We are planning a trip to Alaska July 2025 that will be land and cruise. We have chosen Sapphire Princess and are trying to decide between the following 2 itineraries:
CHOICE # 1 13 Day 6 nights on land 7 nights on the ship
Land first:
July 13th Arrive in Anchorage Hotel Captain Cook for overnight stay
July 14th Princess Rail from Anchorage to Talkeetna to Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge afternoon at leisure
July 15th Motorcoach to Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge afternoon at leisure
July 16th Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, Natural History Tour, remainder of day at leisure
July17th Sightsee by motorcoach to the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge
July 18th Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge full day of leisure
July 19th Motorcoach to Valdez, catamaran to Whittier.
July 19th Motorcoach to Pier, ship sails at 8:30pm
Cruise:
July 19th ship sails at 8:30pm
July 20th Hubbard Glacier 3:00pm - 8:00pm
Scenic cruising
July 21st Glacier Bay 9:15am - 7:30pm
Scenic cruising
July 22nd Skagway 7:00am - 8:30pm
July 23rd Juneau 6:30am - 4:00pm
July 24th Ketchikan 10:00am - 6:00pm
July 25th At Sea
July 26th Vancouver 7:30am
CHOICE # 2 12 day 5 nights land 7 nights on ship
Land first:
July 14th Fairbanks
July 15th Cruise on Sternwheeler down the Chena River
Motorcoach to Denali National Park and Princess Wilderness Lodge, afternoon at leisure
July 16th Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge Natural History Tour, remainder of day at leisure
July 17th Princess Rail to Talkeetna, motorcoach to Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge
July 18th Motorcoach across Kenai peninsula to Cooper Landing, Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge. Remainder of day at leisure.
July 19th Motorcoach to Whittier to embark and sail at 8:30pm
Cruise is the same as above.
The land portion is the only part that is different and I don't know if one choice is better than the other? Anyone who can share any advice would be greatly appreciated! I need to get my reservation secured and I just don't know which would be the better option, or if there is a better option. This will be our first trip to Alaska and most probably our last. We will fill as much leisure time as we can with excursions. We are in our early and mid sixties so don't plan to do any big hiking excursions (don't want to kill my hubby, lol) also don't plan to fish. Probably more on the lines of Whale/wildlife watching, glacier tours.
Thank you!