Princess lodging

[Miss Dot]

:confused:this will be our first trip to Alaska this June. We have the Connoisseur land tour prior to our SB cruise. We will be staying at FAIRBANKS PRINCESS RIVERSIDE LODGE; DENALI PRINCESS WILDERNESS LODGE & MCKINLEY PRINCESS LODGE. Can anyone give any insight into these locations ? i.e. Nearby places to eat, things to see, any certain location to ask for room? Thanks

[mapleleaves]

Denali Princess is in Glitter Gulch so it's close to a small 'strip mall' with several stores, restaurants. You will also have easy access to vendors if you choose to do activities other than Princess. Check the Denali Chamber of Commerce web site for activites/vendors or the Denali Park web site.

 

McKinley Princess is totally isolated. Talkeetna is the nearest town and it's close to an hour away via the Princess shuttle. It's a pretty place but there's nothing there except trails. The big draw is a great view of the mountain if it's visible. Check the Talkeetna web site for activities/vendors. Flightseeing is the big draw.

 

We camped near the Fairbanks lodge one year ... it was about a mile to the small mall.

 

There are maps, video, photos on the princess web site as well as things to do at each location. http://www.princesslodges.com/princess-alaska-lodges.htm

 

If you look at MVPinBoynton's trip report there are photos of Princess lodges. Check other Princess cruisetours for more photos.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2046395&page=3

Edited February 5, 2015 by mapleleaves

[Miss Dot]

Denali Princess is in Glitter Gulch so it's close to a small 'strip mall' with several stores, restaurants. You will also have easy access to vendors if you choose to do activities other than Princess. Check the Denali Chamber of Commerce web site for activites/vendors or the Denali Park web site.

 

McKinley Princess is totally isolated. Talkeetna is the nearest town and it's close to an hour away via the Princess shuttle. It's a pretty place but there's nothing there except trails. The big draw is a great view of the mountain if it's visible. Check the Talkeetna web site for activities/vendors. Flightseeing is the big draw.

 

We camped near the Fairbanks lodge one year ... it was about a mile to the small mall.

 

There are maps, video, photos on the princess web site as well as things to do at each location. http://www.princesslodges.com/princess-alaska-lodges.htm

 

If you look at MVPinBoynton's trip report there are photos of Princess lodges. Check other Princess cruisetours for more photos.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2046395&page=3

THANK you will be looking those up

[Northern Aurora]

.....

We camped near the Fairbanks lodge one year ... it was about a mile to the small mall.

 

...

 

If Mapleleaves is referring to the University Center Mall it was razed about five or six years ago to make room for an enlarged Safeway store on the property.

 

The Fairbanks Princess is located near the Fairbanks airport. The Fairbanks Princess restaurant is not known for great food. The closest restaurants would be the stand-alone restaurant on the Pikes Waterfront Lodge property and also Chena' Bar and Grill (located on the River's Edge Resort).

 

We have stayed at the McKinley View Princess. There are no non-Princess restaurants within walking distance. One poster on this forum has described it as a "holding tank" for folks on Princess cruise tours. While there are some walking paths on the property if you don't want to take a Princess excursion or take the shuttle to Talkeetna there are board games to check out from the front desk.

 

Given the location of the Denali Princess off-property restaurants are easy to walk to.

[Miss Dot]

If Mapleleaves is referring to the University Center Mall it was razed about five or six years ago to make room for an enlarged Safeway store on the property.

 

The Fairbanks Princess is located near the Fairbanks airport. The Fairbanks Princess restaurant is not known for great food. The closest restaurants would be the stand-alone restaurant on the Pikes Waterfront Lodge property and also Chena' Bar and Grill (located on the River's Edge Resort).

 

We have stayed at the McKinley View Princess. There are no non-Princess restaurants within walking distance. One poster on this forum has described it as a "holding tank" for folks on Princess cruise tours. While there are some walking paths on the property if you don't want to take a Princess excursion or take the shuttle to Talkeetna there are board games to check out from the front desk.

 

Given the location of the Denali Princess off-property restaurants are easy to walk to.

Thanks! We are on a Connoisseur tour looks like we have 3 meals there 😳.

[Carolina Chuck]

I am assuming that you are doing the same tour that we did in 2013; 2 nights at each location.

 

Night #1 dinner on your own, not included

Next morning, buffet breakfast with your tour group - included

Lunch - before riverboat cruise - included

Dinner - Wine pairing dinner with group - included (AMAZING)

Second morning - breakfast at hotel - included

Arrive at Denali - lunch on your own

Dinner - dinner theatre - included

Breakfast at hotel - included

Lunch on your own (snack if on wilderness tour included)

Dinner at hotel - included

breakfast at hotel - included

Train ride to Talkeetna/McKinley (food for purchase on train)

Dinner at hotel - included

Next day - breakfast and dinner at hotel included (lunch on own)

Last day - breakfast at hotel included

Train to ship - lunch included

 

hope this helps

[kennicott]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1343828

[Miss Dot]

I am assuming that you are doing the same tour that we did in 2013; 2 nights at each location.

 

Night #1 dinner on your own, not included

Next morning, buffet breakfast with your tour group - included

Lunch - before riverboat cruise - included

Dinner - Wine pairing dinner with group - included (AMAZING)

Second morning - breakfast at hotel - included

Arrive at Denali - lunch on your own

Dinner - dinner theatre - included

Breakfast at hotel - included

Lunch on your own (snack if on wilderness tour included)

Dinner at hotel - included

breakfast at hotel - included

Train ride to Talkeetna/McKinley (food for purchase on train)

Dinner at hotel - included

Next day - breakfast and dinner at hotel included (lunch on own)

Last day - breakfast at hotel included

Train to ship - lunch included

 

hope this helps

 

Sounds like the same tour. How did you like the Daneli Dinner Theatre show/dinner ?

[Miss Dot]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1343828

 

Thank you!

[Carolina Chuck]

Sounds like the same tour. How did you like the Daneli Dinner Theatre show/dinner ?

 

When we were there the weather was unseasonably warm (actually hot) and it was too warm in the dining hall/theatre to really enjoy it. Food at the show was average at best but the show was entertaining. Would have rather eaten at the King Salmon restaurant. Sea Salt Salmon is to die for!:)

[MightyMoose]

Sounds like the same tour. How did you like the Daneli Dinner Theatre show/dinner ?

 

Miss Dot, I took a similar tour in 2013 and I would strongly suggest skipping the Dinner Theater/Show ("Music of Denali") at the Denali Princess. It was overly hokey, the food was not good, and there was not enough for the table. We tried asking for more food, but it never appeared. There is a tour offered that goes on a Covered Wagon ride ("Covered Wagon Adventure with Backcountry Dining"), which I found to be much more enjoyable and had much better food.

[Miss Dot]

Miss Dot, I took a similar tour in 2013 and I would strongly suggest skipping the Dinner Theater/Show ("Music of Denali") at the Denali Princess. It was overly hokey, the food was not good, and there was not enough for the table. We tried asking for more food, but it never appeared. There is a tour offered that goes on a Covered Wagon ride ("Covered Wagon Adventure with Backcountry Dining"), which I found to be much more enjoyable and had much better food.

 

Thank you so much; that is just what we have tried to switch to. There is $20.00 difference between the 2 but Princess is wanting to charge us $34 each to switch

[zqvol]

Just to give you an idea of what you will find these are from the McKinley Princess Lodge on a clear day. This is what everyone want so to see:

 

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[Miss Dot]

Zqvol THANKS so much. Hope we are as lucky as you were. Beautiful photos

[kennicott]

Just to give you an idea of what you will find these are from the McKinley Princess Lodge on a clear day. This is what everyone want so to see:

 

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"Ad-Summa" there she is, in all her glory. Thanks for sharing zqvol, good pictures.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=mt+mckinley+from+Princess+McKinley+Wilderness+lodge&biw=1333&bih=600&tbm=isch&imgil=XqF7I_Gs4Rc0OM%253A%253BmuGKPXxjVQI4vM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.talkeetnataxi.com%25252Fcontent%25252Ftalkeetna-mt-mckinley-princess-wilderness-lodge&source=iu&pf=m&fir=XqF7I_Gs4Rc0OM%253A%252CmuGKPXxjVQI4vM%252C_&usg=__G3X38NhzBjbQmQHv73PDGoaNWLo%3D&ved=0CDUQyjc&ei=DzjmVIDdOYzroASJ5YCIDw#imgdii=_&imgrc=02ygHRDchlbk-M%253A%3BH7etcgopc7vKVM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.oceancruiseguides.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F04%252FMcKinleyLodge.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.oceancruiseguides.com%252Fannes-alaska-road-trip%252F%3B720%3B495

[hllwdcruiser]

Just to give you an idea of what you will find these are from the McKinley Princess Lodge on a clear day. This is what everyone want so to see:

 

Beautiful photos! What month were you there? We can only hope for such a clear day!

[zqvol]

Beautiful photos! What month were you there? We can only hope for such a clear day!

 

 

Those were taken June 17, 2011. We were in the interior for 3 days and all of them were just like that.