Please post your planned or completed itinerary

[Alaska_2012]

Our July 2012 Itinerary

 

Day 1: Fly into Seattle from Atlanta. Afternoon your of Seattle with Tours Northwest.

 

Day 2: Morning Amtrak Cascades to Vancouver. Still planning afternoon. Options are Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gastown.

 

Day 3: Morning tour of Vancouver with Landsea Tours. We will then boss the Zuiderdam!

 

Day 4: Crusing Inside Passage

 

Day 5: Juneau, Ak- Excursion with Harv and Marv, Mendenhall Glacier, Mt. Roberts Tram

 

Day 6: Skagway, Ak- Train if weather is nice. Have reserved a Jeep from Alaska Green Jeeps to drive into the Yukon.

 

Day 7: Glacier Bay/ my birthday!

 

Day 8: Ketchikan, Ak- Misty Fjords with SeaWind Aviation. Possibly doing the Deadliest Catch tour

 

Day 9: Inside Passage

 

Day 10: Arrive back in Vancouver. Late flight home. :(

 

We can't wait!

[3DSNVA]

Sat- Dulles-Anchorage- Embassy Suites

Sun- Regal Air Charter to Lake Clark NP for Bear Watch at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge- Embassy Suites

Mon- Car rental- Drive Seward Hwy to Girdwood- Crow Creek Mine- Hike Winner Creek Trail- Alyeska tram

Tues- Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center-Portage-Hike Byron Glacier trail-Exit Glacier-arrive Seward

Wed-Kenai Fjords National Parks cruise- Lowell Point-Marina

Thurs- Puffin encounter at Alaska Sealife Center- Seavey's Dogsled tour

Friday- Board Radiance of the Seas

Sat- Hubbard Glacier

Sun-Juneau-Mendenhall, hike Nugget trail-Northstar Trekking Glacier Walkabout

Mon-Skagway-Rainforest bike tour- Days of '98 Show- Hike to Cemetary and Falls

Tues-Icy Straight Point-Whale Watch with FISHES

Wed- Ketchikan-Bering Sea Deadliest Catch tour-Lumberjack show-Creek Street

Thurs- At Sea

Friday- Vancouver- Capilano-Grouse Mountain- Hampton Inn Downtown

Sat-Flight to Dulles

[jetsfan]

Our family of 6 is sailing 7/31/2012 Carnival Spirit (no land tour, just not in the cards this time)

 

Day 1:Sunday 7/29 fly from JFK to Seattle on SW with a 1 1/2 layover in Chicago

 

Days 1-2 Sunday and Monday 7/29-7/30 (My birthday) Check in at the Silver Cloud Lake Union (free shuttle to DT areas)

We plan to do the Space Needle, Boeing Tour, the market, and Underground if time allows.

 

Day 3 Tuesday 7/31 Embark and get ready for an amazing trip.

 

Day 4: Wednesday 8/1 Sea Day

 

Day 5: Thursday 8/2 Cruising Tracy Fjord. My husband and I are taking the explorer cruise into the arm

 

Day 6: Friday 8/3 Skagway 7-9:00 We are doing a 4 hour fishing excursion from 7:30-11:30. Then in the afternoon we are doing a 6 hour excursion into the Yukon through Frontier excursions with dogsledding and lunch.

 

Day 7: Saturday 8/4 Juneau 7-3:00 Whale watching with Harv and Marv until 12:15, then private tour with Evergreen taxi to the Brewery and any other sites we can see.

 

Day 8: Sunday 8/5 Ketchikan 7-1:00 3 of us are doing Misty Fjords while the other 3 go to Lumberjack show. The rest of the day walk through town and explore.

 

Day 9:Monday 8/6 Victoria 7:00-11:30 Carriage ride through city and relax.

 

Day 10: Tuesday 8/7 Disembark and fly back to JFK with memories that we will cherish forever!

Edited May 22, 2012 by jetsfan

[fishfire]

Itinerary for Princess Cruisetour for my niece's HS graduation trip!

My third cruise to Alaska, her first cruise.

June 10 - Fly to Fairbanks - Alaska Salmon Bake and Palace Theater

June 11 - Gold Mine tour and Sternwheeler Riverboat with fish camp

June 12 - Train to Denali - Take green bus back to Wonderlake

June 13 - Tundra wilderness tour and Music of Denali Dinner theater

June 14 - See dog sled demonstation in Denali, drive to McKinley Lodge, Go on Trail ride

June 15 - Drive to Copper Landing in Kenai

June 16 - Fly in and fish with the bears at Big Lake near cook inlet

June 17 - 9 hour tour of Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise

June 18 - Drive to Whittier and Board the Coral Princess

June 19 - Hubbard Glacier

June 20 - Glacier Bay National Park

June 21 - Skagway - Experience the Yukon & Suspension Bridge, Park tour of Skagway

June 22 - Juneau - Whale watching, Mt. Roberts tram & hiking

June 23 - Ketchikan - Bear Creek Zipline, ending with a 35 MPH slide (yikes).

June 24th - At Sea

June 25th - Vancouver - Stanley Park & Aquarium

June 26th - Buchart Gardens, afternoon tea & A castle (I think)?

June 27th - Fly Home and begin planning for Panama Canal Cruise at Christmas!

[rphdeb]

We are within a few weeks of our vacation. Here's our itinerary. Comments, suggestions are welcome!

 

Day 1: fly into Seattle, rent our car, drive across the boarder to Vancouver.

Check into L'Hermitage, return car.

PM: Walk downtown Vancouver, Robson street, etc.

 

Day 2: Rent bicycles, tour Stanley Park.

PM: Grouse Mountain

 

Day 3: Granville Island via water taxi

Lynne canyon Park or Queen Elizabeth Park

PM: Gastown

 

Day 4: Board Island Princess

 

day 5: Sea Day

 

Day 6: Ketchikan- Salmon/Halibut fishing BellaMisty- Captain Clayton

 

Day 7: Juneau- Whale watching with Captain Greg Weather Permitting Tours

 

Day 8: Skagway- 7 hr tour with Becky of Beyond Skagway tours

 

Day 9: Scenic cruising Glacier Bay

 

Day 10: Scenic cruising College Fjord

 

Day 11: Anchorage- taking train to Denali

 

Day 12: Denali- Tundra Wilderness tour early AM

PM Special celebration dinner at 229 Parks Tavern

Day 13: Talkeetna- PM- ATV tour

 

Day 14: Talkeetna AM Gold panning excursion

 

PM- arrive Anchorage

Day 15: Sunday AM market in Ancorage.

PM fly back to San Diego with a lot of great memories and beautiful pictures!

[Budget Queen]

dup

Edited May 30, 2012 by Budget Queen

[Budget Queen]

Day 1-5 Seattle area, train to Vancouver

Day 6 Sapphiire Princess

Day 7 sea

Day 8 Misty Fiords flight

Day 9 Juneau glaicer helicopter, whale watch

Day 10 Skagway car rental, drive to Emerald Lake

Day 11 Glacier Bay

Day 12 College Fjords

Day 13 Whittier Prince William Sound boat tour, taxi to Seward

Day 14 Seward Kenai fjords boat tour, board HAL Statendam

Day 15 sea day

Day 16 Glacier Bay

Day 17 Haines car rental

Day 18 Juneau whale watch, car rental

Day 19 Ketchikan charter to Traitor's Cove

Day 20 sea day

Day 21 Vancouver car rental back to Seattle

Day 22 Seattle touring during day, overnight flight with nephews home to NY

 

 

Return to Anchorage a day or two later, for a week+ Denali Park, Talkeetna, Mat Su, then 2 nights in Seward with another two Kenai Fjords boat tours, board RCI Radiance. More whale watching, bear tours- To Vancouverr, then home.

[tel2]

Wow! I so envy all the folks taking 2 or 3 weeks. But I am happy to be going at all. We leave on the pearl on June 10 out of Seattle. While I would have preferred Vancouver the fact is my husband's children live in/near Seattle, and we live on the east coast, and there was no way we could do a trip to Alaska and bypass Seatlle entirely,so... we decided to make the best of it and do a few things in Seattle as well.

 

June 7 - arrive in Seatlle. Underground tour, ferry to Tillicum Village salmon bake

 

June 8 - Lunch at Sky City at Needle, King Tut exhibit followed by Dale Chihuly Exhibit

 

June 9 - Pike market culinary tour followed by Seattle Chocolate tour

 

June 10 - board pearl

 

June 11 - sea day

 

June 12 -- Juneau. Sled Dog & Mushers camp (not on glacier) followed by Helicopter Glacier trek

 

June 13 -- Skagway -- Best of Skagway. Train up, then gold camp, then salmon bake then red onion. Was going to do Chilkoot but was overriuled by DH. He liked the ship's excursion better.

 

June 14 - Glacier Bay

 

June 15 - Ketchikan -- not sure yet. Maybe just Duck Tour or walk around

 

June 16 -- Victoria - whale watching excursion. Havent finalized. Anyone recommend a good tour opertaor in Victoria for whale watching? I have looked at a few. We need an evening excursion since we dont get there til 6pm, but I found a few operators who claim that it is still light enough to actually see the whales. Thoughts? Dont mind spending the money but not if it is going to be dark....

 

June 17 - Seattle and back to home and work,. and to begin counting the days til my med/adriadic cruiise on Jade next April.....

 

Cannot wait. Already started to pack.....

 

Terry

[mlmalone3]

Tomorrow is my last day of the school year...graduating 80 5th graders on to middle school....I'm really watching my countdown clock.

 

June 27 - leave DFW and fly into Anchorage, begin cool down!

June 28 - do whatever we want in Anchorage area...museums, zoo, etc...

June 29 - trek up to the Denali area and Denali Raft Adventures in evening.

June 30 - spend the day in Denali National Area on Shuttle

July 1 - return to Anchorage, visiting Talkeetna Air Taxi on the way

July 2- Alaska RR to Whittier to board the Coral Princess

July 3 - Hubbard Glacier

July 4 - Glacier Bay- God Bless America

July 5 - Skagway - Hike and Float excursion

July 6 - Juneau - Mendenhall Glacier hiking

July 7 - Ketchikan - fishing with Ken and Northern Lights

July 8 - at sea - Happy Birthday to my DH

July 9 - arrive in Vancouver and transfer to Seattle

July 10 - Fly back to hot, hot Texas

[Stormhawk]

Jun 15 BWI/Seattle

Sky City @ Space Needle 1815

 

Jun 16

Seattle

Orca Whale Watching(must leave by 0800)

Pizza or Room Service?

 

Jun 17 (Father’s Day)

Seattle/NCL Pearl

City Tour (0830 – 1230) - street art, parks, and Pike Market

Leave port 1600

La Cucina 1930

 

Jun 18

NCL Pearl

Sea Day, Cruise Critic Meet & Greet 1100 – 1200 @ Cagney's Extension Area

Le Bistro/ Chef’s Table 1900

 

Jun 19

NCL Pearl – Juneau (1400 – 2200)

NCL Photo Safari By Land & Sea (1445 – 1945)

Room Service & Movie?

 

Jun 20 (Solstice)

NCL Pearl – Skagway (0700 – 2015)

Beyond Skagway Tour (0800 - 1800) Muktuk Adventures Sled-dog Ranch, Whitehorse

Moderno 2000

 

Jun 21

NCL Pearl – Glacier Bay

Sea Day

Le Bistro/ Chef’s Table 1900

 

Jun 22

NCL Pearl – Ketchikan (0600 – 1330)

Ketchikan Taxi Cab Tours (0630 – 0930) Herring Cove, Totem viewing/Native Art

Shopping

Teppanyaki 1900

 

Jun 23

NCL Pearl – Victoria, BC (1800 – 0000)

Gourmet Picnic & Fireworks At Butchart Gardens (1830 – 2230)

 

 

Jun 24

NCL Pearl – Seattle (0800) /BWI

1300 Depart; 2345 Arrival

Hyatt Place Suites @ BWI

[AKBound2012]

Our family of 6 is sailing 7/31/2012 Carnival Spirit (no land tour, just not in the cards this time)

 

Days 1-2 Sunday and Monday 7/29-7/30 (My birthday) Check in at the Silver Cloud Lake Union (free shuttle to DT areas)

We plan to do the Space Needle, Boeing Tour, the market, and Underground if time allows.

 

Try Dukes on Lake Union for dinner! I almost booked our SEA portion hotel @ Silver Cloud just for this reason.....Ended up w.a different location via hotwire, but would be interested to hear your opinions of both the Lake Union Silver Cloud AND the SW flight w/chicago layover, since we are NY too and hopefully plan to be back

[jetsfan]

I will gladly let you know what we think of the hotel. Thank you for the tip on the restaurant. We got a great price for 2 rooms for 2 nights. The shuttle was key, and breakfast is included.

 

We have never flown SW before, so I am curious myself. I always do direct flights, but they were outrageous. The SW flight saved us 1400.00 for 6 people, so I had to do it. The SW seating thing really freaks me out. I did do the early bird check in, so hopefully we get an early boarding number. My two youngest are 15 and 16 and are pretty mature but I know they would not want to sit by themselves. My two oldest are 23 and 20 so no problem there.

 

When are you going?

[Stormhawk]

 

We have never flown SW before, so I am curious myself. I always do direct flights, but they were outrageous. The SW flight saved us 1400.00 for 6 people, so I had to do it. The SW seating thing really freaks me out. I did do the early bird check in, so hopefully we get an early boarding number. My two youngest are 15 and 16 and are pretty mature but I know they would not want to sit by themselves. My two oldest are 23 and 20 so no problem there.

 

Jetsfan - with early bird check in you should be between A15 and A30 in the call order. Though lately the ranges seems to be expanding to encompase all the A group. Still I regularly fly SW from BWI and you liekly won't have any problem getting two rows across from each other. At your connnection you may be pushed to go 2,2,2 but still there will be a good number of seats available if Chicago is like Nashville. I personnal love SW for both business and personnel travel; when I compare it other airlines I travel the lack of assigned seating is a pretty minimal issue with their addition of Early Bird purchase options.

[jetsfan]

Stormhawk, thanks for your input on SW. My FIL flies them all the time and has had no problems. I love that two bags fly free (especially to Alaska) so that was a very important factor. When you are called to board how do they know if you are a certain group. As long as my husband and I can sit with one of the younger kids, I am good to go.

[AKBound2012]

When are you going?

We are flying out of EWR on Mon Aug 6 to Vancouver. Sightseeing there for 2 days and shipping out on the Volendam on Wed. Then shuttling down to Seattle on Aug 15, sightseeing for 3 days, flying out Friday night to LGA. LGA would NOT be my first choice, but hoping Sat. morning landing makes things somewhat more bearable.

It was important to us to do the multi destination and this itinerary gave us the best prices.

[jetsfan]

We are flying out of Newark (not my favorite either) Sunday 7/29/2012 to Seatlle, and then flying home 8/7/2012.

 

We leave on the Spirit 7/31. We have 6 people going with really crazy college/work schedules. It was the only cruise that fit our needs. The price was a huge factor for us. I know there are many ships that do Alaska, and the Spirit just hits the tip of the iceberg ( a little Alaska humor) but it is just to give our 4 kids a taste of this incredible place. My DH and I plan to go again and do a longer trip with a land tour as well. With one kid in college and 2 to go, we have to work with a budget.

[tonyt]

Anyone purchase a Tour Saver book and are not using the Whale Watching in Juneau coupon?

If so, would you be willing to trade that coupon for a coupon/s from the Northern Lights book?

My email is grandmamt@juno dot com

[Stormhawk]

Stormhawk, thanks for your input on SW. My FIL flies them all the time and has had no problems. I love that two bags fly free (especially to Alaska) so that was a very important factor. When you are called to board how do they know if you are a certain group. As long as my husband and I can sit with one of the younger kids, I am good to go.

 

When you get your Boarding Pass it will have a large A,B, or C and a number from 1 - 60 (I belive its 60), this is taken/checked by the flight attendent at boarding. They call the groups up by Letter and there are grouping signs by 5s (1-5, 6-10 .... 25-30 on one side 31-60 on the other). Then boarding is done. The process in all the airports I've been in is pretty efficient and with the early bird I've always had a number above A30. As I mentioned never seen it so crowded with early bird boarding that you wouldn't be able to sit at least by 2s, good chance of there still being two full rows of 3. And yes I love the 2 free bags and the overall fares comparied to other airlines.

[Budget Queen]

Anyone purchase a Tour Saver book and are not using the Whale Watching in Juneau coupon?

If so, would you be willing to trade that coupon for a coupon/s from the Northern Lights book?

My email is grandmamt@juno dot com

 

You HAVE to have the entire book when you use Toursaver coupons.

[tonyt]

You HAVE to have the entire book when you use Toursaver coupons.

BQ:

Thanks for the info.I thought you could get by with just the book number so you don't have to carry the entire book with you.

[ute_fan]

If anyone is interested, here's our recently completed itinerary on the NCL Jewel:

 

5/18: Flew from SLC to Seattle via SW, rented car at airport, stayed in private condo.

 

5/19: Drove rental car from Seattle to Vancouver. Returned car, took taxi to Ballantyne Pier. Sail away supposed to be 4 PM, but due to slow lines in security and customs, we didn't sail until 5:30 PM.

 

5/20: At Sea

 

5/21: Ketchikan -- This was our 3rd trip to Alaska, and we didn't have anything particular planned for Ketchikan. Rather than spending money on an excursion, we did a little souvenir shopping and had King Crab and clam chowder for lunch at a little restaurant called the Crab Cracker near the pier. Yummy!!

 

5/22: Juneau -- Went whale watching with Harv & Marv for the 2nd time. Wonderful experience! Saw too many whales to count, along with seal lions, seals, and bald eagles. Left Juneau at 1:30 & were scheduled to sail Tracy Arm but were diverted to Endicott Arm. Ship got within very good viewing distance of Dawes Glacier.

 

5/23: Skagway -- Booked the Glacier Point Safari expedition through NCL. Enjoyed the excursion and it's wonderful views of Davidson Glacier. Sailed by small boat (about 25 passengers) from Skagway to Glacier Point. Walked up the beach to waiting bus, and headed to the base camp. Put on waterproof clothes & boots (didn't particularly like that part), along with life jackets. Short hike through the woods to the waiting canoes. Paddled up the river until the guide could drop the motor, and then sailed around the lake in front of Davidson Glacier. Did the return trip, hiking through the forest to the buses (with a box lunch waiting for us), and back to Skagway via the boat. Saw a whale, seals, and seal lions on our journey.

 

5/24: At sea

 

5/25: Victoria. Didn't do any excursions. Caught the shuttle bus into town, looked around a bit, and did a little shopping.

 

5/26: Disembarked in Seattle. Rented a car and took our stuff back to the same condo. Drove to and around Mount Rainier, including a hike to Silver Falls (simply gorgeous). Had dinner with family in the Olympia area.

 

5/27: Caught the bus to Pike's Market. Ate breakfast and looked around. Drove towards Tacoma, where my son spent 2 years. Did a little sight-seeing and ate at The Ram near Point Defiance -- gorgeous water views and excellent food. Caught an evening flight back to SLC.

[ISLABONITA]

NB from Vancouver to Whittier-

Island Princess- Aug. 15, 2012

This is what I have planned/booked for hubby and I

Roc-Seattle arriving 11:15 pm

overnight at airport hotel

Transfer to Vancouver via Princess shuttle

Ketchikan- ship leaves at 2pm

Public bus to Bight State Park & next door Potlatch Park

Mt Tribal Hatchery & Eagle Center

Saxman Native Village to see totem poles being carved

Duck Tour-akduck.com

Juneau- ship leaves at 9pm

MGT's Blue Glacier Express to Mendenhall Glacier $16 rt

Mt Roberts Tram (still looking for discounts on these activities/tours)

Glacier Gardens Rainforest tour - Juneautours

MGT's Red Trolly City Tour

Skagway ship leaves at 8:30pm

7 hour tour $99

The Yukon Discovery tour by bus with CHILKOOT CHARTERS & TOURS

Skagway/White Pass Summit/Carcross/Emerald Lake

Yukon Wildlife Museum and Husky Puppy Camp & lunch

Whittier- 9 am-noon

Shuttle to Anchorage with narrated tour 3hours $45

( missed getting a coupon) inlcudes 3 stops

Portage Glacier valley

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Turnagain Arm

Anchorage- booked a B&B for resting , showering..leaving for airport

at 11:30pm

while in Anchorage- Aviation Heritage museum

Bike Rental for a few hours - if good weather

Edited June 1, 2012 by ISLABONITA

[Budget Queen]

NB

Public bus to Bight State Park & next door ]

Saxman Native Village to see totem poles being carved

 

 

 

Print out and take with you the Totem Bight totem guide. http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/totempol.htm

 

In the past, the only people allowed in Saxman carving sheds were people on tours. In my opinion, this site needs a guided tour anyway. But be certain to verify if getting in the shed is of interest.

Edited June 2, 2012 by Budget Queen

[ISLABONITA]

Print out and take with you the Totem Bight totem guide. http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/totempol.htm

 

In the past, the only people allowed in Saxman carving sheds were people on tours. In my opinion, this site needs a guided tour anyway. But be certain to verify if getting in the shed is of interest.

 

 

Yes thanks.. I have already.. also maps of each of the areas visiting.

Edited June 2, 2012 by ISLABONITA

[tonyt]

Print out and take with you the Totem Bight totem guide. http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/totempol.htm

 

In the past, the only people allowed in Saxman carving sheds were people on tours. In my opinion, this site needs a guided tour anyway. But be certain to verify if getting in the shed is of interest.

 

Do you need to print the guide or is it available at the park or the visitors center?