Diamond Princess Alaska Questions

[bluebreeze]

Just booked Diamond Princess for next May, northbound Alaska. Have a couple of questions:

- can you buy Whittier Anchorage transfer onboard

- any recommendations for hotel in Vancouver

- what was your favorite tour

[mii]

Bluebreeze what might be of help to you is go to the Ports of Call fourm and scroll to Alaska. There is a wealth of info. Also for the Vancouver hotels go to both the Ports of Call board for Canada and then another fourm is Hotels pre-post and do a search there.

 

Marilyn

[judynorth]

Yes, you can buy transfers onboard both for the bus and the train.

 

Our favorite excursion, by far, was the floatplane to the Taku Lodge. You haven't seen Alaska until you have seen it in the air from a small plane. It is expensive but well worth it. I'd rather do that than take one of the helicopter excursions. Our second favorite was renting a car in Skagway and driving into the Yukon. We saved $$$ over taking the ship's excursion that covers the same route. You can see pictures from both excursions at the link below. We also went in May and there was lots of snow on the mountains and when we went inland but none on the ground in the ports. It was beautiful!

 

If you go to the Alaska board you will find all sorts of valuable information.

[taxatty]

A reasonable decent hotel in Vancouver is the Holiday Inn on Howe Street--right in the middle of downtown but quiet.

I second the motion on Taku Lodge (an excellent meal and fine airplane views there and back) and renting a car in Skagway--the Avis office there is very quick and efficient. A passport will be needed to take the car over the Canadian border.

Les

[Host Caroline]

I second both of these recommends but also would add Glacier Point Wilderness Safari in Skagway if you like something a little more active and Southeast Kayaks or Misty Fjord Flightseeing in Ketchikan.

In Juneau the Glacier copter tours are also popular as is whale watching.

[Logie]

What port is the Taku lodge in and do you book this independantly or with Princess. How much please?

 

We are also sailing in May on the 12th are you on our sailing?

[judynorth]

What port is the Taku lodge in and do you book this independantly or with Princess. How much please?

 

The Taku Lodge excursion is out of Juneau. We booked it through Princess and it was about $239 pp. I know that sounds like a lot of money but it was worth every penny and more. It is about 3 hours long so you still have time to do some other things in Juneau.

[howard6933]

We were on Diamond Princess southbound this past May. We really lucked out with the weather....it was great and just a misty drizzle one day in Ketchikan which lasted only a few minutes. Regarding a hotel in Vancouver, if I were you I'd check http://www.biddingfortravel.com and see what people are getting. We stayed for 3 days after the cruise at the Westin Bayshore and got it for $65US through Priceline. Most of the hotels in Vancouver are in close proximity to the center of town. Westin Bayshore even has a courtesy van that takes you back and forth right to the middle of the downtown area.

[chfs_home]

We really liked the whale watching in Juneau. We used Orca Enterprises and I can only say good things about them. I would guess others are good too, but one of the other boats had people 4 deep on the rails trying to see the whales, while we were spread out and comfortable. We also really enjoyed horesback riding near Emerald Lake in the Yukon (Skagway) We used Joni and Emerald Lake Stables. She was GREAT! I cannot recommend her enough.

[bluebreeze]

What port is the Taku lodge in and do you book this independantly or with Princess. How much please?

 

We are also sailing in May on the 12th are you on our sailing?

 

Yes, we are sailing May 12

[RASHOPPER2]

Our very favorite excursion was the helicopter to a glacier on which there was a dog sled camp. We then took a dog sled ride. It was a most memorable experience - DH loved it, and so did I surprisingly because I am afraid of dogs. It was truly a "total Alaska experience." Expensive, but well worth it.

[nanalady]

Rashopper2, Do you have a way to get in touch with the dogsled excursion! Is it plane, glacier and then a dogsled and in what city? Thanks,

[Logie]

Yes, we are sailing May 12

 

Maybe we will see you on board. We have a group of about 17 of going.

[Lynda90]

The highlight for me was whale watching with Captain Larry. Definitely a high point. We got the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver for $60 per night through Priceline both pre and post cruise. We did a b2b so we started and ended in Vancouver.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree about the Taku Lodge. It was probably one of the best excursions we ever took. :)

[cruisetmc]

We stayed at a Marriott Pinnacle in Vancouver. I remember it was $30 american to get from the hotel to the airport.

 

My favorite tour was the Dog Sleds in Skagway.