In Alaska now then sailing Millennium Southbound

Thank you for the information. I'm glad you and your DH had a great trip.

So it appears that Denali Park Village does not provide complimentary transportation to "glitter gulch" or even to the Wilderness Access Center?

What would you suggest be used for transportation to the WAC at 6:30 a.m.?

Thank you for the information. I'm glad you and your DH had a great trip.

 

So it appears that Denali Park Village does not provide complimentary transportation to "glitter gulch" or even to the Wilderness Access Center?

 

What would you suggest be used for transportation to the WAC at 6:30 a.m.?

You can pay for the salmon bake shuttle but not sure of the hours you can google it and see. If you upgrade to TWT they pick you up right at hotel, no need to get to park.

Or, I guess a taxi but I would be sure to arrange in advance because none will be hanging out!

We had Leigh as our tour guide on our 1st land trip in Alaska. She was great. The driver was Rosie. We saw Rosie last year and I think she said Leigh was on maternity leave. Our tour guide last year was Cody, and he was also great.

We are doing the 7B cruise (6 land days) starting in Fairbanks on August 29th. How do you know what hotel you are supposed to go to? We haven't gotten ANY information other than that we stay in a hotel in Fairbanks, no indication of where. Any info on this would be helpful. Thanks.

We are doing the 7B cruise (6 land days) starting in Fairbanks on August 29th. How do you know what hotel you are supposed to go to? We haven't gotten ANY information other than that we stay in a hotel in Fairbanks, no indication of where. Any info on this would be helpful. Thanks.

When you get you final paperwork on the mycelebrity page of their website. Keep scrolling and they should have the details. Also on the regular celebrity page, under itinerary they should have most of the hotels. Ours just didn't have Denali yet. Once you get to the first hotel your land director will be there to meet with each party individually and he/she will hand you a printed itinerary for the whole land trip and a sheet of upgrades/excursions and tags!

When you get you final paperwork on the mycelebrity page of their website. Keep scrolling and they should have the details. Also on the regular celebrity page, under itinerary they should have most of the hotels. Ours just didn't have Denali yet. Once you get to the first hotel your land director will be there to meet with each party individually and he/she will hand you a printed itinerary for the whole land trip and a sheet of upgrades/excursions and tags!

Thank you. I assume I will have to wait until day 49 to get this info. I guess I can wait another few weeks.:)

Thank you. I assume I will have to wait until day 49 to get this info. I guess I can wait another few weeks.:)

Try going to Royal Carribean website and looking for your equivalent tour on there. They do everything identical and they post a lot more information then Celebrity!

On a celebrity cruisetour then boarding millennium later in the week!

 

Love Alaska so far!

 

Any questions about the land or sea part I can help with??

Did you store you large luggage on the land part or have it in your room with you? Did everyone store? I feel more comfortable having it brought to my room.

On a celebrity cruisetour then boarding millennium later in the week!

 

Love Alaska so far!

 

Any questions about the land or sea part I can help with??

I greatly overpacked. The first day when you meet with your land tour director you are given tags. If you have a bag or bags you don't need on land they will keep it and you don't have to get it each night. We did that. Some mornings the bags need to be out very early but you don't need to be tardy yet. So we kept back our biggest carry in and our driver gladly put it under the bus as we boarded. This way we had our toiletries and didn't have to be ready as early.

 

It was $73 each to upgrade to TWT. Absolutely worth every penny. We saw so much wildlife and went fast! Just buy and bring food for the 8-hour day!

 

Best part for us was the TWT, the town of talkeetna and the Alyeska was so awesome. Wished we could have stayed there all 5 nights lol. Had booked the seven glaciers restaurant there on top of the mountain. Also worth every penny!

 

Enjoy!

If we don't want to store any of our luggage is that ok? I don't really want to try to put all 4 land day's clothes in a small carry on. Is there a size limit for carry ons for the train? Was that a problem for anybody?

If we don't want to store any of our luggage is that ok? I don't really want to try to put all 4 land day's clothes in a small carry on. Is there a size limit for carry ons for the train? Was that a problem for anybody?

So much helpful info here. Thank you so much!!!:)

I do have additional questions about luggage, if you can help me:

**Can we each have a full sized suitcase plus (hard side wheeled) carry on delivered to our room each night? (Trying to determine how to manage our portable medical equipment)

**I have read me can bring a soft sided tope, smaller backpack or purse with us on the (inside) of train &/or bus. (17" x 14" x 4") Can you verify it that is accurate? And that it could be stuffed under the seat in front of us.

Becky

If we don't want to store any of our luggage is that ok? I don't really want to try to put all 4 land day's clothes in a small carry on. Is there a size limit for carry ons for the train? Was that a problem for anybody?

So much helpful info here. Thank you so much!!!:)

 

I do have additional questions about luggage, if you can help me:

 

**Can we each have a full sized suitcase plus (hard side wheeled) carry on delivered to our room each night? (Trying to determine how to manage our portable medical equipment)

 

**I have read me can bring a soft sided tope, smaller backpack or purse with us on the (inside) of train &/or bus. (17" x 14" x 4") Can you verify it that is accurate? And that it could be stuffed under the seat in front of us.

 

Becky

There is over head storage on the coach, think plane without the door, just a bungy type cord to hold things in. Nothing like this on the train and you can't put things under the seat in front of you. The leg room on the train is very decent so a small tote, backpack, etc. could sit on the floor by your feet. Yo also have to walk up a spiral staircase to get to the seats, although they do have a lift if you are unable to navigate stairs.

While on the train your luggage will be on the bus which will meet you when you get to your destination.

Although they will deliver your luggage to your room each night they do request that you pack so that anything not needed on the land portion is in one suitcase that stays in a locked compartment on the bus. We felt quite safe leaving our suitcase there overnight.

Jumping on this thread....

Would like to do a land cruise first/7 night cruise afterward. Not at all sure about how to do this. Lots of reading needing!

Definitely do more reading. But I read so much comparing the land tours from X, Princess and HAL that in the end, didn't book any of them :) just doing a last minute X cruise in two weeks.

However, I have been reading this year's reviews on the Mille, and this one opened up another world of options hadn't even considered before. Happy Planning. http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=509030

Lovetotraveltx,

Doing same cruise tour June 14'16 .. Can you give me a daily schedule (times) that you followed on your Denali day... (When does coach leave for Talkeetna?) ..and on you trip to Seward

Thanks

Hope your cruise is fabulous. We love Alaska.

I will have to add that if you really want to get some great information, head on over to the Alaska forums here on Cruise Critic. There are wonderful people who give great advice there.

As a matter of fact, we have been convinced, for when we do it in a couple years, to do the interior on our own, by cruising one direction. We will rent a car in Seward and take that around the Kenai peninsula for a few days, then head to Anchorage and Fairbanks, then to Denali. We just don't like the idea of getting on a big bus with people that you have to wait every time to load and unload. We want to stop when we want to stop, and we want to be able to get much further into Denali than those big buses on the cruise tours go. We may even fly back (there's that option) from deep within the park. There are also other little towns and places to see that aren't on the cruise tours.

So if you aren't signed up for a cruise tour you can certainly manage Alaska without it, much cheaper, and see much more. I hope I haven't discouraged anyone who has a cruise tour but it's always another option. Can't get lost - basically only one road anywhere!

I'm sure cruise tours are fun. I have friends who have done it both ways and are considering coming along with us again when we next visit Alaska - and renting the car for a couple weeks.

What is the weather like? Jacket, heavy clothes, rain gear required? Any advice on this or Fairbanks would be appreciated.

What is the weather like? Jacket, heavy clothes, rain gear required? Any advice on this or Fairbanks would be appreciated.

When will you be in Fairbanks? I live in Fairbanks, and while we can have rainy summers we also can have surprisingly warm weather.

We will be there 31 May for two days then to Denali for two days and transfer to celebrity on 3 June. Appreciate any info. Thanks Dawg67.

We will be there 31 May for two days then to Denali for two days and transfer to celebrity on 3 June. Appreciate any info. Thanks Dawg67.

Dawg67: Will you be in Fairbanks May 31st this year?

Through the miracles of modern communication I am actually typing this response from the Icelandair Hotel Marina in Reykjavik. We left home April 10th and were on the Eclipse from April 17th until May 22nd.

If you will be in Fairbanks late this month understand that Fairbanks hit +81F about two weeks ago (which was rather early for the low 80s) and the leaf green-out (yes -- scientists do keep track of the first day in Fairbanks at five different locations on which leaves are fully leafed out) was the earliest on record. But while you could have some rain in Fairbanks you could also be wearing shorts.

Denali, despite being south of Fairbanks, is almost always cooler and generally cloudier. Also the "Glitter Gulch" canyon area can be quite windy. Whenever we go down to Denali we always have rain gear, gloves and hats. If you don't need your rain gear in Denali you could be using it in SE Alaska; there is a reason Alaskans refer to SE Alaska as "rain country."

We enjoyed all the hotels. The new Denali Park Center was beautiful; our room upstairs and on the river. Talkeetna Lodge was excellent too. In Anchorage, we had a huge picture window out to the inlet.

The animals we saw were cariboo, bear, moose and the state bird, the Talmekan.

Just remember that there is no air conditioning. We didn't need it, but many that we talked with did.

Thanks for the info. Hope your trip was great.

Travel safe. Dawg67

Sorry, Haven't been on Cruise critic in 7 months. Celebrity uses a new hotel in denali now? Denali Park Center??

What is TWT that you said you upgraded to? Thanks

Any suggestions on must dos in Anchorage?

Any suggestions on must dos in Anchorage?

If you have time, go to the Anchorage Museum. Especially if you have young ones.