Don't book a cruisetour

[Polopup]

If you're considering book a cruisetour for Alaska this year just skip it and go on a cruise only.  Princess handles the Alaska cruises just fine.  Adding a land tour on to your cruise is an absolute waste of money. 

 

Here are the problems I experienced (that sucked so bad I almost never want to cruise again)

 

1) The "Lodges" are nothing of the sorts.  They are like staying in a 3 star best western, perhaps doublewide might be better.  They are NOTHING like a lodge or cabin style accomodations.  Woefully dissapointed on the lodging.  I've stayed in better Motel 6.

 

2) The bus transportation is slow and you don't "see" any more Alaska than you do on a regular Alaska cruise.

 

3) The train from Whittier up to Denali is 9 hours and I think being in solitary confinement in a prison would be better.

 

All in all it was one of the worst experiences up my life.  Don't do it.  Yes, a Princess cruise to Alaska is great, but adding a land portion and making it a landtour with overnight stays was terrible.

 

And you can see "all" of what Alaska is in an Alaska cruise only!!!

 

[startedwithamouse]

Do you have more details?  

 

What was so bad about it?

 

Did you go solo or with family or a group?

 

We haven't gone on any buses in Alaska from a cruise port, so thinking you would see more on a cruise tour?

 

Alaska is out of the way, and you're there for the scenery, not a five star experience at a hotel. 

 

Was the train supposed to take less time than listed on your itinerary? Were there delays?

 

 

 

 

[Lady Arwen]

Welcome to Cruise Critic and your very first post.  Why did you take so long reporting this?  What prompted you today to share this with us? You must have done this tour in 2023.  
 

I think it’s a bit dramatic to say it was the worst experience of your life.  Obviously, you were disappointed, but you enjoyed your cruise, so that’s good.  I don’t know if you were expecting a five star hotel, but in Alaska the lodges are considered three star at best.  If you had researched these properties before booking you would have been aware of this.

[SCX22]

Most lodges in National Parks aren't luxurious by any means.  They are 2 or 3 stars at most.  It's just bare minimum accommodations and it beats being sleeping in a tent or an RV. The government won't allow for expansive development because it goes against the premise of a National Park.  Yosemite and Yellowstone are two exceptions that have 4 star lodges complete with amenities.

 

Never been on a Princess cruise tour but have done Denali and other National Parks on my own.  You should be visiting to appreciate nature and go hiking and spending your time at the Lodge.

 

I will concede, Denali isn't that impressive compared to other National Parks.  I think the allure is the fact that it's in Alaska and that it has moose.

[Potstech]

Did a cruise tour on Princess and found it very interesting and informative. Yes there was a 9 hour train ride but you could get up snd move around. There was also a dining area with a limited but good tasting menu. If you go on a cruise tour expecting 5 star hotels and Michelin dining you are going on the wrong trip. Alaska is rustic and wild so expect that in everything.

[Potstech]

34 minutes ago, Polopup said:

If you're considering book a cruisetour for Alaska this year just skip it and go on a cruise only.  Princess handles the Alaska cruises just fine.  Adding a land tour on to your cruise is an absolute waste of money. 

 

Here are the problems I experienced (that sucked so bad I almost never want to cruise again)

 

1) The "Lodges" are nothing of the sorts.  They are like staying in a 3 star best western, perhaps doublewide might be better.  They are NOTHING like a lodge or cabin style accomodations.  Woefully dissapointed on the lodging.  I've stayed in better Motel 6.

 

2) The bus transportation is slow and you don't "see" any more Alaska than you do on a regular Alaska cruise.

 

3) The train from Whittier up to Denali is 9 hours and I think being in solitary confinement in a prison would be better.

 

All in all it was one of the worst experiences up my life.  Don't do it.  Yes, a Princess cruise to Alaska is great, but adding a land portion and making it a landtour with overnight stays was terrible.

 

And you can see "all" of what Alaska is in an Alaska cruise only!!!

 

No you can not see "all" of what Alaska is in an Alaska cruise only.  Far from it.

[karatemom2]

19 minutes ago, Polopup said:

 

And you can see "all" of what Alaska is in an Alaska cruise only!!!

 

 

Welcome to cruise critic. Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy the land portion of your tour.

 

However, I must disagree with this statement - and this is from someone who has done more than 15 Alaska cruises, but not yet a land tour. I have had the opportunity to visit Anchorage, however, and explore enough in that area to know that there is much more to Alaska then a cruise offers. And that is coming from someone who obviously loves to cruise Alaska, given the many times I have done so. I fully plan to do a land trip one of these days as I know there is so much more of Alaska to see - especially in Denali.

 

First, in terms of accommodations, while this is part of a cruise experience, you are staying in a National Park setting. Even the the top hotels like the Awahnee in Yosemite or El Tovar in the Grand Canyon which are considered 5 star historic facilities, could be considered rustic by some. You are not staying at the Ritz Carlton when you are choosing to stay in and explore a remote and rugged landmark like Denali National Park. And the train ride is part of the allure and by all accounts I have read from others, incredibly scenic.

 

The land trip, by its very nature more rugged than the cruise, so perhaps your expectations were just a little too high. But it is really too bad you couldn't just overlook some of the minor inconveniences and truly enjoy the beauty of Alaska and the wonder of nature. It is such an amazing and unspoiled place. 

[UpcountryTravelers]

Disagree!  We have done two Princess cruisetours in Alaska.  The Denali Lodge is delightful, with a main building that would rank with the best of national parks lodging.  Same with the others.  These are unique lodging, a bit above national park accommodations (think Grand Canyon lodges) and well worth the time and $ to do it.  I highly recommend, to get to see Alaska more than just the coast.

[suekel]

First of all the heading should specify Alaska.  I did a cruisetour to Machu Picchu and it ws 5 stars all the way.  It is pricey and worth every penny.  

[leck57]

Couldn't disagree more. We did a Princess Alaska cruise coupled with a Princess land tour and it was one of our best trips. Couldn't recommend it enough.

You say "one of the worst experiences of your life"....and you live in LA. 🤔

[karatemom2]

2 minutes ago, leck57 said:

Couldn't disagree more. We did a Princess Alaska cruise coupled with a Princess land tour and it was one of our best trips. Couldn't recommend it enough.

You say "one of the worst experiences of your life"....and you live in LA. 🤔

 

Glad you loved Alaska - and I agree it is an amazing destination. But no need to disrespect Los Angeles. It's a big city that covers a huge geographic area, and like all big cities has its issues that need work. But, the greater Los Angeles area and Southern California in general is a little slice of paradise for those of us who live here and love it. So, while I appreciate you making your point about Alaska, it isn't necessary to denigrate another place that many of us call home and do so happily. Perhaps you might visit one day and admire our beautiful beaches, verdant farmlands, and gorgeous mountains. It is not just Hollywood and Disneyland.

[Coral]

Most high end hotels in Alaska are not 5 star hotels. One needs to lower there standards in Alaska. I can think of one hotel that stands out but Princess doesn't use it.

 

Distances are great in Alaska. One really needs to do their research before they plan a trip in the interior of Alaska. Scenery is great though!

Edited March 20 by Coral

[azbirdmom]

We've done a couple of Princess cruise tours and did DIY a couple of times before our southbound Alaska cruises as well.  Immensely enjoyed them all.  The Princess lodge accommodations are OK but the draw is 100% Alaska.  We loved all that there is to see and it has never gotten old for us.  And while the train ride from Denali to Whittier is quite long just watching the scenery change was incredible and the train was comfortable.  It sounds like it's not for you but for a lot of us it's still a worthwhile vacation.

[Polopup]

16 minutes ago, Coral said:

One needs to lower there standards in Alaska. I can think of one hotel that stands out but Princess doesn't use it.

 

My issue wasn't so much about Alaska hotels and that they might be lower standard.  Other hotels I have stayed in Anchorage and Juneau were just fine.  Its that Princess and Princess marketing materials really "sold" me that the "lodges" were better than they are.  I don't feel Princess was really honest in what you were getting. 

 

I should have actually booked an independent tour of Alaska on my own and it would have been half the price, better quality and I would have seen MORE of Alaska.  It wasn't Alaska that fell short here, it was Princess that fell short.

 

[Thrak]

We have cruised Alaska 4 times and did a 7 week camping trip from Northern California up through Canada to Fairbanks, Alaska. Two of our cruises have been connoisseur cruise tours and we loved them. The lodges aren't 5 star resorts but we really did enjoy the Kenai Wilderness Lodge. We had a cabin with a wood stove and our own porch. (There was wood for the stove in the room and more provided outside.) See picture below. The Copper River Wilderness Lodge was also quite nice.  As for being able to see  "all" of what Alaska is in an Alaska cruise only I find that to be a truly laughable statement.

 

Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge

Edited March 20 by Thrak

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

Do you have more details?  

 

What was so bad about it?

 

Did you go solo or with family or a group?

 

We haven't gone on any buses in Alaska from a cruise port, so thinking you would see more on a cruise tour?

 

Alaska is out of the way, and you're there for the scenery, not a five star experience at a hotel. 

 

Was the train supposed to take less time than listed on your itinerary? Were there delays?

 

 

 

 

As an ex resident of Alaska, the OP was unhappy as their expectations were for 5star accommodation. 

To see Alaska fly to ANC and rent a car.  2 nights in ANC, 1 Airbnb in Healy to see Denali, 2 in Fairbanks, 1 in Glenallen at a BnB and back to ANC.

A personal comment that Whittier is pretty grim.  Seward is great with lots to do especially the all day Kenai boat tour and Exit Glacier.  Thus we usually cruise other than Princess.

PS - need to remember most places in tourist areas are open late May till Labor day.  Clean basic accommodation.   Need 5star suggest visiting a place without a 20000' mountain and heaps of wildlife like New York City.

Edited March 20 by Arizona Wildcat

[Coral]

11 minutes ago, Polopup said:

 

My issue wasn't so much about Alaska hotels and that they might be lower standard.  Other hotels I have stayed in Anchorage and Juneau were just fine.  Its that Princess and Princess marketing materials really "sold" me that the "lodges" were better than they are.  I don't feel Princess was really honest in what you were getting. 

 

I should have actually booked an independent tour of Alaska on my own and it would have been half the price, better quality and I would have seen MORE of Alaska.  It wasn't Alaska that fell short here, it was Princess that fell short.

 

Princess uses Captain Cook in Anchorage and I like that hotel. It is a pretty good hotel for Anchorage.

 

The only other hotel that I think other lines use that is outstanding is Alyeski in Girdwood. The other cruise lines use hotels similar to Princess in Fairbanks and near Denali.

 

A friend did an expensive cruise out of Juneau and was very disappointed in the hotel they put him up in there.

 

I would agree that cruise tours can be rushed. I feel sad that Princess offers 3-4 night cruise tours - I can only imagine that they are rushed because distances are great.

 

I completely agree with you that your time would be better spent if you had planned your own tour. I see people on Alaska board and they think they can do everything on their own in 3 days and they quickly find out they can't. The Alaska board of CC and Trip Advisor are great at pointing out what is realistic.  People will critique their plan and make suggestions so individuals have enough time and are not back tracking. I am sorry you didn't utilize these boards before you planned your trip.

[Thrak]

5 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Seward is great with lots to do especially the all day Kenai boat tour and Exit Glacier.

 

Don't forget the Seward Brewery. We were walking around Seward (long camping trip - not a cruise) and my wife's face lit up and she said, "There's a BREW PUB!!!" 😂 We had a good lunch with good beer and bought one of our sons a tee shirt with the brewery info and the saying, "Stop Drinking Shitty Beer!" on the back.

Edited March 20 by Thrak

[Coral]

13 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

 

A personal comment that Whittier is pretty grim.  Seward is great with lots to do especially the all day Kenai boat tour and Exit Glacier.  T

Seward is great!

[Sea Hag]

So far, we've only done one cruisetour, and it was great. Room we had at the Denali lodge wasn't spectacular, but it was perfectly comfortable. Our room at the Copper River lodge had a spectacular view and was perfectly comfortable. This works for me. I would do the same one again like a shot if we could leave our cat for that long. As it is, I'm very much looking forward to the short cruisetour we have coming up in August, the one that goes to Brooks Falls for bear watching. We have two nights at the Captain Cook included in this tour, and I'm more than fine with that. I like the Captain Cook.

[Tranquility Base]

50 minutes ago, Polopup said:

Its that Princess and Princess marketing materials really "sold" me that the "lodges" were better than they are. 

Apart from Denali, which Princess Lodges did you visit ?

[SCX22]

56 minutes ago, Polopup said:

I should have actually booked an independent tour of Alaska on my own and it would have been half the price, better quality and I would have seen MORE of Alaska.  It wasn't Alaska that fell short here, it was Princess that fell short.

That’s the price you pay for convenience.  Princess takes care of most of the details.  You just show up and have to make minimal decisions based one pre arranged options.

 

In the 1990s organized land tours were a very big thing.  My grandparents loved taking them.  I went on a few with them to Europe and thought they were too rushed.  (It’s also why I won’t ever take a river cruise in Europe; sub the bus with a long ship and it’s pretty much the same experience.)  With the arrival of self service reservations, travel research sites (ie TripAdvisor, YouTube, etc) and more affordable travel, I came to realize how much of a rip off some of these organized tours can be.  They are for those that want the easy way out and with lots of money to blow.

[Sprocket]

Too late lol!  Booked the 10 nighter on the Sapphire in June.  My husband was a logger and worked up and down the B.C. coast and inlets for decades, He’s happy not having to stay in a bunkhouse and eat in the cook shack.  We’ll be fine.

[leck57]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

I would agree that cruise tours can be rushed. I feel sad that Princess offers 3-4 night cruise tours - I can only imagine that they are rushed because distances are great.

 

 

Our Princess land tour was at least 8 days from memory and didn't seem too rushed. The main hassle is having to have your bags in the hotel/lodge corridor early in the morning, so means early rising, but that applies to most land tours anywhere. Certainly a reason for us though to do the land segment before the cruise, where you can relax a bit more.

We added a couple of days to Anchorage and did a few extra things like Portage Glacier and loved it. 

 

[Coral]

19 minutes ago, leck57 said:

 

Our Princess land tour was at least 8 days from memory and didn't seem too rushed. The main hassle is having to have your bags in the hotel/lodge corridor early in the morning, so means early rising, but that applies to most land tours anywhere. Certainly a reason for us though to do the land segment before the cruise, where you can relax a bit more.

We added a couple of days to Anchorage and did a few extra things like Portage Glacier and loved it. 

 

You picked the right tour 🙂