McKinley Lodge even worth it for 1 night? i.e. DB4 vs EB4

[cpizzull]

First cruise to Alaska and first on Princess.  Planning/Researching for a June 2025 trip so I can at least narrow down my choices.  We are leaning toward the 11-night cruisetour DB4, with 3 nights at Denali Lodge.  We hate unpacking and packing more than we have to.  With the other tour (EB4 for example) doing 1 night at McKinley, then 2 nights at Denali, we were wondering if we really miss out on anything if we don't do McKinley lodge at all.  From what I can see also, you basically arrive late afternoon there, will be busy trying to do dinner and settle in, and then all you have is the morning to go do something before you leave for Denali.  Is that true?  If so, it seems like a no-brainer to just do Denali for 3 nights and get 2 full days.  What am I missing cause they obviously give this choice for a reason? lol
Thank you!

Chet

 

PS.  Is there a place that has the itinerary with specific times?  I haven't searched too hard yet so would love to save time if anyone has at the ready.

[Thrak]

At McKinley lodge we take the bus into Talkeetna where we walk around, check out the shops, and visit the Denali Brew Pub. The Denali Brewing Company is outside of town and makes excellent beer. I wish I could get it here at home. I could really use a nice Chuli Stout. There's a board up in the Ranger Station in Talkeetna with the status of all those currently climbing Denali. If you want a chance to actually see Denali McKinley lodge is a good place to try. If you stay there tell them in the office that you want to be called and woken up if the mountain comes out from behind the clouds. It's pretty impressive if you do get to see it. We had people in our tour group who were there for the 5th time and the visit we were on was the first time they had ever really gotten a good view of the mountain.

 

https://denalibrewpub.com/

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Thrak

[mtnesterz]

3 hours ago, cpizzull said:

PS.  Is there a place that has the itinerary with specific times?

No, but all of them leave too early, because you won't want to leave. That is, until you get hungry.

What are you missing? The map doesn't relate just how far apart things are. You are exhausted when you arrive and after a short sleep and breakfast, you're on your way again, for a one nighter.

Of the two options you mention, I'd prefer D, but if you can afford it, go P, a Connoisseur tour so meals and tours are included. P spends two nights at each of the lodges. You will pat yourself on the back for buying a package that prepays meals, which include tips, everytime you see menu prices in Alaska.

[GJCruiser]

Check out Mahays Jet Boat Tours in Talkeetna. What a ride!!!

[capriccio]

This was in 2007 on our first Princess cruise and first trip to Alaska: we had 2 nights at Denali and 1 at McKinley.  The latter was unforgettable.

 

We arrived in the afternoon and it was disappointingly cloudy but the receptionist offered to call us “if the mountain comes out.”  We went to bed around 11 pm and less than half an hour later the phone rang.  We quickly changed clothes and gathered our camera and headed to the terrace overlooking the mountain in all its glory.  We, along with everyone else staying at the lodge, just sat and watched the mountain for about 2 hours before dragging ourselves away from the view (it was still light out).

 

On our first port stop (Ketchikan) we had taken a flight seeing excursion and although I’m afraid of small planes I was enthralled by the take-off, the water landing where we transferred to a boat, and the gorgeous scenery.  As we were on the train to Denali with predicted good weather for our McKinley day we made reservations for a summit flight over Denali for our morning in Talkeetna.  Since the flight flew over the summit (20,000+ feet) everyone wore oxygen masks which was nerve racking.  The pilot also waved the plane’s wings at the last group of climbers for the season that were camped just below the summit.  The entire experience was breathtaking.

 

None of these excursions were inexpensive but it has been exactly 16 years this week and I remember them like it was yesterday

[LeeW]

The big problem with McKinley lodge is the 40 minute drive into Talkeetna.  Buses don't run all that often and your stay includes only one bus there and one back - you pay if you want to waste another 1 1/2 hours in transit. 

 

Mountain looks great if it is out (and for us was on both trips).  But really no activities near the lodge.  Most require a trip back into Talkeetna.  Food is ok, although expensive like all Alaska food.  

 

If you are taking the train, be aware that there is a LOT of standing around waiting for it.  They will bus everyone to the train stop kiosk around an hour before the train is due.  Nothing there, although some folks walked into town while waiting.  

[cpizzull]

Thanks all for the replies so far.  Much appreciated!

.

It still seems like the only reason(s) to go thru that huge hassle of unpacking and packing within 17 hours is 1)for that 10% chance I can see the mountain (which may not mean anything anyway if I can see it on an excursion during the 3 nights at Denali lodge, right), and 2)if there's something in Talkeena we want to (but between Denali lodge and cruise excursions, it seems I could do almost everything outside of Talkeena anyway, heh).
.
Again, if this was probably more than 24 hours or even just 12 hours of 'free' time, we'd probably stay the night, but I'm still not really convinced it's going to be worth the extra headache.  But that's just me.  😉  I will keep on researching and would still love to hear reasons.

[roadster08]

McKinley Lodge is in the state park and there are rangers on site in the main lodge. They do talks and hikes throughout the day. And we found them interesting.

 

We only got partial views of Denali during our two-day McKinley Lodge stay and never got a call so I don't think the mountain was visible 100% while we were there. We did, however, get some good views of Denali on the tundra Wilderness tour that we took while at the Denali. Princess.

[Rick&Jeannie]

23 hours ago, Thrak said:

Nice Pic!!!

[Thrak]

39 minutes ago, roadster08 said:

McKinley Lodge is in the state park and there are rangers on site in the main lodge. They do talks and hikes throughout the day. And we found them interesting.

 

We only got partial views of Denali during our two-day McKinley Lodge stay and never got a call so I don't think the mountain was visible 100% while we were there. We did, however, get some good views of Denali on the tundra Wilderness tour that we took while at the Denali. Princess.

 

What we didn't realize - and a lot of folks don't realize - is that you have to renew your request for a call each day. We didn't get called the first night and didn't realize we needed to renew the request so we were very surprised when, on the second morning, we had already packed all of our stuff and walked outside to see the mountain. Had we renewed our request to be notified they would have called to let us know.

[capriccio]

2 hours ago, cpizzull said:

Thanks all for the replies so far.  Much appreciated!

.

It still seems like the only reason(s) to go thru that huge hassle of unpacking and packing within 17 hours is 1)for that 10% chance I can see the mountain (which may not mean anything anyway if I can see it on an excursion during the 3 nights at Denali lodge, right), and 2)if there's something in Talkeena we want to (but between Denali lodge and cruise excursions, it seems I could do almost everything outside of Talkeena anyway, heh).
.
Again, if this was probably more than 24 hours or even just 12 hours of 'free' time, we'd probably stay the night, but I'm still not really convinced it's going to be worth the extra headache.  But that's just me.  😉  I will keep on researching and would still love to hear reasons.

Your unpacking and packing will be limited since your accompanying baggage is limited.  You are allowed a tote or backpack and one piece of luggage on the tour.  The remainder of your luggage will meet you on the ship.
 

if you haven’t seen the description of the different types of baggage, see https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/cruisetours/alaska-cruisetours/

[Ramblin Wreck Cruiser]

We loved the Mt. McKinley Lodge. We did 2 nights at the Denali Lodge and 1 night at Mt. McKinley Lodge. We did not go into Talkeetna, because we were pretty tired from the bus trip and there wasn’t anything there that really appealed to us. There is a nice restaurant on site and we had a great evening enjoying the peaceful surroundings with cocktails and dinner. Although we didn’t sign up for a call about Denali, we still received a call the next morning saying Denali was visible. It was an unbelievable view. It was our best view of Denali the whole trip. I am very happy we chose to go there.

[portiemom]

I would do the cruise tour with 3 nights at Denali and skip Talkeetna. Denali National Park is far more important to me than anything I would do in Talkeetna. That said, we chose 2 nights at Mt. McKinley Lodge and 2 at Denali. It was gray and rainy both days at Mt. McKinley Lodge. We did enjoy a river rafting and walked around Talkeetna and had lunch, which was nice, but does not compare to having an extra full day at DNP. We were sure to do the Kantishna tour that goes to the end of the road in DNP. Highly recommend. Did not see the mountain either of those days at the Denali Lodge. Mountain was not out on the bus tour through the park. Finally, did get to see the mountain from the train on the way to meet the cruise ship! Magnificent!! I hope it works out for you whatever you choose!

[Thrak]

The first night we were at McKinley lodge the mountain was hiding. We sat outside in a sort of general gathering area and had drinks while a young lady split wood and built a very nice fire. It was a nice evening with good people. Very pleasant.

[Torfamm]

We arrived in Talkeetna by train in the morning and stayed in town to do a raft trip, had lunch, then headed to the lodge in the middle of the afternoon. Talkeetna is a cute quirky town and we enjoyed a relaxing evening at the lodge. I thought it was worth it

[cpizzull]

15 hours ago, capriccio said:

Your unpacking and packing will be limited since your accompanying baggage is limited.  You are allowed a tote or backpack and one piece of luggage on the tour.  The remainder of your luggage will meet you on the ship.
 

if you haven’t seen the description of the different types of baggage, see https://www.princess.com/learn/faq/cruisetours/alaska-cruisetours/

Well, unpacking and packing with a cpap (and I assume I can get distilled water somewhere) adds to it being a pain if not even 12 hours of free time.  😉  Thanks for the link too. I haven't gotten there yet.

[cpizzull]

14 hours ago, Ramblin Wreck Cruiser said:

 We did not go into Talkeetna, because we were pretty tired from the bus trip and there wasn’t anything there that really appealed to us.

Exactly what I'm talking about! Will be tired and not have much time to do much with the time you do have.  And if you want Talkeetna, you spend basically another 2 hours in travel it seems (incl. prepping and waiting), based on what I read.  And you would do all that in the 10% chance you get a view of the mountain, as amazing as it would be.  I've seen Mt. Ranier quite a bit and been on top of the Continental Divide so it's not like it would be earth shattering experience. LOL (trust me, if I knew I'd see the mountain, I'd go thru the grief). 😉

[cpizzull]

12 hours ago, portiemom said:

I would do the cruise tour with 3 nights at Denali and skip Talkeetna. Denali National Park is far more important to me than anything I would do in Talkeetna. That said, we chose 2 nights at Mt. McKinley Lodge and 2 at Denali. It was gray and rainy both days at Mt. McKinley Lodge. We did enjoy a river rafting and walked around Talkeetna and had lunch, which was nice, but does not compare to having an extra full day at DNP. We were sure to do the Kantishna tour that goes to the end of the road in DNP. Highly recommend. Did not see the mountain either of those days at the Denali Lodge. Mountain was not out on the bus tour through the park. Finally, did get to see the mountain from the train on the way to meet the cruise ship! Magnificent!! I hope it works out for you whatever you choose!

Thank you! That's exactly the type of post I wanted to read (someone who has been to both and would still decide to do Denali for a specific reason).  Did you book the Kantishna tour thru Princess?  And if one does the Tundra Wilderness tour, does it make sense to also do the Kantishna one? Thanks again!

[Paula_MacFan]

24 minutes ago, cpizzull said:

 Did you book the Kantishna tour thru Princess?  And if one does the Tundra Wilderness tour, does it make sense to also do the Kantishna one?

I could be wrong and I'm sure someone will correct me if so 🙂 but I thought the Kantishna tour wasn't offered now due to the road closure through 2026.  

 

https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

 

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

[cpizzull]

5 minutes ago, Paula_MacFan said:

I could be wrong and I'm sure someone will correct me if so 🙂 but I thought the Kantishna tour wasn't offered now due to the road closure through 2026.  

 

https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

 

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

That's what I was wondering too after I tried to find it.  Bummer.

[nasa1974]

Our very first time on a cruise ship was when we did an Alaskan cruisetour with Princess in 2007. We spent 2 nights in Fairbanks, one night at Denali lodge and two nights at Mt. McKinley lodge. We actually took the train between all the stops including to Whitter.

Our second time to Alaska was 2017 and we started in Anchorage, Mt. McKinley and then Denali. We were bussed to all the stops and took the train to Whitter from Denali. That was a long train ride. Unfortunately, I can't find the itinerary for 2017 but I believe we spent one night at each stop. We were with a bunch of friends on this trip and had a snowball fight while at the Mt. McKinley lodge and made smores at midnight at the Denali lodge.

Whichever cruisetour you decide on, just relax take in the beautiful sights and enjoy. You're on vacation in Alaska.

[portiemom]

21 hours ago, cpizzull said:

Thank you! That's exactly the type of post I wanted to read (someone who has been to both and would still decide to do Denali for a specific reason).  Did you book the Kantishna tour thru Princess?  And if one does the Tundra Wilderness tour, does it make sense to also do the Kantishna one? Thanks again!

I don't know if it is still possible to book Kantishna through Princess. I had no problem switching out the Natural History Tour, which was included in our package, for Kantishna and paying the difference back in 2012. I called Princess and did it myself. I've seen posts here on CC that suggest it might not be possible now. But you can still do it on your own. There is so much more to see that I would absolutely recommend going all the way to the end of the road. For example, we had a park ranger meet us at Wonder Lake and talk to us about the history of the park and pointed out the flora and fauna (ptarmigans). So we were off the bus for awhile and walking around with the park ranger.

[portiemom]

21 hours ago, Paula_MacFan said:

I could be wrong and I'm sure someone will correct me if so 🙂 but I thought the Kantishna tour wasn't offered now due to the road closure through 2026.  

 

https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

 

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

You are correct. I was hoping that it would be open again by 2025, when the OP is going. But that does not seem to be the case.😕

[Stealthdog]

We just did Kenai, McKinley, and Denali last month.  McKinley was the our least favorite lodge of the 3.  For us the packing/unpacking wasn’t the issue, the amount of time there was - like you mentioned.  You get there late afternoon and have to leave the next morning.  There really wasn’t much time to do anything except explore the lodge area.  We did get lucky and saw a moose on a trail though!

 

If we do a land tour again, we would avoid any one night stops.  Denali was wonderful - we had 2 days there and would have loved an extra day.