Westerdam Sea and Land Alaska May 2020

[PatLuv]

Years back we took a 7 day on Disney to Alaska. Hub always wanted to go again,and I found a great deal for next year. I do have a question for those that have already done this.Since we have to figure our baggage,how does the baggage transfer for the land portion work since we'll be in 3 different hotels in a 4 days space.? Do we have to carry our baggge to each hotel?Thanks for any help and advice!

[Crew News]

Here is a link to the 2019 Alaska tips for my June 2019 cruisetour to Denali, if it is still active:

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/content/dam/hal/marketing-assets/manage-my-cruise-already-booked/faqs/Tour_Tips.pdf

 

Your luggage (not carry-on) will be picked up each morning at your hotel and tranported for you to the next stop.  You are responsible for your own carry-on.  When you arrive at each hotel, you will receive a package with your hotel keys, itinerary for the next day, and luggage tags for the luggage you will put outside your door each morning.

 

If you post whether you are northbound or southbound, Denali days, and any train use, I can be very specific of what you can expect.

[PatLuv]

Crew News,thank you for you help.We begin our boat trip in Vancouver, travel to Ketchikan,Juneau,and SkagwayGlacier Bay,then at sea, we then arrive in Anchorage on Sunday.On Monday,its Anchorage,Talkeetna,then Denali,I'm assuming this is by rail. We have two days in Denali,then travel to Fairbanks where were are for a day,then fly out the next day from Fairbanks.I do knoww we'll be traveling on the McKinley explorer to get to Denali. We also do a tundra tour in Denali. In Skagway pat of the package offered is a trip on the White Pass Railway. All of this is being done in mid to end of May of 2020. I'm assuming we can each take one large suitcase and then a carry on for the land trip?

[Crew News]

3 hours ago, PatLuv said:

Crew News,thank you for you help.We begin our boat trip in Vancouver, travel to Ketchikan,Juneau,and SkagwayGlacier Bay,then at sea, we then arrive in Anchorage on Sunday.On Monday,its Anchorage,Talkeetna,then Denali,I'm assuming this is by rail. We have two days in Denali,then travel to Fairbanks where were are for a day,then fly out the next day from Fairbanks.I do knoww we'll be traveling on the McKinley explorer to get to Denali. We also do a tundra tour in Denali. In Skagway pat of the package offered is a trip on the White Pass Railway. All of this is being done in mid to end of May of 2020. I'm assuming we can each take one large suitcase and then a carry on for the land trip?

 

Thanks.  This will be a long reply.

 

While on board the ship, there will be several orientations for those going to Denali.  Make sure you attend at least one of them.  Be careful because there will be many different itineraries going to Denali by vavious means (train and bus) and different stops on the way.  When talking to fellow passengers make sure you are on the same itinerary.

 

During your cruise, you will receive an envelope with instructions on what will happen on the day you disembark the ship.  In the envelope you will receive luggage tags that will read, "Meet me in Fairbanks" that will be attached to any luggage that you will not be taking to Denali (you are limited to only one bag and one small carry-on (no roller bags) and a tag for the bag that will meet you in Denali.  Tagged luggage will be placed outside your stateroom door before midnight.  The bag going to meet you in Fairbanks will go into storage and the bag to meet you in Denali will go by truck (not on the train).

 

Your envelope will have a paper that tells you what time to meet in the showroom on Disembarkation morning (will be very early but the Lido Market will be open for breakfast at 5:00 AM).  Other groups will be in the showroom going by bus so again, listen just for your group and when you will leave the showroom with your carry-on bag for a bus that will take you to the train.  Bus seats are not assigned but train seats will be. 

 

Food on the train is amazing and meals will be served in small groups so lunch might take 4 hours for all to eat (brings granola bars to snack).  The train ride will take around nine hours.  For great photos, go downstairs and onto the platform between the cars.  While on the train, you will receive your room keys for Denali as well as luggage tags for your one piece of luggage that will be going to Fairbanks and an itinerary for Fairbanks.

 

More later but this will give you a headstart on your planning.

[Crew News]

To contunue. 

 

Talkeetana on your itinerary is really just a short stop to allow other trains to pass since there is only one track.

 

There is a chance that you will not receive your Denali welcome pack with keys and luggage tags until you leave the train and board the bus for the short ride to the McKinley Lodge.  Look in your envelope and note the address of your lodge so that you will get off the bus at the right stop for your lodge.  Your luggage should be waiting in your room.

 

Here is a link to photos of my lodge, train, national park, and flying around Denali:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/place/alaska-2/denali

 

Within walking distance of the lodges, or short shuttle bus ride, is the Karsten's House Restaurant with huge food portions at reasonable prices.  Breakfast is $14.95 for continental and $19.95 for the full buffet.  If you walk up the steep hill, there is a steak restaurant at the Main Lodge.  There is also a Subway across the street as well as a few pizza places.

 

Your envelope will also have the time for your Tundra Wilderness Tour.  Each seat will have a snack box or you can purchase an additional box lunch for pick up at the Main Lodge the morning of your tour.  With a few granola bars, the snack box with cheese, crackers, chips, beef sticks, cookies, etc. should be enough to let you forego the less-than-favorable box lunch charge.  Bottled water is provided at no charge.  Avoid choosing any seat near a bus wheel well or you will have no leg room.  There will be restroom stops during the 7.5 hour tour and you will not be allowed off the bus at any other time.  Bring binoculars to spot wildlife as the bus driver will be too busy drining on the narrow mountain road.  If wildlife is spotted by any passenger, the driver will stop to allow photos as well as to activate his zoom video camera for all to see on the bus monitors.

 

The day you leave Denali, your one piece of luggage, with the luggage tag you received in your Denali welcome envelope, must be placed outside your lodge room at the designated time (breakfast time).  After breakfast, you and your carry-on luggage will catch the shuttle bus to the Main Lodge wher you will board your bus for Fairbanks.  There should be a stop for lunch as well as restroom stops.  Your one piece of luggage will go by truck to Fairbanks.

 

Enroute to Fairbanks, you will receive a welcome envelope with your hotel room keys and luggage tags for your luggage arriving by truck from Denali as well as the luggage you did not take to Denali (Meet Me in Fairbanks) that you will attach to both pieces and place outside your hotel room door at the designated time.  Ask at the Front Desk what time you will catch the bus to the airport or you can arrange your own transportation via taxi if you have an abnormal flight departure time.

 

This should cover your land tour question and is based on a train to Denali and a bus ride to Fairbanks.  Feel free to ask more questions and definitely attend at least one of the orientation sessions while on board the ship.

 

For the train in Skagway, sit on the left side leaving town and on the right side returning to town to see the best scenery.  Again, feel free to to go out on the platform between the cars for great photos.  Taking pictures through the bus windows and train windows will have glare and distortions.

 

The Tongass Trading Company, at the pier in Ketchikan, is Alaska souvenir Heaven and worth a stop.  Upstairs is where the locals go for their gear and cheaper ulu knives.

 

If you are spending the night in Anchorage when you disembark, the ship will take your luggage to your hotel and you will board the train for Denali the next day.  Everything else above will be the same.  In all cases, you will have an itinerary and room keys for your stay as well as new luggage tags for the next leg of your tour.

 

Hope the above helps.  Feel free to ask more questions.

 

 

 

 

[PatLuv]

Crew News,first of all,thank you for the wonderfully descriptive details you have given us. I just read this to my hub,and we both understand it so much better than the link. I always like to know before I go. Hub can get frustrated,and if I know ahead,it makes it that much easier for him to enjoy with me. When looking at each stop,I had noticed Anchorage and Fairbanks had times of the year where the northern lights could be seen. Was this possible when you went,and is there anyone outside the ship that offers it?

I'd also like to say how much we enjoyed your beautiful photos. I had a great Nikon digital that gave me beautiful shots for years,and the start button died on me on March in the Carribean. So I have a new Sony digital that I have to play with before I go. Thank you so very much for taking the time to help us.

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, PatLuv said:

Crew News,first of all,thank you for the wonderfully descriptive details you have given us. I just read this to my hub,and we both understand it so much better than the link. I always like to know before I go. Hub can get frustrated,and if I know ahead,it makes it that much easier for him to enjoy with me. When looking at each stop,I had noticed Anchorage and Fairbanks had times of the year where the northern lights could be seen. Was this possible when you went,and is there anyone outside the ship that offers it?

I'd also like to say how much we enjoyed your beautiful photos. I had a great Nikon digital that gave me beautiful shots for years,and the start button died on me on March in the Carribean. So I have a new Sony digital that I have to play with before I go. Thank you so very much for taking the time to help us.

 

The purpose of Cruise Critic is to share info so that future cruises know what to expect as well as what is available.  I am just a part of that Cruise Critic effort.

 

HAL processes thousands of passengers through their cruise/land tours and does a great job.  Trust them to not fail.

 

Seeing the Northern Lights in the summer is very improbable.  There is only a few hours between sunset and sunrise so it does not get "really dark" very long.  It does not hurt to look up at the sky about half way between the posted sunset and sunrise times.  Getting away from city lights is important which makes Denali a good shot at seeing the Northern Lights.  During the winter, Fairbanks gets about four hours of daylight in addition to -30 degrees below zero temps, so they can see the Northern Lights almost every night

 

Since it doesn't get dark very long in Denali, it is important that you use one of the pants hangers with clips to close your room curtains before you go to bed unless you want a lighted room at 3:30 AM.

 

FWIW the dinner theater in Denali is really "campy" and really not worth the extra expense.

 

Dining on the train brings several passenger rows down to the dining level at a time but they start from the back of the train.  If you happen to be in the front rows, your granola bars will be quite handy.  I didn't see them ordered, but nachos are available in the seating area. 

 

It is important to bring a small carry-on with whatever you need while on the bus/train (snacks, meds, music, handiwipes, sunglasses for the glass-top train, etc.) as the storage space is limited above your bus seat and under the seat in front of you on the train.  If your bag won't fit, it will ride on your lap.

 

The train bathrooms are large and the bus will stop every 90 minutes at outdoor restrooms.  Some of the restroom are very crude and not well maintained.  Bring handiwipes if you want to wash your hands.  There is a bathroom on the bus that could be better than the roadside stops.  Buses are staged so they do not hit the reststops at the same time BUT they do.  If you see a line at the rest stop bathrooms, use the one on the bus.  There are no bathrooms on the Tundra Wilderness Tour buses.

 

Since you are leaving from Vancouver, you should know that there is an underground mall across the street from the terminal where you can buy toilletries, sodas, etc.  that would take up weight on the plane.  Also good fast-food restaurants as well as H&R Block to pay your taxes are there.

 

I was a Nikon film-camera entusiast for many years but now use Olympus cameras in addition to a pocket Canon for onboard pictures.  Your Sony will be good if you have a reasonable telephoto lens to capture the wildlife in Denali.  Make sure you are VERY familiar with it before you depart.  Unfortunately, I know this from experience after losing some good shots. 

 

I will be departing Vancouver on May 3d for 14 days in Alaska aboard the Westerdam.

 

Keep asking questions so that you are fully informed before you board,

 

 

[VUCruiser]

We did the reverse trip along with Dawson City this past June and it was amazing.  You will get into the swing of things quickly with the keys, luggage times, etc.  On a few stops, the luggage had to be out pretty early so make sure you have carry on bags that can hold your toiletries and PJs among other things you may need in the morning.  The train between Anchorage and Denali was amazing!  Agree on the train lunch-a must do.  Have some great pics of the mountains closer to Denali in my phone's black and white mode (Noir mode) that just turned out beautiful given there was still significant snow on many of the mountains...just from my iphone. The resort at Denali was nice-we ended up with a balcony overlooking the river in the back which was just so peaceful we could have stayed several more nights given the chance.  Most folks sat near the front of the bus, but we sat near the back and had room to stretch out a bit.  Enjoy!!

[Crew News]

Just another note reference the available Meal Plan.  For the three-day Denali plan, the price of $349 p/p last year required you to eat the most expensive item on the Canyon Steak House menu, most expensive dessert, and most expensive dessert to come close to breaking even.  The Meal Plan does not cover all of the possible lunches.  I used the Meal Plan on my first Denali tour but found just ordering off the menus was a 50% savings on my next tour.

 

My bus driver in Anchorage recommended Humpys Bar just a block from the Westmark Hotel and I had a huge platter of fish & chips for a great price.

 

On another note, any Alaskan King Crab served during the tourist season is frozen since King Crab season is during the winter months.

 

In all of my dining in Alaska, I have found the food portions to be huge.  This is especially true at the Karsten's House at the McKinley Resort.

Edited November 20, 2019 by Crew News

[PatLuv]

On 11/19/2019 at 5:41 AM, VUCruiser said:

We did the reverse trip along with Dawson City this past June and it was amazing.  You will get into the swing of things quickly with the keys, luggage times, etc.  On a few stops, the luggage had to be out pretty early so make sure you have carry on bags that can hold your toiletries and PJs among other things you may need in the morning.  The train between Anchorage and Denali was amazing!  Agree on the train lunch-a must do.  Have some great pics of the mountains closer to Denali in my phone's black and white mode (Noir mode) that just turned out beautiful given there was still significant snow on many of the mountains...just from my iphone. The resort at Denali was nice-we ended up with a balcony overlooking the river in the back which was just so peaceful we could have stayed several more nights given the chance.  Most folks sat near the front of the bus, but we sat near the back and had room to stretch out a bit.  Enjoy!!

 

Thank you so much for this! sounds wonderful!

[PatLuv]

money for lamd portion.I booked this trip with a number of included items that HAL threw in. How much does it cost for beverages during the land portion,as we enjoy the occasional cocktail. The biggest question is,do we carry one large suitcase for both of ous during the 4 days? 161 days to go!😀

[PSR]

7 hours ago, PatLuv said:

money for lamd portion.I booked this trip with a number of included items that HAL threw in. How much does it cost for beverages during the land portion,as we enjoy the occasional cocktail. The biggest question is,do we carry one large suitcase for both of ous during the 4 days? 161 days to go!😀

 

Just did a land tour this August. Bar prices in Anchorage and Denali were similar to bar prices at a nice restaurant here in Northern California.

 

We did take one large suitcase each, the same ones we were taking on the ship later. We only had 2 hotels, though: Anchorage and Denali. If you can put clothing items (and other necessities) for both persons in one suitcase for the land portion, you can put the rest of the items from the cruise in a second suitcase to "Meet me in Fairbanks", as described above by Crew News. If you want to have both suitcases with you for the land portion, then they will move both of them for you.

Edited December 9, 2019 by PSR

[Crew News]

7 hours ago, PatLuv said:

money for lamd portion.I booked this trip with a number of included items that HAL threw in. How much does it cost for beverages during the land portion,as we enjoy the occasional cocktail. The biggest question is,do we carry one large suitcase for both of ous during the 4 days? 161 days to go!😀

 

Last answer first:  Each person gets one piece of luggage.  Additional pieces will meet you at your last stop.  Cocktails in Alaska are a bit higher than in the lower 48.

[PatLuv]

PSR,and Crew News thank you so much for the input!

 

 

 

crew

news,

i can't thank you enough for all the lengthy information you have given me. Its a huge help. Now my next quandry,just got an e-mail yesterday for the Europe offer,and so many choices! Merry Christmas to both of you!😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

crew

[Crew News]

2 hours ago, PatLuv said:

PSR,and Crew News thank you so much for the input!

 

 

 

crew

news,

i can't thank you enough for all the lengthy information you have given me. Its a huge help. Now my next quandry,just got an e-mail yesterday for the Europe offer,and so many choices! Merry Christmas to both of you!😉

 

crew

 

Cruise Critic gives cruisers and potential cruisers the chance to share information.  It is great to be on both the providing and consuming sides of information.  When I return from my current cruise, I might be interested in Europe 2021.

 

I will be back in Alaska in May and then to Antarctica in Feb 21.