What to do before cruise in Alaska

[chuckles60]

when staying a few days pre-cruise in Alaska, what are the best ways to spend your limited time?

we want to see Denali, what are the best recommended tours?

[SempreMare]

@chuckles60

 

From the tours and activities you have researched so far in the Denali vicinity, what are the top 3 that appeal to you, and why? 

Edited June 28, 2019 by SempreMare

[cruisinskier]

How many days do you have pre-cruise and where does your cruise depart from?   Are you open to renting a car for DIY tour or do you want an organized tour?  And what month are you going?   Let us know and we are glad to assist.....

[chuckles60]

3 days pre cruise open to renting a car would like a DIY ...going first week in july 2020 

 

[torybruno]

We rented a car and spent a night at Majestic Valley Wilderness Lodge (beautiful!), and did a glacier trek with Mica Guides.  Best tour of our cruise, and not expensive because you’re not taking a helicopter to the glacier.  

 

We spent two or three nights in Denali, best excursion there was a Wilderness bus tour, and don’t miss the free dog sled and kennel tour there.   

 

 

[SkeeterPilot]

We are going in 9 days.  We arrive in Anchorage late Sat night and sail out of Seward Monday night.  I rented a car and we are going to the Wildlife Conservation Center on Sunday.  From there is it's only about 30 minutes to Whittier so we are doing the 26 Glacier cruise that afternoon.  On Monday we are taking the noon train (through NCL) that arrives at the dock around 5:00pm

[AKStafford]

22 hours ago, chuckles60 said:

when staying a few days pre-cruise in Alaska, what are the best ways to spend your limited time?

we want to see Denali, what are the best recommended tours?

Rent a car and head to Denali. Plan 6 to 8 hours for the drive. Overnight in Healy or south of the park. Options: http://www.denalichamber.com/denali-member-directory/

Don't use a "tour", take the shuttles into the park. https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

Overnight again and then head back to Anchorage.

[Crew News]

4 hours ago, SkeeterPilot said:

We are going in 9 days.  We arrive in Anchorage late Sat night and sail out of Seward Monday night.  I rented a car and we are going to the Wildlife Conservation Center on Sunday.  From there is it's only about 30 minutes to Whittier so we are doing the 26 Glacier cruise that afternoon.  On Monday we are taking the noon train (through NCL) that arrives at the dock around 5:00pm

 

Just a note about Whittier.  The single-lane tunnel into Whittier opens on the half-hour for about 15 minutes.  LeavingWhittier for Anchorage, the tunnel opens on the hour for about 15 minutes.  If you miss the tunnel times, you will be sitting in line for up to an hour until your lane is allowed to pass through.

[quack2]

On 6/27/2019 at 11:40 AM, chuckles60 said:

when staying a few days pre-cruise in Alaska, what are the best ways to spend your limited time?

we want to see Denali, what are the best recommended tours?

 

Here's what I did before my Friday cruise from Seward.

 

Flew into Anchorage at about 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday and rented a car.  Drove to Talkeetna.  Enjoyed Talkeetna for the rest of the day.  Thursday was stunningly clear so I did the Grand Denali flight out of Talkeetna with the landing on Ruth Glacier.  Awesome.  Got back to Talkeetna and drove back to Anchorage to drop the car.  Stayed in Anchorage Thursday night and then took the early morning train to Seward.  Arrived in time for the 6 hour small boat tour of Kenai Peninsula.  Got back to Seward about 5:30 and boarded the ship about 6:15 p.m.

 

That itinerary worked out well for me.  Fortunate that weather in Denali was nice.

[rpattyn]

We disembark our cruise in Seward early morning of July 12th and are booked on the train to Anchorage from where we will fly home.  Our flight only leaves about 11:30 at night, any ideas/suggestions on what to do for five or six hours in Anchorage and is there somewhere to leave our luggage at the airport?