Alaska Land and Sea Help!!

[Love2laugh]

Good morning Cruisers!

 

I am hoping to get some insight/opinions on the following two cruises. There will be three of us cruising ages – 32, 43 and 65 all women.

 

Our goal of the cruise is to experience everything that we can. We know this will be a once in a lifetime trip and want to get as much as possible out of our trip. We are currently looking at Holland America’s land and sea trips.

 

12-Day Triple Denali (Anchorage to Vancouver)

Vs

13-Day Triple Denali (Seattle to Vancouver/Seattle)

 

Any insight that you can provide on either cruise would be extremely helpful!

 

Please do not feel limited on commenting on just these two cruise. We welcome any information that can be provided.

[xlxo]

responses can be found here....

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2280814

[oaktreerb]

Good morning Cruisers!

 

I am hoping to get some insight/opinions on the following two cruises. There will be three of us cruising ages – 32, 43 and 65 all women.

 

Our goal of the cruise is to experience everything that we can. We know this will be a once in a lifetime trip and want to get as much as possible out of our trip. We are currently looking at Holland America’s land and sea trips.

 

12-Day Triple Denali (Anchorage to Vancouver)

Vs

13-Day Triple Denali (Seattle to Vancouver/Seattle)

 

Any insight that you can provide on either cruise would be extremely helpful!

 

Please do not feel limited on commenting on just these two cruise. We welcome any information that can be provided.

t

 

Is this the D2? Same itinerary but you can have HAL provide transportation to and from Seattle? Three nights in Denali is a good choice if you take advantage of the options available to you there. Be aware that the Tundra Wilderness Tour is not available until the second week of June. Check the nps.gov website for Denali National Park to verify opening date for the road into the park.

 

If this is your first trip to Alaska I would suggest the itinerary that goes to Skagway rather than Haines and that seems to be the cruise first itinerary and I think you would enjoy a balcony stateroom.

 

Did you look at the D1 which adds a night in Fairbanks with the riverboat and the train from Anchorage to/from Seward?

[Love2laugh]

t

 

Is this the D2? Same itinerary but you can have HAL provide transportation to and from Seattle? Three nights in Denali is a good choice if you take advantage of the options available to you there. Be aware that the Tundra Wilderness Tour is not available until the second week of June. Check the nps.gov website for Denali National Park to verify opening date for the road into the park.

 

If this is your first trip to Alaska I would suggest the itinerary that goes to Skagway rather than Haines and that seems to be the cruise first itinerary and I think you would enjoy a balcony stateroom.

 

Did you look at the D1 which adds a night in Fairbanks with the riverboat and the train from Anchorage to/from Seward?

 

This is the type of insight we are looking for! Not that everyone one else wasnt helpful...

 

It is good to know that Skagway is better then Haines. I do believe that they are both very similar just HAL providing transport to and from Seattle.

[midwest 852]

Look at the 14 day cruise only out of Seattle. We did the land Sea cruise once. The 14 day cruise this will be our 4th trip it is amazing.

[Love2laugh]

Look at the 14 day cruise only out of Seattle. We did the land Sea cruise once. The 14 day cruise this will be our 4th trip it is amazing.

 

We have looked at that one as well! I think our concern is if we "can" be on a boat for 2 weeks. Our longest cruise has been a week :confused:

 

Both the 14 day and the land and sea interest us a LOT.

 

14day simply because of all the different places we would be stopping.

 

Land and Sea - Simply Denali National Park

 

We know we will have to make sacrifices somewhere... it is just we do we make them.

[midwest 852]

We have looked at that one as well! I think our concern is if we "can" be on a boat for 2 weeks. Our longest cruise has been a week :confused:

 

Both the 14 day and the land and sea interest us a LOT.

 

14day simply because of all the different places we would be stopping.

 

Land and Sea - Simply Denali National Park

 

We know we will have to make sacrifices somewhere... it is just we do we make them.

 

That was our concern being on the ship that long my two sisters get very sea sick. We felt trapped on the train and the bus was not comfortable. But I'm sure you'll have a great trip

[sammiedawg]

t

 

Is this the D2? Same itinerary but you can have HAL provide transportation to and from Seattle? Three nights in Denali is a good choice if you take advantage of the options available to you there. Be aware that the Tundra Wilderness Tour is not available until the second week of June. Check the nps.gov website for Denali National Park to verify opening date for the road into the park.

 

If this is your first trip to Alaska I would suggest the itinerary that goes to Skagway rather than Haines and that seems to be the cruise first itinerary and I think you would enjoy a balcony stateroom.

 

Did you look at the D1 which adds a night in Fairbanks with the riverboat and the train from Anchorage to/from Seward?

 

The Tundra wilderness tour was running May 15 of 2015, we were on it and went the full 53 miles or whatever the promised distance is. The NPS web site will probably talk about shoulder season with a disclaimer the tour might not be running full distance.

May is a great month to see Alaska, we've been there twice in May and loved seeing snow on the mountains and full waterfalls.

I agree with the comment about adding Fairbanks to the itinerary.

We've been to Alaska multiple times. We've never started or ended in Seattle.

[CowPrincess]

We have looked at that one as well! I think our concern is if we "can" be on a boat for 2 weeks. Our longest cruise has been a week :confused:

 

Both the 14 day and the land and sea interest us a LOT.

 

14day simply because of all the different places we would be stopping.

 

Land and Sea - Simply Denali National Park

 

We know we will have to make sacrifices somewhere... it is just we do we make them.

 

 

You posted a similar question on the Alaska board, right? I hope that Budget Queen sees it over there, she can give you all kinds of really good info about the land portion. Seriously, she is a wealth of info, and it is always worth listening to what she has to say. You may not choose what she suggests, but you will be way better informed to make your decision :)

[AnnieBelle]

I did an Alaska land/cruise tour in 2013. We did a cruise from Vancouver then got off in Seward and worked our way to Fairbanks. There's a lot to see at Denali, even if the Wilderness tour isn't running. Don't miss the park service sled dog demonstration. I enjoyed the train trip fro. Seward to Talkeetna. I enjoyed spending some time in Vancouver if you can squeeze that it too.

[Browser495]

We did the Triple Denali from Vancouver to Vancouver. It was fabulous. We had two weeks on land, flying from Vancouver to Whitehouse, then bus to Dawson City, then flight to Fairbanks, bus to Denali, then train to Anchorage and sailed south from Seward. It was the three weeks of amazing scenery and seeing lots of wildlife. HAL was great at organizing and everything went off without a hitch. Would highly recommend anything like this. The optional upgrade we took to Seward to the Kenai Peninsula was amazing...a real highlight. We loved Denali, and did take the Tundra Wilderness Tour, but the bus was crowded and we didn't see much from the very back of the bus. The driver was just not that into it because she'd worked a shift the night before and she just kept letting us know that all she wanted to do was get back early. Indeed, we got back before two buses that left after us. She did work the close circuit camera only once to show a close up of a grizzly bear. Otherwise we were out of luck. So, I guess it's the luck of the draw. Fortunately we booked the Jeep excursion for the next day, and it was great. Anyway, it was a great trip.

[bamagirldonna]

We are also a group of 3 ladies (25,52,58) looking to do land and sea tour. We are leaning towards D6 with land tour 1st and then cruise. My thinking is it will be nice to cruise and relax on ship after land tour. We are looking at Sept 8 departure.

[Love2laugh]

You posted a similar question on the Alaska board, right? I hope that Budget Queen sees it over there, she can give you all kinds of really good info about the land portion. Seriously, she is a wealth of info, and it is always worth listening to what she has to say. You may not choose what she suggests, but you will be way better informed to make your decision :)

 

Guilty ;) - I figured I would post in both areas hoping that more would see it and respond.

[Kathyfromstl]

I'm going to Alaska next summer. Where is the Alaska board?

 

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

[gpb11]

Be aware that the Tundra Wilderness Tour is not available until the second week of June. Check the nps.gov website for Denali National Park to verify opening date for the road into the park.

As I'm planning a trip now, I'd appreciate the links to your info about the Tundra Wilderness Tour not being available until the second week of June.

 

NPS.gov lists the Tundra Wilderness Tour as offered May 20 to mid-September. The Kantishna Experience begins June 8th. The partner aramark site gives the same info, and mentiones the if Denali is visible the TWT may extend to Snony Hill Overlook beginning on June 1st. So it seems the TWT starts in late May (conditions permitting of course) rather than not until the 2nd week of June.

 

Have I misunderstood your post?

 

http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/bus-tours.htm

http://www.denaliparkvillage.com/denali-tours/tundra-wilderness.aspx

Edited November 18, 2015 by gpb11

[xlxo]

I'm going to Alaska next summer. Where is the Alaska board?

Check this out...

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

[Kathyfromstl]

Thank you xlxo.

 

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

[ron1946]

We are booked on the R2L - Seattle to Seattle - Starting Aug 16th. We chose the later months hopefully being less crowded, plus, we have a friend that is a Park Ranger in Denali that suggested this time for the beautiful fall colors as well as the wildlife being most active in anticipation of winter. Here is our itinerary:

 

Aug 16 -Arrive Seattle stay at Hilton Airport Hotel

Aug 17 -Fly to Anchorage stay at Westmark Anchorage Hotel

Aug 18 - McKinley Explorer Domed Railroad to Denali NP

Aug 18-20 (3 Days) Stay in McKinley Chalet - Includes Tundra Wilderness Tour

Aug 21 -Motor Coach to Fairbanks - stay at Westmark Fairbanks - Includes tour to Gold Dredge #8 and panning for gold

Aug 22 - Fly from Fairbanks to Dawson City - Stay at Westmark Dawson City

Aug 22-23 - Dawson City (2 days) Includes trip on Klondike Spirit Stern Wheeler

Aug 24 - Motor Coach from Dawson City to Whitehorse - Lunch in Minto (big silver mine)

Aug 24 - Stay at Westmark Whitehorse

Aug 25 - Motor Coach to Fraser and board the White Pass Yukon Railroad to Skagway

Aug 25-26 (2 Days) - Stay at Westmark Skagway

Aug 27 - Board MS Volendam in Skagway

Aug 28 - Sail Glacier Bay

Aug 29 - Port call Ketchikan

Aug 30 - Cruise Inside Passage

Aug 31 - Arrive and debark in Vancouver with motor coach back to Seattle airport.

 

Once arriving in Seattle, all transfers and transportationand hotels are provided by Holland America. Meals other than specified are NOT included. Meal vouchers can be purchased, but very expensive and from what I have read, not really worth it.

 

Hope this helps

Edited November 19, 2015 by ron1946

[xlxo]

August 31st is a Wednesday in Vancouver, so crossing the border will have minimal delays. However, I recommend staying extra days at this bonus port as it's bigger than all the Alaskan ports combined.

 

Keep in mind late August is when Alaska statistically starts to get wet with storm chasers joining you in September.

 

That second week of August has been wet for me in the last 3 years.

Edited November 19, 2015 by xlxo

[oaktreerb]

As I'm planning a trip now, I'd appreciate the links to your info about the Tundra Wilderness Tour not being available until the second week of June.

 

NPS.gov lists the Tundra Wilderness Tour as offered May 20 to mid-September. The Kantishna Experience begins June 8th. The partner aramark site gives the same info, and mentiones the if Denali is visible the TWT may extend to Snony Hill Overlook beginning on June 1st. So it seems the TWT starts in late May (conditions permitting of course) rather than not until the 2nd week of June.

 

Have I misunderstood your post?

 

http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/bus-tours.htm

http://www.denaliparkvillage.com/denali-tours/tundra-wilderness.aspx

 

I'm glad you went to the Denali website for information as that is the best source. Several reports on May trips into the park this year indicated that they received the shorter Teklanika Tundra Wilderness Tour (as indicated in the description on the nps website). The opening of the road into the park is determined by the clearing of the road after the winter season. I would be disappointed if I were to find out that we would be given the shorter tour. It's that "conditions permitting" that concerns me.