Planning your own tours in Alaska

[luvtocruise52]

Our family (3 couples in their 50's-70) are trying to choose an Alaskan cruise, possibly with a 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 (or other cruise lines)? 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.

 

Alternatively, should we consider just booking the cruise and planning our own lodging and sightseeing into Denali or other areas using local resources?

 

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.

[mapleleaves]

how much time do you have for the land portion?

For wildlife viewing, Denali is certainly the budget location to visit .... a shuttle trip to Eielson Visitor Center takes you Mile 66 of the park road and costs under $50, 4 hrs each way. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center about 1/2 hr south of Anchorage is another spot to view willdife if you don't have time to visit Denali. It's a rehab center for injured and orphaned animals so they're in enclosures but it's well done. And certainly a good cause.

I have never taken a cruisetour, have only done my own land travel via rental car or RV and it's certainly easy enough to plan on your own. Instead of Princess Lodges look at small cabins with a kitchenette to save money on meals, snacks, drinks. Or a B&B which will provide breakfast.

If you go to the ALASKA forum of tripadvisor you'lll find a link to the 2012 and 2013 Trip Reports under Top Questions. They're quite detailed and will give you ideas about places to visit, lodging, activities, etc.

There's a similar thread on this forum ... maybe on the next page, a thread called " 2013 Alaska Cruise Review List". You'll find reports from travellers on their cruise, cruisetour, or DIY land. If you look towards the end of the thread subtchr has grouped them by cruiseline.

[Budget Queen]

I replied elsewhere.

 

Do you want to be where the "on your own cruise tour" takes you? Many Princess land tours include the McKinley lodge, are you familiar with this, what do you plan on occupying your time with?

 

If you don't know the areas, then find out about them and what they can offer you. A big deal is Denali park- and getting INTO the park. Are you open to your own planning? http://www.nps.gov/dena is necessary to find out about access. I highly recommend the Eielson shuttle bus, and is my min. distance in.

 

With a wildlife priority, the hot spots are Denali Park and Kenai fjords. Are you in these locations with the cruise tour you chose?

 

. You see and do far more going independent, and "cost" can be a big deal pertaining to time and making the best use of it. Figure out- more on what you want to do and what activities are of the most interest.

[luvtocruise52]

Budget Queen - Thanks for the feedback. I did do more online research last night but so far the transportation costs (unless we drive, and it would be crowded with 6 large adults in a minivan) and hotels (unless we can find self-catering cabins or B&B's) are adding up to be about what the cruisetour would cost. But I'll keep searching! Unfortunately the governeemnt site is down for now.

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen - Thanks for the feedback. I did do more online research last night but so far the transportation costs (unless we drive, and it would be crowded with 6 large adults in a minivan) and hotels (unless we can find self-catering cabins or B&B's) are adding up to be about what the cruisetour would cost. But I'll keep searching! Unfortunately the governeemnt site is down for now.

 

Is your priority cost? This requires a different slant. Why do you all have to go in one car? Right now with Enterprise their car rentals are less than $200/week. 2 per car would be my suggestion.

 

There are countless B&B's in Alaska. There are also basic, clean motels. You can see and do FAR more with your own transportation. "Cost" should factor that in as well, what your time and activities are "worth" to you?

[frugaltravel]

Is your priority cost? This requires a different slant. Why do you all have to go in one car? Right now with Enterprise their car rentals are less than $200/week. 2 per car would be my suggestion.

 

There are countless B&B's in Alaska. There are also basic, clean motels. You can see and do FAR more with your own transportation. "Cost" should factor that in as well, what your time and activities are "worth" to you?

 

Actually Budget has had some rates even cheaper than Enterprise. Plus, the OP needs to realize the limitations of Princess. Do they really want to be stuck at the McKinley Princess Lodge, 1 hour from the nearest town, with no transportation of their own? How many nights in each lodge?

 

Princess cruises are great, but their cruisetours are severely lacking and I would be hesitant with their "On Your Own" variety.

[AKman2495]

Just remember the advice I give to all Alaska planners...Don't make the mistake of looking at a map and thinking it is only a few miles from point to point. The distance from Seward to Denali Park by road is 360 miles (120 miles from Seward to Anchorage plus 240 miles from Anchorage to Seward) and actually about 20 more by the time you add in the distance across Anchorage. That is the equivalent of driving from Hartford Conn. to Washington DC.

 

So, you have to plan wisely....It takes a good number of hours to do that driving so make sure you plan enough days and that you plan adequate rests along the way.

 

Sure a DIY tour can be much better than a cruise tour-but-and it is a big BUT, you can easily wind up exhausted and frustrated trying to do too much....

[murphy4]

I have been reading these boards for about a year regarding alaska. I decided that I was going to do 3 days on my own and then join the princess "on your own" tour. Lots of people say that cruise tours are a waste of time and money. I feel that everyone has different needs and wants. I kind of like the idea of being chauffeured from place to place.

 

Just remember to do what feels right for you, it is YOUR trip. :)

[tupper10]

It depends what you wish to see but if you don't wish to fly into Fairbanks from Anchorage the easiest way is to rent a car and drive to Denali. There is a perfect house for you to rent on homeaway or VRBO which I think would fit your party and is right outside the park. If you don't want to rent a house then go to tripadvisor and look under B & B's and non hotel listings - there are cabins for rent near the park as well. You can of course also stay in a large hotel if you wish. There are still some rooms available. The park runs buses into the park plus hikes with rangers etc. Hopefully the park will be open when you are there next summer. All you need to do is go to the national park web site and put in Denali to see what is available. If you don't wish to drive you must stay near the park or you will be paying a lot of money to get places - you can also take the train on your own. Alaska National RR is online and you can make reservations. The RR also offers tours but I don't know their prices. I would not recommend driving from Denali to Seward in one day. You can overnight back in Anchorage and then get a service to take you to Seward or you can take the train. Just know that the train is slow and you can't stop off to see what you want. You may also want to stay a day or two in Seward and see the glaciers there. There is a great boat trip to take in Seward - you can do a 1/2 day or full day. If you stay in Seward you can walk to restaurants and the boat dock if you stay in town. You can't walk to Exit Glacier though if you want to go to this park you will need a car. When we first went to Alaska we did only a land trip, now we have done cruise only, cruise plus land and we keep going back. Have fun it is a spectacular place to see whatever you decide.

[mcmarya]

We ended up doing a cruise tour--on your own--because it seemed like the best choice for us at the time. You can book various tours while on the land portion from Princess at prices comparable to what you pay for tours from a cruise ship--i.e. you can often do better choosing things to do independently. At Denali, you can easily book your own shuttle bus or tour on the park website--we chose to do the Eilson visitor's center shuttle bus, significantly cheaper than the Tundra wilderness Tour. It actually covers more of the park road and stops for wildlife the same as the TWT. The driver we had was excellent in terms of knowledge of the park and spotting animals. At the McKinley Princess Lodge there is not much to do unless you book one of the tours available there. We had rented a car and gone to Seward on our own the day before so we did not mind a down afternoon. The next morning we went to Talkeetna before our train ride at no charge. Unless you are planning on doing a lot of flightseeing, helicopter, or rafting tours from Talkeetna, never sign up for a cruisetour with 2 nights at McKinley Princess Lodge. Also, do not sign up for less than 2 nights at Denali. We did not do Fairbanks so I can't comment on that.

 

The main advantage of a cruise tour is that you do not have to drive, hotels are booked for you, and your luggage is taken care of. We were concerned that there might be a lot of waiting around for people who didn't show up on time. That was not a problem--all those we traveled with were punctual. The down side is that you are locked into the schedule you book. On your own, you can probably do more in the same amount of time and spend your time the way you want to spend it. If we were to return, we would probably rent a car and do our own thing but I don't regret doing what we did this time. Different strokes, etc.

[Host Jazzbeau]

The big downside of any tour with Princess (or HAL) is that you are stuck in the hotels they use WITHOUT A CAR. That means you are also pretty much stuck to dine in the restaurants on campus (and these are VERY LARGE campuses).

 

The drive from Anchorage to Denali is not long if you break it into two days, with a stop in the very interesting town of Talkeetna. You will also have the flexibility to pull off at several great viewpoints if Denali is "out" on your drives up and back. Our best pictures of Denali scenery are from those viewpoints. [The drive back doesn't seem as long, because you have already seen the scenery and can just put the pedal to the metal...]

 

You don't necessarily need 3 cars for 3 couples. Enterprise has a very nice GMC Acadia SUV that holds 4 people plus luggage (not at Budget Queen's budget $200 price, but it is much more comfortable than an econobox). So only 2 of you have to volunteer as drivers.

[Budget Queen]

Oh, it CERTAINLY is the case EACH person has to make a touring choice based on what THEY want. :)

 

A significant issue, however, which "cruise tour" supporters don't realize, is Alaska, is far superior for sight seeing/activity potential going independent. Point to point travel, has no opportunity for this and they really don't realize or know what they are missing. Even with yearly travelers there, the areas are vast and multiple. Some people may want to really focus on making the most out of their time. All kinds of ways to do this. The more you know, the better your choices should be.

[murphy4]

We ended up doing a cruise tour--on your own--because it seemed like the best choice for us at the time. You can book various tours while on the land portion from Princess at prices comparable to what you pay for tours from a cruise ship--i.e. you can often do better choosing things to do independently. At Denali, you can easily book your own shuttle bus or tour on the park website--we chose to do the Eilson visitor's center shuttle bus, significantly cheaper than the Tundra wilderness Tour. It actually covers more of the park road and stops for wildlife the same as the TWT. The driver we had was excellent in terms of knowledge of the park and spotting animals. At the McKinley Princess Lodge there is not much to do unless you book one of the tours available there. We had rented a car and gone to Seward on our own the day before so we did not mind a down afternoon. The next morning we went to Talkeetna before our train ride at no charge. Unless you are planning on doing a lot of flightseeing, helicopter, or rafting tours from Talkeetna, never sign up for a cruisetour with 2 nights at McKinley Princess Lodge. Also, do not sign up for less than 2 nights at Denali. We did not do Fairbanks so I can't comment on that.

 

The main advantage of a cruise tour is that you do not have to drive, hotels are booked for you, and your luggage is taken care of. We were concerned that there might be a lot of waiting around for people who didn't show up on time. That was not a problem--all those we traveled with were punctual. The down side is that you are locked into the schedule you book. On your own, you can probably do more in the same amount of time and spend your time the way you want to spend it. If we were to return, we would probably rent a car and do our own thing but I don't regret doing what we did this time. Different strokes, etc.

 

 

my thoughts exactly,

[AKman2495]

I also recommend cruise tours for first time visitors to Alaska. As Budget Queen points out, there is a whole lot to do up here. I've been here 37 years now and have seen a lot, but not all there is to see.

 

A cruise tour for the first timer takes the pressure off. You don't have to be overwhelmed by the planning and the timing and just what to see. Of course, this means you will be back...but then...once you come here, you will want to come back.

 

You will learn a lot the first time you come up here-even on a cruise tour. That will give you perspective as to things you will be interested in seeing and doing.

 

Then you can plan for your next (and possible even more than that) trip.

 

IMHO.

[oaktreerb]

Look at the options of Holland America. They have simplified them a lot since last year and if you want an introduction to Alaska they will get you from Seward to Denali and Fairbanks spending at least two to three days in Denali. You could look at what HAL has to offer and see if you want to do it yourself but if i was traveling with six adults I think it would be easier to go with a guide to lead the way and keep everybody on track. That way nobody has to drive, you learn about Alaska, and once you get to Denali everybody can do their own activities. HAL will also get you to the Yukon. They cover a lot of territory.

[frugaltravel]

The biggest problems with cruisetours are two-fold. 1) some are severely deficient, especially Princess cruisetours that spend 2 nights at McKinley Princess and only 1 night at Denali Princess. 2) many purchasers of cruisetours have no clue what they are really purchasing. It is one of the few purchases that people spend thousands of dollars on without really knowing what they are buying. It truly baffles my mind. Many people spend lots of time comparison shopping for cameras, refrigerators, etc. that cost way less but have no idea what they are buying when they pay thousands of $$ for cruisetours. Quite sad actually and they have no one to blame but themselves.

[bren61]

Budget Queen - Thanks for the feedback. I did do more online research last night but so far the transportation costs (unless we drive, and it would be crowded with 6 large adults in a minivan) and hotels (unless we can find self-catering cabins or B&B's) are adding up to be about what the cruisetour would cost. But I'll keep searching! Unfortunately the governeemnt site is down for now.

 

There are 6 traveling together in our party and we chose to rent 2 cars instead of a minivan for a couple of reasons:

 

1. Yes, you can fit 6 in a minivan but then you have the problem of where to put 12 pieces of luggage assuming each person has 2 suitcases each and then your carryons also.

 

2. If there are 3 couples you could split the cost of the 2 rentals and gas & it's cheaper than each having their own vehicle. There will be 4 riding in one vehicle with whatever luggage they could fit in their trunk, and what is left, can go in the backseat of the other vehicle with the 2 riders.

 

3. It's also good to have 2 cars because not everyone traveling together may want to do the same things in each town.

 

Good luck with your planning and have a great vacation!

[AKman2495]

The biggest problems with cruisetours are two-fold. 1) some are severely deficient, especially Princess cruisetours that spend 2 nights at McKinley Princess and only 1 night at Denali Princess. 2) many purchasers of cruisetours have no clue what they are really purchasing. It is one of the few purchases that people spend thousands of dollars on without really knowing what they are buying. It truly baffles my mind. Many people spend lots of time comparison shopping for cameras, refrigerators, etc. that cost way less but have no idea what they are buying when they pay thousands of $$ for cruisetours. Quite sad actually and they have no one to blame but themselves.

 

While I agree with you, do you really think that people who are clueless as to cruise tours can do a decent job planning a DIY tour never having been here before?

 

Keep in mind you are BQ are old pros. Planning a DIY land tour of Alaska can be daunting for someone who lacks your vast experience.

 

Obviously, thousands upon thousands of people every year book cruise tours, so they all can't be that clueless.

 

Some people are lazy-they want the easy way out and for them a cruise tour is perfect. Remember for many of them they have no idea of what they are missing-they've never seen any of it before.

 

According to statistics, 832,600 people came up by air and 937,000 came by cruise ship.

 

Some of the air people were probably cruise tour people as were many of the cruise ship people. Even at 10% your looking at around 150,000 cruise tour people-and that is probably low.

 

So, right or wrong, they seem to be selling well.....

[Budget Queen]

While I agree with you, do you really think that people who are clueless as to cruise tours can do a decent job planning a DIY tour never having been here before?

 

Keep in mind you are BQ are old pros. Planning a DIY land tour of Alaska can be daunting for someone who lacks your vast experience.

 

Obviously, thousands upon thousands of people every year book cruise tours, so they all can't be that clueless.

 

Some people are lazy-they want the easy way out and for them a cruise tour is perfect. Remember for many of them they have no idea of what they are missing-they've never seen any of it before.

 

According to statistics, 832,600 people came up by air and 937,000 came by cruise ship.

 

Some of the air people were probably cruise tour people as were many of the cruise ship people. Even at 10% your looking at around 150,000 cruise tour people-and that is probably low.

 

So, right or wrong, they seem to be selling well.....

 

Every one is different, with different abilities. How do you think I got my knowledge? I read, and planned, did it, first trips to Alaska, were way before the internet access. I did just fine without any "practice" trip with someone holding my hand. I have been on one cruisetour, that I went on at about trip 5 due to family preference, so I have been on both modes. I have the luxury of multiple travel opportunities, and taking flights, like some people ride buses. Last couple years, I've traveled about 4 months per year. YES, I am not the norm. My only input is putting out helpful information that some people may find enlightening. I will often, make points they are missing. Adds information for a more informed choice for them. I DO NOT care how anyone travels to Alaska.

 

I jump into new traveling areas frequently. Places/activities I have never done. My traveling style is independent, and works well for me. As I have said everyone is different, and they have to figure out their own way and own direction. Reason why these boards work so well, can pick and choose your direction. :)

[sammiedawg]

For the record, we enjoy independent travel and rarely take cruise excursions or transfers. We research the heck out of destinations. However we recently did our first Princess cruise tour and we absolutely were impressed with the organization, comfort and amenities offered. We strongly recommend a cruise tour of some kind, especially for first time visitors. We also disagree with the negative comments about Mt McKinley Princess lodge. We stayed one night and thoroughly enjoyed the views, ranger activities and programs even though the mountain was not out. We had been to Talkeetna previously so we did not take the shuttle there.

I would never tell first time visitor to do an on your own land tour unless experienced, sophisticated travelers were involved.

We felt the total package price was fair and enjoyed nice lodging in the various Princess lodges. We had no complaints about the restaurant options on the various campuses. The train ride in the double decker glass domed cars and Princess train guide and server in each car was one of our best travel days ever.

[murphy4]

For the record, we enjoy independent travel and rarely take cruise excursions or transfers. We research the heck out of destinations. However we recently did our first Princess cruise tour and we absolutely were impressed with the organization, comfort and amenities offered. We strongly recommend a cruise tour of some kind, especially for first time visitors. We also disagree with the negative comments about Mt McKinley Princess lodge. We stayed one night and thoroughly enjoyed the views, ranger activities and programs even though the mountain was not out. We had been to Talkeetna previously so we did not take the shuttle there.

I would never tell first time visitor to do an on your own land tour unless experienced, sophisticated travelers were involved.

We felt the total package price was fair and enjoyed nice lodging in the various Princess lodges. We had no complaints about the restaurant options on the various campuses. The train ride in the double decker glass domed cars and Princess train guide and server in each car was one of our best travel days ever.

 

great input, I also plan my trips independently but opted to go with a Princess cruise tour this time.

[JosieRhodes]

Well, for work and vacation, I've traveled to 30 plus countries over the years, and some more dangerous than others. Only a couple cruises here and there. And, I do think people should do whatever is going to make them happiest and most relaxed on vacation. But, if you are an US citizen, then traveling to Alaska should hopefully be an easy adjustment from a currency and language perspective. Plus, driving is on the right side of the road with no huge city traffic, etc. so shouldnt be too bad if OK with driving in general. So, to me, it seems a good place to try DIY if so inclined to try.

 

I know for me, I want to see what I want to see, and the cruise tours just didnt have the flexibility I wanted, and I didn't want to pay for stuff not overly interested in.

 

Actually at work, we just did a Myers Briggs exercise where we were split into groups by our Myers Briggs types, and during one breakout session, each group had to say how they would plan a vacation. It was pretty funny, but the exercise was all about understanding the benefits of different perspectives.