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Back from HAL Land & Sea. Any Questions?


alwaysfrantic
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Can you write a brief trip report? a paragraph or 2 that outlines your itinerary for land and sea, with a little info about excursions, sights, activities, highlights, disappointments, vendors.

It will be very helpful to those people who are still planning.

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I will say I likely would just do the land on my own if I was to go again. But can answer any questions for how that part worked.

 

We are on the same trip next week. When we are on the land Will we be spending most of our free time on our own exploring or should we plan on taking all of the supplemental trips and tours that they offer? Thanks

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We are on the same trip next week. When we are on the land Will we be spending most of our free time on our own exploring or should we plan on taking all of the supplemental trips and tours that they offer? Thanks

 

Most of the time in the group was on buses or trains to the next stop. Once we were at Denali, or in Anchorage, everyone did their own things. Even the included Denali tour was random scheduling; not with the group.

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Thanks. I was concerned about the cruisetrain experience since almostfrantic felt like she would have preferred the morning transit. The Seward transit is not in the same rail cars that HAL uses for the Denali experience. Oh well, I'll soon see for myself!

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How was the seating on the train to Seward? DId they offer food or should we eat before we get on the train?

The food was not as extensive as the train from Denali to Anchorage.

 

The seats are assigned at a 4 top table for the duration of the ride. So two are facing backwards. The bar service and food service are kind of combined on this leg. You can order sandwiches in your regular seat. The dining car is available but it's more baked goods than hot meals. On the other train you could order snacks from the cabin bartender, but full, hot meals were available in the dining room of your own car.

 

We went to Snow City for a big breakfast in Anchorage then did not eat on the train. Waited for dinner on the ship.

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Thanks. I was concerned about the cruisetrain experience since almostfrantic felt like she would have preferred the morning transit. The Seward transit is not in the same rail cars that HAL uses for the Denali experience. Oh well, I'll soon see for myself!

 

The morning train, if we had taken it ourselves, would have been more like the train from Denali, in goldclass service. And we would have been able to exit and go to the ship when we arrived in Seward. On HAL's train we were kept inside the train and released to walk to the ship one car at a time. That was frustrating.

 

But, HAL did have agents on the train to do all the verification of passports, check in and make your cruise card/key. That was nice. But unless you were on car number 1, not sure it saved any time before boarding.

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Thank you. Now we know what to expect. We ate breakfast at Snow City yesterday and had to wait for about 45 minutes. It was very good. We have been on a 12 day land tour and we are REALLY ready to board the ship. I hope we get the first train car!

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