Land portion of land/sea trip to Alaska

we will have 4 days on land before our cruise and we added on the meal package so as not to have to,worry about where to have meals.

We start in Faibanks, Denali, Anchorage and end up in Seward to get thevship.

Anyone have experience with this meal plan?

Are the restaurants at the hotel itself or for example, at Denali there are numerous restaurants near our lodging.

Thanks for any info.

we will have 4 days on land before our cruise and we added on the meal package so as not to have to,worry about where to have meals.

We start in Faibanks, Denali, Anchorage and end up in Seward to get thevship.

Anyone have experience with this meal plan?

Are the restaurants at the hotel itself or for example, at Denali there are numerous restaurants near our lodging.

 

Thanks for any info.

Meal Plan restaurants in Denali are Karsten's and the Canyon Steak House. Here is a link to my McKinley Lodge photographs that include the menus.

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/denali/mckinley-lodge/nggallery/page/3

In Anchorage the meal plan was only for some of the restaurants in the Captain Cook Hotel.

The meal plan is good if you are not watching your weight and also a desert lover since that is the only way it is cost effective.

The food at the Canyon Steakhouse is amazing.

Meal Plan restaurants in Denali are Karsten's and the Canyon Steak House. Here is a link to my McKinley Lodge photographs that include the menus.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/denali/mckinley-lodge/nggallery/page/3

 

In Anchorage the meal plan was only for some of the restaurants in the Captain Cook Hotel.

 

The meal plan is good if you are not watching your weight and also a desert lover since that is the only way it is cost effective.

 

The food at the Canyon Steakhouse is amazing.

Not sure what you mean

"if you are not watching your weight and also a dessert lover since that is the only way it is cost effective"

Not sure what you mean

"if you are not watching your weight and also a dessert lover since that is the only way it is cost effective"

My meal plan was $299 for three days plus one breakfast and minus one lunch. For simplicity sake, that means $100/day. The biggest steak on the Canyon Steak House restaurant is $49 and $9 salad. Desserts were $9 - $15 for a maximum supper charge of $73. Breakfast buffet $14.95 and $15 box lunch (or train lunch with dessert) is about $100/day.

Eating a smaller steak/healthier choice could save $20 each supper and skipping the dessert saves another $9. For three days that is an approximate savings of $100 off the meal plan price that I paid. For a family of 3, the $300 could be spent on something else.

As i reflect on the plan, it was the same as going to a high-priced buffet in Las Vegas. To get your moneys worth, you would have to stuff yourself.

Convenient - YES but cost effective - NO.

We did not do the meal plan on the same Land journey you are on and we are so glad we didn’t.

The hotel is Fairbanks is blah. It’s not awful but I’d never see it and think gosh, let’s go eat in their restaurant. We walked into town which wasn’t far but it could be too much for many guests. You could pay cash in the restaurant there. The package meal includes all the courses, so it’s a heavy, large meal.

In Denali the restaurants on the property are great. We loved them both. We just paid for what we ordered. We walked across the street to an independent place as well for a few meals.

In Anchorage you’ll almost surely be at the Westmark. We got lucky this year because they were doing some work and got put in a different hotel. If you’re on the plan you eat in the Westmark. But with only 1 night in Anchorage it’s WAY better to walk outside that hotel and eat locally. A favorite of mine is right across the street. There are great breakfast options just outside the hotel as well.

I’d say no way we could have eaten the price of the plan in the restaurants we went to. And we went to great places. Money isn’t everything but after seeing the Fairbanks and Anchorage Westmarks, you will want to leave them.

My meal plan was $299 for three days plus one breakfast and minus one lunch. For simplicity sake, that means $100/day. The biggest steak on the Canyon Steak House restaurant is $49 and $9 salad. Desserts were $9 - $15 for a maximum supper charge of $73. Breakfast buffet $14.95 and $15 box lunch (or train lunch with dessert) is about $100/day.

 

Eating a smaller steak/healthier choice could save $20 each supper and skipping the dessert saves another $9. For three days that is an approximate savings of $100 off the meal plan price that I paid. For a family of 3, the $300 could be spent on something else.

 

As i reflect on the plan, it was the same as going to a high-priced buffet in Las Vegas. To get your moneys worth, you would have to stuff yourself.

 

Convenient - YES but cost effective - NO.

Thanks for clarifying. I get what you are saying.

Thectwo of us are getting 4 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 3 dinners for $349 PP

A little pricey but because this is our first ever trip like this, I went for convenience.

Thanks for clarifying. I get what you are saying.

Thectwo of us are getting 4 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 3 dinners for $349 PP

A little pricey but because this is our first ever trip like this, I went for convenience.

Good choice for the first time. As with any cruise experience, its difficult to know all of the options until you try it once.

The food is good at the hotels and you would most likely be eating at the hotel anyway for convenience. If you take the train the package also covers eating in the dining car. At the Westmark in Fairbanks we preferred eating in the bar to the dining room. At Denali we had one really good meal at Karstens (Salmon) and one that was so bad I talked to the manager about it (Pork). The Canyon Steak House is much better, I think.. For breakfast it will be easier to eat at Karstens buffet unless your cabin is up-top, You get to order from the full buffet.... so enjoy!

As I understand it with the meal plan you can order anything on the menu!