independently and are moderately adventurous.

 

A few questions:

 

I really want to be on the water close to the glaciers like the description of the Glacier point wilderness safari. Will other parts of the trip be enough or should we try to book the glacier trip through the ship? We really like the idea of the drive since it would be the only time we'd really be on our own. Not to mention that it would cost hundreds of dollars more for two train tickets and two glacier point trips compared to car rental and gas.

 

After we disembark in Seward I think we'll have two additional options for transfer to Anchorage: taking the train instead of the bus (sorry, I mean "motor coach":)) or going to Portage glacier with the hour boat trip on the way to Anchorage. The latter sounds like a tiring day: disembark, bus to glacier, boat trip, bus to Anchorage, flight to Fairbanks. But (as you can probably tell!) I don't want to miss anything. If we don't to do the Portage glacier, would you advise the train over the bus from Seward to Anchorage?

 

We'll have dinner on our own two nights in Fairbanks. I've read about a well known salmon bake there; is it pretty much a tourist trap or a neat experience? Any inexpensive, casual eateries near the HAL Fairmont(?) hotel?

 

We'll have a half day in Anchorage at the end. any suggestions for a farewell tour?

 

I can't believe how prepared I am and how much I've learned from this and other cruise critic forums (like how to rent a tux, when to show up at embarkation, what to pack, what to wear for formal nights, when to be on deck looking for whales, to buy (which we did) a second pair of binoculars and extra camera memory, etc., etc.) Thank so much!

Is this an independent interior tour???? If it is I never recommend the triple cost Tundra Wilderness tour, instead always only the Fish Creek Shuttle. You get nothing more except a lighter wallet in my experience. :)

Again if independent, see some of Seward, it's a big opportunity for excellent wildlife and glacier viewing on a Kenai fjords boat tour. A top recommendation and not to be missed in my opinion.

You are probably referring to Pioneer Park Salmon Bake, with the hordes of buses now going there, I would only consider this when it first opens since they do not insist on clean plates and the salad bar is a mess after the first hour. :) The Palace Theater is just excellent.

With your glacier interest, I would definately go with the the Glacier Point tour, this isn't the place to skip a great tour. :) As for Anchorage, plenty to see and do, request their visitor guide, nice walking tour map included. http://www.anchorage.net And definately go the train Seward/Anchorage, superior scenery compared to the Seward Highway. Have a great trip. :)

Is this an independent interior tour???? If it is I never recommend the triple cost Tundra Wilderness tour, instead always only the Fish Creek Shuttle. You get nothing more except a lighter wallet in my experience. :)

Again if independent, see some of Seward, it's a big opportunity for excellent wildlife and glacier viewing on a Kenai fjords boat tour. A top recommendation and not to be missed in my opinion.

 

No, it's not independent; it's a standard HAL package. Portage glacier and the Seward-Anchorage train transfer are in the Holland book as optional upgrades but I don't think we can strike out on our own without missing the tour transport. The Tundra Wilderness tour is part of the package so we're not paying extra for this.

The majority of folks really like the Tundra Wilderness Tour as it takes you so much further into the park with more opportunities to see wildlife. One day we saw 2 bull caribou fighting in the middle of the road! That's why it sells out so early in the year for the entire season. Enjoy it as Holland made offers to move passengers off this tour because of overselling it. (The Parks department was a bit upset.) You enjoy what a lot of other folks are not going to be able to see and do...