Alaska cruisetours: Are they worth it?

[Bridget2]

For quite some time my husband and I have dreamed of cruising to Alaska. We went on an eastern Caribbean cruise a couple years ago with Princess and loved it. We have envisioned taking the cruise/land tour. Recently I have started having second thoughts and wonder if we would be better off to just take the 7 day cruise and go back later with another tour company for the inland experience. My reservations are as follows: #1 Our biggest interest is the Kenai peninsula and it appears we would have to take the LONG cruise tour to include that area, which brings up the cost. It may make the difference between taking the cruise in the fairly near future or having to put it off quite a while. #2 Seeing wildlife is a big thing for us and I have seen several reviews in which people have said they really didn't see that much on the land portion. #3 I've begun to wonder if we would be doing anything we couldn't just do on shore excursions? My husband's biggest thing is he wants to go salmon fishing and he is dead set on holding out for the cruise and land tour. Does anyone have experience with this? Can you tell me what you would suggest and if the extra cost for the land portion too is worth the money?

[ToUtahNow]

For quite some time my husband and I have dreamed of cruising to Alaska. We went on an eastern Caribbean cruise a couple years ago with Princess and loved it. We have envisioned taking the cruise/land tour. Recently I have started having second thoughts and wonder if we would be better off to just take the 7 day cruise and go back later with another tour company for the inland experience. My reservations are as follows: #1 Our biggest interest is the Kenai peninsula and it appears we would have to take the LONG cruise tour to include that area, which brings up the cost. It may make the difference between taking the cruise in the fairly near future or having to put it off quite a while. #2 Seeing wildlife is a big thing for us and I have seen several reviews in which people have said they really didn't see that much on the land portion. #3 I've begun to wonder if we would be doing anything we couldn't just do on shore excursions? My husband's biggest thing is he wants to go salmon fishing and he is dead set on holding out for the cruise and land tour. Does anyone have experience with this? Can you tell me what you would suggest and if the extra cost for the land portion too is worth the money?

 

I sent every extended vacation I had in a 12-year period hunting, fishing and exploring Alaska. Some years we had a floatplane drop one of my sons and I off in the Mulchatna drainage with a raft and pick us up down river in 10-days. Some years the wife and I did self guided land tours out of a rental car. If you feel comfortable on your own it is a great way to go. If you feel you need to be herded from location to location take the land tour. Either way it is a beautiful State with plenty to see.

 

Mark

[Pam in CA]

IMHO, yes. If you're going to go all the way to Alaska, I think it's definitely worth adding the cruise tour. To go back and do it would be very expensive and take you a day to get there and a day to return. At minimum.

 

The distances are huge. I felt that I'd rather not drive for hours and hours (and the driver loses out because they're watching the road.) I would have missed the guide who spotted eagles in a tree and stopped the bus so we could all see. The guide also told us the history and geography of what we were seeing, things we'd miss if we were doing the driving. I never felt we were "herded" since the trains and buses were comfortable. We could pick excursions once we arrived at a lodge. One of the best was a 4x4 trek into the foothills of Mt. McKinley. We drove our own vehicle and had a hoot.

[always_cruisin]

I agree with Pam, but also keep in mind that there are other tour companies that do the land portion besides the cruise companies. The Alaska Railroad has a great tour package, for a lot less $$, as do several other companies. Your Travel Professional should have access to many vendors in Alaska and should be able to put together the perfect trip for your budget and the length of time you wish to spend there.

[trbeer]

If you are interested in the Kenai Peninsula then I suggest you do the land portion yourself. We spent our 1st night in Anchorage, 2 nights in Homer, and 2 nights in Seward staying at B & Bs and loved it. If we had more time we would have spent 1 more night in each location. To each their own but the Kenai is easy to do on your own.

[Donut23]

First, I agree with the crowd, do it all at once. Airfare can be expensive and you will waste time traveling......you could be watching the wildlife.

 

The Kenai is OH MY GOD beautiful and can be done alone by someone comfortable traveling outside a group. Don't discount a trip to Denali. The park is enormous, a flight trip of the great mountain is easily a lifetime highlight.

 

Animals are hit and miss. I remember a train ride to Seward. Everyone had noses pressed to the glass, binoculars in one hand, $900 cameras in the other. There were 2 teenage girls who just couldn't be bothered. However, on occasion they would look up and sure enough, they would always spot something immediately.

 

Eventually you seem to get a sense of how and where to look.

 

For example, you see more eagles as you travel south on your cruise. On a wildlife shore excursion we stopped counting when we got to 50 eagles spotted. A tip, look for the golf balls in the trees (their white heads). Makes it very easy to spot them.

 

If you are interested in wildlife, I strongly urge you to consider the Sealife Center in Seward. It was created with $$$$$$ from Exxon following the spill to study the long term damage to wildlife. Their mission continues and the people are passionate about their mission.

 

I am a veteran of 6 glorious trips to Alaska, married in Juneau in 2007. In March I was in the hospital with a heart emergency. My Jim was beyond desperate....did not know what to do to help so.....he booked cabin 1100 on the Radiance of the Seas in Alaska for 2014......to make me smile.

 

Be careful. Once you visit, Alaska remains a part of you forever. You may go home but part of that magical place stays with you forever.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Donut23

[gator582]

Ahhhh, Alaska! We just returned on Monday. We did the Princess northbound cruise and land tour. You just don't want to miss anything, especially the first time. You get a good flavor of what there is to offer. It is breathtaking, majestic - just everything. For me, whale watching was the best.

 

Our train ride to Mt McKinkey was great and informative. We saw some Beluga whales and the mountains were amazing. We even saw a rainbow in the mountains. A real strike of good luck.

 

Fog cleared enough for us to see Mt McKinley our last morning at hotel What a sight! Our bus ride to Denali was awesome and, again, informative. My husband and I did comment that since neither of us were driving, we weren't missing anything.

 

Denali tour was very interesting and the views were amazing. Fall colors, too. Bonus! We saw a moose nearby, not too close. Also saw another moose and a bunch of dall sheep in the distance. No guarantees on seeing lots of critters, ever, but you can be the lucky one. :)

 

I went on and on, left out a bunch, but wanted you to know my experience. Trip was on my bucket list and I wasn't disappointed. A trip of a lifetime and I can go back one day and try something different.

 

To me, cruise tour was perfect for us. Land portion is long and places are far apart. It was nice having a knowledgeable driver to take us to each place.

 

Hope this info helped. We fell in love with Alaska. You will, too! :)

[Coral]

Why not do a one way Alaskan cruise and add Seward and Denali to the trip. You can easily do both of these on your own.

[ToUtahNow]

IMHO, yes. If you're going to go all the way to Alaska, I think it's definitely worth adding the cruise tour. To go back and do it would be very expensive and take you a day to get there and a day to return. At minimum.

 

The distances are huge. I felt that I'd rather not drive for hours and hours (and the driver loses out because they're watching the road.) I would have missed the guide who spotted eagles in a tree and stopped the bus so we could all see. The guide also told us the history and geography of what we were seeing, things we'd miss if we were doing the driving. I never felt we were "herded" since the trains and buses were comfortable. We could pick excursions once we arrived at a lodge. One of the best was a 4x4 trek into the foothills of Mt. McKinley. We drove our own vehicle and had a hoot.

 

The "herded" comment was not meant to offend anyone. I was merely pointing out there are options to moving groups of people from one location to another. Because the OP mention her husband wanted to go salmon fishing my example would be, one night while staying in North Pole I read there was a place 40-miles south where the salmon were supposed to be thick around two in the morning. I got down there and found cars parked everywhere. A quick 15-minute hike and I found the river. It was an experience I will never forget. There were probably 100-people out in the middle of nowhere catching salmon right and left. Many were young families with toddlers on up sitting on blankets.

 

As for guides, I agree they can be very helpful. Spotting wildlife has more to do with spotting inconsistencies in colors and shapes rather than anything else. The one guided trip we took was to Mount McKinley as private vehicles are not allowed. However, I was the one spotting the wildlife for the guide. There was even one large Grizzly on a hill above us which he said was not a bear. A couple of minutes later the bear got up and started walking down the hill towards us giving some great photo ops.

 

I do not believe there is a right way or a wrong way to do Alaska. I feel you get the most out of Alaska when you are doing what you want. That of course is different for everyone.

 

Mark

[Budget Queen]

For quite some time my husband and I have dreamed of cruising to Alaska. We went on an eastern Caribbean cruise a couple years ago with Princess and loved it. We have envisioned taking the cruise/land tour. Recently I have started having second thoughts and wonder if we would be better off to just take the 7 day cruise and go back later with another tour company for the inland experience. My reservations are as follows: #1 Our biggest interest is the Kenai peninsula and it appears we would have to take the LONG cruise tour to include that area, which brings up the cost. It may make the difference between taking the cruise in the fairly near future or having to put it off quite a while. #2 Seeing wildlife is a big thing for us and I have seen several reviews in which people have said they really didn't see that much on the land portion. #3 I've begun to wonder if we would be doing anything we couldn't just do on shore excursions? My husband's biggest thing is he wants to go salmon fishing and he is dead set on holding out for the cruise and land tour. Does anyone have experience with this? Can you tell me what you would suggest and if the extra cost for the land portion too is worth the money?

 

For your priority list, a cruisetour is a poor choice. I'm assuming you have the knowledge to have chosen this specific area- Kenai Peninsula= which in my opinion, means the whole thing- Homer, Soldotna, Seward etc? Correct- it is a mistake and very limited to go with Princess if you want to spend extended time in Seward.

 

I disagree with the above comment stating that for "wildlife" the Alaska See Life Center is the place to go? Not in my opinion- the priority needs to be the jackpot a Kenai Fjords boat tour- at least 6 hours on the water, seeing wildlife in the wild. :)

 

Denali Park is your other wildlife jackpot area- with the train, I would never consider less than 3 nights there as so much time is taken up with the rail transport. The WHOLE idea for wildlife here is- getting INTO the park. The more you go and the farthest you go, the more you see. I never recommend any less than Eielson Visitor Center by shuttle bus.

 

It is simple to go on your own, and for reasonable rates. I have no problem getting lodging in the $125/night range. Renting your car now, for next year, may offer you the lowest rates.

 

It all depends on you and may involve budget considerations, but the more you know, the better your decisions for your priorities will be. Don't underestimate time and distances. Cruisetours are very lacking in this, in my opinion. Be CERTAIN, you have enough time and are where you want to be. Don't compromise on what is important for YOU.

[Bridget2]

Thank you for all of your responses. This gives me a lot to think about. Leaning towards maybe my husband is right and we should do the land tour, as we wouldn't know enough about it to trek out on our own. And who knows whether we will ever be able to go back, so make the most of it. I would like to someday take an intensive Alaska tour with Natural Habitat Adventures and I think that is what has been driving me. However, if we ever win the lottery (LOL) we can still do that later. Thanks all!

[Donut23]

For your priority list, a cruisetour is a poor choice. I'm assuming you have the knowledge to have chosen this specific area- Kenai Peninsula= which in my opinion, means the whole thing- Homer, Soldotna, Seward etc? Correct- it is a mistake and very limited to go with Princess if you want to spend extended time in Seward.

 

I disagree with the above comment stating that for "wildlife" the Alaska See Life Center is the place to go? Not in my opinion- the priority needs to be the jackpot a Kenai Fjords boat tour- at least 6 hours on the water, seeing wildlife in the wild. :)

 

Denali Park is your other wildlife jackpot area- with the train, I would never consider less than 3 nights there as so much time is taken up with the rail transport. The WHOLE idea for wildlife here is- getting INTO the park. The more you go and the farthest you go, the more you see. I never recommend any less than Eielson Visitor Center by shuttle bus.

 

It is simple to go on your own, and for reasonable rates. I have no problem getting lodging in the $125/night range. Renting your car now, for next year, may offer you the lowest rates.

 

It all depends on you and may involve budget considerations, but the more you know, the better your decisions for your priorities will be. Don't underestimate time and distances. Cruisetours are very lacking in this, in my opinion. Be CERTAIN, you have enough time and are where you want to be. Don't compromise on what is important for YOU.

 

 

 

Your wildlife boat tour is an excellent choice. We have done these tours from Seward. Perhaps you can recommend options from Homer.

 

We will just have to disagree about the Sealife center.

 

Want to be an arms length from about 50 puffins? These little clowns cannot be released back into the wild. You could almost touch them and with a naturalist there to share his/her knowledge---it's soooooooo much fun. Watch out! They got your number. They will come over to you....within a foot or two and pretend to preen with splashing and silliness. Once they have everyone's attention, they will splash you by flapping their wings in the water. I watched the unsuspecting tourists one afternoon.

 

Then, go downstairs and watch them "fly" under water.

 

You can watch the live feeds from monitoring stations , watch and learn why the stellar seals are starving -- thank you climate change. Learn about humpback migratory patterns.

 

It's like a stop at the lovely little museum in downtown Anchorage. After a stop there you have been exposed to this new World. Next...... Go out and discover it in person!

 

 

http://youtu.be/sPyHCh4g9B0. - Sealife center, Enjoy!

 

http://youtu.be/O9hsGv9ALl4. - ok, one more !

 

 

 

Don't discount a cruise line rail/room package up to Denali. It includes your rail transfers and hotel room. We have grabbed Princess land packages with 50% discounts which cannot be beat. Once you are yhere, you are free to follow your own schedule. Princess has lovely lodges. They have one 40 miles from the base of mt. McKinley-----takes your breath away!

 

 

http://youtu.be/q67k0UoZ8k4. - anchorage-Denali princess train

 

 

By the way; after exhausting research I have determined Princess Resorts have the BEST...........bloody Mary's. :-)

[ROCruiser]

A cruise tour will give you an introduction of Alaska. Everything is taken care of and you could just relax and enjoy the trip. You can always go back on your own once you decided if you want to explore more in depth. JMHO. We totally enjoyed our cruise tour. I doubt that we would have seen so much in such short time on our own.

[Budget Queen]

Thank you for all of your responses. This gives me a lot to think about. Leaning towards maybe my husband is right and we should do the land tour, as we wouldn't know enough about it to trek out on our own. And who knows whether we will ever be able to go back, so make the most of it. I would like to someday take an intensive Alaska tour with Natural Habitat Adventures and I think that is what has been driving me. However, if we ever win the lottery (LOL) we can still do that later. Thanks all!

 

Your husband may have a skewed idea about independent touring in Alaska. There are plenty of guided treks to choose from. Involves a simple drive to the location. As I mention, just for giggles, get a copy of THE MILEPOST and take a little time to see what a drive is all about.

 

Sorry but with a cruise tour- you are so limited there is no way, I agree, you see and do more. You see and do less than what you can include on your own. I'm responding based on your initial comments about a wildlife priority. A cruisetour is not going to offer nearly as much as you could include on your own.

 

Cruise tours work extremely well for many people. Best with the cruise tours however, is to be FULLY informed, which most people are not. Countless examples on this board of people finding out details they are not happy with. IF they could have known this information prior to purchasing, a better choice probably would have been made. very few people are willing to "fix" their mistakes. So only a suggestion to consider.

[murphy4]

we are doing Alaska June 2014. I too wanted to see the Kenai area. We decided to fly to Anchorage and stay overnight. the next day we are getting a rent a car and driving to Seward for 2 nights. We will then drive back to Anchorage and return our car. We will be joining the Princess On Your Own tour for 4 days before our southbound cruise. I wanted to have part of the trip being driven around as opposed to a full week of DIY.

[lhbsurf]

We returned from a Cruisetour this August. Had it not been interrupted in the middle with texts from Celebrity informing us that our cruise has been cancelled and requiring us to spend lots of time figuring out alternate arrangements, I would say yes it was worth it.

 

I do very little ship tours because I find that I get a lot better experience on my own. Most of our vacations are not cruises at all, but trips which I plan myself. However, with Alaska, I could just not ever get my head around how to go about seeing the interior on my own. I bought the Milepost Guidebook, and about 3 others mentioned on here. For us, the Cruise Tour was a good way to get an overview. And getting stranded in Anchorage forced us to plot some on our own. We went back to Hotel Alyeska in Girdwood and that gave us great access to the areas you mention. The Cruise Tour was pretty exhausting - if I could choose one that spent more than one night per town, I would DEFINITELY do that!!

 

I felt the Cruise Tour was a reasonable value for what we got. Our tour guide was very good. We did the upgraded tour (Tundra Wilderness) into Denali, Kenai Fjords Cruise, and a 26 Glaciers Cruise in Whittier and saw a lot of Wildlife on all of them.

 

This being said, NOW I wouldn't do another cruise tour, as I know what I'd like to do and how to put it together. Before, however, with hours and hours and hours of research, I just couldn't do it.

[brainerdgal]

We returned two weeks ago from 14 days in Alaska. By stalking and asking questions on this board, I received enough helpful advice to plan the whole trip independently, including shore excursions. Our trip was wonderful, and we wouldn't do anything differently. We first did a 7-day Northbound cruise on Island Princess, then another 7 days on land in Seward and Denali.

 

One of the best pieces of advice I received on this board was to go from Whittier (where the ship docked) to Seward via taxi. That saved us so much time, and was well worth the cost. You don't need a car in Seward, as there is a free shuttle that loops around the town. We were 2 nights & 3 full days in Seward. The afternoon/evening of the 3rd day, we took the train to Anchorage and the next day headed to Denali in a rental car. We spent 4 nights and 3 days in Denali before driving back to Anchorage. I have never done a Cruisetour, so I can't compare it with independent touring. However, I think that in general you get more bang for the buck by going independent.

 

I'm still in catch-up mode from the trip, as we've had company the past 2 weekends, but I plan to write a review of the trip before too long. In the meantime, I'd be happy to answer any questions.

 

Have fun planning--you'll love Alaska, no matter what. As someone else has said, you'll fall in love!

[greatam]

OP is from Iowa, a state I am very familiar with. Fishing and hunting are BIG pastimes in the state. Opening day of deer season should be a national holiday. Even people who don't hunt get excited. IF OP's DH is anything like mine, a couple days of salmon/halibut fishing is MUCH more interesting than going on a Kenai Fjords cruise or something similar.

 

So in that vein, with salmon fishing and wildlife viewing the MAIN reasons for this trip, I offer this suggestion. Fly into Anchorage. You can either fish first or last-doesn't matter. PLAN your trip to coincide with the salmon runs in the Kenai which is the easiest and most accessible for a tourist without the cost of a fly in trip. Bank fishing if you want it just like in Iowa.

 

Kings run about June 10-25, reds are early July and the silvers usually start coming in about August 15. Drive south to Cooper Landing/Soldotna area. If you are interested in this, please post and I will suggest places to stay where you will be fully equipped with poles, bait, a boat and a guide if you need or want one.

 

Then you can go to Denali for a few days. Three days is probably ideal for your time frame.

 

Or reverse the trip-Denali first, fish last.

 

If fishing is a priority for your husband, I wouldn't even think of a cruise tour. Just rent a car and do what you want to do. There won't be a lot of fishing on any cruise tour I know of.

[LocoLoco1]

We too are 'Outdoorsy'. Alaska maybe needs 2 trips to do what you want. We recently did a 14-day Round-trip to Alaska from Vancouver/return. We flew in by floatplanes, hired local boats at Ports-o-call, and saw lots of wildlife from both our cruiseship and on local Outfitter jaunts when ashore. Check when the Salmon runs begin and book your cruise accordingly.

If you simply HAVE to do 'Inland/Denali' you will be packing and unpacking more and it will involve a structured experience methinks...but better than none at all.

 

Price no object? Then fly in a week early and maybe do a bush plane/lodge experience? It's $$Expensive$$ to fish if you want more than 1/2 days with a charter boat. Cruiseships give you stunning scenery, food and relaxation for cheap, with opportunity for 1/2 day fishing experiences; a Fly-in Lodge gives you stunning fishing...if you got the $$money$$. Locomotiveman Tom

[greatam]

If you simply HAVE to do 'Inland/Denali' you will be packing and unpacking more and it will involve a structured experience methinks...but better than none at all.

 

Why would you think you would have a structured experience UNLESS you went on a cruise tour? Get in a rental car and do what you want when you want.

 

 

Price no object? Then fly in a week early and maybe do a bush plane/lodge experience? It's $$Expensive$$ to fish if you want more than 1/2 days with a charter boat. Cruiseships give you stunning scenery, food and relaxation for cheap, with opportunity for 1/2 day fishing experiences; a Fly-in Lodge gives you stunning fishing...if you got the $$money$$. Locomotiveman Tom

 

The OP wants an inexpensive fishing trip. Fly In fishing is waaay too expensive for most and VERY, VERY structured. People can get in a rental car, drive south of Anchorage to many places on the Kenai river and bank fish for practically free. Alaska fishing license required, which can be purchased online or in just about any store in Alaska. Keep an eye on the coupon books and specials and if you plan this trip midweek, you MAY be able to stay at the absolutely gorgeous although very isolated Kenai Princess for $125 per night. EASY drive from that lodge to some of the best salmon fishing in Alaska.

 

Another option for the OP would be an RV rental. Camp right at many, many fishing areas. Camp in Denali.

 

Even one of DH's favorite fishing places on the Kenai in Soldotna is about $500pp for 4 nights, 3 days. Bank fishing, boat fishing, guide, all your tackle and bait and a halibut fishing trip out of Homer included. Nice little cabins right on the Kenai River.

 

The moose are so thick down Redoubt Rd in Soldotna, you really have to be careful walking around at Pete's place so you don't run into a Mom and her calf. You could be in big trouble. I have NEVER been down that road early morning or at sunset and NOT seen a moose and I am probably up and down that road every summer at least 15 times.

 

There are ways to have a truly spectacular Alaska fishing/wildlife/cruise trip without busting the budget.

[LocoLoco1]

I inferred that the OP was meaning the Cruiseline's Denali/Motorcoach experiences as being a 'Cruise-Tour. Maybe not. I agree,Do-it-yourself in Alaska would certainly work for fishing before or after a cruise. Myself, I enjoy being dropped off at fly-in fish camps and left alone. Different strokes for different folks... Locomotiveman Tom

[Budget Queen]

I inferred that the OP was meaning the Cruiseline's Denali/Motorcoach experiences as being a 'Cruise-Tour. Maybe not. I agree,Do-it-yourself in Alaska would certainly work for fishing before or after a cruise. Myself, I enjoy being dropped off at fly-in fish camps and left alone. Different strokes for different folks... Locomotiveman Tom

 

Not sure of your reference? But a "cruise tour Princess Bus" is going to be very restrictive point to point transportation to/from Denali. No opportunity to stop anywhere of interest.

[Webecruzen]

We did our first trip to Alaska this summer. We booked HAL from Vancouver to Seward and started our land package there. We booked all excursions through HAL and felt each one was worth every penny spent. If we go back we will look at doing things on our own. Even planning a year out I was not comfortable with arranging things on my own without knowing logistics and conditions of travel. When anyone asks advise on planning an Alaska cruise we always say spend the extra time and money and do a land package of some sort. We really enjoyed the train to Denali then on to Fairbanks.

[Budget Queen]

We did our first trip to Alaska this summer. We booked HAL from Vancouver to Seward and started our land package there. We booked all excursions through HAL and felt each one was worth every penny spent. If we go back we will look at doing things on our own. Even planning a year out I was not comfortable with arranging things on my own without knowing logistics and conditions of travel. When anyone asks advise on planning an Alaska cruise we always say spend the extra time and money and do a land package of some sort. We really enjoyed the train to Denali then on to Fairbanks.

 

This is a great plan for SOME people. It is NOT for everyone, and I would only use the "always" reference for time and money. :)

[agabbymama]

Coach/Rail/Ship cruisetours are not for everyone. But if you have done any bus/coach tours at all, you know whether you like them. I personally love them. I trust the driver and guide to get me to the places I'm supposed to be, schlepp my luggage from coach to room and back again, then I sit back and enjoy the scenery while they worry about the logistics and traffic.

 

We had my husband and myself, my husband's sister, and a friend of the family (male). I first checked out a motorhome, but with very little privacy, the single male announced he sleeps in the nude and my sister-in-law snores like a lumberjack. So motorhome was OUT.

 

I purchased the Milepost (and ended up throwing it away). It gave lots of worthless information, but no prices, so had to end up calling tons of B&Bs and hotels/motels & visiting their websites, trying to plan a driving trip. When all was said and done, the independent would have saved me about $200 pp over the cruisetour. I made an executive decision and just told everyone we were doing a Holland America cruisetour and the amount it would be. If they wanted to go, that's what it was going to be.

 

A person has to know what they want to see, and where they want to go. Look at the cruisetour itineraries and decide if that's what they want to do. I knew I wanted to include the Yukon with Interior Alaska, so those were what I looked at. Princess did a 7 night cruise with 8 days on land, and for those 15 days the cost was $4500 pp and only 1 overnight in Dawson City Yukon. HAL had a 3 day cruise with 8 days on land visiting Fraser, Carcross, Whitehorse, and Dawson City for $2750 pp as well as Eagle, Chicken, Tok, Fairbanks, Anchorage, Denali, Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.

 

I would have liked to stay at least 2 nights at each stop, but I just didn't have the vacation time, so chose the 11 day with HAL. I couldn't have been more pleased. And other folks must feel similar, we had two coaches with 40 each traveling in tandem. I'm sure there are lots of folks that like to go independent, but the theory that you can stop and see what you want to, take your time, travel at your own pace, etc. doesn't hold true when you know you have only 11 days to fit the whole trip in. We covered 1800 miles and saw things I had never even heard of.

 

So to answer your original question, I THINK CRUISETOURS ARE VERY WORTH THE MONEY. Have a great trip no matter what you decide to do.

Edited September 20, 2013 by agabbymama