Alaska CruiseTour advice please

[simonpjd]

I am sorry if this topic has been done to death but...

We are thinking of doing an Alaskan CruiseTour and we are down to choosing between Princess and HAL. We are mid 50s and still active. So lots of exciting things to do please and lots of wildlife to see - especially the wildlife. We can just about stretch to a week on board then a week ashore. This concerns mainly the week ashore as we have already done an Alaska cruise and know what to expect.

 

1 Which would be be the best company - and why.

2 Which destinations ashore must be seen - why.

3 Which excursions are the best.

 

Anything else we should know that the brochures won't tell you.

 

Thanks

[CruiserBruce]

Yes, it has been done to death, 8 or 10 deaths, so some reading on the board would be very beneficial. As 'best" is a totally subjective, personal opinion, and only you can decide what "best" means to you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I always suggest that you do the land portion first -- those days can be long between the bus and train rides.

That way you have 7 days on the ship to rest up.

Princess and HAL have been in the cruise tour business the longest. And both offer excellent packages.

Definitely select a package that includes Denali.

[05NavyRet]

I would go PRINCESS all the way...HAL is good but a little too "stuffed " shirt.atmosphere...and you may be the youngest couple on board!!!..We have never been disappointed with PRINCESS

[agabbymama]

I can only tell you my experience. Princess wanted $4500 pp for a 7 day cruise + 7 days on land, with only 1 night in the Yukon. HAL wanted $2700 for a 3 day cruise + 8 days on land with 3 nights in the YUkon (Whitehorse and Dawson City). We chose HAL and had a wonderful cruisetour. We left from Vancouver Northbound, debarked in Skagway, up the Yukon Whitepass RR to Fraser, coach to Whitehorse, on to Dawson City for 2 nights, riverboat to Eagle Alaska, coach on to Chicken and Tok, on to Fairbanks, dome rail to Denali (Tundra Wilderness Tour that afternoon), next day on to Anchorage, with a flight home the next day.

 

We had done the 7 day cruise with HAL, so for this trip I wanted to see some interior Alaska + the Yukon. They just seemed to go hand in hand in my mind. We didn't add on any excursions, tho there were many available. We were happy with what HAL had planned and showed us each day. We really enjoyed the 2 nights in Dawson City being able to walk around and see the city & their way of life. OOPS, we did add on one excursion at Denali, we went to Jeff King's Husky Homestead. I had followed Jeff in the Iditarod and really wanted to meet him.

 

Lots on this board advocate independent travel, but for us (husband & wife, huband's sister, and husband's male friend) we needed either three rooms or sharing two rooms. I priced out the rental car + B&Bs or motels vs a motorhome (no privacy) vs cruisetour. After comparing prices, I would have saved maybe $200 pp to go independent but I'd have to do all the work. It was a no brainer for me to find a HAL cruisetour that went where I wanted to go and let HAL do the work.

 

We all had such a wonderful time, seeing some of the small towns in Alaska, meeting a lot of locals, with the Yukon thrown into the mix. If you have ever done a coach tour and know what you are getting, they are great! Just be sure to do your research before booking and know exactly what you are getting. HAL does a great job and with the cruisetour, transfers from the airport to pier and hotel to airport were included.

 

One more point, we did not purchase the HAL offered meal plan (because we thought we could eat cheaper). Ended up not being the case. When you arrive into town at the hotel at 5:30-6:00 in the evening, we were ready to eat, not wander around town trying to find someplace open that didn't have a 2 hour wait, so we ended up eating at the hotel restaurant as they were geared for the coach tours and able to accommodate a lot of folks. At each restaurant, the waitress was always surprised that we didn't have the voucher (so they must be very popular).

 

Ultimately, only you can decide what is best for you. Have a great trip back to Alaska, it only gets better with each visit.:)

[LaurieCM]

I agree that doing the land portion first is a good idea- that's what we did. You are at most 2 nights per location and live out of your suitcases- so it is nice to get to the ship and put things away. We did the Princess Exotic Explorer- Anchorage, train to Double Denali, bus to Fairbanks, bus north on the Dalton Highway to Coldfoot, continuing through the Brooks Range to Deadhorse at Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean, fly back to Anchorage and the bus the next morning to Whittier and the 7 night cruise. We saw lots of moose and caribou, and wild herds of muskox, and bears. It was a wonderful trip.

[Budget Queen]

Key points is to be educated on WHAT you are reading, many are not. I do not agree the "blanket" comment of doing the "land first". Both directions are excellent. My touring is even, big difference. I am NOT "relaxing" on any cruise either.

 

Just because you have one visit in these cruise ports- there is so much to see and do, it is going to be a "new" trip for you, if you choose.

 

For any cruisetour- figure out the time and distances, make SURE the locations you are at, are of YOUR interest and where you want to be. Some include areas, I see reports of not doing much. Then why waste valuable time?

 

With the wildlife mention and priority, top spots for must visits are Denali park and Kenai Fjords. HAL has an edge due to maybe some cruisetours that have an overnight in Seward? But watch out for any inclusions you are paying for. In Seward, It is necessary to book a park tour, with at least 6 hours on the water- NOT a bay tour.

 

Denali Park is the other wildlife jackpot area. Do your homework here, http://www.nps.gov/dena

this is an area of big mistakes. Realize- it is ALL about distance for wildlife and none of the cruisetours go far enough in my opinion. Princess has been refunding- which is significant. HAL does include far more Tundra Wilderness tours, compared to Princess. Do NOT get any cruisetour with the Natural History tour, and ONLY get a cruisetour with 2 night AT Denali Park. (for some that still may not be enough time) An independent option that I do, is the shuttle bus to at least Eielson, I never consider any less.

 

Again, Look at the inclusions, you are paying for every one of them. :) Find out about each area, make sure you want to be in Talkeetna, Fairbanks etc.

 

Alternatively there are independent touring options that are far superior for better use of time and superior itineraries. Add to the mix the option to get some significant discounts with purchased coupon books.

 

Head to your library and take out Alaska travel books, Fodor's Alaska and Frommer's Alaska are frequently easy to find. Don't worry about older editions, easy to verify prices on line. :)

[oaktreerb]

I assume this is for 2014. I have been on several HAL cruise tours and have never felt that I should have tried another experience. For 2014 they seem to have consolidated their offerings but they really are the leader in Alaska. Look for two days in Denali, Alyeska, or Fairbanks if you decide to go to those locations. My first choices would be Denali and Alyeska.

 

Hal has forward facing seats on the train to Denali and lots of viewing from the dome cars and narration all the way. They also have a bar, free coffee, and a nice dining car. Their Chalets in Denali are centrally located and near the Princess Lodge if you want to wander over there to eat or look around. From what I have read the Chalets accommodations seem to be more consistent. They are a park accommodation and not owned by HAL.

 

Alyeska is beautiful and an experience in itself.

 

If you can add the Kenai Fjords experience in Seward before transporting to Alyeska you should (6 hours).

 

If you just want to take a 14 day cruise and want to see Kodiak and Homer instead of Denali you can do that on the Amsterdam. I believe it will be round trip Seattle but will go up the inside passage of Vancouver Island.

 

Lots of people say to do it on your own but if you haven't been there before you might like to have someone showing you the highlights.