How to Plan Your Own Excursions for Alaska "on your own" Cruisetour

[luvtocruise52]

Our family (3 couples in their 50's-70) are trying to choose an Alaskan cruise tour, and one of the options is an "On Your Own" plan that appears to include nights in the various Princess lodges and transportation from one to the next, but no tours (such as the trip into Denali). We are primarily interested in seeing the scenery and (we hope!) wildlife. If anyone has done an "On Your Own" cruise tour, what kinds of outings or excursions are available to arrange on your own? How do they compare in cost to those available through Princess? How difficult is it to book them? We don't want to just sit around the lodge but are all on budgets and can't afford the expensive excursion options.

 

We have cruised in the Caribbean a few times and almost always arranged our own excursions using information we found on cruisecritic but don't know how it works in Alaska.

 

Thanks for your feedback.

[Budget Queen]

Head over to the Alaska board. WHAT is the reason you booked a Princess land tour? Frankly, you can see and do, WAY more going independent, if of interest. Basically all you purchased is lodging and transportation, it sounds like? Are you aware of purchased coupon book offers?

 

Denali Park is simple to make your own plans. You need to have 2 nights there. It will require YOU to make these reservations and transfers. read up on the details, you need to know and consider. http://www.nps.gov/dena

[Keith1010]

Budget Queen has it right.

 

Be sure to visit the Alaska Ports Of Call Board.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

 

Keith

[luvtocruise52]

Budget Queen - We have not booked anything at this point. I always do a LOT of research before I buy anything. My sisters-in-law want to do an Alaskan cruise and I am the family travel planner so I've just begun to check out possibilities. Thanks for the suggestion!