Alaska CruiseTour

[JerseyExplora]

Princess does have some information on its website, but it can be frustratingly hard to find. "On Your Own" has no pre-scheduled activities where as all of the other cruise tour packages (Denali Explorer, Off the Beaten Path, and Connoisseur) include some form of sightseeing, such as the Natural History Tour into Denali National Park. Meals are included for Connoissuer but not for the other tours.

[nasa1974]

18 minutes ago, JerseyExplora said:

Princess does have some information on its website, but it can be frustratingly hard to find. "On Your Own" has no pre-scheduled activities where as all of the other cruise tour packages (Denali Explorer, Off the Beaten Path, and Connoisseur) include some form of sightseeing, such as the Natural History Tour into Denali National Park. Meals are included for Connoissuer but not for the other tours.

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[ClydeKilgore]

On 1/27/2023 at 9:28 AM, szubieta said:

Even though we did the 10-day Connoisseur and LOVED IT and are planning another.  Having 2 days at each Lodge just felt rushed but is doable when getting on the ship at the end.  Our takeaway is that we would never do the 1-night at the lodges tour.  All of these tours are similar to the last night on the ship except your luggage is put out first thing in the morning most of the time before 8a.  So think about feeling rushed getting to you lodge, then doing an excursion, eating dinner, sleeping, luggage out, breakfast and getting on a coach every day.  Not for us, but others still do it.  I'm just glad my sister had done the 1-night lodge thing to steer us with our decision.  Whatever you choose, being in Alaska is worth a try on your terms and budget.  

Planning this trip for June 2023.  I've been told by an Alaska resident that we will see more of Alaska than most of the residents of Alaska.  Not looking for the bus trips, but  willing to go through that to see all 5 lodges and environs.

[ImperialLady]

On 1/25/2023 at 10:44 PM, nasa1974 said:

I would suggest the land portion first then the cruise.  The land portion can be hectic at times and once on the ship you get to sit back and relax. We did Alaska twice and started with the land portion. First time in Fairbanks the second time was Anchorage. Potstech is correct. On your own means you pay for all your meals. Princess will provide transportation and lodging during the land portion.

Thanks, that's what we did. Our Princess Vacation planner is great. She told us the difference in on you own and  the tour...so we took the tour. Meals are not included in either.

[Thrak]

1 hour ago, ClydeKilgore said:

Planning this trip for June 2023.  I've been told by an Alaska resident that we will see more of Alaska than most of the residents of Alaska.  Not looking for the bus trips, but  willing to go through that to see all 5 lodges and environs.

 

If you plan to hit all the lodges be aware that it is a full day bus ride from Copper River Lodge to Kenai Lodge. (The ride would have been better if the bus driver didn't feel the need to talk, talk, talk, over the microphone the entire time.)

[ClydeKilgore]

1 hour ago, Thrak said:

 

If you plan to hit all the lodges be aware that it is a full day bus ride from Copper River Lodge to Kenai Lodge. (The ride would have been better if the bus driver didn't feel the need to talk, talk, talk, over the microphone the entire time.)

Looks like we will be doing the opposite direction, but since it's 300 miles, I will just just endure it.  Can't figure out how to do it any other way.  Alaska is just too large.

[KYBOB]

3 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

If you plan to hit all the lodges be aware that it is a full day bus ride from Copper River Lodge to Kenai Lodge. (The ride would have been better if the bus driver didn't feel the need to talk, talk, talk, over the microphone the entire time.)

I have a question how did you get to the ship from Copper river? When we booked the tour it said we would go by bus to Valdez then by a boat cruising along the cost to Whittier to board the ship. It has now been “update” to say by bus via Anchorage, a stop at a glacier and though the tunnel at Whittier. A 10 hour ride? 

[Torfamm]

I did a Princess Lodges rail tour that was completely separate from my cruise and loved it. There was no bus travel nor were there lots of organized group excursions or planned meals. We could pick the excursions we wanted at each lodge or book something on our own. To me it was the best of all worlds - hotels, train tickets and transfers arranged, leave luggage outside your door each departure morning and find it in your room at the next destination but spend each day as you wish. To me, traveling every leg by train was way better than doing half by bus on a land tour.
 

https://www.princesslodges.com/alaska-rail-tours/learn/

 

i chose this unescorted 6 night tour from Fairbanks to Anchorage and would highly recommend it. 

https://www.princesslodges.com/alaska-tours/itinerary-3ts/?from_search_query=dG91clR5cGU9ZXhwbG9yZXImc2VhcmNoT25seT0w#3TS

[JoRoy218]

We’ve done the land tour/cruise twice. First time landed in Anchorage, then North to Denali and McKinley lodges by rail.  Then by rail to Whittier to get on Coral Princes. Second time, started in Fairbanks, then to McKinley, and Kenai, then onto Whittier again for the Coral. Our personal preference, we enjoyed landing in Anchorage, exploring in Denali lodge area, river rafting, then McKinkey, to park. Was hectic, having luggage outside lodge door by 6am, hop on bus/train/van to next stop. Liked having cruise to relax after land tour. Did week’s worth of laundry shortly after we got on ship.

Enjoy, it’s a wonderful itinerary whichever you choose. 

[Thrak]

29 minutes ago, KYBOB said:

I have a question how did you get to the ship from Copper river? When we booked the tour it said we would go by bus to Valdez then by a boat cruising along the cost to Whittier to board the ship. It has now been “update” to say by bus via Anchorage, a stop at a glacier and though the tunnel at Whittier. A 10 hour ride? 

 

We've done 2 Connoisseur tours in Alaska. The first one was 13 days and visited Fairbanks, Denali, and McKinley. The second one was 15 days and we went from Fairbanks to Denali to Copper River to Kenai so we went to the ship from Kenai.

 

From Copper River to Kenai was a long bus trip. This is from the Travel Summary:

COACH: COPPER TO KENAI

Motorcoach: Copper River to Kenai Travel time is approximately 9 hours.

 

From Kenai it's not a long trip to the ship:

COACH: KENAI TO WHITTIER

Motorcoach: Kenai to Whittier Your Welcome Envelope will list the times for you to have your bags
ready for the bellman and the motorcoach departure. Your departure has been planned so that you may board your waiting Princess ship in time to enjoy a late lunch.Please have your cruise documents and passport in your possession and ready for your arrival in Whittier.  Travel time is
approximately 2 hours (50 miles).

 

It's true that the last approach to Whittier is through a tunnel. It's not only a tunnel for cars but also for a train. It's a single lane so it has a schedule. If you watch about the first minute and a half of this video you'll see what I mean.

 

 

 

[ImperialLady]

51 minutes ago, JoRoy218 said:

We’ve done the land tour/cruise twice. First time landed in Anchorage, then North to Denali and McKinley lodges by rail.  Then by rail to Whittier to get on Coral Princes. Second time, started in Fairbanks, then to McKinley, and Kenai, then onto Whittier again for the Coral. Our personal preference, we enjoyed landing in Anchorage, exploring in Denali lodge area, river rafting, then McKinkey, to park. Was hectic, having luggage outside lodge door by 6am, hop on bus/train/van to next stop. Liked having cruise to relax after land tour. Did week’s worth of laundry shortly after we got on ship.

Enjoy, it’s a wonderful itinerary whichever you choose. 

We are doing the first one you did starting out in Anchorage. How was the train ride?  I read someplace and can't find where I read it, that Princess passengers were seated in the dome car. Was this the case with you?

[KYBOB]

This is what ours says

COACH: KENAI TO COPPER  

Motorcoach: Kenai to Copper River Travel time is approximately 9 hours (307 miles).
 

COACH: COPPER TO WHITTIER  

Motorcoach: Copper River to Whittier En route to Whittier, enjoy scenic viewing along the Seward, Glenn and Richardson Highways. Throughout the day's journey you will make several stops including Matanuska Glacier and Palmer for lunch on your own. You will also travel through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel which is North America's longest railroad-highway tunnel. Be on the lookout for wildlife, especially Dall sheep, whales and eagles as you drive along Turnagain Arm.   Total travel time for today is approximately 10 hours.

It used to say

 

Whittier

Motorcoach to Valdez and board a catamaran for a scenic journey to Whittier where your ship awaits. (B).. .

 

Yours sounds like a better itinerary l would do one day with a 9 hour ride.  But 9 hours to get there, you have one day there then back on the bus for a 10 hour ride? Oh well we have 2 days of scenic cruising to rest up. 

Edited January 29, 2023 by KYBOB

[nasa1974]

3 hours ago, ImperialLady said:

We are doing the first one you did starting out in Anchorage. How was the train ride?  I read someplace and can't find where I read it, that Princess passengers were seated in the dome car. Was this the case with you?

Our second trip to Alaska started in Anchorage then Denali and then McKinley. We rode busses between the different stops and the Alaska Rail from McKinley to Whitter. We rode in dome cars, and you can get up and move around. Some cars had a small dining area on the lower level. The train ride from McKinley to Whitter was about 10 hours. It was very comfortable, and the scenery was beautiful.

[KYBOB]

Another question is what are the buses like? Typical bus like you would have on a shore excursion? Or are the seats spaced further apart with more leg room? I am 6’-4” and long legs.

[JoRoy218]

1 hour ago, KYBOB said:

Another question is what are the buses like? Typical bus like you would have on a shore excursion? Or are the seats spaced further apart with more leg room? I am 6’-4” and long legs.

The buses were fairly comfortable, well padded, I don’t  remember generous legroom. Our bus wasn’t completely full, perhaps you can spread out a bit. 

[JoRoy218]

3 hours ago, nasa1974 said:

Our second trip to Alaska started in Anchorage then Denali and then McKinley. We rode busses between the different stops and the Alaska Rail from McKinley to Whitter. We rode in dome cars, and you can get up and move around. Some cars had a small dining area on the lower level. The train ride from McKinley to Whitter was about 10 hours. It was very comfortable, and the scenery was beautiful.

We had the train from McKinley to Whittier and we were looking forward to it. However, the seating was cramped and instead of nice comfy seats, we were put at a four-table (like in a diner), very tight , with people we didn’t know. There was a very small dome car to have a snack but because of all the people standing in the aisles, we took forever to get through. Train had stopped several times for whatever reason, people were impatient, uncomfortable and ready to get off. We had a nice more pleasant train ride from Fairbanks to Denali (second cruise). 
A small piece of advice, when you arrive at terminal try to get on the cars as quickly as possible to find a seat you like. Some are very comfy others are torture for the approx 8-9 hrs ride. 

[JoRoy218]

6 hours ago, ImperialLady said:

We are doing the first one you did starting out in Anchorage. How was the train ride?  I read someplace and can't find where I read it, that Princess passengers were seated in the dome car. Was this the case with you?

Yes, second level dome, was perfect! 

[ImperialLady]

10 hours ago, nasa1974 said:

Our second trip to Alaska started in Anchorage then Denali and then McKinley. We rode busses between the different stops and the Alaska Rail from McKinley to Whitter. We rode in dome cars, and you can get up and move around. Some cars had a small dining area on the lower level. The train ride from McKinley to Whitter was about 10 hours. It was very comfortable, and the scenery was beautiful.

thanks so much...I didn't realize the train ride was 10 hours...oh my goodness!

[ImperialLady]

7 hours ago, JoRoy218 said:

Yes, second level dome, was perfect! 

thanks...that sounds wonderful!!

[ImperialLady]

54 minutes ago, ImperialLady said:

thanks so much...I didn't realize the train ride was 10 hours...oh my goodness!

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by ImperialLady
wrong board

[nasa1974]

9 hours ago, JoRoy218 said:

We had the train from McKinley to Whittier and we were looking forward to it. However, the seating was cramped and instead of nice comfy seats, we were put at a four-table (like in a diner), very tight , with people we didn’t know. There was a very small dome car to have a snack but because of all the people standing in the aisles, we took forever to get through. Train had stopped several times for whatever reason, people were impatient, uncomfortable and ready to get off. We had a nice more pleasant train ride from Fairbanks to Denali (second cruise). 
A small piece of advice, when you arrive at terminal try to get on the cars as quickly as possible to find a seat you like. Some are very comfy others are torture for the approx 8-9 hrs ride. 

On our first Alaska trip we had the four passengers to a table but that was from Talkeetna to Whittier. A much shorter trip. Although it took just over six hours and the ship had to wait for us.  Or second trip there were nicely padded seats front to back in the dome car.

The reason your train stopped several times is more likely for freight to move north or south. The Alaska Railroad only has one set of tracks for all north and south traffic. Freight has priority and the passenger trains need to move to a siding set of tracks to allow the freight traffic to proceed.

[ImperialLady]

This is on the Ininerary - RAIL: DENALI TO WHITTIER

Direct-to-the-Wilderness Rail Service: Denali to Whittier Your travel time to Whittier is approximately 9 1/4 hours (295 miles) with the train scheduled to depart Denali National Park at 8:15 a.m. and arrive in Whittier at 6:00 p.m. Please have your cruise documents and passport in your possession and ready for your arrival in Whittier. Also, please note that luggage storage on the train is limited to the area immediately beneath your feet.   Breakfast and lunch are available for purchase while on the train. 

 

My question...is luggage brought to the cruise ship via a truck or is their a baggage car on the train? I doubt we are expected to lug all our luggage on the train and store it under out feet. Does anyone have a photo of the train?  Thanks

[JoRoy218]

2 hours ago, ImperialLady said:

This is on the Ininerary - RAIL: DENALI TO WHITTIER

Direct-to-the-Wilderness Rail Service: Denali to Whittier Your travel time to Whittier is approximately 9 1/4 hours (295 miles) with the train scheduled to depart Denali National Park at 8:15 a.m. and arrive in Whittier at 6:00 p.m. Please have your cruise documents and passport in your possession and ready for your arrival in Whittier. Also, please note that luggage storage on the train is limited to the area immediately beneath your feet.   Breakfast and lunch are available for purchase while on the train. 

 

My question...is luggage brought to the cruise ship via a truck or is their a baggage car on the train? I doubt we are expected to lug all our luggage on the train and store it under out feet. Does anyone have a photo of the train?  Thanks

We were told the luggage would travel via truck to Whittier, as they also did between lodges on the land tour. As far as “space under your seat” it’s similar in size to a plane (if sitting in the comfy padded seats). Don’t know what type of cars being used currently, either the comfy padded seats that recline  slightly or the “four to a table” type with very minimal room at your feet.  Bottom line, try to avoid any large bags to be carried on the train.

Another thought, a great idea by Princess, you will get luggage tags marked to travel with you on land tour and you can also send other luggage straight to the ship. One less bag to keep up with. 

[georgiacat]

When we were on the train from McKinley to Whittier, it was very chilly on the train.  I did not take off my outside coat the whole time.

[ImperialLady]

18 hours ago, JoRoy218 said:

We were told the luggage would travel via truck to Whittier, as they also did between lodges on the land tour. As far as “space under your seat” it’s similar in size to a plane (if sitting in the comfy padded seats). Don’t know what type of cars being used currently, either the comfy padded seats that recline  slightly or the “four to a table” type with very minimal room at your feet.  Bottom line, try to avoid any large bags to be carried on the train.

Another thought, a great idea by Princess, you will get luggage tags marked to travel with you on land tour and you can also send other luggage straight to the ship. One less bag to keep up with. 

Thank you for your reply. I love the idea of sending some luggage straight to the ship. Again thank you for the information.