Cruise vs. Just Land Tour ???

[DougH]

The reason most people take the cruise is that for most of the major ports its the only way into town except by plane. Flying between each city and then adding the cost of hotels and meals seems like it would add up to way more than the cruise very fast. If you want to see Ketchican. Juneau, Sitka and Skagway the cruise is a much better deal. If you're talking more of a land tour between Seward/Anchorage/Fairbanks then a land tour on your own makes sense

[GrandCanyon2005]

I'm a huge analyzer ... in fact I have dual deposits down on both Norwegian Sun and Princess Sapphire, and now running a calculation on a Land Tour only. What I've got so far includes three ports, with Bed-&-Breakfast hotels, and I haven't even got to Kenai or Denali yet ... but so far, the Land is cheaper than the cruise Aft Suite + one Port Cabin for the kids. Here's what we've got so far:

Ketchikan Black Bear Inn for two nights, including Island Wings Bear Viewing on one day and Island Wings Flightseeing Fjord Tour on the other day ($3,131). Juneau Capital Inn for two nights, including Mendenhall Glacier, Tracy Arm Boat Tour on one day, and Glacier Dog Sled Tour on the other day ($3,226). Gustavus Inn at Glacier Bay for two nights, including the Glacier Bay Day Tour on one day, and TAZ Whale Watching on the next day ($2,220). All of those include breakfast, and two of them include lunch and dinners. So far it's $8,577 which is cheaper than the $12,800 we would pay for the cruise. The airfare between those cities is just about $85/person. Well, now I'm continuing my research over to two nights each at Fox Island, then Anchorage, and then Fairbanks ... with three nights at Denali. I'll let you know how I come out; lol.

[DougH]

Sounds like you have a plan. How many people are traveling? Your budget far exceeds mine on any of my Alaska trips, and I travel alone and have to pay single supplement on the cruise. Neither of my last couple of Alaska trips cost me over $2500 but then I'm usually in an inside or obstructed cabin.

 

Hope the planning works out for you. I had always wanted to do an Alaska camping trip but even from the West Coast is a huge distance involved. I ended up taking a cruise and now repeat pretty much every year.

[GrandCanyon2005]

Sounds like you have a plan. How many people are traveling? Your budget far exceeds mine on any of my Alaska trips, and I travel alone and have to pay single supplement on the cruise. Neither of my last couple of Alaska trips cost me over $2500 but then I'm usually in an inside or obstructed cabin.

Hope the planning works out for you. I had always wanted to do an Alaska camping trip but even from the West Coast is a huge distance involved. I ended up taking a cruise and now repeat pretty much every year.

 

If I got to go every year like you, then I would probably definitely do a cruise. I envy you; haha. If you miss something then you know you might get to do it again the next year; however, this will probably be our only family trip to AK because we like to do something different every year.

 

Since you've been, let me ask you something. I had someone say that "if" we were not going on the cruise that they would skip Junaau, Skagway, and Ketchikan altogether, because they are tourist traps and there are much better places to do Bear Viewing, Sled Dog Tours, Flightseeing, etc. Your thoughts?

[DougH]

There is a lot to do in Juneau, I love the all day boat trip to Tracy Arm and whale watching with Capt Larry. The Mendenhall is nice and there are some nice short hikes in the area. Also lots of flightseeing options from here.

 

Skagway has as its main attraction the Yukon and White Pass rail trip an/or the drive into the Yukon. Also many flightseeing options.

 

I'm not a huge fan of Ketchican but love the flightseeing trip into Misty Fjords.

 

The only bear view trip I did was at Icy Strait/Hoonah and I loved it. Have only been to Fairbanks on my first trip many years ago and would love to go back. I'm a big fan of the smaller towns such as Haines, Homer, Kodiak , Seward. Budget Queen would be the expert to ask for most of the land trips, she has much more experience in these.

 

Have fun with your planning, I alos love that part of the trip.

[Budget Queen]

I'm a huge analyzer ... in fact I have dual deposits down on both Norwegian Sun and Princess Sapphire, and now running a calculation on a Land Tour only. What I've got so far includes three ports, with Bed-&-Breakfast hotels, and I haven't even got to Kenai or Denali yet ... but so far, the Land is cheaper than the cruise Aft Suite + one Port Cabin for the kids. Here's what we've got so far:

Ketchikan Black Bear Inn for two nights, including Island Wings Bear Viewing on one day and Island Wings Flightseeing Fjord Tour on the other day ($3,131). Juneau Capital Inn for two nights, including Mendenhall Glacier, Tracy Arm Boat Tour on one day, and Glacier Dog Sled Tour on the other day ($3,226). Gustavus Inn at Glacier Bay for two nights, including the Glacier Bay Day Tour on one day, and TAZ Whale Watching on the next day ($2,220). All of those include breakfast, and two of them include lunch and dinners. So far it's $8,577 which is cheaper than the $12,800 we would pay for the cruise. The airfare between those cities is just about $85/person. Well, now I'm continuing my research over to two nights each at Fox Island, then Anchorage, and then Fairbanks ... with three nights at Denali. I'll let you know how I come out; lol.

 

You have an interesting plan. But having been to Fox Island, no way would I ever consider staying there. It has daily visitors coming and going for the buffet, and it's within sight of Seward. Not too much going for it, in my opinion.

[Budget Queen]

If I got to go every year like you, then I would probably definitely do a cruise. I envy you; haha. If you miss something then you know you might get to do it again the next year; however, this will probably be our only family trip to AK because we like to do something different every year.

 

Since you've been, let me ask you something. I had someone say that "if" we were not going on the cruise that they would skip Junaau, Skagway, and Ketchikan altogether, because they are tourist traps and there are much better places to do Bear Viewing, Sled Dog Tours, Flightseeing, etc. Your thoughts?

 

You can not compare the inside passage with mainland Alaska. Very very different. A cruise "fits" nicely with the ports and scenic sailing. BUT, if you really want more varied Alaska touring, it is elsewhere, if using a cruise.

[greatam]

at Fox Island, then Anchorage, and then Fairbanks ... with three nights at Denali. I'll let you know how I come out; lol.

 

If you mean Fox Island outside of Seward, give it a pass. Your money is better spent elsewhere (like in Homer, Soldotna, etc. etc). A VERY overpriced "tourist trap".

 

And if you are trying to do all this on a land tour, unless you are going to the "Far North"-Prudhoe or Barrow, Kotzebue, etc. I would give Fairbanks a pass also.

 

And another suggestion, if you want to see Ketchikan, Juneau, etc, why don't you look into taking the Alaska ferry? You can get a cabin and camp the kids out on the deck in a tent.

[Gardyloo]

If I got to go every year like you, then I would probably definitely do a cruise. I envy you; haha. If you miss something then you know you might get to do it again the next year; however, this will probably be our only family trip to AK because we like to do something different every year.

 

Since you've been, let me ask you something. I had someone say that "if" we were not going on the cruise that they would skip Junaau, Skagway, and Ketchikan altogether, because they are tourist traps and there are much better places to do Bear Viewing, Sled Dog Tours, Flightseeing, etc. Your thoughts?

I know your questions are directed at BQ, but let me take a stab at this.

 

First, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan aren't "tourist traps," they're working towns with lives that extend well beyond the cruise season. Juneau is the state capital and is a beehive of activity year-round, especially when the legislature is in session in the winter. Ketchikan is an important fishing and forest products center. Skagway... well, Skagway is by far the most tourist-dependent of the Southeastern communities, and after the last cruise ship has sailed, the town is pretty quiet.

 

But if you visit them during cruise season, during the days the towns will be full, and the schlunk sellers will be hopping. At night, after all the ships have sailed, they're different places altogether. Still active, with non-cruise tourists and all the seasonal residents (who may be selling the schlunk during the day) - as well as the locals - out eating and shopping and living, but not as chaotic as when six or eight thousand cruise passengers are out wandering around.

 

With just 10-14 days (as I think you mentioned upthread) and with a family traveling (How many? Ages?) and with your wish list, I think I'd say that giving them a short picture of Southeast Alaska would be a good thing. If you're dead set on Glacier Bay, then you could just arrange your flights to include a stopover in Juneau to/from the Lower 48, and use the stopover to visit Juneau (which is a very interesting and historic town on its own) and use it as a base from which to visit Glacier Bay. Fly in - the view from light planes in that area is dynamite.

 

On the other fronts...

 

Bear viewing: In general bear-viewing trips are very expensive, and most will involve fly-in trips. See, for example, Alaska.org's table of bear viewing options, which is far from definitive, but which will give you a good feel for the types and costs of various tours. Note that virtually all of these will also be a "twofer" since they'll involve "flightseeing" as part of the trip, which will check off two of your "must do" activities.

 

Of course this is in addition to any bears you might see if you visit Denali Park, although those will more often than not be some distance from the bus windows.

 

Dogsled rides: Assuming you're going in summer, then dogsled rides will probably either be using wheeled sleds, or else will take place on some glacier following an expen$ive helicopter or ski-plane ride. Again, look here for a representative list. Seavey's in Seward is probably the gold standard, and would work well with a wildlife-intensive day trip to the Kenai Fjords NP, departing from Seward. Pick a non-cruise day in Seward to do these activities if you can. Watch Seavey's video to be sure this is what you have in mind.

 

If I were planning 10-14 days with your interests, I suppose I'd allocate it along something like these lines, in no particular order:

 

Juneau/Glacier Bay - 3 days, preferably at the start or end of the trip

Seward - Kenai Fjords + dogsled (+ fishing if of interest) - 2-3 days

Anchorage area - city tour, Girdwood, 26 Glacier cruise, Bear viewing using Rust's, R & R - 4 days

Denali NP - 3 days (one up, one there, one back.)

 

Total 12-13 days, including at least two up in the air for part of the day.

 

Since you won't be hitting any Native communities, at least on one of the Anchorage days, visit the Native Heritage Center and the gift shop at the Alaska Native Medical Center (best gift shop in town) so that you'll get at least a little glimpse of the Native societies that make Alaska so special.

[vbmom87]

If you mean Fox Island outside of Seward, give it a pass. Your money is better spent elsewhere (like in Homer, Soldotna, etc. etc). A VERY overpriced "tourist trap".

 

And if you are trying to do all this on a land tour, unless you are going to the "Far North"-Prudhoe or Barrow, Kotzebue, etc. I would give Fairbanks a pass also.

 

And another suggestion, if you want to see Ketchikan, Juneau, etc, why don't you look into taking the Alaska ferry? You can get a cabin and camp the kids out on the deck in a tent.

 

Based on what the OP said in his first post on this thread, I don't think the accomodations on the Alaska Ferry would meet his requirements. Here is what the OP stated:

 

Some of the things that have caused me to pursue this is that none of the ships (per reviews and this forum) seem to measure up to what we are accustomed to (bad food reviews, bad show reviews, dated room reviews, etc).

[Budget Queen]

Based on what the OP said in his first post on this thread, I don't think the accomodations on the Alaska Ferry would meet his requirements. Here is what the OP stated:

 

Some of the things that have caused me to pursue this is that none of the ships (per reviews and this forum) seem to measure up to what we are accustomed to (bad food reviews, bad show reviews, dated room reviews, etc).

 

If indeed fact for them, then no, the ferry won't make it. BUT, likely neither will their lodging list, unless they are going to spend their entire trip at Alyeska. :)