Cruise from Vancouver to Alaska
Jun 1st, 2018, 08:18 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cruise from Vancouver to Alaska
I will be in Vancouver for a week. I want to book a one way cruise out of Vancouver to Alaska. Then I want to add a land portion of the trip. What are the recommendations? Is 3 days on land after a 7 day cruise enough to take in plenty of sights or should I plan for 7 on land? Or should I do a little Longer cruise? Once off the ship, What city should be my base or should I plan to move around. We will have a group of 8 and they will vary in age up to 80 but all relatively active and eager to sight see. I want to make this happen next month mid July. What suggestions do you have? I know this is late but we are going to make it happen one way or the other.
Jun 1st, 2018, 08:46 PM
#2
When is this? Do you mean this July -- like a month from now??? It is very late to be looking for accommodations in Alaska. And for a group of 8 it might be impossible. Even booking a cruise at this late date may be tough. And finding the 2 rental cars you'd need could be difficult too.
If it must be this year, your best option might be to find a round trip 2 week cruise Vancouver > Alaska > Vancouver with no land add on. But jump on it NOW.
If it must be this year, your best option might be to find a round trip 2 week cruise Vancouver > Alaska > Vancouver with no land add on. But jump on it NOW.
Jun 2nd, 2018, 06:15 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes I realize it is very late but it has to be this July some things changed on our schedule and my parents will be going on the trip. My dad will turn 80 this year and he has been to 49 of 50 states all but Alaska. So, we will splurge or spend extra if need be. We want this to be good and memorable. The Vancouver portion of the trip is already taken care of and booked. We will be there for a week arriving the 7th. So I guess first thing is getting to Alaska. What cruise line or suggestion do you have?
Jun 2nd, 2018, 06:24 AM
#5
Because of the late date, I think you're going to run into difficulties in arranging accommodations and transportation for a large group once you're on shore, and what you CAN find is going to be very expensive. Honestly, if it was me I'd book a round-trip (Vancouver - Vancouver) itinerary and use the money you'd spend on land arrangements in southcentral Alaska (Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula etc.) for some adventures during the cruise - whale watching, flightseeing, etc. I feel you'll end up happier in the long run versus a sub-par experience on a land tour given high prices, limited lodging options, and much higher airfare costs. I can see several sailings on round trip itineraries in July on Holland America and Celebrity. I'd pick one that includes Glacier Bay if possible.
If you still have some days after the cruise (they're all for 7 nights, be it one-way or round-trip itineraries) I'd suggest looking at Whistler, or maybe some time on Vancouver Island or the BC Sunshine Coast, all of which are terrific in July/August.
If you still have some days after the cruise (they're all for 7 nights, be it one-way or round-trip itineraries) I'd suggest looking at Whistler, or maybe some time on Vancouver Island or the BC Sunshine Coast, all of which are terrific in July/August.
Last edited by Gardyloo; Jun 2nd, 2018 at 06:27 AM.
Jun 2nd, 2018, 09:41 AM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I recently booked an Alaska cruise. Two websites were recommended to me to find "deals" United cruises and Vacations to go. Look at both and see what is available. You might get lucky and find some good last-minute fares - or you might find the cruises sold out. I'd get on that right away. Most cruises are 7 nights, but there is some variation. We opted for a one-way cruise that is 14 nights. And I've seen some that are 10 nights, for instance. I agree that your lodging on land will be expensive. Thus, it may make sense to get out of Vancouver and stay elsewhere - Gardyloo has give you good suggestions of Vancouver Island or Whistler, for instance.
Good luck to you!
Good luck to you!
Jun 2nd, 2018, 07:04 PM
#7
I would suggest 1 or 2 nights in Vancouver before the cruise (not 7). Come north from Seattle on either the Amtrak train or Amtrak bus. Seattle will probably be cheaper with more availability. DW and I went to Alaska flying 2 years ago. We just got back from our trip to Hawaii (Maui) for my 50th state.
Trending Topics
Jun 3rd, 2018, 12:28 PM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you guys for all the information. Prior to setting sail we will be in Vancouver for 7-8 days with lots of flexibility. We will try to take in all the sights that gardyloo has recommended during this time in the Vancouver area. So I am thinking catch a mid July cruise out of Vancouver. I see that Holland offers some cruise and land options. You mentioned them and Celebrity. Are there any other cruise lines that are big in this area? With it being my fathers 80th birthday and this being his last state to visit to hit all 50, we have decided to throw caution to the wind and make this happen one way or the other. I really would like to take in some of the land portion of Alaska on this trip so we can experience from both angles. What would you recommend in the less than optimal situation we are in. Should we just book it all through the cruise line or cruise and then land on our own? How do the land tours through the cruise lines work? I realize it may not be the best but sometimes you make the most out of what we got. Again we are pretty flexible but after leaving Vancouver mid-July we would have a 14-17 days available if needed to make this happen. So, with that said what do you guys think?
Jun 3rd, 2018, 01:04 PM
#10
Of course it isn't too late to book a cruise.. I see departures nearly every date in July from Vancouver.. using Vactions to Go. If you are flexible on cruise line and cabin class, I don't think you will have a problem, other than trying to chose one.
You can also look at Princess and Norwegian, and even Royal Caribbean. I have my own personal ranking of these four cruise lines, but YMMV. I actually like Norwegian a lot because of the way they manage their dining room service, although I thought the food itself was less imaginative it was easier to ask for and get modifications.
Holland America and Princess go to Glacier Bay, as does Norwegian but Royal Caribbean does not, from a quick glance. So I would look at HAL, NCL and Princess, and read the Cruise Critic reviews.
I don't know anyting about the land portions of the various companies ...
BTW if you see an itinerary and price on VTG, you can shop it with other travel agents and the cruise lines as well.
You can also look at Princess and Norwegian, and even Royal Caribbean. I have my own personal ranking of these four cruise lines, but YMMV. I actually like Norwegian a lot because of the way they manage their dining room service, although I thought the food itself was less imaginative it was easier to ask for and get modifications.
Holland America and Princess go to Glacier Bay, as does Norwegian but Royal Caribbean does not, from a quick glance. So I would look at HAL, NCL and Princess, and read the Cruise Critic reviews.
I don't know anyting about the land portions of the various companies ...
BTW if you see an itinerary and price on VTG, you can shop it with other travel agents and the cruise lines as well.
Last edited by mlgb; Jun 3rd, 2018 at 01:09 PM.
Jun 3rd, 2018, 03:35 PM
#12
My suggestion for a round trip rather than a one-way cruise has mainly to do with the size of the group (8) and the logistic challenges that will bring at a time when many options for lodging will be already booked. However, if it's a priority that your group experiences southcentral and/or interior Alaska, then go for it.
So I looked for July one-way departures from Vancouver, and the one that catches my eye is the Norwegian Jewel. The reason for suggesting that over the others is that it visits both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier. One of these is good, both is terrific. Norwegian also docks at Seward, so if you wanted to start off your visit to Southcentral Alaska with a Kenai Fjords cruise, you could do it right there and keep from having to repeat the drive between Anchorage and Seward later.
Regarding the land touring options offered by the various cruise lines, ordinarily I would not recommend these as not only are they rather regimented, but are frequently overpriced compared to covering the same ground on your own with a rental car. However, given the late date, these might be worth researching, with the reason being that the cruise lines do bulk booking of hotels in areas like Denali National Park and thus have availability in those areas while independent travelers are locked out.
Regarding time on the ground and how many days to plan, some basics: First, Denali is a big (and justified) draw but it's time consuming. You need to allocate a day to get to the national park area from Anchorage, a full day to visit the park itself, and a day to get back (or to Fairbanks if that's your desire.) Private vehicles are not allowed into the park's interior; instead one uses charter buses or the park's shuttle system, using school buses to take visitors along the park road. These trips take at least 8 hours round trip (plus time at the destination) or sometimes 12 hours if you go all the way to Wonder Lake. So a visit to Denali is a minimum three-day exercise, with one of those days sitting on a bus for many hours. If your party includes kids under the age of, say, 5 or 6 (depending on the kids) I would be cautious in including Denali in their plans.
Second, distances are long, and there are few "loop" itineraries. Alaska's road system is not extensive, so - in general - you need to retrace your steps with most excursions. For example, if you want to visit the Kenai Peninsula (Seward, Homer etc.) from Anchorage, there's one road that you take going and coming back. While much of the driving is quite scenic, much of it isn't - you're driving with forest on both sides of the road, for example. So again, factor in fatigue and boredom, particularly for smaller children.
Third, while you're likely to see wildlife, it may be either (a) at a great distance, for example from the Denali buses, or (b) right in front of your car - yikes! If you want to see iconic sights like bears fishing for salmon, you can do that but at a steep price - say $700+ for the access flights.
Fourth, accommodation is very limited outside of Anchorage. Alaska in July is not a place where you can "wing it," particularly with a group of 8, and expect to find lodgings at the end of a day. Pre-booking in places like Denali, Seward and Homer is essential.
Fifth, rental cars are pricey. With 8 you're probably going to need two, and maybe three vehicles. (I suppose finding a 12-passenger van is a possibility but I sure wouldn't count on it.) Along with accommodations, this must be a high priority in your planning, and might represent another reason to consider a tour rather than independent travel, much as it disagrees with me.
Last, airfare. While it's not terribly expensive considering the distances, recognize that most itineraries to the Midwest or eastern US will have you leaving Anchorage on an overnight "red-eye" flight. (This is because of the 4-hour time difference between Alaska and the east coast; leaving Alaska in the morning would put you on the east coast in the middle of the night.) So plan accordingly. If you want to return to Vancouver (for example because you already have round trip tickets to YVR) be advised that there's just one daily flight from Anchorage to Vancouver, versus many, many to Seattle. Sometimes it's actually cheaper to fly to Seattle and take a rental car, train or bus back north to YVR if your tickets are from there; the difference in airfare covers the additional land cost, if you get my meaning.
Reading the above, I know it all sounds a little negative. Of course I don't mean it that way, but one has to recognize that this will require some concerted planning and budgeting. It goes mainly to the "how long" question - how long to stay in Alaska before or after the cruise? Generally I'd say 4 days is the minimum if you don't mind skipping Denali, 7 is the minimum if you want to include Denali as well as some areas on, say, the Kenai Peninsula, more time in Seward or Homer, etc.
Let us know your thinking and come back with any questions. I suspect you'll have a blast.
So I looked for July one-way departures from Vancouver, and the one that catches my eye is the Norwegian Jewel. The reason for suggesting that over the others is that it visits both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier. One of these is good, both is terrific. Norwegian also docks at Seward, so if you wanted to start off your visit to Southcentral Alaska with a Kenai Fjords cruise, you could do it right there and keep from having to repeat the drive between Anchorage and Seward later.
Regarding the land touring options offered by the various cruise lines, ordinarily I would not recommend these as not only are they rather regimented, but are frequently overpriced compared to covering the same ground on your own with a rental car. However, given the late date, these might be worth researching, with the reason being that the cruise lines do bulk booking of hotels in areas like Denali National Park and thus have availability in those areas while independent travelers are locked out.
Regarding time on the ground and how many days to plan, some basics: First, Denali is a big (and justified) draw but it's time consuming. You need to allocate a day to get to the national park area from Anchorage, a full day to visit the park itself, and a day to get back (or to Fairbanks if that's your desire.) Private vehicles are not allowed into the park's interior; instead one uses charter buses or the park's shuttle system, using school buses to take visitors along the park road. These trips take at least 8 hours round trip (plus time at the destination) or sometimes 12 hours if you go all the way to Wonder Lake. So a visit to Denali is a minimum three-day exercise, with one of those days sitting on a bus for many hours. If your party includes kids under the age of, say, 5 or 6 (depending on the kids) I would be cautious in including Denali in their plans.
Second, distances are long, and there are few "loop" itineraries. Alaska's road system is not extensive, so - in general - you need to retrace your steps with most excursions. For example, if you want to visit the Kenai Peninsula (Seward, Homer etc.) from Anchorage, there's one road that you take going and coming back. While much of the driving is quite scenic, much of it isn't - you're driving with forest on both sides of the road, for example. So again, factor in fatigue and boredom, particularly for smaller children.
Third, while you're likely to see wildlife, it may be either (a) at a great distance, for example from the Denali buses, or (b) right in front of your car - yikes! If you want to see iconic sights like bears fishing for salmon, you can do that but at a steep price - say $700+ for the access flights.
Fourth, accommodation is very limited outside of Anchorage. Alaska in July is not a place where you can "wing it," particularly with a group of 8, and expect to find lodgings at the end of a day. Pre-booking in places like Denali, Seward and Homer is essential.
Fifth, rental cars are pricey. With 8 you're probably going to need two, and maybe three vehicles. (I suppose finding a 12-passenger van is a possibility but I sure wouldn't count on it.) Along with accommodations, this must be a high priority in your planning, and might represent another reason to consider a tour rather than independent travel, much as it disagrees with me.
Last, airfare. While it's not terribly expensive considering the distances, recognize that most itineraries to the Midwest or eastern US will have you leaving Anchorage on an overnight "red-eye" flight. (This is because of the 4-hour time difference between Alaska and the east coast; leaving Alaska in the morning would put you on the east coast in the middle of the night.) So plan accordingly. If you want to return to Vancouver (for example because you already have round trip tickets to YVR) be advised that there's just one daily flight from Anchorage to Vancouver, versus many, many to Seattle. Sometimes it's actually cheaper to fly to Seattle and take a rental car, train or bus back north to YVR if your tickets are from there; the difference in airfare covers the additional land cost, if you get my meaning.
Reading the above, I know it all sounds a little negative. Of course I don't mean it that way, but one has to recognize that this will require some concerted planning and budgeting. It goes mainly to the "how long" question - how long to stay in Alaska before or after the cruise? Generally I'd say 4 days is the minimum if you don't mind skipping Denali, 7 is the minimum if you want to include Denali as well as some areas on, say, the Kenai Peninsula, more time in Seward or Homer, etc.
Let us know your thinking and come back with any questions. I suspect you'll have a blast.
Jun 3rd, 2018, 05:12 PM
#13
I am not sure why the OP seems reluctant to use something like Vacations to Go but to answer the question about which cruise lines:
in addition to Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, and Holland America, Regent, Crystal, Disney, Windstar, Carnival, Silversea, and Oceania ALL have cruises to Alaska in July and most of them are being discounted, too.
in addition to Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, and Holland America, Regent, Crystal, Disney, Windstar, Carnival, Silversea, and Oceania ALL have cruises to Alaska in July and most of them are being discounted, too.
Jun 3rd, 2018, 05:53 PM
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This information is absolutely wonderful and exactly what I was looking for. Am I missing something that I am only allowed to post twice in a 24 hour period on this thread? That seems very strange.
So, we now have 10 in our group and it does include a 6 and a 3 year old but for their age they are very well travelled. They have been on a 16 hour train, train, boat, bus, train ride in Norway just last summer, which wasnt the easiest, I will admit but we survived and glad we did...kind of.
I think we are leaning toward tackling the land protion by ourselves. Only because a few may end up peeling off early in the process on the land tour.
So, looks like in any scenario we will be doing a one way 7 day from Vancouver to Seward. That seems to be the easy part. I guess from this point I should try to get more detailed on land questions.
I think Denali is on the list and Fairbanks but from there I am at a blank. Looks like we would disembark early. So you mentioned kenai fjords cruise. Is that good after we have been cruising for 7 days straight? I am assuming we will be seeing things on this boat tour we had not on the cruise to arrive. So you think maybe schedule this directly from ship? What about lodging as soon as we disembark? Also do you have a recommendation on cruise type at Kenai Fjords it appears as if several our offered. To accomplish this should we say 2 nights in Anchorage or more?
and then I guess what else?
After that are you thinking 2 or 3 nights in the Denali area? what are your thoughts on lodging in this area? What about a large cabin in this area? I am picturing something similar to a cabin rental, I am thinking hotels may not be an option. You may laugh at this thought and can definitiely correct me where I am wrong. I really dont even know where I should begin my research.
Then maybe 1or 2 nights in the Fairbanks area? but as I type this we would still need to return to anchorage to fly out, I guess?
Isn't it kind of crazy to come this far and be here not to do Denali if we have the time? What other things would be must sees?
Next transportation questions, some one mentioned that we could do a rail tour that is pretty neat. How would this work? would that be a good option to get to Fairbanks? what about denali? seems like it may be a good option to move from one area to another. I am not sure how the luggage situation would work? Is it a good way to experience denali?
I also will look into rental cars. What about some kind of a private tour we could use to get from one location to another? again luggage brings us back to rental car as possibly the best option.
Maybe I am wrong and again correct me if I am but looks like maybe 3 areas to concentrate in, Seward area then Denali area, then Fairbanks area? Again make any other suggestions on thoughts of things I need to look into.
Also advise me a way to respond back in less than 24 hours if it exists.
Thanks again for all the help.
So, we now have 10 in our group and it does include a 6 and a 3 year old but for their age they are very well travelled. They have been on a 16 hour train, train, boat, bus, train ride in Norway just last summer, which wasnt the easiest, I will admit but we survived and glad we did...kind of.
I think we are leaning toward tackling the land protion by ourselves. Only because a few may end up peeling off early in the process on the land tour.
So, looks like in any scenario we will be doing a one way 7 day from Vancouver to Seward. That seems to be the easy part. I guess from this point I should try to get more detailed on land questions.
I think Denali is on the list and Fairbanks but from there I am at a blank. Looks like we would disembark early. So you mentioned kenai fjords cruise. Is that good after we have been cruising for 7 days straight? I am assuming we will be seeing things on this boat tour we had not on the cruise to arrive. So you think maybe schedule this directly from ship? What about lodging as soon as we disembark? Also do you have a recommendation on cruise type at Kenai Fjords it appears as if several our offered. To accomplish this should we say 2 nights in Anchorage or more?
and then I guess what else?
After that are you thinking 2 or 3 nights in the Denali area? what are your thoughts on lodging in this area? What about a large cabin in this area? I am picturing something similar to a cabin rental, I am thinking hotels may not be an option. You may laugh at this thought and can definitiely correct me where I am wrong. I really dont even know where I should begin my research.
Then maybe 1or 2 nights in the Fairbanks area? but as I type this we would still need to return to anchorage to fly out, I guess?
Isn't it kind of crazy to come this far and be here not to do Denali if we have the time? What other things would be must sees?
Next transportation questions, some one mentioned that we could do a rail tour that is pretty neat. How would this work? would that be a good option to get to Fairbanks? what about denali? seems like it may be a good option to move from one area to another. I am not sure how the luggage situation would work? Is it a good way to experience denali?
I also will look into rental cars. What about some kind of a private tour we could use to get from one location to another? again luggage brings us back to rental car as possibly the best option.
Maybe I am wrong and again correct me if I am but looks like maybe 3 areas to concentrate in, Seward area then Denali area, then Fairbanks area? Again make any other suggestions on thoughts of things I need to look into.
Also advise me a way to respond back in less than 24 hours if it exists.
Thanks again for all the help.
Jun 3rd, 2018, 08:55 PM
#16
Norwegian is a good line for a group with children...Holland tends to be more sedate...
I missed where they said they didn't want to use Vacations To Go....or maybe they just thought they could get better information here.. Actually I found the people who answer the phones at VTG to be very professional..wouldn't hesitate to use them again., especially if I wasn't very knowledgeable about cruising. I also find the website very handy for sorting by date, port, month, etc...
BTW I agree that it's too bad that you already booked your Vancouver flights...although flying out of Vancouver is a lot easier than the land crossings, plus it's so easy to get to the airport from the cruise port..especially if you can manage the train (by the way there is a luggage transfer service from the port building to the airport, if you don't want to deal with that, although I thought it was a little expensive. A bonus is that go thru Customs at the airport in Vancouver. Although, Air Canada who does the nonstop flight....is pretty horrible!
I was lucky for my cruise, at the time there was a seasonal nonstop to Anchorage from LGB...
I missed where they said they didn't want to use Vacations To Go....or maybe they just thought they could get better information here.. Actually I found the people who answer the phones at VTG to be very professional..wouldn't hesitate to use them again., especially if I wasn't very knowledgeable about cruising. I also find the website very handy for sorting by date, port, month, etc...
BTW I agree that it's too bad that you already booked your Vancouver flights...although flying out of Vancouver is a lot easier than the land crossings, plus it's so easy to get to the airport from the cruise port..especially if you can manage the train (by the way there is a luggage transfer service from the port building to the airport, if you don't want to deal with that, although I thought it was a little expensive. A bonus is that go thru Customs at the airport in Vancouver. Although, Air Canada who does the nonstop flight....is pretty horrible!
I was lucky for my cruise, at the time there was a seasonal nonstop to Anchorage from LGB...
Last edited by mlgb; Jun 3rd, 2018 at 09:02 PM.
Jun 4th, 2018, 03:12 AM
#17
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 5,904
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You have received some very good advice here. If you do not have your flight and cruise tickets yet, explore doing the cruise before your time in Vancouver as well as after. Look at lodging in AK areas that interest you which might be possible at both times. This is "last minute", but people do make plans way in advance and then cancel as time gets close, so do keep trying.
If you look at the map, you will see that it makes sense to do the land portion of the trip with the Kenai portion either before you get on the ship (if going Seward to VC} or after if going in the other direction. Then go up to Denali for 2 or 3 days and then up to Fairbanks, or flying into Fairbanks, then Denali then Kenai.
That said, you might find that doing the land portion of the trip with the cruise line (perhaps the Denali area) with the whole group and then those who want more could do the Kenai portion. Perhaps flying from Fairbanks back to Anchorage will be less expensive than renting a car with a drop fee and an additional over night for the drive down. Check what kind of deals you can get from the cruise people and if you have a good travel agent who is familiar with the area to help with this they might have contacts that will help.
If you look at the map, you will see that it makes sense to do the land portion of the trip with the Kenai portion either before you get on the ship (if going Seward to VC} or after if going in the other direction. Then go up to Denali for 2 or 3 days and then up to Fairbanks, or flying into Fairbanks, then Denali then Kenai.
That said, you might find that doing the land portion of the trip with the cruise line (perhaps the Denali area) with the whole group and then those who want more could do the Kenai portion. Perhaps flying from Fairbanks back to Anchorage will be less expensive than renting a car with a drop fee and an additional over night for the drive down. Check what kind of deals you can get from the cruise people and if you have a good travel agent who is familiar with the area to help with this they might have contacts that will help.
Jun 4th, 2018, 06:06 AM
#18
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For a group of 8 lodging can be a problem as others have mentioned. Have you considered renting a large RV? When we did a cruise from Vancouver to Seward we used Great Alaskan Holidays for an RV rental for a week as we drove out to Fairbanks with stops along the way. They have some large RVs that will sleep 8 people. https://www.greatalaskanholidays.com/ As others have mentioned, Denali National Park is huge and only accessible by park buses. Be sure to bring food & drinks with you on the bus. Touristy stuff --If you have small children and get out to the Fairbanks area, consider a short side trip to North Pole, Alaska known for year round Christmas decorations (& Santa). Another option that is touristy but fun is gold panning.
Jun 4th, 2018, 06:10 AM
#19
This information is absolutely wonderful and exactly what I was looking for. Am I missing something that I am only allowed to post twice in a 24 hour period on this thread? That seems very strange.
So, we now have 10 in our group and it does include a 6 and a 3 year old but for their age they are very well travelled. They have been on a 16 hour train, train, boat, bus, train ride in Norway just last summer, which wasnt the easiest, I will admit but we survived and glad we did...kind of.
I think we are leaning toward tackling the land protion by ourselves. Only because a few may end up peeling off early in the process on the land tour.
So, looks like in any scenario we will be doing a one way 7 day from Vancouver to Seward. That seems to be the easy part. I guess from this point I should try to get more detailed on land questions.
I think Denali is on the list and Fairbanks but from there I am at a blank. Looks like we would disembark early. So you mentioned kenai fjords cruise. Is that good after we have been cruising for 7 days straight? I am assuming we will be seeing things on this boat tour we had not on the cruise to arrive. So you think maybe schedule this directly from ship? What about lodging as soon as we disembark? Also do you have a recommendation on cruise type at Kenai Fjords it appears as if several our offered. To accomplish this should we say 2 nights in Anchorage or more?
and then I guess what else?
After that are you thinking 2 or 3 nights in the Denali area? what are your thoughts on lodging in this area? What about a large cabin in this area? I am picturing something similar to a cabin rental, I am thinking hotels may not be an option. You may laugh at this thought and can definitiely correct me where I am wrong. I really dont even know where I should begin my research.
Then maybe 1or 2 nights in the Fairbanks area? but as I type this we would still need to return to anchorage to fly out, I guess?
Isn't it kind of crazy to come this far and be here not to do Denali if we have the time? What other things would be must sees?
Next transportation questions, some one mentioned that we could do a rail tour that is pretty neat. How would this work? would that be a good option to get to Fairbanks? what about denali? seems like it may be a good option to move from one area to another. I am not sure how the luggage situation would work? Is it a good way to experience denali?
I also will look into rental cars. What about some kind of a private tour we could use to get from one location to another? again luggage brings us back to rental car as possibly the best option.
Maybe I am wrong and again correct me if I am but looks like maybe 3 areas to concentrate in, Seward area then Denali area, then Fairbanks area? Again make any other suggestions on thoughts of things I need to look into.
Also advise me a way to respond back in less than 24 hours if it exists.
Thanks again for all the help.
So, we now have 10 in our group and it does include a 6 and a 3 year old but for their age they are very well travelled. They have been on a 16 hour train, train, boat, bus, train ride in Norway just last summer, which wasnt the easiest, I will admit but we survived and glad we did...kind of.
I think we are leaning toward tackling the land protion by ourselves. Only because a few may end up peeling off early in the process on the land tour.
So, looks like in any scenario we will be doing a one way 7 day from Vancouver to Seward. That seems to be the easy part. I guess from this point I should try to get more detailed on land questions.
I think Denali is on the list and Fairbanks but from there I am at a blank. Looks like we would disembark early. So you mentioned kenai fjords cruise. Is that good after we have been cruising for 7 days straight? I am assuming we will be seeing things on this boat tour we had not on the cruise to arrive. So you think maybe schedule this directly from ship? What about lodging as soon as we disembark? Also do you have a recommendation on cruise type at Kenai Fjords it appears as if several our offered. To accomplish this should we say 2 nights in Anchorage or more?
and then I guess what else?
After that are you thinking 2 or 3 nights in the Denali area? what are your thoughts on lodging in this area? What about a large cabin in this area? I am picturing something similar to a cabin rental, I am thinking hotels may not be an option. You may laugh at this thought and can definitiely correct me where I am wrong. I really dont even know where I should begin my research.
Then maybe 1or 2 nights in the Fairbanks area? but as I type this we would still need to return to anchorage to fly out, I guess?
Isn't it kind of crazy to come this far and be here not to do Denali if we have the time? What other things would be must sees?
Next transportation questions, some one mentioned that we could do a rail tour that is pretty neat. How would this work? would that be a good option to get to Fairbanks? what about denali? seems like it may be a good option to move from one area to another. I am not sure how the luggage situation would work? Is it a good way to experience denali?
I also will look into rental cars. What about some kind of a private tour we could use to get from one location to another? again luggage brings us back to rental car as possibly the best option.
Maybe I am wrong and again correct me if I am but looks like maybe 3 areas to concentrate in, Seward area then Denali area, then Fairbanks area? Again make any other suggestions on thoughts of things I need to look into.
Also advise me a way to respond back in less than 24 hours if it exists.
Thanks again for all the help.
Norwegian Jewel, Vancouver to Seward, sailing Monday July 23, arriving Seward Monday July 30.
First availability at Denali Princess hotel for 2 nights, 4 rooms is August 3, so the calendar works like this:
July 30 (Mon) - Arrive Seward, stay in Seward
Aug. 1 (Tue) Kenai Fjords cruise, evening train to Anchorage
Aug. 2 (Wed) Explore Anchorage, drive to Girdwood and/or Whittier glacier cruise. (See below)
Aug. 3 (Thu) Drive or train to Denali, overnight Denali Princess
Aug. 4 (Fri) Day touring Denali Park, overnight Denali Princess
Aug. 5 (Sat) Return to Anchorage (optional flight out)
Aug. 6 (Sun) Flight out.
Options with this schedule: If using the train for Anchorage - Denali, then you could continue north to Fairbanks after Denali, explore Fairbanks, then fly south from there. You do NOT want to do a one-way rental car (Anchorage Fairbanks or v.v.) because of very high one-way car rent surcharges. Now this is just my view, but I don't find Fairbanks all that compelling a destination (no offense intended for Fairbanksians) particularly if one is on a tight schedule.
A note on the Anchorage day (in this case Aug. 2) - There's a lot to see in Anchorage itself, but the real scenery "payoff" is actually the road south/east from town toward Seward. You'll have already been on this route, either in a bus or the train from Seward, but those itineraries of necessity blow past many of the places along that route that deserve more time, so on this day you'd be "backtracking" a bit. In addition to the road itself, there are three or four destinations along that corridor that are worth visiting. First is Girdwood, a community (actually part of Anchorage) that's set in a gorgeous valley that extends inland from Turnagain Arm. There are several visit-worthy places or activities available in Girdwood, including some (touristy) gold mining, and the superb Alyeska Resort, which is mainly a ski resort but which in the summer offers access into the high country, including a spectacular gondola ride up to the top of the ski runs, where a terrific restaurant offers fine dining with a spectacular view of the mountains, glaciers, and the inlet far below.
Twenty minutes farther down the road from Girdwood is Portage and Portage Valley. This was a community that was destroyed in the 1964 Good Friday earthquake (the land subsided, flooding the village) but which is now the gateway to Portage Lake, Portage Glacier, and the road/rail tunnel to Whittier (where Princess docks.) There are tours of Portage Glacier (which has retreated horrendously over the past 20 years or so) BUT if you haven't already seen enough glaciers, you can drive through the tunnel to Whittier and take a "26 Glacier" cruise (a couple of operators offering similar trips) which take around 4 hours and which will take you into College Inlet and up to the faces of numerous tidewater glaciers.
Close to the junction of the Portage Valley road and the Seward Highway is the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, where you can see various species of Alaska wildlife (bears, moose, caribou etc.) in natural surroundings.
And farther down the road toward Seward is a cut-off road to the old mining village of Hope, a fascinating and historic village, the only community on the south shore of Turnagain Arm. The views along the road are terrific.
So these would be some of the options for the extra day in Anchorage. Of course, if you or some of your party are travel-weary by this point, you can also hang out in town and do things like visit the Native Heritage Center, rent bikes and ride along the coastal trail, or even splurge on a flightseeing trip on a float plane from Lake Hood. Or get a burger at the Arctic Roadrunner and sit next to Campbell Creek looking for salmon swimming past you.
So this is an example of how you COULD spend a week in southcentral Alaska after arriving off a cruise. Obviously any changes in dates would ripple through all this requiring re-planning, but this might offer a start.
Edited to add: I thought a wee map might help orient you to these places - https://goo.gl/maps/bFrSn9JNtqJ2
Last edited by Gardyloo; Jun 4th, 2018 at 06:16 AM.
Jun 4th, 2018, 10:47 AM
#20
I'm certainly no expert on Anchorage. I stayed at GuestHouse Inn & Suites downtown (it's a Red Lion) which I was able to get "last minute" although late in the season. They included airport shuttle pickup.
Downtown Anchorage is a little grim... There is also a Comfort Inn on Ship Creek which looks pretty nice..I walked by it.
Some of the cruises indicate that they check you in at downtown Anchorage..Check with them before deciding to journey elsewhere pre cruise...
I also see the following options if you decide to first cruise up to Anchorage "mid July" (Just a sample of what might fit)
HAL Noordam July 15
NCL Westerdam July 22
Princess (Island) July 25 Now I'm not a fan of Island but this cruise does hit Glacier Bay and if you can buy it soon they're picking up gratuities...
Again, I encourage you to hit Vacations to Go's website...
Downtown Anchorage is a little grim... There is also a Comfort Inn on Ship Creek which looks pretty nice..I walked by it.
Some of the cruises indicate that they check you in at downtown Anchorage..Check with them before deciding to journey elsewhere pre cruise...
I also see the following options if you decide to first cruise up to Anchorage "mid July" (Just a sample of what might fit)
HAL Noordam July 15
NCL Westerdam July 22
Princess (Island) July 25 Now I'm not a fan of Island but this cruise does hit Glacier Bay and if you can buy it soon they're picking up gratuities...
Again, I encourage you to hit Vacations to Go's website...
