Has anyone any input on Alaska Adventure Unlimited

[ride4806]

We are planning our second trip to Alaska in August of 2014, our first was a NCL cruise Northbound from Vancouver about seven years ago. This time we wanted to try a land tour before we picked up another cruise-southbound. We are open to any cruise line-would probably prefer Princess or HAL but what I am really hoping you folks can help me with is the land portion of the tour. I have briefly looked at the different land/cruise combinations but I have found a few land only tours that look great to me which are provided by a company Alaska Adventure Unlimited. I have searched at TripAdvisor as well as here and have found no-one that has used this company except for day trips-all of which have excellent reviews. I am hoping that someone here has some experience with them for multi day trips and would be good enough to share that with me. Thanks in advance :)

[Kamloops50]

We are planning our second trip to Alaska in August of 2014, our first was a NCL cruise Northbound from Vancouver about seven years ago. This time we wanted to try a land tour before we picked up another cruise-southbound. We are open to any cruise line-would probably prefer Princess or HAL but what I am really hoping you folks can help me with is the land portion of the tour. I have briefly looked at the different land/cruise combinations but I have found a few land only tours that look great to me which are provided by a company Alaska Adventure Unlimited. I have searched at TripAdvisor as well as here and have found no-one that has used this company except for day trips-all of which have excellent reviews. I am hoping that someone here has some experience with them for multi day trips and would be good enough to share that with me. Thanks in advance :)

 

I personally would stick to cruise line land tours.

[Budget Queen]

I would not "stick" with the cruise line tours. :)

 

With the good reviews for this company on the day tours, you can be pretty confident their longer tours would be similar.

 

The BIG point, would be to determine where you want to be, and how much time the tour allows. What you are currently looking at, is it going to the places you want to go to? Have you determined what activities are importation for you to include?

 

Actually NCL never has done any one ways until this year, that I recall. Several years ago they did do some round trips that did get up to Whittier/Seward (don't recall if both). There schedule for many years was 2 ships out of Seattle and one out of Vancouver- all round trips. My first cruise with NCL in Alaska was in 1999, with at least 10 taken to Alaska.

 

I did the NCL Sun this year, superb itinerary, which is my only priority.

[newcruisers04]

Have you done any reviews of various cruise lines you have travelled on for Alaska? The Sun one you mention below, was that the southbound one?

I read all your posts and copy and paste and make notes on your suggestions.. thank you so much for your helpful information

 

I would not "stick" with the cruise line tours. :)

 

With the good reviews for this company on the day tours, you can be pretty confident their longer tours would be similar.

 

The BIG point, would be to determine where you want to be, and how much time the tour allows. What you are currently looking at, is it going to the places you want to go to? Have you determined what activities are importation for you to include?

 

Actually NCL never has done any one ways until this year, that I recall. Several years ago they did do some round trips that did get up to Whittier/Seward (don't recall if both). There schedule for many years was 2 ships out of Seattle and one out of Vancouver- all round trips. My first cruise with NCL in Alaska was in 1999, with at least 10 taken to Alaska.

 

I did the NCL Sun this year, superb itinerary, which is my only priority.

[Budget Queen]

Have you done any reviews of various cruise lines you have travelled on for Alaska? The Sun one you mention below, was that the southbound one?

I read all your posts and copy and paste and make notes on your suggestions.. thank you so much for your helpful information

 

No, I rarely bother doing any reviews on Alaska cruises. I did a northbound NCL Sun sailing this year and a round trip Princess Diamond.

 

 

There are several well traveled Alaska experts on this board with clear accurate advice. This board really can point people in the right direction with their trip planning.

[ride4806]

Thanks so much for your input Budget Queen-you are right-about the NCL cruise-we took it out of Seattle-I was posting late last night and not thinking -the new ones are what I waS thinking about :D The actual land tour that I am looking at is

 

7-Day Pride of Alaska

Day One ANCHORAGE: EKLUTNA: Native Heritage Center overnight in Wasilla

 

 

Day Two CHICKALOON Knik Glacier, the Matanuska River and the Chugach Mountains 2 1/2hour GLACIER RUN SCENIC FLOAT

 

 

Day Three TALKEETNA Iditarod 1.5 hour flight lands on glacier DENALI FLIGHTSEEING & GLACIER LANDING overnight in Denali

 

 

 

Day Four DENALI 8 hour Denali Tour overnight in Denali

 

 

 

Day Five day at leisure in DENALI: overnight in Wasilla

 

 

 

Day 6 WASILLA PALMER: Hatcher pass~ airboat ride to Lake George, the base of Knik Glacier. Overnight in ANCHORAGE:

 

 

Day 7 SEWARD: the Kenai Peninsula RESURRECTION BAY: cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park, tour ends in Anchorage

 

I really like the fact that we spend two nights in Denali and that 90% of the excursions that we are interested in are included.

 

They will transport you from the land portion to the cruise line of your choice-for an additional fee of course ;) DH is not interested in renting a car and driving-I had researched that option-he wants someone to do the driving for him on this trip :)

[Budget Queen]

Thanks so much for your input Budget Queen-you are right-about the NCL cruise-we took it out of Seattle-I was posting late last night and not thinking -the new ones are what I waS thinking about :D The actual land tour that I am looking at is

 

7-Day Pride of Alaska

Day One ANCHORAGE: EKLUTNA: Native Heritage Center overnight in Wasilla

 

 

Day Two CHICKALOON Knik Glacier, the Matanuska River and the Chugach Mountains 2 1/2hour GLACIER RUN SCENIC FLOAT

 

 

Day Three TALKEETNA Iditarod 1.5 hour flight lands on glacier DENALI FLIGHTSEEING & GLACIER LANDING overnight in Denali

 

 

 

Day Four DENALI 8 hour Denali Tour overnight in Denali

 

 

 

Day Five day at leisure in DENALI: overnight in Wasilla

 

 

 

Day 6 WASILLA PALMER: Hatcher pass~ airboat ride to Lake George, the base of Knik Glacier. Overnight in ANCHORAGE:

 

 

Day 7 SEWARD: the Kenai Peninsula RESURRECTION BAY: cruise through Kenai Fjords National Park, tour ends in Anchorage

 

I really like the fact that we spend two nights in Denali and that 90% of the excursions that we are interested in are included.

 

They will transport you from the land portion to the cruise line of your choice-for an additional fee of course ;) DH is not interested in renting a car and driving-I had researched that option-he wants someone to do the driving for him on this trip :)

 

This offers you some, excellent- off the beaten path touring of Alaska. However, if there is any availability for another selection that has an over night in Seward, I would suggest you consider it. What you have now in Seward is a poor choice. You have a 6 hour transit time involved- which is far from ideal and the Resurrection Bay boat tours are hardly worth your time compared to the grossly superior Kenai Fjords tours, where you get a close up glacier view and more varied wildlife. 6 hours on the water is my minimum recommendation.

 

As an alternative- maybe there is some flexibility with this company and you could just not leave with them, instead overnight and then take a bus/train on your own the next day. Hopefully also with a refund of the Bay tour you don't take- if of interest?

[ride4806]

This offers you some, excellent- off the beaten path touring of Alaska. However, if there is any availability for another selection that has an over night in Seward, I would suggest you consider it. What you have now in Seward is a poor choice. You have a 6 hour transit time involved- which is far from ideal and the Resurrection Bay boat tours are hardly worth your time compared to the grossly superior Kenai Fjords tours, where you get a close up glacier view and more varied wildlife. 6 hours on the water is my minimum recommendation.

 

As an alternative- maybe there is some flexibility with this company and you could just not leave with them, instead overnight and then take a bus/train on your own the next day. Hopefully also with a refund of the Bay tour you don't take- if of interest?

 

 

Thanks SO much for this-I will research this further and see what changes they allow me to make. This is why I LOVE this board-there are so many folks willing to share information and ideas-which helps us make our trips the best they can be. Thanks again Budget Queen!!!

[Budget Queen]

Thanks SO much for this-I will research this further and see what changes they allow me to make. This is why I LOVE this board-there are so many folks willing to share information and ideas-which helps us make our trips the best they can be. Thanks again Budget Queen!!!

 

Thank you for the kind words. AND get a great trip planned for Alaska, with your preferences. :) :)

[Hogladyrider]

Thanks SO much for this-I will research this further and see what changes they allow me to make. This is why I LOVE this board-there are so many folks willing to share information and ideas-which helps us make our trips the best they can be.

 

May I suggest taking a look at Alaska Wildland Adventures 7 day 6 night Coast to Denali tour. Or any of their lodge pkgs, food, transportation, and all activities with the exception of flight tours are included.

 

Happy travel planning.

[ride4806]

May I suggest taking a look at Alaska Wildland Adventures 7 day 6 night Coast to Denali tour. Or any of their lodge pkgs, food, transportation, and all activities with the exception of flight tours are included.

 

Happy travel planning.

Thanks for that information-I will definitely check them out!!

[mapleleaves]

There are tour recommendations on this web site

http://www.alaska.org/

 

Or visit the State of Alaska web site. Lots of resources and they'll send you a free visitor guide ( as will many towns).

http://www.travelalaska.com/

[bonvoyagie]

I would also check out http://www.alaskatravel.com - I have not used them, but my TA has used them several times and said they are very good - and their prices seem to be in line with the products they offer.

[ride4806]

I have been given SO many wonderful ideas and options-they are all appreciated and will be thoroughly researched. We are very excited about this trip to Alaska and I do want it to include as much as we possibly can. We loved the cruise alone but it was just a small taste of what Alaska has to offer, an appetizer if you will and we are looking forward to enjoying more of a main course for our second time :D