Alaska Land Only

[CNSJ]

Reading the CCL press release (posted on both Princess and HAL sites) it appears they hope to still run the shore portion of land/sea journeys, using their lodges and trains or buses. I'm not sure how that would work, but a five , six, or seven day land tour (all in Alaska such as Fairbanks to Anchorage) would not be restricted by ship registry issues (PVSA) because there is no ship, and it would just require masks on the bus/train.  I would expect that all participants are vaccinated and/or rapid tested.  Also, there would be no limits on tours as they can not limit where US Citizens go in the US without Marshall Law.  

 

This would not help the southeast Alaska towns like Skagway and Juneau, but might help others.  

 

Granted it's not a cruise (and this is Cruise Critic - Not Train Critic), but many people who cruise Alaska do take these land vacations before or after.

 

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by CNSJ

[oaktreerb]

One of the Denali lodges plus the Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge and the Westmark Fairbanks would handle the land portion of Anchorage/Seward area, train transportation to Denali and on to Fairbanks.  At least that would keep the framework of their land business functioning.  The cruisetour without the cruise!

 

The US population should be vaccinated by summer,  we need to get Canada vaccinated, too....and Mexico.  🙏😷

[KirkNC]

Interesting, makes sense.  I assume the cruise is replaced with a flight to Anchorage or Fairbanks and off you go.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

If the Alaska cruise season is cancelled ALL Land & Sea journey bookings will be cancelled as well.  You will NOT be able to book a land only package through regular cruise line booking channels.

 

What WILL be possible is to book the HAL or Princess hotels/lodges (whichever are open) as stand alone packages or hotel only through the following sites:

https://www.graylinealaska.com/

https://www.princesslodges.com/

https://www.westmarkhotels.com/

 

I expect many of these packages to be modified based on limited hotel openings and rail schedule changes.

Edited February 7, 2021 by AtlantaCruiser72

[kwb101]

From HAL's response to the Canadian announcement last week. https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/2021-press-releases1/news-02042021-AlaskaCanadaRestrictions.html

Exerpt:

Despite the potential impact to our Alaska sailings, we are committed to operating one of our two Denali lodges, the Westmark Fairbanks Hotel and Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge this summer to support land vacations in Alaska’s magnificent interior. We will continue to maintain a focus on what we can do to support our fellow Alaska businesses, the thousands of people who rely on the tourism industry, and the regions in which we operate.

[AKStafford]

Or avoid the poor choices of the prepackaged tours from the cruise lines and put together your own great trip. There's nothing the cruise lines offer that you can't book independently and often for cheaper. You can move at your own pace and see what you want to see on you terms.

[rkacruiser]

2 minutes ago, AKStafford said:

Or avoid the poor choices of the prepackaged tours from the cruise lines and put together your own great trip. There's nothing the cruise lines offer that you can't book independently and often for cheaper. You can move at your own pace and see what you want to see on you terms.

 

21 hours ago, CNSJ said:

This would not help the southeast Alaska towns like Skagway and Juneau,

 

There's nothing to prevent one from flying into Juneau then flying to Anchorage/Fairbanks.  Tours might be available from Juneau to Skagway/Ketchikan/Sitka.  There has to be some "outside the box" thinking. 

[bottom-dragger]

please follow our state laws, they have a purpose

 

https://covid19.alaska.gov/travelers/

[msufan90]

14 hours ago, bottom-dragger said:

please follow our state laws, they have a purpose

 

https://covid19.alaska.gov/travelers/

Good point!   I'm wondering if they will modify this if we have had the vaccine?   

 

[bottom-dragger]

3 hours ago, msufan90 said:

Good point!   I'm wondering if they will modify this if we have had the vaccine?   

 

 

you mean if all Alaskans you have contact with have had the vaccine?

 

this is the worst science fiction movie I've ever been in ............

[donaldsc]

On 2/7/2021 at 5:14 PM, bottom-dragger said:

please follow our state laws, they have a purpose

 

https://covid19.alaska.gov/travelers/

 

Your rules non-resident travelers look good but I see one hole in them - the self quarantine requirement.  Self quarantine almost never works unless it is enforced.  You have 2 options - 

 

1) Require that any non-resident wear a tracking device for the quarantine period with very onerous penalties (jail AND fines)  if you tamper with or remove the device.  All expenses for the tracking device to be borne by the visitor; or

 

2) Require that any non-resident remain in a hotel where they are to stay in their rooms for the length of the quarantine.  If they are allowed to leave their rooms but stay in the hotel, they will have the potential of infecting hotel employees and it will be hard to ensure that they do not leave the hotel.  All expenses for this enforced quarantine to be borne by the traveler.

 

Australia seems to have a good set of regulations for international arrivals.  This is a reference to the official Australian site for international travelers - https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert/coronavirus-covid-19-restrictions/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-international-travellers#quarantine-for-incoming-travellers.  It is long and very specific but it seems to be working for Australia.

 

I know that all this would be difficult to implement but AK seems to be doing a good job on control and inoculations and it would be a shame for those of us from the lower 48 to come to AK and then mess up what you are doing,  I had a wonderful cruise planned for this year that covered places in the Aleutians and ended up in Nome but it can wait.

 

DON